bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Café Galavis: the challenge of internationalization of a family business
Authors: Perez Perez Juan Ernesto
Published: December 2023

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this case study, students will be able to identify the main conceptual foundations of strategy in international business, determine the strategy of entry into a country through the analysis of dual pressures and propose the mode of entry into a country by analyzing the sources of competitive advantage in a firm’s value chain.

Case overview/synopsis

Café Galavis stood out as one of the most outstanding family businesses in industrial development, with a century-long trajectory in the production and sale of roasted and ground coffee in Cucuta, Colombia. However, in 2015, the diplomatic, humanitarian and economic crisis between the governments of Colombia and Venezuela led to the indefinite closure of the Colombian–Venezuelan border. As a result, the illegal coffee trade increased, and competition from traditional brands significantly affected sales, leading to financial difficulties and an urgent need for change in senior management. In addition, the demise of the manager who had been leading the company until 2018 exacerbated the business situation. Juan Francisco Yáñez, the new manager, joined the management of an emblematic company. From his first years of management, he implemented different strategies related to organizational policies, production, innovation and export of products to achieve stability. For the year 2023, the challenges for the new CEO were to lead a brand with more than a century of tradition and business roots and to enter new markets, owing to the high dependence on the Venezuelan market. Which countries should they enter in the internationalization process? Furthermore, what type of strategy and entry mode should Café Galavis implement to penetrate new markets? These were some of the challenges faced by the CEO; therefore, he required objective information to make decisions in consensus with his collaborators.

Complexity academic level

This case study is suitable for students of postgraduate academic programs in knowledge areas of international management, international business or MBA.

Supplementary material

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 5: International business.
Analysis of cyberfraud in the South African banking industry: a multiple regression approach
Authors: Akinbowale Oluwatoyin Esther , Mashigo Polly , Zerihun Mulatu Fekadu
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse cyberfraud in the South African banking industry using a multiple regression approach and develop a predictive model for the estimation and prediction of financial losses due to cyberfraud.

Design/methodology/approach

To mitigate the occurrence of cyberfraud, this study uses the multiple regression approach to correlate the relationship between financial loss and cyberfraud activities. The cyberfraud activities in South Africa are classified into three, namely, digital banking application, online and mobile banking fraud. Secondary data that captures the rate of cyberfraud occurrences within these three major categories with their resulting financial losses were used for the multiple regression analysis that was carried out in the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS, 2022 environment).

Findings

The results obtained indicate that the South African financial institutions still incur significant financial losses due to cyberfraud perpetration. The two main independent variables used to estimate the magnitude of financial loss in the South Africa’s banking industry are online (internet) banking fraud (X2) and mobile banking fraud (X3). Furthermore, a multiple regression model equation was developed for the prediction of financial loss as a function of the two independent variables (X2 and X3).

Practical implications

This study adds to the literature on cyberfraud mitigation. The findings may promote the combat against cyberfraud in the South Africa’s financial institutions. It may also assist South Africa’s financial institutions to predict the financial loss that financial institutions can incur over time. It is recommended that South Africa’s financial institutions pay attention to these two key variables and mitigate any associated risks as they are crucial in determining their profitability.

Originality/value

Existing literature indicated significant financial losses to cyberfraud perpetration without establishing any relationship between the magnitude of losses incurred and the prevalent forms of cyberfraud. Thus, the novelty of this study lies in the analysis of cyberfraud in the South African banking industry using a multiple regression approach to link financial losses to the perpetration of the prevalent forms of cyberfraud. It also develops a predictive model for the estimation and projection of financial losses.
Going green: predicting tourists' intentions to stay at eco-friendly hotels – the roles of green attitude and environmental concern
Authors: Van Huy Le , Nguyen Hien T.T. , Hoang Long Phan , Quyen Phu Thi Phan , Pham Nhat Tan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

By anchoring on the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) framework, this research aims to examine the effect of tourists' green ability, motivation and opportunity to access green information on digital media platforms (green AMO) on their intention to stay at green hotels. The study also tests the moderating role of environmental concern and the mediating role of green attitude in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted on large Facebook groups and by an international tour operator in March 2022. Through convenience sampling, 600 responses were collected from local and international tourists. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed to validate the research model.

Findings

The results reveal that tourists' intention to stay at green hotels is positively affected by their green AMO through indirect and direct channels. Specifically, green AMO indirectly effects tourists' intention to stay at green hotels by raising their green attitude. The results also indicate that the direct effect is moderated by environmental concern.

Research limitations/implications

The findings demonstrate the importance of facilitating tourists' access to environmental information on social media platforms, which enhances green attitude and intention to stay at green hotels. This study also proposes practical solutions that managers of green hotels can employ to target green-oriented customers and conduct environmental campaigns on digital platforms.

Originality/value

The research is the first to investigate the effects of tourists' green AMO on their intention to stay at green hotels. It is also the first to explore the roles of environmental concern and green attitude in this relationship.
Fear of failure for entrepreneurs in emerging economies: stress, risk, finances, hard work, and social support
Authors: Al Halbusi Hussam , AbdelFattah Fadi , Ferasso Marcos , Alshallaqi Mohammad , Hassani Abdeslam
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Many entrepreneurs often struggle with the fear of failure, which can be detrimental to both their business and personal well-being. To better understand the factors that contribute to this fear, the authors conducted research on the impact of various obstacles, such as limited financial resources, risk aversion, stress and hard work avoidance, and prior business failures. Additionally, the authors explored the effects of social capital in mitigating these obstacles and their relationship to fear of failure in entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a survey with 440 young Iraqi entrepreneurs using non-probabilistic and purposive methods. The survey instrument included multiple measuring scales, which were provided in both English and Arabic. The authors analysed valid responses using structural equation modelling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS).

Findings

The findings show that the fear of failure in entrepreneurship is negatively influenced by factors such as limited financial access, risk aversion, and past business failures. However, aversion to stress and hard work did not have a significant impact. The findings also show that social capital could potentially mitigate these negative factors.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical and practical implications of this study manifest in revealing the difficulties entrepreneurs encounter in developing countries like Iraq, where entrepreneurship is vital for economic growth. The study's limitations stem from its focus on one country and the use of a single survey method. Future research could use varied methods across multiple countries for a more comprehensive view.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on the factors that are obstacles for entrepreneurs to starting a business in emerging economies like Iraq.
The effect of additively and subtractively created center internal features on microstructure and mechanical performance of inconel-718 parts
Authors: Isik Murat , Emami Tabrizi Isa , Khan Raja Muhammad Awais , Yildiz Mehmet , Aydogan Eda , Koc Bahattin
Published: December 2023

Purpose

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) has started to be used for manufacturing real functional parts and assemblies for critical applications in aerospace, automotive, and machinery industries. Most complex or assembled parts require internal features (IF) such as holes, channels, slots, or guides for locational and mating requirements. Therefore, it is critical to understand and compare the structural and mechanical properties of additively manufactured and conventionally machined IFs.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, mechanical and microstructural properties of Inconel 718 (Inc718) alloy internal features, manufactured either as-built with AM or machining of additively manufactured (AMed) part thereafter were investigated.

Findings

The results showed that the average ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of additively manufactured center internal feature (AM-IF) is almost analogous to the machined internal feature (M-IF). However, the yield strength of M-IF is greater than that of AM-IF due the greater surface roughness of the internal feature in AM-IF, which is deemed to surpass the effect of microstructure on the mechanical performance. The results of digital image correlation (DIC) analysis suggest that AM-IF and M-IF conditions have similar strain values under the same stress levels but the specimens with as built IF have a more locally ductile region around their IF, which is confirmed by hardness test results. But this does not change global elongation behavior. The microstructural evolution starting from as-built (AB) and heat-treated (HT) samples to specimens with IF are examined. The microstructure of HT specimens has bimodal grain structure with d phase while the AB specimens display a very fine dendritic microstructure with the presence of carbides. Although they both have close values, machined specimens have a higher frequency of finer grains based on SEM images.

Originality/value

It was shown that the concurrent creation of the IF during AM can provide a final part with a preserved ultimate tensile strength and elongation but a decreased yield strength. The variation in UTS of AM-IF increases due to the surface roughness near the internal feature as compared to smooth internal surfaces in M-IF. Hence, the outcomes of this study are believed to be valuable for the industry in terms of determining the appropriate production strategy of parts with IF using AM and postprocessing processes.
Frost damage measured by electrolyte leakage in subarctic bryophytes increases with climate warming
Authors: van Zuijlen Kristel , Kassel Marlene , Dorrepaal Ellen , Lett Signe
Published: December 2023

Observed climate change in northern high latitudes is strongest in winter, but still relatively little is known about the effects of winter climate change on tundra ecosystems. Ongoing changes in winter climate and snow cover will change the intensity, duration and frequency of frost events. Bryophytes form a major component of northern ecosystems but their responses to winter climate changes are largely unknown.

Here, we studied how changes in overall winter climate and snow regime affect frost damage in three common bryophyte taxa that differ in desiccation tolerance in a subarctic tundra ecosystem. We used a snow manipulation experiment where bryophyte cores were transplanted from just above the tree line to similar elevation (i.e. current cold climate) and lower elevation (i.e. near‐future warmer climate scenario) in Abisko, Sweden. Here, we measured frost damage in shoots of Ptilidium ciliare, Hylocomium splendens and Sphagnum fuscum with the relative electrolyte leakage (REL) method, during late winter and spring in two consecutive years. We hypothesized that frost damage would be lower in a milder climate (low site) and higher under reduced snow cover and that taxa from moister habitats with assumed low desiccation tolerance would be more sensitive to lower temperature and thinner snow cover than those from drier and more exposed habitats.

Contrary to our expectations, frost damage was highest at low elevation, while the effect of snow treatment differed across sites and taxa. At the high site, frost damage was reduced under snow addition in the taxon with the assumed lowest desiccation tolerance, S. fuscum. Surprisingly, frost damage increased with mean temperature in the bryophyte core of the preceding 14 days leading up to REL measurements and decreased with higher frost degree sums, that is, was highest in the milder climate at the low site.

Synthesis Our results imply that climate warming in late winter and spring increases frost damage in bryophytes. Given the high abundance of bryophytes in tundra ecosystems, higher frost damage could alter the appearance and functioning of the tundra landscape, although the short and long‐term effects on bryophyte fitness remain to be studied.
Competitive interactions between invasive fall armyworm and Asian corn borer at intraspecific and interspecific level on the same feeding guild
Authors: Guo Jingfei , Shi Jianqin , Han Hailiang , Rwomushana Ivan , Ali Abid , Myint Yeeyee , Wang Zhenying
Published: December 2023

Interspecific competition is an important factor in the population dynamics and geographical distribution of insect populations. Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, an invasive species, and the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, a native pest species are major pests on maize in China, posing a threat to maize yield and grain quality. A series of laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments were conducted to elucidate the competitive interactions between FAW and ACB. In the laboratory experiments, FAW exhibited aggressive behaviors more frequently when compared with ACB, while the latter species exhibited defense behaviors more frequently. Higher intraspecific competition was recorded in the FAW conspecific rather than in ACB, particularly in the 6th larval stage. FAW had a higher interspecific competitive advantage through intraguild predation over ACB, resulting in partial or complete displacement ACB when initially the ratio of the 2 species was 1 : 1. The interspecific competition also had significantly influenced on the population parameters, defensive enzymes, and nutrient of these 2 species. Competitive interaction proved that the response of superoxide, catalase, and soluble protein in FAW were significantly increased, whereas the total sugar content in both species was substantially decreased. Survival rate, and the plant damage that co‐infested by both species varied significantly among the sequential combinations under greenhouse and field conditions. FAW consistently exhibited stronger intraspecific aggression than ACB under laboratory and field conditions when co‐existing on the same feeding guild. These findings contribute to efforts toward the improvement of integrated pest management programs for FAW, in decision making for invasive and native pests’ management strategies to reduce the high risks of FAW and ACB outbreaks.
Ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme E2 for regulating autophagy in diabetic cardiomyopathy: A mini‐review
Authors: Zhou Yueran , Zheng Zequn , Wu Shenglin , Zhu Jinxiu
Published: December 2023

The prevalence of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) increases year by year with the increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), which is one of the most serious cardiovascular complications of DM and a major cause of death in diabetic patients. Although the pathological molecular features of DCM have not been fully elucidated, increasing evidence suggests that impaired autophagy in cardiomyocytes plays a nonnegligible role in the development of DCM. It has been shown that SUMOylation [SUMO = small ubiquitin‐like modifier], a post‐translational modification of proteins, and its associated ubiquitin‐proteasome system mediates protein quality control in the heart and plays an important role in the proteotoxic environment of the heart. Specifically, the expression of ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme E2 (Ubc9), the only SUMO‐E2 enzyme, exerts a positive regulatory effect on autophagy in cardiomyocytes with potential cardioprotective effects. This review focuses on the role that autophagy plays in DCM and the potential for Ubc9‐regulated autophagy pathways to ameliorate DCM, highlighting the potential of Ubc9 as an interventional target in DCM and providing new insights into the pathogenesis of the disease.

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What is in an action? Preschool children predict that agents take previous paths and not previous goals
Authors: Gönül Gökhan , Kammermeier Marina , Paulus Markus
Published: December 2023

Developmental science has experienced a vivid debate on whether young children prioritize goals over means in their prediction of others’ actions. Influential developmental theories highlight the role of goal objects for action understanding. Yet, recent infant studies report evidence for the opposite. The empirical evidence is therefore inconclusive. The current study advanced this debate by assessing preschool children's verbal predictions of others’ actions. In five experiments (N = 302), we investigated whether preschool children and adults predict agents to move towards their previous goal (that is, show goal‐related predictions) or predict agents to move along the same movement path that they pursued before. While Experiments 1a, 1b and 1c presented young children and adults with animated agents, Experiments 2a and 2b presented participants with human grasping action. An integrative analysis across experiments revealed that children were more likely to predict the agent to move along the same movement path, Z = ‐4.574, p ≤ 0.0001 (r = 0.304). That is, preschool children were more likely to predict that agents would move along the same trajectory even though this action would lead to a new goal object. Thus, our findings suggest that young children's action prediction relies on the detection of spatial and movement information. Overall, we discuss our findings in terms of theoretical frameworks that conceive of action understanding as an umbrella term that comprises different forms and facets in which humans understand others’ actions.

Research Highlights

We investigated whether preschool children predict agents to move towards their previous goal or to move along the same movement path that they pursued before.

Unlike adults, preschool children predicted that agents would move along the same trajectory even though this action would lead to a new goal.

Adults’ goal‐based predictions were affected from contextual details, whereas children systematically made path‐based predictions.

Young children's action prediction relies on the detection of spatial and movement information.
Epilepsy phenotype and its reproducibility after lateral fluid percussion‐induced traumatic brain injury in rats: Multicenter EpiBioS4Rx study project 1
Authors: Ndode‐Ekane Xavier Ekolle , Ali Idrish , Santana‐Gomez Cesar , Andrade Pedro , Immonen Riikka , Casillas‐Espinosa Pablo , Paananen Tomi , Manninen Eppu , Puhakka Noora , Smith Gregory , Brady Rhys D. , Silva Juliana , Braine Emma , Hudson Matt , Yamakawa Glen R. , Jones Nigel C. , Shultz Sandy R. , Harris Neil , Wright David K. , Gröhn Olli , Staba Richard , O'Brien Terence J. , Pitkänen Asla
Published: December 2023

Objective

This study was undertaken to assess reproducibility of the epilepsy outcome and phenotype in a lateral fluid percussion model of posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) across three study sites.

Methods

A total of 525 adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to lateral fluid percussion‐induced brain injury (FPI) or sham operation. Of these, 264 were assigned to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI cohort, 43 sham, 221 traumatic brain injury [TBI]) and 261 to electrophysiological follow‐up (EEG cohort, 41 sham, 220 TBI). A major effort was made to harmonize the rats, materials, equipment, procedures, and monitoring systems. On the 7th post‐TBI month, rats were video‐EEG monitored for epilepsy diagnosis.

Results

A total of 245 rats were video‐EEG phenotyped for epilepsy on the 7th postinjury month (121 in MRI cohort, 124 in EEG cohort). In the whole cohort (n = 245), the prevalence of PTE in rats with TBI was 22%, being 27% in the MRI and 18% in the EEG cohort (p > .05). Prevalence of PTE did not differ between the three study sites (p > .05). The average seizure frequency was .317 ± .725 seizures/day at University of Eastern Finland (UEF; Finland), .085 ± .067 at Monash University (Monash; Australia), and .299 ± .266 at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA; USA; p < .01 as compared to Monash). The average seizure duration did not differ between UEF (104 ± 48 s), Monash (90 ± 33 s), and UCLA (105 ± 473 s; p > .05). Of the 219 seizures, 53% occurred as part of a seizure cluster (≥3 seizures/24 h; p >.05 between the study sites). Of the 209 seizures, 56% occurred during lights‐on period and 44% during lights‐off period (p > .05 between the study sites).

Significance

The PTE phenotype induced by lateral FPI is reproducible in a multicenter design. Our study supports the feasibility of performing preclinical multicenter trials in PTE to increase statistical power and experimental rigor to produce clinically translatable data to combat epileptogenesis after TBI.
A real‐world comparison among third‐generation antiseizure medications: Results from the COMPARE study
Authors: Roberti Roberta , Di Gennaro Gianfranco , Anzellotti Francesca , Arnaldi Dario , Belcastro Vincenzo , Beretta Simone , Boero Giovanni , Bonanni Paolo , Canafoglia Laura , D'Aniello Alfredo , Dainese Filippo , De Caro Carmen , Di Gennaro Giancarlo , Di Giacomo Roberta , DiFrancesco Jacopo C. , Dono Fedele , Falcicchio Giovanni , Ferlazzo Edoardo , Foschi Nicoletta , Franciotta Silvia , Gambardella Antonio , Giordano Alfonso , Iannone Luigi Francesco , Labate Angelo , La Neve Angela , Lattanzi Simona , Leggio Ugo , Liguori Claudio , Maschio Marta , Nilo Annacarmen , Operto Francesca Felicia , Pascarella Angelo , Pauletto Giada , Renna Rosaria , Strigaro Gionata ,   COMPARE Study Group, Russo Emilio
Published: December 2023

Objective

There are few comparative data on the third‐generation antiseizure medications (ASMs). We aimed to assess and compare the effectiveness of brivaracetam (BRV), eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL), lacosamide (LCM), and perampanel (PER) in people with epilepsy (PWE). Efficacy and tolerability were compared as secondary objectives.

Methods

This multicenter, retrospective study collected data from 22 Italian neurology/epilepsy centers. All adult PWE who started add‐on treatment with one of the studied ASMs between January 2018 and October 2021 were included. Retention rate was established as effectiveness measure and described using Kaplan–Meier curves and the best fitting survival model. The responder status and the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) were used to evaluate efficacy and safety, respectively. The odds of AEs and drug efficacy were estimated by two multilevel logistic models.

Results

A total of 960 patients (52.92% females, median age = 43 years) met the inclusion criteria. They mainly suffered from structural epilepsy (52.29%) with monthly (46.2%) focal seizures (69.58%). Compared with LCM, all the studied ASMs had a higher dropout risk, statistically significant in the BRV levetiracetam (LEV)‐naïve (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17–3.29) and PER groups (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.06–2.55). Women were at higher risk of discontinuing ESL (HR = 5.33, 95% CI = 1.71–16.61), as well as PER‐treated patients with unknown epilepsy etiology versus those with structural etiology (HR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.05–2.88). BRV with prior LEV therapy showed lower odds of efficacy (odds ratio [OR] = .08, 95% CI = .01–.48) versus LCM, whereas a higher efficacy was observed in women treated with BRV and LEV‐naïve (OR = 10.32, 95% CI = 1.55–68.78) versus men. PER (OR = 6.93, 95% CI = 3.32–14.44) and BRV in LEV‐naïve patients (OR = 6.80, 95% CI = 2.64–17.52) had a higher chance of AEs than LCM.

Significance

Comparative evidence from real‐world studies may help clinicians to tailor treatments according to patients' demographic and clinical characteristics.
Remove the condom and you remove consent: Why the U.S. should adopt Australia's initiative as a guide to criminalize stealthing
Authors: Amore Gianna
Published: December 2023

Stealthing, or non‐consensual condom removal, has become a dark reality for many people, posing risks such as unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and negative mental health effects. Although stealthing has received prior media coverage, it continues to fly under the legal radar in all but one U.S. jurisdiction. With blogs listing their top 10 tips on stealthing, and memes making light of the issue, it is imperative that the U.S. take action to criminalize stealthing. While the rest of the world amends their laws to include stealthing, the U.S. remains one step behind.
Dental and endodontic‐related stress amongst undergraduate students before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A mixed‐methods study
Authors: Chevalier Valérie , Bonnabesse Anaïs Le Fur , Honari B. , Duncan H. F.
Published: December 2023

Aim

To determine and explain the principal sources of stress among preclinical and clinical dental undergraduate students with a particular focus on the stressors linked to endodontics.

Methodology

A mixed‐methods study, with an explanatory sequential design, was employed. Volunteer students of second, third and fourth years were asked to complete both the Dental Environment Stress (DES) questionnaire and a bespoke questionnaire for endodontic‐related stress assessment, which had 21 questions in common with the DES. The results were analysed by Kruskal–Wallis and Marginal Homogeneity tests. In the second part of the study, a qualitative phase was conducted through focus group interviews of students from each academic year included in the study. Interviews were analysed by inductive content analysis.

Results

The DES questionnaire determined that for all years the most stressful domains were ‘performance pressure’, ‘workload’ and ‘clinical training’. According to the endodontic stress questionnaire, the most stressful domains were ‘self‐efficacy beliefs’, ‘endodontic clinical training’ and ‘faculty and administration’ in early years, while they were ‘endodontic patient treatment’, ‘performance pressure in endodontics’ and ‘clinical training’ in later years. Comparing questions common to both questionnaires revealed that the stress score was lower for the endodontic stress questionnaire than in the DES questionnaire for 17 questions, being significantly lower for 13 questions (p < 0.05) and significantly higher for no question. The qualitative study showed that students’ dental and endodontic‐related stress was linked to different domains: patient, clinical procedure, organization, staff, academic education, evaluation and COVID‐19‐related issues. Qualitative aspects highlighted the important role that patients and COVID‐19 have played in student stress. However, they suggested a possible explanation for the lower endodontic stress observed in this dental university hospital, which was based on: the nature of the teaching in endodontics, the consensus between endodontic supervisors, the use of a logical, progressive procedure and the considerable experience that students gain over the years.

Conclusion

Students considered endodontics stressful; however, education can play a central role in reducing stress, particularly during the early parts of the undergraduate course.
Regenerative food innovation delivering foods for the future: a viewpoint on how science and technology can aid food sustainability and nutritional well‐being in the food industry
Authors: Brennan Charles Stephen
Published: December 2023

This thought document initiates a series of commissioned articles, which will appear in this Journal during 2024 and marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Institute of Food Science and Technology in the UK. Climate changes have been seen to have major effects on the disruption of food supply systems. Such changes have had implications on food sustainability, food security and the nutritional composition of foods. In response to these disruptions, food researchers and the food industry have evaluated potential research activities to alleviate risks associated with food insecurity, and focussed on waste utilisation and the use of recovered products for the well‐being of consumers. This viewpoint article focusses on a selection of recently published articles from the International Journal of Food Science and Technology and aligned journals to show the relevance of such research to today's food industry. It is by examining the recent focus of researchers in specific areas of food science and technology, that it is possible to apply these published findings to the modern food industry and help reduce the impact of what may be considered a resource hungry industry.
The role experience of advanced practice nurses in oncology: An interpretative phenomenological study
Authors: Serra‐Barril M. Antònia , Ferro‐Garcia Tàrsila , Fernandez‐Ortega Paz , Sanchez‐Lopez Cristina , Martinez‐Momblan M. Antonia , Benito‐Aracil Llúcia , Romero‐Garcia Marta
Published: December 2023

Aim(s)

To understand the experiences of advanced practice nurses working in cancer care.

Design

Phenomenological qualitative study.

Methods

Three focus groups were held to collect qualitative data. Participants were recruited through theoretical non‐probabilistic sampling of maximum variation, based on 12 profiles. Data saturation was achieved with a final sample of 21 oncology advanced practice nurses who were performing advanced clinical practice roles in the four centers from December 2021 to March 2022. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was performed following Guba and Lincoln's criteria of trustworthiness. The centers' ethics committee approved the study, and all participants gave written informed consent. Data analysis was undertaken with NVivo 12 software.

Results

Three broad themes emerged from the data analysis: the role performed, facilitators and barriers in the development of the role and nurses' lived experience of the role.

Conclusion

Advanced practice nurses are aware that they do not perform their role to its full potential, and they describe different facilitators and barriers. Despite the difficulties, they present a positive attitude as well as a capacity for leadership, which has allowed them to consolidate the advanced practice nursing role in unfavourable environments.

Implications for the Profession

These results will enable institutions to establish strategies at different levels in the implementation and development of advanced practice nursing roles.

Reporting Method

Reporting complied with COREQ criteria for qualitative research.

Patient or Public Contributions

No patient or public contribution.
Spinosad‐infused biodegradable hydrogel beads as a potential organic approach for argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (hymenoptera: Formicidae), management in California citrus orchards
Authors: Milosavljević Ivan , Irvin Nicola A. , Lewis Michael , Hoddle Mark S.
Published: December 2023

Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), disrupts biological control services in California citrus orchards, leading to economically damaging densities of honeydew‐producing hemipteran pests. With the elimination of chlorpyrifos, the sole registered insecticide for L. humile control in California citrus, the development of effective alternatives is necessary. One alternative is aqueous sugar baits laced with minute concentrations (0.0001%) of insecticide. Field trials were conducted to assess the efficacy of spinosad and thiamethoxam‐infused alginate hydrogel beads (HGBs) for L. humile control. Thiamethoxam‐infused HGBs have previously shown high efficacy against L. humile in citrus. Spinosad is approved for organic use, while thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid, along with other neonicotinoid insecticides, might soon face deregistration in California, underscoring the need for alternative insecticide chemistries for ant control. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize spinosad‐loaded HGBs by identifying efficacious concentrations, application rates, and deployment frequency, and to compare with thiamethoxam‐infused HGBs, the standard reference treatment. Results showed that spinosad‐infused HGBs significantly reduced high‐density L. humile populations in citrus orchards. Notably, the highest spinosad concentration tested (0.01%) demonstrated comparable control to both 0.0001% and 0.01% thiamethoxam concentrations. A tri‐weekly application schedule for spinosad‐infused HGBs provided best control. Trees treated with 125 or 250 g of hydrogels infused with 0.01% spinosad at weeks 0, 3, and 6 displayed significantly reduced ant activities compared to plots treated solely during weeks 0 and 6, as well as control plots lacking HGB applications. Spinosad‐infused HGBs may offer an effective alternative to thiamethoxam‐infused HGBs for control of L. humile in California citrus orchards.
Gut microbial signatures in clinically stable ulcerative colitis according to the mucosal state and associated symptoms
Authors: Kim Soyoung , Jung Yeonjae , Lee Seung Bum , Oh Hyun‐Seok , Hong Sung Noh
Published: December 2023

Background and Aim

The gut microbiome of patients with clinically stable ulcerative colitis (UC) differs from that of healthy individuals depending on the state of the colonic mucosa, especially with or without advanced scarring; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Therefore, this study examined the gut microbiome compositional signatures in patients with significant mucosal scarring and UC‐related symptoms.

Methods

Stool samples for gut microbiome analysis were prospectively collected from 57 patients with clinically stable UC between January 1 and December 31, 2022. Data from 57 individuals without inflammatory bowel disease (non‐IBD) paired by age and sex were selected from our previous study as the control group. The fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Associations between gut microbiome profiles and clinical or colonoscopic assessments were examined using diversity and differential abundance analyses.

Results

Gut microbiome compositions between the patients with clinically stable UC and non‐IBD controls differed significantly. Furthermore, gut microbiome compositions varied between the preserved and altered mucosa groups identified based on mucosal changes in the UC group. Differential abundance test of patients with UC for symptomatic remission based on stool frequency from the two‐item patient‐reported outcome identified several overlapping taxa specified as gut microbiome signatures, including the Enterobacteriaceae unknown genera (Enterobacteriaceae_g), Klebsiella, and several Lachnospiraceae spp. both in mucosal and symptom change analyses.

Conclusions

The gut microbiome can change with mucosal changes, even in clinically stable UC, and some gut microbial signatures may explain the symptom manifestations in patients with UC showing significant mucosal changes.
Risk of dementia among veterans experiencing homelessness and housing instability
Authors: Roncarati Jill S. , DeVone Frank , Halladay Christopher , Tsai Jack , Jutkowitz Eric
Published: December 2023

Background

In the United States, nearly 85,000 Veterans experienced homelessness during 2020, and thousands more are experiencing housing instability, representing a significant proportion of the population.1 Many Veterans experiencing homelessness are aging and have complex co‐occurring medical, psychiatric, and substance use disorders. Homelessness and older age put Veterans at greater risk for age‐related disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Methods

We examined the rate of ADRD diagnosis for Veterans experiencing homelessness and housing instability compared to a matched cohort of stably housed Veterans over a nine‐year period using cox proportional hazard models.

Results

In the matched cohort, 95% (n = 88,811) of Veterans were men, and 67% (n = 59,443) were White and were on average 63 years old (SD = 10.8). Veterans with housing instability had a higher hazard of 1.53 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50, 1.59) for ADRD compared to Veterans without housing instability.

Conclusions

Veterans experiencing housing instability have a substantially higher risk of receiving an ADRD diagnosis than a matched cohort of stably housed Veterans. Health systems and providers should consider cognitive screening among people experiencing housing insecurity. Existing permanent supportive housing programs should consider approaches to modify wraparound services to support Veterans experiencing ADRD.
Influence of different surface cleaning methods on STED‐FCS and scanning STED‐FCS calibration measurements
Authors: Koerfer Agnes , Reina Francesco , Eggeling Christian
Published: December 2023

Molecular mobility is an important measure in biological functionality, as molecules have to diffuse to meet and interact and perform actions. Measurement of mobility requires specific tools such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Especially, combination with superresolution stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED‐FCS), whether in a point‐ or beam‐scanning mode, has proven valuable for determination of anomalous diffusion. STED‐FCS however relies on an accurate calibration of the effective observation spot formed for different laser powers of the additional STED laser. This poster article highlights the need for calibration measurements and outlines that rather simple procedures involving acetone cover‐glass surface cleaning only, instead of piranha cover‐glass surface cleaning, and point instead of more complex scanning STED‐FCS are sufficient for calibration.
Climate Apartheid, Race, and the Future of Solidarity: Three Frameworks of Response (Anthropocene, Mestizaje, Cimarronaje)
Authors: Elia Matthew
Published: December 2023

In our emerging climate future, devastation will not land evenly. “Climate apartheid” names a world where the rich insulate themselves from its most catastrophic effects, while the global poor stand increasingly subject to rising seas, failing crops, intensifying weather events (floods, hurricanes, wildfires) and thus to the necessity of movement: some project a billion climate refugees by 2050. Yet analyses often fail to link climate apartheid to the existing systems mobilized to execute it—policing, prisons, borders—and so fail to connect climate politics to enduring racialized projects of carceral control, as well as to Black, Native, and Latinx struggles against them. A key task is to develop capacious conceptual frameworks for understanding how religious actors are addressing the deep entanglements of political ecology and racial violence. This paper pursues that task in four parts. Part 1 introduces climate apartheid and proposes “cross‐border solidarity” as an organizing concept for response, while underscoring that solidarity's chief virtue—its being already in use across diverse moral communities—is also what requires rigorous specification. What is the shape of “solidarity” amid climate futures? Parts 2 and 3 critique two frameworks ethicists might employ in facing that question: anthropocene discourse obscures race, while mestizaje discourse addresses race but risks reproducing its deepest logics. Part 4 proposes an alternative I will call cimarronaje. Of Taíno‐Arawak and Spanish origin, the word refers to the historical experience, across slaveholding societies of the Americas, whereby enslaved African people fled plantations, escaped to surrounding hills and swamps, and reimagined forms of life with Indigenous communities, forged new ecologies together and, in the shadows of colonial empire, prefigured the theory and practices of cross‐border solidarity we need today.
OPPIDUM VOCANT, QUIDVIS CUM VALLO ATQUE FOSSA. SOME THOUGHTS ON OPPIDA, CENTRAL PLACES, AND SOCIAL COMPLEXITY IN THE EUROPEAN IRON AGE
Authors: Nión‐Álvarez Samuel
Published: December 2023

The following paper presents an analysis of the term ‘oppidum’, discussing its value for understanding social complexity in Iron Age Europe. Throughout this paper, the most relevant debates regarding the oppida and their value are synthesized from a semiotic point of view. Key features such as urban planning, social hierarchies and political centralization are analysed to frame research in terms of Iron Age mentalities and cultural diversity. Accordingly, the ‘oppidum’ is assessed as a conceptual tool, weighing its appropriateness as a wide‐ranging concept in the European Iron Age. Several criteria, such as urban planning, the role of memory or religion, and the creation of large public and assembly places, among others, are explored as proxies of social legitimation. These key aspects aim to define some traits to set the oppidum as a useful and organic archaeological term without undermining cultural specificities.
Pediatric living donor liver transplant for Budd–Chiari syndrome using a cryopreserved pulmonary vein graft for retro‐hepatic vena cava reconstruction: A case report
Authors: Yang Xin Yu , Le‐Nguyen Annie , Alvarez Fernando , Rong Zhi Xia , Borsuk Daniel , Piché Nelson , Lallier Michel , Beaunoyer Mona
Published: December 2023

Introduction

In pediatric patients with Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS), living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) raises substantial challenges regarding IVC reconstruction.

Case Presentation

We present a case of an 8‐year‐old girl with BCS caused by myeloproliferative syndrome with JAK2 V617F mutation. She had a complete thrombosis of the inferior vena cava (IVC) with multiple collaterals, developing a Budd–Chiari syndrome. She underwent LDLT with IVC reconstruction with a cryopreserved pulmonary vein graft obtained from a provincial biobank. The living donor underwent a laparoscopic‐assisted left lateral hepatectomy. The reconstruction of the vena cava took place on the back table and the liver was implanted en bloc with the reconstructed IVC in the recipient. Anticoagulation was immediately restarted after the surgery because of her pro‐thrombotic state. Her postoperative course was complicated by a biliary anastomotic leak and an infected biloma. The patient recovered progressively and remained well on outpatient clinic follow‐up 32 weeks after the procedure.

Conclusion

IVC reconstruction using a cryopreserved pulmonary vein graft is a valid option during LDLT for pediatric patients with BCS where reconstruction of the IVC entails considerable challenges. Early referral to a pediatric liver transplant facility with a multidisciplinary team is also important in the management of pediatric patients with BCS.
Maternal obesity and childhood asthma risk: Exploring mediating pathways
Authors: Rosenquist Natalie A. , Richards Megan , Ferber Jeannette R. , Strickland Matthew J. , Ryu So Young , Burkin Heather , Weber Ann M. , Li De‐Kun , Darrow Lyndsey A.
Published: December 2023

Background

Growing evidence for the effect of maternal obesity on childhood asthma motivates investigation of mediating pathways.

Objective

To investigate if childhood body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG) and preterm birth mediate the association of maternal obesity on childhood asthma risk.

Methods

We used electronic medical records from mother–child pairs enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California integrated healthcare system. Children were followed from their birth (2005–2014) until at least age 4 (n = 95,723), age 6 (n = 59,230) or age 8 (n = 25,261). Childhood asthma diagnosis at each age was determined using ICD‐9/10 codes and medication dispensings. Prepregnancy BMI (underweight [<18.5], normal [18.5–24.9], overweight [25–29.9], obese [≥30] kg/m2) were defined using height and weight measurements close to the last menstrual period date. Child's BMI (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI‐for‐age percentiles: underweight [<5th], normal [5th–85th], overweight [85th–95th], obese [>95th]) were obtained using anthropometric measurements taken the year preceding each follow‐up age. GWG (delivery weight‐prepregnancy weight) was categorised based on Institutes of Medicine recommendations (inadequate, adequate, excessive). Implementing first causal inference test (CIT) then causal mediator models (to decompose the natural direct and indirect effects), we examined the potential mediating effect of childhood BMI, GWG, and preterm birth on the association between prepregnancy BMI (continuous and categorical) and childhood asthma.

Results

Overall, risk of childhood asthma increased as prepregnancy BMI increased (age 4 risk ratio: 1.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 1.09, per 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI; similar for age 6 and 8). CIT identified childhood BMI and preterm birth, but not GWG as potential mediators. Causal mediation models confirmed childhood BMI, but not preterm birth, as having a partial mediating effect. Results were similar for age 6 and 8, and when continuous mediators (instead of binary) were assessed.

Conclusions

Childhood overweight/obesity has a modest mediating effect on the association between prepregnancy BMI and childhood asthma.
Global yield from aquaculture systems
Authors: Fong Caitlin R. , Gonzales Claire M. , Rennick Mae , Gardner Luke D. , Halpern Benjamin S. , Froehlich Halley E.
Published: December 2023

Aquaculture is expected to expand significantly in the coming decades to meet growing demand. A key variable for understanding the potential benefit of and impact from this growth is efficiency; yet a comprehensive assessment of on‐farm area use and yield is limited. Much like land‐based agriculture, range and variation in yields across space, species, and practice provide insights into area use and production efficiencies. Current estimates of aquaculture yields (production per area per time) aggregate on‐farm and off‐farm land use into one ‘land use’ category; in contrast, we disaggregate this category to provide on‐farm yield estimates and account for water area use. We use a quantitative review of scientific literature to synthesize and compare on‐farm area use and yield patterns across countries, taxa, aquatic systems, data source, and production mode (n = 378). Because recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have been touted as a particularly efficient production mode, we also found estimates for RAS from industry (n = 4). Median, mean and range in yields among countries and taxa vary by orders of magnitude, with algal production greatly exceeding that of crustaceans, fishes and molluscs. Yields in marine systems were on average roughly 5× greater than yields in freshwater systems. RAS had particularly high yields but sparse data and estimates from private corporations were approximately 3.7× higher than literature estimates, on average. This comprehensive assessment of global aquaculture yields offers critical insight into the production efficiencies of different aquaculture forms and the large amount of variability, which could help guide aquaculture policy and practice.