bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Farm management skills, entrepreneurial bricolage and market orientation
Authors: Tindiwensi Catherine Komugisha , Munene John C. , Sserwanga Arthur , Abaho Ernest , Namatovu-Dawa Rebecca
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This article investigates the relationship between farm management skills, entrepreneurial bricolage and market orientation in smallholder farms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used quantitative approaches to survey 378 smallholder farms in Uganda. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling to establish the relationship between farm management skills, entrepreneurial bricolage and market orientation.

Findings

Farm management skills positively predict market orientation while entrepreneurial bricolage partially mediates the relationship between farm management skills and market orientation.

Research limitations/implications

The study utilized a survey design, which provides a cross-sectional view. Given that market orientation of smallholder farms can vary during the farm growth process, it becomes more informative to analyse how the independent and mediating variables cause a variation at different levels of market orientation.

Practical implications

Farm management training programmes that emphasize financial management skills and employ a household approach should be strengthened to enhance smallholder market orientation. Strategies for enhancing market orientation should also entail bricolage as a complementary behaviour to farm management.

Originality/value

We introduce entrepreneurial bricolage to the market orientation debate. The study brings alive the significance of entrepreneurial bricolage in smallholder farming. It also confirms the role of farm management skills in enhancing the market orientation of smallholder farms.
The IMC mixes that trucking managers use
Authors: Garber, Jr Lawrence L. , Kim Kacy , Dotson Michael J.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to test the proposition that integrated marketing communications (IMC) practice is lagging in the trucking industry. It stems from the more general proposition extant in the literature that business to business (B2B) IMC practice lags business to consumer IMC practice.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 109 trucking managers attending the American Trucking Association Annual Management Conference are asked which communications tools they use and for which strategic purposes. The new product adoption model (NPAM) provides a means of measuring efficient IMC practice.

Findings

Joint space perceptual maps generated by correspondence analysis reveal the association between trucking managers’ IMC mixes and the stages of the NPAM. Inspection shows that trucking managers deploy a relatively large number of traditional and digital tools to support all stages of the NPAM, indicating a sophisticated level of IMC knowledge and practice, contrary to the proposition that IMC practice is lagging in the trucking industry.

Originality/value

This contrary result suggests that IMC practice proceeds at different rates across B2B industries and must be examined on a per-industry basis. In combination with Garber and Dotson’s (2002) trucking IMC study, this study provides a second data point from which the evolution of IMC practice in the trucking industry can be tracked into the future. Additionally, this paper demonstrates the efficacy of the NPAM as a means of measuring the efficiency of IMC mixes, as well as for monitoring and training. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
When communication professionals become trainers: a new role
Authors: Bergman Sandra
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how communication professionals enact an educational role aimed at improving organisational communication through communication training. Furthermore, this article analyses what this implementation means for the role of the communication professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven communication professionals and ten managers in two organisations. The organisations were selected due to their involvement in developing and implementing communication training programmes. The interviews were then transcribed and analysed inductively.

Findings

This study demonstrates how communication professionals are expanding their professional role to become trainers in communication. The managers who participated reported increased awareness of the communication departments and the support they can provide. The communication departments became more visible in the organisations.

Research limitations/implications

The study is qualitative and limited to two organisations. The managers' perspectives suggest that when communication professionals act as internal trainers, their role within an organisation is strengthened.

Practical implications

The results of this study indicate that in-house communication professionals enable managers to improve their communication, boosting their ability to implement simultaneous large-scale training and rendering the communication department more visible and available throughout the organisation.

Originality/value

This study adds to the existing discussion regarding the new roles of communication professionals in organisations by presenting two cases in which communication professionals are successfully functioning as internal communication trainers. The findings can help both researchers and practitioners gain insights into the future role of the communication profession.
Discovering the underlying dynamics of crowdfunding networks: entrepreneurs’ ties, crowdfunders’ connections and community spin-offs
Authors: Troise Ciro
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the underlying dynamics of crowdfunding networks. The study examines the impact of actors’ connections, i.e. entrepreneurs’ ties and connections between crowdfunders, on funding success, i.e. the funding amount collected at the end of crowdfunding campaigns. Furthermore, this research explore the role of communities within crowdfunding platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study leverages the network theory and uses a quantitative methodology based on a regression analysis (ordinary least squares). Data collection was done through Ulule, a leading crowdfunding platform in Europe.

Findings

The research provides a description of the structure of crowdfunding networks and their communities. The results show that actors’ connections play a key role in affecting the funding success. Both the entrepreneurs’ ties, i.e. the connections of the entrepreneur before the launch of the campaign and the connections between crowdfunders, i.e. the ties established within crowdfunding communities (redundancy and effective size), positively affect the funding amount collected at the end of the campaign.

Research limitations/implications

This paper has useful implications for several stakeholders such as entrepreneurs, platform managers, communities’ managers, policy makers and authorities. Entrepreneurs should expand and strengthen their ties before the launch of the online call, while managers of platforms/communities should stimulate connections between actors, in particular between crowdfunders within communities, and improve the online spaces of campaigns with new dedicated sections or specific forums. Policy makers and authorities should design specific policies, favor the rise of new types of entrepreneurship (e.g. community spin-off) and support the development of new tools and communities.

Originality/value

This is one of the first empirical studies that explore the underlying dynamics of crowdfunding networks. Results revealed by the analysis might steer other scholars’ interest towards this research path. The connections between crowdfunders within the communities have been neglected so far. This research proposes an original network approach based on typical network parameters. The study sheds some light on the importance of actors’ connections and adds new knowledge in a recent research stream that is still in its infancy.
Hybrid cluster analysis of customer segmentation of sea transportation users
Authors: Cahyana Bambang Eka , Nimran Umar , Utami Hamidah Nayati , Iqbal Mohammad
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to apply hybrid cluster analysis in classifying PT Pelindo I customers based on the level of customer satisfaction with passenger services of PT Pelindo I.

Design/methodology/approach

Hybrid cluster analysis is a combination of hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analysis. This hybrid cluster analysis appears to optimize the advantages of hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods simultaneously to obtain optimal grouping. Hybrid cluster analysis itself has high flexibility because it can combine all hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods without any limits in the order of analysis used.

Findings

The results showed that 72% of PT Pelindo I customers felt PT Pelindo I service was special, while the remaining 28% felt PT Pelindo I service was good.

Originality/value

In total, 117 customers of PT Pelindo I were involved in a study using the non-probability sampling method.
The effects of strategic sourcing on supply chain strategies
Authors: Yildiz Çankaya Sibel
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of strategic sourcing (SS) on lean supply chain (LSC) and agile supply chain (ASC) strategies and investigate the role of these concepts on development of competitive performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A proposed research model and hypotheses are tested by using cross-sectional e-mail survey data collected from the manufacturing firms operating in Turkey. SS is conceptualized as a second-order factor. Structural equation modeling is used to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

This study reached the conclusion that SS affects LSC and ASC strategies positively. Additionally, it is seen that these concepts are effective in improvement of competitive performance.

Practical implications

The results are important in terms of emphasizing the significance of SS in improvement of the lean and agile nature of the supply chain.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence regarding the relationships among SS, supply chain strategies and competitive performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study was carried out on the plant level where one person from each organization responded to the survey.
The role of customer intimacy in increasing Islamic bank customer loyalty in using e-banking and m-banking
Authors: Mulia Dipa , Usman Hardius , Parwanto Novia Budi
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purposes of this study are to develop an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) model by adding customer intimacy, perceived risk, trust andShariacompliance as external variables, in which TAM is used as the evaluation method for the use of e-banking and m-banking by customers of Islamic bank; and to study the role of customer intimacy in increasing satisfaction and encouraging loyalty of Islamic bank customers in using e-banking and m-banking.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection is carried out by the self-administered survey method with Islamic bank customers as target population. Multivariate analysis of variance and multiple linear regression are applied for data analysis.

Findings

Customer intimacy not only encourages the emergence of customer loyalty directly, but also affects the factors that determine customer loyalty itself, such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, trust, sharia compliance and satisfaction. In other words, customer intimacy has a direct and indirect influence on loyalty.

Originality/value

This paper offers an extended TAM constructs to study the role of customer intimacy in increasing loyalty by considering various variables, namely, perceived risk, trust,Shariacompliance and satisfaction. Similar research is still very limited in the banking marketing literature, especially in Islamic banks context.
Budgetary practices in a Tanzanian University: Bourdieu's theory
Authors: Mkasiwa Tausi Ally
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper explores budgetary practices in a Tanzanian university after decentralization.

Methodology

Data were collected through interviews, document analysis, and observation. Moreover, Bourdieu's theory was used in open and axial coding procedures for data analysis.

Findings

The findings show that decentralized budgeting was a disillusionment. Administrators failed to transfer financial authority to resource recipients. Budgetary practices were shaped by the social structure/budget cycle (field), resources possessed by budgetary actors (capital) and the sincerity patterns of actors in budgetary practices (habitus). Most resource recipients had insincerity in budgeting habitus deploying subversive strategy, while the minority had sincerity in budgeting habitus, deploying submissive strategy. On the other hand, administrators had sincerity and insincerity in budgeting habitus, deploying conservative strategy.

Practical implications

In order to enhance effective decentralization, resource recipients should be provided with adequate financial resources and budgeting skills. Furthermore, they should be trusted and recognized. Moreover, in order to shape budgeting strategies and practices towards achieving organizational objectives, managements should identify and work on internal, external and technical budgetary constraints. In addition, they should promote sincerity in budgeting habitus as habitus can be created, altered, and reproduced through knowledge.

Originality/Value

This is the first paper to investigate budgetary practices in a university setting, employing all Bourdieu's six theoretical concepts. It contributes to Bourdieu's theory by introducing a submissive strategy. In addition, it introduces “episteme” concept as the opposite of “doxa.” Moreover, the paper responds to the call by Deering and Sá (2018) to investigate what guides budgetary practices in a university setting. The paper has also demonstrated the role of approval organs and subordinates which were neglected in prior studies. It proposes a theory of budgetary practice in a University setting when budgeting is decentralized. It thus responds to the call to investigate and theorize the role of actors in calculative practices (such as budgeting) in a University setting (Argento et al., 2020; Aleksandrov, 2020; Grossi et al., 2020; Ozdil and Hoque, 2017).
Make a call: assessing capital calls velocity for closed end Asia Pacific non-listed real estate funds
Authors: Jadevicius Arvydas
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The study examines Asia Pacific (APAC) non-listed non-core real estate funds' capital calls (investor equity drawdowns) sequence for varying vehicle strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Analysis starts with a cursory data interpretation that extracts a typical investors' equity drawdowns schedule. Thousands of simulations are then computed for each vehicle strategy for each year to further interpretation.

Findings

Data and methodological limitations notwithstanding, overall estimates suggest that funds exhibit a contrasting capital calls sequence. As a group, APAC non-core non-listed real estate funds call circa 76.3% of investors' committed capital during the first four years of the fund life. Single sector, single country and value added vehicles have a greater capital calls velocity compared to their multi sector, multi country and opportunity peers. However, the two fund groups exhibit a notable standard deviation heterogeneity of drawdowns.

Practical implications

Investors should therefore budget accordingly when choosing either of vehicle strategies to invest in.

Originality/value

The study adds additional evidence on the topic of capital calls velocity. Results should assist LPs with their non-listed APAC real estate funds investment programme further.
Ordinary celebrities related criteria to harvest fame and influence on social media
Authors: Al-Emadi Fatima Abdulaziz , Ben Yahia Imene
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The study aims to explore why consumers engage with ordinary celebrities on social media by identifying the influential characteristics that have engaged followers and have led to opinion leadership on visual platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data were collected from 32 social media users following at least one ordinary celebrity on Instagram and Facebook in Qatar and Tunisia.

Findings

The findings of this study highlight five main characteristics that lead to fame and opinion leadership on social media visual platforms: credibility, storytelling and content quality, fit with the platform, Actual and aspired image homophily and consistency.

Research limitations/implications

This research is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, one of the first studies that highlight the features determining opinion leadership on visual platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Second, the results of the study highlight some features that distinguish ordinary celebrities from traditional established celebrities.

Practical implications

The findings of this research represent a guideline for effective influential marketing development. Based on the results, recommendations are provided for companies, influencers and social media users who aspire to become influencers.

Originality/value

This research, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is among the first to shed light on opinion leadership through ordinary celebrities on visual social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, and thus, adds new insights to the area of social media marketing.
Antecedents of phubbing: from technological and psychological perspectives
Authors: Chatterjee Sheshadri
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors responsible for phubbing (PHU) from technological and psychological aspects.

Design/methodology/approach

From the literature review, some hypotheses have been formulated and a conceptual model has been developed. The model has been validated and the hypotheses have been tested by a statistical approach using a survey with involvement of 302 useable responses. The responses have been quantified and thereafter detailed statistical analysis has been adopted to verify the conceptual model and the hypotheses.

Findings

Smartphone addiction (SPA) is the principle component that is responsible for PHU, which is also the goal of the study.

Research limitations/implications

The study highlights that unless SPA behavior of individuals is reduced; it is not possible to control PHU behavior. For restricting SPA, self-control of the users of smartphone is necessary. Besides, imposition of appropriate rules and regulations can check the menace of SPA that in turn would control PHU.

Practical implications

Practitioners are to arrange to reduce SPA of people. The users are to be made known regarding the dark sides of SPA responsible for PHU. Besides, practitioners should conduct awareness programs to keep the users apprised regarding menace of SPA and PHU. Practitioners should arrange to execute consistently regulatory restrictions to control SPA. This would also be able to control individuals to exhibit PHU behavior.

Social implications

PHU inhibits quality of interpersonal communication. It lowers the esteem and exhibits negative relationship satisfaction among the interacting parties. PHU creates ostracism. Identification of factors responsible for PHU would help to provide a solution to check PHU.

Originality/value

Not much research on this issue is known to have taken place. In this regard, this attempt should be deemed to be a novel attempt.
Two narratives: recovery journeys in mental health
Authors: Voyce Andrew
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare lived recovery journeys in mental health with recovery models.

Design/methodology/approach

Unstructured interviews with prompts were conducted with two individuals.

Findings

Some recovery models correspond in part with the live experience of subjects. These narratives have personal emphasis that is incongruent with the highlighted models. In particular, the subjects have a place for therapeutic interventions, i.e. talking therapies and medication.

Research limitations/implications

The live experience of the two people with mental health issues crosses boundaries of recovery models. Relevant models include those used in peer support; however, they too do not fit exactly with the detailed journeys.

Practical implications

A varied approach without preconceptions is appropriate to understand the components of these two recovery journeys.

Social implications

The medical model approach to mental health is not discounted rather it is integral to these two recovery journeys.

Originality/value

This is qualitative research using stated models of mental health recovery. In addition to the principles of hope, meaning, connectedness, identity and empowerment, the two subjects include the essential part for medication and talking therapies in their recovery.
The impact of risk management on revenue protection: an empirical evidence from Jordan customs
Authors: Al-Shbail Tariq
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Customs risk management has been widely recognized as a powerful tool to balance between trade facilitation and revenue maximization. However, most customs administrations worldwide, particularly in developing countries, are suffering from a lack of experience and knowledge to assess their risk management systems for revenue protection (RP). Customs risk management has a very limited legacy in the literature. Academic research is quite scarce and very limited, although its relevance to customs administrations. This paper aims to identify the key risk profiles and indicators that contribute to the protection of customs revenue and investigate the role of these risk profiles and indicators on customs RP using the case of Jordan Customs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a panel data approach by using the case of Jordan Customs. Data were collected from the risk targeting and selectivity system at Jordan Customs for the year 2019, a total of 600 observations.

Findings

The findings show that all risk targeting criteria except random selectivity (RS) and HS code have a significant positive association with RP. The findings also revealed that RS is an effective tool to prevent traders with fraud and offenses history from a prediction of targeting patterns and to assess the traders’ compliance and make sure their declarations are free from fraud or offenses. Moreover, the findings of this study indicate that customs administrations should adopt alternative programs such as authorized economic operator and post clearance audit as an effective means to measure and improve compliance.

Research limitations/implications

The main contribution of this study lies in proposing a model to assist customs administrations in assessing the performance of risk management systems to protect revenue. This model provides a comprehensive conceptualization and explanations necessary for numerous aspects of risk management projects and it assists to predict the outcomes based on formulated indicators.

Practical implications

This study provides guidelines for risk analysts on how to identify and assess the key risk profiles and indicators that effect on maximizing the detection of revenue leakage and to obtain interpretable and predictable results. In addition, the findings of this study will assist customs administrations in supporting revenue collection, minimizing uncertainty, allocating resources more effectively to target high-risk consignments, while simplifying the procedures for the safe consignments.

Originality/value

This paper is of significant value because it is one of the preliminary studies that empirically identify the risk indicators/profiles that contribute to the protection of revenue and investigate the predictive power of these risk indicators/profiles as a key predictor to protect customs revenue.
Development of a roadmap for Lean Six Sigma implementation and sustainability in a Scottish packing company
Authors: Flor Vallejo Verónica , Antony Jiju , Douglas Jacqueline Ann , Alexander Paul , Sony Michael
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a continuous improvement methodology that has been adopted by several companies as a strategy to increase their competitive advantage. However, due to the misuse of LSS theory in practice, a high rate of implementation failure results. There is a need for a structured and standardised framework to describe how the LSS initiative should be implemented and sustained over time. As a result, this study aims to develop a practical, user-friendly and accurate LSS road map for a Scottish manufacturing small and medium enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach was to analyse existing literature on lean and Six Sigma that included road maps and critical success factors (CSFs) in order to design an in-company, quantitative survey instrument. The aim of the survey was to evaluate employees' perceptions on the importance of LSS CSFs for the successful implementation and sustainability of a continuous improvement initiative. Based on the literature and results from the data collected, an LSS reference guide - in the form of a road map - was designed to support LSS implementation and sustainability.

Findings

A customised LSS reference guide in a road map format for the Scottish SME was proposed. This road map was developed by adopting existing successful road maps from the literature into consideration and then adapting them to fulfil the company's particular perspective on CI. This study complements current literature on LSS road maps and corroborates LSS CSFs as crucial for successful LSS implementation and sustainability, regardless of the type of company and/or culture. However, a degree of importance is ascribed to the organisation's culture.

Research limitations/implications

Whilst a survey was used as the data collection instrument future interviews with employees would enhance the understanding of the organisational culture and hence further improve the road map.

Originality/value

The authors developed a practical and strategic roadmap for a Scottish packaging small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) which can be used by other similar SMEs. The proposed LSS road map can be replicated and/or adapted for companies in their application of LSS. The methodology by which this study's road map was designed can be used as a guide in the development of further CI road maps.
Narrow oviposition preference of an insect herbivore risks survival under conditions of severe drought
Authors: Salgado Ana L. , DiLeo Michelle F. , Saastamoinen Marjo
Published: May 2020

Understanding species' habitat preferences are crucial to predict organisms' responses to the current climate crisis. In many insects, maternal habitat selection for oviposition essentially determines offspring performance. Whether future changes in climatic conditions may generate mismatches between oviposition preference and offspring performance, when mothers continue to prefer microhabitats that might threaten offspring survival, is an open question.

To address this gap, we tested if oviposition preferences of the Glanville fritillary butterflyMelitaea cinxiafemales put offspring at risk when plants are under drought stress conditions. Mainly, we focus on identifying the microhabitat determinants for oviposition and the variation of conditions experienced by the sessile offspring, using field observations from 12 populations collected over 2015–2018. These data are combined with 10 years of larval nest and precipitation data to understand within‐population patterns of habitat selection. We tested whether the preferred microhabitats maximized the extended larval performance (i.e. overwinter survival).

We found that females preferentially oviposited in microhabitats with higher host plant abundance and higher proportion of host plants with signs of drought stress. In most years, larval nests had higher survival in these drought‐stressed microhabitats. However, in an extremely dry year, only two nests survived over the summer.

Our results highlight that a failure to shift habitat preference under extreme climate conditions may have drastic consequences for the survival of natural populations under changing climatic conditions.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
The construct of the ‘mana personality’ in Jung’s works: a historic‐hermeneutic perspective. Part II
Authors: Sorge Giovanni V.R.
Published: May 2020

This is the second part of an article that tries to provide a framework of understanding of, and a seminal reflection on, a highly interesting yet little explored psychological construct of Jung’s analytical psychology, namely the ‘mana personality’. Here I take into consideration some issues around the ‘saviour complex’, discussed in Jung’s seminar on Nietzsche’s Zarathustra, concerning both the psychological analysis of the individual and the socio‐political level related to the collective horizon of the 1930s. Moreover, I consider the continuity of Jung’s analysis of such issues in other works such as ‘Psychology and national problems’ (1936), Symbols of Transformation (1952), and Aion (1950). I finally make some suggestions concerning Jung’s apparent hermeneutic tendency to apply the construct of the mana personality to collective historical phenomena.
The agony of integration and the blessings of finitude – facing ‘extinction points’ and moments of madness
Authors: Ulanov Ann
Published: May 2020

This paper explores the inevitable pain that integration requires in our individuation process. The unspeakable agony we defended against in order to survive we now experience consciously, including moments of going out of existence at the core of our madness. Clinical examples are given of these ‘extinction points’ and the abject helplessness analysand and analyst suffer in the face of this destructiveness. The first and second witness to this process (usually the analyst and the psyche itself) and the primordial creative life force are recognized in the process of recovery, a recovery that recoups the blessings of our finite human living.
Biodiversity, spoilage capacity and heat resistance of mesophilic aerobic spores isolated from milk powders marketed in Algeria
Authors: Benahmed Meryem , Leguerinel Ivan , Moussa‐Boudjemaa Boumedine
Published: May 2020

An analysis of milk powder isolates based on RAPD‐M13 and 16SrRNA sequencing has been conducted. Phylogenetic groups were distinguished by panC gene sequencing. An evaluation of the enzymatic activity and heat resistance of representative isolates has also been made. Molecular analysis revealed 17 groups. Bacillus cereus groups II, III and IV were the main phylogenetic groups. Bacillus cereus and B. subtilis groups demonstrated high proteolytic activity along with D95°C values ranging from 1 to 9 min and z‐values between 6.5 and 18.6 °C.
Acupuncture for recurrent urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Qin X , Coyle ME , Yang L , Liang J , Wang K , Guo X , Zhang AL , Mao W , Lu C , Xue CC , Liu X
Published: May 2020

Background

Increasing antibiotic resistance has motivated interest in non‐antibiotic prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI).

Objectives

To conduct a systematic review of the current state of evidence of acupuncture for uncomplicated rUTI in women.

Search strategy

Nine databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, AMED, CBM, CNKI, CQVIP, Wanfang) were searched from inception to February 2019.

Selection criteria

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of acupuncture and related therapies for prophylaxis or treatment of uncomplicated rUTI in women were included.

Data collection and analysis

Risk of bias was assessed, and the quality and strength of evidence evaluated using the GRADE framework. Results were reported as risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes or mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main results

Five RCTs involving 341 participants were included. Methodological quality of studies and strength of the evidence were low to moderate. The chance of achieving a composite cure with acupuncture therapies was greater than that with antibiotics (three studies, 170 participants, RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.31‐2.81, I2 = 38%). The risk of UTI recurrence was lower with acupuncture than with no treatment (two studies, 135 participants, RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.26–0.58, I2 = 0%) and sham acupuncture (one study, 53 participants, RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22–0.92).

Conclusions

Acupuncture appeared to be beneficial for treatment and prophylaxis of rUTIs, noting the limitations of the current evidence. Given the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance, there is a need for high‐quality RCTs of non‐pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture.

Tweetable abstract

This review found that acupuncture may improve treatment and prevent recurrence of urinary tract infection in women.
Impact of the size of the lesion in prenatal neural tube defect repair on imaging, neurosurgical and motor outcomes: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Corroenne R , Zhu KH , Johnson E , Johnson R , Whitehead WE , Espinoza J , Castillo J , Castillo H , Orman G , Huisman TAGM , Mehollin‐Ray AR , Shamshirsaz AA , Nassr AA , Belfort MA , Sanz Cortes M
Published: May 2020

Objectives

(1) To compare brain findings between large and non‐large neural tube defect (NTD); (2) to evaluate the impact of large lesion on the surgical parameters; (3) to study any associations between the size of the lesions and brain findings 6 weeks postoperatively and neurological short‐term outcomes.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Texas Children’s Hospital, between 2011 and 2018.

Population

Patients who underwent prenatal NTD repair.

Methods

Large lesion was defined when the lesion’s surface was >75th centile of our cohorts’ lesions.

Main outcome measures

Time of referral: ventriculomegaly and anatomical level of the lesion; surgery: duration and need for relaxing incisions. 6 weeks postoperative: hindbrain herniation (HBH) and ventriculomegaly. After delivery: dehiscence, need for hydrocephalus treatment and motor function.

Results

A total of 99 patients were included, 25 of whom presented with large lesions. Type of lesion and ventriculomegaly were comparable between individuals with large and non‐large lesions. Individuals with large lesions were associated with increased need for relaxing incisions by 5.4 times (95% CI 1.3–23.2, P = 0.02). Six weeks postoperatively, having a large lesion decreased by ten times the likelihood of having a postoperative reversal of HBH (odds ratio = 0.1, 95% CI 0.1–0.4, P < 0.01). At birth, larger lesions increased the risk for repair dehiscence by 6.1 times (95% CI 1.6–22.5, P < 0.01) and the risk of dehiscence or leakage of cerebrospinal fluid at birth by 5.5 times (95% CI 1.6–18.9, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Prenatal repair of patients with large NTD presents a lower proportion of HBH reversal 6 weeks after the surgery, a higher risk of dehiscence and a higher need for postnatal repair.

Tweetable abstract

Evaluation of the size of fetal NTD can predict adverse neurological outcomes after prenatal NTD repair.
Empirical Evaluation of the Reliability of Photogrammetry Software in the Recovery of Three‐Dimensional Footwear Impressions
Authors: Larsen Hannah J. , Bennett Matthew R.
Published: May 2020

This paper examines the reliability of Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry as a tool in the capture of forensic footwear marks. This is applicable to photogrammetry freeware DigTrace but is equally relevant to other SfM solutions. SfM simply requires a digital camera, a scale bar, and a selection of oblique photographs of the trace in question taken at the scene. The output is a digital three‐dimensional point cloud of the surface and any plastic trace thereon. The first section of this paper examines the reliability of photogrammetry to capture the same data when repeatedly used on one impression, while the second part assesses the impact of varying cameras. Using cloud to cloud comparisons that measure the distance between two‐point clouds, we assess the variability between models. The results highlight how little variability is evident and therefore speak to the accuracy and consistency of such techniques in the capture of three‐dimensional traces. Using this method, 3D footwear impressions can, in many substrates, be collected with a repeatability of 97% with any variation between models less than ~0.5 mm.
The superiority of ultrapasteurization over conventional heat treatments regarding Riceberry beverage aroma
Authors: Kullananant Natnicha , Chaiseri Siree , Lorjaroenphon Yaowapa
Published: May 2020

The novel discovery ofp‐hydroxyphenylbutan‐2‐one (berry note) in Riceberry aroma was characterized by gas chromatography‐olfactometry and gas chromatography–time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Odor activity values and aroma extract dilution analysis revealed the high potency of this ketone, vanillin, and guaiacol found within the purple rice. Furthermore, ultrapasteurization (UP), high‐temperature short‐time (HTST) pasteurization, and ultrahigh‐temperature (UHT) sterilization effects on rice beverage aroma were analyzed using Riceberry as a sample. Riceberry's key odorants also remained the primary aromatic contributors in beverage models. Although descriptive sensory analysis showed a slightly lower musty note intensity in HTST beverages compared to the UP sample, their flavor dilution chromatograms were similar. Cluster analysis and R‐index ranking test further confirmed aroma similarities during storage. Stored samples sterilized via UHT experienced certain potential off‐odors, including acetic acid, propanoic acid, and indole, as opposed to the other beverages. UP was therefore superior to HTST and UHT by extending beverage shelf life without any undesirable odors.

Practical Application

Ultrapasteurization (UP) retains Riceberry aroma characteristic in beverages and requires minimal modifications beyond conventional pasteurization. UP beverages also surpass those of high‐temperature short‐time and ultrahigh‐temperature by extending shelf life with no noticeable off‐odors. In addition, the discovery ofp‐hydroxyphenylbutan‐2‐one and the other aroma‐active compounds of Riceberry aroma should prove valuable for flavor creation, rice breeding, and rice quality standards.
Assessment of safety and efficacy of pine bark extract in normal and ovariectomized mice
Authors: Kondo Takashi , Ishimi Yoshiko , Takebayashi Jun , Tousen Yuko
Published: May 2020

We evaluated the influence of pine bark extract (PBE) on organs, the cytochrome‐P450 (CYP) activities in liver and estrogenic effects in normal and ovariectomized (OVX) female mice. The PBE did not affect organ weights and liver‐function indexes (activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate amino transferase, and alanine amino transferase) at doses; 0.04%, 0.4%, and 2.0% PBE in the diet, in normal and OVX female mice. In the OVX mice, CYP1A1 activity was significantly higher in the 0.4% and 2.0% PBE groups than in the OVX control group, and in the 0.4% and 2.0% PBE groups were significantly higher than in the 0.04% PBE group. CYP1A2 and 3A4 activities were significantly higher in the 2.0% PBE group than in all other groups. The PBE did not affect uterine weight and femoral bone mineral density at all PBE doses. These results showed that the dose of PBE at the recommended human intake, had no toxic and estrogenic effects in normal female and OVX mice, however, it may need attention to use the excess intake of PBE with some drugs in postmenopausal women.
Predictors of patient preference for either whole body magnetic resonance imaging (WB‐MRI) or CT/ PET‐CT for staging colorectal or lung cancer
Authors: Miles Anne , Evans Ruth EC , Halligan Steve , Beare Sandy , Bridgewater John , Goh Vicky , Janes Sam M , Navani Neal , Oliver Alfred , Morton Alison , Morris Steve , Rockall Andrea , Taylor Stuart A ,   the STREAMLINE investigators
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Whole body magnetic resonance imaging (WB‐MRI) may be more efficient in staging cancers, but can be harder for patients to tolerate. We examined predictors of patient preference for WB‐MRI vs. CT/ PET‐CT for staging colorectal or lung cancer.

Methods

Patients recruited prospectively to two multicentre trials comparing diagnostic accuracy of WB‐MRI with standard staging scans were sent two questionnaires: the first, administered at trial registration, captured demographics, educational level and comorbidities; the second, administered after staging completion, measured emotional distress (GHQ‐12), positive mood (PANAS), perceived scan burden, patients’ beliefs about WB‐MRI, and preference for either WB‐MRI or CT (colorectal trial), WB‐MRI or PET‐CT (lung trial). Preference for WB‐MRI or CT/ PET‐CT was analysed using logistic regression.

Results

Baseline and post‐staging questionnaires were completed by 97 and 107 patients, respectively. Overall, 56/107 (52%) preferred WB‐MRI over standard scans and were more likely to have no additional comorbidities, higher positive mood, greater awareness of potential benefits of WB‐MRI and lower levels of perceived WB‐MRI scan burden. In adjusted analyses, only awareness of potential WB‐MRI benefits remained a significant predictor (OR: 1.516, 95% CIs 1.006–2.284, P = 0.047). Knowledge that WB‐MRI does not use radiation predicted preference (adjusted OR: 3.018, 95% CIs 1.099–8.288, P = 0.032), although only 45/107 (42%) patients were aware of this attribute.

Conclusions

A small majority of patients undergoing staging of colorectal or lung cancer prefer WB‐MRI to CT/ PET‐CT. Raising awareness of the potential benefits of WB‐MRI, notably lack of ionizing radiation, could influence preference.
Quality of English‐language videos on YouTube as a source of information on systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Ng Caitlin Hsuen , Lim Grace Rui Si , Fong Warren
Published: May 2020

Background

Many patients turn to online platforms to obtain healthcare information, but the quality and accuracy of the information is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability and quality of the most viewed English‐language YouTube videos on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

YouTube was searched using keywords “systemic lupus erythematosus” and videos were categorized as useful information, misleading information, useful patient opinion, and misleading patient opinion. Reliability was scored using a modified 5‐point DISCERN tool (where higher scores represent greater reliability), while quality was rated using the 5‐point Global Quality Scale (GQS). Content covered included epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of SLE.

Results

Of the top 183 relevant videos, 124 (67.8%) were classified as useful information, 21 (11.5%) as misleading information, 29 (15.8%) as useful patient opinion, 9 (4.9%) as misleading patient opinion. Useful information videos were primarily produced by professionals (62.1%), with videos being of greater reliability and quality than other groups. However, video characteristics collected were largely comparable across all groups. The majority (68.9%) of the videos addressed patients.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight an abundance of YouTube videos with useful information on SLE, that are mostly reliable and of high quality. However, in order to effectively educate patients, pitfalls such as misleading content, falsely elevated video characteristics and non‐professional sources need to be made known to patients. As part of holistic care, healthcare professionals should advise patients to seek information from reputed sources.
Synergistically positive effects of brick walls and farmlands on Anthophora waltoni populations
Authors: Xie Zhenghua , Shebl Mohamed A. , Pan Dongdong , Wang Jianmin
Published: May 2020

Some wild bees can persist in human‐altered habitats in the face of global wild bee decline. To date, however, little is known about why those bees can tolerate human disturbances. Here we hypothesized that wild bees living in human‐altered habitats could achieve their nesting resources and floral resources. Moreover, persistent provision of those resources could enhance their populations.

The foraging areas of solitary, cavity‐nesting bees Anthophora waltoni were determined in two agricultural ecosystems with rich bee populations. The influences of seminatural habitats, nesting resources and farmlands on A. waltoni visit density were assessed by modelling bee density against landscape factors in 17 agricultural ecosystems. Moreover, temporal availabilities of those resources were measured across the last three decades.

A. waltoni used vetch fields and field margins, instead of seminatural habitats, as foraging areas. The area of brick walls and the area of farmlands, as well as their temporal increases, synergistically positively influenced A. waltoni visit density on vetch flowers. The percentage of buildings and farmlands increased across the last three decades in spite of a slowdown in 5‐year growth of brick walls.

The results demonstrated the synergistically positive effects of nesting resources and floral resources, as well as persistent provisions of those resources, on A. waltoni populations in agricultural ecosystems. A. waltoni could live in the human‐altered habitats because they persistently achieved their nesting resources and floral resources.
Skin‐infiltrating basophils promote atopic dermatitis‐like inflammation via IL‐4 production in mice
Authors: Yamanishi Yoshinori , Mogi Kotone , Takahashi Kazufusa , Miyake Kensuke , Yoshikawa Soichiro , Karasuyama Hajime
Published: May 2020

Background

Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) often show the infiltration of basophils in the affected skin. Because basophils represent only a minor fraction among cellular infiltrates in the skin lesion, the functional significance of skin‐infiltrating basophils in AD pathogenesis remains ill‐defined. In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of basophils and their effector molecules triggering skin inflammation in oxazolone (OX)‐induced murine model of AD.

Methods

A panel of mouse strains were sensitized and repeatedly challenged with topical applications of OX to induce AD‐like skin inflammation. Both local and systemic Th2 immune responses were analyzed.

Results

Basophils progressively accumulated in the skin lesion but barely in draining lymph nodes (LNs). When basophils were depleted during the elicitation phase, skin inflammation was ameliorated while Th2 cell differentiation in draining LNs remained intact. The expression of IL‐4 was highly upregulated in the affected skin, and basophils turned out to be the major producers of IL‐4 among cellular infiltrates, suggesting the involvement of basophil‐derived IL‐4 in the Th2 skin inflammation. Indeed, basophil‐specific IL‐4‐deficient mice displayed attenuated skin inflammation with a marked reduction of IL‐4 in the skin lesion, even though cutaneous basophil infiltration and serum levels of IgE remained intact.

Conclusions

Skin‐infiltrating basophils promoted OX‐induced AD‐like skin inflammation through their local production of IL‐4, rather than the induction of Th2 cell differentiation in draining LNs. This study suggests that the selective targeting of basophils could be a beneficial strategy in the treatment of a certain type of AD.