Conventional Belief Research Articles

The Role of Dialogic Crisis Communication Strategy in Repairing Organizational Reputation: A Moderated Mediation Model

This study empirically examines the differences in the impact of dialogic and monologic communication strategies on organizational reputation during a crisis, challenging the conventional belief that dialogic strategies are always superior. Through two online experiments, this study explored the effects of dialogic communication strategies on organizational reputation and the mechanisms and boundary conditions that influence these outcomes. The findings revealed that dialogic communication strategies were generally more effective than monologic ones in enhancing organizational reputation in times of crisis. However, the effectiveness of these strategies is contingent upon the type of crisis. Furthermore, stakeholder empathy toward the organization plays a mediating role in how dialogic communication influences reputation. The main contribution of this study is to provide a deeper understanding of how an organization’s use of social media to convey “dialogic messages” during a crisis can affect stakeholders' perceptions of the organization. The results will help crisis managers to choose crisis response strategies more effectively.

Analyzing the Synergistic Effects of Population and Pollution on Forest Resources: A Mathematical Model

The alteration in concentration of atmospheric pollutants is influencing the functionality and growth of forests. Also, the growing human demand for forestry resources is detrimentally affecting the sustainability of these valuable resources. In this study, we present a mathematical model that incorporates the influence of atmospheric pollutants on the intrinsic growth rate of forests, while concurrently addressing the utilization of forestry land by the human population for diverse purposes which diminishes the carrying capacity of forestry resources. We establish sufficient conditions under which all relevant dynamic variables stabilize at their equilibria. Upon scrutinizing the model system, we observe multiple bifurcations concerning certain key parameters. Additionally, numerical simulations have been conducted to corroborate the analytically derived findings. Moreover, we fortify the proposed model through the integration of a time delay in the impact of pollutants on the intrinsic growth rate of forestry resources. Despite the conventional belief that introducing a time delay tends to destabilize systems, our resolute delayed model system showcases that a time delay in the effect of pollutants on intrinsic growth rate of forestry resources can, in fact, stabilize the unstable interior equilibrium.

Reversible Redox Controlled DNA Condensation by a Simple Noncanonical Dicationic Diphenylalanine Derivative.

We report the reversible redox-controlled DNA condensation using a simple dicationic diphenylalanine derivative which contains a disulfide unit as linker. Despite the conventional belief that DNA condensing agents require a charge of +3 or higher, this dicationic molecule functions below its critical aggregation concentration, representing a non-canonical DNA condensing agent. The interaction with DNA of the studied compound combines electrostatic effects with hydrophobic/stacking interactions provided with the diphenylalanine moiety. Upon reduction, the condensing agent is cleaved, weakening its interaction with DNA and resulting in DNA decondensation. Oxidation reverses this process, restoring the condensed state. This behavior was confirmed through ThT displacement, circular dichroism, 1H NMR, and dynamic light scattering studies. Overall, this study introduces an innovative alternative for dynamic DNA manipulation applications.

Degradation of polyamide nanofiltration membranes by free chlorine and halide ions: Kinetics, mechanisms, and implications.

Degradation of polyamide nanofiltration membranes by free chlorine and halide ions: Kinetics, mechanisms, and implications.

Food labeling and Chinese consumer preference for naturalness: A new way to differentiate grass-fed dairy products.

Food labeling and Chinese consumer preference for naturalness: A new way to differentiate grass-fed dairy products.

Pre-operative management of fracture blisters: a systematic review.

The pre-operative management of fracture blisters is an area of uncertainty within trauma and orthopaedic surgeries. Management strategies vary significantly between and within orthopaedic departments across the United Kingdom. The purpose of this systematic review was to comprehensively appraise and synthesize the existing literature pertaining to this topic, highlighting current practices and areas for ongoing research. Extensive electronic literature searches were performed on PubMed/MEDLINE (January 1946-May 2024), Embase (January 1974-May 2024) and Cochrane library (January 1933-May 2024) databases. The search terms were as follows: (fracture blister OR bone blister*) AND (dress* OR drain* OR aspirat* OR deroof* OR manage*). These keywords were searched in the subject headings, in title and in abstract. The results of the search methodology revealed five articles, which represented the best evidence to the clinical question. These papers reported on rates of wound healing and post-operative infection, time to surgical readiness and treatment costs, following varying treatment modalities in 1162 patients. The authors, publication dates, countries, patient groups, study outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated in Supplementary Table 1. Fracture blisters pose a significant challenge in clinical practice, leading to delays in surgery, suboptimal surgical approaches and complications in wound healing post-operatively. Currently, there is no consensus describing the optimal management of these blisters. This review challenges the conventional belief that fracture blisters are sterile, highlighting that the application of topical agents to the deroofed blister bed may expedite surgical readiness.

Acute high-intensity exercise enhances T cell proliferation compared to moderate-intensity exercise.

Conventional belief is that high-intensity (HI) exercise inhibits immune function; however, recent work challenges this position. The purpose of this was to quantify changes in T cell proliferative capacity following either a HI or moderate-intensity (MI) exercise. Sixteen males were randomly selected to a HI or MI exercise group. Blood was obtained baseline and immediately, 1-, 4-, and 6-hours post-exercise for analyses of CD3+ T cell proliferation (co-stimulation via PHA or CD3+CD28). The proliferative response increased in T cells in the HI group and remained significantly elevated up to 6-hours post-exercise in both co-stimulation conditions. In contrast, the MI group saw no change proliferative ability following exercise. Analyses of serum stress hormones, and immunomodulatory cytokines failed to reveal any correlated variations that could clarify the T cell findings. We suggest the increase in proliferative capacity following HI exercise is indicative of an exercise-induced activation that provides for enhanced functional responses to stimuli. Moreover, this study shows that HI exercise increases T cell processes, effectively priming them for activation in response to stimuli. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06638684).

Digital Goods Reselling: Implications on Cannibalization and Price Discrimination

The resale of used products presents the challenge of cannibalization, particularly pronounced in digital goods markets where perfect substitutes are easily replicable. In this article, we assert that, rather than a threat, resale can serve as an effective pricing tool for managing heterogeneous demand. We consider a seller of digital goods/services who offers a contract to a heterogeneous group of customers at a fixed price for a specified amount of usage allowance. Rather than imposing restrictive sharing barriers, the seller allows subscribers to share their allowances with others in a secondary market. Our analysis reveals that the seller’s optimal strategy involves facilitating resale by eliminating transaction costs. The sharing contract effectively achieves the same outcome as a two-part tariff, wherein subscribers pay an entry fee along with a marginal usage rate. Both approaches generate equivalent revenue and market coverage, and result in idential demand and individual surplus for customers of the same type. Consequently, the sharing contract acts as a mechanism for price discrimination. Our finding provides a new perspective on peer-to-peer resales and also challenges the conventional belief that successful price discrimination hinges on preventing resale.

Autonomy or control? An agent-based study of self-organising versus centralised task allocation

Teams comprised of exceptional individuals are often thought to excel in performance, but the reality is that even such teams can face challenges in group environments. Problems like excessive coordination and declining motivation can undermine a team’s productivity. This study seeks to improve team cooperation through task allocation while addressing individual needs. However, conventional research methods struggle to capture the complexities of individual interactions and adaptability. Thus, the study employs Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) to investigate the impact of task allocation on team performance, both in centralised (top–down) and self-organising (bottom–up) approaches. The study uncovers several key findings: (a) assigning tasks of appropriate difficulty level can significantly improve team performance and satisfaction; (b) the self-organising task allocation approach excels in enhancing group satisfaction, highlighting the importance of providing employees with a sense of autonomy and control over their work; (c) the study identifies that the performance of teams under centralised and self-organising approaches is contingent on the team’s developmental stage, emphasising the need for tailored management strategies that align with the team’s current stage of development. The study challenges the conventional belief that exceptional individual performance automatically translates to outstanding team performance. It underscores the importance of recognising the role of individual needs and management strategies in shaping team dynamics, and ultimately, team performance.

Enhancing cognitive metrics in supply chain management through information and knowledge exchange

PurposeThis research primarily aims to investigate the impact of organizational implants on knowledge transmission, process innovation and security integration in intricate supply chains.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilizes a mixed-method approach, employing a stratified sampling strategy to get a representative sample of 1,284 enterprises from various sectors within the logistics industry within the European Union. Data were gathered by computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) and analysed utilizing structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate hypotheses concerning cognitive congruence, process diffusion and security integration.FindingsThe results indicate that while task interdependence clearly improves face-to-face communication, excessive cognitive congruence can hinder process innovation, resulting in what the article terms “cognitive rigidity.” The study suggests that achieving a balance between cognitive congruence and cognitive flexibility is crucial to improving the safety diffusion and integration process.Originality/valueThis study presents an innovative conceptual framework that synthesizes cognitive congruence, cognitive flexibility and cognitive rigidity to examine their combined influence on knowledge transfer and process dissemination throughout supply chains. It presents cognitive stiffness as a boundary condition, contesting the conventional belief that more cognitive congruence is invariably advantageous.

The role of pre-coagulation in wastewater nitrogen removal: Greenhouse gas emission reduction.

The role of pre-coagulation in wastewater nitrogen removal: Greenhouse gas emission reduction.

Bubble size and rise velocity, gas holdup, and frother concentration in flotation

AbstractIt was revealed from the literature that although Sauter mean bubble diameter, d32, remained virtually unchanged after critical coalescence concentration (CCC), gas holdup kept rising without reaching a maximum plateau. In addition, for a given d32, different gas holdups were obtained for different types of frothers, contrary to conventional belief regarding bubbly columns. A brief analysis was given in this Note, by considering the effect of different hydrodynamic environment surrounding a bubble in a swarm from a single bubble alone on dynamic frother adsorption. Based on the balance between hydrodynamic drag and surface tension gradient force acting on a bubble, it was speculated that frother adsorption density or compactness in the dynamic adsorption layer on a bubble would be lower in swarms than in single bubble systems of the same size. This could allow further frother adsorption after CCC and CMV (concentration at minimum/terminal velocity for single bubbles). Consequently gas holdup might continue to rise. Moreover, the overlap of adsorption layers between adjacent bubbles caused stronger molecular interactions among frothers of longer hydrocarbon chains, or larger molecular weights with different head groups, and interfered bulk free water flow through the channels of rising bubbles, leading to their stronger drag to slow bubbles thereby higher gas holdups for a given bubble size. It appeared that bubble surfaces in real flotation systems may not be totally immobilized.

Shortwave cloud warming effect observed over highly reflective Greenland.

Shortwave cloud warming effect observed over highly reflective Greenland.

Effects of edible bird's nest and EDTA on cadmium toxicity exposed rats' embryo production, quality, and pre- and post-embryo transfer pregnancy rates.

The current study aimed to investigate the prophylactic potential of EBN compared to EDTA in mitigating Cd's toxic effects on pregnancy rates and embryonic development in rats. Ninety-eight female rats (Sprague Dawley) were divided into donor and recipient groups, with donors further divided into seven subgroups, including negative control, Cd-exposed, EBN-treated, and EDTA-treated groups. Embryos from donors were transferred to recipient rats, with EBN and Cd administered for 4 weeks and EDTA given only in the last 5 days for the donor group. Results showed significant differences in pregnancy rates and blastocyst quality. EBN at 120 mg/kg BW led to higher blastocyst production and better quality compared to Cd-exposed groups. The highest pregnancy rates in recipient groups correlated with the highest blastocyst scores from donors. EBN at 120 mg/kg demonstrated significant protection against Cd toxicity and its effect on pregnancy rates, embryo production, quality, and pre- and post-embryo transfer, surpassing the effects of both 90 mg/kg EBN and EDTA. This study provides empirical evidence in support of the conventional belief in the positive impact of EBN on female reproduction.

Disparity Between Punitive Attitudes Toward Stranger Rape and Partner Rape: Evidence From Cross-National Survey Data

While legally the same, acts of sexual abuse within and outside intimate relationships are not seen as equal by the public, and this distinction might also be reflected in preferred criminal punishment; some people might deem partner rape as deserving less harsh punishment than the rape of a stranger. Our secondary analysis examines differential punitiveness toward these two types of rape among the respondents ( n = 11,383) to a large population survey conducted in 2021 in Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. As part of the survey, respondents chose preferred sentences for partner and stranger rape. Using these sentencing questions, we investigate the direction, extent, and demographic distribution of the differential punitiveness toward stranger and partner rape. A large group of respondents (ranging from 31.5% in Austria to 47.3% in Czechia) granted greater leniency to partner rape than to stranger rape and the reverse was rarely observed. More severe sentences were chosen for stranger rape more often than for partner rape. The individual bias toward leniency for partner rape was also typically stronger than the rare bias for stranger rape (the difference of 36 vs. 24 months of imprisonment, respectively). Relative leniency toward partner rape was particularly pronounced in Slavic countries, more prevalent among men, and positively correlated with age, right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation and rape myth acceptance. Drawing on our results and previous scholarship, we attribute the observed disparities to the persistence of rape myths and the legitimation of intra-relationship sexual violence by conventional belief systems.

Dynamic Pricing Strategy for Imitative and Habit‐Forming Customers

ABSTRACTThis study employs finite‐horizon dynamic programming to examine markets with imitative and habit‐forming (IH) customers. Our findings indicate that optimal pricing and base demand increase as the number of customers who exhibit imitative and habit‐forming behaviors grows. Additionally, we analyze the impact of various stochastic parameters on optimal pricing, revealing that retailers should reduce prices when the variability among IH customers increases and raise prices when the average number of such customers rises. Notably, we challenge the conventional belief that greater uncertainty reduces profits, demonstrating that higher additive variability among IH customers can unexpectedly enhance profitability. These findings offer valuable insights for retailers into optimal pricing strategies for markets with imitative and habit‐forming customers, potentially aiding businesses in achieving growth and profitability.

Scalable, High‐Yield Monolayer MXene Preparation from Multilayer MXene for Many Applications

AbstractMXene (Ti3C2Tx) is renowned for its exceptional conductivity and hydrophilicity; however, the low yield of monolayers hinders its industrial scalability. Herein, we present a strategy to substantially enhance the monolayer yield by disrupting the hydrogen‐bonding cage confinement of multilayer MXene using high‐temperature ultrasound, challenging the conventional belief that monolayer MXene can only be prepared at lower temperatures. At approximately 70 °C, the weakened hydrogen bonding between the oxygen‐containing terminal groups of multilayer MXene and surrounding water molecules weakens the hydrogen‐bond cage confinement. This enables ultrasonic cavitation to generate more microbubbles that penetrate the interlayers of multilayer MXene, resulting in gentle and thorough delamination into larger monolayer nanosheets. Achieving up to a 95 % yield in just tens of minutes, these nanosheets exhibit properties comparable to those produced by traditional ice‐bath methods. Furthermore, the high‐concentration MXene ink produced on a large scale using this high‐yield approach exhibits excellent printing and processing capabilities, and the corresponding products showcase superior infrared stealth and Joule heating characteristics. This work addresses a key technical bottleneck in MXene production, paving the way for its extensive technological and industrial applications.

Scalable, High-Yield Monolayer MXene Preparation from Multilayer MXene for Many Applications.

MXene (Ti3C2Tx) is renowned for its exceptional conductivity and hydrophilicity; however, the low yield of monolayers hinders its industrial scalability. Herein, we present a strategy to substantially enhance the monolayer yield by disrupting the hydrogen-bonding cage confinement of multilayer MXene using high-temperature ultrasound, challenging the conventional belief that monolayer MXene can only be prepared at lower temperatures. At approximately 70 °C, the weakened hydrogen bonding between the oxygen-containing terminal groups of multilayer MXene and surrounding water molecules weakens the hydrogen-bond cage confinement. This enables ultrasonic cavitation to generate more microbubbles that penetrate the interlayers of multilayer MXene, resulting in gentle and thorough delamination into larger monolayer nanosheets. Achieving up to a 95 % yield in just tens of minutes, these nanosheets exhibit properties comparable to those produced by traditional ice-bath methods. Furthermore, the high-concentration MXene ink produced on a large scale using this high-yield approach exhibits excellent printing and processing capabilities, and the corresponding products showcase superior infrared stealth and Joule heating characteristics. This work addresses a key technical bottleneck in MXene production, paving the way for its extensive technological and industrial applications.

The Possibility of Financial Distress and Its Determinants: Evidence from the Banking Sector of Bangladesh

The banking sector of Bangladesh has shown poor performance for over a decade now. The non-performing loans increased over the years. This prompts the question of whether the banks are capable of maintaining financial stability and continue as a going concern. This is further fueled by the number of financial scandals which took place over the years, such as the Hallmark scandal, irregularities in Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd., BASIC Bank Limited etc. that further highlights the signs of possible financial distress. These incidents call for an investigation of bank-specific determinants that might have a significant effect in leading a bank towards bankruptcy. This study has used the data of 30 listed commercial banks in Bangladesh, from the year 2014 to 2020. The bankruptcy risk is measured using the Altman Z-score, which has been extensively used as a suitable bankruptcy risk measurement tool. Statistical analysis has been conducted, using random-effects regression model and correlation, to test the relationship and impact of bank-specific factors. Capital adequacy ratio has shown significantly positive impact on the bankruptcy risk, while age has shown significantly negative impact on bankruptcy risk. Non-performing loan has also shown negative relationship with Z-score, which is contrary to the conventional belief.

Postmodern Vision of Absolute Truth in "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

This paper explores Ian McEwan's "Atonement" and its postmodern interpretation of the concept of ultimate truth. The novel, which takes place in the early 20th century, examines the difficulties associated with memory, narrative, and the search for the truth. This essay examines how the novel reflects the postmodern rejection the idea of ultimate truth through a study of the text. It is possible to see the novel "Atonement" as a postmodern attack on the idea of ultimate truth. It is proposed that the novel's postmodern is a conception of reality highlights the importance of memory and narrative in the construction of truth. This paper is important because it applies postmodernism theory to the novel "Atonement" by Ian McEwan, giving it a fresh viewpoint. The study underlines the significance of subjective experiences and viewpoints in our perception of reality and underscores the function of memory and narrative in truth construction. Postmodernism theory is used as a literary movement that rejects the conventional belief in objective truth and emphasizes the importance of subjectivity and fragmentation in understanding of reality. This paper attempts to analyze the notion of absolute truth in Ian McEwan's novel. The primary aim of this paper is to examine the postmodern vision of absolute truth in "Atonement" and its implications for our understanding of truth and reality. This paper aims to demonstrate how the novel challenges traditional notions of truth and offers a vision of truth that is subjective and fragmented.