Strong Connection Research Articles

Evaluation of Ecological Sensitivity and Spatial Correlation Analysis of Landscape Patterns in Sanjiangyuan National Park

The Sanjiangyuan region, situated on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, constitutes an exceptionally delicate ecological environment. Alterations in the region’s ecological landscape stem not only from natural factors but also from significant anthropogenic influences, exerting a notable impact on the sustainable economic and social development of the region’s middle and lower reaches. Consequently, investigating changes in the landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park holds paramount importance for comprehending the formation mechanism of spatial landscape distribution in the area. This study analyzes the ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai Province, China, utilizing ArcGIS 10.8 and Fragstats 4.2. Employing the bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis method, the research uncovers the spatial distribution characteristics between ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern, along with their aggregated change traits. The findings reveal that ecological sensitivity areas within the park encompass varying degrees, ranging from extremely sensitive to insensitive. The area of moderately sensitive zones in the Yellow River source region is 7279.67 km2 (39.17%), whereas the corresponding area in the Yangtze River source region is 32,572.34 km2 (36.30%). The eastern and northern parts of the Sanjiangyuan National Park exhibit significant landscape fragmentation. Ecological sensitivity varies markedly across different regions, with the southern and some northern areas showing higher sensitivity. In the Lancang River source park and the southern part of the Yellow River source park, the Largest Patch Index (LPI) and Ecological Sensitivity Index exhibit a high–high (HH) clustering pattern, indicating strong ecological connectivity in these areas. These regions also feature high Total Edge (TE), Number of Patches (NP), Patch Density (PD), and Edge Density (ED), indicating a complex landscape structure and abundant habitat edge areas. The study recommends restoring ecological connectivity in highly fragmented areas and implementing strict protection measures in sensitive regions to maintain ecosystem health and biodiversity. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted ecological protection measures to enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation in the area. This research aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Climate Action, Life on Land, and Clean Water and Sanitation, by promoting sustainable ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation.

Perceptions and Challenges of Undergraduate EFL Students’ towards Audiobooks and Textbooks on the Xreading Website

Based on PISA literacy test in 2022, Indonesia gains rank 70 which 5 points higher than previous period in 2018. However, it still needs more efforts to maximize the level of students’ literacy in Indonesia. The use of X-reading as the web-based book technology becomes the alternative tools to improve EFL undergraduate students’ literacy level. This research aims to explore the undergraduate students’ perception and challenge in using audiobook and textbook, that are provided by Xreading website during extensive reading activity. This research is conducted to EFL undergraduate students through qualitative method and purposive sampling technique. Three undergraduate students in Surabaya are involved by using descriptive qualitative method. The use of audiobook and textbook in Xreading website have some positive and negative impacts for students in developing their literacy competence. Audiobook is able to improve the students’ listening skill and understand the unfamiliar vocabularies. However, it has some weaknesses such as it needs strong internet data and connection and cannot control the audio speed. The textbook gives the students experience as reading the physical book and the grammatical understanding. Nevertheless, textbook is more time consuming especially for students who have the lower reading skill. Hopefully, this research will be developed into the low level of education not only in undergraduate level, but also in the secondary school and this website expanded into the intensive reading.

Anxiety and curiosity in hierarchical models of neural emotion processing-A mini review.

Traditionally, two fundamentally different theoretical approaches have been used in emotion research to model (human) emotions: discrete emotion theories and dimensional approaches. More recent neurophysiological models like the hierarchical emotion theory suggest that both should be integrated. The aim of this review is to provide neurocognitive evidence for this perspective with a particular focus on experimental studies manipulating anxiety and/or curiosity. We searched for evidence that the neuronal correlates of discrete and dimensional emotional systems are tightly connected. Our review suggests that the ACC (anterior cingulate cortex) responds to both, anxiety, and curiosity. While amygdala activation has been primarily observed for anxiety, at least the NAcc (nucleus accumbens) responds to both, anxiety and curiosity. When these two areas closely collaborate, as indicated by strong connectivity, this may indicate emotion regulation, particularly when the situation is not predictable.

Heads of School and Teaching Commitment in Public Secondary Schools in Kagera Region, Tanzania

Teaching commitment plays a pivotal role in the success of any education system. In vein, leadership behaviours by heads of schools is instrumental in shaping the teaching commitment. This study aims to examine the relationship between supervisory practices of heads of schools (HoS Practices) and teachers’ commitment within public secondary schools in Kagera Region, Tanzania. The study was grounded from transformational leadership theory. The study used positivism research paradigm and cross-sectional research design. The results has consistently demonstrated a strong connection between instructional leadership and teachers’ commitment. In the context of Kagera Region, which has witnessed a decline in various aspects of education and human development, resulting in increased poverty, this quantitative case study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the HoS Practices and teachers’ commitment. The data were collected through questionnaires from a sample of 240 teachers working across 80 public secondary schools in Kagera Region. Statistical regression analysis and descriptive statistics were used. Primarily, it was found that only about 52.5% of the variance in teacher commitment can be explained by the HoS Practices. This finding raises important questions regarding teacher efficacy and leadership efficacy within Kagera Region's public secondary schools. This research contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on the critical role of heads of schools in enhancing teachers’ devotion to teaching activities. The results underline the need for targeted interventions aimed at improving instructional leadership practices to boost teacher commitment, finally improving the overall quality of education in Kagera Region.

Infants show systematic rhythmic motor responses while listening to rhythmic speech.

Rhythm is known to play an important role in infant language acquisition, but few infant language development studies have considered that rhythm is multimodal and shows strong connections between speech and the body. Based on the observation that infants sometimes show rhythmic motor responses when listening to auditory rhythms, the present study asked whether specific rhythm cues (pitch, intensity, or duration) would systematically increase infants' spontaneous rhythmic body movement, and whether their rhythmic movements would be associated with their speech processing abilities. We used pre-existing experimental and video data of 148 German-learning 7.5- and 9.5-month-old infants tested on their use of rhythm as a cue for speech segmentation. The infants were familiarized with an artificial language featuring syllables alternating in pitch, intensity, duration, or none of these cues. Subsequently, they were tested on their recognition of bisyllables based on perceived rhythm. We annotated infants' rhythmic movements in the videos, analyzed whether the rhythmic moving durations depended on the perceived rhythmic cue, and correlated them with the speech segmentation performance. The result was that infants' motor engagement was highest when they heard a duration-based speech rhythm. Moreover, we found an association of the quantity of infants' rhythmic motor responses and speech segmentation. However, contrary to the predictions, infants who exhibited fewer rhythmic movements showed a more mature performance in speech segmentation. In sum, the present study provides initial exploratory evidence that infants' spontaneous rhythmic body movements while listening to rhythmic speech are systematic, and may be linked with their language processing. Moreover, the results highlight the need for considering infants' spontaneous rhythmic body movements as a source of individual differences in infant auditory and speech perception.

Analysis of renewable energy and economic growth of Germany

The study aims to investigate the effect of energy use, renewable energy consumption, nuclear energy consumption and air transport freight on CO2 emissions in Germany. Auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique was used to establish the short and long-term correlations between the dependent (CO2) and independent variables (Energy use, nuclear consumption, renewable consumption, air transport freight) on a time series data from 1970 to 2021. The results demonstrated the dependence of energy use on non-renewable energy sources by revealing a significant and positive relationship between short and long-term energy use and CO2 emissions. Similar to energy use, nuclear energy use and air transport freight was also found to be positively correlated with CO2 emissions. On the other hand, despite the fact that there is a strong negative connection between carbon dioxide emissions and renewable energy, the results reveal that the correlation between the two is not statistically significant. The study aims to investigate the effect of important economic factors on Germany’s CO2 emissions in order to move further in a sustainable manner. The data reveals an astonishing increase in the usage of nuclear energy for power generation between 1965 and 1985, which was followed by a fall in 2012 as a result of the Fukushima tragedy and growing social unease in Germany, which ultimately led to the phase-out of nuclear power. Nonetheless, BAU projections revealed that even with 200 nuclear power plants, CO2 emissions would still be reduced to 278 by 2070, in part because of the additional power produced by other energy sources.

Curling Your Way Through Medical School

Medicine has long been fashioned as adegree with poor work-life balance; withlong hours and a breadth of content to coveracross the scientific knowledge spectrum.Finding time to relax and unwind can bechallenging, especially at Medical School. In this article, medical student Denver sitsdown with Kevin Feng (intercalating medicalstudent) who is the Chair of ScottishStudent Sport Curling and the President ofGlasgow University Curling.Denver: Can you introduce yourself & tell usa bit about your journey into Medicine? Kevin: Indeed. While I’ve always wanted tobe a criminal psychologist, my passion forSTEM sparked my interest to pursueMedicine. I’m the current Scottish StudentSport President for Curling, representingstudents who curl all across Scotland. Denver: That’s interesting Kevin, so whatinspired you to take this sport up? Kevin: It all started at Fresher’s Fayre in 2ndyear (the first one after COVID-19lockdown) and I really enjoyed the floorcurling set they had. Shoving a few curlingstones down the cloisters was really themoment I knew this was my sport. That’s allhistory now because I’ve been in curling forthe past three years which still makes mequite new to the sport (since most curlershave done it since school).Denver: That’s an interesting history.Balancing medical school alongside beingthe Chair of Scottish Student Curling &the President of Glasgow UniversityCurling must be challenging! What do youdo in these roles?Kevin: I now largely oversee the dailyrunning of the curling club, communicatewith GUSA and support my committee withtheir responsibilities. I’ve previouslyserved as Treasurer and VP across my timein the society offering me immenseexperience. At Scottish Student Curling, Ilead and work with a team of Vice-Chairsworking through organising tournaments,bonspiels and introductory sessions. Denver: Seems like a plateful of work, howdo you manage your time between medicalschool and your commitments to thesport? Kevin: Medicine can be quite intense at thestart, however I’ve felt that as soon as youget a routine and diligently follow it, it canmake such as big difference. Curling was anew sport to me when I joined, but Ifostered strong connections all across,making it so much easier! It even perfectlyfollows University of Glasgow’s examinationcalendar since Scottish rinks are largelyonly open from September to April, eachyear. Denver: Have there been moments where itwas particularly challenging to maintain thisbalance? How did you handle them?Kevin: Certainly! Medicine and the curlingclub have quite a overlapping mismatchedschedule and this makes it a bit challenging– especially at the start of the year whenyou’ve got freshers week and lots ofplanning to do for the year ahead, whiletrying to handle the 15 weeks in the deepend! Nevertheless, I could actively rely onthe people I work with, especially whentimes got difficult. I’ve found maintaining aperfect work-life balance can be challengingbut certainly not impossible!Denver: You’ve made it seem easier than itlooks! Now for the final bits, how doessomeone join Glasgow University’s CurlingSociety? Kevin: Being a really open and inclusivesociety, our new beginners always trainalongside Scottish trophy & tournamentwinners offering a 1-1 mentorship andexcellent support. We would love to inviteanyone & everyone to come along to our training sessions on Wednesdayafternoons during term time. Denver: Lastly, what’s been your mostmemorable Curling moment? Kevin: Meeting Grant Hardie & BruceMouat – current Team GB Curling players!

Effects of Dowel Rotation Welding Conditions on Connection Performance for Chinese Fir Dimension Lumbers

In this study, the rotating welding process of Chinese fir (Keteleeriafortunei) in Guizhou, China, was systematically analyzed. The effects of rotating welding conditions, including the dowel-to-guide hole diameter ratio, welding time, depth, base surface, angle, and dowel type, on the performance of welded Chinese fir were explored. Moreover, the physical and chemical changes oftheChinese fir interface during welding were revealed by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results indicated the following: (1) The rotating welding technology can quickly achieve a strong connection between wood through friction heat without chemical adhesives and compared with traditional wood connection technology such as gluing or mechanical fixing;it has the advantages of simple operation, high production efficiency; and environmental friendliness. (2) Aftertherotating welding, the wood underwent significant pyrolysis, especially the degradation of hemicellulose. The heat generated in the welding process caused good melting and mechanical interlocking between the dowel and the wall of the guide hole, but it was also accompanied by afriction loss of the dowel and the substrate. (3) The welding parameters affected the wood’s connection strength and stability by altering heat production, distribution, transfer, and frictional losses. The impact of the dowel-to-guide hole diameter ratio had a great influence on the connection strength. When the diameter ratio was 1:0.7, the tensile strength was the highest, reaching 2.27 MPa. (4) The analyses of XPS, FTIR, XRD, and SEM proved thatthechemical composition changes at the interface, leading to a more structured crystalline bond and enhanced connection strength due to fiber entanglement and interlocking. This research providesatheoretical and experimental basis forthefurther innovation and development of wood processing technology and provides a new technical path forthegreen manufacturing of wood structure buildings.

Gender-specific analysis of social connection patterns and risk of dementia in community-dwelling older people.

Poor social connection is considered a risk factor for dementia. Since socializing behaviors may cluster together or act compensatorily, we aimed to investigate social connection patterns and their association with dementia, for men and women separately. A total of 12,896 community-dwelling older adults (mean±SD age: 75.2±4.3 years, 54% women) without major cognitive impairment were included. Latent class analysis was conducted using 24 baseline social connection indicators. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the association between latent classes and incident dementia over 12 (median: 8.4) years follow-up. Three distinct classes were identified in both genders: strong social connections with an intermediate friend-relative network (Class 1: men, 43.8%; women, 37.9%), weak social connections (Class 2: men, 29.6%; women, 27.4%), and strong social connections with a larger friend-relative network (Class 3: men, 26.6%; women, 34.7%). Compared to Class 1, men in Class 2 (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.08-1.77) and women in Class 3 (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.01-1.60) had an increased risk of dementia. Dementia risk varies with different social connection patterns among older men and women. Three distinct social connection patterns were identified based on 24 indicators. These patterns were related to dementia risk differently in men and women. In men, a weak social connection pattern was associated with a higher dementia risk. In women, a strong social connection with a relatively larger friend-relative network was associated with a greater dementia risk.

Wet tissue adhesive polymeric powder hydrogels for skeletal muscle regeneration

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) frequently results from traumatic incidents and can lead to severe functional disabilities. Hydrogels have been widely employed for VML tissue regeneration, which are unfortunately ineffective because of the lack of intimate contact with injured tissue for structural and mechanical support. Adhesive hydrogels allow for strong tissue connections for wound closure. Nevertheless, conventional adhesive hydrogels exhibit poor tissue adhesion in moist, bleeding wounds due to the hydration layer at the tissue–hydrogel interfaces, resulting in insufficient performance. In this study, we developed a novel, biocompatible, wet tissue adhesive powder hydrogel consisting of dextran-aldehyde (dex-ald) and gelatin for the regeneration of VML. This powder absorbs the interfacial tissue fluid and buffer solution on the tissue, spontaneously forms a hydrogel, and strongly adheres to the tissue via various molecular interactions, including the Schiff base reaction. In particular, the powder composition with a 1:4 ratio of dex-ald to gelatin exhibited optimal characteristics with an appropriate gelation time (258 s), strong tissue adhesion (14.5 kPa), and stability. Dex-ald/gelatin powder hydrogels presented strong adhesion to various organs and excellent hemostasis compared to other wet hydrogels and fibrin glue. A mouse VML injury model revealed that the dex-ald/gelatin powder hydrogel significantly improved muscle regeneration, reduced fibrosis, enhanced vascularization, and decreased inflammation. Consequently, our wet-adhesive powder hydrogel can serve as an effective platform for repairing various tissues, including the heart, muscle, and nerve tissues.

Feeling Supported as a Remote Worker: The Role of Support from Leaders and Colleagues and Job Satisfaction in Promoting Employees' Work-Life Balance.

Due to the increasing use of remote work, understanding the dynamics of employee support and its implications for job satisfaction and work-life balance is crucial. Utilizing the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory as a theoretical framework, this research investigated how feeling supported by leaders and colleagues at work fosters work-life balance and job satisfaction among remote employees. The study involved 635 remote workers (females = 61%, mean age, 46.7, SD = 11) from various service-based industries and public administration in Italy. Results from the structural equation model showed a total mediating effect of job satisfaction in the link between colleague support and work-life balance (χ2(22) = 68.923, p = 0.00, CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.955, RMSEA = 0.059 (90% CI = 0.044-0.075, p = 0.158), SRMR = 0.030), emphasizing the role of interpersonal relationships within the workplace in enhancing remote workers' job satisfaction and, consequently, their work-life balance. Contrary to expectations, the study found no significant direct or indirect link between leader support and work-life balance. This research highlights the significance of fostering strong social connections and ensuring employee satisfaction to promote well-being and work-life balance in remote work arrangements.

Cross‐Season Effect of Spring Kuroshio‐Oyashio Extension SST Anomalies on Following Summer Atmospheric Circulation

AbstractThe long‐term memory of the ocean makes sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) become a significant predictor for the subsequent atmosphere, and the tropical ocean is primarily regarded as a major source of atmospheric anomalies. While in North Pacific, the local midlatitude SSTAs also have large contributions but have not been adequately considered yet. We discover a strong connection between the Kuroshio‐Oyashio Extension (KOE) SSTAs in spring and the local atmospheric circulation anomalies in following summer at interannual timescale, wherein, the spring KOE SSTAs are generally independent of tropical ocean, and they are primarily induced by the concurrent atmospheric anomalies via surface heat flux and ocean dynamic processes. The spring KOE SSTAs can persist to summer, and then generate nearly reversed whole‐layer atmospheric circulation anomalies in their north side through both diabatic heating and atmospheric transient eddy forcing. Consequently, precipitation anomalies in Pan‐Pacific regions are distinctly modulated from spring to summer.

Exploring Microbial Influence on Flavor Development during Coffee Processing in Humid Subtropical Climate through Metagenetic-Metabolomics Analysis.

Research into microbial interactions during coffee processing is essential for developing new methods that adapt to climate change and improve flavor, thus enhancing the resilience and quality of global coffee production. This study aimed to investigate how microbial communities interact and contribute to flavor development in coffee processing within humid subtropical climates. Employing Illumina sequencing for microbial dynamics analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) integrated with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for metabolite assessment, the study revealed intricate microbial diversity and associated metabolic activities. Throughout the fermentation process, dominant microbial species included Enterobacter, Erwinia, Kluyvera, and Pantoea from the prokaryotic group, and Fusarium, Cladosporium, Kurtzmaniella, Leptosphaerulina, Neonectria, and Penicillium from the eukaryotic group. The key metabolites identified were ethanol, and lactic, acetic, and citric acids. Notably, the bacterial community plays a crucial role in flavor development by utilizing metabolic versatility to produce esters and alcohols, while plant-derived metabolites such as caffeine and linalool remain stable throughout the fermentation process. The undirected network analysis revealed 321 interactions among microbial species and key substances during the fermentation process, with Enterobacter, Kluyvera, and Serratia showing strong connections with sugar and various volatile compounds, such as hexanal, benzaldehyde, 3-methylbenzaldehyde, 2-butenal, and 4-heptenal. These interactions, including inhibitory effects by Fusarium and Cladosporium, suggest microbial adaptability to subtropical conditions, potentially influencing fermentation and coffee quality. The sensory analysis showed that the final beverage obtained a score of 80.83 ± 0.39, being classified as a specialty coffee by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) metrics. Nonetheless, further enhancements in acidity, body, and aftertaste could lead to a more balanced flavor profile. The findings of this research hold substantial implications for the coffee industry in humid subtropical regions, offering potential strategies to enhance flavor quality and consistency through controlled fermentation practices. Furthermore, this study contributes to the broader understanding of how microbial ecology interplays with environmental factors to influence food and beverage fermentation, a topic of growing interest in the context of climate change and sustainable agriculture.

A Study of The Market of Fat Ox and Corn in Bahia/Brazil Via Weighted Networks By Ρ_DCCA

Objective: This article aims to analyze the connectivity of the fat ox and corn price indices in Bahia Theoretical Framework: The State of Bahia is economically and internationally important in terms of agricultural production in Brazil. Therefore, studying economic indicators and understanding their dynamics is necessary in increasingly competitive markets. Method: To this end, the daily price indices in the main regions of the State of Bahia will be investigated using network analysis weighted by the coefficient of , the formation of clusters, and degree distribution. Results and Discussion: Strong connectivity in the fat ox networks was found for all time scales and for corn only for large scales. The results allowed the unification of the fat ox market to be identified and the trend for price indices to move. Meanwhile, the corn market only has these characteristics for large scales, allowing for better short-term business opportunities. Research Implications: This research provides valuable information for developing public policies, local and international investors, researchers, and those interested in the subject. In addition, it can serve as a bridge to understanding the socioeconomic and environmental effects on the commodities market.

Iris cangshanensis (Iridaceae), a new species from southwest China

A new species of Iris, Iris cangshanensis, was discovered in Cangshan Nature Reserve, Dali City, Yunnan Province, China. Morphologically, I. cangshanensis shares several key features with species in Iris subg. Crossiris, including prominent crests and stout rhizomes, but it is easily distinguished from other Iris species by its unique crest, dark purple spots on the falls, erect standards recurved to the style branches, and slightly fimbriate tips of the style branches. Phylogenetic analysis including 115 related species based on matk/trnk and trnL‐F sequences indicates that I. cangshanensis forms a distinct clade, and reveals a strong genetic connection between I. cangshanensis, the Iris tectorum complex and Iris latistyla. Overall, both morphological and phylogenetic evidence strongly support the classification of I. cangshanensis as a newly discovered species. A comprehensive description of this species is provided, including a detailed illustrations and photographs, geographical distribution, habitat and ecology, as well as its IUCN conservation status.

Hyper-brain hyper-frequency network topology dynamics when playing guitar in quartet.

Ensemble music performance is a highly coordinated form of social behavior requiring not only precise motor actions but also synchronization of different neural processes both within and between the brains of ensemble players. In previous analyses, which were restricted to within-frequency coupling (WFC), we showed that different frequencies participate in intra- and inter-brain coordination, exhibiting distinct network topology dynamics that underlie coordinated actions and interactions. However, many of the couplings both within and between brains are likely to operate across frequencies. Hence, to obtain a more complete picture of hyper-brain interaction when musicians play the guitar in a quartet, cross-frequency coupling (CFC) has to be considered as well. Furthermore, WFC and CFC can be used to construct hyper-brain hyper-frequency networks (HB-HFNs) integrating all the information flows between different oscillation frequencies, providing important details about ensemble interaction in terms of network topology dynamics (NTD). Here, we reanalyzed EEG (electroencephalogram) data obtained from four guitarists playing together in quartet to explore changes in HB-HFN topology dynamics and their relation to acoustic signals of the music. Our findings demonstrate that low-frequency oscillations (e.g., delta, theta, and alpha) play an integrative or pacemaker role in such complex networks and that HFN topology dynamics are specifically related to the guitar quartet playing dynamics assessed by sound properties. Simulations by link removal showed that the HB-HFN is relatively robust against loss of connections, especially when the strongest connections are preserved and when the loss of connections only affects the brain of one guitarist. We conclude that HB-HFNs capture neural mechanisms that support interpersonally coordinated action and behavioral synchrony.

Changing effects of external forcing on Atlantic–Pacific interactions

Abstract. Recent studies have highlighted the increasingly dominant role of external forcing in driving Atlantic and Pacific Ocean variability during the second half of the 20th century. This paper provides insights into the underlying mechanisms driving interactions between modes of variability over the two basins. We define a set of possible drivers of these interactions and apply causal discovery to reanalysis data, two ensembles of pacemaker simulations where sea surface temperatures in either the tropical Pacific or the North Atlantic are nudged to observations, and a pre-industrial control run. We also utilize large-ensemble means of historical simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) to quantify the effect of external forcing and improve the understanding of its impact. A causal analysis of the historical time series between 1950 and 2014 identifies a regime switch in the interactions between major modes of Atlantic and Pacific climate variability in both reanalysis and pacemaker simulations. A sliding window causal analysis reveals a decaying El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effect on the Atlantic as the North Atlantic fluctuates towards an anomalously warm state. The causal networks also demonstrate that external forcing contributed to strengthening the Atlantic's negative-sign effect on ENSO since the mid-1980s, where warming tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures induce a La Niña-like cooling in the equatorial Pacific during the following season through an intensification of the Pacific Walker circulation. The strengthening of this effect is not detected when the historical external forcing signal is removed in the Pacific pacemaker ensemble. The analysis of the pre-industrial control run supports the notion that the Atlantic and Pacific modes of natural climate variability exert contrasting impacts on each other even in the absence of anthropogenic forcing. The interactions are shown to be modulated by the (multi)decadal states of temperature anomalies of both basins with stronger connections when these states are “out of phase”. We show that causal discovery can detect previously documented connections and provides important potential for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving changes in regional and global climate variability.

Detection of MicroRNA-155 based on lambda exonuclease selective digestion and CRISPR/cas12a-assisted amplification

In numerous malignancies, miRNA-155 is overexpressed and has oncogenic activity because it is one of the most efficient microRNAs for inhibiting apoptosis in human cancer cells. As a result, the highest sensitive detection of the miRNA-155 gene is a technological instrument that can enable early cancer screening. In this study, a miRNA-155 biosensor was created to create a hairpin probe that can bind to the miRNA-155 gene using lambda nucleic acid exonuclease, which can cut the 5′ phosphorylated double strand, and by the DNA probe is recognized by the Cas12a enzyme, which then activates Cas12a to catalyze trans-cutting produces strong fluorescence. Research finding, the target concentration's logarithm and corresponding fluorescence intensity have a strong linear connection, and the limit of detection (LOD) of the sensing system was determined to be 8.3 pM. In addition, the biosensor displayed exceptional specificity, low false-positive signal, and high sensitivity in detecting the miRNA-155 gene in serum samples. This study's creation of a biosensor that has high sensitivity, good selectivity, and is simple to operate provides promising opportunities for research into biosensor design and early cancer detection.

Geopolitical volatility and subsidiary investments

AbstractResearch SummaryWe examine how geopolitical volatility—the instability of bilateral political affinity between countries—affects foreign subsidiary investments. Building on prior work that shows that the level of political affinity between countries facilitates foreign investments, we argue that the volatility of political affinity impedes firms' ability to form expectations about stakeholder behavior and reduces subsequent investments in subsidiaries. We further argue that the effect of volatility of political affinity on foreign subsidiary investments is less pronounced when the level of political affinity between countries is high and when the firm has strong political connections at home. Our analyses examine 1054 US firms and their subsidiary investments in 106 countries from 2000 to 2015.Managerial SummaryGeopolitical risk has emerged as an important factor in foreign investment decisions in recent years. The rise of geopolitical tensions worldwide and the fragmentation of relationships between countries have introduced new dimensions to foreign investment risks. We study the propensity for sudden and unpredictable shifts in the political relationship between countries—that is, volatility of political affinity in their bilateral political relations—and its effect on firms' foreign subsidiary investments. We show that volatility of political affinity negatively affects the number of subsidiaries, employees, and local sales in the host country because when bilateral relations change suddenly, it is more difficult for multinational firms to predict how stakeholder behavior will impact the performance of their investments.

Unveiling the impact: A mixed-method inquiry into the impact of leadership development programs

PurposePrior research and theory have shown that transformational leadership can be developed through leader development programs (LDPs). To explain how this happens, research suggests a strong connection between an individual’s leader self-concept and their leadership behavior that can be manipulated through LDPs. The purpose of this article is to delve deeper into this phenomenon to understand how development occurs and to better understand how an LDP can improve leadership behaviors by influencing one’s self-concept and ultimately reduce the training transfer gap. As a broader goal, this article contributes to the existing literature on the value proposition of investing in LDPs.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted an explanatory sequential design mixed-methods study to measure the development of participants and the impact of the program. The quantitative phase of the study used self-report surveys to measure the LDP’s impact on participants’ transformational leader behavior (TLB) and concept of themselves regarding leadership, their leader self-views (LSVs). The study also measured the relationship between LSVs and later enactment of leadership behaviors as the second hypothesis. The subsequent qualitative study was designed to understand the mechanisms that might explain the quantitative results.FindingsThe study’s empirical findings indicate a positive relationship between LSVs (efficacy, self-awareness and identity) and distal leader development outcomes (TBLs). The study’s findings also provide support for the claim that LDPs convert knowledge and skills into TLB, expanding an individual’s capacity to be effective in leadership roles and processes (Day & Dragoni, 2015). Qualitative results also show LDPs improve leader behavior by influencing their self-efficacy via providing tools and knowledge as well as building experimental mindset.Originality/valueBy showing LDPs' long term impacts, this paper demonstrates why short-term leadership development programs are worth investing.