Search Results (2,778)

The present research investigates the fine-scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) and gene flow dynamics in the endangered relict tree Tetracentron sinense, a keystone species in China’s montane ecosystems facing severe habitat fragmentation and genetic erosion. Utilizing genome-wide SNPs from 378 individuals across four natural populations (BMXS, MGFD, GLGS, SXFP), derived from ddRAD-seq, we quantified genetic diversity, SGS (Sp statistic), and dispersal patterns through spatial autocorrelation, parentage analysis, and age-class stratification. Results indicated critically low heterozygosity (observed heterozygosity, H_O = 0.019–0.022) and high inbreeding coefficient (Fis = 0.147–0.304), with moderate SGS (Sp = 0.0076–0.021) suggesting restricted gene flow (effective dispersal radius: 11–32 m). Seed-mediated dispersal was predominant, but topography and rainfall constrained dispersal (<5% beyond 50 m). Saplings exhibited stronger SGS, and the SXFP population experienced 100% sapling mortality due to inbreeding depression. Conservation efforts should prioritize assisted gene flow, habitat restoration, and ex situ sampling at distances greater than 115 m to preserve genetic diversity and adaptive potential. This study highlights the urgent need for genomics-informed conservation strategies in fragmented montane ecosystems. Full article

Objectives: Disruption of gut–liver axis homeostasis is a hallmark of metabolic and toxic stress. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of high-fat diet (HFD), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and exogenous isoleucine supplementation on immunometabolic function under nutritional and toxic stress. Methods: Two-phase murine experiments assessed: (1) HFD and AFB1 effects individually and combined; and (2) dose-dependent isoleucine responses (25/50/100 mg/kg) across control, HFD, and HFD + AFB1 backgrounds. Results: HFD significantly impaired liver function, promoted Th17-mediated inflammation, and induced gut dysbiosis, while AFB1 alone exerted minimal effects. Their combination synergistically exacerbated hepatic steatosis, intestinal barrier disruption, and inflammatory responses. Fecal metabolomics identified elevated isoleucine as a potential inflammatory biomarker. Under HFD, isoleucine (50 mg/kg) amplified inflammation and oxidative stress. Remarkably, under HFD + AFB1, moderate/high-dose isoleucine reduced hepatic lipid deposition and triglycerides despite persistent intestinal damage, demonstrating context-dependent effects. Conclusions: HFD and AFB1 synergistically disrupt gut–liver axis integrity through immunometabolic mechanisms. Isoleucine supplementation exhibits dual-modulatory effects, exacerbating damage under nutritional stress while partially mitigating hepatic lipid accumulation under combined toxic-nutritional stress, highlighting the critical importance of environmental context in amino acid interventions. Full article

Background: Stunting remains a major public health issue globally and in Indonesia, often linked to inadequate complementary feeding, cultural practices, and limited family empowerment. Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate a family empowerment model based on transcultural care theory to improve quality and prevent stunting among children aged 6–24 months. Methods: A cross-sectional explanatory survey was conducted among 324 mother–child pairs from 11 primary healthcare centers in Kediri, East Java. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire covering demographic, educational, technological, economic, and cultural factors, as well as family empowerment and quality. Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was applied for hypothesis testing and model development. Results: The model showed moderate explanatory power (R² = 0.223 for family empowerment; R² = 0.115 for complementary feeding quality). Demographic, educational, technological, economic, and cultural factors significantly influenced family empowerment (p < 0.05), which in turn had a strong positive effect on quality (β = 0.340, p < 0.001). Family empowerment mediated the relationship between these factors and quality. Key contributors included knowledge, technology access, income level, and cultural practices. Conclusions: The proposed transcultural care-based family empowerment model effectively improves quality. Strengthening health education, supporting community health volunteers, and integrating culturally sensitive practices, such as encouraging paternal involvement and shared meals, should be prioritized in stunting prevention programs. The model may be adapted for use in similar community settings to enhance program effectiveness. Full article

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is an evolving repository of collective meaning; however, many ICH destinations face threats from over-commercialization and homogenization, which weaken authentic transmission and visitor engagement. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework and a cultural identity perspective, this study examines how two stimulus sets—ICH attributes (perceived authenticity, vitality) and tourism involvement (cognitive, behavioral)—influence tourist loyalty, with experiential value as a mediator and cultural identity as a moderator. 385 valid online survey responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling and moderated mediation tests. Results show that perceived authenticity and vitality each exert significant positive effects on loyalty, and higher cognitive and behavioral involvement similarly strengthens loyalty. Experiential value partially mediates the effects of ICH attributes and involvement on loyalty. Cultural identity positively moderates several pathways; notably, when cultural identity is high, experiential value no longer mediates the link between tourism involvement and loyalty. These findings advance understanding of visitor-centered authenticity in living ICH contexts and offer guidance for destination managers seeking to build engaging, identity-sensitive heritage experiences. Full article

Background/Objectives: Tinnitus often occurs alongside the emotional symptoms of anxiety and depression. The Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761^® was shown to be effective in reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly patients with both dementia and tinnitus, exerting direct effects on tinnitus severity and indirect effects mediated by improvement of anxiety, depression, and cognition. Whether the extent of the effects is influenced by the patient’s sex has not yet been investigated. We performed a conditional process analysis to evaluate this question. Methods: We analyzed the moderating role of sex on the direct and indirect effects of EGb 761^® on tinnitus severity using a first- and second-stage conditional process model. Results: Indirect effects of EGb 761^® on tinnitus severity mediated by improved cognition, anxiety, and depression did not differ between women and men (p > 0.05; all 95% bootstrap confidence intervals overlapped with zero). Moreover, direct treatment effects of EGb 761^® on tinnitus severity were statistically significant for both sexes (women, p < 0.0001; men, p = 0.0279). Conclusions: Beneficial effects of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761^® in dementia patients with tinnitus are likely to be unaffected by the patient’s sex. Further research into the influence of patient characteristics on the outcome of tinnitus drug treatment is encouraged. Full article

This study investigates how different mobile advertising cues (WOM, product, and price cues) affect consumer responses in terms of advertisement clicks and purchases. A large-scale field experiment was conducted on a mobile online learning platform with 45,000 users representing different customer life cycle stages, in which users were randomly assigned to one of three mobile advertisement types. Behavioral data on clicks and purchases were collected, and the dual-system processing model was used to analyze mediating effects. Consumers were more likely to click on adverts featuring WOM and price cues than product cues, but less likely to purchase. Purchasing experience moderated this effect: experienced consumers showed higher purchase probabilities for WOM and price cues. Affective processing mediated click behavior, while cognitive processing mediated purchases. This study advances cue theory in the mobile context by identifying distinct psychological and behavioral mechanisms driving consumer engagement and conversion. It highlights the importance of tailoring mobile advert strategies based on cue type and user experience. Full article

As AI recommendation systems become increasingly important in consumer decision-making, leveraging sound cues to optimize user interaction experience has become a key research topic. Grounded in the theory of perceptual contagion, this study centers on sound cues in AI recommendation scenarios, systematically examining their impact on consumer choice and choice satisfaction, as well as the underlying psychological mechanisms. Study 1 (hotel recommendation, N = 155) demonstrated that embedding sound cues into recommendation interfaces significantly increased consumer choice and choice satisfaction. Study 2 (laptop recommendation, N = 155) further revealed that this effect was mediated by preference fluency. Contrary to expectations, AI literacy did not moderate these effects, suggesting that sound cues exert influence across different user groups regardless of technological expertise. Theoretically, this study (1) introduces the theory of perceptual contagion into AI-human interaction research; (2) identifies preference fluency as the core mediating mechanism; and (3) challenges the traditional assumptions about the role of AI literacy. Practically, this study proposes a low-cost and highly adaptable design strategy, providing a new direction for recommendation systems to shift from content-driven to experience-driven. These findings enrich the understanding of sensory influences in digital contexts and offer practical insights for optimizing the design of AI platforms. Full article

Driven by the digital transformation of global value chains and the digital economy strategy outlined in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, international trade competition is increasingly centered on digital technology ecosystems. This study addresses the gap in existing research that often overlooks the critical role of cities as key nodes in digital technology and global value chains, as well as the mechanisms through which the digital economy influences urban export trade. Using panel data from 273 prefecture-level Chinese cities between 2006 and 2022, we apply fixed effects, mediation, and multiple threshold regression models to analyze the mechanisms and nonlinear effects of the digital economy on urban export performance. Results show that the digital economy significantly facilitates urban export trade, with its marginal impact moderated by regional development levels and factor endowment structures. Eastern and central cities exhibit stronger export-driving effects, benefiting from resource agglomeration. Technological innovation and human capital accumulation are identified as the main transmission channels through which the digital economy promotes export upgrading. Additionally, the relationship between digital economy development and export trade demonstrates significant nonlinear characteristics across different regional economic development stages. The study emphasizes bridging the regional digital divide and enhancing technological innovation and human capital efficiency to drive digital transformation and boost urban export vitality. Full article

The growing influence of social media personalities in shaping consumer behavior presents significant opportunities and challenges for marketers. This research integrates Social Identity Theory with the influencer marketing literature to investigate how influencer self-disclosure affects word-of-mouth intentions through consumer identification. Across four experiments (N = 1048), we demonstrate that high influencer self-disclosure consistently increases consumers’ word-of-mouth intentions compared to low self-disclosure. Consumer identification with the influencer mediates this relationship, providing a psychological mechanism through which personal narratives translate into advocacy behaviors. Furthermore, we identify two important boundary conditions: self-concept clarity moderates the relationship between self-disclosure and identification, with stronger effects for consumers experiencing identity uncertainty; and cultural collectivism orientation moderates the identification-to-WOM pathway, with collectivistic mindsets amplifying the translation of identification into advocacy. These findings contribute to both theory and practice by elucidating the psychological processes underlying influencer effectiveness and offer strategic guidance for optimizing influencer communication across diverse consumer segments and cultural contexts. Full article

With the rising urgency of global environmental challenges, understanding the mechanisms behind green consumption has become increasingly vital. This study investigates how green product information disclosure influences consumers’ green consumption intention, focusing on new energy vehicle (NEV) consumers in China. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study introduces environmental concern as a mediator and brand reputation as a moderator to enhance the explanatory power of the model. A total of 527 valid questionnaires were collected on-site from NEV exhibitions in Beijing. Structural equation modeling and PROCESS macro analysis were employed to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that environmental information disclosure significantly promotes green consumption intention, both directly and indirectly, through the mediating effects of green consumption attitude, subjective norms, and environmental concern. However, the direct effect of information communication channels was not statistically significant. Moreover, brand reputation positively moderates the relationship between environmental information disclosure and green consumption intention. These findings provide new theoretical insights by extending TPB with contextual and psychological variables and offer practical implications for NEV manufacturers and marketers. Specifically, companies are encouraged to prioritize transparent and credible environmental information disclosure, strengthen brand reputation, and consider consumers’ attitudes and social norms when designing green marketing strategies. Full article

As China’s housing market shifts from quantity expansion to quality improvement, consumer expectations for both functionality and aesthetics in residential products are rising. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, this study develops a perceptual mechanism model to examine how display design identity and facility service satisfaction influence millennials’ willingness to purchase improved housing, mediated by an elevated sense of style and moderated by upward social comparison. Based on structural equation modeling with 491 valid responses, the findings reveal that facility service satisfaction has a significant direct effect on purchase intention, while display design identity affects behavior indirectly through an elevated sense of style. Moreover, the elevated sense of style serves as a critical mediator in multiple pathways, and its effect is significantly moderated by upward social comparison. This study contributes to the housing consumption literature by clarifying how functional and symbolic factors jointly shape purchase intentions, especially under the influence of social comparison dynamics. It also highlights the role of artistic display design as a symbolic stimulus that enhances style perception and self-identity among younger consumers, offering practical insights for improved housing design and marketing strategies. Full article

Improving the anaerobic digestion (AD) of swine manure is crucial for sustainable waste-to-energy systems, given its high organic load and process instability risks. This study examined the combined effects of substrate-to-inoculum ratio (SIR, 0.1–3.2) and magnetite-mediated direct interspecies electron transfer on biogas production, effluent quality, and microbial community dynamics. The highest methane yield (262 ± 10 mL CH₄/g COD) was obtained at SIR 0.1, while efficiency declined at higher SIRs due to acid and ammonia accumulation. Magnetite supplementation significantly improved methane yield (up to a 54.1% increase at SIR 0.2) and reduced the lag phase, particularly under moderate SIRs. Effluent characterization revealed that low SIRs induced elevated soluble COD (SCOD) levels, attributed to microbial autolysis and extracellular polymeric substance release. Furthermore, magnetite addition mitigated SCOD accumulation and shifted molecular weight distributions toward higher fractions (>15 kDa), indicating enhanced microbial activity and structural polymer formation. Microbial analysis revealed that magnetite-enriched Syntrophobacterium and Methanothrix promoted syntrophic cooperation and acetoclastic methanogenesis. Diversity indices and PCoA further showed that both SIR and magnetite significantly shaped microbial structure and function. Overall, an optimal SIR range of 0.2–0.4 under magnetite addition provided a balanced strategy for enhancing methane recovery, effluent quality, and microbial stability in swine manure AD. Full article

With the global aging population increasing, promoting psychological well-being (PWB) in later life has become critical. This study employed a cross-sectional design to examine the impact of connectedness to nature (CtN) on PWB among Chinese older adults, focusing on the mediating role of self-perceptions of aging (SPA) and the moderating effect of meaning in life (MIL). Data from 401 participants were analyzed using a moderated mediation model, controlling for demographic variables. The results indicate that CtN is positively associated with PWB, partially through reducing negative SPA. Moreover, MIL strengthens both the direct effect of CtN on PWB and its indirect effect via SPA. These findings underscore the importance of fostering nature connection and meaning in life to enhance well-being in older adults and offer valuable insights for interventions promoting healthy aging. Full article

Macro policy regulation centered on carbon emissions profoundly influences the path for enterprises to achieve low-carbon transformation. Using panel data from Chinese A-share listed companies over the period from 2014 to 2023, this study adopts the methods of panel regression, moderating effect and mediating effect. The empirical research finds that: (1) Policy uncertainty from carbon emission constraints significantly incentivizes industrial enterprises to adopt greener governance strategies. (2) The mechanism analysis indicates that the uncertainty posed by carbon emission constraints influences corporate green governance by enhancing regional green finance development, intensifying corporate financing constraints, and improving the quality of corporate green innovation. (3) Enterprises with substantial environmental protection investments and stronger reputations are less susceptible to changes in their green governance strategies triggered by carbon emission constraint policies. (4) The effects of carbon constraint policy uncertainty on green governance strategies of industrial enterprises exhibit heterogeneity. Specifically, these effects are relatively weaker for non-heavy-polluting enterprises located in carbon emission trading pilot cities, enterprises with higher information disclosure quality, and enterprises whose senior executives have backgrounds in environmental protection. Ultimately, to promote the sustainable development of industrial enterprises, this study provides three recommendations. Full article

While social support is recognized as a protective factor against ostracism, its underlying psychological mechanisms remain unclear. This study empirically examined the relationship between social support and ostracism, and further tested the mediating role of social connectedness and the moderating effect of flourishing. A total of 723 college students (40.0% male) with a mean age of 19.39 years (SD = 0.91) were recruited in this study using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Ostracism Experience Scale for Adolescents, the Social Connectedness Scale, and the Flourishing Scale. The findings were as follows: (1) social support was significantly and negatively associated with ostracism; (2) social connectedness mediated the relationship between social support and ostracism; (3) flourishing moderated the relationship between social support and social connectedness; specifically, individuals with higher levels of flourishing may establish and maintain social connectedness using social support more effectively. This study contributes to the existing theoretical framework about the influencing factors of college students’ mental health but also provides new perspectives on mental health education and intervention strategies at school. Full article