Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of knowledge stock in the national-level emergence of tech scaleups from a configurational perspective. While prior research has recognized the importance of knowledge stock in the emergence of high-growth firms and examined elements of entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs), its predominant reliance on econometric models has yielded a fragmented understanding, leaving unclear how knowledge stock combines with EE resource endowments to support such emergence. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship and ecosystem thinking, this study integrates aggregate data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and Startup Genome. The authors construct a cross-national data set covering 31 countries and apply fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis. Findings The results of this study reveal that knowledge stock plays a systemically important and consistently prominent role across high-emergence pathways; its influence is contingent upon the broader resource endowments of EE; and compared with resource endowments of EE, knowledge stock exhibits lower causal asymmetry, suggesting a relatively more stable role. Originality/value This study advances the literature on the geography of high-growth entrepreneurship by moving beyond single-factor econometric approaches to examine how knowledge stock interacts with other EE resources in national contexts. Using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, the authors identify multiple resource configurations that enable tech scaleup emergence, reveal the context-dependent nature of knowledge stock’s impact and demonstrate its lower causal asymmetry relative to other resources. These insights refine theoretical understanding of how different resource combinations jointly foster high-growth entrepreneurship.

Prior research has demonstrated sex-specific differences in hypertension (HTN). The gut microbiota (GM) and its metabolic functions have emerged as key players in the development of HTN. To explore potential sex-based heterogeneity in gut bacteria among hypertensive patients, we conducted this study with the aim of validating sex differences in the gut flora associated with HTN. Here, we leveraged a metagenomic dataset comprising 106 fecal samples from a Chinese cohort of individuals with essential HTN to systematically analyze and compare alterations in the gut microbiome between male and female patients, as well as relative to a healthy control group. Our study confirmed a statistically significant difference in the β-diversity of GM between hypertensive patients and healthy controls. When the subjects were further stratified by sex, significant differences in the distribution of gut flora were observed exclusively in females, whereas none was noted between groups in males. It was observed that certain genera of GM exhibit negative correlations with blood pressure. Notably, the relative abundance of these bacterial genera, including Lachnospira, Faecalibacterium, and Roseburia, was significantly diminished in female hypertensive patients. These organisms are primarily involved in the biosynthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), with a notable emphasis on butyrate production. Ruminococcus gnavus was specifically enriched in hypertensive males, whereas certain bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, were notably depleted. The abnormality of the SCFAs-producing flora in female hypertensive patients may be related to that women are more likely to develop hypertensive organ damage. The findings of our study indicate that GM dysbiosis is more significantly associated with HTN in females. Consequently, sex constitutes a critical factor in evaluating the role of intestinal flora in the pathogenesis of HTN.

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this research is to design a model for identifying student competencies in using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) in teaching and learning environments, based on Grounded Theory. Methodology Due to the limited prior research in this area, we utilized the systematic grounded theory approach developed by Strauss and Corbin (1997). We conducted interviews with 18 international students at the public university in Iran, employing a purposive sampling method combined with a random selection strategy. Findings The research results, encompass several dimensions: causal factors such as technological advancements, biological shifts, and changes within the higher education system; intervening variables that include political and economic influences; contextual elements reflecting the evolution of societal and academic cultures; actions and strategies focused on enhancing human capital, establishing legal frameworks, creating incentive and regulatory systems, targeted policymaking, and improving infrastructure; and developmental outcomes that incorporate improved educational and research performance at universities, along with personal development. Innovation This research explores uncharted territory by investigating students' skills in using GAI within higher education. The findings offer valuable insights for enhancing students' capacity to effectively utilize GAI for educational purposes and support the smooth integration of artificial intelligence technologies into higher education systems.

ABSTRACT Introduction Adolescence is a developmental period where executive functions differentiate and mature. Prior research suggests that transdiagnostic processes – i.e. mechanisms that serve as risk or maintaining factors of psychopathology – negatively impact adolescent executive functioning both concurrently and over time. Understanding how these processes and executive functioning are assessed and interrelated can help neuropsychologists make more accurate diagnostic and treatment recommendations. This study aimed to identify concurrent and longitudinal correlates between adolescent executive functioning and transdiagnostic processes, including emotion regulation, affect, and Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) spectra (i.e. higher-order symptom domains like internalizing, externalizing, and somatic symptoms), using a multi-informant, multi-method design. Methods We assessed 100 adolescents using behavioral, self- and parent-reported measures of these transdiagnostic processes and executive functioning across two time points. Effect sizes of unadjusted, bivariate correlations were examined. Results Performance-based executive functioning did not correlate with self- or informant-reported executive functioning. Cross-informant agreement, however, was often evident for executive function tasks at small effects. While patterns of correlations generally differed across the assessment approaches and informants, negative affect and externalizing symptoms consistently showed small associations with concurrent executive functioning. Conclusions Affective demands (e.g. emotion regulation difficulties, internalizing symptoms, negative affect) were negatively associated with concurrent executive functioning, suggesting that such burdens may compromise adolescents’ performance on executive tasks. Clinicians are encouraged to evaluate internalizing symptoms contemporaneously with executive function testing, and to attend carefully to adolescent – informant relationships and disclosure dynamics. Implications for multi-method, multi-informant approaches to adolescent assessment are discussed.

This study presents a novel hybrid fibre-reinforced geopolymer concrete system optimised for superior durability under aggressive acidic environments. While prior research has focused on single-fibre reinforcement or neutral conditions, this work demonstrates that a balanced combination of 0.25% alkali-resistant glass fibres and 0.75% steel fibres, integrated with a silica-fume-modified geopolymer binder, achieves unprecedented synergistic performance. The key innovation lies in a dual protective mechanism: glass fibres act as a sacrificial barrier, shielding steel fibres from sulphuric acid attack, while steel fibres provide tensile strength and crack-bridging capacity. Specimens with this optimised hybrid formulation retained 75% of their original compressive strength after 90 days in pH 1 sulphuric acid, significantly outperforming both single-fibre and other hybrid combinations. Notably, this high durability was achieved without compromising mechanical properties, as the system exhibited the highest 28-day compressive strength (99 ± 3.9 MPa) and splitting tensile strength (6.59 ± 0.33 MPa). A strong inverse correlation between ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and acid-induced degradation validates UPV as a reliable non-destructive durability indicator. This optimised hybrid geopolymer concrete offers a sustainable, high-performance solution for infrastructure in corrosive environments.

Purpose With security breaches in modern organizations increasingly linked to human factors, strengthening the “human firewall” has become essential. This study investigates how organizations can promote extra-role security behaviors – voluntary actions beyond formal responsibilities. Drawing on social information processing theory, we argue that employees interpret organizational and relational cues to shape their security behaviors. Within this framework, we incorporate leader–member exchange (LMX) theory to propose that information security (IS) climate elements (practice, importance and laxness) and LMX quality play critical roles in fostering employees' voluntary security actions. Design/methodology/approach This study used a 2-step testing process for the survey and adopted a partial least squares-structural equation modeling to test the proposed model with a sample of 564 validated responses. Findings The findings indicate that IS climate elements increase IS awareness and beliefs, leading to enhanced extra-role security behaviors. Furthermore, LMX has direct and moderating effects on extra-role security behaviors, significantly contributing to the field of behavioral IS. Originality/value This study offers a novel perspective by highlighting the roles of IS climate and LMX in shaping extra-role security behaviors. By focusing on voluntary security actions rather than compliance-driven behaviors, it diverges from prior research and provides a distinct theoretical contribution to the behavioral IS literature.

The entrepreneurial performance of new ventures operating within the sustainable open innovation paradigm remains underexplored, particularly in terms of how specific sustainability-oriented practices translate into measurable performance outcomes. Prior research has largely examined sustainability, entrepreneurship, and open innovation in isolation, offering limited empirical evidence on their combined effects at the early venture stage. To address this gap, this study analyzes panel data from 407 new ventures incubated in science and technology parks, employing regression-based panel data analysis to examine the relationships between sustainable practices, open innovation engagement, and entrepreneurial performance. The findings suggest that new ventures widely adopt sustainable materials and energy as key strategies, which significantly influence entrepreneurial performance. In contrast, support from local communities does not have a statistically significant impact. Among the sociodemographic factors tested, only the number of years participating in open innovation networks shows a significant effect on entrepreneurial performance. Theoretically, this study advances sustainable open innovation literature by empirically integrating sustainability practices into entrepreneurship performance models. From a managerial perspective, the findings offer actionable insights for entrepreneurs and incubator managers, highlighting which sustainability strategies and network engagements are most likely to yield performance benefits in new ventures.

Robot failures in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), though often stemming from technical limitations, can have severe effects on the interactional dynamics between humans and robots. Prior empirical research has led to conflicting findings on how such failures influence user perceptions and the overall success of the interaction. In this study, we investigate how human participants respond to robot failures on a moment-to-moment basis, with a particular focus on how social roles, responsibilities, and agency are negotiated as these episodes unfold. We examine how responses and helping behaviors are instantiated, and which factors facilitate or hinder recovery strategies. We focus on kinematic failures, such as interruptions in motion, unsuccessful grasping, or dropping objects, that occurred during Tic-Tac-Toe games between human participants (n = 17) and the humanoid robot Epi. Our analysis combines multimodal conversation analysis (MCA) and thick description, drawing on our interdisciplinary backgrounds in cognitive science and feminist Science and Technology Studies (STS). We present selected interactional sequences that illustrate a range of participant responses, including physical repair and scaffolding, interpretive support, emotional care, sustained monitoring, and dynamic negotiation of agency. These observations demonstrate how humans co-construct interactional continuity and robot competence through distributed, multimodal, and affective forms of help. They also reveal how agency is dynamically reconfigured, and how roles and responsibilities are distributed across human and robotic actors. We show how the burden of repair often falls to the human participant and conclude by reflecting on the setting and methods used, specifically in regards to the role of the robot as a research tool.

Following marijuana legalization in several U.S. states, motivations for its use have expanded, especially among marginalized populations. While prior research links marijuana use with disordered eating, little is known about this relationship within sexual minority groups, who are already at elevated risk for body dissatisfaction and unhealthy weight control behaviors. This study examines associations between marijuana use and unhealthy weight control and muscle-enhancing behaviors among sexual minority men in the U.S. We conducted a secondary analysis using data from the Men's Body Project, a cross-sectional study on body image and health behaviors. The sample included sexual minority men across diverse backgrounds. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between marijuana use and seven behaviors considered risk factors linked to body image concerns: fasting, vomiting, laxative use, diet pill use, muscle-building supplement use, protein powder use, and anabolic steroid use. Marijuana users had significantly greater odds of engaging in all measured behaviors. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) ranged from 1.88 (fasting) to 3.12 (diet pill use), all with p-values < 0.001. Other notable associations included vomiting (AOR = 2.61), laxative use (AOR = 2.23), protein powder use (AOR = 2.60), and anabolic steroid use (AOR = 2.62). Our results suggest a significant association between marijuana use and elevated odds of engaging in unhealthy weight control and muscle-enhancing behaviors among sexual minority men. Findings highlight the need for tailored public health interventions addressing both substance use and body image within LGBTQ + communities.

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of corporate governance (CG) on corporate risk-taking by considering the moderating effect of firm size and free cash flow. Design/methodology/approach The present study is based on a sample of 261 Indian firms spanning the period from 2014 to 2023. Suitable panel data models have been used for the analysis. Additionally, the system generalised method of moments model is used to address potential endogeneity issues and provide robust results. Findings The results disclose that robust CG practices lead to a reduction in corporate risk-taking, with firm size and free cash flow playing a significant moderating role in this relationship. The negative impact of CG on corporate risk-taking weakens for larger firms, underscoring the importance of size in shaping the dynamics between CG and corporate risk-taking. Additionally, findings show that the risk-reducing impact of CG strengthens as free cash flow increases, suggesting that governance amplifies risk control when cash is abundant. Originality/value The paper validates the significance of strong CG on risk-taking behaviour. While prior literature has established the roles of firm size and free cash flow in investment decisions, to the best of the knowledge, limited prior research has explicitly examined their moderating effects on the relationship between CG and corporate risk-taking. This study fills this gap by demonstrating how these critical firm-specific factors alter the efficacy of governance mechanisms, particularly within the unique institutional context of India.

Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is increasingly recognized as a source of competitiveness for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Yet, prior research has primarily treated structural constraints such as financial scarcity, skill shortages, and institutional weaknesses as mere barriers, leaving their post-adoption impact underexplored, particularly in emerging economy contexts. This study empirically examines a relationship that has been theoretically acknowledged but rarely tested in such settings. Drawing on the Resource-Based View, Contingency Theory, and Institutional Theory, we propose a multidimensional framework explaining why AI adoption does not uniformly translate into performance gains but depends on firms’ financial capacity, technical competencies, and institutional environment. Using survey data from 280 Tunisian SMEs analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), results confirm that AI adoption significantly improves financial and operational performance. Financial and technical strengths amplify these effects, whereas institutional conditions exert no significant moderating influence, suggesting that firms compensate for institutional weaknesses through adaptive and informal mechanisms. By reconceptualizing structural constraints as post-adoption moderators rather than pre-adoption barriers, this study advances understanding of contextual contingencies shaping AI outcomes and provides insights for managers and policymakers in resource-limited economies.

The occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with intracranial aneurysms: a two-center experience.

This study examines the relationship between accounting conservatism in Indonesian non-financial firms and growth opportunity, managerial ownership, and financial distress, addressing conflicting findings in prior research and governance differences. Good Corporate Governance is used as a moderating mechanism to understand its effect on financial reporting. Using 8,440 firm-year observations from companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2015 to 2024, accounting conservatism is measured by the difference between net income and operating cash flow. Panel regression models assess direct effects and the moderating role of GCG, represented by board size and independent directors. Data from Refinitiv are analyzed through regression, correlation, descriptive statistics, and interaction terms. Results indicate growth opportunity, managerial ownership, and financial distress positively affect accounting conservatism. GCG moderates these relationships: independent members reduce the effect of financial distress, while larger boards and more independent members strengthen managerial ownership impact and weaken that of growth opportunity.

Background: this study aims to investigate the impact of supply chain risk management (SCRM) on supply chain resilience and robustness providing empirical evidence from an underexplored emerging economy. Methods: drawing on empirical data collected through a survey of 110 Moroccan manufacturing firms, the study tests a conceptual framework proposed using SmartPLS. Results: the results show that SCRM practices do not significantly reduce disruption impacts, which contrasts with several previous studies. However, supply chain robustness and resilience are significantly improved by SCRM practices. In examining the direct effects of disruption impacts, results indicate a significant negative influence on robustness, while no significant effect is observed on resilience. Furthermore, the association between supply chain outcomes and SCRM is not supported by the mediation effect of disruption impacts. Conclusions: to the best of the author’s knowledge, few studies have examined SCRM, resilience, and robustness simultaneously. Furthermore, no prior research has investigated the mediating role of disruption impacts, and almost no studies have focused on the Moroccan context. This study therefore bridges these gaps, providing new theoretical insights and practical implications for improving supply chain performance under uncertainty and disruptions.

Abstract Research aim: Past studies have shown that managers tend to exhibit opportunistic tendencies which do not align with the shareholders’ interest. According to the agency theory, conflicts arise when a company’s manager (the agent) and stockholders (the principal) have different objectives. The firm’s management and the revenue authority had different objectives when it came to using a company’s financial report, which resulted in information asymmetry. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: The research adopted a longitudinal design and purposefully sampled 63 companies out of a total population of 112. Secondary data was obtained from the selected companies’ annual reports spanning from 2015 to 2024, and analysed using regression techniques. Research finding: The findings revealed that institutional ownership, foreign ownership, ownership concentration, audit firm size, and leverage significantly influence tax aggressiveness, whereas board financial expertise exerts no significant impact on the tax aggressiveness of Nigerian publicly listed non-financial companies. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the literature by filling a gap in sector-specific analyses of external determinants of tax aggressiveness within the Nigerian context. Grounded in agency theory, it extends prior research by disaggregating findings across industry sectors and demonstrating how external controls shape corporate tax behaviour. Practitioner/Policy implication: The findings suggest that policymakers should enhance regulatory oversight on institutional and foreign investors’ influence in corporate governance, promote the engagement of high-quality audit firms, and encourage debt monitoring mechanisms to reduce aggressive tax behaviour. Companies should also consider increasing the presence of financially literate board members to balance strategic tax planning with compliance. Research limitation: The research focuses on publicly listed non-financial companies in Nigeria and spans the years 2015 to 2024. The exclusion of financial institutions and the reliance solely on secondary data may affect the generalizability of the results. Future studies could incorporate qualitative methods or expand to include cross-country comparisons and unlisted firms.

Abstract Objectives Prior research has established a correlation between heightened stress and a variety of health consequences. In addition, various measures of stress have been shown to be affected by mind–body practices. This secondary data analysis aimed to evaluate respiratory responses to acute cognitive stress in individuals of various meditation experience levels. Method Breath-to-breath interval (BBI) and respiration amplitude were recorded during four conditions using a piezoelectric chest belt. The effects of condition and group were evaluated using repeated measures ANOVA. The group x condition interaction of the non-meditator ( n = 15) and meditator ( n = 30) groups was the primary effect of interest. Results The group x condition interaction was not significant for BBI ( F [1.26,42.70] = 0.34, p = 0.61) or amplitude ( F [2.09,71.02] = 0.60, p = 0.56). Regarding BBI, the main effect of condition ( F [1.26,42.70] = 21.94, p &lt; 0.01) was significant, while the main effect of group ( F [1,34] = 0.05, p = 0.83) was not significant. Regarding breath amplitude, the main effect of condition ( F [2.09,71.02] = 34.39, p &lt; 0.01) was significant, while the main effect of group was not significant ( F [1,34] = 2.81, p = 0.10). Conclusions Meditators exhibited greater breath amplitude than non-meditators. Changes in BBI and breath amplitude across conditions did not differ significantly by group; however, the absence of a significant group × condition interaction should be interpreted cautiously given the secondary nature of the analysis and limited power to detect interaction effects. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.

ABSTRACT We examine the momentum effect in the Canadian residential property market across 11 metropolitan areas from 1990 to 2019. Consistent with prior research on the US housing market, we find strong evidence that Canadian metropolitan areas tend to continue their historical trajectories in housing market performance, demonstrating a strong momentum effect. Using zero-cost long-short portfolios formed based on lagged metropolitan-level housing market performance, we document average returns of up to 0.45% per month, which annualizes to approximately 5.54% per year using monthly compounding. These returns are both statistically and economically significant and remain robust across various formation and holding periods. The momentum effect is most pronounced during the 2000s and becomes stronger during housing market booms. Finally, we analyse the drivers of residential property appreciation in each metropolitan area, providing robust evidence on potential channels through which the momentum effect manifests in Canadian real estate markets.

Deer antler velvet (Cervus elaphus L.) is a traditional material in oriental medicine, extensively utilized for its anti-aging, antioxidant, and immune-boosting properties. Our prior research revealed that enzyme-derived deer antler velvet extract (YC-1101) stimulated the immune system by activating macrophages and augmenting splenocyte proliferation. In this study, we investigated the effect of YC-1101 on the proliferation, activation, and cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells, emphasizing activation-receptor upregulation, cytokine secretion, and antitumor efficacy. Our findings demonstrated that YC-1101 treatment markedly enhanced NK cell proliferation in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner by preserving mitochondrial function. NK cells expanded through YC-1101 treatment exhibited a significant increase in surface expression of activating NK receptors, NKG2D, and NKp44. Additionally, levels of immune-related cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were substantially elevated in the YC-1101-treated group compared with control. Notably, NK cell activation induced by YC-1101 intensified cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines, and combining YC-1101 with immune checkpoint inhibition synergistically enhanced antitumor activity. Collectively, our results indicate that integration of YC-1101 with expanded NK cells could be a promising approach to augment cancer treatment efficacy.

This study develops a quantitative indicator for the early diagnosis of commercial instability in business openings and closures and proposes a new analytical framework for assessing the stability of commercial districts. To address the limitations of prior research that relied on static measures such as sales or store counts, two complementary approaches were introduced. First, we propose the Commercial Instability Index (CII), a direction-agnostic metric of turnover instability computed from the standardized relative deviation between openings and closures, where larger values indicate greater instability. Second, entropy-based floating population diversity indicators were applied to capture the distribution of visitors by age, time of day, and day of week, as well as their temporal changes. These indicators were tested on quarterly panel data from 1,650 commercial districts in Seoul between the first quarter of 2019 and the fourth quarter of 2024 using panel regression and spatial panel regression models, specifically the spatial autoregressive (SAR) and spatial error model (SEM). The results showed that higher day-of-week diversity consistently reduced the CII, whereas a greater balance in age diversity provided partial mitigation effects. Moreover, the CII revealed significant spatial dependence, indicating that instability in one district could spread to its neighbors. By focusing on the magnitude of instability rather than its direction, and by integrating floating population diversity with spatial dependence, this study advances beyond static approaches. These findings expand the theoretical scope of commercial district research and offer a practical basis for early warning systems and area-based management strategies, thereby contributing to the development of urban policies for resilience and stability of commercial districts.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine and better understand how tax avoidance practices affect dividend payout policy, particularly in family-owned firms. Design/methodology/approach The sample includes 3,732 firm-year observations of 311 French firms from 2011 to 2022. The authors use panel data regression based on the Prais−Winsten regression to examine how tax avoidance affects dividend payout. Findings The results show that tax avoidance is positively associated with dividend payout policies. More importantly, the authors find that family ownership exacerbates this positive relationship. These results suggest that family firms may be more inclined to channel tax savings directly into dividend distributions to benefit family shareholders and signal the firm’s financial health and stability to investors. Research limitations/implications This study examines only the French context, which restricts the generalizability of the results. Practical implications The findings provide important insights for investors and policymakers. Investors in family-owned firms should be aware of their tendency to distribute tax savings as dividends rather than reinvest them. Policymakers might encourage firms to reinvest savings in innovation or growth initiatives to promote more balanced economic benefits. Originality/value This study builds upon prior research by investigating how family-owned firms’ specific behaviors influence the link between tax avoidance and dividend policy.