bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job insecurity and technology acceptance: an asymmetric dependence
Authors: Krutova Oxana , Turja Tuuli , Koistinen Pertti , Melin Harri , Särkikoski Tuomo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Existing research suggests that the competitive advantage provided by technological development depends to a large extent on the speed and coordination of the technology’s implementation, and on how adoptable the technological applications are considered. While accepting this argument, the authors consider the explanatory model to be inadequate. This study aims to contribute to the theoretical discussion by analysing institutionalised industrial relations and other organisation-level factors, which are important for workplace restructuring and societal change.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on a representative nation-wide work and working conditions survey (N= 4,100) from Finland, which includes a variety of themes, including practices, changes and well-being at work. Changes are understood as organisational changes, focusing on modern technologies such as robotisation and digitalisation.

Findings

The results indicate that occupational division at workplace (low-skilled vs high-skilled occupations) affects job insecurity and acceptance of technologies at work. The characteristics of workplaces, such as the employees’ participation and involvement in the development of the organisation, play a significant part in both the acceptance and the implementation and outcomes of the technological transformations in the workplace.

Practical implications

The research provides new and interesting insights into working life practices. Furthermore, it reveals how technology acceptance and employment perspectives relate to working conditions and lessons learned from past reforms.

Originality/value

The authors consider current theories such as technology acceptance model at the micro level and that way rationalise the need for this study. This study shows the importance of individual, organisational and wider contextual factors in technology acceptance.
Gender competences in undergraduate studies in Spanish public universities. Case study of the University of Seville
Authors: Caro González Francisco J. , Guarinos Virginia , Cobo-Durán Sergio
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Accordingly, this paper aims to perform a diagnosis on the inclusion of gender skills in all of its official degree programmes, for the purpose of drafting a best practices guide that may serve as motivation to include mainstreaming and specific skills in “teaching practice”.

Design/methodology/approach

This research analyses how European standards have been transferred to the teaching programmes of a Spanish university with more than 60,000 students, the University of Seville (US), the third largest in Spain. A content analysis of 4,643 undergraduate degree programmes has been carried out for all branches of knowledge.

Findings

The authors have established the scant presence of the gender perspective in the teaching projects of the US. Over 80% of them do not comply with the regulations in this regard. The second hypothesis, namely, that there are differences between fields of knowledge when complying with the mandatory transversal application of the gender perspective, has also been substantiated. This is especially the case in the natural sciences and engineering and architecture.

Originality/value

The results illustrate the little echo of the regulations in the teaching projects and the existence of important differences when it comes to the gender perspective according to the branches of knowledge. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research to carry out a study of this nature in all the degrees taught at a university and provide evidence of the need to modify equality policies in the university environment.
User perceptions, academic library usage and social capital: a correlation analysis under COVID-19 after library renovation
Authors: Leung Tin Nok , Chiu Dickson K.W. , Ho Kevin K.W. , Luk Canon K.L.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

While the library has remained a preferred place of learning and received a positive perception in all aspects, the current space planning, as categorized in the “four-space model,” does not seem to address user needs well. The purpose of this article is to explore the correlations of user perceptions, academic library usage and social capital.

Design/methodology/approach

This research presented a new approach to understanding the academic library's role by surveying 120 users about their preferred place on the campus, actual usage, and perceptions of the library physically and remotely. Correlation analysis between library use and user activities was performed.

Findings

The findings indicate that the library demonstrates attributes from all four levels in the learning space hierarchy, providing an ideal learning space for students. However, our results do not support academic libraries as the breeding ground of social capital.

Originality/value

As the data of this study were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic period, the findings may provide us with insights on how library users have adjusted themselves in using these public facilities with social distancing in their minds. The findings also provide implications for re-designing the library places to meet the users' needs and make it favorable learning commons to students in both the pandemic and post-pandemic eras.
Investigating the citation advantage of author-pays charges model in computer science research: a case study of Elsevier and Springer
Authors: Amjad Tehmina , Sabir Mehwish , Shamim Azra , Amjad Masooma , Daud Ali
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Citation is an important measure of quality, and it plays a vital role in evaluating scientific research. However, citation advantage varies from discipline to discipline, subject to subject and topic to topic. This study aims to compare the citation advantage of open access and toll access articles from four subfields of computer science.

Design/methodology/approach

This research studies the articles published by two prestigious publishers: Springer and Elsevier in the author-pays charges model from 2011 to 2015. For experimentation, four sub-domains of computer science are selected including (a) artificial intelligence, (b) human–computer interaction, (c) computer vision and graphics, and (d) software engineering. The open-access and toll-based citation advantage is studied and analyzed at the micro level within the computer science domain by performing independent sample t-tests.

Findings

The results of the study highlight that open access articles have a higher citation advantage as compared to toll access articles across years and sub-domains. Further, an increase in open access articles has been observed from 2011 to 2015. The findings of the study show that the citation advantage of open access articles varies among different sub-domains of a subject. The study contributed to the body of knowledge by validating the positive movement toward open access articles in the field of computer science and its sub-domains. Further, this work added the success of the author-pays charges model in terms of citation advantage to the literature of open access.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the citation advantage of the author-pays charges model at a subject level (computer science) along with four sub-domains of computer science.
Stock markets' reaction to COVID-19: the joint impact of uncertainty avoidance culture and government response–evidence from emerging countries
Authors: Tran Phan Huy Hieu , Tran Thu Ha
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The authors examine whether the uncertainty avoidance culture and the stringency of government response play a role in shaping the stock market's response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The authors find that investors' response to the pandemic will not only depend on their instinct of uncertainty aversion but also on their expectation about the effectiveness of the government measures. The uncertainty avoidance culture amplifies the irrational actions of investors. However, harsh government responses will weaken this effect. Harsh government responses also send a negative signal to the market about the extent of the pandemic and the economic damage caused by anti-COVID measures. Governments need to be balanced in imposing anti-COVID measurements to preserve market confidence.

Design/methodology/approach

In this article, the authors investigate whether the stock market volatility of emerging countries is simultaneously driven by two factors: the uncertainty-aversion culture of investors in a country and the stringency of the government's response to the pandemic. The authors conduct an empirical study on a sample of 20 emerging countries during the period from January 2020 to March 2021.

Findings

The authors find that the national-level uncertainty aversion amplifies the irrational actions of investors during the period of crisis. However, harsh government responses will weaken this effect. The authors’ findings show evidence that investors' response to the pandemic will not only depend on their instinct of uncertainty aversion but also on their expectation about the effectiveness of the government measures. Although harsh government responses can stabilize the investors' sentiment in countries with high levels of uncertainty aversion, they also send a negative signal to the market about the extent of the pandemic as well as the economic damage caused by anti-COVID measures.

Originality/value

First, the study’s results complement evidence from existing studies on the effect of uncertainty avoidance culture in determining stock market responses to COVID-19. Second, an important difference from previous studies, this paper adds to the behavioral finance literature by showing that investors' investment decisions in the face of economic uncertainty are not driven solely by their cultural values but also by their expectation about the effectiveness of the government policy. During a crisis, when the market has neither rational information nor adequate experience to forecast the future, the government must play an important role in stabilizing investors' sentiment and reactions.
Does authentic leadership stimulate organizational citizenship behaviors? The importance of affective commitment as a mediator
Authors: Ribeiro Neuza , Duarte Ana Patrícia , Filipe Rita , David Rajasekhar
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on employees’ organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) by investigating the mediating effect of affective commitment (AC).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected on 194 leader-follower dyads in diverse organizations, using individual surveys. Followers reported their perceptions of AL and their AC, and leaders assessed each follower’s level of OCB.

Findings

The results support the research hypotheses proposed, confirming that employees’ perceptions of AL are positively related to both their AC and OCB. Moreover, AC completely mediates the relationship between AL and OCB, indicating that authentic leaders increase employees’ affective bonds to their organization, and therefore, strengthen workers’ tendency to engage in OCB.

Research limitations/implications

Additional studies with larger samples are needed to clarify more fully not only AL’s influence on OCB but also other psychosocial variables affecting this relationship.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that organizations can foster employees’ AC and OCB by encouraging managers to adopt a more AL style. Authentic leaders are likely to focus on the collective as they care about their teams, the wider organization and even society’s welfare and sustainability.

Social implications

Growing concerns about sustainability and business ethics and the crisis of trust in organizations can be addressed through further research on positive leadership forms such as AL. This study’s findings suggest that AL fosters employees’ affective bond to organizations and their willingness to engage in OCB, which are two indicators related to organizational sustainability.

Originality/value

This study integrated AL, AC and OCB into a single research model, thereby extending previous investigations. In addition, the data were collected from two sources (i.e. both leaders and followers in dyads) to minimize the risk of common-method variance.
Bank ownership structure and reputation through sustainability reporting in Indonesia
Authors: Sumarta Nurmadi Harsa , Rahardjo Mugi , Satriya Kingkin Kurnia Trio , Supriyono Edy , Amidjaya Prihatnolo Gandhi
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to find empirical evidence of bank ownership structures on bank reputation through the mediating role of sustainability reporting (SR) in Indonesian banking sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses purposive sampling to obtain 279 observations from 43 listed banks in Indonesia Stock Exchange during 2012–2018. This study uses structure equation modelling analysis in the AMOS software and intervening test from the Sobel test to investigate the direct and indirect effect in this research model.

Findings

The empirical results evidence: foreign, government and public ownership exhibit significant positive effect on SR but not with family ownership; SR positively affects bank reputation; SR appears as a mediator in which foreign, government and public ownership have a positive effect on the bank reputation through the indirect effect of SR while family ownership exhibits insignificant result.

Practical implications

The practical contribution of this study is that SR is proven to increase bank reputation through the legitimation from the public, so the management must properly pay attention by publishing this report.

Originality/value

This study provides several novelties to the literature: SR is used as a mediator in the relationships between bank ownership and reputation in which there is very limited studies investigating these aspects, especially in Indonesia. In addition, most SR studies in Indonesia still focus on SR determinants rather than its impact; customer deposits are used as a measurement basis of the bank reputation as it reflects better the trust and perception of the market so that it is relevant with the reputation level.
Are business students more financially literate? Evidence of differences in financial literacy amongst Portuguese college students
Authors: Duarte Paulo , Silva Susana , Feitosa Wilian Ramalho , Sebastião Rui
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Considering the importance of financial literacy (FL) in people’s lives the goal of this study aims to assess the level of FL of young Portuguese students, addressing the impact of the level of education on the FL of college students.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from a non-probabilistic sample of 185 students attending higher education bachelor’s and master’s degrees courses in Economics, Management and Marketing was collected between February 25 and March 23, 2019, using an online questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed using IBM SPSS 25 to analyze the data.

Findings

The findings show that the level of the degree (bachelor’s or master’s degree) and the academic background of the individual’s parents have a positive impact on FL. Moreover, among individuals with a high level of FL, gender and professional situation are additional predictors. Furthermore, the authors observed that the level of FL of Portuguese students attending higher education is overall low, especially in terms of their knowledge of the main financial concepts, which may call for public policies to be implemented so that to reduce this vulnerability.

Research limitations/implications

Among limitations is the limited sample collected, restricted to a particular target, Portuguese students attending business-related courses such as Economics, Management and Marketing, either studying for a master’s or bachelor’s degree. This issue restricts the generalization of the overall findings to other students studying different fields. Future studies can collect a random and representative sample.

Practical implications

This study test can be replicated to generate a diagnosis in any region or country, identifying how financially literate the region under analysis is. Also, this can be done to verify the evolution of FL after educational interventions.

Social implications

FL is an important competence. In fact, youngsters in the whole world have been suffering from a lack of financial knowledge (FK), and some characteristics of them can push them into indebtedness, and, even bankruptcy, such as a higher level of status consumption, the tendency to have an attitude of self-appraisal, to be self-centered, to seek instant gratification. This study helps to lead to a better understanding of this phenomenon.

Originality/value

Addressing college students attending different levels is an add-on to the existing body of literature. This paper contributes to study differences in FL between college and master students, enlightening and evaluating the role of scholarship maturity on financial education. Furthermore, some of the findings challenge the extant knowledge regarding the influence of professional experience, gender and age on the level of FK that students have. Finally, the current approach is innovative as it addresses FK, FL and numeracy in the same study.
An economic lens to understanding antimicrobial resistance: disruptive cases to livestock and wastewater management in Australia
Authors: Cooper Bethany , Okello Walter O.
Published: October 2021

The discovery of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of infectious diseases was one of the most significant events of the 20th century. Notwithstanding their importance, acquired resistance has become increasingly evident and this pattern has followed the introduction of each new antimicrobial agent. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has not only led to unwarranted mortality rates, but it presents as a major economic burden to societies. The alarming worldwide escalation in AMR poses a serious threat to public health and can cause major disruption globally. Whilst there has been progress in understanding AMR in the scientific literature, there is a dearth of knowledge that considers AMR from an economic perspective, especially as it relates to resource‐based sectors. This paper uses two case studies to illustrate how an economic lens can improve understanding of the potential risks surrounding AMR and to identify the net welfare associated with specific interventions. We demonstrate the importance of economics when considering the impacts of AMR in the context of livestock and wastewater use in Australia and when quantifying the potential disruption to the economy. We also illustrate how economics can both highlight the magnitude of the risks from AMR but offer a way forward through cost‐effective policy options.
Informing the public matters: A field experiment during an ongoing health crisis in Belgium
Authors: Claeys An‐Sofie , De Waele Aurélie , Koppen Eva
Published: October 2021

During an ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Belgium, residents of the affected area took part in an online field experiment. The impact of four distinct crisis messages used by the Belgian authorities was tested on uncertainty, fear and trust. After receiving any of these messages, participants felt less insecure, less anxious and had more trust in the authorities as compared to before they saw the information. The extent of this positive impact of crisis information depended, however, on the message that was offered. Two messages offering comprehensive instructing and adjusting information appeared more effective than two messages offering only limited (predominantly adjusting) information. The use of visuals, by means of an infographic, did not seem to hinder or increase the effectiveness of the message in this particular study. Organizations and authorities responsible for managing a health crisis are recommended to actively communicate a complete overview of information about what is going on as well as specific information regarding what the public can (or cannot) do to address the matter. While visual aids may not be necessary, they can be helpful to effectively communicate a comprehensive overview of information through social media.
Dietary advanced glycation end‐products, 2‐monochloropropane‐1,3‐diol esters and 3‐monochloropropane‐1,2‐diol esters and glycidyl esters in infant formulas: Occurrence, formulation and processing effects, mitigation strategies
Authors: Xie Yajing , van der Fels‐Klerx H. J. , van Leeuwen Stefan P. J. , Fogliano Vincenzo
Published: October 2021

Infant formula contains thermal processing contaminants, such as dietary advanced glycation end‐products (dAGEs), glycidyl esters (GEs), 2‐monochloropropane‐1,3‐diol esters and 3‐monochloropropane‐1,2‐diol esters (MCPDEs). This systematic review aimed to gain insights into the occurrence of these contaminants in different types of infant formula, to understand potential effects of the formulation and processing of infant formulas on these contaminants, as well as into possible mitigation strategies. The occurrence of dAGEs in infant formula depends on the recipes and processing conditions. Hydrolyzed protein formulations promote dAGEs formation in infant formula since peptides are more prone to glycation than intact proteins, which is reflected in high dAGEs concentration in hypoallergenic infant formula. Different carbohydrates in recipes result into different glycation extents of infant formula: maltodextrin containing formulas contained less dAGEs than those with lactose. Concerning mitigation strategies, applying ultra‐high‐temperature (UHT) treatment during milk processing leads to less dAGEs formation than using in‐bottle sterilization. Although data are limited, evidence showed that encapsulation of raw ingredients or the use of antioxidants or enzymes in recipes is promising. The occurrence of MCPDEs and GEs in infant formula fully depends on the vegetable oils used in the recipe. High levels of these contaminants can be found when relatively high amounts of palm oils or fats are used. The mitigation of MCPDEs and GEs should therefore be performed on fats and oils before their application to infant formula recipes. Data and knowledge gaps identified in this review can be useful to guide future studies.
Are guns the new dog whistle? Gun control, racial resentment, and vote choice*
Authors: Schutten Nathaniel M. , Pickett Justin T. , Burton Alexander L. , Jonson Cheryl Lero , Cullen Francis T. , Burton, Velmer S.
Published: October 2021

Two principal movers of American politics appear increasingly to be connected: racism and guns. The racial content underlying gun rights rhetoric, however, is rarely made explicit during political campaigns. As such, it is possible that espousing pro‐gun messages may be an effective way to surreptitiously court prejudiced voters without transgressing popular egalitarian norms. In other words, gun rights rhetoric may function as a racial dog whistle. In the present study, we test this theory using data from a survey experiment conducted with a national sample of registered voters. The findings from our experiment show that election candidates’ National Rifle Association (NRA)‐funding status and position on gun control impact voters’ evaluations, and racial resentment moderates these effects. Racially resentful voters are more likely than low‐resentment voters to say they would vote for a candidate when the candidate is funded by the NRA and does not support gun control. This is true among voters who own guns and among those who do not, and it is true regardless of the candidate's political party. The findings also show that there is a backlash effect among low‐resentment voters—such individuals are aversive to NRA‐funded candidates but strongly supportive of pro‐gun control candidates.
How is human resource management research (not) helping practice? In defence of practical implications
Authors: Kougiannou Nadia K. , Ridgway Maranda
Published: October 2021

This article provokes that human resource management (HRM) research is a long way from helping practice. Following a review of HRM empirical articles published in 2018, we show the limited focus academic journals place on practical implications. We provoke that HRM journals are failing to ‘do the right thing’ by not requiring authors to pay enough attention to communicating the practical implications of their research. In half of the articles that we reviewed (n = 324) less than 2% of the text focuses on practical implications. We also found that where practical implications were offered, they were often obscure, implicit, and used unintelligible terms. We argue for extensive practical implications to be included in publications that provide an impetus to research relevant topics and close the knowledge‐translation gap.
Early combination of pulmonary vasodilators prevents chronic kidney disease progression in connective tissue disease‐associated pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Hanaoka Hironari , Ishigaki Sho , Takei Hiroshi , Hiramoto Kazuoto , Saito Shuntaro , Kondo Yasushi , Kikuchi Jun , Kaneko Yuko , Takeuchi Tsutomu
Published: October 2021

Aim

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are interdependent for their development and exacerbation. We evaluated the effect of PH on CKD progression in patients with connective tissue disease (CTD)‐associated PH.

Methods

We reviewed consecutive patients with CTD who were diagnosed with PH with right heart catheter (RHC) examinations in our hospital. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the use of vasodilators: monotherapy or combination therapy. We further divided the patients with combination therapy into early and non‐early combination groups. Early combination was defined as the addition of the second vasodilator within 1 month after starting the first drug. The clinical course of hemodynamics and CKD progression were compared.

Results

Thirty‐eight patients were included in the analysis: 10 were treated with monotherapy and 28 with combination therapy (14 with early and 14 with non‐early). At baseline, patients who received combination therapy had a significantly higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure with RHC and a higher right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) with echocardiography (P = .04) and showed a greater improvement in RVSP after treatment than those who underwent monotherapy. The incidence of CKD progression was significantly lower in patients who received combination therapy than in those who received monotherapy (P = .05). Among patients who received combination therapy, the early combination group had a lower incidence of CKD progression than the non‐early combination group (P = .03).

Conclusions

Early combination therapy is associated with a lower incidence of CKD progression in patients with CTD‐associated PH.
Intraoperative airway management for patients with tracheal tumors: A case series of 37 patients
Authors: Gao Rong , Gu Xiaolan , Zhang Shuai , Ma Shuliang , Xu Lin , Li Ming , Gu Lianbing
Published: October 2021

Background

Tracheal tumors are rare. The aim of this case series was to investigate airway selection during radical surgery for patients with tracheal tumors.

Methods

Here, we performed a retrospective case review of patients with tracheal tumors who underwent tracheal surgery in our center. A total of 37 cases, including 26 patients with primary tracheal tumors and 11 cases with advanced thyroid cancer, were enrolled into the study. Baseline characteristics and differential prognosis of included patients were estimated. We summarize the strategies for intraoperative airway selection and analyze the risk factors associated with delayed extubation.

Results

There is a trend for primary tracheal tumors to appear toward the upper (9 of 26) and middle third (9 of 26) of the trachea, followed by the lower third airway (8 of 26). Advanced thyroid cancers occur most frequently in the upper trachea (7 of 11) and then the middle trachea (4 of 11). All primary and secondary patients underwent R0 resection. Minor histological subtypes were found to correlate with a poor prognosis. Extracorporeal support and tracheotomy intubation were applied in high‐risk cases, and a total of 32 patients achieved intrathoracic intubation during the surgical process. Intensive care unit (ICU) delay (>1 day) was observed among 25 patients, which were not enriched in cases who underwent cross‐field endotracheal intubation. Additionally, temporal suboptimal oxygenation (SpO2 < 95%) was an independent risk factor of ICU delay.

Conclusions

Airway selection plays an important role in successful tracheal surgery, and an appropriate ventilation routine depends on the patient and a surgical process which is safe and effective.
Organized Labor Effects on SG&A Cost Behavior*
Authors: Chang Hsihui , Dai Xin , Lohwasser Eric , Qiu Yue
Published: October 2021

This study examines how organized labor affects selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) cost behavior. Human capital is emerging as firms' most valuable asset, and we further the understanding of the interaction between employees and SG&A cost behavior. We predict and find that labor cost stickiness is higher for firms facing stronger unions, but the stickiness of SG&A costs is lower. This is consistent with our arguments that in firms with stronger unions, managers' discretionary decision to retain SG&A resources is negatively affected by higher labor adjustment costs that result in the retention of slack labor resources during periods of decreased demand. To assess the robustness of our main findings, we conduct an event analysis of labor union elections and find that SG&A cost stickiness decreases after firms experience new union certification. Cross‐sectional tests also show that the effect of labor union strength on SG&A cost stickiness is more pronounced for firms that are in better financial condition, have higher analyst coverage, and have higher net operating assets. We find a similar effect of union strength on discretionary spending when examining R&D costs. Overall, we contribute to the literature by showing that organized labor has a significant effect on cost behavior, which has implications for financial statement users and financial forecasting.
Rapid Evaluation of Coronavirus Illness Severity (RECOILS) in intensive care: Development and validation of a prognostic tool for in‐hospital mortality
Authors: Plečko Drago , Bennett Nicolas , Mårtensson Johan , Dam Tariq A. , Entjes Robert , Rettig Thijs C. D. , Dongelmans Dave A. , Boelens Age D. , Rigter Sander , Hendriks Stefaan H. A. , de Jong Remko , Kamps Marlijn J. A. , Peters Marco , Karakus Attila , Gommers Diederik , Ramnarain Dharmanand , Wils Evert‐Jan , Achterberg Sefanja , Nowitzky Ralph , van den Tempel Walter , de Jager Cornelis P. C. , Nooteboom Fleur G. C. A. , Oostdijk Evelien , Koetsier Peter , Cornet Alexander D. , Reidinga Auke C. , de Ruijter Wouter , Bosman Rob J. , Frenzel Tim , Urlings‐Strop Louise C. , de Jong Paul , Smit Ellen G.M. , Cremer Olaf L. , Mehagnoul‐Schipper D. Jannet , Faber Harald J. , Lens Judith , Brunnekreef Gert B. , Festen‐Spanjer Barbara , Dormans Tom , de Bruin Daan P. , Lalisang Robbert C. A. , Vonk Sebastiaan J. J. , Haan Martin E. , Fleuren Lucas M. , Thoral Patrick J. , Elbers Paul W. G. , Bellomo Rinaldo
Published: October 2021

Background

The prediction of in‐hospital mortality for ICU patients with COVID‐19 is fundamental to treatment and resource allocation. The main purpose was to develop an easily implemented score for such prediction.

Methods

This was an observational, multicenter, development, and validation study on a national critical care dataset of COVID‐19 patients. A systematic literature review was performed to determine variables possibly important for COVID‐19 mortality prediction. Using a logistic multivariable model with a LASSO penalty, we developed the Rapid Evaluation of Coronavirus Illness Severity (RECOILS) score and compared its performance against published scores.

Results

Our development (validation) cohort consisted of 1480 (937) adult patients from 14 (11) Dutch ICUs admitted between March 2020 and April 2021. Median age was 65 (65) years, 31% (26%) died in hospital, 74% (72%) were males, average length of ICU stay was 7.83 (10.25) days and average length of hospital stay was 15.90 (19.92) days. Age, platelets, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, pH, blood urea nitrogen, temperature, PaCO2, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score measured within +/−24 h of ICU admission were used to develop the score. The AUROC of RECOILS score was 0.75 (CI 0.71–0.78) which was higher than that of any previously reported predictive scores (0.68 [CI 0.64–0.71], 0.61 [CI 0.58–0.66], 0.67 [CI 0.63–0.70], 0.70 [CI 0.67–0.74] for ISARIC 4C Mortality Score, SOFA, SAPS‐III, and age, respectively).

Conclusions

Using a large dataset from multiple Dutch ICUs, we developed a predictive score for mortality of COVID‐19 patients admitted to ICU, which outperformed other predictive scores reported so far.
Intraocular iron injection induces oxidative stress followed by elements of geographic atrophy and sympathetic ophthalmia
Authors: Liu Yingrui , Bell Brent A. , Song Ying , Kim Hye J. , Sterling Jacob K. , Kim Benjamin J. , Poli Maura , Guo Michelle , Zhang Kevin , Rao Aditya , Sparrow Janet R. , Su Guanfang , Dunaief Joshua L.
Published: October 2021

Iron has been implicated in the pathogenesis of age‐related retinal diseases, including age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Previous work showed that intravitreal (IVT) injection of iron induces acute photoreceptor death, lipid peroxidation, and autofluorescence (AF). Herein, we extend this work, finding surprising chronic features of the model: geographic atrophy and sympathetic ophthalmia. We provide new mechanistic insights derived from focal AF in the photoreceptors, quantification of bisretinoids, and localization of carboxyethyl pyrrole, an oxidized adduct of docosahexaenoic acid associated with AMD. In mice given IVT ferric ammonium citrate (FAC), RPE died in patches that slowly expanded at their borders, like human geographic atrophy. There was green AF in the photoreceptor ellipsoid, a mitochondria‐rich region, 4 h after injection, followed later by gold AF in rod outer segments, RPE and subretinal myeloid cells. The green AF signature is consistent with flavin adenine dinucleotide, while measured increases in the bisretinoid all‐trans‐retinal dimer are consistent with the gold AF. FAC induced formation carboxyethyl pyrrole accumulation first in photoreceptors, then in RPE and myeloid cells. Quantitative PCR on neural retina and RPE indicated antioxidant upregulation and inflammation. Unexpectedly, reminiscent of sympathetic ophthalmia, autofluorescent myeloid cells containing abundant iron infiltrated the saline‐injected fellow eyes only if the contralateral eye had received IVT FAC. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the potential toxicity caused by AMD‐associated retinal iron accumulation. The mouse model will be useful for testing antioxidants, iron chelators, ferroptosis inhibitors, anti‐inflammatory medications, and choroidal neovascularization inhibitors.
Assessment of the architecture and integrity of frozen‐thawed testicular tissue from (pre)pubertal boys with cancer
Authors: Rives‐Feraille Aurélie , Liard Agnès , Bubenheim Michael , Barbotin Anne Laure , Giscard d'Estaing Sandrine , Mirallié Sophie , Ancelle Amélie , Roux Christophe , Brugnon Florence , Grèze Victoria , Daudin Myriam , Willson‐Plat Geneviève , Dubois Rémi , Sibert Louis , Schneider Pascale , Rives Nathalie
Published: October 2021

Background

Testicular tissue freezing is proposed for fertility preservation to (pre)pubertal boys with cancer before highly gonadotoxic treatment. Studies accurately comparing human (pre)pubertal testicular tissue quality before freezing and after thawing are exceptional. No study has reported this approach in a systematic manner and routine care.

Objectives

To assess the impact of a control slow freezing protocol on testicular tissue architecture and integrity of (pre)pubertal boys after thawing.

Materials and methods

(Pre)pubertal boys (n = 87) with cancer from 8 Reproductive Biology Laboratories of the French CECOS network benefited from testicular tissue freezing before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Seminiferous tubule cryodamage was determined histologically by scoring morphological alterations and by quantifying intratubular spermatogonia and the expression of DNA replication and repair marker in frozen‐thawed testicular fragments.

Results

A significant increase in nuclear and epithelial score alterations was observed after thawing (p < 0.0001). The global lesional score remained lower than 1.5 and comparable to fresh testicular tissue. The number of intratubular spermatogonia and the expression of DNA replication and repair marker in spermatogonia and Sertoli cells did not vary significantly after thawing. These data showed the good preservation of the seminiferous tubule integrity and architecture after thawing, as previously reported in our studies performed in prepubertal mice and rats.

Discussion

The current study reports, for the first time, the development of a semi‐quantitative analysis of cryodamage in human (pre)pubertal testicular tissue, using a rapid and useful tool that can be proposed in routine care to develop an internal and external quality control for testicular tissue freezing. This tool can also be used when changing one or several parameters of the freezing‐thawing procedure.

Conclusion

Control slow freezing protocol without seeding maintains the seminiferous tubule architecture and integrity, the concentration of spermatogonia and the expression of DNA replication and repair marker in spermatogonia and Sertoli cells after thawing.
Utilizations and outcomes of intra‐arterial balloon occlusion at cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum
Authors: Matsuo Koji , Matsuzaki Shinya , Vestal Nicole L. , Sangara Rauvynne N. , Mandelbaum Rachel S. , Matsushima Kazuhide , Klar Maximilian , Ouzounian Joseph G.
Published: October 2021

Introduction

This study examined national‐level trends, characteristics, and perioperative outcomes of women who had intra‐arterial balloon occlusion at cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).

Material and methods

This was a population‐based retrospective observational study that queried the National Inpatient Sample from October 2015 to December 2018. Study population was women who underwent hysterectomy at cesarean delivery for PAS (n = 6440 in 806 centers). Exposure allocation was the use of intra‐arterial balloon occlusion. Main outcome measures were (a) characteristics associated with intra‐arterial balloon occlusion use, and (b) perioperative outcome including hemorrhage, blood transfusion, coagulopathy, shock, urinary tract injury, intra‐arterial balloon occlusion‐related complication (arterial injury, arterial thrombosis, and lower extremities ischemia), and death, assessed in multivariable analysis.

Results

Intra‐arterial balloon occlusion was used in 420 (6.5%) women in 64 (7.9%) centers. Utilization of intra‐arterial balloon occlusion during cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta decreased significantly over time (from 6.3% to 3.1%, p < 0.001), but not in placenta increta (from 12.8% to 9.3%, p = 0.204) or placenta percreta (from 21.3% to 17.5%, p = 0.344). In a multivariable analysis, patient factors (younger age, earlier year, obesity, diabetes mellitus), pregnancy factors (placenta increta/percreta, previous cesarean delivery, placenta previa, and early gestational age), and facility factors (large bed capacity, urban teaching status, and Northeast/West regions) represented the independent characteristics for using the intra‐arterial balloon occlusion (all, p < 0.05). In a classification‐tree model, the absolute difference in intra‐arterial balloon occlusion use among 18 utilization patterns was 48% (range, 0%–48%). In perioperative outcome analysis, women who received intra‐arterial balloon occlusion were more likely to have coagulopathy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.43) and arterial thrombosis (aOR 9.82) in placenta accreta, but less likely to have hemorrhage (aOR 0.25) in placenta increta, and blood transfusion (aOR 0.60) and urinary tract injury (aOR 0.28) in placenta percreta compared with those who did not (all, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

There is a wide range in the utilization of intra‐arterial balloon occlusion at cesarean hysterectomy for PAS based on patient, pregnancy, and facility factors, which implies that there is a lack of universal practice guidelines in this surgical procedure. Whether the use of intra‐arterial balloon occlusion in the severe forms of PAS improves surgical outcome merits further investigation.
The influence of political partisanship on perceptions of sexual assault
Authors: Naseralla Eyad J. , Baker S. Glenn , Warner Ruth H.
Published: October 2021

Across three studies, we examined the role of victim, perpetrator, and observer political orientation in judgments of sexual assault allegations. Study 1A varied the political orientation of the alleged perpetrator, whereas Study 1B varied the political orientation of the alleged victim. Study 2 varied the political orientation of both the alleged victim and perpetrator. In Studies 1A, 1B, and 2, Republican participants reported more rape‐supportive attitudes than Democratic participants overall. In Study 2, Republican participants showed more rape‐supportive attitudes, especially when the perpetrator was Republican or when the victim was Democratic. Additionally, both Democratic and Republican participants felt that the allegations may have been politically motivated when the alleged perpetrator's political orientation matched their own. Results provide evidence that political orientation plays a role in judgments of sexual assault, a factor which appears to be more prevalent among Republicans.
Addressing anhedonia to increase depression treatment engagement
Authors: Khazanov Gabriela K. , Forbes Courtney N. , Dunn Barnaby D. , Thase Michael E.
Published: October 2021

Anhedonia, or reward system dysfunction, is associated with poorer treatment outcomes among depressed individuals. The role of anhedonia in treatment engagement, however, has not yet been explored. We review research on components of reward functioning impaired in depression, including effort valuation, reward anticipation, initial responsiveness, reward learning, reward probability, and reward delay, highlighting potential barriers to treatment engagement associated with these components. We then propose interventions to improve treatment initiation and continuation by addressing deficits in each component of reward functioning, focusing on modifications of existing evidence‐based interventions to meet the needs of individuals with heightened anhedonia. We describe potential settings for these interventions and times at which they can be delivered during the process of referring individuals to mental health treatment, conducting intakes or assessments, and providing treatment. Additionally, we note the advantages of using screening processes already in place in primary care, workplace, school, and online settings to identify individuals with heightened anhedonia who may benefit from these interventions. We conclude with suggestions for future research on the impact of anhedonia on treatment engagement and the efficacy of interventions to address it.

Practitioner points

Many depressed individuals who might benefit from treatment do not initiate it or discontinue early. One barrier to treatment engagement may be anhedonia, a core symptom of depression characterized by loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.

We describe brief interventions to improve treatment engagement in individuals with anhedonia that can be implemented during the referral process or early in treatment.

We argue that interventions aiming to improve treatment engagement in depressed individuals that target anhedonia may be particularly effective.
Meaningful response criteria for myelodysplastic syndromes
Authors: Kim Nina , Pavletic Steven , Norsworthy Kelly J.
Published: October 2021

Standardizing response criteria for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a clinically and biologically heterogeneous group of disorders, has been historically challenging. The International Working Group (IWG) response criteria, first proposed in 2000 and modified in 2006 and 2018, represent the best effort by a group of international experts to define a set of clinically meaningful end‐points in MDS. These criteria have been adopted in many MDS clinical trials, allowing for comparisons of response across trials. However, clinical experience has also revealed some limitations of these criteria, and most of the end‐points proposed by the IWG require further validation. In this review, we present a critical analysis of the current MDS response criteria from both a practical standpoint and based on currently available clinical trial data. Potential areas for improvement in the criteria are highlighted, which may be considered in future iterations of the response criteria.
Ovarian carcinoma immunoreactive antigen domain 2 controls mitochondrial apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hong Jeongmin , Shiba‐Ishii Aya , Kim Yunjung , Noguchi Masayuki , Sakamoto Noriaki
Published: October 2021

Ovarian carcinoma immunoreactive antigen domain 2 (OCIAD2) has been reported to show significantly higher expression in invasive lung adenocarcinoma than in lung adenocarcinoma in situ, and its abnormal expression is associated with poorer prognosis of the patients. However, the cellular function of OCIAD2 in this tumor remains poorly understood. In the present study, we first validated that OCIAD2 showed higher expression in human lung adenocarcinoma tissues or cell lines than in normal lung tissue or immortalized normal bronchial epithelial cells. OCIAD2 was localized predominantly at the mitochondrial membrane in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Interestingly, suppression of OCIAD2 led to loss of mitochondrial structure and a reduction in the number of mitochondria. Moreover, OCIAD2 suppression led to downregulation of cellular growth, proliferation, migration, and invasion, and upregulation of mitochondria‐related apoptosis. We also showed that OCIAD2 suppression induced a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c. Transcriptional profiling using RNA sequencing revealed a total of 137 genes whose expression was commonly altered after OCIAD2 knockdown in three lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549, HCC827, and PC9). Pathway enrichment analysis of those genes demonstrated significant enrichment in apoptotic signaling or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways. Our data suggest that OCIAD2 inhibits the mitochondria‐initiated apoptosis and thus promotes the survival of lung cancer cells. Therefore, OCIAD2 may be an effective target for treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.