bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vicenarian of workplace incivility: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review
Authors: Gupta Aditi , Chaudhuri Ranjan , Apoorva Apoorva , Chaudhary Swati , Thrassou Alkis , Sakka Georgia , Grandhi Balakrishna
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first is to map and analyse prominent contributions, current dynamics, patterns, gaps and research prospects in the field of workplace incivility (WI); second is to provide a coherent theoretical research framework for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a two-step analysis approach by combining bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review to explore the research topic of WI, besides, using multiple methodologies including bibliometric, network and content analyses.

Findings

This study found that L. M. Cortina and M. S. Hershcovis are the top two most influential authors among all authors in the sample publications. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology is one of the top-ranking journal that often publishes this topic of articles. USA and The Bowling Green State University are the most influential country and institutions, respectively. Besides, burnout and retention are also common keywords were identified based on keywords co-occurrence map, showing that WI has a major impact on burnout and employee retention. Based on the above analysis, this paper constructed a theoretical research framework of WI.

Research limitations/implications

This paper only draw data from one database—Scopus—which cannot provide broad coverage of the research topic. WI research trends and trajectories may be assessed to enable academics and practitioners better understand the current and future trends and research directions. Future studies in this field might use the findings as a starting point to highlight the nature of the topic.

Originality/value

This study is the first to use an systematic literature review (SLR) to evaluate the association between WI and other organizational behaviour. The study contributions are fourfold, extending the work and overcoming the methodologies of prior research that only focussed on characteristics of incivility in nursing. In addition, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of this topic and provides a comprehensive theoretical research framework for future study.
Forecast combination using grey prediction with fuzzy integral and time-varying weighting in tourism
Authors: Hu Yi-Chung
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Tourism demand forecasting is vital for the airline industry and tourism sector. Combination forecasting has the advantage of fusing several forecasts to reduce the risk of inappropriate model selection for analyzing decisions. This paper investigated the effects of a time-varying weighting strategy on the performance of linear and nonlinear forecast combinations in the context of tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used grey prediction models, which did not require that the available data satisfy statistical assumptions, to generate forecasts. A quality-control technique was applied to determine when to change the combination weights to generate combined forecasts by using linear and nonlinear methods.

Findings

The empirical results showed that except for when the Choquet fuzzy integral was used, forecast combination with time-varying weights did not significantly outperform that with fixed weights. The Choquet integral with time-varying weights significantly outperformed that with fixed weights for all model combinations, and had a superior forecasting accuracy to those of other combination methods.

Practical implications

The tourism sector can benefit from the use of the Choquet integral with time-varying weights, by using it to formulate suitable strategies for tourist destinations.

Originality/value

Combining forecasts with time-varying weights may improve the accuracy of the predictions. This study investigated incorporating a time-varying weighting strategy into combination forecasting by using CUSUM. The results verified the effectiveness of the time-varying Choquet integral for tourism forecast combination.
FinTech credit: uncovering knowledge base, intellectual structure and research front
Authors: Thomas Nisha Mary , Mendiratta Priyam , Kashiramka Smita
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Owing to the dramatic rise of FinTech credit in the financial sector, this study describes its knowledge and intellectual structure and paves the way for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs citation analysis, keyword analysis, co-author analysis, co-citation analysis and bibliographic coupling on 268 peer-reviewed articles published during 2010–2021 and extracted from the Web of Science database.

Findings

Research on FinTech credit has picked up momentum from 2016, with majority contributions from China, followed by UK and USA. International Journal of Bank Marketing is found to be the most productive journal. Co-citation analysis reveals that past studies have focused on three dominant themes, viz. (a) factors that influence user intention to adopt technological products and services (b) borrowers' and lenders' characteristics that impact fund-raising in FinTech credit platforms and (c) evolution of FinTech market over the years. Bibliographic coupling reveals that recent trends in FinTech credit include (a) impact of emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data on financial system, (b) factors that encourage consumers to adopt the FinTech products and services, (c) mechanisms by which FinTechs have transformed formal credit markets, (d) factors that lead to successful fundraising in FinTech platforms and (e) critical perspectives on digital lending platforms.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is a pioneering study undertaking an exhaustive analysis of FinTech credit as a research area. The study offers valuable insights on potential topics of research in FinTech credit domain like investigating Balance Sheet Lending Model, investigating the impact of FinTechs on financial system, and new markets by collaborating with scholars of other regions.
Green food packages’ effects on consumers’ pre- to post-consumption evaluations of restaurant curbside pickup service
Authors: Kwok Linchi , Lin Michael S.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to assess green food packages’ role in sustaining a restaurant’s curbside pickup service on three stages of consumer experiences: choosing a restaurant, evaluating their experiences of a recent purchase and weighing their post-consumption behavioral intentions after the recent purchase.

Design/methodology/approach

The service encounters framework and relevant literature guided the development of the questionnaire. A Qualtrics panel data of 314 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed with choice experience, ordinary least squares regression and PROCESS modeling.

Findings

First, word-of-mouth (WOM) and function encounters significantly influence consumers’ first-time curbside pickup purchasing decisions. Then, service results encounter (besides distributor encounter) most significantly affects consumers’ overall curbside pickup experience. Finally, green food packages increase consumers’ shares of future purchases through their positive WOM intentions and extra efforts of revisiting the restaurant. Consumers’ perceived importance of green restaurant practices strengthens green food packages’ positive impact on extra efforts.

Practical implications

This study provides operational and marketing insights for restaurants to use food packages and sustain their curbside pickup service.

Originality/value

Besides assessing consumers’ evaluations and behavioral intentions for an off-premises restaurant service expected to stay beyond the pandemic, this research uniquely focuses on green food packages, a sustainability issue lacking research attention. The findings add new empirical insights to studies about sustainability and restaurant/food–retail operations.
Linking social media marketing to restaurant performance – the moderating role of advertising expenditure
Authors: Han Wenjia , Ozdemir Ozgur , Agarwal Shivam
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Built upon customer engagement marketing theory and uses and gratification theory, this study examines the link between individual social media marketing (SMM) performance indicators and restaurant sales performance at the firm level. Moreover, the study investigates the moderating effect of advertising expenditure on this proposed relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Random effect regression models were developed in Stata to examine the associations between SMM performance indicators, advertising expenditure, and restaurant firm revenue. Twelve years of SMM data from brands' Facebook pages were collected with a web scraper built in Python. Natural language processing was used to analyze the sentiment of user-generated content (UGC).

Findings

The results suggest that restaurant annual sales revenue increases as the volume of brand posts, “like”s, “share”s and positive comments on restaurants' Facebook pages increase. However, the total number of comments and the number of negative comments show non-significant associations with revenue. Firm advertising expenditure negatively moderates the relationships between sales revenue and the number of “like”s, “share”s, total comments and positive comments.

Practical implications

Restaurants benefit from making frequent posts on SNSs. Promotions that motivate online users to “like”, share, and comment on brand posts should be implemented. Firms with limited advertising budgets are encouraged to actively create buzz on SNSs due to evidenced stronger effects of UGC on sales performance than large advertisers.

Originality/value

This research bridges the gap by studying the effects of individual SMM performance indicators on restaurant financial outcomes. The findings support the effectiveness of SMM; and, for the first time, demonstrate that SMM could generate a more profound impact for firms with low advertising budgets.
The impact of gamified loyalty programmes on customer engagement behaviours. A hotel industry application
Authors: Bravo Rafael , Catalán Sara , Pina José Miguel
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the differential effects of gamified loyalty programmes and conventional loyalty programmes on customer engagement behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 × 2 × 2 experiment was conducted that manipulated gamification (gamified vs non-gamified), reward levels (high vs low) and reward type (economic vs social). Data collected from a sample of 315 individuals were analysed through partial least squares and tests of means.

Findings

Gamification can improve the attractiveness of loyalty programmes by influencing perceptions of playfulness and reward satisfaction. In fact, gamification lowers the importance that customers attach to reward levels. As a result, customers perceive higher hedonic and utilitarian value, which positively influences their engagement behaviours.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first studies to attempt to empirically analyse whether incorporating gamification into loyalty programmes influences customer engagement behaviours in the hospitality context.
Quality management as a means for micro-level sustainability development in organizations
Authors: Antony Jiju , Bhat Shreeranga , Fundin Anders , Sony Michael , Sorqvist Lars , Bader Mariam
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The use of quality management (QM) to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) is a topic of growing interest in academia and industry. The IAQ (International Academy for Quality) established Quality Sustainability Award in 2020, a testament to this growing interest. This study aims to investigate how QM philosophies, methodologies and tools can be used to achieve sustainable development in organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Five large manufacturing organizations – three from India and two from China – who reported their achievements about using QM in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were studied using multiple sources of data collection. A detailed within-case and cross-case analysis were conducted to unearth this linkage's practical and theoretical aspects.

Findings

The study finds that QM methodologies effectively met the five organizations' UNSDGs. These organizations successfully used OPEX (Operational Excellence) methodologies such as Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma to meet UNSDGs 7, 11, 12 and 13. Moreover, UNSG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) is the most targeted goal across the case studies. A cross-case analysis revealed that the most frequently used quality tools were Design of Experiments (DoE), Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA), C&E analysis and Inferential statistics, among other essential tools.

Research limitations/implications

The study's sample size was limited to large-scale manufacturing organizations in the two most populous countries in the world. This may limit the study's generalizability to other countries, continents, or micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the study's conclusions would be strengthened if tested as hypotheses in a follow-up survey.

Practical implications

This practical paper provides case studies on how to use QM to impact SDGs. It offers both descriptive and prescriptive solutions for practitioners. The study highlights the importance of using essential QM tools in a structured and systematic manner, with effective teams, to meet the SDGs of organizations.

Social implications

The study shows how QM can be used to impact UNSDGs, and this is very important because the UNSDGs are a set of global objectives that aim to address a wide range of social and environmental issues. This study could motivate organizations to achieve the UNSDGs using essential QM tools and make the world a better place for the present and future generations.

Originality/value

This case study is the first to investigate at a micro-level how QM can impact UNSDGs using live examples. It uses data from the IAQ to demonstrate how QM can be integrated into UNSDGs to ensure sustainable manufacturing.
Organizational resilience as paradox management: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Tekletsion Betelhem Fikru , Gomes Jorge Filipe Da Silva , Tefera Belaynesh
Published: August 2023

The study of organizational resilience has gained considerable attention in the past two decades owing to the dynamic nature of the business landscape. Researchers converge on the need for organizations to build resilience capacities that enable them to anticipate, cope with and recover from unexpected events and adversities. Resilience has been understood as the ability of organizations to anticipate, survive and thrive through shocks. This study aims to further our understanding of the resilience literature through a systematic review of 25 articles from selected databases of EBSCO host, Scopus and Web of Science. It aimed to glean insights from the organizational resilience literature by adopting a paradox perspective and locate a meaningful intersection of past literature. Towards this end, the studies included in the review are critically examined for indications of paradoxical tensions within discussing the processes of resilience. More than half of the records reviewed (61%) involve opposite but interrelated demands or paradox elements in their processual conceptualization of resilience suggesting a view of the resilience process as paradox management. Future research might merit from the empirical investigation of the link between paradox mindsets/capabilities and resilience process in different contexts and varied levels of analysis.
An assessment of completeness and medical coding of Medicare Advantage hospitalizations in two national data sets
Authors: Cotterill Philip G.
Published: August 2023

Objective

To compare the Encounter Data System (EDS) and Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) completeness and medical coding of Medicare Advantage hospitalizations.

Data Sources

FY 2016–FY 2019 data limited to hospitals paid under Medicare's Inpatient Prospective Payment System.

Study Design

Secondary data analysis.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Completeness of EDS and MedPAR data was estimated using the total number of unique hospitalizations in both data sources as denominator. Deriving this denominator involved matching cases in the EDS and MedPAR by MA enrollee, discharge date, and hospital. The higher the match rate, the more informative the comparison of EDS and MedPAR medical coding of the same hospitalization. EDS and MedPAR codes were assessed for similarity on six measures of Medicare Severity Diagnosis‐Related Group (MS‐DRG) assignment and identical diagnosis and procedure codes.

Principal Findings

EDS hospitalizations' completeness increased steadily each year from 90% to 93%, driven by the 23 largest Medicare Advantage Organizations, which account for 83% of total cases. MedPAR completeness was relatively stable (89%) and benefited from 91% completeness among the largest hospitals, which are often teaching hospitals and account for 63% of MedPAR cases. By 2019, 97% of medical cases were assigned the same MS‐DRG, indicating the high consistency of the severity level coding, since 98% were assigned the same base MS‐DRGs, which include all severity levels for the same condition. Without chart reviews, medical cases with identical diagnosis codes increased from 87% to 92%.

Conclusions

The EDS has a completeness advantage over MedPAR for studies of non‐teaching disproportionate share (DSH) hospitals and individual hospitals generally. MedPAR is only slightly less complete for hospitalizations of teaching DSH hospitals and large hospitals in general. A highly consistent EDS and MedPAR medical coding of matched cases is an important finding since the matched cases are 88% of EDS and 90% of MedPAR cases.
Effects of democracy, social inequality and economic growth on climate justice: An analysis with structural equation modelling
Authors: Furlan Marcelo , Mariano Enzo Barberio
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this paper was to assess the effects of social inequality, democracy, and economic growth on the climate justice performance of a nation. To achieve this goal, the research technique Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS‐SEM) was applied to a sample of 133 countries selected based on indicators available in international databases in 2019. The main results of the analysis were: (a) the effect of democracy on the performance of climate justice is positive; (b) the moderating effect of inequality on the relationship between democracy and climate justice is negative; and (c) economic growth has a U‐shaped relationship with climate justice performance, which indicates the existence of a Kuznets curve for climate justice performance. Based on these results, the main theoretical implications of this study were the discoveries that: (a) the weakening of democratic institutions may be associated with increased social inequality, which reduces the implementation of climate policies aimed at guaranteeing justice; (b) forms of cooperation and financing of climate actions at the global level may be ineffective only if the quality of democracy in vulnerable countries is observed, which can be explained by the persistence of high social inequality; (c) allowing women access to income, education and health might be ways of reducing gender inequality and improving the level of adaptation of countries vulnerable to climate challenges.
Detection and confirmation of fentanyls in high clay‐content soil by electron ionization gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry
Authors: Valdez Carlos A. , Rosales José A. , Vu Alexander K. , Leif Roald N.
Published: August 2023

Detection of illicit drugs in the environment, particularly in soils, often suggests the present or past location of a clandestine production center for these substances. Thus, development of efficient methods for the analysis and detection of these chemicals is of paramount importance in the field of chemical forensics. In this work, a method involving the extraction and retrospective confirmation of fentanyl, acetylfentanyl, thiofentanyl, and acetylthiofentanyl using trichloroethoxycarbonylation chemistry in a high clay‐content soil is presented. The soil was spiked separately with each fentanyl at two concentrations (1 and 10 μg/g) and their extraction accomplished using ethyl acetate and aqueous NH4OH (pH ~ 11.4) with extraction recoveries ranging from ~56% to 82% for the high‐concentration (10 μg/g) samples while ranging from ~68% to 83% for the low‐concentration (1 μg/g) samples. After their extraction, residues containing each fentanyl were reacted with 2,2,2‐trichloroethoxycarbonyl chloride (Troc‐Cl) to generate two unique and predictable products from each opioid that can be used to retrospectively confirm their presence and identity using EI‐GC‐MS. The method's limit of detection (MDL/LOD) for Troc‐norfentanyl and Troc‐noracetylfentanyl were estimated to be 29.4 and 31.8 ng/mL in the organic extracts. In addition, the method's limit of quantitation for Troc‐norfentanyl and Troc‐noracetylfentanyl were determined to be 88.2 and 95.5 ng/mL, respectively. Collectively, the results presented herein strengthen the use of chloroformate chemistry as an additional chemical tool to confirm the presence of these highly toxic and lethal substances in the environment.
Digitalisation, Exports, Government Support and Firms' Finances during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe*
Authors: Haini Hazwan , Borhanudin Syaza , Loon Pang Wei
Published: August 2023

This study examines whether digital technologies and exporting activities are associated with the likelihood of bankruptcy, liquidity issues and overdue financial obligations during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Restrictive measures and lockdowns during the pandemic led to the loss of revenue while incurring costs, resulting in financial issues. Using a sample of 8633 firms from the Central and Eastern economies, we estimate a logistic model and find the following: digitalisation is associated with a decrease in the likelihood of liquidity issues and overdue financial issues; exporting firms experience similar financial outcomes to non‐exporting firms; firms that expect or receive government support are associated with an increase in the probability of facing financial issues. Policy implications are discussed.
Survival analysis of surgical versus nonsurgical treatment in stage I to III small cell lung cancer in the last 20 years: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Liang Zhijian , Li Xiaoqi , Li Xiao
Published: August 2023

More and more patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have received surgical treatment in the last 20 years. This meta‐analysis compared whether surgical treatment can bring greater survival benefits to patients with stage I–III SCLC compared with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library database, and ClinicalTrials were searched for relevant articles. The main outcomes were overall survival (OS), reported as hazard ratios (HRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 19 articles containing 30 185 patients (3940 patients receiving surgical treatment and 26 245 patients receiving nonsurgical treatment) were included in this study. Surgical resection significantly improved OS when compared to nonsurgical treatment in retrospective studies (HR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.47–0.64, p < 0.01). In the subgroup analysis for retrospective studies, surgical resection was associated with superior OS in stage I (HR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.24–0.71, p < 0.01), stage II (HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.52–0.73, p < 0.01), and stage III diseases (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51–0.86, p < 0.01). Sublobar resection resulted in worse OS than a lobectomy (HR: 0.78,95% CI: 0.60–1.00, p < 0.01) for patients undergoing surgical resection. Compared with nonsurgical treatment, surgical treatment can indeed bring more significant survival benefits to patients with stage I–III SCLC, and lobectomy can bring longer survival compared with sublobectomy. More prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Phase II trial of daily S‐1 combined with weekly irinotecan in previously treated patients with advanced or recurrent squamous cell lung cancer: North Japan lung cancer group 1101
Authors: Kawashima Yosuke , Ishimoto Osamu , Miyauchi Eisaku , Sakakibara Tomohiro , Harada Toshiyuki , Usui Kazuhiro , Inoue Akira , Sugawara Shunichi
Published: August 2023

Background

This phase II trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of S‐1 combined with weekly irinotecan as a second‐ or third‐line treatment for patients with advanced or recurrent squamous cell lung cancer.

Methods

Patients with a body surface area <1.25, 1.25–1.50, and >1.50 m2 received oral S‐1 on days 1–14 at 80, 100, and 120 mg/day, respectively, and irinotecan on days 1 and 8 at 70 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate, and the secondary endpoints were progression‐free survival, overall survival, and the incidence and severity of adverse effects.

Results

Between September 2011 and December 2014, 30 patients were enrolled in this study. The overall response rate was 6.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8%–22.1%), and the disease control rate was 73.3%. The median progression‐free survival was 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.5–3.4 months), and the median overall survival was 10.5 months (95% CI: 5.6–13.7 months). Grade 3/4 treatment‐related adverse events were reported in ≥10% of the patients, including leukopenia (21%), neutropenia (21%), anemia (17%), anorexia (10%), and hypokalemia (10%).

Conclusions

Although the treatment‐related adverse events were manageable, the combination of weekly irinotecan and S‐1 did not have the expected effect.
Delayed first medical contact to reperfusion time increases mortality in rural emergency medical services patients with ST‐elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Stopyra Jason P. , Snavely Anna C. , Ashburn Nicklaus P. , Supples Michael W. , Miller Chadwick D. , Mahler Simon A.
Published: August 2023

Background

ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) guidelines recommend an emergency medical services (EMS) first medical contact (FMC) to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) time of ≤90 min. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between FMC to PCI time and mortality in rural STEMI patients.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study of patients ≥18 years old with STEMI activations from January 2016 to March 2020. Data were obtained from a rural North Carolina Regional STEMI Data Registry, which included eight rural EMS agencies and three PCI centers, the National Cardiovascular Data Registry, and the EMS electronic health record. Prehospital and in‐hospital time intervals were digitally abstracted. The outcome of index hospitalization mortality was compared between patients who did and did not meet FMC to PCI time goal using Fisher's exact tests. Negative predictive value (NPV) for index hospitalization death was calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed and an optimal FMC to PCI time goal was identified by maximizing NPV to prevent index hospitalization death.

Results

Among 365 rural EMS STEMI patients, 30.1% (110/365) were female with a mean ± SD age of 62.5 ± 12.7 years. PCI was performed within the 90‐min time goal in 60.5% (221/365) of patients. Among these patients, 3% (11/365) died during initial STEMI hospitalization, with 1.4% (3/221) mortality in the group that met the 90‐minute time goal compared to 5.6% (8/144) in patients exceeding the time goal (p = 0.03). Meeting the 90‐min time goal yielded a 98.6% (95% CI 96.1%–99.7%) NPV for index death. A 78‐min FMC to PCI time was the optimal cut point, yielding a NPV for index mortality of 99.3% (95% CI 96.1%–100%).

Conclusions

Death among rural patients with STEMI was four times more likely when they did not receive PCI within 90 min.
Improving intergroup relation through humanization: The moderating role of negative direct contact and the mediating role of intergroup affect
Authors: Borinca Islam , McAuliffe Alan , Nightingale Alastair
Published: August 2023

Research on the interplay between negative direct intergroup contact frequency and outgroup humanization in intergroup relations is limited. Thus, across two different intergroup settings (i.e., Switzerland and Kosovo; N = 435), we examined individuals' positive behavioural intentions towards outgroup members (i.e., immigrants in Study 1 and the Roma in Study 2) as a function of both negative direct intergroup contact and humanizing information versus positive but not humanizing information (both studies) and control/no information (Study 2). Results show that information portraying outgroup members in a humanizing light (versus positive and/or control with no information) decreased anxiety (in both studies) and increased empathy (Study 2), which then related to more positive behavioural intentions among people who reported high versus low levels of negative direct contact with outgroup members. In this article, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings concerning intergroup relations.
Reliable long‐term organ cryopreservation makes donor organ bank a feasible reality
Authors: Shah Aakash M.
Published: August 2023

Long‐term donor organ preservation has been sought after since the beginning of transplantation. Static cold storage is the gold standard for organ transport but is limited to short‐term preservation because of the inability to maintain subfreezing temperatures without harmful ice cyrstal formation. Recent developments in cryopreservation via vitrification and nanowarming have demonstrated reliable storage and restoration of healthy donor organs without ice crystallization.
Evaluation of a retinal oximetry image quality indicator in patients with cataract
Authors: Klefter Oliver Niels , Erichsen Jesper Høiberg , Hansen Mathias Møller , Holm Lars Morten , Hardarson Sveinn Hakon , Stefánsson Einar , Kessel Line
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To evaluate a new automated retinal oximetry image quality indicator with cataract as a clinical model.

Methods

Sixty‐one eyes in 61 patients were imaged by the Oxymap T1 Retinal Oximeter at baseline and 25 eyes were also examined 3 weeks after cataract surgery. Image quality (0–10 on a continuous scale) was compared with standardized AREDS cataract grading and Pentacam lens densitometry. Associations with retinal oximetry measurements and visual acuity were examined.

Results

Image quality correlated with total, nuclear and posterior subcapsular cataract grades (ANOVA, p < 0.05), tended to be associated with lens densitometry and it improved from 4.3 ± 1.4 to 5.7 ± 1.0 (p < 0.05) after cataract surgery. Very low image quality, below 3, led to vessel detection failure in retinal oximetry images. Higher image qualities were linearly associated with higher measured retinal oxygen saturations (r = 0.52 in arteries and r = 0.46 in veins; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Retinal oximetry image quality deteriorated with increasing cataract density and improved after cataract surgery, supporting its use as a measure of optical clarity. The numerical quality indicator demonstrated a threshold below which images of poor optical quality should be discarded. Image quality affects the estimates of retinal oximetry parameters and should therefore be included in future analyses.
‘Somewhere old, somewhere new, somewhere green’: An exploration of health enabling places from the perspective of people ageing‐in‐place in Ireland during COVID‐19
Authors: Guzman Viveka , Foley Ronan , Doyle Frank , Pertl Maria
Published: August 2023

Drawing on conceptual and empirical work in geographies of ageing and environmental gerontology, this study's aim is to explore the generation and maintenance of enabling places from the perspective of older community dwellers in the context of COVID‐19. Findings are drawn from a qualitative thematic analysis of written submissions (n = 17), narrative interviews (n = 44) and go‐along interviews (n = 5) with people ageing‐in‐place in Irish communities during the pandemic. The mean age of participants was 74.9 (SD = 7; range 65–96), 53% were female, 46% lived alone, and 86% lived in areas with high urban influence. Our results indicate that the COVID‐19 public health restrictions curtailed participants' usual activities and influenced how they related to their homes, and a variety of public spaces where they had previously pursued valued activities. Transitions in their everyday geographies led to a wide array of affective and embodied experiences, and participants described diverse material and social emplaced‐resources as enabling or hindering their health and well‐being during COVID‐19. Our core findings are summarised across three themes: (1) somewhere old, relates to emplacement in familiar places and the role of familiarity with place resources; (2) somewhere new, comprises the emergence of digital spaces and possible pathways to build place insideness; and (3) somewhere green, describes the negotiation and (re)turn to natural and outdoor environments during the pandemic. Results from this study contribute to identify the pathways through which enabling places for diverse older people may be generated and/or maintained, and provide evidence to support the development of enabling environments during times of social upheaval and beyond.
The delivery of health services as resistance
Authors: Essex Ryan
Published: August 2023

In this article, I will argue that the delivery of healthcare could be an act of resistance, that is, day‐to‐day, routine and perhaps mundane acts, undertaken in the course of the delivery of health services, which for many could also be considered otherwise routine care. I first consider how resistance has been conceptualised. How we understand resistance will determine if we believe healthcare could be conceptualised this way. I will show how resistance has been applied to day‐to‐day struggles elsewhere and argue that it can clearly encompass open, collective dissent and more subtle, day‐to‐day action that does not necessarily make clear political demands. I go on to introduce some examples, where the delivery of health services could be conceptualised as resistance. While I advocate for a broad understanding of resistance, clearly not every act could be considered resistance; I will consider some points of tension and contention in utilising resistance to describe the delivery of health services, in particular discussing the issue of intent and opposition as they relate to resistance. Finally, while I hope that I make a convincing case, one final issue remains, namely, why turn to resistance at all, when many of the examples that I provide could be labelled using concepts that are more widely utilised. I will offer some general reflections on this point, speaking to the benefits and potential of resistance.
Does fully closed‐loop automated insulin delivery improve glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes? A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Amer Basma Ehab , Yaqout Yasmeen Essam , Abozaid Ahmed Mohamed , Afifi Eslam , Aboelkhier Menna M.
Published: August 2023

Aims

This meta‐analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of fully closed‐loop automated insulin delivery (AID) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

We systemically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central from inception until April 26, 2023. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing fully closed‐loop AID versus conventional insulin therapy. The outcomes were pooled as the mean difference (MD) and risk ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) in the random effect model. Our primary outcome was the proportion of time in the target glucose range (5.6‐10 mmol/L, 3.9‐10 mmol/L, or 3.9‐8 mmol/L, depending on the study). Key secondary outcomes included the proportion of time spent in hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia.

Results

We included seven RCTs (three crossover and four parallel design), compromising 390 patients. Our analysis showed that compared to the control group, fully closed‐loop AID increased the proportion of time spent within the target glucose range by additional 337 min per 24 h (MD = 23.39%, 95% CI [16.64%, 30.14%], p < 0.01), additional 108 min overnight (MD = 22.40%, 95% CI [12.88%, 31.91%], p < 0.01), and additional 258 min during the daytime period (MD = 26.85%, 95% CI [21.06%, 32.63%], p < 0.01). Compared to the control group, the overall time in hyperglycaemia was shortened by 326 min per 24 h (MD = −22.67%, 95% CI [−30.87%, −14.46%], p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of overall, overnight, and daytime periods spent in hypoglycaemia.

Conclusions

Our meta‐analysis suggests that fully closed‐loop AID may improve glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly for those with more challenging diabetes management. Further research is required to establish the feasibility of implementing these systems in clinical practice. [Correction added on 26 August 2023 after first online publication: Under Results, the first sentence “We included seven RCTs (three crossover and one parallel designs)” has been changed to “We included seven RCTs (three crossover and four parallel designs)”.]
Sublethal impacts of different road salts on a freshwater macrophyte: Altered productivity, acclimation, and lag effects
Authors: Coldsnow Kayla D. , Mruzek Joseph L. , Stoler Aaron B. , Relyea Rick A.
Published: August 2023

Freshwater ecosystems are being exposed to increasing salinisation, often because of pollution from road deicing salts, which is becoming more widely acknowledged. To address this issue, municipalities are turning towards the sodium salt alternatives of CaCl2 and MgCl2, which are marketed as being safer for the environment. However, research into the actual safety of these salts on aquatic plants is lacking.

We investigated the effects of the most common road salt (NaCl) and two alternatives (MgCl2 and CaCl2) on the productivity of a common freshwater plant (i.e., Elodea canadensis) under three salt concentrations (control, 250, and 1,000 mg Cl−/L). Light‐bottle/dark‐bottle trials were performed to quantify net primary productivity, respiration, and gross primary productivity. These responses were tracked over time (1 vs. 3 weeks) to assess plant acclimation and lag effects under different levels of the three salts.

We discovered that NaCl and CaCl2 altered these measures of plant metabolism, but MgCl2 had no effects. We also observed instances of acclimation (i.e. salt effects after 1 week that disappeared after 3 weeks) and lag effects (i.e. no salt effect after 1 week, but salt effects after 3 weeks). These impacts are likely to be the results of plant responses to salt at the cell and molecular levels, including short‐ and long‐term changes in photosynthetic pigments. Therefore, the plant responses were salt‐specific, with instances of plant acclimation and lag effects.

This appears to be the first study of net primary productivity, respiration, and gross primary productivity in freshwater plants across a range of different salts, and it highlights how freshwater salinisation can have substantial effects on plant productivity. These effects will probably have an impact on the growth of macrophytes, which play key ecological roles in aquatic ecosystems.
Low handgrip strength with or without asymmetry is associated with elevated all‐cause mortality risk in older Chinese males
Authors: Cai Duanfang , Zhang Hongli , Wang Yilin
Published: August 2023

Aim

This study aimed to examine the link between handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry and mortality risk among older Chinese adults.

Methods

These analyses were conducted using data from adults aged 60 years and older from the 2011–2013 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, using baseline participant data collected in 2011. Proxy‐reported information was used to assess the mortality outcomes of the participants over a 2‐year follow‐up. The highest recorded HGS values for each hand were used to compute the HGS asymmetry ratio (non‐dominant HGS/dominant HGS) and HGS weakness (Male<26 kg, Female<16 kg). Covariate‐adjusted Cox models were employed to gauge the relationship between abnormal HGS and mortality risk.

Results

Overall, 5083 adults were enrolled in this study, of whom 50.15% (2549/5083) were male. The proportions of low HGS alone, HGS asymmetry alone, and asymmetric and low HGS were 6.43%, 30.95%, and 9.22%, respectively, in males, and 4.81%, 35.87%, and 9.55%, respectively, in females. A total of 96 and 78 deaths were recorded for male (3.77%) and female (3.08%) participants, respectively, over the 2‐year follow‐up period. Significant differences in mortality were observed between the different HGS groups for both sexes. An adjusted Cox regression analysis model confirmed that only low HGS (P = 0.047, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.949, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.008–3.768) and low HGS with asymmetry (P = 0.007, HR = 2.152, 95% CI: 1.231–3.764) were significantly associated with mortality risk in older males.

Conclusions

The results revealed that low HGS with or without asymmetry was associated with a higher risk of death over a 2‐year follow‐up interval in older Chinese males. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 692–699.
Anthropology, Ontology, and the Possibility of Post‐Mortem Repentance
Authors: Monroe Ty Paul
Published: August 2023

Abstract: This essay considers the question of conversion unto repentance, as an act of cognition and volition, by the separated soul in the post‐mortem state. It primarily explicates and interrogates Thomas Aquinas's various attempts to rule out this possibility for the damned. Since Thomas's arguments for such impossibility feature his commitment to the radical immateriality of the human soul—and, like it, the angelic spirit—the essay highlights the ontological and moral tensions within that account. The case is thus made for the ontological, logical, and moral inconsistencies of his position, in pursuit of a more holistic anthropology across the soul's various states and a more rationally and coherent eschatology—namely, an affirmation of the irreducible mutability of the created soul on its way towards likeness to God, perhaps, if not certainly, towards universal salvation.
Scientific and technological advancements in the utilisation of by‐products from babassu oil extraction: a bibliometric review
Authors: Ferreira Poliana Sander , Freitas Suely Pereira , Almeida Eveline Lopes
Published: August 2023

Babassu is a tropical palm native in South and Central America that produces high‐quality oil from its fruit. The babassu oil extraction results in the production of babassu coconut by‐products (BCBs) – epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp, and almond cake. In this study, we utilised bibliometric analysis and literature review to understand and evaluate their potential for food applications. Our analysis revealed a total of 165 studies published between 1945 and 2022 in the Web of Science database. Notably, Brazil emerged as a prominent contributor to research in this field. The babassu epicarp and endocarp were identified as lignocellulosic materials. Although they are not directly consumable, they possess the potential to serve as sustainable sources of bioactive compounds. In contrast, the babassu mesocarp primarily consists of starch, while the babassu cake exhibits a high protein content. These ingredients play pivotal roles in bakery products and plant‐based formulations, respectively. Despite these findings, our investigation uncovered a knowledge gap regarding the assessment of these fractions in the context of food science and nutrition. By addressing this research gap, we aspire to contribute to the exploration and use of the full potential of BCBs, promoting their integration into the food sector.
Garlic (Allium sativum) peel extracts and their potential as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for food applications: influence of pretreatment and extraction solvent
Authors: Hernández‐Montesinos Itzel Yoali , Carreón‐Delgado David Fernando , Ocaranza‐Sánchez Erik , Ochoa‐Velasco Carlos Enrique , Suárez‐Jacobo Ángela , Ramírez‐López Carolina
Published: August 2023

Garlic peel extracts (GPE) are known to have excellent physiological activity, but research on the pre‐processing of garlic peel (GP) to enhance their bioactivity is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two pretreatments applied to GP, such as fermentation withLactobacillus plantarumand heat processing (10 min roasting) and two extraction solvents (70% v/v ethanol and methanol), on the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant capacity (AC), and antimicrobial activity (AA) of GPE. Results showed that GPE contained appreciable quantities of TPC (50.41 ± 0.19 mgGAE/g) and TFC (47.58 ± 1.69 mgGAE/g), but were further improved by both biological and thermal pretreatments along with their AC and AA against food‐spoilage strains (Escherichia coli,Salmonella typhimurium,Staphylococcus aureus, andListeria innocua). Ethanolic extract of 48 h‐fermented GP achieved the highest TPC (140.65 ± 0.47 mgGAE/g), TFC (68.8 ± 1.80 mgQE/g), TEAC‐DPPH (288.88 ± 6.98 μmolTE/g), TEAC‐ABTS (638.39 ± 5.35 μmolTE/g), and the lowest MIC (1.25 ± 0.0 mg/mL), showing that the increase in TPC was strong‐positive correlated to AC (Pearson'sr > 0.97) and to AA (Pearson'sr > 0.90). These findings revealed an innovative approach for the valorisation of garlic residues through a bioconversion process, which enhances their potential as a source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for possible food applications.
Identification of β‐casein phenotypes (A1/A2) in the milk of the Indian Jersey crossbreed bovine using the high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometer
Authors: Singh Manish Kumar , Kumar Arvind , Rai Dinesh Chandra , Aggarwal Ankur , Malik Mohit
Published: August 2023

Foodomics is an emerging probing method of phenotype investigation of the different milk proteins and their subtypes. The polymorphic nature of the β‐casein (β‐Cn) protein has shown fourteen different protein variants to date in bovines. The analysis of the β‐Cn genetic polymorphism from the milk of the crossbred dairy animals is crucial for the quality assurance of the consumers from the various health concerns, especially those linked with the A1 phenotype which yields β‐casomorphin‐7 on in vivo digestion. Jersey‐crossed Indian cattle have been widely utilised in dairy because of their better milk production and survival performance trait. In this investigation, an SDS‐PAGE coupled with a high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometry‐based proteomics approach has been applied to identify the presence of specific phenotype of the β‐Cn protein in the milk of the 24 Indian crossbred (Jersey crossed) animals. Amino acid sequential analysis has been done using different search modules, as MS Amanda and Sequest HT showed 17 cows are producing A2 β‐Cn (Pro~67) while only seven animals yielded the A1 variant (His~67). The maximum number of Indian Jersey‐crossed animals are lactating milk having A2 β‐Cn. The A2 milk from the crossbred animals is free from the negative impact on health caused by β‐casomorphin‐7 (BCM‐7) released during digestion of the A1 phenotype. Among the molecular biology techniques, top‐down proteomics has been an intriguing technique for the identification of protein genetic polymorphic products.