bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-financial reporting and corporate governance: a conceptual framework
Authors: Dimes Ruth , Molinari Matteo
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework informed by a literature review. This framework aims to deepen and broaden the understanding of the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and non-financial reporting (NFR) through qualitative research approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of corporate governance and NFR literature and existing research frameworks leads to the development of a conceptual framework to encourage future qualitative accounting research on the corporate governance mechanisms for NFR.

Findings

Few studies consider the complex interrelationships between NFR and corporate governance mechanisms. Quantitative studies using secondary data sources dominate accounting research on the topic. Of the small number of qualitative studies, many are theoretical and offer little new knowledge about the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanisms in practice. The research framework, developed from a literature review and consideration of multiple qualitative approaches, proposes numerous avenues for future research.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is based on a scoping review of the literature using peer-reviewed journal papers. Other researchers may have identified additional literature for inclusion, including grey literature.

Practical implications

More qualitative research into NFR and corporate governance mechanisms may help to guide practitioners seeking to incorporate sustainability into their governance practices.

Social implications

The critical relationship between NRF and corporate governance is under-explored in research yet has significant consequences for organisations pursuing sustainability.

Originality/value

The authors develop a conceptual framework for qualitative accounting research on NFR and corporate governance, addressing key outstanding questions in this area and considering different theoretical perspectives when approaching this critical topic. Although there is scope for further research in general in this promising area, including quantitative reviews and discursive studies, qualitative research would be of particular value. The authors also outline multiple directions for nurturing academic debate.
Mystory as an international graduate student: a socialization autoethnography
Authors: Keleş Ufuk
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to seek answers to how receiving his PhD at the University of Alabama influenced the author’s ongoing academic discourse socialization as an international graduate student coming from Turkey. To that end, the author incorporates second language and academic discourse socialization theories with the concept of “desire” in TESOL.

Design/methodology/approach

In this autoethnographic paper, the author discusses his academic discourse socialization as an international graduate student in the form of an evocative autoethnography of socialization. The author uses data gathered through his personal memory in the form of self-reflections. Using Chang’s “chronicling the past strategy” (2008, p. 72), the author prepared a data chart, which included information regarding the data source, its mode, time, venue and stories gleaned. The author used this data chart as a self-generated document to guide him through the selection process of his personal memories in an organized way while writing mystory.

Findings

The findings show that his academic discourse socialization was mainly influenced by the attitudes of local US citizens’ and existing members of international communities in both on- and off-campus settings. Over time, his academic discourse socialization turned out to be a complex process where the author oftentimes found himself struggling to find an entry point in extracurricular conversations and interactions.

Research limitations/implications

The author recommends further research to focus on the inner worlds of both old(er) timers and newcomers to understand the challenges, emotions and nuances that are at play in both L2 socialization and academic discourse socialization of international students.

Originality/value

In this autoethnographic study, the author offers a unique example of an international PhD student’s transnational socialization experiences. Future international students, higher education administrators, faculty members and local graduate students may learn from his autoethnography and approach their future academic relationships in a more informed way.
Effect of predation risk on parasite transmission from first to second intermediate trematode hosts
Authors: Cornelius Annika , Buschbaum Christian , Khosravi Maral , Waser Andreas M. , Wegner K. Mathias , Thieltges David W.
Published: March 2023

Predators can affect parasite–host interactions when directly preying on hosts or their parasites. However, predators may also have non‐consumptive indirect effects on parasite–host interactions when hosts adjust their behaviour or physiology in response to predator presence.

In this study, we examined how chemical cues from a predatory marine crab affect the transmission of a parasitic trematode from its first (periwinkle) to its second (mussel) intermediate host.

Laboratory experiments revealed that chemical cues from crabs lead to a threefold increase in the release of trematode cercariae from periwinkles as a result of increased periwinkle activity. This positive effect on transmission was contrasted by a 10‐fold reduction in cercarial infection rates in the second intermediate host when we experimentally exposed mussels to cercariae and predator cues. The low infection rates were caused by a substantial reduction in mussel filtration activity in the presence of predator cues, preventing cercariae from entering the mussels. To assess the combined net effect of both processes, we conducted a transmission experiment between infected periwinkles and uninfected mussels. Infection levels of mussels in the treatments with crab cues were sevenfold lower than in mussels without crab chemical cues. This suggests that predation risk effects on mussel susceptibility can counteract the elevated parasite release from first intermediate hosts, with negative net effects on parasite transmission.

These experiments highlight that predation risk effects on parasite transmission can have opposing directions at different stages of the parasite's life cycle. Such complex non‐consumptive predation risk effects on parasite transmission may constitute an important indirect mechanism affecting prevalence and distribution patterns of parasites in different hosts across their life cycle.
Human land‐uses homogenize stream assemblages and reduce animal biomass production
Authors: Moi Dieison A. , Barrios Margenny , Tesitore Giancarlo , Burwood Maite , Romero Gustavo Q. , Mormul Roger P. , Kratina Pavel , Juen Leandro , Michelan Thaísa S. , Montag Luciano F. A. , Cruz Gabriel M. , García‐Girón Jorge , Heino Jani , Hughes Robert M. , Figueiredo Bruno R. S. , Teixeira de Mello Franco
Published: March 2023

Human land‐use change is a major threat to natural ecosystems worldwide. Nonetheless, the effects of human land‐uses on the structure of plant and animal assemblages and their functional characteristics need to be better understood. Furthermore, the pathways by which human land uses affect ecosystem functions, such as biomass production, still need to be clarified.

We compiled a unique dataset of fish, arthropod and macrophyte assemblages from 61 stream ecosystems in two Neotropical biomes: Amazonian rainforest and Uruguayan grasslands. We then tested how the cover of agriculture, pasture, urbanization and afforestation affected the taxonomic richness and functional diversity of those three species assemblages, and the consequences of these effects for animal biomass production. Single trait categories and functional diversity were evaluated, combining recruitment and life‐history, resource and habitat‐use, and body size.

The effects of intensive human land‐uses on taxonomic and functional diversities were as strong as other drivers known to affect biodiversity, such as local climate and environmental factors. In both biomes, the taxonomic richness and functional diversity of animal and macrophyte assemblages decreased with increasing cover of agriculture, pasture, and urbanization. Human land‐uses were associated with functional homogenization of both animal and macrophyte assemblages. Human land‐uses reduced animal biomass through direct and indirect pathways mediated by declines in taxonomic and functional diversities.

Our findings indicate that converting natural ecosystems to supply human demands results in species loss and trait homogenization across multiple biotic assemblages, ultimately reducing animal biomass production in streams.
Multi‐level thresholds of residential and agricultural land use for elk avoidance across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Authors: Gigliotti Laura C. , Atwood M. Paul , Cole Eric K. , Courtemanch Alyson , Dewey Sarah , Gude Justin A. , Hurley Mark , Kauffman Matthew , Kroetz Kailin , Leonard Bryan , MacNulty Daniel R. , Maichak Eric , McWhirter Douglas , Mong Tony W. , Proffitt Kelly , Scurlock Brandon , Stahler Daniel R. , Middleton Arthur D.
Published: March 2023

Conversion of land for settlements and agriculture is increasing globally and can influence wildlife space use. However, there is limited research to identify the thresholds of land‐use change that incur wildlife avoidance and how these thresholds might vary across levels of selection.

We evaluated multi‐level avoidance thresholds of elk Cervus canadensis impacted by residential development and irrigated agriculture across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Using GPS data from 765 elk in 21 herds, we estimated habitat selection in relation to development and agriculture at three levels (home range selection, within home range selection and movement path selection). Next, using individual selection covariates and associated measures of land‐use availability, we used functional‐response models to evaluate how selection varied based on availability, and in turn, to estimate avoidance thresholds.

We found individual and level‐specific variation in elk responses to environmental factors. Elk exhibited stronger responses (either selection or avoidance) when selecting home range locations (i.e. second‐order selection) than when selecting areas within home ranges (i.e. third‐order selection) or selecting movement paths (i.e. fourth‐order selection). Importantly, elk avoidance of development and agriculture changed as the amount of land in these categories changed. Across all levels of selection elk exhibited neutral selection for human development at low levels of availability (<1.1%–2.2% developed) but avoided areas that were >1.1%–2.2% developed. Conversely, elk selected positively for irrigated agriculture at low to moderate levels of availability (<52.0%–66.2% agriculture) but exhibited neutral selection in areas that were >52.0%–66.2% agriculture.

Synthesis and applications. Elk avoidance of low levels of human development suggests conservation efforts such as restrictions on future development or conservation easements could focus on areas that are still below 2% developed. Additionally, because elk selection was strongest at the landscape scale, conservation actions that are based on information about the overall landscape structure may be most impactful. Our results highlight the importance of understanding variability in wildlife habitat selection at multiple levels, particularly in relation to land‐use change, and highlight how functional response modelling can help inform landscape conservation.
Why and How Manager Promotive and Preventive Psychological Ownership Influence Voice Endorsement
Authors: Duan Jinyun , Wang Xiaotian , Xu Yue , Shi Lixiaoyun
Published: March 2023

Integrating the literature on psychological ownership (PO) and regulatory focus theory, this study explores why and how two distinct forms of managers’ PO (i.e. promotive and preventive) towards the group they supervised influence voice endorsement. Results from a time‐lagged field study and an experimental scenario study reveal that managers’ promotive PO is positively related to voice endorsement through openness to group change, and that preventive PO is negatively related to voice endorsement through openness to group change. Moreover, the group promotive voice strengthens the positive indirect effect of managers’ promotive PO towards their group on voice endorsement via openness to group change, whereas the group prohibitive voice strengthens the negative indirect effect of managers’ preventive PO towards their group on voice endorsement via openness to group change. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
The “STICKINESS” of stigma: Guilt by association after a friend's arrest
Authors: Tinney Erin
Published: March 2023

Prior research has examined the consequences of one's police contact, but the consequences of vicarious police contact are not as well known. This study expands on labeling theory and the concept of “stickiness” by assessing whether a friend's arrest increases the likelihood of one's police contact. Using a sample of rural youth (N = 13,170), I find that a friend's arrest is associated with an increase in the likelihood of one's first arrest the next year after accounting for other predictors of police contact. Based on my theoretical framework, I interpret this finding as “guilt by association.” In addition, ending relationships with friends who have been arrested does not significantly impact this relationship. This study concludes that police contact may be harmful for a youth's social network and builds on the concept of stickiness by suggesting that stigma not only sticks from one individual to another but may also stay despite efforts to end one's association with the arrested individual. The study expands on preexisting research on the consequences of adolescent police contact by introducing a friend's police contact as a way in which an individual may be more likely to become involved in the justice system.
An Intertribal Business Court
Authors: Crepelle Adam
Published: March 2023

Few Indian reservations have any semblance of a private sector. Consequently, poverty and unemployment are major problems in much of Indian country. While there are many reasons why private enterprise is scarce in Indian country, one of the foremost reasons is businesses do not trust tribal courts. Businesses' distrust of tribal courts is not unique as outsiders often fear bias in foreign tribunals. Similarly, businesses are often concerned about a court's capacity to adjudicate complex disputes. Federal diversity jurisdiction was developed to allay fear of bias, and many states have developed business courts to address questions about court capacity. Tribes can overcome these issues by creating an intertribal business court (IBC). Tribes will be free to sculpt the IBC as they see fit. However, the IBC's intertribal nature will help reduce fears of bias, and an IBC's focus on business disputes will answer doubts about court capacity. An IBC will also make tribal law more accessible, further increasing confidence in this new tribunal. As businesses gain greater confidence in tribal legal institutions through the IBC, they will be more likely to operate in Indian country. Accordingly, the IBC could help to transform tribal economies.
Do women empower other women? Empirical evidence of the effect of female pervasiveness on firm risk‐taking
Authors: Ciappei Camilla , Terzani Simone , Bafundi Andrea , Liberatore Giovanni
Published: March 2023

This study examines the relationship between female pervasiveness within the entire company and firm‐risk taking. We exploit The UK Equality Act (2010), further enforced in 2017, which was made mandatory for firms operating in UK to disclose their gender pay gap. We use this measure to proxy female pervasiveness and we find it to be negatively associated with firm risk‐taking. These results are robust to several tests using female participation in each pay quartile and the difference in bonus payments between men and women. Our findings provide insights into the role played by women consistent with tokenism theory predictions.
Reconsidering the vignette as method
Authors: Demetriou Olga
Published: March 2023

When ethnography is used in fields outside anthropology, vignettes often take a central role. Yet methodological discussions of the vignette are not as central to anthropology as their cross‐disciplinary use might warrant. By dwelling on, but perhaps less stringently guarding, disciplinary boundaries, anthropology can gain a clearer view of its own central tools—in this case, vignettes. Reconsidering these tools holds particular relevance for work on refugee studies, an inherently interdisciplinary field that anthropology has had a key role in shaping. Artistic works focused on refugees are considered here from a meta‐ethnographic perspective that pays attention to the processes through which a specific series of artworks were produced alongside their content. Central to this analysis is the role of the vignette in the artist's presentation of her work, which enables an inquiry into the double role of the vignette as both method and presentation in anthropology.
Comparison of the Aotearoa New Zealand Early Warning Score and National Early Warning Score to predict adverse inpatient events in a vital sign dataset
Authors: Mohan C. , Entezami P. , John S. , Hewitt J. , Sylevych V. , Psirides A.
Published: March 2023

Aotearoa New Zealand uses a single early warning score (EWS) across all public and private hospitals to detect adult inpatient physiological deterioration. This combines the aggregate weighted scoring of the UK National Early Warning Score with single parameter activation from Australian medical emergency team systems. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a large vital sign dataset to validate the predictive performance of the New Zealand EWS in discriminating between patients at risk of serious adverse events and compared this with the UK EWS. We also compared predictive performance for patients admitted under medical vs. surgical specialties. A total of 1,738,787 aggregate scores (13,910,296 individual vital signs) were obtained from 102,394 hospital admissions to six hospitals within the Canterbury District Health Board of New Zealand's South Island. Predictive performance of each scoring system was determined using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Analysis showed that the New Zealand EWS is equivalent to the UK EWS in predicting patients at risk of serious adverse events (cardiac arrest, death and/or unanticipated ICU admission). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for both EWSs for any adverse outcome was 0.874 (95%CI 0.871–0.878) and 0.874 (95%CI 0.870–0.877), respectively. Both EWSs showed superior predictive value for cardiac arrest and/or death in patients admitted under surgical rather than medical specialties. Our study is the first validation of the New Zealand EWS in predicting serious adverse events in a broad dataset and supports previous work showing the UK EWS has superior predictive performance in surgical rather than medical patients.
Can the response to dialysis treatment be predicted by using patient‐specific modeling of fluid and solute exchanges? A multicentric evaluation
Authors: Balsamello Carlo , Rombolà Giuseppe , Costantino Maria Laura , Casagrande Giustina
Published: March 2023

Background

Parametric multipool kinetic models were used to describe the intradialytic trends of electrolytes, breakdown products, and body fluids volumes during hemodialysis. Therapy customization can be achieved by the identification of parameters, allowing patient‐specific modulation of mass and fluid balance across dialyzer, capillary, and cell membranes. This study wants to evaluate the possibility to use this approach to predict the patient's intradialytic response.

Methods

6 sessions of 68 patients (DialysIS© project) were considered. Data from the first three sessions were used to train the model, identifying the patient‐specific parameters, that, together with the treatment settings and the patient's data at the session start, could be used for predicting the patient's specific time course of solutes and fluids along the sessions. Na+, K+, Cl−, Ca2+, HCO3−, and urea plasmatic concentrations and hematic volume deviations from clinical data were evaluated.

Results

nRMSE predictive error is on average equal to 4.76% when describing the training sessions, and only increases by 0.97 percentage points on average in independent sessions of the same patient.

Conclusions

The proposed predictive approach represents a first step in the development of tools to support the clinician in tailoring the patient's prescription.
Menthol application on healthy and inflamed goat udders changes antimicrobial components in milk
Authors: Ohno Ruri , Suzuki Naoki , Tsugami Yusaku , Nii Takahiro , Kobayashi Ken , Isobe Naoki
Published: March 2023

Mammary glands with mastitis are usually treated with antibiotics in combination with anti‐inflammatory drug application on the udder skin. Menthol is an anti‐inflammatory drug. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of surface application of menthol on goat udders on the production of antimicrobial components in milk. Goats (5 Shiba and 11 Tokara goats) were subjected to menthol application to the udder under both healthy and inflammatory conditions. An intramammary infusion of lipopolysaccharides was carried out to induce inflammatory conditions in the udder. Milk samples were collected to determine somatic cell count (SCC) and sodium ion (Na+), antimicrobial component and cytokine concentrations. In healthy udders, menthol application increased the concentration of antimicrobial components (S100A7 and S100A8), but not in the control. In the inflamed udder, antimicrobial component (lactoferrin, S100A7, and S100A8) and inflammatory cytokine (IL‐1β) concentrations were higher in the menthol group than in the control group. These results suggest that menthol application on udders augments the antimicrobial component concentration in the mammary gland under both healthy and inflammatory conditions.
Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hepatitis‐associated aplastic anaemia and non‐hepatitis‐associated aplastic anaemia: A propensity score‐matched analysis
Authors: Li Jia , Wang Yan , Zhang Yuanfeng , Zhang Xiaoyu , Pang Aiming , Yang Donglin , Chen Xin , Zhang Rongli , Wei Jialin , Ma Qiaoling , Zhai Weihua , He Yi , Zheng Yizhou , Jiang Erlie , Han Mingzhe , Feng Sizhou
Published: March 2023

To validate the efficacy and safety of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in hepatitis‐associated aplastic anaemia (HAAA) patients, we reviewed 260 patients who underwent HSCT for acquired aplastic anaemia and eventually included 30 HAAA patients and 90 non‐HAAA patients using propensity score matching. In the HAAA group, the estimated 5‐year overall survival rate (75.8% vs. 86.5%, p = 0.409), failure‐free survival (FFS) rate (74.0% vs. 83.2%, p = 0.485), graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD)‐free FFS rate (61.2% vs. 67.6%, p = 0.669) after HSCT were slightly lower but not statistically significant than those in the non‐HAAA group. Both groups did not significantly differ in engraftment, post‐transplant severe infection, cytomegalovirus (CMV) or Epstein‐Barr virus viraemia, or GVHD incidences. The patterns of immune reconstitution were broadly consistent between the two groups. When stratifying HAAA patients according to donor type, no significant differences in survival, transplant‐related mortality, or GVHD cumulative incidences were observed. CMV viraemia (68.7% vs 8.3%, p = 0.009) occurred more commonly in haploidentical donor (HID) transplants than in matched sibling donor transplants. However, early CMV disease incidence (5.6% vs. 0.0%, p = 1.000) was low. Overall, the post‐transplant outcomes of HAAA patients were comparable to those of non‐HAAA patients after balancing potential confounders, and HID‐HSCT can offer an alternative curative option for HAAA.
Computational analysis of a microRNA signature for poor prognosis suggests a microRNA‐controlled stemness pathway in paediatric acute leukaemia
Authors: Erkeland Stefan J.
Published: March 2023

Esperanza‐Cebollada E., et al. found a group of 24 microRNAs, to be differentially expressed between two groups of paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cases with distinct outcomes. The main target of this microRNA signature is SOCS2, a gene that controls stemness. The results of this study may open doors for further investigation of the role for microRNAs in poor prognostic paediatric AML.

Commentary on: Esperanza‐Cebollada et al. A miRNA signature related to stemness identifies high‐risk patients in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia. Br J Haematol 2023;202:96–110.
An analysis of stone management over the decade before the COVID‐19 pandemic in Germany, France and England
Authors: Turney Benjamin W. , Demaire Clémentine , Klöcker Sofie , Woodward Emily , Sommerfeld Hans‐Jörg , Traxer Olivier
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To understand the implications that the rising upper urinary tract (UUT) stone prevalence in Europe and the increasing burden places on patients and healthcare providers (HCPs), we investigated the evolution of diagnoses and procedures in Germany, France and England over the decade before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic.

Methods

We identified International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐10 codes related to UUT stones diagnosis and extracted procedure volumes for extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy (URS), percutaneous nephrolithotomy and open surgery using national procedure codes from the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System, the French Technical Agency of Hospitalisation Information and NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics. We analysed procedures vs hospital diagnoses from 2010 to 2019 and reported results per 100 000 inhabitants.

Results

Between 2010 and 2019, ICD‐10 N20 codes for calculus of kidney and ureter increased by 8%, 26% and 15% in Germany, France, and England respectively; whereas procedures increased by 3%, 38% and 18%. Of the patients diagnosed with stones, the percentage that received treatment (of any type) differed between countries. In 2019, in Germany 83% of patients diagnosed with stones received treatment, in France 88%, and in England 56%. These figures were relatively stable over the 10‐year study period. Over the past decade, the dominant procedure shifted from ESWL to URS, and the average length of stay for URS decreased. Day case procedures increased in France and England (by 68% and 23%), no data were available in Germany.

Conclusion

This analysis highlights an increase in stone diagnoses and procedures, and a shift of surgical management. This development may be due to clinical advantages and advanced technology. The continued stone prevalence rise affects patients, hospitals, and HCPs.
Predicting stock realized variance based on an asymmetric robust regression approach
Authors: Zhang Yaojie , He Mengxi , Zhao Yuqi , Hao Xianfeng
Published: March 2023

This paper introduces an asymmetric robust weighted least squares (ARLS) approach to improve the forecasting performance of the heterogeneous autoregressive model for realized volatility. The ARLS approach down‐weights extreme observations to limit the bad influence of outliers on the estimated parameters. Compared with existing robust regression methods, our model further takes into account the asymmetry of outliers using a class of kernel functions. Out‐of‐sample results show the ARLS approach can generate more accurate forecasts of the S&P 500 index realized volatility in the statistical and economic senses. The model that considers the asymmetry of outliers gains superior performance among various robust regression competitors. The forecasting improvements also hold in other international stock markets. More importantly, the source of the predictive ability of the ARLS model comes from the less biased and more efficient parameter estimation.
Social learning in non‐grouping animals
Authors: Webster Mike M.
Published: March 2023

Social learning is widespread in the animal kingdom and is involved in behaviours from navigation and predator avoidance to mate choice and foraging. While social learning has been extensively studied in group‐living species, this article presents a literature review demonstrating that social learning is also seen in a range of non‐grouping animals, including arthropods, fishes and tetrapod groups, and in a variety of behavioural contexts. We should not be surprised by this pattern, since non‐grouping animals are not necessarily non‐social, and stand to benefit from attending to and responding to social information in the same ways that group‐living species do. The article goes on to ask what non‐grouping species can tell us about the evolution and development of social learning. First, while social learning may be based on the same cognitive processes as other kinds of learning, albeit with social stimuli, sensory organs and brain regions associated with detection and motivation to respond to social information may be under selection. Non‐grouping species may provide useful comparison taxa in phylogenetic analyses investigating if and how the social environment drives selection on these input channels. Second, non‐grouping species may be ideal candidates for exploring how ontogenetic experience of social cues shapes the development of social learning, allowing researchers to avoid some of the negative welfare implications associated with raising group‐living animals under restricted social conditions. Finally, while non‐grouping species may be capable of learning socially under experimental conditions, there is a need to consider how non‐grouping restricts access to learning opportunities under natural conditions and whether this places a functional constraint on what non‐grouping animals actually learn socially in the wild.
Development of contextual theology in Indonesia based on the idea of “Indonesian Unity” according to Soekarno–Hatta by Eka Darmaputera
Authors: Kurniawan Markus , Putrawan Bobby Kurnia
Published: March 2023

This study aims to look at the development of contextual theology in Indonesia, which is a theology that is intertwined with the characteristics of Indonesia as a nation and a unitary state. The development of contextual theology that is unique to Indonesia cannot be separated from the basic principles of national and state life, such as the five precepts in Pancasila, one of which is the principle of “Indonesian Unity.” This study presents the idea of “Indonesian Unity,” initiated by Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta, which was used by an Indonesian theologian, namely Eka Darmaputera, in developing contextual theology in Indonesia, namely a contextual theology that is not only based on the scriptures but is also based on contextual theology and is limited by the concept of “Indonesian Unity,” which comes from the ideas of the two national figures. The method used in this research is to elaborate on the writings of the three figures, especially those related to the theme of “Indonesian Unity,” and to use some historical records as one of the arguments for the importance of developing contextual theology based on the idea of “Persatuan Indonesia” (Indonesian unity). This study is more focused on contextual theology developed by Eka Darmaputera. His understanding of evangelism, mission, dialogue and concepts related to the field of contextual theology is ethically applied in dealing with challenges that come from the dangers of national disintegration and challenges that come from injustices that still often occur after the independence of the republic of Indonesia.
Dysfunctional antioxidant capacity of high‐density lipoprotein in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: García‐Gómez María Carmen , Padró Teresa , Muñoz‐García Natàlia , Bianchi María , Álvarez Lorenzo , Badimon Lina , Corbella Emili , Pintó Xavier
Published: March 2023

Background

High‐density lipoprotein (HDL) presents atheroprotective functions not readily reflected by plasma HDL‐cholesterol levels. The aim of this study was to investigate HDL antioxidant function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

This pilot and cross‐sectional study included 50 RA patients and 50 controls matched by age, gender, cardiovascular risk factors and drug therapy. The antioxidant capacity of HDL was assessed by the total radical‐trapping antioxidative potential test (TRAP‐assay) and the susceptibility of low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidation by the Conjugated Dienes Assay (Dmax). A carotid ultrasound was performed in all participants to detect subclinical atherosclerosis.

Results

High‐density lipoprotein from RA patients showed lower antioxidant capacity than those from controls [oxidized‐LDL%: 35.8 (27–42) vs. 24.4 (20–32),p < .001] when analysed with the TRAP‐assay. In addition, the time to achieve 50% of maximal LDL oxidation (Lag‐time) was shorter in RA‐patients than in matched controls [57.2 (42–71) vs. 69.5 (55–75) minutes, (p = .003)]. RA patients showed a higher atherosclerotic burden than controls. The pro‐oxidant pattern in RA was irrespective of the presence of carotid atherosclerosis. On the contrary, there was a positive correlation between inflammatory parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ultrasensitive C‐reactive protein and fibrinogen) and the loss of HDL‐anti‐oxidant capacity measured by the TRAP‐assay (rho = .211,p = .035; rho = .231,p = .021 and rho = .206,p = .041, respectively). Furthermore, the glucocorticoid dose at recruitment was negatively associated with the Lag‐time in RA patients (rho = −.387,p = .026).

Conclusion

Rheumatoid arthritis patients present reduced HDL antioxidant capacity and a lower resistance of LDL particles to oxidation, mainly related to the degree of inflammation.
Guthlac at Medeshamstede?
Authors: Everson Paul , Stocker David
Published: March 2023

This paper proposes that the early monastery at Medeshamstede (later Peterborough) was the sponsor and supporter of the hermit saint, Guthlac, on the fenland island of Crowland. It locates that initiative in the early Benedictine practice in England. It is argued that Medeshamstede subsequently sustained the saint’s pre‐Viking cult, and is the best candidate for the location where Felix produced the saint’s Life. The potential impact of this proposition on received understandings of the relationships between the monasteries of Medeshamstede and Ely and the kingdoms of Mercia and East Anglia – played out through the local polity of the Gyrwe – is noted. Early stone sculpture at Fletton is interrogated as potential evidence for the cult of Guthlac at Medeshamstede but found wanting.
Desorption and Co‐Dissolution of Uranium‐Bearing Solids During Alkalinity‐Enhanced Flushing of Contaminated Sediments
Authors: Dangelmayr Martin , Meurer Cullen , Tigar Aaron , Johnson Raymond H. , Paradis Charles
Published: March 2023

Elevated uranium concentrations in groundwater remain a persistent challenge at contaminated sites. Several sites rely on natural flushing of uranium as a remediation strategy. Uncertainties in conceptual models can cause remediation strategies to underestimate timeframes required to reach remediation goals. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate uranium flushing of sediments from a site with persistent groundwater contamination. Six columns were used to simulate alkalinity‐enhanced flushing of uranium from sediments, by switching influent alkalinity after ~12 pore volumes. About 20% to 31% of sediment uranium was consistently flushed from the sediments. Kd values varied greatly (5.3 to 117 L/kg) but were consistently lower (20% to 50%) during influents with elevated alkalinity. The mass of uranium recovered from the columns also was consistently higher (5% to 80%) during alkalinity‐enhanced flushing periods. However, column experiments with sequentially increasing alkalinity showed diminishing returns in uranium elution at higher carbonate concentrations. The loss of flushing efficiency is attributed to significant calcite precipitation at higher alkalinities. The results show that alkalinity‐enhanced flushing of uranium could be employed as a viable remediation scheme if calcite precipitation could be minimized in a field application.
Who is lost to follow‐up in HIV care? Assessment of care retention over time and the impact of COVID‐19. Longitudinal analysis of the PISCIS cohort
Authors: Palacio‐Vieira Jorge , Moreno‐Fornés Sergio , Díaz Yesika , Aceitón Jordi , Bruguera Andreu , Nomah Daniel K. , Llibre Josep M. , Knobel Hernando , Chivite Iván , Miro José M. , Domingo Pere , Suanzes Paula , Fanjul Francisco , Navarro Gemma , Macorigh Lizza , Mera Arantzazu , Casabona Jordi , Imaz Arkaitz , Reyes‐Urueña Juliana ,   PISCIS study group
Published: March 2023

Introduction

People living with HIV who are lost to follow‐up have a greater risk of health deterioration, mortality, and community transmission.

Objective

Our aim was to analyse both how rates of loss to follow‐up (LTFU) changed between 2006 and 2020 and how the COVID‐19 pandemic affected these rates in the PISCIS cohort study of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.

Methods

We analysed socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics of LTFU yearly and with adjusted odds ratios to assess the impact of these determinants on LTFU in 2020 (the year of COVID‐19). We used latent class analysis to categorize classes of LTFU based on their socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics at each year.

Results

In total, 16.7% of the cohort were lost to follow‐up at any time in the 15 years (n = 19 417). Of people living with HIV who were receiving follow‐up, 81.5% were male and 19.5% were female; of those who were lost to follow‐up, 79.6% and 20.4% were male and female, respectively (p < 0.001). Although rates of LTFU increased during COVID‐19 (1.11% vs. 0.86%, p = 0.024), socio‐demographic and clinical factors were similar. Eight classes of people living with HIV who were lost to follow‐up were identified: six for men and two for women. Classes of men (n = 3) differed in terms of their country of birth, viral load (VL), and antiretroviral therapy (ART); classes of people who inject drugs (n = 2) differed in terms of VL, AIDS diagnosis, and ART. Changes in rates of LTFU included higher CD4 cell count and undetectable VL.

Conclusions

The socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics of people living with HIV changed over time. Although the circumstances of the COVID‐19 pandemic increased the rates of LTFU, the characteristics of these people were similar. Epidemiological trends among people who were lost to follow‐up can be used to prevent new losses of care and to reduce barriers to achieve Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 95‐95‐95 targets.
Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction improves the detection of BCR‐ABL1 kinase domain mutation in Philadelphia chromosome‐positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Wan Li , Ma Jiao , Gong Xiaoyuan , Li Qinghua , Wang Ying , Wei Hui , Wang Jianxiang , Xiao Zhijian , Mi Yingchang
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Sanger sequencing (SS) is the most frequently used method for detecting ABL1 kinase domain (KD) mutations in patients with Philadelphia chromosome‐positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). However, it cannot detect low levels of mutation. Recently, droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) has been developed as a sensitive technique for detecting mutations in hematological neoplasms. The aim of our study was to explore the value of ddPCR in detecting ABL1 KD mutations.

Methods

We compared the results of SS and ddPCR in detecting ABL1 KD mutations in a consecutive cohort of 65 adolescent and adult patients with Ph+ ALL treated with intensive multiagent chemotherapy plus TKIs.

Results

At diagnosis, SS and ddPCR identified 1 (1.5%) and 26 (40%) out of 65 patients with positive ABL1 KD mutations, respectively. Patients with T315I mutations detected by ddPCR at diagnosis all developed SS‐detectable T315I mutations during treatment with first‐ or second‐generation TKIs, and non‐T315I mutations detected by ddPCR at diagnosis displayed a limited prognostic impact.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that ddPCR is a highly sensitive and accurate mutation detection method and the presence of T315I mutations before treatment shows prognostic significance in the context of first‐ or second‐generation TKIs.
Survey of parents of children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism who experience chronic constipation
Authors: Rooney James , Hodge Rebecca , Smith Jade , Vanstone Kelly , Laugharne Richard , Shankar Rohit
Published: March 2023

Background

Constipation is common in children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism, but poorly researched. This study looks to understand parental knowledge, attitudes and management practices towards constipation in children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism.

Methods

A cross‐sectional online survey developed with patient facing organisations was circulated to parents of children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism using an exponential and non‐discriminatory snowballing method for recruitment. A smaller sample were purposively sampled for their in‐depth experiences.

Results

Of 68 responses, people were open to discussing constipation and knowledgeable about risk factors. In the qualitative interviews, of 15 parents, they wanted to be treated as an expert in their child's care. They desired a service that was more responsive when in difficulty. While wanting more information about medication options, parents want a more holistic approach.

Conclusions

Services need more emphasis on holistic management. Listening to parents and treating them as experts is important.
Academic discourse and peer collaboration in online high school learning environments
Authors: Douglas Sara , Slusser Emily , Felton Mark
Published: March 2023

Background

Dialogic engagement is instrumental in promoting higher‐order thinking, motivation, and learning. Despite their dramatic uptake in the US in the past decade, there is limited evidence that online high school courses offer sufficient opportunities for students to communicate and collaborate with teachers and peers.

Objectives

This two‐part study explores teacher perspectives and the experiences of students in online learning environments to determine if, how, and why students engage in two forms of dialogic engagement–academic discourse and peer collaboration.

Methods

To identify the extent to which teachers perceive academic discourse and peer collaboration to be valuable and feasible in online learning environments, Study 1 surveyed educators and advisors of online learning programs (n = 49). To determine whether these perspectives align with student experiences, Study 2 included a series of over‐the‐shoulder observations of five high school students engaging in their online coursework.

Results and Conclusions

Findings reveal a disconnect between best practices in education and reality. Online teachers report that academic discourse is valuable and feasible, but also detail several challenges to successful implementation in online coursework. At the same time, direct observations of high school students indicate that they rarely, if ever, engage in peer collaboration and academic discourse activities.

Major Takeaways

Although valued as a means to improve educational outcomes, opportunities for dialogic engagement are not translating to online learning environments. The solution is to develop curriculum, policies, and procedures that centre on meaningful integration of dialogic activities, motivating students to engage.
Overview of growth differentiation factor 15 in metabolic syndrome
Authors: Asrih Mohamed , Wei Shibo , Nguyen Thanh T. , Yi Hyon‐Seung , Ryu Dongryeol , Gariani Karim
Published: March 2023

Growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a member of the transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) superfamily. GDF15 has been linked with several metabolic syndrome pathologies such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. GDF15 is considered to be a metabolic regulator, although its precise mechanisms of action remain to be determined. Glial cell‐derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha‐like (GRAL), located in the hindbrain, has been identified as the receptor for GDF15 and signals through the coreceptor receptor tyrosine kinase (RET). Administration of GDF15 analogues in preclinical studies using various animal models has consistently been shown to induce weight loss through a reduction in food intake. GDF15, therefore, represents an attractive target to combat the current global obesity epidemic. In this article, we review current knowledge on GDF15 and its involvement in metabolic syndrome.
The impact of dupilumab on skin barrier function: A systematic review
Authors: Montero‐Vilchez Trinidad , Sanabria‐de‐la‐Torre Raquel , Sanchez‐Diaz Manuel , Ureña‐Paniego Clara , Molina‐Leyva Alejandro , Arias‐Santiago Salvador
Published: March 2023

Skin barrier dysfunction plays an important role in atopic dermatitis (AD) aetiopathogenesis. Dupilumab, a drug that inhibits IL‐4 and IL‐13, is an effective treatment for AD but there is scarce evidence about its impact on epidermal barrier. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the influence of dupilumab on skin barrier in patients with AD using non‐invasive tools. A systematic review was designed following PRISMA guidelines. The literature search identified 73 references and, finally, only 6 were selected, including a total of 233 participants. All the studies were prospective observational studies. Dupilumab improved clinical scores in all the research. Skin barrier function parameters were mainly measured on the volar forearm. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was the parameter most frequently measured, evaluated in all the studies. Dupilumab decreased TEWL on eczematous lesions and non‐involved skin. About 33.6% (2/6) studies reported that dupilumab also increased stratum corneum hydration (SCH) on eczematous lesions while one study did not report any changes in this parameter. This drug also decreased temperature and improved ceramide composition. In conclusion, dupilumab improved skin barrier function in AD patients, mainly reflected in a decreased in TEWL values.
Flood risk in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A consideration of flood defences in a broadscale hydraulic model
Authors: Massam Ashleigh , Smith Helen , Filipova Valeriya , Waller Simon , Muhamad Nurfashareena , Pereira Joy Jacqueline
Published: March 2023

A novel approach to consider local‐scale defence infrastructure in an urban environment, coupled with a broadscale hydraulic model framework, is applied to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Broadscale hydraulic modelling frameworks are often able to employ more complex models, but are typically limited to homogenous decision‐making to ensure standardised outputs across large regions. Conversely, small‐scale hydraulic modelling frameworks tend to better integrate local‐scale features but can be computationally expensive to scale up beyond a regional view. Improvements to the broadscale hydraulic model framework through the incorporation of defence systems yield a more accurate representation of fluvial flood risk. This study incorporates defences in Kuala Lumpur, yielding a reduction in our estimates of fluvial flood extent by around 40%. The results of this study are validated against a set of high‐quality observations, demonstrating the capability of the model framework in capturing flood risk in more than 95% of known flood risk zones in the city. Incorporating defence infrastructure using data‐driven decision making and existing functionality in the hydraulic model could be automated in future model builds. This new approach bridges the gap between local‐scale model frameworks and the broadscale, homogenous 2D hydraulic modelling studies.