bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The decade long story of gender equality and female empowerment: a case study of corporate disclosures in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Nasrallah Wafa
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study deviates from the predominantly feminist/critical school of thought associated with existing gender studies to apply an interpretivist approach to investigate gender-reporting practices in Saudi Arabia, an Islamic country in the Gulf region and one of the fast-moving emerging economies both in the Middle East and globally. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of reporting on gender and the drivers behind this practice using the content analysis method.

Design/methodology/approach

This study contributes to the literature by adopting a rarely used three-lens conceptual framework to expand our understanding of reporting on gender in Saudi Arabia. Eleven companies were chosen based on their voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in Saudi Arabia. The CSR and annual reports of selected companies were analysed using NVIVO Pro 11.

Findings

The results indicate that gender disclosures in the Saudi context are driven by legislation, location and international reporting frameworks. Although the number of disclosures increased over time, they were not adopted consistently and systematically because of their voluntary nature.

Research limitations/implications

The first limitation is the disadvantage associated with interpretivism related to the subjective nature of the investigation and room for bias, and hence, the results cannot be generalised. The second limitation is the sample size; future investigations may increase the sample size by including other service and manufacturing sector firms to have more comprehensive insights.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the literature by providing evidence suggesting that in Saudi Arabia, state legislation is the driving force behind reporting on gender issues. Although workplace disclosures dominate, companies are opening dialogues with other stakeholders (especially the community) by disclosing performance data, and thus emphasising their commitment to this social change.

Social implications

This empirical contribution to the CSR literature will provide rich historical and interpretive data on the emergence of gender transformation in society, and how that is reflected in corporate reports, thus, contributing to the understanding of the purpose of voluntary disclosures.

Originality/value

Employee-related disclosures in corporate reports are very common. However, issues such as diversity and equal opportunities tend to be overlooked. This study explores gender equality and female empowerment disclosures and practices in the emerging market of Saudi Arabia while focusing on whether the social, political and legal changes in Saudi Arabian society have affected these disclosures in corporate reports. There is a lack of qualitative analysis of gender disclosers globally and in emerging economies particularly.
Civic education and voting intentions among the electorate: the roles of attitudes towards voting behaviour and educational level
Authors: Otache Innocent , Alfa Innocent Patrick , Ali Yakubu
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is threefold: first, to determine whether civic education has a positive impact on voting intentions among the electorate; second, to establish whether attitudes towards voting behaviour (ATVB) mediate the relationship between civic education and voting intentions; and third, to determine whether educational level moderates the relationship between civic education and voting intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a survey research design and a quantitative approach. Data were collected from a sample of 1,450 registered voters from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. A regression-based approach was adopted to test the study hypotheses using Hayes-PROCESS Macro 3.5.

Findings

The results indicate that civic education is positively associated with voting intentions. Further analysis reveals that ATVB significantly mediates the association between civic education and voting intentions. Additionally, educational level positively moderates the relationship between civic education and voting intentions.

Practical implications

The findings offer implications for governments and democratic institutions.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to provide empirical evidence of the mediating effect of ATVB and the moderating effect of educational level on the relationship between civic education and voting intentions. This study provides useful insights into the factors that influence voting intentions.
The migration and degradation of N‐(1,3‐dimethylbutyl)‐N′‐phenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine from rubber hoses in milk lines
Authors: Yuan Xiaoyu , Hu Chang‐Ying , Wang Zhi‐Wei
Published: January 2023

N‐(1,3‐dimethylbutyl)‐N′‐phenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (6PPD), an anti‐ageing agent in rubber hoses used in milk lines, may migrate into the milk and cause safety issues. Thus its migration and degradation in simulants/milk were studied to explore the changing trends and final levels, by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that 6PPD continuously increased in 95% ethanol and degraded more easily in simulants with a high water content. The degradation may be attributed to the π‐conjugated system of 6PPD and smaller steric hindrance of degradation products. No migration was observed into milk after 10 min. This study provides a novel and effective approach to evaluating 6PPD trends and safety for the dairy industry.
Oil dependency, political institutions, and urban–rural disparities in access to electricity in Africa
Authors: Totouom Armand
Published: January 2023

In line with the resource curse literature, this paper examines the effect of oil dependency on the disparities in access to electricity between urban and rural areas in Africa, conditional on the quality of political institutions. Based on data from 36 African countries over the period 2000–2017, our investigation suggests that oil rents (% of GDP) increase urban–rural disparities in access to electricity. However, the quality of institutions shapes the effect of oil dependency on these disparities. Specifically, a 10% increase in the institutional quality score reduces the adverse effects of oil rent on electricity access disparity by around 19%, and the negative impact of oil dependency on urban–rural disparities is reversed when institutional quality reaches a score of 52% on a scale from 0 to 100. The robustness tests support these results and call for strengthening the quality of institutions to overcome the resource curse in Africa.
Spatial and temporal dynamics of the urban heat island effect in a small Brazilian city
Authors: Ribeiro Maria Clara Aparecida , Pinton Leandro de Godoi , Cardoso Renata dos Santos , Amorim Margarete Cristiane de Costa Trindade
Published: January 2023

This study examined the spatial and temporal patterns of the canopy layer urban heat islands (UHIUCL) in a small city in southeastern Brazil using the local climate zone (LCZ) system. We analysed the influence of weather conditions, LCZs characteristics, and local surface relief on the UHIUCL magnitudes. Mobile traverses were used to measure air temperatures during representative nights of wet and dry seasons. Daily maximum magnitudes were observed in compact classes (LCZs 3 and 7) under ideal weather conditions (dry, clear skies, and calm) and higher anthropogenic heat release (weekdays). Seasonal effects on LCZ thermal differences were negligible. The peripheral landscapes were warmer than the city centre in both seasons. Among the warmer areas in the city, magnitudes in compact LCZs 3 and 7 were consistently higher than in LCZ 6. In general, representative sites of the main ‘built’ LCZs in the study area exhibit similar inter‐zone temperature patterns to those reported for cities of different sizes from tropical and midlatitude regions. Thermal contrasts of ΔTLCZ 3 − D in the study area reveal significant evidence that small cities can have as strong heat islands as bigger cities. These findings highlight the importance of the LCZ system to identify the main controlling factors driving such thermal differences and the need to extend the application of this approach in other South American cities to yield systematic data of UHIUCL for urban planning given the coming challenges of climate change over the region.
A management proposition to preserve functional identity of grasses in mixed swards
Authors: Duchini Paulo Gonçalves , Guzatti Gabriela Cristina , Schmitt Daniel , Echeverria Joilson Roda , Américo Luana Fidelis , Werner Simone Silmara , Sbrissia André Fischer
Published: January 2023

The diversity of traits plays a key role in the maximization of ecosystems' multi‐functionality, but interspecific competition in defoliated swards can lead to unpredictable changes in the functional traits over the plant community. However, we hypothesize that interrupting canopy regrowth at a height corresponding to critical leaf area index (LAI), associated with moderate intensity of defoliation, can be an effective management to preserve the functional traits of contrasting growth strategy grasses cultivated as a mixture. A 2‐year experiment was conceived to assess continuously several traits of three cool‐season perennial grasses (Arrhenatherum elatius [exploitative], Dactylis glomerata [moderately exploitative] and Festuca arundinacea [conservative]) cultivated as single species stand or as a mixture. Dactylis glomerata was the less productive stand but no difference was observed between the mixture and the most productive monocultures. No change was observed in functional traits, whether the species were cultivated as monoculture or as a mixture. The dissimilarities over traits and, therefore, the functional identity of contrasting growth strategy grasses growing in multi‐specific swards was preserved when canopy regrowth was interrupted at a height corresponding to the critical LAI associated with moderate intensity of defoliation. Since the diversity of traits maximizes ecosystem multi‐functionality, our findings provide a step forward towards designing management practices that enhance ecosystems services delivered by cultivated multi‐specific grasslands.
Impact of the interactive and diagnostic uses of performance measurement systems on procedural fairness perception, cooperation and performance in supply alliances
Authors: Mahama Habib , Wang Zhichao (Alex)
Published: January 2023

We examine the effects of interactive and diagnostic uses of performance measurement systems (PMSs) on two behavioural factors (procedural fairness perception and cooperation) in inter‐firm alliances. We further investigate whether the two behavioural factors mediate the relationship between PMS uses and alliance performance. We find that both interactive and diagnostic uses of PMS are significantly related to procedural fairness perception but only the interactive use is significantly related to cooperation. The relationships between the two uses of PMS and alliance performance are serially mediated by procedural fairness perception and cooperation. These findings contribute to management accounting studies in inter‐firm alliances.
Director expertise and co‐option in industry superannuation funds?
Authors: Yang Jin Sug , Bedford Anna , Bugeja Martin
Published: January 2023

This study examines whether independent directors who possess financial expertise and are independent from the CEO (i.e., non‐co‐opted) are associated with improved outcomes for industry superannuation funds. Our results highlight that independence alone is insufficient to improve fund outcomes. Instead, we find that only non‐co‐opted independent directors benefit fund members in terms of higher performance and lower fees. Moreover, we find that independent directors' financial expertise is not associated with fund performance and fees. Our study has implications for regulators and superannuation funds who are currently debating the need for one‐third independent directors on the board of Australian superannuation funds.
Machine learning with neuroimaging biomarkers: Application in the diagnosis and prediction of drug addiction
Authors: Yang Longtao , Du Yanyao , Yang Wenhan , Liu Jun
Published: January 2023

Drug abuse is a serious problem worldwide. Owing to intermittent intake of certain substances and the early inconspicuous clinical symptoms, this brings huge challenges for timely diagnosing addiction status and preventing substance use disorders (SUDs). As a non‐invasive technique, neuroimaging can capture neurobiological signatures of abnormality in multiple brain regions caused by drug consumption in each clinical stage, like parenchymal morphology alteration as well as aberrant functional activity and connectivity of cerebral areas, making it realizable to diagnosis, prediction and even preemptive therapy of addiction. Machine learning (ML) algorithms primarily used for classification have been extensively applied in analysing medical imaging datasets. Significant neurobiological characteristics employed and revealed by classifiers were used to diagnose addictive states and predict initiation and vulnerability to drug usage, treatment abstinence, relapse and resilience of addicts and the risk of SUD. In this review, we summarize application of ML methods in neuroimaging focusing on addicts' diagnosis of clinical status and risk prediction and elucidate the discriminative neurobiological features from brain electrophysiological, morphological and functional perspectives that contribute most to the classifier, finally highlighting the auxiliary role of ML in addiction treatment.
Peer Innovation Tone and Corporate Innovation Adjustments: Evidence from China*
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Rao Pingui , Wang Xinlu , Yue Raymon
Published: January 2023

Using textual information regarding innovation in the annual reports of Chinese listed firms for the period from 2007 to 2019, we examine how firms alter their innovation activities in response to the tone of peer firms' discussions of innovation in their annual reports (“innovation tone”). We find that a positive innovation tone in peer firms' annual reports results in a significant reduction in R&D investments by the focal firm, especially when such a tone pertains to the future. Our cross‐sectional analyses show that peers' innovation tone strongly affects R&D investments when the focal firm operates in a non‐high‐tech or highly competitive industry, or is readily willing to adjust its innovation strategy. Further investigation shows that the marginal benefits of a focal firm's R&D investments decline when annual peer reports adopt relatively positive innovation tones. Our results enrich the literature on the peer effects of textual information on innovation and have implications for firms' innovation strategies.
Fatal and near‐fatal anaphylaxis: The Allergy‐Vigilance® Network data (2002–2020)
Authors: Pouessel Guillaume , Alonzo Sabrina , Divaret‐Chauveau Amandine , Dumond Pascale , Bradatan Eléna , Liabeuf Valérie , Beaumont Pascale , Tscheiller Sélina , Diesnis Rémy , Renaudin Jean‐Marie , Sabouraud‐Leclerc Dominique ,   the Allergy‐Vigilance® Network
Published: January 2023

Background

Having a better understanding of the risk factors of severe anaphylaxis is a crucial challenge for physicians.

Methods

To retrospectively analyse fatal/near‐fatal anaphylaxis cases recorded by the Allergy‐Vigilance® Network (2002–2020) and evaluate the characteristics associated with survival, age and allergens.

Results

Among the 3510 anaphylaxis cases documented in the network, 70 (2%) patients (males: 57%; mean age: 35.4 y) presented grade 4 (Ring‐Messmer) anaphylaxis and 25 died (19 food‐related); 33% had a history of asthma. The main allergens were food (60%; peanut, 20%; milks, 11%) involved in 25/26 cases in children and in 17/44 (39%) cases in adults. Non‐food anaphylaxis was related to drugs/latex (24%; neuromuscular blocking agents, 10%; betalactamins, 6%), Hymenoptera (16%). Three food‐related cases (one death) occurred during oral food challenge in children. Patients with a food allergy were younger (22.2 years vs. 55 years, p < .001), had more likely a history of asthma (50% vs. 7%; p < .001), a pre‐existing allergy (62% vs. 18%; p < .001) compared with other allergies. A cofactor was identified in 35 cases (50%) but predominantly in adults as opposed to children (64% vs. 27%; p = .01). The patients who died were younger (25.6 vs. 40.8 years; p = .01) than the survivors and mostly presented bronchospasm (56% vs. 29%; p = .05). Gaps in the prevention and management of anaphylaxis were noted in 15 cases (21%).

Conclusions

Severe food anaphylaxis has specific features compared with other causes such as young age, asthma history and exercise. Food is also involved in severe anaphylaxis in adults that should not be underestimated.
(Mal)nutrition in critical illness and beyond: a narrative review
Authors: Pohlenz‐Saw J. A. E. , Merriweather J. L. , Wandrag L.
Published: January 2023

Close liaison with ICU‐trained dietitians and early initiation of nutrition is a fundamental principle of care of critically ill patients– this should be done while monitoring closely for refeeding syndrome. Enteral nutrition delivered by volumetric pumps should be used where possible, though parenteral nutrition should be started early in patients with high nutritional risk factors. Malnutrition and loss of muscle mass are common in patients who are admitted to ICUs and are prognostic for patient‐centred outcomes including complications and mortality. Obesity is part of that story, and isocaloric and high‐protein provision of nutrition is important in this group of patients who comprise a growing proportion of people treated. Assessing protein stores and appropriate dosing is, however, challenging in all groups of patients. It would be beneficial to develop strategies to reduce muscle wasting as well; various strategies including amino acid supplementation, ketogenic nutrition and exercise have been trialled, but the quality of data has been inadequate to address this phenomenon. Nutritional targets are rarely achieved in practice, and all ICUs should incorporate clear guidelines to help address this. These should include local nutritional and fasting guidelines and for the management of feed intolerance, early access to post‐pyloric feeding and a multidisciplinary framework to support the importance of nutritional education.
Workplace learning and development of people with limited work capacity
Authors: van Ruitenbeek Gemma M. C. , Zijlstra Fred R. H. , Hülsheger Ute R.
Published: January 2023

Workplace learning and development is crucial for sustained employability, especially for people with limited work capacity (LWC). We explored the development in cognitive functioning and work behaviour of people with LWC and to which extent this is moderated by workplace acceptance and support. As suggested in literature, acceptance and support concern pre‐conditions for development. Therefore, we expected them to influence the development of our target group. In total, 182 people with LWC and 172 workplace mentors provided data on dimensions of cognitive functioning and work behaviour on three time‐points over 4 months. Furthermore, people with LWC provided data on workplace acceptance and support.

Results showed significant development over time for both, self‐ and observer‐rated cognitive functioning, such as planning and organising, learning and memory, problem solving, and for self‐rated adaptability and concentration. Development over time emerged for the self‐rated work pace, a work behaviour dimension. Moreover, the growth curves on self‐rated variables such as learning and memory, work accuracy, social behaviour and work pace were moderated by workplace acceptance and support. This study provides initial insight into growth patterns of cognitive functioning and work behaviour of people with LWC and illustrates the relevance of a supportive climate for development.
Risk of severe and opportunistic infections and the impact of SARS‐COV‐2 on this risk in a nationwide cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Khan Nabeel , Mahmud Nadim , Patel Manthankumar , Sundararajan Ramaswamy , Reinisch Walter
Published: January 2023

Background

The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients have adopted lifestyle modifications to prevent infection via SARS COV‐2.

Aims

This study aims to examine rate of serious infections and opportunistic infections in the pre‐pandemic and pandemic period, and to analyse if the risk associated with medications used to treat IBD were potentially modified by associated change in lifestyle.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients from the US national Veteran Affairs Healthcare System (VAHS). Patients were stratified into two groups: pre‐pandemic (prior to SARS COV‐2 pandemic) and pandemic (during SARS COV‐2 pandemic) and outcomes were measured in these groups. Primary outcome was occurrence of any serious infection. Secondary outcome was occurrence of any opportunistic infection.

Results

There were 17,202 IBD patients in the pre‐pandemic era and 15,903 patients in the pandemic era. The pre‐pandemic era had a significantly higher proportion of serious infections relative to the pandemic era (5.1% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.002). The proportion of opportunistic infections were similar between pre‐pandemic and pandemic eras (0.3% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.82). Relative to 5‐ASA, patients taking anti‐TNF (HR = 1.50 (1.31–1.72)), anti‐TNF+TP (HR = 1.56 (1.24–1.95)) or vedolizumab (HR = 1.81 (1.49–2.20)) had an increased hazard of serious infection (p > 0.001).

Conclusion

In a nationwide cohort of IBD patients, we found that risk of serious infections could possibly be affected by behavioural modifications due to SARS‐COV‐2 pandemic.
Relative Contrast Estimation and Inference for Treatment Recommendation
Authors: Liang Muxuan , Yu Menggang
Published: January 2023

When there are resource constraints, it may be necessary to rank individualized treatment benefits to facilitate the prioritization of assigning different treatments. Most existing literature on individualized treatment rules targets absolute conditional treatment effect differences as a metric for the benefit. However, there can be settings where relative differences may better represent such benefit. In this paper, we consider modeling such relative differences formed as scale-invariant contrasts between the conditional treatment effects. By showing that all scale-invariant contrasts are monotonic transformations of each other, we posit a single index model for a particular relative contrast. We then characterize semiparametric estimating equations, including the efficient score, to estimate index parameters. To achieve semiparametric efficiency, we propose a two-step approach that minimizes a doubly robust loss function for initial estimation and then performs a one-step efficiency augmentation procedure. Careful theoretical and numerical studies are provided to show the superiority of our proposed approach.
A Seasonality-Adjusted Sequential Test for Vaccine Safety Surveillance
Authors: Shen Rex , Moll Keran , Lu Ying , Tian Lu
Published: January 2023

Post-market active safety monitoring is important for the timely capture of safety signals associated with exposure to a new vaccine or drug. The group sequential analysis is a common method employed in safety surveillance. Specifically, it compares the post-vaccination incidence of adverse event (AE) in a vaccinated population with a pre-specified reference level by sequentially conducting hypothesis testing during the surveillance. When the number of AEs is “too high”, a safety signal is identified. If the null hypothesis is never rejected, the vaccine is considered safe. Such an approach does not account for either the variation in determining the reference risk from a control population or the seasonality effect. Furthermore, not rejecting the null could be due to a lack of power and cannot always be interpreted as proof of safety. In this paper, we proposed a new group sequential test procedure fully accounting for both seasonality and variation from the historical controls. More importantly, we proposed to construct a confidence interval for the relative AE risk between the exposed and control groups at the end of the study, which can be used to quantify the safety of the vaccine. The proposed method is illustrated via real-data examples on anaphylaxis and examined by extensive simulation studies.
The amygdala–ventral pallidum pathway contributes to a hypodopaminergic state in the ventral tegmental area during protracted abstinence from chronic cocaine
Authors: Salin Adélie , Dugast Emilie , Lardeux Virginie , Solinas Marcello , Belujon Pauline
Published: January 2023

Background and Purpose

Incubation of craving, the progressive increase in drug seeking over the first weeks of abstinence, is associated with temporal changes during abstinence in the activity of several structures involved in drug‐seeking behaviour. Decreases of dopamine (DA) release and DA neuronal activity (hypodopaminergic state) have been reported in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) during cocaine abstinence, but the mechanisms underlying these neuroadaptations are not well understood. We investigated the potential involvement of a VTA inhibiting circuit (basolateral amygdala [BLA]–ventral pallidum [VP] pathway) in the hypodopaminergic state associated with abstinence from chronic cocaine.

Experimental Approach

In a model of cocaine self‐administration, we performed in vivo electrophysiological recordings of DA VTA neurons and BLA neurons from anaesthetised rats during early and protracted abstinence and evaluated the involvement of the BLA–VP pathway using a pharmacological approach.

Key Results

We found significant decreases in VTA DA population activity and significant increases in BLA activity after protracted but not after short‐term abstinence from chronic cocaine. The decrease in VTA DA activity was restored by pharmacological inhibition of the activity of either the BLA or the VP, suggesting that these regions exert a negative influence on DA activity.

Conclusion and Implications

Our study sheds new lights on neuroadaptations occurring during incubation of craving leading to relapse. In particular, we describe the involvement of the BLA–VP pathway in cocaine‐induced decreases of DA activity in the VTA. This study adds important information about the specific brain network dysfunctions underlying hypodopaminergic activity during abstinence.
Editorial: Control alt delete – technology and children's mental health
Authors: Thabrew Hiran , Gega Lina
Published: January 2023

With international contributions from Denmark, Peru, Italy, Turkey, Estonia, Russia, Canada, the USA, Australia and the UK, this special issue offers insights and evidence about the technology's ability to act as a force of good and a source of harm for young people's mental health. As we better understand the complex and bidirectional relationship between technology and mental health, we need to move beyond dichotomous narratives about it being good or bad; it is both, depending on how it is used. Collective responsibility across technology companies, researchers, public services and community organisations, parents and the young people themselves can make a difference in the way technology is used to protect and improve mental health.
CircLASP1 silence strengthens the therapeutic effects of MK‐2206 on nasopharyngeal cancer through upregulating miR‐625
Authors: Xu Li‐Na , Liu Si‐Le , Yang Yang , Shu Lu , Sun Yi
Published: January 2023

Therapeutic effects of MK‐2206 are largely limited due to the complexity of the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Here, we aimed to investigate whether and how circLASP1 is involved in the therapeutic effects of MK‐2206 on NPC. We showed circLASP1 was increased while miR‐625 was decreased in NPC tissues and cell lines. CircLASP1 silence strengthened the therapeutic effects of MK‐2206 via suppressing NPC cell proliferation and inducing autophagy and apoptosis in vitro. In mechanism analyses, we found that circLASP1 indirectly released AKT by directly binding to miR‐625 in NPC cells, and miR‐625 acted as a tumor suppressor in NPC and activated cell autophagy through inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway. Most importantly, knockdown of circLASP1 was revealed to enhance the therapeutic effects of MK‐2206 on NPC in vivo. Our results suggest that the circLASP1/miR‐625 axis is involved the therapeutic effects of MK‐2206 on NPC by regulating autophagy, proliferation, and apoptosis through the AKT/mTOR pathway. miR‐625 is involved in NPC tumorigenesis.
Omental cancer‐associated fibroblast‐derived exosomes with low microRNA‐29c‐3p promote ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis
Authors: Han Qing , Tan Shuran , Gong Lanqing , Li Guoqing , Wu Qiulei , Chen Le , Du Shi , Li Wenhan , Liu Xiaoli , Cai Jing , Wang Zehua
Published: January 2023

Ovarian cancer (OC) is characterized by frequent widespread peritoneal metastasis. Cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent a critical stromal component of metastatic niche and promote omentum metastasis in OC patients. However, the role of exosomes derived from omental CAFs in metastasis remains unclear. We isolated exosomes from primary omental normal fibroblasts (NFs) and CAFs from OC patients (NF‐Exo and CAF‐Exo, respectively) and assessed their effect on metastasis. In mice bearing orthotopic OC xenografts, CAF‐Exo treatment led to more rapid intraperitoneal tumor dissemination and shorter animal survival. Similar results were observed in mice undergoing intraperitoneal injection of tumor cells. Among the miRNAs downregulated in CAF‐Exo, miR‐29c‐3p in OC tissues was associated with metastasis and survival in patients. Moreover, increasing miR‐29c‐3p in CAF‐Exo significantly weakened the metastasis‐promoting effect of CAF‐Exo. Based on RNA sequencing, expression assays, and luciferase assays, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) was identified as a direct target of miR‐29c‐3p. These results verify the significant contribution of exosomes from omental CAFs to OC peritoneal metastasis, which could be partially due to the relief of MMP2 expression inhibition mediated by low exosomal miR‐29c‐3p.
Efficacy of carbon dioxide laser and caustic agent cauterisation for the focal granular myringitis: A randomised trial
Authors: Kuo Yu‐Xiang , Luo Tzu‐Hsuan , Wu Hsing‐Mei
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Granular myringitis (GM) is a troublesome disease with a high incidence of recurrence and relapse. CO2 laser vaporisation and trichloroacetic acid (TAA) have been applied in treating several otological diseases, both with favourable therapeutic efficacy. However, long‐term therapeutic efficacy of both CO2 laser vaporisation and TAA cauterisation against GM has not yet been evaluated. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of CO2 laser vaporisation and TAA cauterisation in GM management.

Study Design

Prospective and randomised study.

Participants

A total of 88 GM patients who failed therapy with boric acid, alcohol and glycerin ear drop otic solution between July 2009 and January 2018 were included. Participants were randomly assigned to receive CO2 laser vaporisation (n = 39) or TAA cauterisation (n = 49).

Main Outcome Measures

Main outcomes were treatment success, complications after 4 months of treatment, and recurrence within 4–12 months after treatment.

Results

The success rate was significantly higher in the CO2 group than in the TAA group (94.9% vs. 77.6%, p = .023). After 4 months of treatment, the GM recurrence rate was comparable between the two groups (13.5% vs. 18.4%, p = .562). The CO2 laser group had one case of perforation and one case of severe vertigo, whereas one participant in the TAA cauterisation group experienced hearing loss.

Conclusion

Both TAA cauterisation and CO2 laser vaporisation are safe and effective treatments for GM. The success rate of CO2 laser vaporisation for treating GM is higher than that of TAA cauterisation. Recurrence rates are comparable within 1 year.
A novel and eco‐friendly approach for dyeing polyester fabrics by liquid disperse dyes treated with deep eutectic solvent
Authors: Zheng Manman , Sun Yi , Li Changlong , Lu Yinhui , Dai Yingqi , Wang Zongqian
Published: January 2023

Disperse dyes do not contain water‐soluble groups and are difficult to dissolve in water, so they cannot be directly formulated into dyeing liquor. In the current dyeing process, the solubility of disperse dyes is mainly improved by adding dispersants. However, dispersants are not absorbed by fibres and survive in the dyeing effluent, aggravating the pollution of water bodies and causing difficulties in treatment. Therefore, the development of a novel, eco‐friendly dyeing approach is important to overcome these problems. Herein, for the purpose of improving the solubility of disperse dyes and reducing the dosage of dispersants, a deep eutectic solvent consisting of choline chloride/ethylene glycol was employed instead of dispersant to dissolve CI Disperse Blue 79 and CI Disperse Red 343, thus forming liquid disperse dyes. The results show that both CI Disperse Blue 79 and CI Disperse Red 343 were well dissolved in choline chloride/ethylene glycol with excellent stability, and the dissolution behaviour was strongly associated with the dissolution temperature and time. Moreover, polyester fabrics can be dyed successfully with liquid disperse dyes, and it was observed that the K/S value and rubbing fastness were evidently improved at the same dyeing temperature with unchanged colour characteristics, and a higher K/S value could still be obtained by lowering the dyeing temperature. This work establishes a green dyeing process, which reduces dyeing costs and meets the demand for environmental protection. It is also expected to realise the liquid state of disperse dyes, which will help to promote the further development of textile dyeing.
Clinical assessment of gepotidacin (GSK2140944) as a victim and perpetrator of drug–drug interactions via CYP3A metabolism and transporters
Authors: Barth Aline , Perry Caroline R. , Shabbir Shaila , Zamek‐Gliszczynski Maciej J. , Thomas Sebin , Dumont Etienne F. , Brimhall Darin B. , Nguyen Dung , Srinivasan Meenakshi , Swift Brandon
Published: January 2023

Gepotidacin is a novel triazaacenaphthylene antibiotic in phase III development. Based on nonclinical in vitro characterization of gepotidacin metabolism, two phase I studies were conducted in healthy participants to investigate clinical drug–drug interactions (DDIs). We assessed gepotidacin as a DDI victim with a potent cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) inhibitor (itraconazole), potent CYP3A4 inducer (rifampicin), and nonspecific organic cation transporter (OCT)/multidrug and toxic extrusion transporter (MATE) renal transport inhibitor (cimetidine) via single doses of gepotidacin before and after co‐administration with multiple doses of the modulator drugs. Gepotidacin DDI perpetrator potential for P‐gp inhibition (digoxin) and CYP3A4 inhibition (midazolam) was evaluated via single doses of the two‐drug cocktail without and with gepotidacin. The DDI magnitudes were interpreted based on area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC). A weak DDI (AUC increase 48%–50%) was observed for gepotidacin co‐administered with itraconazole. A clinically significant decrease in gepotidacin plasma AUC (52%) was observed with rifampicin coadministration, indicating a moderate DDI. There was no DDI for gepotidacin with cimetidine; a unique biomarker approach showed increased serum creatinine (24%), decreased renal clearance of creatinine (21%), and N1‐methylnicotinamide (39%), which confirmed extensive MATE inhibition and partial OCT2 inhibition. Gepotidacin was not a P‐gp DDI perpetrator, although the maximum plasma concentration of digoxin increased (53%) and is potentially clinically relevant given its narrow therapeutic index. Gepotidacin demonstrated weak CYP3A4 inhibition with midazolam (<2‐fold AUC increase). There were no new safety‐risk profile findings. These results will inform the safe and efficacious clinical use of gepotidacin when co‐administered with other drugs.
An Empirical Moral Philosophy Perspective on Classroom Discussions of Controversial Issues
Authors: Sætra Emil
Published: January 2023

In this article, Emil Sætra examines how teachers and students construct and experience aims and goods in classroom discussions of controversial issues. This study is situated within the emerging tradition of empirical ethics, and the research strategy comprised two main steps. First, Sætra used interview data to analyze, via the experiences of teachers and students, the following two empirical questions: (1) What goods normatively constitute educative discussions of controversial issues? (2) How are these goods constructed in time and space? Second, in the concluding discussion, Sætra makes explicit some normative implications of the empirical findings and discusses theses in relation to previous research. In brief, what emerges from the conjoined experiences of teachers and students is the notion that practice comprises multiple aims and drives. Moreover, because aims and drives are multiple, decisions regarding priorities will sometimes have to be made, and teachers may be subject to conflicting expectations. This means that practitioners must be able to make reflective judgments about what comprises acceptable ends, what projects should be undertaken to achieve those ends, and what actions ought to be performed as part of those projects.
Germinable soil seed bank of pasture, revegetation and remnant Cumberland Plain Woodland
Authors: Morris E. Charles
Published: January 2023

Revegetation of abandoned pasture by planting tree and shrub species has been undertaken in western Sydney to restore Cumberland Plain Woodland. This study investigated the germinable soil seed bank of pastures, revegetated areas and remnants to assess the potential of the seed bank to contribute to Cumberland Plain Woodland restoration. Soil cores were taken, air dried, sieved and spread out in germination trays. Half of the samples were subjected to a fire treatment, with the other half as controls. The size of the germinable seed bank was 9,400–9,500 m−2 in the pasture and revegetated areas, and 3,000 m−2 in the remnant. Exotics, mainly forbs, dominated the seed bank in pasture and revegetated areas, with more than half the number of species and three quarters the number of seedlings. Numbers of native species and seedlings were half to one quarter of exotics in the pasture and revegetated areas. In remnants, native species outnumbered exotics, but numbers of native and exotic seedlings were approximately equal. Numbers of native shrub species and seedlings were low, and seedlings of one native tree appeared. There was some recruitment of seedlings from planted shrub species in the revegetated area. Only native species (numbers of species; seedling numbers) increased after the burn treatment; numbers of exotic species and seedlings were already high in the control and did not increase further after burning. Species composition was significantly affected by vegetation type, and by fire. The seed banks of the pasture and revegetated areas were very similar to each other, and both were most dissimilar to the remnant. The soil seed bank of the pasture had a heavy burden of exotic weeds, the majority forbs with the seeder fire response, and lacked the propagules of native species. The revegetated area was the same, as the revegetation method used planted only trees and some shrubs and did not address the problems of the weed seed abundance and propagule limitation of natives.
African American, low‐income mothers’ negative emotional reactivity, punishment, and children's externalizing and internalizing behavior
Authors: Scott Justin K. , Simons Cassandra , Harden Brenda Jones
Published: January 2023

Objective

In this study, we examined African American, low‐income mothers’ emotional reactivity and use of punishment in relation to determinants of parenting and children's behavior.

Background

More research is needed examining within‐group variation in parenting processes, including discipline, of African American parents. Parents’ negative emotion may have implications for children's behavior independent of punishment as a disciplinary strategy.

Method

Participants were 157 African American, low‐income mothers and their 4‐ to 7‐year‐old children. Mothers responded verbally to a questionnaire and were observed interacting in their natural home environment. Direct and indirect relations were examined from three determinants of parenting (i.e., depression, household disorganization, child difficulty) to negative emotional reactivity, punishment, sensitivity, and children's behavior.

Results

Depressive symptoms, household disorganization, and child difficulty were associated with children's externalizing and internalizing behavior indirectly through negative emotional reactivity. Household disorganization predicted externalizing behavior through verbal punishment. Physical punishment was not related to children's behavior above and beyond negative emotional reactivity.

Conclusion

This study supports the proposal that parents’ ability to regulate negative emotional reactivity in stressful contexts may have important implications for parenting and children's development above and beyond punishment.

Implications

Intervention and preventative parent education programs should consider adding components that help parents with emotion regulation during stressful parenting situations.
Explaining online conspiracy theory radicalization: A second‐order affordance for identity‐driven escalation
Authors: Abdalla Mikhaeil Christine , Baskerville Richard L.
Published: January 2023

From #Pizzagate to anti‐vaxxers, passing by 9/11 or Obama ‘birthers’, we have seen many communities growing on social media around conspiracy theories and thereby gaining public prominence. Debunking or presenting alternative views to conspiracy theories often fails because individuals within these communities can grow more resolute, encouraging and reinforcing their beliefs online. Instead of withering in the face of contradiction, such communities hunker down; escalating their commitment to their conspiratorial beliefs. By interacting over social media platforms, they develop a sense of a shared social identity, which in turn fosters escalating behaviours and can lead to radicalization. For some people, the choice of abandoning or moderating these beliefs is unthinkable because they are too deeply invested to quit. This study advances a second‐order affordance for identity‐driven escalation that explains the process of conspiracy theory radicalization within online communities. We offer a theoretical account of the way social media platforms contribute to escalating commitment to conspiracy radicalization. We show how the sequential and combined actualization of first‐order affordances of the technology enables a second‐order affordance for escalation.
Lattice evolution and microwave dielectric properties of La‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics
Authors: Zhou Moke , Chen Hetuo , He Yi , Zhou Guohong , Zhang Shuren , Tang Bin
Published: January 2023

In this study, Y3−xLaxAl5O12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.09) ceramics were synthesized, and the phase composition, lattice evolution, and microwave dielectric properties were investigated in detail. Scanning electron microscopy confirms that the addition of moderate amounts of La2O3 improves the grain development of YAG ceramics, but excessive doping destabilizes the crystal structure. Transmission electron microscopy characterization shows that the variation of the dielectric properties of the samples with x‐value is related to the occurrence of benign dislocation structures caused by modifications in the type and content of the A‐site rare‐earth ions. The variations in relative density, dielectric constant, and quality factor remain basically coordinated. The optimum microwave dielectric properties of La3+ doped YAG samples are exhibited as εr = 10.61, Q × f = 187, 542 GHz, τf = −31.2 ppm/°C when La2O3 is doped at x = 0.015.
Speaking up during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Nurses' experiences of organizational disregard and silence
Authors: Abrams Ruth , Conolly Anna , Rowland Emma , Harris Ruth , Kent Bridie , Kelly Daniel , Couper Keith , Maben Jill
Published: January 2023

Aim

To critically examine nurses' experiences of speaking up during COVID‐19 and the consequences of doing so.

Design

Longitudinal qualitative study.

Methods

Participants were purposively sampled to represent differing geographical locations, specialities, settings and redeployment experiences. They were interviewed (remotely) between July 2020 and April 2022 using a semi‐structured interview topic guide.

Results

Three key themes were identified inductively from our analysis including: (1) Under threat: The ability to speak up or not; (2) Risk tolerance and avoidance: Consequences of speaking up; and (3) Deafness and hostility: Responses to speaking up. Nurses reported that their attempts to speak up typically focused on PPE, patient safety and redeployment. Findings indicate that when NHS Trusts and community services initiated their pandemic response policies, nurses' opportunities to speak up were frequently thwarted.

Conclusion

Accounts presented in this article include nurses' feeling a sense of futility or of suffering in silence in relation to speaking up. Nurses also fear the consequences of speaking up. Those who did speak up encountered a ‘deaf’ or hostile response, leaving nurses feeling disregarded by their organization. This points to missed opportunities to learn from those on the front line.

Impact

Speaking up interventions need to focus on enhancing the skills to both speak up, and respond appropriately, particularly when power, hierarchy, fear and threat might be concerned.

Patient or Public Contribution

Nurses working clinically during COVID‐19 were involved in the development of this study. Participants were also involved in the development of our interview topic guide and comments obtained from the initial survey helped to shape the study design.