Search Results (29)

Scientific evaluation of architectural heritage value constitutes a crucial foundation for advancing effective conservation practices and guiding policy development. Fujian Tubao, a distinctive form of defensive vernacular architecture found in southeastern China, integrates military defense, residential functions, and clan-based social organization into a unified spatial structure, making it an important component of China’s regional cultural heritage. In response to current challenges of inadequate preservation and progressive loss of heritage value associated with Fujian Tubao, there is an urgent need to establish a systematic evaluation framework to support and inform conservation efforts. This study centered on Fujian Tubao and proposed a comprehensive value assessment system that could innovatively integrate Grounded Theory with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The Grounded Theory was first adopted to extract value dimensions of architectural heritage and their underlying connotations, thereby forming a value cognition system. Subsequently, the AHP was applied to assign quantitative weights and establish the priority order of each dimension, ultimately constructing a value evaluation system that could identify core objects for heritage conservation and clarify the hierarchy of their relative importance. This study achieved methodological integration in both the value extraction and evaluation stages, overcoming limitations of a single-method approach in dimension identification and weight assignment. The framework ensures logical consistency in value structuring and enhances the scientific validity of results. This study formulated a standardized and replicable evaluation framework tailored to the heritage value of Fujian Tubao. It also provides theoretical support for future conservation planning and offers a methodological reference for value assessment across diverse categories of architectural heritage. Full article

The organizational culture significantly impacts employee behavior, satisfaction, and retention. Historically associated with hierarchical, fire-service-based structures, EMS cultures vary considerably, and their influence remains unclear. We aimed to identify organizational cultures within EMS agencies and examine their association with clinicians’ intent to leave within 12 months. We performed a cross-sectional survey of nationally certified civilian EMS clinicians aged 18–85 in the United States who recertified with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians between October 2022 and April 2023. Respondents completed the validated Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), categorizing organizational cultures into adhocracy, clan, hierarchy, market, or mixed. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the organizational culture and clinicians’ intention to leave, adjusting for personal demographics, workplace characteristics, and job satisfaction. In total, 30,762 survey respondents were included. Mixed and hierarchy cultures predominated, followed by clan, market, and adhocracy. Clinicians in adhocracy and hierarchy cultures had significantly higher adjusted odds of intending to leave EMS compared to clan and mixed. The organizational culture in EMS significantly influences clinicians’ intentions to leave. Adhocracy, hierarchy, and market cultures are associated with an increased likelihood of turnover, but clan-oriented environments do not increase risks. These findings suggest that optimizing EMS agency cultures towards collaboration and supportive environments may enhance clinician retention. Full article

Job satisfaction is a critical factor in healthcare settings, influencing both healthcare professionals’ well-being and patient care quality. Nurses, as frontline healthcare professionals, experience various stressors that impact their job satisfaction. Organizational culture (OC) and emotional intelligence (EI) have emerged as significant determinants of nurses’ job satisfaction. However, research on how these factors interact in different cultural contexts remains limited. Objective: This study examines the impact of organizational culture and emotional intelligence on nurses’ job satisfaction. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 338 nurses working in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Greece. Data were collected using the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), and Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore the associations between job satisfaction and study variables. Results: Nurses reported moderate job satisfaction (JSS mean score = 115.24 ± 20.84). Clan culture was the dominant organizational culture, while Hierarchy culture was the most preferred. EI was recorded at high levels among participants (WLEIS mean = 86.52 ± 12.24). Higher emotional intelligence, permanent employment status, and having children emerged as the most significant predictors of job satisfaction (p < 0.05). Notably, Hierarchy culture did not significantly predict job satisfaction, suggesting that while structure influences satisfaction, it does not solely determine it. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of job security, emotional intelligence, and personal responsibilities in shaping job satisfaction. To enhance satisfaction, healthcare organizations should promote EI training, supportive leadership, and flexible policies that align organizational culture with healthcare professionals’ needs. Further research is needed to explore these relationships in diverse healthcare settings. Full article

The green production practices of farmers are essential for sustainable agricultural development. However, studies have mostly overlooked the social factors affecting farmers’ decisions regarding green production behaviors (GPB). Furthermore, the pathways and mechanisms through which social networks modify these behaviors have not been fully validated. Therefore, by examining 1203 farmers from China’s main grain-producing regions, this study aims to empirically investigate both the direct and indirect impacts of social networks on farmers’ GPB, thereby furthering relevant research. First, family social networks in rural areas markedly enhanced farmer engagement in GPB. After assessing the endogeneity issues associated with farmers’ self-selection behaviors using propensity score matching, this effect was found to substantially persist. Analysis of the indirect impact revealed that social networks primarily facilitated farmers’ adoption of green production through channels such as information acquisition, interactive learning, and service support. Second, heterogeneity analyses based on generational differences and crop types demonstrated a distinct, promotional impact of social networks on both “middle-generation” and “older-generation” farmers. Moreover, a comparison between grain crop farmers and cash crop farmers determined the more substantial influence of social networks on encouraging grain crop farmer GPB. Overall, this study emphasizes that rural China’s social networks, especially clan-based ones, can successfully nurture agricultural sustainability by accelerating the propagation of green technologies while offering suitable environments for elderly farmers to “learn by observing” and “learn by doing”. Relevant departments should pay attention to and make full use of farmers’ social network relations in the process of promoting farmers’ adoption of green production behavior and further promoting the green development of agriculture. Full article

Glutamic proteases (GPs) represent one of the seven peptidase families described in the MEROPS database of peptidases (also known as proteases, proteinases, and proteolytic enzymes). Currently, the GP family is divided into six sub-families (G1–G6) distributed across three clans (GA, GB, and GC). A glutamic acid and another variable amino acid are the catalytic residues in this family. Members of the GP family are involved in a wide variety of biological functions. For example, they act as bacterial and plant pathogens, and are involved in cancer and celiac disease. These enzymes are considered potential drug targets given their crucial roles in numerous biological processes. Characterizing GPs provides insights into their structure–function relationships, enabling the design of specific inhibitors or modulators. Such advancements directly contribute to drug discovery by identifying novel therapeutic targets and guiding the development of potent and selective drugs for various diseases, including cancers and autoimmune disorders. To address the challenges associated with labor-intensive experimental methods, we developed GPpred, an innovative support vector machine (SVM)-based predictor to identify GPs from their primary sequences. The workflow involves systematically extracting six distinct feature sets from primary sequences, and optimization using a recursive feature elimination (RFE) algorithm to identify the most informative hybrid encodings. These optimized encodings were then used to evaluate multiple machine learning classifiers, including K-Nearest Neighbors (KNNs), Random Forest (RF), Naïve Bayes (NB), and SVM. Among these, the SVM demonstrated a consistent performance, with an accuracy of 97% during the cross-validation and independent validation. Computational methods like GPpred accelerate this process by analyzing large datasets, predicting potential enzyme targets, and prioritizing candidates for experimental validation, thereby significantly reducing time and costs. GPpred will be a valuable tool for discovering GPs from large datasets, and facilitating drug discovery efforts by narrowing down viable therapeutic candidates. Full article

This study focused on the connection between organisational school culture and the success of curriculum reform. Utilizing a sample of 348 teachers in 25 Swiss schools, we investigated how different school culture types correlate with teachers’ perceived success of the current process of implementing the “Media and Information Literacy” curriculum. We found that the school culture type Clan is the most dominant across the schools and found a negative connection between the school culture type Hierarchy and teachers’ perceived reform success. An exploratory cluster analysis was used to identify further profiles of school culture that were not based on the dominant culture but were determined based on the distribution of mean values. Two other profiles were identified in a further procedure: Collegial Associates and Competitive Organisations. These results thus fill a gap in the previous research on school culture that had particularly set out to identify the dominant school culture. Based on the results, we cannot only confirm the validity of the Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument for Swiss schools but also give indications as to which characteristics of school culture types are hindering the perceived success of curriculum reforms from the teachers’ points of view. Full article

Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) constitute extensive enzyme superfamilies in the plants, playing pivotal roles in a multitude of biosynthetic and detoxification pathways essential for growth and development, such as the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. However, CYPs have not yet been systematically studied in the cultivated peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.), a globally significant cash crop. This study addresses this knowledge deficit through a comprehensive genome-wide analysis, leading to the identification of 589 AhCYP genes in peanuts. Through phylogenetic analysis, all AhCYPs were systematically classified into 9 clans, 43 gene families. The variability in the number of gene family members suggests specialization in biological functions. Intriguingly, both tandem duplication and fragment duplication events have emerged as pivotal drivers in the evolutionary expansion of the AhCYP superfamily. Ka/Ks analysis underscored the substantial influence of strong purifying selection on the evolution of AhCYPs. Furthermore, we selected 21 genes encoding 8 enzymes associated with the flavonoid pathway. The results of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments unveiled stage-specific expression patterns during the development of peanut testa, with discernible variations between pink and red testa. Importantly, we identified a direct correlation between gene expression levels and the accumulation of metabolites. These findings offer valuable insights into elucidating the comprehensive functions of AhCYPs and the underlying mechanisms governing the divergent accumulation of flavonoids in testa of different colors. Full article

As an essential subject of rural environmental governance, farmers’ environmental governance behavior directly affects the level and efficiency of rural environmental governance. In traditional rural society, the characteristics of “acquaintance society”, “circle doctrine”, and “clan society” have led to farmers’ behaviors being influenced and constrained by their surrounding social support and social relations. Therefore, the interaction between farmers will affect the effectiveness of rural environmental governance, and the interaction effect will also affect the implementation of policies in rural environmental governance. In the strategic context of the policy of “building a beautiful and harmonious countryside that is desirable to live and work in” and “promoting green development and harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature” put forward by the 20th National Congress, we follow the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle from the perspective of circular economy, taking farmers as our research subject. We take the behavior of domestic garbage disposal as an example and, relying on the National Social Science Foundation project, use field research data and refer to neighbor groups and neighboring village groups. We use the Manski model to test the interaction effect of the two groups, analyze the interaction between individual farmers and the interaction between neighboring villages, and, finally, prove that there is an endogenous interaction effect and a situational interaction effect between the neighbor group and neighboring villages. Endogenous interaction effects, contextual interaction effects, and association effects exist between neighbor groups, while only contextual interaction effects and association effects exist between neighboring village groups. The above conclusions provide a policy reference for rural household waste and environmental management. Full article

As clan and blood relations are the essential core of rural social attributes, the rise and fall of the main family names in a village not only affects the spatial arrangement of their internal courtyard houses but also influences the overall spatial pattern of the village. Taking Pei Cheng Village as an example, in this study, quantitative analyses, such as those entailing standard deviation ellipse, kernel density, and space syntax, are incorporated to investigate the changes in rural family names’ courtyard houses and the historical context for these changes to reveal the influence of the evolution of courtyard house distribution under a given social structure on the overall spatial structure of the countryside at the micro- and meso-scales. The results in this study show that there is strong aggregation and bonding associated with the main family surname in a village and that such surnames have an important correlation with the village centre and spatial structure formation. Notably, the distribution of the surname-bearing clan courtyard houses has a certain degree of consistency with the spatial pattern of the village, with the main space corresponding to the main family surname, the secondary space corresponding to the secondary family, and the underdeveloped space corresponding to mixed family surnames. On this basis, the spatial system grading of Pei Cheng Village is summarized, providing a fundamental basis for future planning of Pei Cheng Village facilities and other aspects of planning, such as the selection of locations. Full article

We aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and fibrotic proteins in human trabecular meshwork (TM) cells. We also explored how the Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) signaling pathway modulates VEGF-induced fibrosis. We determined cross-linked actin network (CLAN) formation using TM cells. Changes in fibrotic and ECM protein expression were determined. High VEGF concentrations (10 and 30 ng/mL) increased TAZ and decreased p-TAZ/TAZ expression in TM cells. Western blotting and real-time PCR revealed no YAP expression changes. Fibrotic and ECM protein expression decreased at low VEGF concentrations (1 and 10 ρg/mL) and significantly increased at high VEGF concentrations (10 and 30 ng/mL). CLAN formation increased in TM cells treated with high VEGF concentrations. Moreover, TAZ inhibition by verteporfin (1 μM) rescued TM cells from high-VEGF-concentration-induced fibrosis. Low VEGF concentrations reduced fibrotic changes, whereas high VEGF concentrations accelerated fibrosis and CLAN formations in TM cells in a TAZ-dependent manner. These findings reflect the dose-dependent influences of VEGF on TM cells. Moreover, TAZ inhibition might be a therapeutic target for VEGF-induced TM dysfunction. Full article

Background: Druze individuals, like many genetically homogeneous and isolated populations, harbor recurring pathogenic variants (PV) in autosomal recessive (AR) disorders. Methods: Variant calling of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 40 Druze from the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP) was performed (HGDP-cohort). Additionally, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) of 118 Druze individuals: 38 trios and 2 couples, representing geographically distinct clans (WES-cohort). Rates of validated PV were compared with rates in worldwide and Middle Eastern populations, from the gnomAD and dbSNP datasets. Results: Overall, 34 PVs were identified: 30 PVs in genes underlying AR disorders, 3 additional PVs were associated with autosomal dominant (AD) disorders, and 1 PV with X-linked-dominant inherited disorder in the WES cohort. Conclusions: The newly identified PVs associated with AR conditions should be considered for incorporation into prenatal-screening options offered to Druze individuals after an extension and validation of the results in a larger study. Full article

Organizational culture is a critical factor in shaping companies’ overall well-being, which can impact their employees’ job satisfaction, loyalty, creativity, and productivity. In this study, the researchers aimed to examine the relationship between organizational culture and companies’ well-being in the Education sector in Jordan. To achieve their goal, the researchers surveyed 500 participants from various departments in the Education sector in Jordan, categorizing organizational culture into four types: Clan, Adhocracy, Market, and Hierarchy. The well-being of companies was measured through employee loyalty, creativity, and productivity. The data from 352 valid questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS. This study’s findings suggest that a positive organizational culture is significantly associated with increased employee job satisfaction, loyalty, creativity, and productivity. Moreover, the study highlighted the importance of developing a positive organizational culture, fostering a sense of community and shared values, providing opportunities for employee development and growth, and promoting a supportive and inclusive work environment to achieve organizational success. Understanding the role of organizational culture in promoting employee well-being and companies’ success is critical, particularly in the Education sector in Jordan. This study’s recommendations provide valuable insights for companies to prioritize developing a positive organizational culture to achieve long-term success and employee well-being. Full article

In the last decade’s media discourse, particular Arab immigrant groups received the name ‘Arab clans’ and have been portrayed as criminal kinship networks irrespective of actual involvement in crime. We question how ‘Arab clans’ are categorized, criminalized, and racialized in the German media. To answer this question, we collected clan-related mainstream media articles published between 2010 and 2020. Our first-step quantitative topic modeling of ‘clan’ coverage (n = 23,893) shows that the discourse about ‘Arab clans’ is situated as the most racialized and criminalized vis-à-vis other ‘clan’ discourses and is channeled through three macro topics: law and order, family and kinship, and criminal groupness. Second, to explore the deeper meaning of the discourse about ‘Arab clans’ by juxtaposing corpus linguistics and novel narrative approaches to the discourse-historical approach, we qualitatively analyzed 97 text passages extracted with the keywords in context search (KWIC). Our analysis reveals three prevalent argumentative strategies (Arab clan immigration out of control, Arab clans as enclaves, policing Arab clans) embedded in a media narrative of ethnonational rebirth: a story of Germany’s present-day need (‘moral panic’) to police and repel the threats associated with ‘the Arab clan Other’ in order for a celebratory return to a nostalgically idealized pre-Arab-immigration social/moral order. Full article

Local Ghanaian construction firms have been accused of underperformance due to inadequate resources and capabilities, lack of market information, poor managerial skills, and other external factors. While construction firms may be unable to control external challenges, how they mobilize internal resources to confront them may be crucial for their performance and survival. An emerging consensus is that how organizations use their resources to respond to externalities is related to their organizational culture (OC). We contend that the unique contribution of organizational culture to firm performance (FP) may diminish in the absence of appropriate firm capabilities. Drawing on the resource-based view and capability theories, we attempt to investigate (a) how the types of OC influence FP and (b) whether innovation and marketing capabilities mediate the link between types of OC and construction firm performance. Results of partial least squares structural equation modelling show that clan, adhocracy, and market culture have significant positive association with FP, while hierarchy culture is negatively related to FP. Furthermore, innovation and marketing capabilities demonstrate a combination of full and partial mediation effects on the link between OC types and FP. Thus, the results direct senior managers’ attention towards the significance of soft assets in construction firm performance outcomes, signaling a shift from a purely technical and rationalistic approach to a more adaptable and humanistic approach. It implies that while emphasizing cultural values, managers should also give priority to these two capability dimensions. Full article

Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don (known as Chuan-Bei-Mu in Chinese) can synthesize isosteroidal alkaloids (ISA) with excellent medicinal value, and its bulb has become an indispensable ingredient in many patented drugs. Members of the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) gene superfamily have been shown to play essential roles in regulating steroidal alkaloids biosynthesis. However, little information is available on the P450s in F. cirrhosa. Here, we performed full-length transcriptome analysis and discovered 48 CYP450 genes belonging to 10 clans, 25 families, and 46 subfamilies. By combining phylogenetic trees, gene expression, and key F. cirrhosa ISA content analysis, we presumably identify seven FcCYP candidate genes, which may be hydroxylases active at the C-22, C-23, or C-26 positions in the late stages of ISA biosynthesis. The transcript expression levels of seven FcCYP candidate genes were positively correlated with the accumulation of three major alkaloids in bulbs of different ages. These data suggest that the candidate genes are most likely to be associated with ISA biosynthesis. Finally, the subcellular localization prediction of FcCYPs and transient expression analysis within Nicotiana benthamiana showed that the FcCYPs were mainly localized in the chloroplast. This study presents a systematic analysis of the CYP450 gene family in F. cirrhosa and provides a foundation for further functional characterization of the CYPs involved in ISA biosynthesis. Full article