bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Typifying educational research in Singapore and Sweden: a comparative bibliometric approach based on topics 2000–2020
Authors: Nylander Erik , Tan Jason
Published: August 2022

Purpose

With the advancement of novel forms of text mining techniques, new possibilities have opened up to conduct large-scale content analysis of educational research from an international and comparative perspective. Since educational research tends to convey great variation based on country-specific circumstances it constitutes a good testbed for context-rich depictions of the knowledge formation within a given research field.

Design/methodology/approach

In this article, the authors compare the educational research that has been produced by scholars in Singapore and Sweden. The article begins by providing a rich overview of what has characterised the formation and institutionalization of educational research in public policy. After this background they map the knowledge formation of education by means of a comparative bibliometric approach using words from abstracts, titles and keywords published in 9017 peer-reviewed articles between 2000 and 2020. First, the authors describe the dominant topics in each country using topic modelling techniques. Secondly, the authors identify the most distinguishing discourses when comparing the two countries.

Findings

The findings illustrate two ideal-types for conducting educational research: Singapore being more centralised, practically-oriented, quantitative and uncritical, whereas Sweden is decentralised, pluralistic, qualitative and critical in orientation. After having mapped out the prevailing topics among researchers working in these locations, the authors connect these findings to larger debates on rivalling knowledge traditions in educational scholarship, the role of the state and the degree of autonomy within higher education.

Originality/value

Through large scale text mining techniques, researchers have begun to explore the semantic composition of various research fields such as higher education research, research on lifelong learning, or social science studies. However, the bibliometric method has also been criticised for creating “mega-national comparisons” that suffer from a lack of understanding of the national ramifications of various research pursuits. The authors’ study addresses these shortcomings and provides a rich depiction of educational research in Singapore and Sweden. It zooms in on the relationship between each country's institutional histories, research priorities and semantic output.
The effect of Islamic finance on trade in insurance services in selected countries in the Middle East region
Authors: Al-Fori Alya , Gani Azmat
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Islamic finance is becoming a core part of the financial services economy in the Middle East countries. There is a strong likelihood that Islamic finance is also driving the expansion of trade in insurance services. However, research on Islamic finance’s effect on trade in insurance services is scant. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating if Islamic finance has promoted trade in insurance services.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the gravity modelling framework and the panel data estimation procedure in understanding the effects of Islamic finance on trade in insurance.

Findings

The empirical results reveal a statistically significant positive correlation of Islamic finance with the exports and imports of insurance services. Economic sizes (domestic and trading partners), growth in trading partners, cost of doing business, legal rights and financial freedom are other statistically significant determinants.

Research limitations/implications

It makes a positive contribution to the Islamic financial services literature. Islamic finance is an integral part of the conventional banking and financial sector in the Middle East that actively fosters the expansion of insurance services that need support, given its essential role in services trade.

Originality/value

This study is unique as it directs attention to the role of Islamic finance in fostering trade in insurance services within an inclusive modelling framework that has been overlooked in the Islamic finance literature.
Causes, impacts and possible mitigation of non-attendance of appointments within the National Health Service: a literature review
Authors: Wilson Rebecca , Winnard Yvette
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Missed appointments within the National Health Service (NHS) are a drain on resources, associated with not only considerable time and cost implications, but also sub-optimal health outcomes. This literature review aims to explore non-attendance within the NHS in relation to causes, impacts and possible mitigation of negative effects of missed appointments.

Design/methodology/approach

MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus and PubMed were searched with a date range of 2016–2021. Databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published in English addressing non-attendance of adults within the NHS. Studies were excluded if they were theoretical papers, dissertations or research concerning patients aged under 18. A total of 21 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis.

Findings

The results indicate a significant association of non-attendance and poor health outcomes. Patients from a lower socioeconomic status, adults aged over 85 and those with multiple co-morbidities are more likely to miss appointments. The most commonly reported patient-centred reasons for failing to attend were forgetfulness, transportation difficulties, and family commitments. Practice-specific reasons were cited as inefficiencies of the appointment booking system, failure of traditional reminders and inconvenient timings. Interventions included text reminder services, the inclusion of costs within reminders and enhanced patient involvement with the booking process.

Originality/value

Non-attendance is complex, and to secure maximum attendance, targeted interventions are required by healthcare facilities to ensure patient needs are met. The adaption of scheduling systems and healthcare services can assist in reducing DNA rates.
Factors influencing the level of ethics and integrity in Malaysian public sector
Authors: Sajari Asmawati , Haron Hasnah , Ganesan Yuvaraj , Khalid Azam Abdelhakeem
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is to look into the factors that influence the level of ethics and integrity in Malaysian public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative approach by delivering 128 questionnaires to Federal Chief Integrity Officers (CIOs), of which 83 were received and usable. The data were analysed using multiple regression analysis and descriptive statistics.

Findings

The quality of CIO in terms of competency, work performance and ethical climate has significant impact on the level of ethics and integrity. According to the study, having certified CIOs who can effectively perform their function and promote and nurture a transparent ethical climate are critical for the Malaysian Federal government to maintain a high level of ethics. Employees who have a high level of ethics are more likely to stay with the organization.

Practical implications

In addition, this study will assist policymakers in taking the required actions to strengthen public sector integrity practices for the establishment of a more dependable and efficient government in Malaysia.

Originality/value

This study addresses a gap in the Malaysian public sector’s level of ethics and integrity.
The complexity of the tourism supply chain in the 21st century: a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Alkier Romina , Milojica Vedran , Roblek Vasja
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the evolution of the tourism supply chain (TSC) and its future development factors. To this end, a quantitative bibliometric analysis was conducted to provide insights from a statistical perspective, including the evolution of the TSC and an outlook on current characteristics and future research trends.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a quantitative bibliometric study of selected papers on the Web of Science. The study of the evolution of the TSC is based on analyses of bibliographic coupling and co-occurrence of keywords.

Findings

Bibliographic coupling analysis identified 10 clusters defined by coherent groups of theoretical perspectives. The keyword analysis explains the occurrences in the TSC concept. It also helps to determine the future main drivers of TSC research. In the post-COVID-19 era, the tourism industry needs to focus on green transformation and new technologies to transform TSC, supply chain management and B2B relationships. It also needs to ensure employee retention and policies to attract new talent.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive, objective and integrative overview of the evolution of TSC. It is one of the few original works on supply chain development and will be helpful for scholars and practitioners alike to understand the subject.
A parametric neutrosophic model for the solid transportation problem
Authors: Qiuping Ni , Yuanxiang Tang , Broumi Said , Uluçay Vakkas
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This research attempts to present a solid transportation problem (STP) mechanism in uncertain and indeterminate contexts, allowing decision makers to select their acceptance, indeterminacy and untruth levels.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to the lack of reliable information, changeable economic circumstances, uncontrolled factors and especially variable conditions of available resources to adapt to the real situations, the authors are faced with a kind of uncertainty and indeterminacy in constraints and the nature of the parameters of STP. Therefore, an approach based on neutrosophic logic is offered to make it more applicable to real-world circumstances. In this study, the triangular neutrosophic numbers (TNNs) have been utilized to represent demand, transportation capacity, accessibility and cost. Then, the neutrosophic STP was converted into an interval programming problem with the help of the variation degree concept. Then, two simple linear programming models were extracted to obtain the lower and upper bounds of the optimal solution.

Findings

The results reveal that the new model is not complicated but more flexible and more relevant to real-world issues. In addition, it is evident that the suggested algorithm is effective and allows decision makers to specify their acceptance, indeterminacy and falsehood thresholds.

Originality/value

Under the transportation literature, there are several solutions for TP and STP in crisp, fuzzy set (FS) and intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) conditions. However, the STP has never been explored in connection with neutrosophic sets to the best of the authors’ knowledge. So, this work tries to fill this gap by coming up with a new way to solve this model using NSs.
The informational role of macroeconomic exposure in corporate investment efficiency
Authors: Chou Shih-Chu
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study explores whether exposure to macroeconomic information provides bellwether firms with information advantages at the macroeconomic level and facilitates managers to utilize such informational advantage for investment decision-making. The author tests whether firms' macroeconomic exposure is associated with sensitivity of their segment-level investments to growth opportunities and how internal and external frictions affect this association cross-sectionally.

Design/methodology/approach

This study follows prior research to identify high-macroinformation firms and measures the level of macroexposure based on how closely the firms' underlying business varies with macroeconomic conditions. The main specification is a segment-level regression of investment on growth opportunities and an interaction between growth opportunities and the level of macroeconomic exposure.

Findings

The results indicate a significantly positive association between firms' macroeconomic exposure and sensitivity of segment-level investments to growth opportunities, suggesting that bellwether firms can leverage their greater exposure to macroeconomic and external information to improve the quality of their investment decisions. Further evidence shows that this positive association is decreasing in firms' corporate diversification level and is also decreasing in their foreign operation level, implying that internal and external frictions could limit the information benefits ultimately gained by firms from their macroeconomic exposure.

Originality/value

Accounting researchers have recently documented evidence that bellwether firms' management earnings forecasts convey timely information about macroeconomic states, suggesting that managers of certain types of firms are likely to have private macroeconomic information. The main research question in this paper is motivated by incorporating insights derived from recent accounting research findings to shed further light on the impact of firms' macroexposure on their investment decision process.
Loneliness and community mental health
Authors: Bradley Melvin
Published: August 2022

Purpose

In this paper I will discuss loneliness in the community.

Design/methodology/approach

Finding a non-medical way to support people who feel lonely is really important. Many will never have considered joining groups of identity like the offer briefly discussed.

Findings

In future community mental health features, the author will consider topics such as community mental health advocacy, debt, benefits and finance, housing and self-help.

Originality/value

In this column, the author briefly considers the concepts of loneliness, social isolation and solitude; review some research; and offer ideas about how help may be given in community settings.
Behavioral strategy in the wild
Authors: Borchardt Wayne , Kamzabek Takhaui , Lovallo Dan
Published: August 2022

Purpose

A decade after Powell et al.’s (2011) seminal article on behavioral strategy, which called for models to solve real-world problems, the authors revisit the field to ask whether behavioral strategy is coming of age. The purpose of this paper is to explain how behavioral strategy can and has been used in real-world settings.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a conceptual review with case study examples of the impact of behavioral strategy on real-world problems.

Findings

This study illustrates several examples where behavioral strategy debiasing has been effective. Although no causal claims can be made, with the stark contrast between the negative impact of biased strategies and the positive results emerging from debiasing techniques, this study argues that there is evidence of the benefits of a behavioral strategy mindset, and that this should be the mindset of a responsible strategic leader.

Practical implications

This study presents a demonstration of analytical, debate and organizational debiasing techniques and how they are being used in real-world settings, specifically military intelligence, Mergers and acquisitions deal-making, resource allocation and capital projects.

Social implications

Behavioral strategy has broad application in private and public sectors. It has proven practical value in various settings, for example, the application of reference class forecasting in large infrastructure projects.

Originality/value

A conceptual review of behavioral strategy in the wild.
Implementation of BIM-based model checking technology for managing maintenance planning in green building ecosystem
Authors: Ismail Zul-Atfi
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The green building (GB) maintenance industry has been under increasing pressure by designers to demonstrate its evaluation and information management of building information modelling based model checking (BMC) to the competency's performance and design knowledge of building control instrument. This main problem has been termed as maintenance planning level. Although maintenance planning has been explored in GB maintenance environments, less is known about what maintenance planning problems currently exist and what their causes are, such as the recent fire in the Grenfell Tower (14 June 2017, about 80 fatalities) in North Kensington, West London. The aim of this paper is to identify how GB maintenance environments could integrate BMC within their processes. The purpose of this study is to assess the BMC technology management of GB maintenance ecosystem and that of a soft skills level to establish the impact of innovation policy features on database and safety risk function mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this aim, a comprehensive literature review of the existing conceptualisation of BMC practices is reviewed and the main features of Information and Communication Technology tools and techniques currently being employed on such GB maintenance ecosystem is carried out to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the previous studies. The conceptual framework explores the importance of integration of BMC in the construction phase to identify alternative methods in the automation system (AS) process to co-generate, monitor and optimise BMC.

Findings

The results confirm that BMC tool positively influences database application and risk mechanism of construction project safety while agreeableness negatively does. Besides, database application has a negative influence on innovation policy of company towards BMC implementation. Propositions derived not only shed light on guidance for future research on the soft skills of construction organisations, but also provide decision-making support through a better understanding of the factors affecting soft skills level amongst biggest construction companies.

Originality/value

Thus far, this study advances the knowledge about how GB maintenance environments can ensure BMC delivery. This paper highlights the need for further research to integrate BMC in GB maintenance environments validates the framework across the construction phase with different GB project managers and engineers.
Relationship between employees’ attributions of corporate social responsibility, organisational justice and turnover intention: evidence from a post-Soviet country
Authors: Valyte-Zeimiene Dovile , Buksnyte-Marmiene Loreta
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) does not always create added value. Depending on the employee attributions to a socially responsible organisation, it can lead even to negative behaviour. One of the dangers discussed in this article is the employees’ turnover intentions. To analyse the relationship in-depth, it is important to identify phenomena that could be significant to the strength of the relationship between the employees’ attributions to socially responsible organisations and the turnover intention. Organisational justice can be considered as such a phenomenon. This article is aimed at analysing the relationship between employees’ attributions to socially responsible organisations, organisational justice and turnover intention in a post-Soviet country context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved 83 employees from different socially responsible organisations operating under the United Nations Global Compact and belonging to LAVA (Lithuanian Responsible Business Association). Regression analysis was used to analyse the data.

Findings

Employees whose attributions to a socially responsible organisation are other-oriented are less likely to have turnover intention and perceive the organisation as fair. The organisational justice perceived by employees does not affect the relationship between the other-oriented attributions and turnover intention.

Originality/value

In Lithuania, CSR is a very new concept and it still lacks evidence-based answers to the issue of sustainable employee–organisation interaction. Although many scholars in Western countries have studied CSR at the macro and micro levels of an organisation, there is still a lack of evidence-based research in post-Soviet countries to assess the impact of organisational social responsibility practices on employees’ behaviour. In addition, researchers have so far done more research into the positive relationship between CSR and employees’ behaviour, and there is a lack of research to answer whether employees’ attributions to socially responsible organisations can have a negative impact on employees’ behaviour, e.g. stimulating their turnover intention.
Accessible Tourism – understanding blind and vision-impaired tourists’ behaviour towards inclusion
Authors: Qiao Guanghui , Cao Yating , Zhang Junmiao
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The physiological and psychological issues that limit people with vision impairment make it difficult for them to participate in tourism activities and enjoy the various benefits of tourism. This study aims to construct a theoretical model of the tourism-influencing factors that can lead to problems for people with vision impairment to meet their travel desires and improve their enjoyment of life.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a mixed-methods approach. A theoretical model of the tourism-influencing factors for people with vision impairment was constructed based on grounded theoretical analysis of interviews and was then tested in a quantitative survey.

Findings

In the first stage, a new theoretical model of the tourism-influencing factors for people with vision impairment was conducted. In the second stage, five research hypotheses arising from the theoretical model were tested in a quantitative survey. The results show that internal psychological perception, perceived behavioural control and perceived social intention have a significant positive impact on the tourism intention behaviour of people with vision impairment. However, subjective norms do not significantly influence the tourism behaviour intention of people with vision impairment.

Originality/value

The right to tourism should be available to disabled as well as to able-bodied people. Few tourism research studies have focused on people with vision impairment, and the influencing factors on the behaviour of people with vision impairment have not received due attention. This study extends the theoretical model of the theory of planned behaviour and provides a new perspective for understanding the travel behaviour intention of people with vision impairment.
Holiday travel intention in a crisis scenario: a comparative analysis of Spain's main source markets
Authors: Villacé-Molinero Teresa , Fernández-Muñoz Juan José , Muñoz-Mazón Ana Isabel , Flecha-Barrio M. Dolores , Fuentes-Moraleda Laura
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study proposes an extension of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model to understand international travellers' intentions to visit Spain. This study aims to compare whether the predictive variables of the intention to travel differ depending on nationality. The extension includes: perceived risk, loyalty to the destination, past travel experience, public opinion climate and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM).

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple-indicator, multiple-cause (MIMIC) model was developed as a structural equational model to predict the 1,978 participants' intention to travel. The structural model was used to determine the theoretical model for the total sample and by nationality (Germans, Britons and those from other European countries).

Findings

The extended models fitted the data well, explaining 64%–68% of the total variance, while differences depending on tourist nationality were also found. The MIMIC model indicated that German people's intention to travel to a holiday destination was influenced by their perception of risk, eWOM and loyalty to the country. In the British group, only the TPB variables were relevant. For those of other European nationalities, loyalty and eWOM were also significant. Travel experience, used as a variable in previous studies, was shown not to be significant. Overall, these results offer insights into how people from diverse countries and cultures embrace the aforementioned constructs when making travel decisions.

Practical implications

This study also has practical implications for policymakers in holiday tourism destinations, such as Spain. In particular, this study provides a better understanding of Britons' and Germans' travel intentions and could be beneficial for guiding policies for the recovery of the tourism industry in major tourism destinations.

Originality/value

Previous studies have applied various extended TPBs to one specific country or made comparisons between Asian countries. This study’s proposal makes a comparison of the variables used to predict the intention to visit a holiday destination among the European countries.
The role and therapeutic applications of exosomes in multiple sclerosis disease
Authors: Komlakh Khalil , Aghamiri Seyed Hossein , Farshadmoghadam Hossein
Published: August 2022

A range of the central nervous system (CNS) and immune cells are affected by multiple sclerosis (MS), a complex autoimmune disease of the CNS. Chronic neuroinflammation, demyelination, and neuronal death are all features of MS, but the disease's molecular mechanisms are unknown. Exosomes are small, membrane‐bound extracellular vesicles with a crucial role in cell communication. They are stable in biological fluids and emerge from the cell membrane during endocytic internalization. It might be possible to recognize better the mechanisms involved in the development and progress of illnesses by understanding the variety of exosomal contents and their associated targets, like neurologic disorders. In this review, we sought to bring together important data on the biology of exosomes in MS and highlight discoveries on these nanoparticles' prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic potential.
Resource allocation strategies in the reproductive organs of Fagaceae species
Authors: Wang Yufei , Han Qingmin , Kitajima Kaoru , Kurokawa Hiroko , Shimada Takuya , Yamaryo Tamaho , Kabeya Daisuke , Kawasaki Tatsuro , Satake Akiko
Published: August 2022

Allocation strategies of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are key to the reproductive processes of plants. Nutrient allocation to seeds depends on defensive traits of seeds and fruit because greater nutritional contents attract more seed predators. To compare resource allocation strategies for reproductive and defensive traits across species, we calculated the cost of resource investment in reproductive organs for nine species from four genera and defensive traits for seven species from two genera of Fagaceae. The results showed that no single element is the common resource currency across species, but that the reproductive strategy of each species is regulated by C, N, or P. Reproduction in Fagus crenata was limited by N but not by C, whereas in Quercus serrata it was co‐limited by C and N. Among the seven Fagaceae species, there was a negative correlation between the thickness of the pericarp and the concentration of the total phenolics in the seed and pericarp, suggesting alternative strategies for developing defensive traits in ripening seeds with limited C‐based resources. Overall, our results highlighted the diversity of resource allocation strategies to reproduction and defensive traits of Fagaceae species. To better understand the masting phenomenon at the population or community levels, comprehensive consideration of the diversity of resource allocation strategies among species is worth exploring in the future.
Bacterial community dynamics explain carbon mineralization and assimilation in soils of different land‐use history
Authors: Barnett Samuel E. , Youngblut Nicholas D. , Buckley Daniel H.
Published: August 2022

Soil dwelling microorganisms are key players in the terrestrial carbon cycle, driving both the degradation and stabilization of soil organic matter. Bacterial community structure and function vary with respect to land use; yet the ecological drivers of this variation remain poorly described and difficult to predict. We conducted a multi‐substrate DNA‐stable isotope probing experiment across cropland, old‐field, and forest habitats to link carbon mineralization dynamics with the dynamics of bacterial growth and carbon assimilation. We tracked the movement of 13C derived from five distinct carbon sources as it was assimilated into bacterial DNA over time. We show that carbon mineralization, community composition, and carbon assimilation dynamics all differed with respect to land use. We also show that microbial community dynamics affect carbon assimilation dynamics and are associated with soil DNA content. Soil DNA yield is easy to measure and may be useful in predicting microbial community dynamics linked to soil carbon cycling. Soil dwelling microorganisms are key players in the terrestrial carbon cycle, driving both the degradation and stabilization of soil organic matter. Microbial communities vary with respect to land use, but we still have an incomplete understanding of how variation in community structure links to variation in community function. DNA stable isotope probing (DNA‐SIP) is a high‐resolution method that can identify specific microbial taxa that assimilate carbon in situ. We conducted a large‐scale multi‐substrate DNA‐SIP experiment to explore differences in bacterial activity across land‐use regimes. We show that microbial community dynamics vary with land use, that these dynamics are linked to soil carbon cycling, and that they are associated with easily measured soil properties.
Genetic diversity of honeybee colonies predicts gut bacterial diversity of individual colony members
Authors: Bridson Calum , Vellaniparambil Latha , Antwis Rachel E. , Müller Werner , Gilman R. Tucker , Rowntree Jennifer K.
Published: August 2022

The gut microbiota of social bees is relatively simple and dominated by a set of core taxa found consistently in individuals around the world. Yet, variation remains and can affect host health. We characterized individual‐ and regional‐scale variation in honeybee (Apis mellifera) gut microbiota from 64 colonies in North‐West England by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and asked whether microbiota were influenced by host genotype and landscape composition. We also characterized the genotypes of individual bees and the land cover surrounding each colony. The literature‐defined core taxa dominated across the region despite the varied environments. However, there was variation in the relative abundance of core taxa, and colony membership explained much of this variation. Individuals from more genetically diverse colonies had more diverse microbiotas, but individual genetic diversity did not influence gut microbial diversity. There were weak trends for colonies in more similar landscapes to have more similar microbiota, and for bees from more urban landscapes to have less diverse microbiota. To our knowledge, this is the first report for any species that the gut bacterial communities of individuals are influenced by the genotypes of others in the population.
Saliva for molecular detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 in pre‐school and school‐age children
Authors: Delaunay‐Moisan Agnes , Guilleminot Tiffany , Semeraro Michaela , Briand Nelly , Bader‐Meunier Brigitte , Berthaud Romain , Morelle Guillaume , Quartier Pierre , Galeotti Caroline , Basmaci Romain , Benoist Gregoire , Gajdos Vincent , Lorrot Mathie , Rifai Mahmoud , Crespin Matis , M'Sakni Zakary , Padavia Faheemah , Savetier‐Leroy Catherine , Lorenzi Michelle , Maurin Caroline , Behillil Sylvie , de Pontual Loic , Elenga Narcisse , Bouazza Naim , Moltrecht Brigitte , van der Werf Sylvie , Leruez‐Ville Marianne , Sermet‐Gaudelus Isabelle
Published: August 2022

SARS‐CoV‐2 diagnosis is a cornerstone for the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Numerous studies have assessed saliva performance over nasopharyngeal sampling (NPS), but data in young children are still rare. We explored saliva performance for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection by RT‐PCR according to the time interval from initial symptoms or patient serological status. We collected 509 NPS and saliva paired samples at initial diagnosis from 166 children under 12 years of age (including 57 children under 6), 106 between 12 and 17, and 237 adults. In children under 12, overall detection rate for SARS‐CoV‐2 was comparable in saliva and NPS, with an overall agreement of 89.8%. Saliva sensitivity was significantly lower than that of NPS (77.1% compared to 95.8%) in pre‐school and school‐age children but regained 96% when considering seronegative children only. This pattern was also observed to a lesser degree in adolescents but not in adults. Sensitivity of saliva was independent of symptoms, in contrary to NPS, whose sensitivity decreased significantly in asymptomatic subjects. Performance of saliva is excellent in children under 12 at early stages of infection. This reinforces saliva as a collection method for early and unbiased SARS‐CoV‐2 detection and a less invasive alternative for young children.
High prevalence and genetic diversity of a single ancestral origin azole‐resistant Aspergillus fumigatus in indoor environments at Walailak University, Southern Thailand
Authors: Daloh Monlaya , Wisessombat Sueptrakool , Pinchai Nadthanan , Santajit Sirijan , Bhoopong Phuangthip , Soaart Areeya , Chueajeen Kuntida , Jitlang Anucha , Sama‐ae Imran
Published: August 2022

This study explored the prevalence, genetic diversity, and population structure of azole‐resistant Aspergillus fumigatus (ARAf) at Walailak University in Southern Thailand. Three hundred samples were collected from dwellings and workplaces, screened for azole resistance, and tested for drug susceptibility. Molecular detection of alterations in the cyp51A gene and CSP1 typing was performed. Nucleotide polymorphism and haplotype diversity were calculated, and selective neutrality tests were performed. In total, 62 A. fumigatus isolates were identified, with 17 isolates displaying resistance to medical azoles. The prevalence of ARAf in the A. fumigatus isolates was 27.4%. Almost all azole‐resistant isolates harboured an amino acid substitution in the hotspot region of the cyp51A gene, especially at or nearby the G54 residue that has been reported as a cause of azole resistance arising from long‐term azole treatment. Moreover, some of the ARAf isolates harboured tandem repeats in the promoter region, which have been reported as a cause of resistance arising from the use of azole fungicides in crop protection. Finally, selective neutrality testing also suggested an impact of natural selection on DNA diversity. Therefore, we hypothesize that the factors causing the high prevalence of ARAf in this area are both in vivo‐ and ex vivo‐acquired resistance.
MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry rapid pathogen identification and outcomes of patients with bloodstream infection: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yo Chia‐Hung , Shen Yi‐Hsuan , Hsu Wan‐Ting , Mekary Rania A. , Chen Zi Rong , Lee Wan‐Ting J. , Chen Shyr‐Chyr , Lee Chien‐Chang
Published: August 2022

There was inconsistent evidence regarding the use of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) for microorganism identification with/without antibiotic stewardship team (AST) and the clinical outcome of patients with bloodstream infections (BSI). In a systematic review and meta‐analysis, we evaluated the effectiveness of rapid microbial identification by MALDI‐TOF MS with and without AST on clinical outcomes. We searched PubMed and EMBASE databases from inception to 1 February 2022 to identify pre–post and parallel comparative studies that evaluated the use of MALDI‐TOF MS for microorganism identification. Pooled effect estimates were derived using the random‐effects model. Twenty‐one studies with 14,515 patients were meta‐analysed. Compared with conventional phenotypic methods, MALDI‐TOF MS was associated with a 23% reduction in mortality (RR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.66; 0.90; I2 = 35.9%; 13 studies); 5.07‐h reduction in time to effective antibiotic therapy (95% CI: −5.83; −4.31; I2 = 95.7%); 22.86‐h reduction in time to identify microorganisms (95% CI: −23.99; −21.74; I2 = 91.6%); 0.73‐day reduction in hospital stay (95% CI: −1.30; −0.16; I2 = 53.1%); and US$4140 saving in direct hospitalization cost (95% CI: $‐8166.75; $‐113.60; I2 = 66.1%). No significant heterogeneity sources were found, and no statistical evidence for publication bias was found. Rapid pathogen identification by MALDI‐TOF MS with or without AST was associated with reduced mortality and improved outcomes of BSI, and may be cost‐effective among patients with BSI.
Enhancing electrical outputs of the fuel cells with Geobacter sulferreducens by overexpressing nanowire proteins
Authors: Wang Zhigao , Hu Yidan , Dong Yiran , Shi Liang , Jiang Yongguang
Published: August 2022

Protein nanowires are critical electroactive components for electron transfer of Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilm. To determine the applicability of the nanowire proteins in improving bioelectricity production, their genes including pilA, omcZ, omcS and omcT were overexpressed in G. sulfurreducens. The voltage outputs of the constructed strains were higher than that of the control strain with the empty vector (0.470–0.578 vs. 0.355 V) in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). As a result, the power density of the constructed strains (i.e. 1.39–1.58 W m−2) also increased by 2.62‐ to 2.97‐fold as compared to that of the control strain. Overexpression of nanowire proteins also improved biofilm formation on electrodes with increased protein amount and thickness of biofilms. The normalized power outputs of the constructed strains were 0.18–0.20 W g−1 that increased by 74% to 93% from that of the control strain. Bioelectrochemical analyses further revealed that the biofilms and MFCs with the constructed strains had stronger electroactivity and smaller internal resistance, respectively. Collectively, these results demonstrate for the first time that overexpression of nanowire proteins increases the biomass and electroactivity of anode‐attached microbial biofilms. Moreover, this study provides a new way for enhancing the electrical outputs of MFCs.
Population structure and genomic footprints of selection in five major Iranian horse breeds
Authors: Salek Ardestani Siavash , Zandi Mohammad Bagher , Vahedi Seyed Milad , Janssens Steven
Published: August 2022

The genetic structure and characteristics of Iranian native breeds are yet to be comprehensibly investigated and studied. Therefore, we employed genomic information of 364 Iranian native horses representing the Asil (n = 109), Caspian (n = 40), Dareshuri (n = 44), Kurdish (n = 95), and Turkoman (n = 76) breeds to reveal the genetic structure and characteristics. For these and 19 other horse breeds, principal component analysis, Bayesian model‐based, Neighbor‐Net, and bootstrap‐based TreeMix approaches were applied to investigate and compare their genetic structure. Additionally, three haplotype‐based methods including haplotype homozygosity pooled, integrated haplotype score, and number of segregating sites by length were applied to trace genomic footprints of selection of Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman groups. Then, the Mahalanobis distance based on the negative‐log10 rank‐based P‐values was estimated based on the haplotype homozygosity pooled, integrated haplotype score, and number of segregating sites by length values. Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman can be categorized into five different genetic clusters. Based on the top 1% of Mahalanobis distance based on the negative‐log10 rank‐based P‐values of SNPs, we identified 24 SNPs formerly reported to be associated with different traits and >100 genes undergoing selection pressures in Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman. The detected QTL undergoing selection pressures were associated with withers height, equine metabolic syndrome, overall body size, insect bite hypersensitivity, guttural pouch tympany, white markings, Rhodococcus equi infection, jumping test score, alternate gaits, and body weight traits. Our findings will aid to have a better perspective of the genetic characteristics and population structure of Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman horses as Iranian native horse breeds.
The impact of no‐till on agricultural land values in the United States Midwest
Authors: Chen Le , Rejesus Roderick M. , Aglasan Serkan , Hagen Stephen , Salas William
Published: August 2022

This study investigates the impact of no‐till practice on agricultural land values in the United States (US) Midwest. Two county‐level panel data sets—the agricultural census farmland value data and the Iowa Farmland Values Survey data—are separately merged with a novel satellite‐based data set on no‐till adoption rates to achieve the study objective. Based on linear fixed effect econometric models, recently developed “external‐instrument‐free” estimation procedures, and a number of robustness checks, we find that increasing no‐till adoption rates has a statistically significant positive effect on agricultural land values at the county level. Results from the empirical analysis support the notion that economic and environmental benefits from adopting soil conservation practices, such as no‐till, are likely capitalized into higher farmland values.
Road to Ruin: The Howard Government, the Concept of Aboriginal Welfare Dependency and the Fall of the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) Scheme
Authors: Gordon Zoe
Published: August 2022

As the last vestiges of the remarkable, Indigenous‐controlled, Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) scheme were removed, Australia entered a post‐CDEP era in 2013. In its place, in remote areas only, the rigid and externally imposed Community Development Programme (CDP) has been installed. The CDEP scheme had been a successful work‐creation strategy that produced positive social, economic, and political outcomes for First Nations citizens across Australia. In contrast, the CDP has operated like Work‐for‐the‐Dole on steroids and its introduction has seen high numbers of unemployed Indigenous participants exit the welfare system altogether. In this article, I look at how we got here. Guided by postcolonial theory and implementing the toolkit provided by Carol Bacchi's “What's the Problem Represented to be?” approach, I pay close attention to the way in which Indigenous policy has been represented over the past 25 years. In particular, I examine the construction of the problem of “Aboriginal welfare dependency” by the Liberal/National Coalition Government led by Prime Minister John Howard between 1996 and 2007. This interconnected problem representation, I argue, has been instrumental in changing the way Indigenous affairs is thought about, with concrete implications for policy today.
A Practical Guide to Counterfactual Estimators for Causal Inference with Time‐Series Cross‐Sectional Data
Authors: Liu Licheng , Wang Ye , Xu Yiqing
Published: August 2022

This paper introduces a simple framework of counterfactual estimation for causal inference with time‐series cross‐sectional data, in which we estimate the average treatment effect on the treated by directly imputing counterfactual outcomes for treated observations. We discuss several novel estimators under this framework, including the fixed effects counterfactual estimator, interactive fixed effects counterfactual estimator and matrix completion estimator. They provide more reliable causal estimates than conventional two‐way fixed effects models when treatment effects are heterogeneous or unobserved time‐varying confounders exist. Moreover, we propose a new dynamic treatment effects plot, along with several diagnostic tests, to help researchers gauge the validity of the identifying assumptions. We illustrate these methods with two political economy examples and develop an open‐source package, fect, in both R and Stata to facilitate implementation.
Applying systems leadership and participatory action research in developing a water contamination management tool
Authors: Grey Paul , Bettiol Silvana , Quinn Wendy
Published: August 2022

Objective

This research used systems leadership to explore stakeholder engagement regarding requirements, incentives and barriers to adopting a faecal source tracking method to identify contamination sources in surface waters.

Setting

The research comprised two branches, one quantitative, conducted in a food and water laboratory; the other qualitative, conducted within stakeholder organisations and meeting premises.

Participants

Ten stakeholder representatives participated in semi‐structured interviews and ten in a focus group. Seven individuals participated in both activities while three who were interviewed were replaced by alternate representatives for the focus group.

Design

A multimethod participatory action research project was completed, with a quantitative trial of a microbial source tracking method conducted concurrently with two iterations of qualitative research into the needs of the stakeholder system through semi‐structured interviews and a focus group.

Results

Thematic analysis of stakeholder interviews yielded key incentive and barrier themes, while the laboratory trial created a comparison library and tested the efficacy of the laboratory method. The focus group further explored key themes and identified requirements for collaborative effort across the system, and the need to address misinterpretation of statistical associations.

Conclusion

Systems leadership was effective in exploring stakeholder interest in the proposed faecal source tracking method. Two iterations of qualitative research helped to identify the needs of individual stakeholders, and then develop collective strategies for addressing the critical incentives and barriers.
Nocebo language in anaesthetic patient written information
Authors: Guscoth L. B. , Cyna A. M.
Published: August 2022

Recent evidence suggests that how anaesthesia information is presented may influence patient treatment outcomes. We conducted an observational study of anaesthetic‐based patient information leaflets across NHS Trusts in England for their nocebo terms vs. therapeutic terms, and how adverse effects were presented. In this study, ‘nocebo’ is wording that may predispose the patient to expect adverse events such as pain or nausea. Data were extracted and analysed for word frequency, weighted proportion and thematic analysis. In total, 42 patient information leaflets from 61 NHS Trusts were analysed. ‘Pain’ was the second most common word across the leaflets, median (IQR [range]) 0.82 (0.50–1.0 [0.12–1.47]) per 100 words, second only to ‘anaesthesia’. In comparison, ‘safe’ was the most common positively valanced word which featured eight times less frequently than ‘pain’ 0.10 (0.07–0.18 [0.0–0.84]) and ‘comfort’ featured 16.5 times less than ‘pain’ 0.02 (0.0–0.05 [0.0–0.13]). Multiple examples of phrasing that could have potential nocebo effects included, ‘you will need strong painkillers’ suggesting ‘strong pain’ and the need for ‘painkillers’ rather than using therapeutic terms focusing on ‘comfort’, ‘healing’ and ‘recovery’. Our results suggest a dominance of phrases with negative content in the presentation of anaesthesia information provided to patients. Clinicians need to be aware of inadvertent generation of nocebo‐weighted vs. comfort‐weighted communication with patients. Our study findings suggest an opportunity for more emphasis to be placed on therapeutic outcomes and effective mitigation strategies of anaesthesia risks to avoid potential unintended nocebo effects of anaesthesia information leaflets or websites.