Systematic mapping was developed in social sciences in response to a lack of empirical data when answering questions using systematic review methods, and a need for a method to describe the literature across a broad subject of interest. Systematic mapping does not attempt to answer a specific question as do systematic reviews, but instead collates, describes and catalogues available evidence (e.g. primary, secondary, theoretical, economic) relating to a topic or question of interest. The included studies can be used to identify evidence for policy-relevant questions, knowledge gaps (to help direct future primary research) and knowledge clusters (sub-sets of evidence that may be suitable for secondary research, for example systematic review). Evidence synthesis in environmental sciences faces similar challenges to those found in social sciences. Here we describe the translation of systematic mapping methodology from social sciences for use in environmental sciences. We provide the first process-based methodology for systematic maps, describing the stages involved: establishing the review team and engaging stakeholders; setting the scope and question; setting inclusion criteria for studies; scoping stage; protocol development and publication; searching for evidence; screening evidence; coding; production of a systematic map database; critical appraisal (optional); describing and visualising the findings; report production and supporting information. We discuss the similarities and differences in methodology between systematic review and systematic mapping and provide guidance for those choosing which type of synthesis is most suitable for their requirements. Furthermore, we discuss the merits and uses of systematic mapping and make recommendations for improving this evolving methodology in environmental sciences.
The transition of Large Language Models (LLMs) from exploratory tools to active "silicon subjects" in social science lacks extensive validation of operational validity. This study introduces Conditioned Comment Prediction (CCP), a task in which a model predicts how a user would comment on a given stimulus by comparing generated outputs with authentic digital traces. This framework enables a rigorous evaluation of current LLM capabilities with respect to the simulation of social media user behavior. We evaluated open-weight 8B models (Llama3.1, Qwen3, Ministral) in English, German, and Luxembourgish language scenarios. By systematically comparing prompting strategies (explicit vs. implicit) and the impact of Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT), we identify a critical form vs. content decoupling in low-resource settings: while SFT aligns the surface structure of the text output (length and syntax), it degrades semantic grounding. Furthermore, we demonstrate that explicit conditioning (generated biographies) becomes redundant under fine-tuning, as models successfully perform latent inference directly from behavioral histories. Our findings challenge current "naive prompting" paradigms and offer operational guidelines prioritizing authentic behavioral traces over descriptive personas for high-fidelity simulation.
IntroductionThe Consistency Evaluation Policy of Generic Drugs is a major quality-oriented regulatory reform in China’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Whether and how this policy facilitates the integration of the innovation chain and the industrial chain at the enterprise level remains insufficiently examined. This study evaluates the policy effect and investigates potential mechanisms.MethodsThis study used panel data on A-share listed pharmaceutical enterprises from 2013 to 2023. Enterprises were treated as the micro-level carriers of both the innovation chain and the industrial chain, and a enterprise-level index was constructed to measure their integration. A difference-in-differences (DID) design was employed to estimate the impact of the Consistency Evaluation Policy of Generic Drugs. Mechanism analyses focused on government subsidies and market concentration, and heterogeneity was assessed by market demand and total factor productivity (TFP).ResultsThe Consistency Evaluation Policy of Generic Drugs significantly promoted the integration of the innovation chain and the industrial chain. Mechanism tests suggested that the effect operated through two channels: increased government subsidies and higher market concentration. The positive effect was stronger among enterprises facing larger market demand. Moreover, the effect was significant for enterprises with higher TFP, while it was not statistically significant for enterprises with lower TFP.DiscussionThese findings suggest that policy implementation can be strengthened by (1) improving the depth and precision of the Consistency Evaluation Policy of Generic Drugs, (2) enhancing the targeting of government subsidies and supporting an appropriate degree of industry concentration where warranted, and (3) adopting differentiated guidance to stimulate enterprise vitality through multiple measures.
Elisabetta Biondi, Chiara Boldrini, Andrea Passarella
et al.
Online social networks (OSNs) have transformed the way individuals fulfill their social needs and consume information. As OSNs become increasingly prominent sources for news dissemination, individuals often encounter content that influences their opinions through both direct interactions and broader network dynamics. In this paper, we propose the Friedkin-Johnsen on Cascade (FJC) model, which is, to the best of our knowledge, is the first attempt to integrate information cascades and opinion dynamics, specifically using the very popular Friedkin-Johnsen model. Our model, validated over real social cascades, highlights how the convergence of socialization and sharing news on these platforms can disrupt opinion evolution dynamics typically observed in offline settings. Our findings demonstrate that these cascades can amplify the influence of central opinion leaders, making them more resistant to divergent viewpoints, even when challenged by a critical mass of dissenting opinions. This research underscores the importance of understanding the interplay between social dynamics and information flow in shaping public discourse in the digital age.
Public transport is one of the public utilities offered to the general public directly by the government or through private sector participation. In either scenario, public transport should be subject to government control and stringent regulation in terms of pricing and service nature. The general argument is that the rates charged must be acceptable in the eyes of regulators, providers, and the general public. Using a critical postmodern research methodology and a critical and descriptive research design, this research aimed to critically analyze the factors leading to the spiraling of public transportation rates between Addis Ababa and Woliso. Key informants and passengers were selected using purposeful and snowball sampling procedures. The research revealed that, despite the government’s efforts to impose tariffs and offer subsidies to public transport providers, the government’s policy involvement failed to control public transport price hikes. Some of the obstacles that public transport services encounter in the execution of government pricing policy includes a lack of institutional linkage and coordination between multiple sites of delivery and players. Public transport pricing policy continues to be one of the principal policy concerns and sources of controversy in the case study and Ethiopia generally. Since the fare or price charged to users has been more than government tariff, the government’s public transport tariff has remained hypothetical. This suggests the existence of a critical contest between the government in charge of setting the tariff and overseeing its implementation and the public transport providers in the case study.
Background: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) stands as a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by an elusive pathogenesis. The synergy of single-cell RNA sequencing and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis provides an opportunity to comprehensively unravel the contributory role of monocytes/macrophages in the intricate pathogenesis of pSS. Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of various types of immune cells were analyzed after annotating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. MR analysis of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) was conducted to search for key pathogenic genes and proteins. Cellular localization of pathogenic genes was performed based on scRNA-seq data. Variations in signaling pathways between immune cells were further analyzed. Results: A total of 1434 significant DEGs were identified. Among these, 60 genes exhibited strong relevance to the occurrence of pSS, of which 32 genes differentially expressed in monocytes/macrophages. CTSS was found to be a significant risk protein with a p-value of 0.001 and an odds ratio of 1.384 (1.147–1.669), showing pronounced expression in monocytes/macrophages. Furthermore, monocytes/macrophages displayed heightened expression levels of MXD1, AMPD2, TNFSF10, FTL, UBXN11, CSF3R, and LILRA5. The analysis of intercellular signaling revealed increased signal intensity in both incoming and outgoing signals in monocytes/macrophages. The signaling interactions between monocytes/macrophages, B cells, and T cells exhibited varying degrees of deviation. Conclusions: This study highlights the significant involvement of monocytes/macrophages in the pathogenesis of pSS, as evidenced by MR analysis and scRNA-seq analysis. This suggests monocytes/macrophages as a focal point for pathogenesis research and potential therapeutic targeting in pSS.
The objectives of this research were to assess the productive and reproductive performances, and crossbred Jersey farmers preferences traits in Angolelana Tera district, Amhara region, Ethiopia. A total of 158 smallholders holding Jersey crossbreed recruited from seven Kebeles were interviewed face to face using a semi structured questionnaire. Index for traits preferences and one-way analysis of variance for reproductive and productive performances differences of dairy cattle breeds were employed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Milk yield, growth and traction in Holstein-Friesian crossbred, while milk fat, fertility and growth in Jersey crossbred, and disease’s resistant ability, traction power and adaptation to local climates in indigenous breed were the most valued traits by farmers in the study district. The overall mean of the most reproductive and productive performance parameters of Jersey crossbred namely age at first calving (30.56 months), lactation length (241.32 days), calving interval (441.79 days), number of services per conception (1.55) and longevity (16.53 years) were significantly better than its counterpart Holstein-Friesian crossbreed with the corresponding values of 32.91 months, 227.28 days, 447.59 days, 1.86 and 15.03 years, respectively. However, no significant variations were observed between the two crossbreeds of Holstein-Friesian and Jersey on age at first service and days open in the present study. Generally, indigenous breeds significantly lower productive and reproductive performances than crossbred cattle. In conclusion, although some parameters are antagonistic with the standards recommended for modern dairy farming, Jersey crossbreed performed well in the district. These indicates that the project looks targeted on the right breed in the right place with necessary training approaches on caring of crossbred Jersey breed and milk processing. Therefore, the wide use of Jersey crossbreed must be promoted in the district together with necessary improved management packages.
Methamphetamine is a potent and highly addictive neurotoxic psychostimulant that triggers a spectrum of adverse emotional responses during withdrawal. G-protein coupled receptor 55 (GPR55), a novel endocannabinoid receptor, is closely associated with mood regulation. Herein, we developed a murine model of methamphetamine-induced anxiety- and depressive-like behavior during abstinence which showed a decreased GPR55 expression in the hippocampus. Activation of GPR55 mitigated these behavioral symptoms, concomitantly ameliorating impairments in hippocampal neurogenesis and reducing neuroinflammation. These findings underscore the pivotal role of GPR55 in mediating the neuropsychological consequences of methamphetamine withdrawal, potentially via mechanisms involving the modulation of hippocampal neurogenesis and inflammation.
Sharli Paphitis, Fatima Akilu, Natasha Chilambo
et al.
Background
Despite theoretical support for including mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) with peacebuilding, few programmes in conflict-affected regions fully integrate these approaches.
Aims
To describe and assess preliminary outcomes of the Counselling on Wheels programme delivered by the NEEM Foundation in the Borno State of North-East Nigeria.
Method
We first describe the components of the Counselling on Wheels programme, including education and advocacy for peace and social cohesion through community peacebuilding partnerships and activities, and an MHPSS intervention open to all adults, delivered in groups of eight to ten people. We then conducted secondary analysis of data from 1550 adults who took part in the MHPSS intervention, who provided data at baseline and 1–2 weeks after the final group session. Vulnerability to violent extremism was assessed with a locally developed 80-item scale. Symptoms of common mental disorders were assessed with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale (PTSD-8). Data were analysed through a mixed-effect linear regression model, accounting for clustering by community and adjusted for age and gender.
Results
After taking part in group MHPSS, scores fell for depression (−5.8, 95% CI −6.7 to −5.0), stress (−5.5, 95% CI −6.3 to −4.6), post-traumatic stress disorder (−2.9, 95% CI −3.4 to −2.4) and vulnerability to violent extremism (−44.6, 95% CI −50.6 to −38.6).
Conclusions
The Counselling on Wheels programme shows promise as a model for integrating MHPSS with community peacebuilding activities in this conflict-affected region of Africa.
Makáň Lukáš, Ryglová Kateřina, Rašovská Ida
et al.
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly influenced tourism and has led to a change in the consumer behaviour of tourists. The purpose of the study was to find out how the profile of the visitor of the rural area had changed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The quantitative survey with 1026 visitors was conducted and its results were analyzed within three main segments of visitors – groups with children, couples and the others (without children). The results of the research confirm the persisting fact – due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand in tourism is shifting from urban areas to rural ones, but overall tourists in research rural area can benefit from the fact that it is a relatively small area and can get the best of both rural areas as well as of near cities in the area. Visiting rural areas is generally a shorter-term option for all visitors, which does not require long-term planning. The findings confirmed that rural areas are a great opportunity for domestic tourism. The results bring a deeper and actual insight into the consumer behaviour of tourists in rural areas and at the same time the findings show the possibilities for service quality improvement. Both can be beneficial for service providers as well as destination managers.
Valorisation is at the centre of many debates on the future of academic research. But valorisation has largely become narrowly understood in terms of universities’ economic contributions through patenting, licensing, spin-off formation and technology transfer. This emergent restrictive definition of universities’ societal impacts is a worrying development, overlooking the potential of universities’ knowledge in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS). Our hypothesis is that HASS disciplines’ disadvantage compared to the hard sciences (lesser policy attention and funding for commercialisation) arises because HASS stakeholders are not sufficiently salient as stakeholders to universities. Using case studies of three policy experiments, we argue that universities’ responsiveness to stakeholders does not evolve simply and functionally but in response to the networks of relationships in which they are situated. This has important implications for how stakeholder research is used in higher education research, and for the design and implementation of policies to improve universities’ societal contributions.