bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating SDGs in EFL curriculum: challenges and perspectives
Authors: Mack Lindsay , Downs Christian
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to enrich an understanding of the value of integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into an English curriculum and its implications at an international HEI in Japan.

Design/methodology/approach

Through an interpretivist framework, a mixed-method approach was employed, which involved conducting surveys for both teachers and students as well as document analysis. Data were gathered from an intermediate EFL course introducing an SDG topic about the impact of dietary choices. The study surveyed 20 EFL teachers, nine teachers of the specific SDG topic-infused course and 179 intermediate English students to gauge their views on the value of ESD curriculum integration in EFL classes. Qualitative open responses and documents were analyzed to determine the teachers’ and students’ opinions about the SDG curriculum in an English class.

Findings

Data analysis revealed a generational gap: students valued the SDG-focused curriculum more than EFL teachers. This does not imply that EFL teachers did not value it, as both groups found SDGs motivating and consistent with the university’s mission. However, students viewed SDGs as interesting, interdisciplinary and relevant to their future, while teachers expressed concerns about the suitability and difficulty of the SDG topic. Document analysis showed the material to be difficult for students at the Intermediate level.

Originality/value

While environmental studies are well-researched in Japan, literature still reveals gaps. This paper fills these gaps by presenting the integration of SDGs into a Japanese HEI curriculum and analyzing EFL teachers’ and Japanese students’ perspectives on SDG-focused curricula.
Equal access denied: analyzing gender discrimination in rental housing
Authors: Pietrzak Artur , Richter Thomas Julian , Seiberlich Ruben
Published: December 2024

Purpose

In this article, we analyze the tenant selection of landlords in the Swiss property rental market, with a particular focus on gender differences. We concentrate on the rental markets in Geneva and Zurich. This topic has gained significance in recent years, as the scarcity of housing supply in these markets leaves room for discriminatory practices.

Design/methodology/approach

We collect data through a correspondence testing approach. We focus on two market segments rental apartments and shared flats. Based on this data, we analyze differences in landlord responses between females and males using logistic regression models.

Findings

Our analysis reveals evidence for gender differences in the Swiss rental market, however, these gender differences cancel each other out at the aggregated level as we find evidence of discrimination against both men and women, depending on segment and location. Consistent with theories that suggest that women are perceived as less financially strong, they seem to be at a disadvantage for rental apartments. However, they are more popular tenants in shared flats.

Originality/value

While gender discrimination has been studied extensively in many fields of economics, including labor economics and real estate markets, our study contributes to the real estate literature by covering the market segments of shared flats together with rental apartments, uncovering differences across market segments, and studying a rental housing market with particularly scarce supply.
Organizational justice, turnover intentions and resilience in family and non-family businesses in the Portuguese hotel industry
Authors: Pimentel Duarte , Almeida Pedro , Morais Yuki
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper examines the interplay between organizational justice, turnover intentions and resilience among employees in family and non-family businesses in the Portuguese hotel industry. Specifically, it seeks to (1) compare employees’ perceptions of these constructs across family and non-family businesses, (2) investigate the link between organizational justice and turnover intentions in family businesses and (3) determine whether resilience mediates this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in the socioemotional wealth paradigm, this paper adopts a cross-sectional design using a sample of 205 employees from small and medium-sized hotels in Portugal. Data were collected using an online questionnaire incorporating validated measures of organizational justice, turnover intentions and resilience. Statistical analyses, including t-tests, regression models and mediation analysis, were performed to test the study's hypotheses.

Findings

The results reveal that employees in family firms exhibit significantly lower turnover intentions and higher resilience levels compared to their counterparts in non-family firms. Organizational justice perceptions negatively correlate with turnover intentions in family firms, with resilience acting as a partial mediator in this relationship. However, organizational justice perceptions do not significantly differ between family and non-family firms.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the limited body of literature on family businesses in the hospitality sector by elucidating the mediating role of resilience in the justice-turnover dynamic. It challenges assumptions of inherent fairness advantages in family businesses and highlights the importance of fostering justice and resilience to improve employee retention in the hospitality sector.
Reflections on public sector accrual accounting and reporting: a post-operative transplant view
Authors: Christensen Mark , Cohen Sandra , Ellwood Sheila , Newberry Susan , Potter Bradley
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to identify thematic issues in public sector accrual accounting and financial reporting that learn from the past and provide lessons for the future by reflecting on the warnings in Olson et al.’s seminal 1998 book Global Warning.

Design/methodology/approach

Methodologically, this paper takes insights developed by an experienced pool of public sector accounting scholars and refines them via frames of thinking such as accountability, democracy, decision-making and governance. The discussion follows a medical analogy of an organ transplant in which the public sector was diagnosed as an ailing patient and a for-profit accounting system (business accrual accounting and reporting) has been transplanted to it as a cure. We discuss the relation of accrual accounting as a tool of neoliberal policies in the health sector (diagnosis ailment and organ transplant), technical issues regarding accrual accounting and those implementing it (technology of the transplanted organ) and the effects of that accounting on the public sector (the progress of the patient after the transplant).

Findings

From the topics and examples addressed, we conclude that the transplantation of business accounting and reporting to the public sector carries wider implications for large-scale accounting change and requires vigilance. Transplanting to new fields of accounting technology that is itself undergoing constant change may be more problematic and challenging than previously recognized.

Originality/value

Critical challenge and assessment of whether Global Warning’s concerns are still valid today and whether the public sector faces new “warnings” regarding its accounting and reporting.
Transformational leadership addressing team performance: situational challenges in corporate settings
Authors: Pigola Angélica , de Moraes Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes , do Prado Nágela Bianca , Lucas Angela Christina , Sigahi Tiago Fonseca Albuquerque Cavalcanti , Anholon Rosley
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study examines situational challenges encountered by transformational leaders that hinder team performance in Brazilian companies, providing insights into the factors affecting optimal team functioning.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 27 decision-makers assessed transformational leadership challenges in various team management scenarios outlined in the literature. The study employed a grey approach as a multi-criteria decision-making model to evaluate the readiness and identification of transformational leadership strategies. The study focused on five challenging situations as decision criteria, leading to a comparative ranking.

Findings

Preparation emerged as the most critical criterion for addressing transformational leadership challenges in team environments. Unequal workload distribution, which causes overload for certain team members, was identified as the most pressing issue, making it the most suitable scenario for applying transformational leadership strategies.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s reliance on expert opinions introduces subjectivity, and the focus on Brazilian companies may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should explore these challenges in broader contexts, integrating cross-cultural perspectives and objective criteria. Additionally, combining qualitative methods with the grey approach could provide deeper insights into the complex dynamics of transformational leadership and team performance.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the knowledge base by identifying barriers that impact team performance in Brazilian corporate settings. It offers context-specific strategies to enhance teamwork effectiveness and organizational outcomes, supporting leadership development in Brazil.
Inflationary pressures on India’s domestic food prices: unravelling the impact of global macroeconomic factors
Authors: Nayak Priyanka , Jena Pratap Kumar
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the rising domestic food price inflation in India is influenced by global macroeconomic factors like crude oil, exchange rate, foreign aid, global food prices and trade openness from January 1993 to December 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has employed the structural break, autoregressive distributed lag cointegration tests to assess the stationarity and long-term relationship between the variables and the Toda–Yamamoto Granger causality test to demonstrate the causal relationship between the variables.

Findings

The study highlights the long-term relationships among variables, shedding light on the influence of global macroeconomic factors on domestic food price inflation in India. It reveals that food price inflation in India is positively influenced by crude oil prices and global food prices while being negatively affected by currency rates, foreign direct investment and trade openness.

Originality/value

Based on the findings, the study suggests that initiatives to reduce demand for crude oil and imported food products could help mitigate domestic food price inflation in India. Addressing the depreciation of the exchange rate is crucial to combat significant inflation in domestic food prices, calling for specific government interventions. Furthermore, promoting trade liberalization and foreign direct investment in the agricultural sector could help alleviate domestic food price inflation, emphasizing the importance of reducing customary trade barriers to encourage investment and trade openness.
Inflammatory proteins and hidradenitis suppurativa: Insights from genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization
Authors: Luo Hui , Chen Yang , Li Jianrong , Yang Yanmei , Wang Xiujun , Yang Ping , Guo Chuang , Liu Fei
Published: December 2024

Previous research has highlighted a significant association between inflammatory proteins and the development and progression of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Nevertheless, the potential causative link between these factors remains to be definitively established. To investigate the genetic correlation between inflammatory proteins and HS, linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was employed. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, incorporating inverse variance weighted, MR‐Egger, and weighted median methodologies, was utilized to evaluate the possible causal relationship between circulating inflammatory proteins (CIPs) and HS. Additionally, reverse MR analysis was carried out to explore reverse causality. The data set for 91 CIPs was derived from a genome‐wide protein quantitative trait loci study, while HS‐related data were acquired from the FinnGen study. Moreover, the stability of the causal relationships was assessed via sensitivity analyses, encompassing tests for pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and leave‐one‐out analysis. The LDSC analysis suggested the existence of genetic correlations between the levels of Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF‐21), stem cell factor, and HS. The MR analysis identified a suggestive association of T‐cell surface glycoprotein CD5 and C‐X‐C motif chemokine 11 with an elevated risk of HS. Conversely, C‐C motif chemokine 4, Protein S100‐A12, Interleukin‐10 receptor subunit beta, and Programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 were associated with a diminished risk of HS. Moreover, HS was demonstrated to increase the levels of four CIPs: Interleukin‐20, Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), LIF receptor, and Thymic stromal lymphopoietin. The findings of this investigation offer suggestive evidence for possible genetic correlations and causal links between various genetically predicted inflammatory proteins and HS. There exists a pressing requirement for additional studies to elucidate the fundamental processes driving these associations.
Dynamic Capabilities in Acquisitions: When Acquirer and Target Employees Face Contradictory and Complementary Human Resource Signals
Authors: Strobl Andreas , Bauer Florian , Shepherd Neil G. , Lou Bowen , Tarba Shlomo Yedidia , Dao Mai Anh
Published: December 2024

Dynamic capabilities are crucial for firm survival and success, but to survive and succeed firms must manage multiple higher‐ and lower‐order dynamic capabilities that can be complementary, but also conflicting. Utilizing human resource (HR) signalling theory, we provide new theoretical insights into the conditions, mechanisms and reasons why merger and acquisition (M&A) capabilities (a lower‐order dynamic capability) and organizational agility (a higher‐order dynamic capability) are sometimes complementary and at other times contradictory during acquisition integration. Our theory disentangles the interaction between these capabilities and explains how they act as a double‐edged sword. We test our theory development using survey data from 91 acquisitions taking place in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. Our results show that conflicting HR signals from M&A capabilities and organizational agility cause acquirer–target conflict, complicating post‐merger integration and hindering knowledge transfer, while complementary signals enhance knowledge transfer. The findings provide important implications for the M&A, HR management and dynamic capabilities literature, as well as valuable insights for M&A practitioners.
Employee Status, Role Expectation and Performance Evaluation: Evidence from NBA Players
Authors: Wang Pengfei
Published: December 2024

This paper shifts attention from how employee status affects work performance to the role of status in performance evaluation when rewards or penalties for performance are determined. While prior studies have shown that high status enables employees to perform well, we emphasize that it may also elevate role expectations, which then become hard to meet. Building on expectation confirmation theory, we argue especially that high‐status employees may be less rewarded for their performance because high expectations of them have been established. Although low‐status employees are less likely to perform well, they receive greater rewards on attaining success, suggesting a potential advantage to being disadvantaged ex ante. Moreover, while prior literature highlights various benefits of having prestigious peers, we maintain that the presence of high‐status teammates also raises expectations of teamwork. As such, employees will be less rewarded for team performance when they work with high‐status teammates. We test our hypotheses in a sample of NBA players and find general support. Our findings highlight employees’ status as a potential liability in performance evaluation.
Who Runs for Office? Understanding Candidate Diversity, Safety and Localism in the UK General Election 2024
Authors: Collignon Sofia , Rüdig Wolfgang
Published: December 2024

A record number of candidates contested parliamentary seats in the 2024 general election in the United Kingdom. This article discusses three key aspects that have garnered attention from both academics and practitioners studying the characteristics, motivations and experiences of candidates: gender representation, security concerns and local residency. Candidate data shows that, despite an increase in female MPs, the overall number of female candidates declined, highlighting structural barriers within party selection processes. Second, the rise in harassment, abuse and intimidation has led many candidates, particularly women, to withhold their home addresses on ballot papers, impacting their perceived local connection to voters. Finally, while localism remains a valued asset for candidates, security concerns diminish its role in contemporary campaigns. Challenges for future elections remain for political parties to address gender imbalances during the selection process, enhance candidate safety and reconsider local engagement strategies to foster a more inclusive and connected political landscape.
Using life history to predict outcomes of conservation translocations of herpetofauna
Authors: Parker M.R. , Fitzgerald L.A.
Published: December 2024

Suites of coevolved traits related to reproduction and demography enable species to persist in the face of environmental change. In the case of biological invasions, the suite of life history traits, “life history strategies,” can be linked to successful establishment after an introduction. Conservation translocations share many similarities with biological invasions, yet studies examining the relationship between life history and translocation outcome are scarce. We collected data on key life history traits for all herpetofauna profiled in the IUCN Global Conservation Translocation Perspectives series to examine how life history can predict outcomes and difficulties of conservation translocations. For reptiles, our model showed that age at maturity showed a significant positive association with higher probabilities of more successful outcomes, while increased clutch/litter size and lifespan predicted less successful outcomes. We found no relationship between any life history trait and translocation outcome for amphibians. Our results showed that difficulties with conservation translocations are related more to phylogeny than life history. Amphibian translocations faced more difficulties due to the physical environment of release sites, but reptile translocations experienced more socio‐political difficulties. These relationships provide important insights for conservation practitioners that can be used in the feasibility and planning stages of translocations to anticipate and avoid challenges facing this complex and increasingly common form of conservation intervention.
Lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence: A randomised, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Ezard Nadine , Clifford Brendan , Siefried Krista J. , Ali Robert , Dunlop Adrian , McKetin Rebecca , Bruno Raimondo , Carr Andrew , Ward James , Farrell Michael , Graham Robert , Haber Paul , Lubman Dan , Donoghoe Mark W. , Olsen Nick , Baker Amanda , Hall Michelle , Arunogiri Shalini , Lintzeris Nicholas ,   LiMA Investigator Group
Published: December 2024

Aims

This study tested the efficacy and safety of a 12‐week course of lisdexamfetamine in reducing methamphetamine use, an outcome which is associated with improvements in health and wellbeing, in people dependent on methamphetamine.

Design, setting and participants

This study was a randomised double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial conducted in six specialist outpatient clinics in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney, Australia (2018–2021). Participants were164 adults with methamphetamine dependence, reporting at least 14 use days out of the previous 28 days (62% male, 38% female, < 1% other; mean age 39 years).

Interventions

Participants were randomly allocated 1:1 to a 15‐week regimen of lisdexamfetamine (1‐week induction to 250 mg, 12‐week maintenance regimen, 2‐week reduction; n = 80) or matched placebo (n = 84), followed‐up to Week 19.

Measurements

The primary efficacy measure was past 28‐day methamphetamine use at Week 13. Safety was assessed by adverse event rates. Secondary measures included methamphetamine use during the 12‐week treatment period and treatment satisfaction.

Findings

Nine randomized participants did not start treatment (five were allocated to lisdexamfetamine and four allocated to placebo) and were excluded from the analyses. Fifty‐seven per cent of participants were retained on study medication to primary end‐point. There was only weak evidence of a lisdexamfetamine benefit at 13 weeks [adjusted difference in days of methamphetamine use = 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = –0.5 to 5.0; P = 0.49]. However, throughout the whole 12‐week treatment maintenance phase, the lisdexamfetamine group had fewer days of methamphetamine use in total (difference = 8.8, 95% CI = 2.7–15.0; P = 0.005). The lisdexamfetamine group reported greater self‐reported treatment effectiveness [odds ratio (OR) = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.67–5.02; P < 0.001] and treatment satisfaction (OR = 3.80, 95% CI = 1.93–7.47; P < 0.001). Adverse events with lisdexamfetamine included nausea. Serious adverse events occurred in four (5%) of participants who received lisdexamfetamine.

Conclusions

Lisdexamfetamine appears to reduce methamphetamine use over a 12‐week treatment period, although there is only weak evidence that reduced use is maintained during the last 4 weeks.
The involvement of amyloid‐β in the central nervous system regulation underlying sleep deprivation‐induced rapid ejaculation in rats
Authors: Yang Peng , Zhu Tianle , Ma Yukuai , Cao Zhi , Gao Pan , Jiang Hui , Zhang Xiansheng
Published: December 2024

Background

Although some studies suggest that sleep deprivation may affect ejaculation regulation, related research is limited, and the mechanisms remain unclear.

Aim

This study aimed to explore whether sleep deprivation influences ejaculation regulation through amyloid‐beta and to investigate its potential mechanisms.

Materials and methods

Normal ejaculating rats were randomly distributed into three separate groups for the study, and treated with sleep deprivation combined with saline gavage, sleep deprivation combined with sodium butyrate gavage, and control with saline gavage. The levels of amyloid‐beta and 5‐HT1A receptors were assessed through Western blotting, PCR, and immunohistochemical techniques. The levels of interleukin‐4 and serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine) in the brain were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

The experiment showed that the rats in the sleep deprivation combined with saline gavage group rats had a significantly faster ejaculation compared to the control combined with saline gavage group rats. Meanwhile, sleep deprivation combined with saline gavage group had the highest levels of amyloid‐beta oligomers in the brain tissue. Correlation results revealed that the levels of amyloid‐beta oligomers in brain tissue were inversely related to ejaculation latency and positively associated with ejaculation frequency. Furthermore, we found that elevated levels of amyloid‐beta oligomers in brain tissue led to upregulation of 5‐HT1A receptor expression. Additionally, elevated levels of amyloid‐beta oligomers in brain tissue were found to increase interleukin‐4 levels, thereby reducing 5‐hydroxytryptamine levels.

Discussion

Sleep deprivation indeed accelerates ejaculation, and this acceleration is closely related to amyloid‐beta. Sleep deprivation can increase amyloid‐beta levels in brain tissue, mediating a decrease in 5‐hydroxytryptamine levels and overexpression of 5‐HT1A receptors, thereby accelerating ejaculation.

Conclusion

There is a significant correlation between elevated amyloid‐beta levels in brain tissue because of sleep deprivation and accelerated ejaculation. This study's main findings offer insights into the development of acquired premature ejaculation linked to poor sleep and establish a theoretical framework for investigating potential treatments for this condition.
Efflux and uptake transport and gut microbial reactivation of raloxifene glucuronides
Authors: Uoti Arttu , Kurkela Mika , Niemi Mikko , Oksanen Timo , Oswald Stefan , Puustinen Lauri , Kidron Heidi , Sjöstedt Noora
Published: December 2024

Raloxifene has low bioavailability due to extensive glucuronidation in the intestine and the liver, and its pharmacokinetics is associated with high intra‐ and interindividual variability. Some of this variability could be explained by the enterohepatic recycling of raloxifene, which is driven by transporter‐mediated uptake and efflux and gut microbial deglucuronidation of raloxifene glucuronides. These individual processes involved in raloxifene disposition, however, have not been characterized in full detail. In this study, we evaluated the interactions of raloxifene and its three glucuronide metabolites (raloxifene 4′‐glucuronide, raloxifene 6‐glucuronide and raloxifene 4′,6‐diglucuronide) with drug transporters using Sf9 membrane vesicles and HEK293 cells. Additionally, we measured the deglucuronidation of raloxifene glucuronides in human faecal extracts. All raloxifene glucuronides were transported by MRP2 and MRP3, whereas raloxifene monoglucuronides were identified as substrates of OATP1B1, OATP1B3 and OATP2B1. All three raloxifene glucuronides were readily deglucuronidated in the presence of faecal extracts, although with high between‐subject variability. The results of this study provide further understanding of the disposition of raloxifene, which can help understand the sources behind the interindividual variability in raloxifene pharmacokinetics.
Metastatic risk in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a tool incorporating sex, size, and grade
Authors: Thomsen Frederik F. , Westerberg Marcus , Petersson Rasmus D. , Bak Rasmine , Lindholst Julie Bak , Al‐Husseinawi Hayder , Heeno Emma , Azawi Nessn H.
Published: December 2024

Objective

To identify predictors of metastases, estimate the proportion of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cases according to these predictors, and subsequently create a risk table showing the absolute difference in metastasis proportion for each 10 mm increase in tumour size.

Patients and Methods

Patients diagnosed with histopathological confirmed ccRCC in 2010–2018 in Denmark identified in the nationwide Danish Multidisciplinary Renal Cancer Group (DaRenCa) Study‐3. Association between diagnostic variables and metastases were assessed with logistic regression analyses. Proportion of cases with metastases were assess based on tumour sizes using a logistic regression model.

Results

The study included 2109 cases with non‐metastatic ccRCC at diagnosis and 450 cases with metastatic ccRCC. Multivariable logistic regression analyses found sex, tumour size and grade were associated with metastatic ccRCC, whereas age was not. The proportion of cases with metastasis increased with larger tumours sizes and higher grade. As an example, the proportion of metastases in female cases with tumour size of 40 mm was 2.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7–4.8%) in Grade 1 and 16% (95% CI 12–22%) in cases with Grade 4. Comparable numbers in cases with a tumour size of 70 mm were 6.6% (95% CI 4.0–11%) and 31% (95% CI 25–38). The absolute increase in the proportion of cases with metastases with a 10 mm increase in size was <2% for tumours <40 mm and Grade 1–2. In contrast, cases with tumour sizes >50 mm and/or Grade 3–4 had a moderate (2–<4%) to high (≥4%) absolute increase in the proportion of cases with metastases with each 10 mm increase.

Conclusion

The risk table presented offers a valuable tool for discussing the risk of progression to metastases in patients under expected management for ccRCC, enabling clinicians to make more informed, evidence‐based decisions.
Drivers of mangrove area change and suppression in Brazil from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Vanin Gabriel Tofanelo , Lacerda Eduardo Ribeiro , Mori Gustavo Maruyama
Published: December 2024

Mangrove area loss is increasing globally, and drivers of loss differ depending not only on natural conditions but also on national and regional policies. Some countries with the most mangrove area, for instance, Brazil, lack broad systematic quantification of specific drivers of mangrove land‐use and land‐cover (LULC) change dynamics. We investigated the direct conversion (i.e., replacement) of mangrove forests due to changes in 21 types of LULC across Brazil from 2000 to 2020 based on annual LULC maps developed by the MapBiomas project. We quantified the area changes at national, regional, and state scales. We also determined and quantified mangrove forest conversion for each of the 21 LULC types with a pixel comparison analysis and identified temporal trends with a time‐series analysis. The total conversion of mangrove area (3429 km2) was offset by a gain that was twice as large (6776 km2). Forest formations and water bodies, which may be interpreted as natural or indirect anthropogenic changes, were associated with most of the areas where mangrove cover was lost. Land‐use modifications, mainly creation of pastures, accounted for 4% of direct mangrove conversions. We found that changes in LULC categories and patterns of gain and loss of mangrove areas differed among Brazilian states and regions. Based on other research, they also differ between Brazil and other countries. Thus, integrated mangrove forest conservation and management efforts that transcend political boundaries are essential to effectively address negative impacts on mangrove forests. We provide an interactive map to allow qualitative assessments of mangrove conversion drivers by different stakeholders, such as managers, policymakers, and nongovernmental organizations.
Three Cases of Allergic Contact Dermatitis to 2‐(Thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole in Leather Items
Authors: Samaran Quentin , Dereure Olivier , Raison‐Peyron Nadia
Published: December 2024

Background

2‐(Thiocyanomethylthio)benzothiazole (TCMTB) is a fungicide product widely used in the leather industry, particularly since the 1990s. However, reports of allergic contact dermatitis triggered by this chemical are scarce.

Objectives

To investigate three cases of dermatitis following contact with leather products, possibly related to TCMTB.

Methods

Three female patients, aged 33–53, were referred with suspected allergic contact dermatitis related to leather products. Two patients presented with dermatitis on the feet, while one patient had dermatitis on the back and thighs. All patients were patch‐tested with the European baseline series, a shoe series, TMCTB (0.1% pet), and scrapings from their personal leather products.

Results

All patients showed reactions to the scrapings from their personal products (+ to ++) and to TCMTB (++ to +++). Additionally, one patient was sensitised to mercapto mix and mercaptobenzothiazole (both ++), while another reacted to chromium (++), cobalt (+), 4‐tert‐butylphenol‐formaldehyde resin (+) and colophonium (++). All patients were advised to avoid TCMTB and to be cautious with leather, synthetic leather, and varnished wood.

Conclusions

If contact dermatitis related to leather exposure is suspected, patch testing with TCMTB 0.1% pet should be included, as it might be the only positive finding.
Beyond the Hype: Navigating the Conservation Implications of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Sandbrook Chris
Published: December 2024

Conservation AI—the deliberate application of artificial intelligence technology to achieve conservation goals—has great potential to boost productivity, make existing conservation actions more efficient, and enable entirely new areas of activity. However, it also comes with risks, including AI being used by bad actors; high material demand for energy, land, and water; biases in training datasets; AI‐fueled techno‐optimism distracting from other actions; and undesirable changes in staffing and working practices in the conservation sector. Changes in wider society brought about by AI in areas such as agriculture, human health, and labor markets may also have significant impacts on biodiversity (whether positive or negative), as these are major drivers of biodiversity loss. This article reviews the various links between AI and conservation, arguing that to date there has been too much techno‐optimism and a lack of attention to risks and broader implications. It concludes with recommendations for how conservation could approach AI more effectively by considering risks and potential unintended consequences; adopting a principle of transparency; ensuring AI does not harm the staff, skills, and independence of the conservation sector; and investing in research and advocacy to address the conservation implications of wider societal changes caused by AI.
Fish distribution across altitudinal gradients in the Upper Paraguay River Basin: Implications for conservation in the Pantanal region
Authors: Fernando Adriana Maria Espinoza , Severo‐Neto Francisco , Ferreira Fabiane Silva , Mateus Lúcia , Tondato‐Carvalho Karina K. , Kashiwaqui Elaine Antoniassi Luiz , Gimenes Junior Heriberto , Domingues Wladimir M. , Pavanelli Carla Simone , Pinho Henrique Ledo Lopes , Penha Jerry , Súarez Yzel Rondon
Published: December 2024

Lack of sufficient knowledge of biological diversity is the first barrier to promoting scientifically‐based conservation policies in Neotropical regions, where high diversity and limited sampling remains a challenge. We compiled fish occurrences data from the whole Upper Paraguay River basin (UPRB) and evaluated the altitudinal variation in species richness, local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD) and composition. We also evaluate the influence of other environmental variables on species richness. Occurrence of a total of 342 native and five exotic fish species were recorded. Fish species richness was higher in lower portions of the basin, with a clear decrease from 400 m.a.s.l. Richness was negatively correlated with altitude, and positively correlated with net primary productivity and slope. The LCBD presented higher values on floodplain and in headwaters. Intermediate classes presented greater relative importance, as they present greater relative richness in a small relative area in the basin. We observed a partial overlap in species composition along altitude classes. Three species classified in some category of threat according to the conservation status of ichthyofauna in Brazil have a limited spatial extent of occurrence, restricted within the Serra da Bodoquena plateau. The obtained results highlight the unique diversity in the floodplain–plateau continuum, therefore, choosing protected areas must consider altitude gradients in the UPRB. Given the small area of the conservation units in the basin, the important role of higher altitude streams in regional fish species diversity and the several threats in the plateau, we conclude that an increase in conservation effort is needed in the plateau portion of the Upper Paraguay River basin.
Researching Climate through Design
Authors: Conchis Erika
Published: December 2024

This paper explores how design can be used as a process of enquiry in climate research in collaboration with climate scientists. The research discusses the value of design in navigating the complexities of transdisciplinary climate research by engaging with the mess and researching everyday climate actions.

The ordinary can be described as the realm of social life where the repetition of daily cycles that we learn is eventually taken for granted. Climate actions that are situated in this ordinary are vital to delivering larger‐scale transformations and achieving carbon reductions. However, climate scientists across disciplines often overlook the importance of engaging with the messiness of such climate initiatives – such as understanding how ordinary climate initiatives emerge, impact a place, and move across contexts. As a result, academics and policymakers tend to focus on global and high‐tech responses to climate issues. However, by shifting our focus on the mundane, we can research and present situated perspectives of climate actions that are crucial to achieving carbon emission reductions and improving resilience to the impact of climate change at different scales.

This paper presents theoretical grounding for design to be used as an integral part of ‘ordinary’ climate research.
Creating Cross‐Locational Experiential Service Journeys in Tourism
Authors: Gudiksen Sune
Published: December 2024

Cultural tourism is a fast‐growing segment in the tourism industry and is estimated to be around 40% of the tourist segments globally. After COVID‐19, this has come back with renewed force. Regional attractions such as experience centers, museums, event developers, city developers, tourism offices, and so forth need to work together to create enough “reason‐to‐go” and subsequent “reason‐to‐stay” experiential qualities in their tourism service value propositions.

Through two larger cultural tourism case projects, we investigate how one can bring ecosystem tourism stakeholders together through codesign tangible methods to ideate on cross‐locational experiential service value propositions and what opportunities and difficulties seem to emerge through this. In the first project, three regional museums and a tourism destination office worked together to find shared themes and connected stories. In the second project, seven Second World War museums, three tourism offices, and design developers collaborated to extract three experiential journeys that visitors could follow.

We illustrate how a series of codesign interventions can engage a cross‐disciplinary circle of stakeholders and lead to novel insights and shared understandings, establish common ground, and generate ideas with potential. In addition, we analyze the use and effect of introducing codesign methods that can support the development of shared themes and stories attracting visitors and international tourists. Through observations, video recordings, and interaction analysis, we outline both the opportunities and difficulties found in these collaborations.

The opportunities point to the possibilities in providing an attractive offering through a series of connected stories that involve the value chain of travel, food, and accommodation providers and in training the front personnel to guide to the next places. The difficulties point to issues such as the gap between stories as marketing and the stories as they are experienced on location and the difficulty in aligning practices according to a central story line and overall service value proposition across various distances and time.

From the perspective of experiential service design, the results have theoretical implications because a holistic service flows through cross‐locational and cross‐organizational touchpoints while the practical implications also point to the development of ecosystems of tourism actors working closely together.
Community‐onset pediatric status epilepticus: Barriers to care and outcomes in a real‐world setting
Authors: Fetta Anna , Bergonzini Luca , Dondi Arianna , Belotti Laura Maria Beatrice , Sperandeo Federica , Gambi Caterina , Bratta Anna , Romano Rossana , Russo Angelo , Mondardini Maria Cristina , Vignatelli Luca , Lanari Marcello , Cordelli Duccio Maria
Published: December 2024

Objective

Status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological emergency in childhood, often leading to neuronal damage and long‐term outcomes. The study aims to identify barriers in the pre‐hospital and in‐hospital management of community‐onset pediatric SE and to evaluate the effectiveness of pediatric scores on outcomes prediction.

Methods

This monocentric observational retrospective cohort study included patients treated for community‐onset pediatric SE in a tertiary care hospital between 2010 and 2021. Data were extracted following Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Inclusion criteria were community‐onset SE (according to the International League Against Epilepsy [ILAE] Task Force on SE Classification), admission to the pediatric emergency department (PED), age: 1 month to 18 years. Pre‐hospital, in‐hospital management and outcomes were analyzed. Pediatric scores for prediction of clinical worsening (Pediatric Early Warning Score ‐ PEWS) and SE outcome (Status Epilepticus in Pediatric patients Severity Score ‐ STEPSS; Pre‐status Epilepticus PCPCS, background Electroencephalographic abnormalities, Drug refractoriness, Semiology and critical Sickness Score ‐ PEDSS) were retrospectively assessed for their accuracy in predicting short‐term and long‐term outcomes.

Results

A total of 103 consecutive episodes of SE were included. Out‐of‐hospital rescue medications administration occurred in 54.4% of cases and was associated with higher SE resolution rate before PED admission (48.2% vs 27.6%, p = .033). Longer in‐PED time to treatment was observed in case of delay to PED referral (r = 0.268, p = .048) or non‐red triage labels (12 vs 5 min, p = 0.032), and was associated with longer in‐PED duration of SE (r = 0.645, p < .001). Longer SE duration was observed in episodes leading to hospitalization compared to those discharged (50 vs 16 min, p < .001). In‐PED electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were available in 39.8% of events. Predictive scores varied in accuracy, with PEWS ≥5 showing high sensitivity for intensive care unit (ICU) admission but low specificity. No patients died, 6.3% of SE was refractory.

Significance

Effective pre‐hospital administration of rescue medications and prompt PED management are crucial to reduce SE duration and improve outcomes. Predictive scores can aid in assessment of the severity and prognosis of SE; their utility is still not defined. Identifying and addressing actionable care barriers in SE management pathways is essential to enhance patient outcomes in pediatric SE.
The Impact of Bridging Additives on Wellbore Strengthening in Shallow Unconsolidated Formations
Authors: Koulidis Alexis , Grubben Tessel M. , van der Schans Martin L. , Bloemendal Martin , Vardon Philip J.
Published: December 2024

Drilling wells in unconsolidated formations is commonly undertaken to extract drinking water and other applications, such as aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES). To increase the efficiency of an ATES system, the drilling campaigns are targeting greater depths and enlarging the wellbore diameter in the production section to enhance the flow rates. In these cases, wells are more susceptible to collapse. Drilling fluids for shallow formations often have little strengthening properties and, due to single‐string well design, come into contact with both the aquifer and the overburden. Drilling fluids and additives are experimentally investigated to be used to improve wellbore stability in conditions simulating field conditions in unconsolidated aquifers with a hydraulic conductivity of around 10 m/d. The impact on wellbore stability is evaluated using a new experimental setup in which the filtration rate is measured, followed by the use of a fall cone penetrometer augmented with an accelerometer to directly test the wellbore strengthening, and imaging with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to investigate the (micro)structure of the filter cakes produced. Twelve drilling fluids are investigated with different concentrations of bentonite, polyanionic cellulose (PAC), Xanthan Gum, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and aluminum chloride hexahydrate ([Al(H2O)6]Cl3). The filtration results indicate that calcium carbonate, average dp <20 μm, provides pore throat bridging and filter cake formation after approximately 2 min, compared to almost instantaneous discharge when using conventional drilling fluids. The drilling fluid containing 2% [Al(H2O)6]Cl3 forms a thick (4 mm) yet permeable filter cake, resulting in high filtration losses. The fall cone results show a decrease of cone penetration depth up to 20.78%, and a 40.27% increase in deceleration time while penetrating the sample with CaCO3 compared with conventional drilling fluid containing bentonite and PAC, indicating a significant strengthening effect. The drilling fluids that contain CaCO3, therefore, show high promise for field implementation.
CD23 expression in lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma: Clinical–pathological and biological correlations
Authors: Pizzi Marco , Danesin Nicolò , Scarmozzino Federico , Pinto Martina , Scapinello Greta , Santoro Luisa , Bertozzi Irene , Arcidiacono Gaetano Paride , Trimarco Valentina , Visentin Andrea , Trentin Livio , Piazza Francesco , Dei Tos Angelo Paolo
Published: December 2024

Aims

The diagnosis of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) in the bone marrow (BM) is challenged by aberrant phenotypes and by overlapping histological features with marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). To address these issues, we (i) assessed LPL immunophenotype on a large series of BM samples, (ii) drew possible correlations between LPL phenotype and clinical/molecular data and (iii) investigated the role of new phenotypical markers in the differential diagnosis between LPL and MZL.

Materials and methods

The study retrospectively considered 81 clinically annotated LPL diagnosed at Padua University Hospital (Padua, Italy) during a 5‐year period. BM findings were correlated with clinical laboratory findings and with MYD88 and CXCR4 mutational status. The obtained results were compared with a series of 77 MZL in the BM, including 46 splenic MZL (SMZL), 14 nodal MZL (NMZL) and 17 extra‐nodal MZL (EMZL).

Results

The LPL cohort included 52 males and 29 females (median age at diagnosis = 71 years). Aberrant CD10 and CD5 positivity was documented in 3 of 81 (3.7%) and 13 of 81 (16.1%) cases, respectively. CD23 positivity occurred in 56 of 81 (69.1%) cases, being usually partial/focal. CD23 expression did not correlate with any specific clinical–pathological parameter. Comparison with SMZL, NMZL and EMZL highlighted less frequent splenomegaly, higher serum paraprotein, higher CD23 expression and fewer follicular dendritic cell networks in LPL. A combined clinical–pathological score supported the differential diagnosis between LPL and MZL of any type. The highest diagnostic yield was obtained for the differential diagnosis between LPL and SMZL.

Conclusions

Partial positivity for CD23 is a common feature of LPL in the BM. Together with other clinical and histological parameters, CD23 expression supports the differential diagnosis between LPL and MZL.