bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organisational networks, organisational learning, organisational adaptability and role clarity among humanitarian organisations during relief delivery
Authors: Mutebi Henry , Muhwezi Moses , Ntayi Joseph Mpeera , Mayanja Samuel Ssekajja , Munene John C. Kigozi
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Organisations involved in relief delivery tend to have cross-boundary mandates, which cause ambiguity of roles during delivery of relief services to the targeted victims. Having no clear role, specialisation affects service timeliness and increases resource duplication among the relief organisations. The objective of this study is to understand how organisational networks and organisational learning as complex adaptive system metaphors improve both organisational adaptability and role clarity in humanitarian logistics.

Design/methodology/approach

Using ordinary partial least squares regression through SmartPLS version 3.3.3, the authors tested the study hypotheses basing on survey data collected from 315 respondents who were selected randomly to complete a self-administered questionnaire from 101 humanitarian organisations. Common method bias (CMB) associated with surveys was minimised by implementing both procedural and post statistics methods.

Findings

The results indicate that organisational networks and organisational learning have a significant influence on organisational adaptability and role clarity. The results also show that organisational adaptability partially mediates in the relationship between organisational networks, organisational learning and role clarity.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation of the study is that the authors have used cross-sectional data to test this research hypotheses. However, this was minimised following Guide and Ketokivi's (2015) recommendation on how to address the limitations of cross-sectional data or the use of longitudinal data that can address CMB and endogeneity problems.

Practical implications

Managers in humanitarian organisations can use the authors’ framework to understand, first, how complex adaptive system competence can be used to create organisational adaptability and, second, how organisational adaptability can help organisational networks and organisational learning in improving role clarity among humanitarian organisations by collaboratively working together.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge in humanitarian logistics and supply chain management by empirically testing the anecdotal and conceptual evidence. The findings may be useful to managers who are contemplating the use of organisational networks, organisational learning and organisational adaptability to improve role clarity in disaster relief-related activities.
Conversions on the rise – modernizing e-mail marketing practices by utilizing volunteered data
Authors: Hartemo Mari
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to examine how utilizing volunteered data influences the response and unsubscribe rates of e-mail marketing to consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

In three longitudinal field experiments conducted among 1,864 applicants of a higher education institution, the study compares customized marketing e-mails based on volunteered consumer data to e-mails that are personalized based on observed consumer data and to control e-mails that are not tailored by the marketer at all.

Findings

The results indicate that marketers should make consumers active participants in the communication process, as response rates are higher in those e-mails where volunteered data are utilized. However, the unsubscribe rate is the highest in customized e-mails.

Research limitations/implications

The authors demonstrate that e-mails displaying empowering aspects influence consumers' behaviors and lead to outcomes that mostly outperform non-empowered e-mails.

Practical implications

Compared to other forms of interactive marketing, e-mail has lagged behind in both popularity and customer-friendly implementation. However, it has the potential to succeed if marketers pay more attention to consumer empowerment. As over 306 billion e-mails are sent worldwide daily and 75% of marketers use e-mail when contacting customers, the increase in response rates can have a significant influence on their returns.

Originality/value

Unlike prior research the focus was on the process of tailoring, this perspective supports customer advocacy and emphasizes consumers' important role in creating engaging, empowering e-mail marketing communication.
Antecedents of similarity perception for store-branded lookalikes
Authors: Zhou Li
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the key antecedences contributing consumer similarity perception toward store branded lookalikes (SBLs), testing to what extent each of the antecedences influences the overall similarity perception.

Design/methodology/approach

Two empirical studies were conducted. Study 1 was an online experiment to test the relative importance of packaging features on similarity judgment of SBLs. Study 2 examined the impacts of consumer characteristics and store related elements on similarity perception through a Qualtrics web-based questionnaire covering seven product categories.

Findings

This research yields two key findings. First of all, it revealed that all three packaging attributes studied (i.e. size and shape, image and color) exert positive influence on similarity judgment of SBLs, among which color shows the most significant importance, followed by size and shape, and then color. Then, it showed that brand loyalty fully mediated the effect of brand familiarity on consumers' similarity perception, giving that no direct effect was found from brand familiarity to similarity perception but consumers' brand loyalty increased as they become more familiar with the NBs. As consumers become more loyal to the brands, they would perceive the SBLs to be less similar to imitated national brands.

Practical implications

This research confirmed the significance of proper manipulation of packaging design, either to the SBLs or to the imitated NBs. It also reveals the critical role of gaining high familiarity and strong loyalty for the NB manufacturers. For retailers, the research highlights the need to maintain a better store image in order to take advantage of SBLs to help with marketing competition.

Originality/value

This research contributes new knowledge on the lookalike phenomenon by uncovering the prerequisites that cause similarity perception between two products.
Ideal self and proactive physical wellness behaviors predict leader flow at work
Authors: Gardner Donald G. , Moorefield Renee
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of leader flow (well-being) at work, based on conservation-of-resources theory. The authors also introduce the concept of fuel, the proactive and strategic use of physical wellness behaviors to generate the energy needed to manage personal stress, maximize performance and to thrive in life. Specifically, the authors examined the main and interactive relationships of leader self-reports of ideal self and fuel on flow at work.

Design/methodology/approach

Three different samples of leaders were surveyed online over a three-year period.

Findings

In all three samples, leaders high in self-reported fuel had strong, positive relationships between their ideal selves and flow at work. Leaders low in self-reported fuel had negative or non-significant relationships between ideal selves and flow.

Practical implications

Leaders can be coached to develop and use a healthy ideal self and to proactively engage in physical wellness behaviors, to enhance their workplace well-being. This coaching can be strengthened by emphasizing the connection between possessing an ideal self, and engaging in physical wellness behaviors, and resulting leader well-being.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine and demonstrate that a combination of proactive leader wellness behaviors is critical to their experience of flow at work, an indicator of work-related well-being.
‘…but not gagged’: Responding to Covid‐19 and its control measures in France, Italy and the USA
Authors: Sams Kelley , Alfieri Chiara , Beauvieux Fleur , Egrot Marc , Kra Firmin , Magnani Carlotta , Mininel Francesca , Musso Sandrine
Published: December 2021

The beginning of the Covid‐19 pandemic was far from the ‘great equalizer’ sometimes described by the media. This article shares themes emerging from research conducted in 2020 in France, Italy and the USA concerning responses to the pandemic and its social effects. The authors analyze how the pandemic elicited varied reactions within the three countries where they conducted anthropological fieldwork. They propose that narratives of the Covid‐19 response can shed light on how individuals navigate social and political relationships in each context.
Beyond Doubt: The Case Against ‘Not Proven’
Authors: Chalmers James , Leverick Fiona , Munro Vanessa E.
Published: December 2021

Scotland, unusually, has three verdicts in criminal trials: guilty, not guilty, and not proven. The not proven verdict, regarded by many as an intermediate option between the other two, has been the subject of a long‐running debate as to whether it should be abolished. In this article we argue that it should. Drawing on empirical evidence from two recent studies, we cast doubt on the arguments most often made in its favour – that it serves a valuable communicative function, protects against wrongful conviction, and/or increases juror satisfaction. There is no consensus on its meaning or appropriate application in any given case, and it risks both stigmatising an acquitted accused and diminishing complainers’ opportunities for closure. It is doubtful that it prevents wrongful conviction, but even if it does, there are more effective measures in this regard.
Surgical and radiotherapy patterns of care in the management of breast cancer in NSW and ACT Australia
Authors: Merie Roya , Shafiq Jesmin , Soon Patsy S , Delaney Geoff P
Published: December 2021

Introduction

This study aims to report on the surgical and radiotherapy patterns of breast cancer care in New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in Australia, to identify factors that impact on utilisation of evidence‐based treatment and to report on the overall survival (OS) rate and the influencing factors on OS.

Methods

Cancer registry data linked to hospital records for all patients with breast cancer diagnosis in NSW and ACT between 2009 and 2014 were used to calculate rates of breast conserving surgery (BCS), mastectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and radiotherapy. Multivariate analysis used to identify factors that led to variations in care. 5‐year OS was calculated and cox regression model assessed factors that influenced survival.

Results

Data for 30,337 patients were analysed. BCS and mastectomy rates were 64% and 36%, respectively. The SLNB, ALND and ALND after SLNB rates were 61.5%, 32.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Radiotherapy was utilised in 63%. Younger age, socio‐economic disadvantage, longer distance to a radiotherapy facility and overseas place of birth were factors that predicted for increased rates of mastectomy and ALND. Radiotherapy was more likely to be utilised in later years of diagnosis, patients between 40‐69 years old, and those who lived in major cities and closer to a radiotherapy facility. 5‐year OS was 80.5%. Older patients, the socioeconomically disadvantaged and those advanced tumours had worse survival.

Conclusion

Variations in breast cancer care continue to exist in certain patient groups that we identified. Targeted strategic planning and further research to identify other drivers of existing disparities remain a priority.
Clinical utility of stimulated cholescintigraphy using a standardized Ensure‐Plus fatty meal protocol in patients with suspected functional gallbladder disorder: a retrospective study of seven‐years clinical experience
Authors: Li Acrane Y. , Yue Helen , Kavnoudias Helen , Cherk Martin H. , Nadebaum David P. , Barton Howard , Beech Paul , Yap Kenneth S. K. , Smith Marty , Paul Eldho , Barber Thomas W.
Published: December 2021

Background

The clinical utility of fatty meal stimulated cholescintigraphy particularly using a standardized formulation in patients with suspected functional gallbladder disorder has not been extensively studied. We present our seven‐year clinical experience using an Ensure plus protocol.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed on patients undergoing stimulated cholescintigraphy using Ensure Plus for evaluation of suspected functional gallbladder disorder. A gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) of <33% was considered abnormal.

Results

Of the 173 patients evaluated, 57 (33%) had an abnormal GBEF, 112 (65%) had a normal GBEF and 4 (2%) had no gallbladder visualization. Of the 57 patients with an abnormal GBEF, symptom improvement occurred in 30/31 (97%) who underwent cholecystectomy and in 17/26 (65%) who were managed conservatively (p = 0.003). Of the 112 patients with a normal GBEF, symptom improvement occurred in 8/10 (80%) who underwent cholecystectomy and 74/102 (73%) who were managed conservatively (p = 1.000). In the subgroup of 102 patients with a normal GBEF managed conservatively, those without symptomatic improvement had lower GBEFs compared to those with symptomatic improvement (median GBEF 46% versus 57%, p = 0.019).

Conclusion

Our retrospective results support a clinical role for stimulated cholescintigraphy using Ensure Plus in the evaluation of patients with suspected functional gallbladder disorder. While an abnormal GBEF predicts good surgical outcome, our results suggest that using an absolute GBEF cut off value of <33% may not apply to all patients and hence GBEF results should only be used as an adjunct in the surgical decision‐making process.
The value of drain fluid amylase as a predictor of postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticogastrostomy
Authors: Yuan Shuai , Kim Ji Hun , Li Guang Yi , Jung Woohyun , Noh O Kyu , Yang Min Jae , Hwang Jae Chul , Yoo Byung Moo , Kim Jin Hong , Kim Wook Hwan
Published: December 2021

Background

Drain fluid amylase is commonly used as a predictor of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). This study aimed to determine the ideal cut‐off value of drain fluid amylase on postoperative day 1 (DFA1) for predicting pancreatic fistula after pancreaticogastrostomy (PG).

Methods

Prospective data of 272 consecutive patients undergoing PG between 2010 and 2020 was collected and analysed to determine the postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) risk factors.

Results

The incidence of POPF was 143 cases (52.6%). The median DFA1 in patients with POPF was significantly higher than that of patients with NO‐POPF (5483 versus 311, P < 0.001). DFA1 correlated with POPF in the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.84 (P < 0.001). When DFA1 was 2300 U/L, Youden index was the highest, with a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of 82.9%. Logistic regression analysis showed that DFA1 ≥ 2300 U/L was an independent predictor of POPF (P < 0.001; OR: 12.855; 95% CI: 7.019–23.544). The AUC of DFA1 and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR‐POPF) was 0.674 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

DFA1 ≥ 2300 U/L can be used as an independent predictor of POPF after PG. DFA1 ≥ 3000 U/L can predict the occurrence of CR‐POPF, when DFA1 ≥ 3000 U/L, the patients should be observed closely active for complications.
Prediction of CW chord as a measure for the eye’s orientation axis after cataract surgery from preoperative IOLMaster 700 measurement data
Authors: Langenbucher Achim , Szentmáry Nóra , Cayless Alan , Weisensee Johannes , Wendelstein Jascha , Hoffmann Peter
Published: December 2021

Background

The angles alpha and kappa are widely discussed for centring refractive procedures, but they cannot be determined with ophthalmic instruments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Chang‐Waring chord (position of the Purkinje reflex PI relative to the corneal centre) derived from an optical biometer before and after cataract surgery and to study the changes resulting from cataract surgery.

Methods

The analysis was based on a large dataset of 1587 complete sets of preoperative and postoperative IOMaster 700 biometry measurements from two clinical centres, each containing: valid data for pupil and corneal centre position, the position of the Purkinje reflex PI originated from a coaxial fixation target, keratometry (K), axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), central corneal thickness CCT, and horizontal corneal diameter W2W. The Chang‐Waring chord CW was derived from pupil centre and Purkinje reflex PI analysed preoperatively and postoperatively, and a multilinear regression model together with a feedforward neural network algorithm was set up to predict postoperative CW chord from preoperative CW chord, K and biometric distances of the eye.

Results

The Y component of CW chord shows a slight shift in the inferior direction in both left and right eyes, before and after cataract surgery. The X component shows some shift in the temporal direction, which is more pronounced preoperatively and slightly reduced postoperatively but with a larger variation. The change in CW chord from preoperative to postoperative shows a slight shift in the superior and nasal directions. Our algorithms for prediction of postoperative CW chord using preoperative CW chord, keratometry and biometry as input data performed with a multilinear regression and a feedforward neural network approach were able to reduce the variance, but could not properly predict the postoperative CW chord X and Y components.

Conclusion

The CW chord as the position of the Purkinje reflex PI with respect to the pupil centre can be directly measured with any biometer, topographer or tomographer with a coaxial fixation light. The mean Y component does not differ between right and left eyes or preoperatively and postoperatively, but the mean temporal shift of the X component preoperatively is slightly reduced postoperatively, but with a larger scatter of the values.
Conflicting Priorities in South American Migration Governance
Authors: Doña Reveco Cristián , Finn Victoria
Published: December 2021

Historical extra‐regional emigration patterns have shaped South America's focus on a human‐rights approach to migration. Concern for emigrants permeates debates at the annual South American Conference on Migration (SACM), yet national legislation emphasises immigration rather than emigration. Comparing national legislation to SACM documents between 2000 and 2021, we show that countries fail to reflect the same priorities as regional agreements in their laws. The interlevel discrepancies reveal that – despite prominent roles for regional cooperation, international organisations, and global migration governance – when it comes to migration legislation in South America over the last two decades, we find sovereign law‐making within national territories trumps regional agreements.
Rapid evolution of life‐history traits in response to warming, predation and competition: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Grainger Tess Nahanni , Levine Jonathan M.
Published: December 2021

Although studies quantifying evolutionary change in response to the selective pressures that organisms face in the wild have demonstrated that organisms can evolve rapidly, we lack a systematic assessment of the frequency, magnitude and direction of rapid evolutionary change across taxa. To address this gap, we conducted a meta‐analysis of 58 studies that document the effects of warming, predation or competition on the evolution of body size, development rate or fecundity in natural or experimental animal populations. We tested whether there was a consistent effect of any selective agent on any trait, whether the direction of these effects align with theoretical predictions, and whether the three agents select in opposing directions on any trait. Overall, we found weak effects of all three selective agents on trait evolution: none of our nine traits by selective agent combinations had an overall effect that differed from zero, only 31% of studies had a significant within‐study effect, and attributes of the included studies generally did not account for between‐study variation in results. One notable exception was that predation targeting adults consistently resulted in the evolution of smaller prey body size. We discuss potential causes of these generally weak responses and consider how our results inform the ongoing development of eco‐evolutionary research.
Association of body mass index with Clostridioides difficile infection among older patients with pneumonia in Japan
Authors: Suzuki Risa , Sakata Nobuo , Fushimi Kiyohide
Published: December 2021

Aim

Obesity is reported to be a risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection. However, obesity rarely occurs in older Asian patients, and the effects of obesity on health and disease are different in Asian and Western countries. This study aimed to assess the association between body mass index and C. difficile infection risk among older patients with pneumonia in Japan.

Methods

This retrospective observational cohort study used data from the nationwide database of acute hospital inpatients' data in Japan between July 2014 and March 2016. All patients aged ≥65 years admitted with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia were enrolled. Risk factors for C. difficile infection were determined by logistic regression analysis, including known risks as covariates.

Results

Among 221 242 pneumonia patients, 611 developed C. difficile infection. Underweight patients (body mass index <18.5 kg/m2) showed higher odds for C. difficile infection (odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.17–1.62, P < 0.001) than normal weight patients (body mass index 18.5–24.9 kg/m2), whereas overweight patients (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) showed lower odds (odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.45–0.89, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Body mass index was associated with C. difficile infection in older pneumonia patients in Japan. Underweight was a risk factor, whereas overweight was a protective factor for C. difficile infection. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 63–67.
Corruption victimization and anti‐incumbent voting
Authors: Bourassa Aimée , Weitz‐Shapiro Rebecca , Winters Matthew S.
Published: December 2021

Do citizens punish elected politicians for corruption carried out by unelected bureaucrats? Most studies of corruption punishment focus on accusations against politicians. We argue that the direct, and therefore undeniable, experience of corruption at the hands of street‐level bureaucrats will lead citizens to punish national incumbents. We explore whether this punishment of corruption is mitigated in circumstances where voters believe that politicians have less control over bureaucrats. We combine cross‐national survey data on corruption victimization and political behavior in a sample of 60 countries from Africa and Latin America. We find a robust, negative effect of personal corruption victimization on vote intention. Surprisingly, we do not identify any significant country‐level predictors of the strength of this relationship, nor do we find evidence of systematic differences in how copartisans respond to bureaucratic corruption relative to noncopartisans. Our paper contributes to the growing literature on how interaction with street‐level bureaucrats drives political behavior.
Reduced well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic – The role of working conditions
Authors: Zoch Gundula , Bächmann Ann‐Christin , Vicari Basha
Published: December 2021

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had diverse impacts on the employment conditions and family responsibilities of men and women. Thus, women and men were exposed to very different roles and associated challenges, which may have affected their well‐being very differently. Using data from the National Educational Panel Study and its supplementary COVID‐19 web survey for Germany (May–June 2020), we investigate gender differences in the relationship between working conditions and within‐changes in subjective well‐being. We systematically consider the household context by distinguishing between adults with and without younger children in the household. The results from multivariate change‐score regressions reveal a decline in all respondents' life satisfaction, particularly among women with and without younger children. However, the greater reduction in women's well‐being cannot be linked to systematic differences in working conditions throughout the pandemic. Kitagawa–Oaxaca–Blinder counterfactual decompositions confirm this conclusion. Further analyses suggest that women's caregiving role, societal concerns, and greater loneliness partly explain the remaining gender differences in altered satisfaction. From a general perspective, our results suggest important gender differences in social life and psychological distress at the beginning of the pandemic, which are likely to become more pronounced as the crisis has unfolded.
Thermal fogging with disinfectants and antifreezes enables effective industrial disinfection in subzero cold-chain environment
Authors: Hu Qiaoyun , Ma Pei , Wang Yulong , Huang Dong , Hong Junyi , Tan Yadi , Yu Zhengjun
Published: December 2021

Aim

During several local COVID-19 outbreaks in China in 2020, SARS-CoV-2 or its RNA was isolated or detected from frozen food or packages, revealing the lack of effective disinfection measures in the frozen food chain and risk of transmission. We explored the possibility that disinfectant plus antifreeze could be delivered as thermal fog to realize effective disinfection at subzero temperatures.

Methods and Results

We selected two disinfectant-antifreeze combinations, didecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) – propylene glycol (PPG) and peracetic acid (PAA) – triethylene glycol (TEG), and each combination is used with a custom-optimized thermal fogging machine. The two fogs were tested in −20°C freezer warehouses for their disinfection efficacy against a coronavirus porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) field strain, a swine influenza virus (SIV) field strain, and three indicator bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis endospores. At −20°C, the DDAB-PPG or PAA-TEG thermal fogs settle within 3.5 to 4.5 h and effectively inactivated PEDV with median tissue culture infective dose of 10−3.5 0.1 ml−1 and SIV-H1N1 with hemagglutination titre of 26 ml−1 within 15–60 min. DDAB-PPG could inactivate S. aureus and E. coli vegetative cells (106 cfu ml−1) within 15–60 min but not effective on B. subtilis spores, while PAA-TEG could disinfect B. subtilis spores more effectively than for S. aureus and E. coli.

Conclusions

We showed that a practical subzero temperature disinfection technology was effective in killing enveloped viruses and vegetative bacteria or bacterial spores. DDAB-PPG or PAA-TEG thermal fogging may be a practical technology for cold-chain disinfection.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This subzero temperature disinfection technology could help to meet the urgent public health need of environmental disinfection in frozen food logistics against pandemic and other potential pathogens and to enhance national and international biosecurity.
Work‐related potential traumatic events and job burnout among operating room nurses: Independent effect, cumulative risk, and latent class approaches
Authors: Wang Juan , Mao Fangxiang , Wu Liuliu , Yang Xiaomei , Zhang Xuan , Sun Yaoyao , Huang Yongqi , Lu Yan’ e , Luan Xiaorong , Cao Fenglin
Published: December 2021

Aims

The objective of this study is to explore and compare the strength of associations between work‐related potential traumatic events and burnout among operating room nurses based on three different approaches.

Design

The study followed a multisite cross‐sectional design.

Methods

A stratified sampling method was conducted. Cities in the Shandong Province were divided into four groups, and two tertiary hospitals were randomly selected from all tertiary hospitals in cities of each group. A total of 361 eligible operating room nurses provided valid questionnaires between June and November 2019. Work‐related potential traumatic events questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory were conducted. Associations between individual, cumulative potential traumatic events, as well as latent class analysis‐derived patterns of potential traumatic experiences with burnout were examined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Specific traumatic events (e.g., patients’ sudden death, bullying and ostracism from colleagues) were independently associated with an increased risk of burnout. Work‐related potential traumatic events had a cumulative effect on burnout, whereby operating room nurses exposed to cumulative potential traumatic events carried a higher risk for burnout than others. The “multiple work‐related potential traumatic events” pattern derived by latent class analysis was related to an increased risk of high depersonalization.

Conclusion

Operating room nurses who reported specific or multiple work‐related potential traumatic events were at high risk for burnout. It is of great significance to provide qualified and timely counselling or support.

Impact

This study is the first to focus on work‐related potential traumatic events among operating room nurses and examine their relationship with burnout based on three perspectives. The findings could help identify those operating room nurses who are at high risk of burnout in clinical practice. Hospital managers should develop targeted interventions to prevent or mitigate the harmful impact of potential traumatic events on occupational health.
The Equivalence Thesis and the Last Ventilator
Authors: McGee Andrew , Carter Drew
Published: December 2021

The potential shortage of ventilators during the COVID‐19 crisis has resulted in guidelines being published denying any moral difference between withholding and withdrawing medical treatment. This reflects some ethicists' support for ‘the equivalence thesis’, the idea that wherever it is permissible to withhold treatment, it is permissible to withdraw it, and vice versa. Some ethicists claim that doctors' opposition to the equivalence thesis discourages treatment withdrawal, leading to unnecessary loss of life amid pronounced scarcity. But first we need to ascertain whether the equivalence thesis is true. If it is, then we can work out what to do about the negative impacts of doctors opposing it. In this article, we argue that the equivalence thesis is false. There is a difference between withholding and withdrawing in that there can be instances in which an act of one type would be permissible while an act of the other type would be wrong, even though all other things are equal. We use Heidi Malm's distinction between comparison and conflict cases to show that equivalence proponents and opponents may be talking past one another, with proponents focussing on comparison cases and opponents rightly thinking of conflict cases as well.
Molecular characterization and immune protection by cystathionine β‐synthase from Eimeria tenella
Authors: Zhao Huanzhi , Li Cong , Zhu Shunhai , Zhao Qiping , Dong Hui , Huang Bing , Han Hongyu
Published: December 2021

Eimeria tenella is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite that causes avian coccidiosis and leads to severe economic losses in the global poultry industry. Cystathionine β‐synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ‐lyase (CGL) act together to generate H2S in the reverse transsulfuration pathway. In this study, E. tenella Cystathionine β‐synthase (EtCBS) was cloned using rapid amplification of cDNA 5′‐ends (5'RACE) and characterized, and its immunoprotective effects were evaluated. The recombinant EtCBS protein (rEtCBS) was expressed and successfully recognized by anti‐sporozoites (Spz) protein rabbit serum. EtCBS mRNA levels were highest in Spz by qPCR, and the protein expression levels were higher in unsporulated oocysts (UO) than in other stages by Western blot. Indirect immunofluorescence showed that EtCBS protein was found on the surface of Spz and second‐generation merozoites (Mrz). The invasion inhibition assays showed that rabbit anti‐rEtCBS polyclonal antibodies effectively inhibited parasite invasion host cells. Chickens immunized with rEtCBS protein showed prominently increased weight gains and decreased oocyst output compared to nonimmunized and infected control group. The results suggest that EtCBS could be a potential vaccine candidate against E. tenella.
ZmGRAS11, transactivated by Opaque2, positively regulates kernel size in maize
Authors: Li Ye , Ma Shuai , Zhao Qianqian , Lv Di , Wang Baobao , Xiao Ke , Zhu Jiameng , Li Suzhen , Yang Wenzhu , Liu Xiaoqing , Wang Haiyang , Zhou Xiaojin , Chen Rumei
Published: December 2021

Although the genetic basis for endosperm development in maize (Zea mays) has been well studied, the mechanism for coordinating grain filling with increasing kernel size remains elusive. Here, we report that increased kernel size was selected during modern breeding and identify a novel DELLA‐like transcriptional regulator, ZmGRAS11, which positively regulates kernel size and kernel weight in maize. We find that Opaque2, a core transcription factor for zein protein and starch accumulation, transactivates the expression of ZmGRAS11. Our data suggest that the Opaque2‐ZmGRAS11 module mediates synergistic endosperm enlargement with grain filling.
(When) Are Dynamic Capabilities Routine? A Mixed‐Methods Configurational Analysis
Authors: Wilhelm Hendrik , Maurer Indre , Ebers Mark
Published: December 2021

Dynamic capabilities research is hampered by a theoretical divide. This divide concerns, first, whether dynamic capabilities are routine or not, and, second, whether firms in dynamic environments deploy routine or non‐routine dynamic capabilities. The divide is significant for theory, as it pertains to the conceptualization and boundary conditions of dynamic capabilities. The present study offers a pathway for reconciling the divide by overcoming the bifurcation of routine and non‐routine dynamic capabilities that dominates the debate. Conceptually, we relax extant assumptions on dynamic capability routineness by allowing for the possibility that dynamic capabilities may vary in dimensions of their routineness (i.e., the frequency and structuring of dynamic capability activities). Findings of a fuzzy‐set Qualitative Comparative Analysis of 103 firms operating in more and in less dynamic environments reveal four configurations of dynamic capabilities (i.e., Experimental, Adaptive, Programmed, and Analytical) that fundamentally differ in their routineness. Moreover, we find that environmental dynamism does not constitute a boundary condition for the routineness of dynamic capabilities. In‐depth analyses of 16 cases suggest that the different dynamic capability configurations we observe depend not only on environmental dynamism but also on distinct intra‐firm conditions (i.e., organizational learning orientations and resource allocations). As its main contribution, this study offers a configurational framework explaining heterogeneity in the routineness of dynamic capabilities that advances our understanding of the nature and boundary conditions of dynamic capabilities.
Is TIMP‐1 a biomarker for periodontal disease? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: de Brouwer Puk , Bikker Floris J. , Brand Henk S. , Kaman Wendy E.
Published: December 2021

Objective

One of the most important families of proteases associated with periodontal disease is the family of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Their activity is regulated by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and an imbalance between MMP activity and regulation by TIMPs has been associated with the progression of periodontal disease. This strong interaction between TIMPs and MMPs might be an indication that TIMPs can be used as a biomarker to monitor periodontal disease progression in oral fluids. In particular, TIMP‐1 is a frequently studied biomarker for periodontal diseases. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the scientific literature regarding TIMP‐1 concentrations in oral fluids of patients suffering from periodontitis or gingivitis in comparison to healthy individuals.

Material and Methods

PubMed/ MedLine and Web of Science databases were searched electronically. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were systematically evaluated and assessed for eligibility and risk of bias. Meta‐analysis was performed through the random effects model to assess the association between periodontitis/gingivitis and TIMP‐1 concentration in stimulated saliva, unstimulated saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).

Results

The search strategy provided a total of 322 studies of which 10 studies met all inclusion criteria. Two studies investigated TIMP‐1 concentrations in GCF, three studies in unstimulated saliva, and five studies investigated TIMP‐1 concentrations in stimulated saliva. Three studies revealed that TIMP‐1 levels in oral fluids were significantly decreased in periodontal disease. Meta‐analysis revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between TIMP‐1 concentration in oral fluids of periodontitis/gingivitis patients in comparison to healthy individuals.

Conclusions

This systematic review with meta‐analysis shows that periodontal diseases are not associated with a statistically significant change in TIMP‐1 concentration in oral fluids.
French Jesuits, Origen, and Vatican II
Authors: O’Leary Joseph S.
Published: December 2021

This essay attempts to assess the theological significance of French Jesuit investment in the study of Origen. De Lubac and Daniélou read Origen as a vir ecclesiasticus, making him a resource for Vatican II’s new vision of the Church. They saw him as a scriptural thinker rather than a philosopher, and thus revealed him to be a master of spirituality. Origen’s account of the economy of salvation, founded on the Logos enlightening all minds, prompted the Jesuit theologians (heirs of such daring missionaries as Matteo Ricci and Ippolito Desideri) to undertake an interreligious thinking that was ahead of its time. While celebrating the rich syntheses thus created, which greatly broadened the Catholic mind after the crackdown against Modernism, we may find it more fruitful today to trace the significant tensions and ambiguities within the Jesuit reception and in Origen’s own thought, notably the tension between the soil of the Gospel (and of Jewish experience) and the Platonizing thought‐forms that Daniélou attacked and de Lubac cherished.
“I pretty much followed the law, and there weren't any decisions to make”: A qualitative study of self‐advocacy experiences of men with cancer
Authors: Thomas Teresa Hagan , Hadley Makenna L. , Nilsen Marci Lee
Published: December 2021

Current conceptualizations of patient self‐advocacy focus on women with cancer, leaving knowledge of male self‐advocacy deficient. The purpose of this study is to describe the key components of self‐advocacy among men with cancer. Adult (≥18 years old) men with a history of invasive cancer were recruited from cancer clinics and registries. Trained researchers led individual semi‐structured interviews regarding participants' challenges, how they overcame those challenges, and barriers and facilitators to their self‐advocacy. All interviews were analyzed using descriptive content analysis methods and synthesized into major themes. These themes were refined after receiving feedback from key stakeholders. Participants (N = 28) reported three major self‐advocacy themes: (i) managing through information and planning; (ii) finding the best team and falling in line; and (iii) strategic social connections. These themes are richly described with representative quotations for each theme and subtheme. Based on these findings, existing models of patient self‐advocacy should be adjusted to encompass how men self‐advocate. Clinicians should consider how gender may impact how and why patients with cancer self‐advocate so that they can best support their patients in achieving patient‐centered care.
All you need is … a network: The rise of interpretive public administration
Authors: Bevir Mark , Rhodes R. A. W.
Published: December 2021

For this 100th Anniversary issue of Public Administration, we review one of the more distinctive trends in the study of public administration—the rise of the interpretive approach. We tie interpretivism to an anti‐naturalist historicism and humanism in contrast to the formalism and scientism of mainstream public administration. We review developments in Britain, Western Europe, and the United States, concluding there is a divide between the empiricist Anglo‐Saxon approaches and Continental interpretive and critical approaches. We summarize Bevir and Rhodes' decentred approach with its focus on traditions, beliefs, practices, and dilemmas. We highlight its distinctive features compared with other interpretive approaches. We suggest the interpretive approach could develop further by blurring genres and practising bricolage. We conclude that interpretivism thrives in Britain and Continental Europe because there are established networks behind which lies the nineteenth century European tradition of hermeneutics and idealism.
Globalization and Gender‐Specific Patterns in Individual Fertility Decisions
Authors: Piriu Andreea Alexandra
Published: December 2021

In the German post‐reunification context dominated by economic uncertainty and structural change, this paper studies the effects of import shocks from China on the fertility decisions of individuals working in the German manufacturing sector between 1995 and 2016. While focusing on trade shocks related to Chinese imported goods, the paper explores individual fertility via the labor market outcomes of manufacturing workers, roughly a fifth of German employment. I investigate the gender‐specific effects of Chinese import competition on individual fertility and explain the channels mediating each of them. I find that globalization affects overall fertility negatively, but the effect is positive for women and negative for men. Results indicate a reduction in the employment opportunity of individuals, an increase in marginal employment and higher economic insecurity. There is a substitution effect in the labor supply of women, here prevalently concentrated in low‐technology sectors: as female earnings fall and their opportunity cost of work is lower, the prospect of having children possibly becomes a more rewarding alternative. Given concerns over low fertility in Germany, findings are particularly important for understanding the German social and economic structure that enabled the country's post‐reunification transformation but also allowed heavy labor market segmentation and atypical work.
Postcrania of Borealestes (Mammaliformes, Docodonta) and the emergence of ecomorphological diversity in early mammals
Authors: Panciroli Elsa , Benson Roger B.J. , Fernandez Vincent , Humpage Matthew , Martín‐Serra Alberto , Walsh Stig , Luo Zhe‐Xi , Fraser Nicholas C.
Published: December 2021

The Middle Jurassic witnessed the early diversification of mammal groups, including the stem‐mammalian clade, Docodonta. Recent discoveries in China indicate docodontans exhibited ecomorphological diversity akin to small‐bodied mammals living >100 million years later, in the Cenozoic. Our understanding of the emergence of this ecological diversity is hindered by a lack of Middle Jurassic fossil material from other parts of the world. The two partial postcranial skeletons of Borealestes described here come from the Kilmaluag Formation, Scotland. These are the most complete Mesozoic mammaliaform skeletons currently known from the UK, and among the best preserved in Europe. As an early member of Docodonta, Borealestes provides key anatomical information for understanding the clade’s evolution, and the emergence of mammaliaform ecomorphological diversity. Using digital reconstructions from micro‐CT and synchrotron scans, we describe the postcranial anatomy of Borealestes and provide an updated phylogenetic analysis incorporating cranial and postcranial characters. We find Borealestes species form a sister group to a clade comprising Agilodocodon and Microdocodon. To complement observational analyses of the skeleton, we carry out principal components analyses using 3D landmarks on a comparative dataset of 42 extant mammal taxa. Our results indicate Borealestes lacked specializations for derived locomotor behaviour. We detect some similarity in the humerus between Borealestes and Ornithorhynchus. Borealestes is morphologically intermediate between the robust morphology of fossorial and semi‐fossorial/semi‐aquatic Haldanodon and Docofossor, and the gracile morphology for scansorial Agilodocodon and Microdocodon. We suggest ecological diversity in Docodonta may arise from an unspecialized basal bauplan, of which Borealestes may be representative.
β2‐microglobulin measurement with dried urine spots for congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract screening in 3‐year‐old children
Authors: Morohashi Tamaki , Wada Naohiro , Odaira Sakiko , Shimizu Shoichi , Takahashi Shori , Morioka Ichiro
Published: December 2021

Background

Screening using dipstick urinalysis has long been performed in 3‐year‐old children; however, it is ineffective in detecting congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). Measurement of the urinary β2‐microglobulin (β2MG)/creatinine (Cr) ratio may be more effective for this purpose. Analysis of dried urine spots (DUS) on filter paper is suitable for mass screening since operational costs are low and samples are easy to collect and transport. We examined the accuracy of measuring the urinary β2MG/Cr ratio in DUS on filter paper.

Methods

We collected 2,623 urine samples from 3‐year‐old children. β2MG and Cr levels were measured in DUS on filter paper. We examined the correlation between the β2MG/Cr ratios measured in DUS and using the conventional method in 640 samples using the coefficient of determination test. Children with high β2MG/Cr ratios (>0.6 µg/mg Cr) in DUS samples were further examined to establish a definitive diagnosis.

Results

There was strong correlation between the two methods for determination of β2MG levels (r2 = 0.68; P < 0.001) and β2MG/Cr ratios (r2 = 0.69; P < 0.001). Of the 2,623 children, 38 (1.45%) had β2MG/Cr ratios >0.6. Thirty‐five children were subsequently examined, resulting in findings of renal hypodysplasia (n = 2, 0.08%), horseshoe kidney (n = 1, 0.04%), renal tubular dysfunction with hepatoblastoma (n = 1, 0.04%), data abnormality (high urine β2MG level, n = 6, 0.23%; high serum Cr level, n = 1, 0.04%), and normal values (n = 24, 0.91%).

Conclusions

We evaluated a practical method for measuring β2MG/Cr ratios in DUS as a screening method to detect CAKUT in 3‐year‐old children.