bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of information technology culture and personal innovativeness in information technology on digital entrepreneurship success
Authors: Abubakre Mumin , Zhou Yiwei , Zhou Zhongyun
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Very little or no study has explored the predictors of behaviour and traits that determine digital entrepreneurship (DE) success. In response, the purpose of this paper is to present a research model that takes information technology (IT) culture as a theoretical lens and personal innovativeness and experience in IT projects as theoretical constructs to predict behaviour and traits that explain DE success.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature review, the authors propose hypotheses and a research model. The authors tested the model using structural equation modelling (SEM), by surveying a sample of digital entrepreneurs operating in the Yabacon Valley, Lagos, Nigeria.

Findings

The results indicate that IT culture is an essential predictor of achieving DE success. The results also suggest that an entrepreneur's innovativeness in IT and experience in IT projects have significant negative and positive moderating effects on the relationship between IT culture and achieving DE success.

Research limitations/implications

This paper taps into a new setting – DE context – by exploring the moderation effects of an entrepreneur's innovativeness in IT and experience in IT projects on the link between their IT culture and achieving a successful DE outcome.

Practical implications

This model offers managers an understanding of how IT culture and personal innovativeness and experience in IT work together to achieve DE success. Meanwhile, it sheds some light on managers to treat individuals with different levels of experience differently.

Originality/value

The authors theorise IT culture, personal innovativeness and experience in IT and show their effects on DE success, thus making an essential contribution to the information systems (ISs) and entrepreneurship research and practice. Moreover, the authors provide a novel methodology to conceptualise IT culture as a second-order hierarchical reflective construct by giving evidence that partial least squares (PLS) path modelling can assess a hierarchical model with moderating effects. This study answers scholars' call to construct more accurate explanations of innovation outcomes in an increasingly digital world.
Multitasking behavior in online classrooms and academic performance: case of university students in Ecuador during COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Alvarez-Risco Aldo , Estrada-Merino Alfredo , Anderson-Seminario María de las Mercedes , Mlodzianowska Sabina , García-Ibarra Verónica , Villagomez-Buele Cesar , Carvache-Franco Mauricio
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore university students' multitasking behavior in online classrooms and their influence on academic performance. Also, the study examined students' opinions.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 302 university students fulfilled an online survey. Ten questions were focused on demographic information, five items evaluated online class behavior of students, 9 items evaluated self-efficacy and four items measured academic performance.

Findings

Multitasking behavior was found to negatively influence self-efficacy of −0.332, whereas self-efficacy showed a positive influence of 0.325 on academic performance. Cronbach's alpha and average variance extracted values were 0.780 and 0.527 (multitasking behavior), 0.875 and 0.503 (self-efficacy), 0.781 and 0.601 (academic performance). Outcomes of the bootstrapping test showed that the path coefficients are significant.

Originality/value

The research findings may help university managers understand undergraduates’ online and face-to-face behavior and strategies to improve the behavior to ensure the best academic outcomes. The novelty is based on using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique.
The effects of liking for activities on perceived spare time
Authors: Tran An T.K. , Keel Astrid L.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine individuals’ subjective perception of spare time available for activities that are more or less attractive.

Design/methodology/approach

Three experiments with adult samples manipulate liking of activity and temporal distance and assess the resulting predicted time available.

Findings

The authors demonstrate that individuals’ subjective perception of spare time is influenced by how much they like or dislike the activities they plan for. Individuals perceive they have more spare time for activities they like than ones they dislike. The strength of individuals’ liking for activities has more impact on perceived spare time available for liked activities than for disliked ones. These effects are attenuated by individuals’ propensity to plan.

Originality/value

Understanding the effect of spare time perception contributes to the literature on resource slack and provides insights into individuals’ planning for time.
Tag analysis as a tool for investigating information behaviour: comparing fan-tagging on Tumblr, Archive of Our Own and Etsy
Authors: Price Ludi , Robinson Lyn
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This article describes the third part of a three-stage study investigating the information behaviour of fans and fan communities, the first stage of which is described in the study by Price and Robinson (2017).

Design/methodology/approach

Using tag analysis as a method, a comparative case study was undertaken to explore three aspects of fan information behaviour: information gatekeeping; classifying and tagging and entrepreneurship and economic activity. The case studies took place on three sites used by fans–Tumblr, Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Etsy. Supplementary semi-structured interviews with site users were used to augment the findings with qualitative data.

Findings

These showed that fans used tags in a variety of ways quite apart from classification purposes. These included tags being used on Tumblr as meta-commentary and a means of dialogue between users, as well as expressors of emotion and affect towards posts. On AO3 in particular, fans had developed a practice called “tag wrangling” to mitigate the inherent “messiness” of tagging. Evidence was also found of a “hybrid market economy” on Etsy fan stores. From the study findings, a taxonomy of fan-related tags was developed.

Research limitations/implications

Findings are limited to the tagging practices on only three sites used by fans during Spring 2016, and further research on other similar sites are recommended. Longitudinal studies of these sites would be beneficial in understanding how or whether tagging practices change over time. Testing of the fan-tag taxonomy developed in this paper is also recommended.

Originality/value

This research develops a method for using tag analysis to describe information behaviour. It also develops a fan-tag taxonomy, which may be used in future research on the tagging practices of fans, which heretofore have been a little-studied section of serious leisure information users.
Is there a nonlinear relationship between financial development and poverty in Africa?
Authors: Bolarinwa Segun Thompson , Adegboye Abiodun Adewale , Vo Xuan Vinh
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The paper examines whether there is a threshold between financial development and poverty in African economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the innovative dynamic panel threshold model of Seo and Shin (2016) made practicable by Seo et al. (2019)–the model estimates threshold relationship even in the presence of endogeneity. Also, following the recommendations of Cihak et al. (2013) and Sahay et al. (2015), we also adopt a robust measure of financial development based on the four pillars of financial deepening, stability, efficiency and access derived from the principal component analysis (PCA).

Findings

The empirical results show that there exists a threshold level of financial development necessary for poverty reduction in Africa.

Research limitations/implications

Our result is important for policy formulations. First, individual African country must discover the level of financial development necessary for spurring poverty reduction. Second, policymakers, especially in lower-income countries, must keep improving their financial sector development to achieve the threshold level necessary for achieving poverty reduction even though financial development might seem less relevant at its present level.

Practical implications

The policymakers in Africa should note that there exists a threshold level of financial development that reduces poverty. Hence, the present level of financial development might have not yielded a considerate effect on poverty. Still, the policymakers must keep pushing on until the threshold is achieved.

Social implications

Financial development reduces poverty level but it must reach a certain threshold level before it does so. So, we advise African policymakers to continue to develop their financial sector to achieve this threshold.

Originality/value

This seems to be the first work to document the threshold relationship using the dynamic panel threshold. Besides, the study specifically concentrates on Africa dividing the continent into different income levels. Moreover, we adopt a robust measure of financial development unlike extant studies on Africa.
Mutual information analysis of the factors influencing port throughput
Authors: Eskafi Majid , Kowsari Milad , Dastgheib Ali , Ulfarsson Gudmundur F. , Taneja Poonam , Thorarinsdottir Ragnheidur I.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Port throughput analysis is a challenging task, as it consists of intertwined interactions between a variety of cargos and numerous influencing factors. This study aims to propose a quantitative method to facilitate port throughput analysis by identification of important cargos and key macroeconomic variables.

Design/methodology/approach

Mutual information is applied to measure the linear and nonlinear correlation among variables. The method gives a unique measure of dependence between two variables by quantifying the amount of information held in one variable through another variable.

Findings

This study uses the mutual information to the Port of Isafjordur in Iceland to underpin the port throughput analysis. The results show that marine products are the main export cargo, whereas most imports are fuel oil, industrial materials and marine product. The aggregation of these cargos, handled in the port, meaningfully determines the non-containerized port throughput. The relation between non-containerized export and the national gross domestic product (GDP) is relatively high. However, non-containerized import is mostly related to the world GDP. The non-containerized throughput shows a strong relation to the national GDP. Furthermore, the results reveal that the volume of national export trade is the key influencing macroeconomic variable to the containerized throughput.

Originality/value

Application of the mutual information in port throughput analysis effectively reduces epistemic uncertainty in the identification of important cargos and key influencing macroeconomic variables. Thus, it increases the reliability of the port throughput forecast.
Can altmetric mentions predict later citations? A test of validity on data from ResearchGate and three social media platforms
Authors: Banshal Sumit Kumar , Singh Vivek Kumar , Muhuri Pranab Kumar
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to explore and validate the question “whether altmetric mentions can predict citations to scholarly articles”. The paper attempts to explore the nature and degree of correlation between altmetrics (from ResearchGate and three social media platforms) and citations.

Design/methodology/approach

A large size data sample of scholarly articles published from India for the year 2016 is obtained from the Web of Science database and the corresponding altmetric data are obtained from ResearchGate and three social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook and blog through Altmetric.com aggregator). Correlations are computed between early altmetric mentions and later citation counts, for data grouped in different disciplinary groups.

Findings

Results show that the correlation between altmetric mentions and citation counts are positive, but weak. Correlations are relatively higher in the case of data from ResearchGate as compared to the data from the three social media platforms. Further, significant disciplinary differences are observed in the degree of correlations between altmetrics and citations.

Research limitations/implications

The results support the idea that altmetrics do not necessarily reflect the same kind of impact as citations. However, articles that get higher altmetric attention early may actually have a slight citation advantage. Further, altmetrics from academic social networks like ResearchGate are more correlated with citations, as compared to social media platforms.

Originality/value

The paper has novelty in two respects. First, it takes altmetric data for a window of about 1–1.5 years after the article publication and citation counts for a longer citation window of about 3–4 years after the publication of article. Second, it is one of the first studies to analyze data from the ResearchGate platform, a popular academic social network, to understand the type and degree of correlations.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-11-2019-0364
Factorial analysis of stress factors among the sample of Lebanese police officers
Authors: Fayyad Fadi Afif , Kukić Filip Vladimir , Ćopić Nemanja , Koropanovski Nenad , Dopsaj Milivoj
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of stress and to identify the occupational stressors among Lebanese police officers.

Design/methodology/approach

Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-op) was addressed to 100 randomly selected male Lebanese Police officers. Twenty items from the PSQ-op were run through the principal component analysis to determine the most significant factors of stress and loading within each of the factors.

Findings

The results indicated that 59% of officers reported moderate stress level and 41% reported strenuous stress. Principal component analysis identified six independent factors or stress among Lebanese police officers explaining in total 72.1% of the total variance: excessive workload (30.6%), social-life time management (12.8%), occupational fitness (9.1%), success-related stress (8.6%), physical and psychological health (5.8%), and working alone at night (5.2%).

Research limitations/implications

This research approach encountered some limitations so further research must: use a larger sample size, include female gender and identify other sources of stressors mainly organizational or job context stressors.

Originality/value

Addressing and understanding stress factors among Lebanese police officers helps improving awareness and developing individualized treatment strategies leading police officers to engage in stress-management training to learn coping strategies and use effective tools for preventing stress before it becomes chronic.
The impact of substitution of two hydrophobic moieties on the properties of guar gum based hydrogels
Authors: Mazlan Mazrina , Rizwan Muhammad , Azzahari Ahmad Danial , Selvanathan Vidhya , Sonsudin Faridah , Shahabudin Nurshafiza
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to modify guar gum (GG) into guar gum acetate (GGA) and phthaloyl guar gum (PHGG) by transesterification and phthaloylation, respectively.

Design/methodology/approach

GG has been modified into GGA through transesterification reaction between GG and vinyl acetate and PHGG through esterification reaction with phthalic anhydride. The modified GG was characterized by solubility test, Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis. Swelling properties of GGA and PHGG hydrogels in water were evaluated.

Findings

These two types of modified GG have better solubility such as in dimethyl sulfoxide andN,N-dimethylformamide but no true organosolubility was achieved. The modifications were confirmed through FTIR with new absorption peaks at 1,733 cm−1for GGA and 1,709 cm−1for PHGG coupled with observed substitution peaks at 1.80 to 2.20 ppm and 7.40 to 7.90 ppm, respectively, from1H NMR spectroscopies. XRD revealed both GGA and PHGG are less crystalline than native GG. GGA was found to be more thermally stable than native GG, whereas PHGG was slightly less thermally stable than native GG. The swelling property in distilled water for native GG, PHGG and GGA was 918.43 ± 46.62%, 537.04 ± 2.87% and 393.04 ± 13.42%, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The GGA and PHGG hydrogels are expected to be useful for biomedical fields such as tissue engineering and drug-delivery.

Originality/value

Modifications of native GG into GGA using vinyl acetate and PHGG using phthalic anhydride are novel.
University brand as an employer: demystifying employee attraction and retention
Authors: Yameen Mohammad , Bharadwaj Shubhangi , Ahmad Izhar
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study aims to unveil the determinants of employer branding (EB) that attracts and retains the employees working in the Indian higher education sector using the factor-analytic approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is cross-sectional, and the data were collected from 141 employees working in the higher education sector. Exploratory factor analysis and independent t-test were deployed to analyze the data.

Findings

The results of independent samples t-test explicate that perception of male and female university employees pertaining to EB factors of employee attraction (EA) and employee retention (ER) is congruent. Further, the perception of employees in public and private universities on EB factor is similar for ER and non-similar for EA.

Originality/value

The present research is an effort to unveil the employee attraction and retention factors that play a vital role in showcasing an employer as a great place to work in the Indian higher education sector.
Reduction in perinatal mortality among small for gestational age babies in New Zealand
Authors: Sadler Lynn , Anderson Ngaire , Crengle Sue , McCowan Lesley
Published: December 2020

Background

A significant reduction in perinatal mortality among births ≥1000 g has been observed in New Zealand.

Aim

To determine, in a national cohort, if perinatal mortality has reduced in small for gestational age (SGA) and non‐SGA babies.

Materials and methods

Retrospective cohort, 2008–2016, of singleton non‐anomalous births and perinatal deaths from 26+0 weeks gestation at birth in New Zealand. Perinatal deaths from the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee data set were merged with the Ministry of Health national maternity data set. SGA was defined as less than the 10th customised birthweight centile using New Zealand coefficients. Perinatal mortality was defined as stillbirth from 26 weeks gestation and neonatal death up to the 27th day of life.

Results

There was a 30% reduction in perinatal mortality among SGA singleton non‐anomalous babies at 26 weeks or more from 10.38/1000 births in 2008 to 7.28/1000 in 2016 (P = 0.046) but no significant change in mortality among appropriate and large for gestational age babies.

Conclusion(s)

There has been a significant reduction in perinatal mortality among SGA babies in New Zealand. The mechanism for this reduction is unclear.
Conducting community rehabilitation review sessions via videoconference: A feasibility study
Authors: Wundersitz Claire , Caelli Adrian , Georgy Jessica , Musovic Amie , Manning Renita , Prause Melissa , Robertson Janet , Taylor Nicholas F.
Published: December 2020

Objective

To determine the feasibility of conducting a single videoconferencing session (telerehabilitation) instead of a face‐to‐face home visit for a review appointment in a community rehabilitation program.

Design

A feasibility study based on Bowen's framework was used to determine demand, acceptability, limited efficacy and practicality of telerehabilitation. The study involved qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

Setting

Two Victorian community rehabilitation programs providing services to large geographical catchment zones in the outer fringe of a metropolitan area.

Participants

Ten adult clients receiving home‐based therapy and 5 allied health clinicians working in the program.

Interventions

Clients participated in a single review therapy appointment (telerehabilitation) from physiotherapy, dietetics or speech pathology using the health network's videoconferencing platfrom and the client's own electronic device.

Main outcome measures

Demand was assessed by calculating the percentage of eligible clients able to participate compared to total number of home‐based clients. Acceptability, practicality and limited efficacy were explored through qualitative analysis of semi‐structured interviews.

Results

Nearly one quarter of clients screened met eligibility criteria, indicating a large potential demand for telerehabilitation. Telerehabilitation was highly acceptable for clinicians and clients participating in speech pathology and dietitian sessions as these contain targeted education and talking‐based therapy. It was less accepted in physiotherapy, where there is a more hands‐on approach. Telerehabilitation was practical and efficient for both clinicians and clients, especially when time was allowed for training and initial troubleshooting.

Conclusion

Telerehabilitation is a feasible modality for review sessions in community rehabilitation and helps improve efficient use of clinician and client time. It is more appropriate for disciplines that use education and talking‐based therapy compared with hands‐on therapy. Older clients are accepting of new technology with support and education.
Factors impacting the solo remote placement experiences of undergraduate James Cook University medical students: A mixed‐methods pilot study
Authors: Lane Angus , Woolley Torres , Sen Gupta Tarun , Stewart Ruth , Hollins Aaron , Harte Jane
Published: December 2020

Objective

To determine the factors impacting the experiences of James Cook University medical students on solo placements in remote towns.

Design

This 2018 pilot study used an exploratory sequential mixed‐methods approach to explore the recent solo remote placement experiences of James Cook University medical students. Qualitative interviews were performed initially to elicit context sensitive themes for the self administered survey. The survey went on to use Likert‐scale questions in addition to pre‐validated survey instruments.

Setting

Focus groups and interviews took place at James Cook University Medical School in Townsville in late 2018 after students returned from their rural rotation. Two telephone interviews were conducted for Year 6 students unable to attend the focus groups.

Participants

James Cook University medical students in years 2, 4 and 6 students who experienced a solo placement in a remote (MMM 6 or 7) town during 2017 or 2018 were invited to be part of the study. Only Townsville‐based students were involved. A total of 14 students participated in the focus groups (n = 14) and a further 31 students completed the survey (n = 31).

Main outcome measure(s)

Interviews identified themes negatively or positively impacting solo remote placement experience, while bivariate analysis identified factors associated with having an ‘excellent’ overall experience.

Results

Student interviews identified five main themes impacting student experience in remote communities: culture of the medical facility; quality and quantity of clinical experiences; quality of accommodation; placement length; and community infrastructure and services. Negative impacts could result in students experiencing social isolation. Students reporting an ‘excellent’ solo remote placement experience in the survey were more likely to have: felt very welcome in the community; felt the health staff supported them; heavily involved themselves in clinical activities; enjoyed the experiences remote communities can offer; positive rural career intentions; reported they ‘bounce back during and after life's most stressful events’; and come from a rural or remote hometown.

Conclusions

Solo remote placements provide medical students with opportunities to further knowledge, clinical capabilities, social experiences and careers, but can have negative aspects. However, negative aspects are often modifiable management issues or can potentially be avoided if prospective students are better informed of the challenges associated with remote communities.
‘Biggest factors in having cancer were costs and no entitlement to compensation’—The determinants of out‐of‐pocket costs for cancer care through the lenses of rural and outer metropolitan Western Australians
Authors: Slavova‐Azmanova Neli S. , Newton Jade C. , Saunders Christobel , Johnson Claire E.
Published: December 2020

Objective

The aim of this qualitative analysis was to determine patients’ perceptions of the impact of cancer‐related costs.

Design

A qualitative inductive content analysis of the comment sections of surveys completed by participants in a cross‐sectional study of cancer‐related expenses.

Setting

Residents of 4 regional/rural and 2 outer metropolitan areas in Western Australia.

Participants

Adults diagnosed with breast, prostate, colorectal or lung cancer participated in the study between 1 April 2014 and 31 April 2017.

Main Outcome Measures

This study identified the key factors contributing to the cost experiences reported by the participants.

Results

Participant comments were organised into 4 main categories perceived to incorporate the key factors contributing to the cost experiences reported by 300 participants: 1) health care system factors (access to care in the public or private sector, availability of services close to home, gap payments, cost of travel) 2) financial factors (impact of cancer on employment, ability to work, and career; and strategies for improving financial difficulties) 3) social and community support provided by the government and not‐for‐profit organisations and 4) understanding of the health care system.

Conclusion

There is a need for cost transparency, initiatives for no‐ or low‐fee billing providers, access to care close to home, development of financial assistance schemes and return to work programs to alleviate the financial hardship experienced by cancer patients and their families.
Individual prediction of thrombocytopenia at next chemotherapy cycle: Evaluation of dynamic model performances
Authors: Kheifetz Yuri , Scholz Markus
Published: December 2020

Aims

Thrombocytopenia is a common major side‐effect of cytotoxic cancer therapies. A clinically relevant problem is to predict an individual's thrombotoxicity in the next planned chemotherapy cycle in order to decide on treatment adaptation. To support this task, 2 dynamic mathematical models of thrombopoiesis under chemotherapy were proposed, a simple semimechanistic model and a comprehensive mechanistic model. In this study, we assess the performance of these models with respect to existing thrombocytopenia grading schemes.

Methods

We consider close‐meshed individual time series data of 135 non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma patients treated with 6 cycles of CHOP/CHOEP chemotherapies. Individual parameter estimates were derived on the basis of these data considering a varying number of cycles per patient. Parsimony assumptions were applied to optimize parameter identifiability. Models' predictability are assessed by determining deviations of predicted and observed degrees of thrombocytopenia in the next cycles.

Results

The mechanistic model results in better agreement of model prediction and individual time series data. Prediction accuracy of future cycle toxicities by the mechanistic model is higher even if the semimechanistic model is provided with data of more cycles for calibration.

Conclusion

We successfully established a quantitative and clinically relevant method for assessing prediction performances of biomathematical models of thrombopoiesis under chemotherapy. We showed that the more comprehensive mechanistic model outperforms the semimechanistic model. We aim at implementing the mechanistic model into clinical practice to assess its utility in real life clinical decision‐making.
Unintentional injury deaths among youth in Ontario, Canada from 2000 to 2015: Rates are falling but there are caveats
Authors: Kitchen Peter , Kaida Lisa , Akhtar‐Danesh Noori , Williams Allison
Published: December 2020

Youth may be susceptible to certain types of unintentional injuries that place them at risk of death. The objective of this research was to study trends in these deaths among youth (age 15 to 24) in the Canadian province of Ontario between 2000 and 2015. It is the first study to directly assess intra‐provincial trends. Our analysis of Statistics Canada's Vital Statistics – Death Database from 2000 to 2015 finds unintentional injury death rates among youth fell during this period and particularly in Ontario, where rates were significantly lower than other regions. The motor vehicle traffic death rate fell further in that province than it did nationally. The largest urban areas in the province had the lowest death rates, while several Census Divisions in the “near” north (including parts of “cottage country”) and “far” north had the highest. The unintentional injury death rate as a result of drugs and alcohol (particularly related to opioids) increased during this period, particularly in “North/Remote” areas of Ontario. To deal with the rise in drug‐ and alcohol‐related death rates, further consideration can be given to the unmeasured factors that may contribute to the use of dangerous drugs among youth.
Second‐hand smoke and NFE2L2 genotype interaction increases paediatric asthma risk and severity
Authors: Johansson Elisabet , Martin Lisa J. , He Hua , Chen Xiaoting , Weirauch Matthew T. , Kroner John W. , Khurana Hershey Gurjit K. , Biagini Jocelyn M.
Published: December 2020

Background

Second‐hand smoke (SHS) exposure is associated with paediatric asthma, and oxidative stress is believed to play a role in mediating this association. The nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (NFE2L2) is important for the defence against oxidative stress.

Objective

To explore interactions between NFE2L2 genotype and SHS exposure in paediatric asthma risk.

Methods

We used a genotyped subset of patients of European ancestry (N = 669, median age at enrolment = 6.8 years) enrolled in the clinical cohort Greater Cincinnati Pediatric Clinic Repository as the study population, and a population‐based paediatric cohort (N = 791) to replicate our findings. History of asthma diagnosis was obtained from medical records, and SHS exposure was obtained from questionnaires. Four NFE2L2 tagging SNPs were included in the analysis, and interactions between SHS and NFE2L2 genotype were evaluated using logistic regression.

Results

Three of the analysed SNPs, rs10183914, rs1806649 and rs2886161, interacted significantly with SHS exposure to increase asthma risk (p ≤ .02). The interaction was replicated in an independent cohort for rs10183914 (p = .04). Interactions between SHS exposure and NFE2L2 genotype were also associated with an increased risk of hospitalization (p = .016). In stratified analyses, NFE2L2 genotype was associated with daily asthma symptoms in children with SHS exposure (OR = 3.1; p = .048). No association was found in children without SHS exposure. Examination of publicly available chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP‐seq) data sets confirmed the presence of active histone marks and binding sites for particular transcription factors overlapping the coordinates for the significantly associated SNPs.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Our study provides evidence that NFE2L2 genotype interacts with SHS exposure to affect both asthma risk and severity in children and identifies a population of children at increased risk of asthma development.
Multi‐centre study of the clinical features and gene variant spectrum of Gitelman syndrome in Chinese children
Authors: Shen Qian , Chen Jiemei , Yu Minghui , Lin Zhi , Nan Xiaojuan , Dong Beijun , Fang Xiaoyan , Chen Jing , Ding Guixia , Zhang Aihua , Gao Chunlin , Miao Li , Xu Yuanyuan , Jiang Xiaoyun , Bai Haitao , Zhuang Jieqiu , Gao Xiaojie , Xu Hong ,   for Chinese Children Genetic Kidney Disease Database (CCGKDD)
Published: December 2020

Based on the Chinese Children Genetic Kidney Disease Database (CCGKDD), we established a pediatric Gitelman syndrome (GS) cohort to explore the phenotype and genotype characteristics. Thirty‐two patients with SLC12A3 gene variants were collected. Five cases (16%) were homozygous, 16 (50%) were compound heterozygous, 10 (31%) carried only a single variant, and the other one harbored two de novo variants beyond classification. p.(T60M) was found in eight patients. The average diagnosis age was 7.79 ± 3.54 years. A total of 31% of the patients were asymptomatic. Muscle weakness was the most common symptom, accounting for 50%. Earlier age of onset (4.06 ± 1.17 yr vs. 8.10 ± 3.46 yr vs. 8.61 ± 3.56 yr, p< 0.05) and lower urinary calcium‐creatinine ratio (p = 0.024) were found in the homozygous group than those in the heterozygous and compound heterozygous group. Patients with p.(T60M) variant had an earlier age of onset (4.01 ± 2.83 yr vs. 6.92 ± 3.07 yr, p = 0.025) and lower urinary calcium‐creatinine ratio (p = 0.056). Thus, more than 30% of GS children have no clinical symptoms. Homozygous variant and the p.(T60M) variant may be associated with earlier onset and lower urinary calcium excretion in Chinese pediatric GS.
Peripheral inflammation and blood–brain barrier disruption: effects and mechanisms
Authors: Huang Xiaowen , Hussain Basharat , Chang Junlei
Published: December 2020

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is an important physiological barrier that separates the central nervous system (CNS) from the peripheral circulation, which contains inflammatory mediators and immune cells. The BBB regulates cellular and molecular exchange between the blood vessels and brain parenchyma. Normal functioning of the BBB is crucial for the homeostasis and proper function of the brain. It has been demonstrated that peripheral inflammation can disrupt the BBB by various pathways, resulting in different CNS diseases. Recently, clinical research also showed CNS complications following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T cell therapy, which both lead to a cytokine storm in the circulation. Therefore, elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the BBB disruption induced by peripheral inflammation will provide an important basis for protecting the CNS in the context of exacerbated peripheral inflammatory diseases. In the present review, we first summarize the physiological properties of the BBB that makes the CNS an immune‐privileged organ. We then discuss the relevance of peripheral inflammation‐induced BBB disruption to various CNS diseases. Finally, we elaborate various factors and mechanisms of peripheral inflammation that disrupt the BBB.
Allergic contact dermatitis to phenol‐formaldehyde resin at a single tertiary dermatology centre
Authors: Dear Kate , Palmer Amanda , Nixon Rosemary L.
Published: December 2020

Background

Phenol‐formaldehyde resin 2 (PFR2) has been shown to be a useful marker of contact allergy (CA) to various phenol‐formaldehyde resins. These compounds are used in several industries as solids, powders, or semisolid resins, and are known to be sensitizing agents.

Objectives

The aims were to investigate contact allergy to PFR2 in a single tertiary dermatology centre, to examine associated simultaneous allergic reactions, and to identify cases of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to PFR2.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed of patients patch tested to PFR2 between 1 January 2003 and 17 June 2020.

Results

In all, 337 of 7922 patients were tested to PFR2 and 16 (4.7%) reacted. Of those 16 individuals, six (37.5%) had a relevant reaction (1.8% of total). Simultaneous allergic reactions were noted to colophonium in eight (50.0%) patients,Myroxylon pereiraein five (31.3%), and fragrance mix I (FMI) of three cases (18.8%).

Conclusion

Contact allergy to PFR2, even in a selected population of patients, is uncommon. However, patients exposed to plastics and glues, or who work with wood products should be routinely patch tested to a plastics and glues series containing PFR2. We recommend that all centres include PFR2 in their plastics and glues series.
Redefining the collateral system between the superior mesenteric artery and inferior mesenteric artery: a novel classification
Authors: Kuzu Mehmet Ayhan , Güner Mehmet Ali , Kocaay Akın Fırat , İsmail Erkin , Arslan Murat Nihat , Tekdemir İbrahim , Açar Halil İbrahim
Published: December 2020

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the arterial collateral vasculature between the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) from a surgical perspective.

Method

A total of 107 fresh adult cadavers (94 male) were studied with emphasis on the vascular anatomy of the left colon. Dissections were carried out mimicking the anterior resection technique. The vasculature of the left mesocolon and the collaterals between the superior mesenteric artery and the IMA with respect to their relationship to the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) were assessed and classified. Collaterals were classified into three different groups: marginal anastomoses (via the marginal = pericolic artery), intermediate mesocolic anastomoses (parallel to the marginal artery but neither adjacent to the IMV nor close to the duodenum) and central mesocolic anastomoses (next to the IMV at the level of the duodenojejunal junction and the lower border of the pancreas).

Results

All patients had a marginal anastomosis. However, the marginal anastomosis, as the only anastomosis between the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries at the splenic flexure, was observed in 41 cases (38%). In addition to the marginal artery, intermediate mesocolic anastomoses were found in 49 (46%) and a central mesocolic anastomosis was observed in 17 (16%) of the 107 cases in the splenic flexure mesocolon. It is in this latter variant that collateral vessels can be compromised during ligation/transection of the IMV.

Conclusion

This new classification can contribute to a precise mesocolic dissection technique and splenic flexure mobilization and help prevent ischaemic damage to the descending colon.
A target‐mediated drug disposition population pharmacokinetic model of GC1118, a novel anti‐EGFR antibody, in patients with solid tumors
Authors: Chung Tae Kyu , Lee Hyun A. , Park Sang‐In , Oh Do‐Youn , Lee Keun‐Wook , Kim Jin Won , Kim Jee Hyun , Woo Ahmi , Lee Su Jin , Bang Yung‐Jue , Lee Howard
Published: December 2020

GC1118 is a monoclonal antibody for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that is currently under clinical development to treat patients with solid tumors. In this study, the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of GC1118 were modeled in solid tumor patients who received a 2‐h intravenous infusion of GC1118 at 0.3, 1, 3, 5, or 4 mg/kg once‐weekly (Q1W) on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 or 8 mg/kg every other week on days 1 and 15. A target‐mediated drug disposition population PK model adequately described the concentration‐time profiles of GC1118. Monte‐Carlo simulation experiments of the PK profiles and EGFR occupancies (ROs) by GC1118 based on the final model showed that Q1W at 4 or 5 mg/kg will produce a better antitumor effect than Q2W at 8 mg/kg. Because GC1118 was safer at 4 mg/kg than 5 mg/kg in the phase I study, we suggest to test the 4 mg/kg Q1W regimen in further clinical trials with GC1118.

Study Highlights

WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC?

GC1118, a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), showed a nonlinear pharmacokinetic (PK) profile in monkeys and humans. The total clearance of GC1118 decreased as the dose was increased up to 3–4 mg/kg in humans, beyond which it remained stable. The recommended phase II dose for GC1118 was 4 mg/kg intravenously infused over 2 h once weekly.

WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS?

We developed a target‐mediated drug disposition (TMDD) population PK model that described the nonlinear PK profile of GC1118 in patients with solid tumors. We also simulated the PK profiles and receptor occupancies for different dosage regimens.

WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE?

The TMDD population PK model adequately described the nonlinear and multiphasic PK profiles of GC1118 in humans. The simulation experiment showed that once‐weekly GC1118 at 4–5 mg/kg could be more efficacious than the biweekly regimen at 8 mg/kg.

HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE?

The pharmacometrics analysis could support better informed drug development decisions for GC1118, particularly for determining an optimal dosage regimen.
Indicators of dementia disease progression in primary care: An electronic health record cohort study
Authors: Rathod‐Mistry Trishna , Marshall Michelle , Campbell Paul , Bailey James , Chew‐Graham Carolyn A. , Croft Peter , Frisher Martin , Hayward Richard , Negi Rashi , Robinson Louise , Singh Swaran , Sumathipala Athula , Thein Nwe , Walters Kate , Weich Scott , Jordan Kelvin P.
Published: December 2020

Background and purpose

The objectives were to assess the feasibility and validity of using markers of dementia‐related health as indicators of dementia progression in primary care, by assessing the frequency with which they are recorded and by testing the hypothesis that they are associated with recognised outcomes of dementia. The markers, in 13 domains, were derived previously through literature review, expert consensus, and analysis of regional primary care records.

Methods

The study population consisted of patients with a recorded dementia diagnosis in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a UK primary care database linked to secondary care records. Incidence of recorded domains in the 36 months after diagnosis was determined. Associations of recording of domains with future hospital admission, palliative care, and mortality were derived.

Results

There were 30,463 people with diagnosed dementia. Incidence of domains ranged from 469/1000 person‐years (Increased Multimorbidity) to 11/1000 (Home Pressures). An increasing number of domains in which a new marker was recorded in the first year after diagnosis was associated with hospital admission (hazard ratio for ≥4 domains vs. no domains = 1.24; 95% confidence interval = 1.15–1.33), palliative care (1.87; 1.62–2.15), and mortality (1.57; 1.47–1.67). Individual domains were associated with outcomes with varying strengths of association.

Conclusions

Feasibility and validity of potential indicators of progression of dementia derived from primary care records are supported by their frequency of recording and associations with recognised outcomes. Further research should assess whether these markers can help identify patients with poorer prognosis to improve outcomes through stratified care and targeted support.
Comparison of chlorhexidine and alcohol‐based antisepsis of the distal limbs of horses
Authors: Doyle Aimie J. , Saab Matthew E. , Lewis Krystina M. , McClure J Trenton
Published: December 2020

Background

An alcohol‐based rub has been confirmed effective at reducing bacterial counts on equine skin. Skin sites with expected high bacterial burden have not been tested or has a comparison to a common protocol been performed.

Objectives

To determine if ethanol‐based antisepsis reduces bacterial counts on the equine distal limb comparable to a current chlorhexidine scrub method and determine the most effective application technique for the product.

Study design

Randomised trial.

Methods

Forty‐one horses were used in the study. By horse, each limb was randomly assigned to a treatment group: 5min scrub using 4% chlorhexidine gluconate to a clipped site (CHG); 90s scrub using 80% ethanol to a clipped site (ETC); 90s contact with 80% ethanol applied as a spray to a clipped site (ETS) and 90s scrub using 80% ethanol to an unclipped site (ETUC). Samples were collected pre‐ and post‐treatment and plated in duplicate. Bacterial counts were log10 transformed and averaged between duplicates. A linear mixed model was used to compare mean log10 CFU/mL reduction between groups. A cost‐benefit analysis was performed.

Results

There was no significant difference in mean log10 CFU/mL reduction between CHG and ETC in either fore‐ or hindlimbs. In forelimbs, there was no significant difference in mean log10 CFU/mL reduction between any groups. In hindlimbs, CHG had significantly greater mean log10 CFU/mL reduction than ETUC and ETS. No significant difference in cost‐benefit was found between CHG and ETC. Significant differences were noted between CHG and both ETUC and ETS.

Main limitations

Researchers were not blinded to treatment group during sample collection.

Conclusions

This study showed no significant difference in reduction in bacterial counts on the distal limb of horses between CHG and ethonol (ET) when applied as a scrub to a clipped site and there was no significant difference in cost‐benefit between these treatments.
Occurrence of arthropod pests associated with Brassica carinata and impact of defoliation on yield
Authors: Baldwin Jessica M. , Paula‐Moraes Silvana V. , Mulvaney Michael J. , Meagher Robert L.
Published: December 2020

Brassica carinata has the potential to become an economical biofuel winter crop in the Southeast U.S. An IPM program is needed to provide management recommendations for B. carinata in the region. This study serves as the first steps in the developing IPM tactics documenting pest occurrence, pest position within the canopy, and the impact of defoliation on B. carinata yield. The study was performed in Jay, FL, during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 winter/spring crop seasons. Pest species in B. carinata were documented by plant inspection within 16 genotypes of B. carinata, and the presence of insect pests in three canopy zones (upper, medium, and lower canopy) was documented. The defoliation impact on B. carinata was evaluated by artificial defoliation. Five levels of defoliation (2017–2018 crop season: 0%, 5%, 25%, 50%, and 100%; 2018–2019 crop season: 0%, 50%, 75%, 90%, and 100%) were artificially applied during vegetative, flowering, and pod formation stages of the commercial cultivar “Avanza64.” During the 2018–2019 crop season, two experiments were performed, a one‐time defoliation event and continuous defoliation. The plants were hand harvested and the average number of pods per plants, seeds per pod, thousand seed weight, and yield were estimated and correlated with defoliation levels. Results indicated the following species of pests associated with B. carinata: Microtheca ochroloma Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Plutela xylostella larvae, Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), Diabrotica undecimpunctata Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Lipaphis pseudobrassicae Davis (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Leptoglossus phyllopus L. (Hemiptera: Coreidae), and Chloridea virescens F. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The insect distribution within the plant canopy was not uniform. Different levels of artificial B. carinata defoliation did not affect seed weight, the number of seeds per pod, or the oil content of the seeds. The number of pods per plants and estimated yield were negatively impacted by defoliation during the vegetative and flowering stages.