bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of workplace change of a private jet company on employee satisfaction
Authors: Riratanaphong Chaiwat , Chaiprasien Bovornpak
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of a private jet company’s change of workplace on employees’ satisfaction using specific variables from a conceptual framework of workplace change appraisal. Another purpose of the study is to identify the relationships between staff characteristics and satisfied aspects of a work environment.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study was conducted at MJets – a company in the aviation and private jet sector. The research methods included field surveys, document analysis and a set of questionnaires on employee satisfaction, which were then analysed and discussed.

Findings

The findings show that organisational contexts, work processes and implementation processes have an impact on workplace change and employees’ needs and preferences, which affect their responses to the work environment. The most satisfied aspects of a work environment include the ceiling height of each floor, the square-metre area of buildings and the amount of light in the work area. Despite the new work environment, employees are scarcely satisfied with building accessibility, storage, archive facilities and privacy. The relationships between staff characteristics (i.e. working hours, job functions, mode of transport and duration of employment) and employee satisfaction with the work environment are statistically tested. The study shows statistically significant results including the following: mode of transport and satisfaction with parking spaces, job functions and satisfaction with building accessibility and job functions and satisfaction with storage and archive facilities.

Research limitations/implications

According to a business type, the provision and arrangement of the work environment of a private jet company that is different from other office organisations affect both the generalisation and the generalisability of the study. This study was conducted in Thailand. The impact of the national culture may have also influenced the outcomes.

Practical implications

The findings and the reflections upon them help understand the complex relationships of variables influencing workplace change appraisal. The focus is on employee involvement; communication with employees in the preparation and implementation processes may be an effective way to promote workplace change objectives and help facility managers reduce negative impacts of workplace change.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to prior research on workplace change appraisal and provides evidence for both positive and negative impacts of workplace change on employee satisfaction with the work environment. Identifying the impact of workplace change on employee satisfaction through the conceptual framework contributes to the body of research on facilities management. In addition, the conceptual framework of workplace change appraisal can be applied by practitioners in the field of workplace design and management.
The most livable city selection in Turkey with the grey relational analysis
Authors: Kose Erkan , Vural Danışment , Canbulut Gulcin
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study has two main objectives: (1) to expand the application areas of grey system theory and (2) to select the most livable city in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

Choosing the most livable city is a complex problem that requires many criteria to be considered. It is important to select decision points according to which the criteria selection will be made and to what extent the criteria will affect the evaluation. For this purpose, a questionnaire was prepared to determine the criteria to be used in the assessment. The survey results were evaluated by the factor analysis (FA) and it was found that the criteria included in the survey were grouped under seven factors. Then, criteria weights were assigned to the determined criteria using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). At the last stage, Turkey's six most popular cities are graded using the grey relational analysis (GRA) to reduce the uncertainty existing in the process of evaluation.

Findings

The obtained results indicated that the most livable city in Turkey is Istanbul. Istanbul is followed by Izmir, Antalya, Eskisehir, Bursa and Ankara, respectively. Considering that Istanbul is a center of attraction in many respects, this result is not a surprise for many people. It is also observed that the results obtained overlap with similar studies in the literature.

Originality/value

Grey system theory and grey numbers have not been previously used to select the most livable city. With this aspect, this study has expanded the application of grey system theory and made an important contribution to the literature.
Stimulating employee creativity by providing developmental feedback
Authors: Thuan Le Cong
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of task-efficacy and information exchange in linking the relationship between developmental feedback and employee creativity. In addition, this current paper tests the moderating role of innovative climate in reinforcing the effects of task-efficacy and information exchange on employee creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

This current research used a time-lagged questionnaire survey to reduce the potential problem of common method variance. The sample size of this study was 305 employees from information technology companies in southern Vietnam. This research undertook a hierarchical regression analysis to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results found that task-efficacy and information exchange fully meditated the relationship between developmental feedback and employee creativity. Furthermore, innovative climate positively moderated the effects of task-efficacy and information exchange on employees’ creative performance.

Originality/value

This current paper is one of the first studies to examine task-efficacy as a motivational mechanism and information exchange as a cognitive mechanism for understanding the relationship between developmental feedback and employee creativity. This paper is also one of the first attempts to investigate whether innovative climate reinforces the effects of task-efficacy and information exchange on employee creativity.
Individual learning behavior: do all its dimensions matter for self-employment practice among youths in Uganda?
Authors: Kusemererwa Christopher , Munene John C. , Laura Orobia A. , Balunywa Juma Waswa
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish whether all the dimensions of individual learning behavior matter for self-employment practice among youths, using evidence from Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a correlational and cross-sectional type. A questionnaire survey of 393 youths was used. The data collected were analyzed through SPSS.

Findings

The results indicate that meaning-oriented learning behavior, planned learning behavior and emergent learning behavior do matter for self-employment practice among youths in Uganda unlike instruction-oriented learning behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This study focused on self-employed youths who have gone through tertiary education in Uganda. Therefore, it is likely that the results may not be generalized to other settings. The results show that to promote self-employment practice among youths, the focus should be put mainly on meaning-oriented learning behavior, planned learning behavior and emergent learning behavior.

Originality/value

This study provides initial evidence on whether all the dimensions of individual learning behavior do matter for self-employment practice among youths using evidence from an African developing country – Uganda.
How does the territory impact on entrepreneurial family embeddedness?
Authors: Martínez-Sanchis Paula , Aragón-Amonarriz Cristina , Iturrioz-Landart Cristina
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how territory impacts on entrepreneurial families’ (EFs) embeddedness to unveil the role that territories play on the continuity and development of EFs.

Design/methodology/approach

To study complex contexts where subjective realities are analyzed, a constructivist qualitative approach is recommended. Given that, this paper develops a qualitative methodology in which 25 semi-structured interviews were carried out and analyzed based upon the use of ATLAS.ti, following an open-coding approach.

Findings

This paper found out that the territory can condition EFs’ embeddedness in different ways. First, through the cultural embeddedness, the shared territorial understanding of values and norms inherited by the history of the territory. Second, by the political embeddedness, i.e. the power exercised by territorial economic actors and non-market institutions. Third, through the structural embeddedness generated by the territorial social networks and the generation of close relationships and finally, through the so-called cognitive embeddedness, the territorial actors’ representations, interpretations and meanings. These four modes of territorial embeddedness are unfolded in a set of 16 territorial factors that impact on EFs’ embeddedness. Most of the identified factors, 14 out of the 16, are acting mainly over one of the embeddedness modes studied (cultural, political, structural and cognitive), while two of them, because they are operating simultaneously on various modes of embeddedness, have been considered transversal factors.

Originality/value

EFs have, to a great extent, been recognized as major generators of positive externalities in the territories in which they are located, and to date, the literature has focused on the impact that firms and family firms have on regional development. However, how the territory conditions the embeddedness of these families, especially how it impacts on the EFs’ territorial embeddedness, remains unexplored. This paper proposes a framework of 16 factors that help to understand the embeddedness dynamics between EFs and territories, serving as a starting point for future research avenues. Additionally, regional policy makers may use it as a guidance to build policy mix that considers these territorial factors to boost EFs’ embeddedness.
Engineering project networks: providing “sustainable work systems” for construction knowledge workers
Authors: Hosseini M. Reza , Edwards David John , Singh Tandeep , Martek Igor , Darko Amos
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The construction industry faces three emergent developments that in all likelihood will transform the industry into the future. First, engineering project networks (EPNs), in which teams collaborate on projects remotely in time and space, are transforming global construction practices. Second, as a major consumer of resources and significant producer of green-house gases, construction is under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Third, the construction industry presents as one of the least socially sustainable work environments, with high job dissatisfaction, skewed work–life balance and over representation of depressive and mental disorders. It is incumbent on the industry to reconcile these issues. Specifically, what scope is there to shape the evolution of EPNs towards a configuration that both promotes sustainability generally, and enhances quality of work-life issues, while at the same time continuing to apprehend the economic dividends for which it is adopted? As salient as this question is, it has not been broached in the literature. Therefore, this study aims to survey the extent to which EPNs align with the sustainability agenda, more broadly, and that of employee work-place satisfaction, more specifically.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review of current knowledge of these concerns is explored and a summative assessment presented.

Findings

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, as the first in its kind, the study brings to light that EPNs go a long way towards facilitating economic objectives, part way towards realising ecological and sociological objectives but make hardly any impact on improving employee work satisfaction.

Originality/value

This paper examines an entirely novel area that has not been studied yet. Future research should take up this finding to determine how EPNs may be further adapted to accommodate these wider necessary objectives.
Hierarchical main path analysis to identify decompositional multi-knowledge trajectories
Authors: Yoon Sejun , Mun Changbae , Raghavan Nagarajan , Hwang Dongwook , Kim Sohee , Park Hyunseok
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a quantitative method for identifying multiple and hierarchical knowledge trajectories within a specific technological domain (TD).

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed method as a patent-based data-driven approach is basically based on patent classification systems and patent citation information. Specifically, the method first analyzes hierarchical structure under a specific TD based on patent co-classification and hierarchical relationships between patent classifications. Then, main paths for each sub-TD and overall-TD are generated by knowledge persistence-based main path approach. The all generated main paths at different level are integrated into the hierarchical main paths.

Findings

This paper conducted an empirical analysis by using Genome sequencing technology. The results show that the proposed method automatically identifies three sub-TDs, which are major functionalities in the TD, and generates the hierarchical main paths. The generated main paths show knowledge flows across different sub-TDs and the changing trends in dominant sub-TD over time.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the proposed method is the first attempt to automatically generate multiple hierarchical main paths using patent data. The generated main paths objectively show not only knowledge trajectories for each sub-TD but also interactive knowledge flows among sub-TDs. Therefore, the method is definitely helpful to reduce manual work for TD decomposition and useful to understand major trajectories for TD.
Social media analytics for knowledge acquisition of market and non-market perceptions in the sharing economy
Authors: Geissinger Andrea , Laurell Christofer , Öberg Christina , Sandström Christian , Sick Nathalie , Suseno Yuliani
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Using the case of Foodora, this paper aims to assess the impact of technological innovation of an emerging actor in the sharing economy through stakeholders’ perceptions in the market and non-market domains.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a methodological approach called social media analytics (SMA) to explore the case of Foodora, 3,250 user-generated contents in social media are systematically gathered, coded and analysed.

Findings

The findings indicate that, while Foodora appears to be a viable provider in the marketplace, there is mounting public concern about the working conditions of its employees. In the market domain, Foodora manages its status as an online delivery platform and provider well, but at the same time, it struggles with its position in the non-market sphere, suggesting that the firm is vulnerable to regulatory change. These insights highlight the importance of simultaneously exploring and balancing market and non-market perceptions when assessing the impact of disruptive innovation.

Originality/value

This study offers originality by providing an integrative approach to consider both the market and non-market domains. It is also novel in its use of SMA as a tool for knowledge acquisition and management to evaluate the impact of emerging technologies in the sharing economy.
Enabling transformative value creation through online weight loss services
Authors: Taiminen Heini , Taiminen Kimmo , Munnukka Juha
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to understand how online weight loss services could help customers achieve a durable change. The particular focus is on exploring the roles of value co-creation and well-being outcomes in reinforcing the transformative value potential, which is argued to be realized as customers’ intentions to continue a healthier lifestyle after the service period has ended.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from the participants of an online weight loss service (n = 498), and a conceptual research model was tested using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results imply that compliance with the guidelines and social support are two value co-creation activities that can influence the well-being outcomes of transformative services (i.e. perceived behavioral control and satisfaction with one’s achievements). These well-being outcomes help attain the transformative value potential of online weight loss services. However, the actual weight loss affected the transformative value potential only through customers’ satisfaction with their achievements as a subjective well-being outcome.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the transformative value potential of services in the weight loss context. This study contributes to the transformative service research by focusing on the role of online services in reinforcing a durable change through the co-creation of value and improvements in customers’ well-being.
Examining mindfulness and its relationship to unethical behaviors
Authors: Wan Min , Zivnuska Suzanne , Valle Matthew
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the mediating effect of moral disengagement in the relationship between mindfulness and unethical behaviors. The authors also explored the moderating effect of perceptions of politics on the mediational chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors administrated time-lagged surveys at two time periods separated by six weeks. Respondents were 206 full-time employees working in the USA. Hierarchical, moderated multiple regression analyzes were used to test the mediation and moderation effects.

Findings

Results showed that mindfulness reduced destructive deviant behavior and unethical pro-organizational behavior through moral disengagement and the mediation effects were weaker when employees’ perceptions of politics were stronger.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate that mindfulness and perceptions of organizational politics combine to have profound impacts on employee unethical behaviors. Organizations seeking to minimize the occurrence of deviance and unethical behaviors may do well to support employee mindfulness and as well as minimizing organizational politics. The findings suggest that the political context has a negative impact on even the behavior of mindful employees. Therefore, building mindfulness while simultaneously reducing politics are equally important goals.

Originality/value

Our study extends the theoretical development of mindfulness research by examining the interactive effects of perceptions of organizational politics and mindfulness and broadens the theoretical rationale for explaining the linkages between mindfulness and unethical behaviors.
Mitigating the performance implications of buyer’s dependence on supplier: the role of absorptive capacity and long-term relationship
Authors: Prajogo Daniel , Chowdhury Mesbahuddin , Nair Anand , Cheng T.C.E.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Buyer’s dependence on its key supplier for critical resources and capabilities is generally considered as creating a disadvantageous position for the buyer and undermining its business performance. This study aims to invoke arguments from resource dependence theory (RDT) to examine if this adverse effect of buyer’s dependence is moderated by the buyer’s absorptive capacity and a long-term relationship with the key supplier.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a data set drawn from 204 manufacturing firms in Australia, this study tested the proposed model using hierarchical moderated regression analysis.

Findings

The finding shows that buyer’s dependence on its key supplier by itself has no significant effect on the buyer’s business performance. However, the link between buyer’s dependence on its key supplier and performance is positively moderated by the level of the buyer’s absorptive capacity, as well as by the joint effect of buyer’s absorptive capacity and a long-term relationship with the key supplier.

Practical implications

As buyer’s dependence is often difficult to avoid, the finding of this study is instructive in showing managers how to strategically mitigate the effect of their firm’s dependence on a key supplier; indeed, turn it into a positive outcome.

Originality/value

This is the first study, which integrates the internal and external resources in mitigating the effect of buyer’s dependence on the supplier.
Empathic concern and perspective taking: a tale from middle school history
Authors: Collette Jared P. , Jones Suzanne H.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This empirical quantitative research study aimed to test whether historical texts could activate empathic concern and perspective taking in a US History classroom with adolescent students.

Design/methodology/approach

Eighth-grade participants (n = 227) were randomly assigned to read either a historical narrative text or a collection of primary documents, then participants self-reported a range of emotions and wrote a paragraph that was assessed for historical perspective taking.

Findings

Results indicated that for students randomly assigned to read the narrative text, empathic concern or compassion, was associated with higher historical perspective taking, even after controlling for literacy ability.

Research limitations/implications

All participants attended a single predominantly. White upper middle class middle school, and read either one narrative text or one collection of primary documents. Findings cannot be generalized to all students or all texts. The study design did not assess for a causal relationship of empathic concern and historical perspective taking.

Practical implications

This study demonstrates that empathic concern, when activated through a certain narrative text, can be associated with greater achievement on cognitive academic tasks such as writing a paragraph assessed for historical perspective taking. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that empathic concern should be a target emotion for students rather than a similar emotional experience as the person they are empathizing with.

Originality/value

Adolescents today appear to have lower levels of empathy than in the past. Empathy may be crucial for moral behavior. Research indicates that historical texts could potentially provide effective empathic interventions for adolescents. However, there are no published empirical quantitative research studies related to activating empathy for adolescents through literacy in a history classroom.
Characterization and performance of rice husk as additive in green ceramic water filter fabricated by slip-casting
Authors: Alias Siti Salwa , Harun Zawati , Abu Mansor Salina
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the using of rice husk (RH) which is a green material derived from agricultural waste with the ability to absorb heavy metal. It has been used in wastewater treatment. In this research, a kaolin-based green ceramic water filter (CWF) incorporated with two different additives (RH and zeolite-based RH ash [RHA]) was successfully fabricated.

Design/methodology/approach

The weight ratio of kaolin:additive was varied (90:10, 80:20 and 70:30) and fabricated via the slip-casting technique. The green CWFs were dried (60°C for 1 h), followed by sintering (1,200°C).

Findings

The green CWF of kaolin:RH with a weight ratio of 70:30 showed the best properties and satisfactory performance with a porous cross-section microstructure, highest porous area (4.58 µm2), good structure, lowest shrinkage (8.00%), highest porosity (45.10%), lowest density (1.79 g cm−3), highest water absorption (55.50%) and hardness (241.40 Hv). This green CWF has also achieved good permeability (42.00 L m−2h−1) and removal of the textile dye (27.88%). The satisfactory characterization and good textile dye removal performance (75.47%) were also achieved from green CWF with kaolin:zeolite at a weight ratio of 80:20.

Research limitations/implications

This research is focused on green CWF and zeolite at a certain amount with the specific characterization analysis methods.

Practical implications

The use of low-cost waste materials to treat dye wastewater from agricultural by-products/wastes sources in treating the dye will enhance the using of green material.

Social implications

Avoiding the waste sludge that can pollute the environment can create a health issue. The use of low-cost waste materials to treat dye wastewater from agricultural by-products/wastes sources in treating the dye can avoid the waste sludge that can pollute the environment and create serious health issue.

Originality/value

All the kaolin-based green CWFs incorporated with two different additives (RH and zeolite-based RHA) fabricated using a simple slip-casting technique have shown the potential to be used as a filter in wastewater treatment applications.
Rapid authentication of Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Taizishen) from different regions by near‐infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometric methods
Authors: Pan Wei , Wu Mei , Zheng Zhenzhu , Guo Longhua , Lin Zhenyu , Qiu Bin
Published: June 2020

Pseudostellaria heterophylla is a very popular traditional Chinese medicine herb, also called “Taizishen.” Discrimination of P. heterophylla from different regions is critical for ensuring the effectiveness of drug use, because the drug effects of P. heterophylla from different regions are diversity of each other. To discriminate P. heterophylla from different regions rapidly and effectively, a model extracted by competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) was established. Original spectra of P. heterophylla in wave number range of 10,000 to 4,000 cm−1 were acquired. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) was also used to establish a suitable model. CARS was performed for extracting key wave number variables. We found that the near‐infrared spectrum of a series of samples analyzed by Row‐center‐SG, CARS, and OPLS‐DA can effectively distinguish the P. heterophylla from different regions, and the accuracy of OPLS‐DA model is also satisfactory in terms of good discrimination rate. These results show that the Row‐center‐SG, CARS, and OPLS‐DA model can be used to identify the P. heterophylla from different regions.

Practical Application

According to our research results, we can draw a conclusion that our research results may be used to distinguish the traditional Chinese medicine from those from different places of origin and the powder with similar appearance.
Phenolic profiles, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and hypoglycemic activities of Ehretia macrophyla Wall. (EMW) fruit
Authors: Deng Na , Zheng Bisheng , Li Tong , Hu Xiaodan , Liu Rui Hai
Published: June 2020

Phenolic profiles, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and hypoglycemic activities of the whole Ehretia macrophylla Wall. (EMW) fruit were investigated in the present study. Catechin (CE), o‐methoxy benzoic acid (o‐MBA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) were the predominant phenolics in free extract, while CE, vanillic acid (VA), and o‐MBA were for bound extract. These extracts exhibited potential antioxidant capacity measured by peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. This fruit also possessed dose‐dependently antiproliferative activity, and this may be due to the synergistic and additive effects of individual phenolics. Furthermore, EMW fruit showed favorable hypoglycemic activity via inhibition of activities of α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase, enhancement of glucose consumption, glycogen accumulation, and glycogen synthase 2 (GYS2) activity, and downregulation of activities of glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G6Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Therefore, EMW fruit has the potential as an ingredient of functional foods to improve human health and shows promising applications with additional health and economical benefits.

Practical Application

EMW fruit is a plant‐based food rich in natural phenolic compounds, which suggesting its potential bioactivities for humans such as antioxidant, antiproliferative, and hypoglycemic activities. Our findings would provide a logical strategy to promote the comprehensive utilization of phenolics in EMW fruit with both health and economical benefits.
Sonographic indicators of isolated fetal sagittal craniosynostosis during pregnancy
Authors: Constantine Sarah , Kiermeier Andreas , Anderson Peter
Published: June 2020

Introduction

The antenatal diagnosis of sagittal craniosynostosis can be challenging, but there are several published papers describing a traumatic outcome to both the affected fetus and the mother during delivery of a scaphocephalic child. The antenatal imaging from affected children was collected along with the mother’s obstetric history. The aim of this study was to identify antenatal ultrasound features that may assist the diagnosis of sagittal synostosis before birth, to enable appropriate delivery planning and avoid both maternal and fetal trauma during birth.

Methods

Antenatal ultrasound scans in both the second and third trimesters were traced for 36 children with sagittal synostosis. The initially diagnostic CT scans were also sourced. A delivery history was collected from the hospital case notes where available.

Results

The affected group showed a statistically significant reduction in cephalic index during the second half of pregnancy compared with the normal population which became slightly more brachycephalic (P = 0.001). Regression analysis showed an average reduction in cephalic index of 0.57 units per month. There was also a much higher rate of malpresentation and surgical deliveries in the affected group than the normal population. There was a relationship between sagittal craniosynostosis and breech presentation and an associated higher rate of surgical deliveries.

Conclusion

It is possible to detect sagittal synostosis in the third trimester of pregnancy which may assist with delivery planning.
Role of radiotherapy in the management of malignant airway obstruction
Authors: Choi Hoon Sik , Jeong Bae Kwon , Jeong Hojin , Ha In Bong , Kang Ki Mun
Published: June 2020

Background

A significant proportion of lung cancer patients suffer from malignant airway obstruction (MAO). Palliative external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is often used to control the symptoms caused by MAO. In this study, we report the effect of palliative EBRT on lung cancer with MAO and analyze the factors that influence it.

Methods

This study included 75 patients with MAO in lung cancer who underwent palliative EBRT, between 2009 and 2018 and were analyzed retrospectively. Change of dyspnea, tumor response, and overall survival (OS) were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the prognostic factors for treatment outcomes.

Results

The median follow‐up duration was 2.5 months, and median OS was 2.3 months. Out of 75 patients, dyspnea was improved in 46 patients (61.3%), and tumor was partially decreased in 39 patients (52%). Symptoms improved in all tumor responding patients. The symptom improvement was significantly affected by radiation dose and time to EBRT. The tumor response was significantly affected by pathology, radiation dose, and time to EBRT.

Conclusions

Palliative EBRT is an effective and safe treatment option for patients with MAO in lung cancer. In particular, high‐dose irradiation and prompt treatment can improve treatment results.

Key points

Significant findings of the study

In MAO patients, tumor response is an important factor for resolving dyspnea and improving survival rate. In order to increase the tumor response, high‐dose irradiation and prompt treatment after symptoms occur are necessary.

What this study adds

Our study reported the effects of EBRT and prognostic factors in MAO patients. We emphasize that palliative EBRT is a relatively safe and effective treatment in MAO patients, which is a complement to previous studies.
Successful afatinib rechallenge in a patient with non‐small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR G719C and S768I mutations
Authors: Masuda Tomomi , Sunaga Noriaki , Kasahara Norimitsu , Takehara Kazutaka , Yatomi Masakiyo , Hara Kenichiro , Koga Yasuhiko , Maeno Toshitaka , Hisada Takeshi
Published: June 2020

Recent studies have indicated that afatinib is beneficial for patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring uncommon epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, while the effectiveness of afatinib rechallenge has not been fully defined. Here, we report a long‐term survival case of NSCLC harboring concomitant EGFR G719C and S768I mutations who received afatinib rechallenge followed by chemotherapy. The present case suggests that combined therapeutic strategies such as afatinib plus sequential chemotherapy would be beneficial based on appropriately timed rebiopsies from recurrent lesions.

Key points

Significant findings of the study and what this study adds

A NSCLC patient carrying EGFR G719X/S768I mutations survived for a long period of time with afatinib rechallenge followed by chemotherapy. Combined therapeutic strategies should be considered based on rebiopsies in appropriate timing in NSCLC with uncommon EGFR mutations.
Effects of Index Insurance on Demand and Supply of Credit: Evidence from Ethiopia
Authors: Belissa Temesgen , Lensink Robert , Winkel Anne
Published: June 2020

Index‐based insurance offers a climate risk management strategy that can benefit the poor. This article focuses on whether adopting index insurance improves access to financial markets and reduces credit rationing, using empirical analyses focused on Ethiopia. With different identification strategies, including a newly developed method that leverages the varying availability of index insurance across areas, the authors control for potential selection biases by forecasting potential insurance adopters; they apply a cross‐sectional double‐difference method. Credit rationing can take the form of either supply‐side quantity rationing, in which case potential borrowers who need credit are involuntarily excluded from the credit market, or demand‐side rationing, such that borrowers self‐select and voluntarily withdraw to avoid transaction costs and threats to their collateral. By differentiating supply‐side and demand‐side forms and employing a direct elicitation method to determine credit rationing status, this study reveals that 38% of sample households are credit constrained. The preferred estimation techniques suggest that index insurance significantly reduces supply‐side rationing.
Unarmed Militancy: Tactical Victories, Subjectivity, and Legitimacy in Bolivian Street Protest
Authors: Bjork‐James Carwil
Published: June 2020

Moments of intense physical confrontation between protesters and security forces have become iconic parts of political protest. These asymmetrical tactical encounters have been pivotal to successful Latin American revolts against neoliberalism and regime‐displacing protest movements. Based on ethnographic engagement and oral history interviews with Bolivian activists in Cochabamba and La Paz, this article characterizes an overlooked tactical stance: unarmed militancy, which I define as the use of forceful, combative tactics that are nonetheless qualitatively less damaging than those of their (usually state) adversaries. Unarmed militants complicate the binary of violence and nonviolence often used to strategize and analyze protest. Unarmed militants claim some of the moral purity of nonviolence and of those victimized by state repression. Yet, they also physically fight back to hold physical space and interrupt daily life. Neither provocateurs nor extremists, unarmed militants collaborate in achieving the tactical and strategic goals of mass mobilizations. This article examines the material processes of on‐the‐street collaboration, the subjectivity of demonstrators, the narratives surrounding protest, and the moral understandings of just and unjust uses of force as elements that can make unarmed militancy effective. [political legitimacy, tactics, protest, repression, revolution]
Risk of pump thrombosis and stroke in patients with continuous‐flow left ventricular assist devices and gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Szymanski Thomas W. , Weeks Phillip A. , Patel Chandni J. , Jezovnik Mateja K. , Gulbis Brian , Nathan Sriram S. , Jumean Marwan F. , Radovancevic Rajko , Kar Biswajit , Gregoric Igor D.
Published: June 2020

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common complication following the placement of continuous‐flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in patients with advanced heart failure. Secondary events arising as a result of GI bleeding have not been well‐described. Furthermore, attribution of these events to bleeding is complicated by the interruption or de‐intensification of antithrombotic therapy, while bleeding is controlled. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of pump thrombosis and ischemic stroke in patients with LVADs who experience GI bleeding, while on support. This was a single‐center, retrospective, observational cohort study of consecutive patients with LVADs implanted from January 2012 to June 2018. Patients were assigned to comparator groups based on whether they experienced GI bleeding while on LVAD support. The primary endpoint assessed was the composite of pump thrombosis or ischemic stroke. Secondary endpoints assessed included incidence of pump thrombosis or ischemic stroke. A total of 250 patients were included after screening for exclusion criteria, 101 (40.4%) in the GI bleeding group, and 149 (59.6%) in the non‐bleeding group. The incidence of pump thrombosis or ischemic stroke was not significantly greater in patients experiencing GI bleeding [23 (22.8%) vs. 21 (14.1%); P = .09]; however, the incidence of ischemic stroke alone was significantly greater [17 (16.8%) vs. 10 (6.7%); P = .01]. We conclude that GI bleeding in LVAD patients may be associated with a greater risk of ischemic stroke.
Letter: off‐label use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Lansdorp Corine A. , Buskens Christianne J. , Gecse Krisztina B. , D’Haens Geert R. A. M. , van Hulst Rob A.
Published: June 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Simsek et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15229 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15806.
Clinical outcomes of nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants and acenocoumarol for stroke prevention in contemporary practice: A population‐based propensity‐weighted cohort study
Authors: Rodríguez‐Bernal Clara L. , Santa‐Ana‐Téllez Yared , García‐Sempere Aníbal , Hurtado Isabel , Peiró Salvador , Sanfélix‐Gimeno Gabriel
Published: June 2020

Aims

Acenocoumarol is a vitamin‐K antagonist (VKA) primarily used in certain countries (e.g. India, Netherlands, Spain). The half‐life of acenocoumarol is similar to that of non‐VKA oral anticoagulants (NOAC), unlike warfarin, and this could affect comparative effectiveness and safety (CES). However, data on CES for NOAC come almost exclusively from studies using warfarin as the comparator. We aimed to assess outcomes of NOAC and acenocoumarol in people with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in real‐world clinical practice.

Methods

This is a population‐based retrospective cohort study. All new users of oral anticoagulants from November 2011 to December 2015 with NVAF were included (n = 41,560). Data were obtained by linking several health electronic records of the Valencia region, Spain. Incidence rates were estimated. We used the inverse probability of treatment weighted Cox analysis to control for indication bias when assessing the risk of effectiveness and safety outcomes for each NOAC compared with acenocoumarol. Several sensitivity analyses were performed.

Results

We did not find differences in the risk of mortality, ischaemic stroke or any gastrointestinal bleeding. However, we did find a decreased risk of intracranial haemorrhage for dabigatran (HR: 0.34, 95% CI 0.20–0.56) and rivaroxaban (HR: 0.55, 95% CI 0.35–0.85) as compared to acenocoumarol. In subanalyses, apixaban showed a higher risk of ischaemic stroke in high‐risk persons (≥75 years and CHA2DS2‐VASC score ≥ 2).

Conclusions

No differences in clinical outcomes were found between NOAC and acenocoumarol overall, although dabigatran and rivaroxaban showed a lower risk of intracranial haemorrhage. Findings on the potential inferiority of specific NOAC in high‐risk subgroups should be studied further.
Low‐accommodation and backwater effects on sequence stratigraphic surfaces and depositional architecture of fluvio‐deltaic settings (Cretaceous Mesa Rica Sandstone, Dakota Group, USA)
Authors: van Yperen Anna E. , Holbrook John M. , Poyatos‐Moré Miquel , Myers Cody , Midtkandal Ivar
Published: June 2020

The adequate documentation and interpretation of regional‐scale stratigraphic surfaces is paramount to establish correlations between continental and shallow marine strata. However, this is often challenged by the amalgamated nature of low‐accommodation settings and control of backwater hydraulics on fluvio‐deltaic stratigraphy. Exhumed examples of full‐transect depositional profiles across river‐to‐delta systems are key to improve our understanding about interacting controlling factors and resultant stratigraphy. This study utilizes the ~400 km transect of the Cenomanian Mesa Rica Sandstone (Dakota Group, USA), which allows mapping of down‐dip changes in facies, thickness distribution, fluvial architecture and spatial extent of stratigraphic surfaces. The two sandstone units of the Mesa Rica Sandstone represent contemporaneous fluvio‐deltaic deposition in the Tucumcari sub‐basin (Western Interior Basin) during two regressive phases. Multivalley deposits pass down‐dip into single‐story channel sandstones and eventually into contemporaneous distributary channels and delta‐front strata. Down‐dip changes reflect accommodation decrease towards the paleoshoreline at the Tucumcari basin rim, and subsequent expansion into the basin. Additionally, multi‐storey channel deposits bound by erosional composite scours incise into underlying deltaic deposits. These represent incised‐valley fill deposits, based on their regional occurrence, estimated channel tops below the surrounding topographic surface and coeval downstepping delta‐front geometries. This opposes criteria offered to differentiate incised valleys from flood‐induced backwater scours. As the incised valleys evidence relative sea‐level fall and flood‐induced backwater scours do not, the interpretation of incised valleys impacts sequence stratigraphic interpretations. The erosional composite surface below fluvial strata in the continental realm represents a sequence boundary/regional composite scour (RCS). The RCS’ diachronous nature demonstrates that its down‐dip equivalent disperses into several surfaces in the marine part of the depositional system, which challenges the idea of a single, correlatable surface. Formation of a regional composite scour in the fluvial realm throughout a relative sea‐level cycle highlights that erosion and deposition occur virtually contemporaneously at any point along the depositional profile. This contradicts stratigraphic models that interpret low‐accommodation settings to dominantly promote bypass, especially during forced regressions. Source‐to‐sink analyses should account for this in order to adequately resolve timing and volume of sediment storage in the system throughout a complete relative sea‐level cycle.
Expanding the phenotypic spectrum consequent upon de novo WDR37 missense variants
Authors: Hay Eleanor , Henderson Robert H. , Mansour Sahar , Deshpande Charu , Jones Rachel , Nutan Savita , Mankad Kshitij , Young Rodrigo M. , Moosajee Mariya , Research Consortium Genomics England , Arno Gavin
Published: June 2020

Structural eye disorders are increasingly recognised as having a genetic basis, although current genetic testing is limited in its success. De novo missense variants in WDR37 are a recently described cause of a multisystemic syndromic disorder featuring ocular coloboma. This study characterises the phenotypic spectrum of this disorder and reports 2 de novo heterozygous variants (p.Thr115Ile, p.Ser119Tyr) in three unrelated Caucasian individuals. All had a clinical phenotype consisting of bilateral iris and retinal coloboma, developmental delay and additional, variable multisystem features. The variants fall within a highly conserved region upstream of the WD‐repeat domains, within an apparent mutation cluster. Consistent with the literature, intellectual disability, structural eye disorders, epilepsy, congenital heart disease, genitorenal anomalies and dysmorphic facial features were observed. In addition, a broader developmental profile is reported with a more specific musculoskeletal phenotype described in association with the novel variant (p.Thr115Ile). We further expand the phenotypic spectrum of WDR37‐related disorders to include those with milder developmental delay and strengthen the association of ocular coloboma and musculoskeletal features. We promote the inclusion of WDR37 on gene panels for intellectual disability, epilepsy and structural eye disorders.
Combination of pancreas volume and HbA1c level predicts islet yield in patients undergoing total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation
Authors: Nanno Yoshihide , Wilhelm Joshua J. , Heller David , Schat Robben , Freeman Martin L. , Trikudanathan Guru , Kirchner Varvara A. , Pruett Timothy L. , Beilman Gregory J. , Hering Bernhard J. , Bellin Melena D.
Published: June 2020

Islet yield is an important predictor of acceptable glucose control after total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TP‐IAT). We assessed if pancreas volume calculated with preoperative MRI could assess islet yield and postoperative outcomes. We reviewed dynamic MRI studies from 154 adult TP‐IAT patients (2009‐2016), and associations between calculated volumes and digest islet equivalents (IEQs) were tested. In multivariate regression analysis, pancreas volume (P < .001) and preoperative HbA1c levels (P = .009) were independently associated with digest IEQs. The IEQ prediction formula was calculated according to each preoperative HbA1c level, (a) pancreas volume × 5800 for HbA1c ≥ 6.5, (b) pancreas volume × 10 000 for HbA1c ≥5.7/<6.5 and (iii) pancreas volume × 11 400 for HbA1c < 5.7. The formula was internally validated with 28 TP‐IAT patients between 2017 and 2018 (r2 = .657 and r2 = .710 when restricted to 24 patients without prior pancreatectomy). An estimated IEQs/Body Weight (kg) ≥3700 predicted HbA1c ≤6.5 and insulin independence at 1 year after TP‐IAT with 77% and 88% sensitivity and 55% and 43% specificity, respectively. The combination of pancreas volume and preoperative HbA1c levels may be useful to estimate islet yield. Estimated IEQs were reasonably sensitive to predict acceptable glucose control at 1 year.