bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can diversification be improved by using cryptocurrencies? Evidence from Indian equity market
Authors: Jana Susovon , Sahu Tarak Nath
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the possibilities of cryptocurrencies as hedges and diversifiers in the Indian stock market before and during financial crisis due to the pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war.

Design/methodology/approach

Researchers have used daily data on cryptocurrencies and Indian stock prices from March 10, 2015 to August 26, 2022. The researchers have used the dynamic conditional correlations (DCC)-GARCH model to determine the volatility spillover and dynamic correlation between stocks and digital currencies. Further, researchers have explored hedge ratio, portfolio weight and hedging effectiveness using the estimates of the DCC-GARCH model.

Findings

The findings indicate a negative conditional correlation between equities and cryptocurrencies before the crisis and a positive conditional correlation except for Tether during the crisis. Which implies that cryptocurrencies serve as a hedging asset in the stock market before a crisis but are not more than a diversifier during the crisis, except for Tether. Notably, Tether serves as a safe haven during times of crisis. Finally, the study suggests that Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin and Ripple are the most effective diversifiers for Indian stocks during the crisis.

Originality/value

This study makes several contributions to the existing literature. First, it compares the hedge and diversification roles of cryptocurrencies in the Indian stock market before and during crisis. Second, the study findings provide insights on risk hedging and can serve as a guide for investors. Third, it may help rational investors avoid underestimating risk while constructing portfolios, particularly in times of financial turmoil.
Assessing the impact of early supplier involvement on public works procurement
Authors: Osei-Appiah Vincent Kwame , Kissi Ernest , Karikari Victor Acheamfour , Ayeng Prosper , Danquah-Smith Eugene , Adesi Michael
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Works procurement performance is critical to successful project delivery. However, early supplier involvement (ESI) has been touted in other industries to impact procurement performance positively. Works procurement has been attracting significant attention from major players due to poor performance characterized by poor performance, budget overruns and incompetence. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess the impact of ESI on public works procurement performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a thorough review of the literature for a pilot survey, the main questionnaires were administered to 103 public procurement officers. To assess the impact of ESI on public works procurement performance, three constructs that served as factors for implementing ESI and five that measure works procurement performance were validated using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The outcome of this study shows a significant positive impact of ESI on works procurement performance. This included communication, trust and supplier capabilities. The study further showed that even though cost, schedule, quality, health and safety are essential, sustainability measures are also crucial for work procurement.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study could help firms make better decisions regarding public works procurement by encouraging ESI. This will likely significantly impact the successful project delivery and preservation of sustainability and efficiency objectives.

Originality/value

The application of PLS-SEM analysis in this study provides insights into how ESI can impact the procurement of public works in Ghana.
“From the lease’s point of view”: the role of tied leases in shaping the UK pub sector
Authors: Meers Jed
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Much like their residential counterparts, commercial leases have a reputation problem. Although often derided as painfully dull and mundane documents, residential leases have begun to be interrogated by socio-legal scholarship with renewed interest. This paper aims to continue this line of work in the commercial context through a detailed examination of a widespread form of leasehold in the pub sector: the “tied lease”.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on interviews with 14 publicans and archival research.

Findings

The author argues that the lease is a decisive actor in determining the balance of power between publicans and pub-owning companies and shaping the physical environment of pubs in the UK.

Originality/value

The author’s broader agenda is to argue that socio-legal scholars’ renewed interest in leases should not be confined to the residential context: commercial leases warrant far greater socio-legal scholarly attention.
Low-cycle fatigue life assessment of SAC solder alloy through a FEM-data driven machine learning approach
Authors: Ruiz-Jacinto Vicente-Segundo , Gutiérrez-Valverde Karina-Silvana , Aslla-Quispe Abrahan-Pablo , Burga-Falla José-Manuel , Alarcón-Sucasaca Aldo , Huamán-Romaní Yersi-Luis
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to present the novel stacked machine learning approach (SMLA) to estimate low-cycle fatigue (LCF) life of SAC305 solder across structural parts. Using the finite element simulation (FEM) and continuous damage mechanics (CDM) model, a fatigue life database is built. The stacked machine learning (ML) model's iterative optimization during training enables precise fatigue predictions (2.41% root mean square error [RMSE], R2 = 0.975) for diverse structural components. Outliers are found in regression analysis, indicating potential overestimation for thickness transition specimens with extended lifetimes and underestimation for open-hole specimens. Correlations between fatigue life, stress factors, nominal stress and temperature are unveiled, enriching comprehension of LCF, thus enhancing solder behavior predictions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduces stacked ML as a novel approach for estimating LCF life of SAC305 solder in various structural parts. It builds a fatigue life database using FEM and CDM model. The stacked ML model iteratively optimizes its structure, yielding accurate fatigue predictions (2.41% RMSE, R2 = 0.975). Outliers are observed: overestimation for thickness transition specimens and underestimation for open-hole ones. Correlations between fatigue life, stress factors, nominal stress and temperature enhance predictions, deepening understanding of solder behavior.

Findings

The findings of this paper highlight the successful application of the SMLA in accurately estimating the LCF life of SAC305 solder across diverse structural components. The stacked ML model, trained iteratively, demonstrates its effectiveness by producing precise fatigue lifetime predictions with a RMSE of 2.41% and an “R2” value of 0.975. The study also identifies distinct outlier behaviors associated with different structural parts: overestimations for thickness transition specimens with extended fatigue lifetimes and underestimations for open-hole specimens. The research further establishes correlations between fatigue life, stress concentration factors, nominal stress and temperature, enriching the understanding of solder behavior prediction.

Originality/value

The authors confirm the originality of this paper.
The consequences of firm scope and scale on patient access to healthcare
Authors: Meille Giacomo , Koch Thomas , Wendling Brett , Zuvekas Samuel
Published: September 2023

Objective

The aim was to quantify changes in the market structure of primary care physicians and examine its relationship with access to care.

Data Sources and Study Setting

We created measures of market structure from a 5% sample of Medicare fee‐for‐service claims and examined access to care using nationally representative data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Our study spanned from 2008 to 2019.

Study Design

We used a linear probability model to estimate the relationship between access to care and two measures of market structure: concentration, measured by the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI), and vertical integration, measured by the market share of multispecialty firms. Our model controlled for year and ZIP code fixed effects, respondents' demographics and health status, and other measures of market structure.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

All adult respondents in the MEPS were included.

Principal Findings

The percentage of people living in concentrated ZIP codes (HHI above 1500) increased from 37% in 2008 to 53% in 2019. During the same period, the median market share of multispecialty firms rose from 30% to 48%. Respondents in highly concentrated ZIP codes (HHI over 2500) were 5.9 percentage points (95% CI: −1.4 to −10.4) less likely to report having access to immediate care than respondents in unconcentrated ZIP codes. The association was largest among Medicaid beneficiaries, a 17.3 percentage point reduction (95% CI: −5.1 to −29.4). When we applied a model that was robust to biases from treatments with staggered timing, the estimated association remained negative but was not statistically significant. We found no association between HHI and indicators for having a usual source of care and annual checkups. The multispecialty market share was negatively associated with checkups, but not other measures of access.

Conclusions

Increases in concentration may reduce some types of access to healthcare. These effects appear most pronounced among Medicaid beneficiaries.
Insights into the intestinal toxicity of foodborne mycotoxins through gut microbiota: A comprehensive review
Authors: Ruan Haonan , Huang Ying , Yue Binyang , Zhang Yuanyuan , Lv Jianxin , Miao Kun , Zhang Dan , Luo Jiaoyang , Yang Meihua
Published: September 2023

Mycotoxins, which are fungal metabolites, pose a significant global food safety concern by extensively contaminating food and feed, thereby seriously threatening public health and economic development. Many foodborne mycotoxins exhibit potent intestinal toxicity. However, the mechanisms underlying mycotoxin‐induced intestinal toxicity are diverse and complex, and effective prevention or treatment methods for this condition have not yet been established in clinical and animal husbandry practices. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the role of gut microbiota in the occurrence and development of intestinal diseases. Hence, this review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the intestinal toxicity mechanisms of six common foodborne mycotoxins. It also explores novel toxicity mechanisms through the “key gut microbiota–key metabolites–key targets” axis, utilizing multiomics and precision toxicology studies with a specific focus on gut microbiota. Additionally, we examine the potential beneficial effects of probiotic supplementation on mycotoxin‐induced toxicity based on initial gut microbiota‐mediated mycotoxicity. This review offers a systematic description of how mycotoxins impact gut microbiota, metabolites, and genes or proteins, providing valuable insights for subsequent toxicity studies of mycotoxins. Furthermore, it lays a theoretical foundation for preventing and treating intestinal toxicity caused by mycotoxins and advancing food safety practices.
How workplace identities and team management practices affect distributed team auditors' willingness to speak up
Authors: Proell Chad A. , Ricci Michael A. , Trotman Ken T. , Zhou Yuepin (Daniel)
Published: September 2023

Distributed, rather than co‐located, teams increasingly perform audit work, raising regulator concerns that distributed team communication issues may affect audit quality. We investigate upward communication (i.e., raising issues to supervisors), a key communication dimension related to audit quality. In Study 1, we survey 69 senior auditors to establish that distributed team upward communication suffers. Furthermore, distributed team auditors identify less with their teams and struggle to know when and how to speak up. Because both are linked to inhibited upward communication, we next experimentally test firm practices with the potential to attenuate these problems. Study 2, an experiment with 128 staff auditors and interns, reveals that making auditors' professional identities salient improves upward communication on co‐located teams with strong team identities but not on distributed teams with weak team identities. Study 3, an experiment with 58 staff auditors, replicates a key Study 2 finding with a design that makes no reference to team identity strength. Specifically, in the presence of a salient professional identity, upward communication is significantly higher for co‐located relative to distributed team auditors. Study 4, an experiment with 69 staff auditors, focuses solely on distributed teams. It indicates that several distributed team management practices, including one‐on‐one and standing daily meetings, encourage upward communication. Finally, Study 5, informal interviews with eight audit seniors, corroborates key survey and experimental findings. Combined, our results provide insights into why distributed team communication suffers, refine audit voice theory, and provide regulators, practitioners, and researchers with multiple paths to improve audit quality.
A theoretical framework for upscaling species distribution models
Authors: Meynard Christine N. , Piou Cyril , Kaplan David M.
Published: September 2023

Species distribution models (SDM) have become one of the most popular predictive tools in ecology. With the advent of new computation and remote sensing technology, high‐resolution environmental data sets are becoming more and more common predictors in these modelling efforts. Understanding how scaling affects their outputs is therefore fundamental to understand their applicability.

Here, we develop a theoretical basis to understand the consequences of aggregating occurrence and environmental data at different resolutions. We provide a theoretical framework, along with numerical simulations and a real‐world case study, to show how these scaling rules influence predictive outputs.

We show that the properties of the environment–occurrence relationships change when the data are aggregated: the mean probability of occurrence and species prevalence increases, the optimal environmental values shift and classification rates increase at coarser resolutions up to a certain level. Furthermore, and contrary to the widespread expectation that high‐resolution data would produce better predictions, we show here that model performance may increase using coarser resolution data sets rather than the inverse. Finally, we also show that model performance depends not only on the environment–occurrence relationship but also on the interaction between this and the geography and distribution of the available environment.

This theoretical framework helps understanding previously incoherent results regarding SDM upscaling and model performance, and illustrates how theoretical and empirical results can provide important feedbacks to advance in understanding scaling issues in macroecology. The interaction between the shape of the environment–occurrence relationship and the rates of change of the environment is fundamental to understand the effects of upscaling in model performance, and may explain why some models are more difficult to transfer to different regions. Most importantly, we argue that there are conceptual choices related to scaling and SDM fitting that require expert knowledge and further explorations between theory and practice in macroecology.
PROSPECT methodology for developing procedure‐specific pain management recommendations: an update
Authors: Joshi G. P. , Albrecht E. , Van de Velde M. , Kehlet H. , Lobo D. N. ,   the PROSPECT Working Group of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy
Published: September 2023

The procedure‐specific postoperative pain management (PROSPECT) working group develops evidence‐based pain management recommendations. PROSPECT methodology is unique and rigorous. However, several limitations were recognised that needed to be addressed, and several new factors were identified that improved PROSPECT methodology. The aim of this article is to present updated PROSPECT methodology for development of recommendations for procedure‐specific pain management, focusing on the methodological revisions we will implement. In future, included randomised clinical trials will need to be prospectively registered on a publicly accessible clinical trials database and the study design, including the primary outcome in the registration, should coincide with that in the published manuscript. Placebo‐controlled studies in which the analgesic intervention of interest is solely paracetamol, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, cyclo‐oxygenase‐2‐specific inhibitors or opioids will not be included. Studies comparing one drug in a particular class with another in the same class will also not be included. Future projects will use the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool for quality of reporting of methodology and results. A modified Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach will be used for grading of level of evidence and strength of recommendations. Finally, the updated PROSPECT methodology addresses several other limitations and implements new factors that all add rigour and transparency to developing procedure‐specific pain management recommendations.
Market reactions to the Business Roundtable August 19, 2019 announcement on the Purpose of a Corporation
Authors: Janney Jay , Chaudhuri Malika
Published: September 2023

The Business Roundtable's “Purpose of a Corporation” letter announced a shift from stockholder primacy to stakeholder primacy. Interestingly, we contend the letter's language employed a technical efficiency emphasis, suggesting a firm's executives chose to make this shift because they believed doing so would improve the firm's financial performance, via improved corporate governance. We examine whether investors actually accepted the technical efficiency arguments at face value, or in contrast believed the announcements were merely a “rational myth,” what management thought investors would want to hear. We employ a 2‐day cumulative abnormal return (CAR) event study for 140 publicly‐held firms. Overall, we find investor support for the announcement. In addition, we found how returns to firms with prior similar announcements were negative at the time of the announcement. Also, the returns for firms having multiple signatories were positive and significant.
Immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in patients over 60 years of age: Diagnostic pitfalls and treatment strategy
Authors: Lester Will
Published: September 2023

Real‐world registry studies of older patients with iTTP highlight diagnostic difficulties in comparison to patients less than 60 years of age with greater risk of renal injury, atypical neurological features and less profound cytopenia, which can result in diagnostic delays. However, there is no clear signal of significantly increased toxicity from full active treatment.

Commentary on: Gómez‐Seguí et al. Immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in older patients: results from the Spanish TTP Registry (REPTT). Br J Haematol 2023;203:860–871.
Girls engaging in activism to end child marriage in Sierra Leone: Negotiating power, interacting with others and redefining their own lives
Authors: Cuevas‐Parra Patricio , Zhu Yan
Published: September 2023

Children's right to participate has been one of the most challenging rights to implement due to dominant norms which position children under adults' authority. Notably, this has more negatively impacted girls than boys due to traditional gender norms and practices that often restrict girls' agency and are reproduced and unchallenged in many societies. To contest these struggles, young female activists (13–17 years) in Sierra Leone, who are the focus of this paper, engaged in direct actions to influence public decision‐making and prevent girls from being married during childhood. Drawing upon empirical evidence exploring the girls' activism experiences, this article explore, young female activists' practical work is an example of what intersectionality as praxis means by connecting social categories to inequalities and highlights that they saw themselves as social actors with the ability to negotiate power, take part in community‐based activism to end child marriage and network with others to seek justice for practices and attitudes they perceived to be abusive.
The transalveolar approach with the small segmentation method for inclined maxillary sinus floor elevation: A retrospective study
Authors: Zhuang Xianxian , Lin Jiating , Dong Hao , Wen Yin , Xian Ruoting , Cheng Lu , Wu Jingyi , Li Shaobing
Published: September 2023

Objective

To evaluate the clinical outcome of the transalveolar approach with the small segmentation method for inclined maxillary sinus floor elevation.

Methods

Sixty‐one patients with an inclined maxillary sinus floor (tilt angle ≥ 10°) and insufficient residual bone height in the posterior maxilla were included and grouped according to the tilt angle of the sinus floor, with group A having patients with the tilt angle ≥ 10° and ≤ 30° and group B having patients with the tilt angle > 30°. After completing sinus membrane elevation and bone augmentation using bone substitute materials, the implants were inserted at the same appointment, and the restoration was completed after 5–6 months of osseointegration. The preoperative sinus floor level and sinus floor elevation achieved postoperatively were assessed and recorded. At pre‐ and post‐operative timepoints, the sagittal plane of the cone beam computed tomography was used to evaluate the bone height changes at the peak, middle and valley points in the slope segment intended for implant implantation.

Results

Osseointegration was evident in all 61 patients, and the final restoration was completed with functional loading. After assessing the normality and homogeneity of variance, two‐sample t‐test or nonparametric tests were employed to estimate the differences in the bone height changes. The degrees of freedom (df) for this analysis were 59. The elevation attained at the middle point in groups A and B were 6.71 ± 1.38 and 5.75 ± 1.56 mm, respectively, demonstrating a significant difference (p < 0.05). Furthermore, at the peak and valley points, group A exhibited bone height changes of 5.79 ± 1.74 and 6.06 ± 1.45 mm, respectively, compared to group B with changes measuring 4.63 ± 2.18 and 5.58 ± 2.39 mm, respectively, with no significant difference in the two groups (p ≥ 0.05). The prevalence of intraoperative sinus membrane perforation was assessed using the chi‐square test. It was found that four cases in group A and five cases in group B experienced sinus membrane perforation, with no significant difference in the two groups (p ≥ 0.05, df  = 1).

Conclusion

The transalveolar approach using the small segmentation method suggests a promising approach for elevating the inclined maxillary sinus floor.
Treatment effect of implant‐supported fixed complete dentures and implant overdentures on patient‐reported outcomes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Abou‐Ayash Samir , Fonseca Manrique , Pieralli Stefano , Reissmann Daniel R.
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To analyze the effect of implant treatment in edentulous patients rehabilitated with implant‐supported fixed complete dentures (IFCDs) or implant overdentures (IODs) on dental patient‐reported outcomes (dPROs).

Materials and Methods

In January 2022, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed Central, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov were screened for prospective clinical studies on completely edentulous patients treated with IFCDs and/or IODs, reporting pre‐treatment and follow‐up dPROs. Hedges' g effect sizes (ES) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Afterward, meta‐analyses were conducted using random effect models.

Results

A total number of 1608 records was initially identified. Of those, 28 studies reporting dPROs from 1457 patients were finally included. The applied dental patient‐reported outcome measures (dPROMs) included several versions of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) or specific items assessing satisfaction with Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). The overall ES was large for rehabilitation with IFCDs (1.68 [CI: 1.15, 2.20]) and IODs (1.26 [CI: 0.99, 1.52]) with no significant difference (p = .165) between the two. Denture stability was the only factor rated significantly higher for IFCDs (ES difference: 2.37 [CI: 0.21, 4.54]; p = .032). Subgroup analyses revealed moderately higher ES for IODs on two implants relative to one implant (ES difference: 0.73 [CI: 0.34, 1.12]; p < .001).

Conclusions

There is a strong positive effect of implant treatment in edentulous patients, independent of the type of prosthetic rehabilitation. In patients seeking high stability, IFCDs may be preferable. In mandibular IODs on a single implant, there was a significantly positive effect of an additional implant on dPROs.
A Sino‐African perspective and the morality of procreation
Authors: Cordeiro‐Rodrigues Luís , Sun Qingjuan , Attoe Aribiah David , Ewuoso Cornelius
Published: September 2023

Current studies of anti/‐natalism have been carried out mainly in the context of western philosophy. In this article, we offer a pro‐natalist view based on Confucian and Afro‐communitarian philosophy (Sino‐African ethics). Grounded in this Sino‐African perspective, we uphold that there is, at least, one reason to believe that not only is it morally permissible to procreate, but also that on some occasions, procreating is what morality prescribes. Specifically, we contend that, from a Sino‐African perspective, procreating sometimes is the best way to fulfil duties of reciprocity and care towards our parents.
Near‐peer teaching in a psychomotor skills course: Benefits, challenges and solutions
Authors: Botelho Michael George , Boubaker Bochra
Published: September 2023

Introduction

This study evaluates the perceptions and experiences of students in the role of near‐peer teachers in a psychomotor skills course.

Materials and Methods

Final year BDS students were invited to participate as near‐peer teachers in a 4th‐year conventional bridges course. Near‐peer teachers attended eight sessions (3 h) of simulation laboratory teaching relating to conventional bridge tooth preparations and provided feedback on near‐peer tooth preparations and answered their questions. Interviews were conducted with all near‐peer teachers to evaluate their perceptions of this novel teaching and learning experience and a thematic analysis was performed to analyse the data.

Results

Near‐peer teachers reported this to be a rewarding, enjoyable and challenging experience. They benefited from learning and revising content‐related materials as well as gained insights and teaching skills through the peer teaching process. Students felt supported and learned from peers and teaching staff and some used dyad teaching as a strategy to overcome perceived challenges. Students also reported the benefits of social and cognitive congruence in interacting with junior peers. However, students reported the feeling of inadequacy or lack of confidence and suggested the need for a training to prepare them better for the course.

Conclusion

This paper reports on the benefits as well as challenges perceived by near‐peer teachers during simulation laboratory teaching experience. We provide solutions into how to better prepare students for such teaching experience.
Acoustic features of long‐distance calls of wild cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are linked to the caller age from newborns to adults
Authors: Klenova Anna V. , Chelysheva Elena V. , Vasilieva Nina A. , Volodin Ilya A. , Volodina Elena V.
Published: September 2023

Wild cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus of all age classes, from newborns to adults, use their long‐distance chirps for communication with conspecifics. We investigated the ontogenetic changes of eight acoustic parameters of the chirps produced by wild‐living cheetahs across 14 age classes in Kenya. Chirp maximum fundamental frequency (f0max) was found to be best acoustic correlate of cheetah age. The f0max was the highest in neonates (up to 10 kHz), then decreased steadily across age classes and reached a plateau of about 1 kHz in mature adults older than 4 years. Based on a close relationship of f0max with age, we fitted polynomial models for estimating cheetah age by their chirps. We discuss that gradual changes of chirp f0max suggest the gradual development of cheetah vocal apparatus. Model for age estimation by chirps in the cheetah proposed in this study may provide conservationists a non‐invasive bioacoustic tool for estimating cheetah age, particularly at ages younger than 4 years. However, introducing more data from cheetahs of precisely known age would be necessary for obtaining more accurate results of age determination by voice for the older individuals.
Discourse markers in L2 learners' responses to teacher‐generated compliments during classroom interaction
Authors: Morady Moghaddam Mostafa
Published: September 2023

This study explores discourse markers (DMs) as they occur with compliment responses (CRs) in classroom interactions among Iranian learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Using the tenets of conversation analysis, this paper draws on data from teacher–student interactions in several private language institutes in Iran. After audiorecording and transcription of the compliment–response exchanges, 148 DMs were identified within the responses. These sequences were analyzed to find out how DMs are combined with four distinct CR types; accept, mitigate, reject, and request interpretation. DMs were also identified and categorizedbased on their frequency of occurance and semantic features to allow comparison with previous findings. The results of this study revealed that Iranian EFL learners resorted to a limited number of DMs in responses to teacher‐generated compliments, with “linking” DMs being the most favorable type. Moreover, some DMs were accompanied by a specific CR type which helped the formation of an intended illocutionary force by the complimentee. It was also observed that a DM or a combination of these markers can stand alone as a legitimate and functional response to compliments, which further reveals that DMs can contribute to both semantic and pragmatic meaning. These findings clearly suggest that explicit teaching of DMs in English language classes should be taken into consideration, as these linguistic elements can provide learners with important tools to convey their intended meaning more smoothly and effectively.
Within‐lake variatiability in predation risk shapes the spatio‐temporal structure of the zooplankton community
Authors: Leroux Riwan , Pépino Marc , Magnan Pierre , Bertolo Andrea
Published: September 2023

While it is well‐accepted that predation plays a key role in shaping both size structure and species composition in natural ecosystems, fine‐scale variation in predation risk within ecosystems has been largely neglected. The objective of this study was to use normalised size spectra (NSS) to investigate whether small‐scale spatial variation in predation risk (by fish) can modulate zooplankton community structure at the within‐lake level in a small temperate lake.

We tested the difference in the NSS between two hydrologically well‐connected basins of a lake exhibiting contrasting thermal regimes. The first is a well‐mixed shallow basin (max. depth 2.5 m) that is inaccessible to brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) during summer because the temperature is too warm. The second is a deeper basin (max. depth 18 m) offering a thermal refuge during summer because of lake stratification. As a consequence of these differences in fish accessibility, the fishless basin should contain larger and more abundant zooplankters, inducing a change in NSS slope and height.

Our results showed that both the zooplankton size structure and taxonomic composition were distinct in the two basins, with a higher proportion of small individuals and a higher abundance of zooplankton in the shallow basin compared to the deep one. Furthermore, following cooling of the epilimnion in late summer, the zooplankton communities of both basins exhibited a clear shift in size structure and species composition: in autumn, there were smaller individuals and larger proportions of Bosminidae and Daphniidae compared to colonial rotifers than in summer. These results suggest a potential effect of the change in the spatial distribution of brook charr which feed preferentially on large individuals, reducing the average body size of the zooplankton community.

Our results show that predation risk by fish can induce a spatial and temporal variation in zooplankton community structure within small temperate lake ecosystems exhibiting contrasted thermal regimes. Other potential predators also influenced the zooplankton community structure, creating a complex interplay that has to be taken into account to disentangle ecological processes and predict their future changes.
Association between frailty and oral health services use in Brazilian older adults
Authors: de Vasconcellos Natália Boessio Tex , Fagundes Maria Laura Braccini , Menegazzo Gabriele Rissotto , do Amaral Júnior Orlando Luiz , Hilgert Juliana Balbinot , do Amaral Giordani Jessye Melgarejo
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To assess the association between frailty and oral health services use in Brazilian older adults.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study analysed the baseline data from the Longitudinal Study on Brazilian Ageing (ELSI‐Brazil) representative of Brazilians aged 50 or over. The outcome was oral health services used in the year prior to the interview. The main exposure variable was Frailty defined by the frailty phenotype. Age, skin colour, wealth, sex, education, type of service, health insurance, number of teeth and self‐perceived oral health were included as covariates. Prevalence ratios (PR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance.

Results

8405 individuals were included in this study. The prevalence of frailty was 7.5%. Regarding frailty status, the prevalence of dental service use was 47.0%, 48.5% and 4.5% for robust, pre‐frail and frail individuals, respectively. Frail individuals had a 7% higher prevalence of not using dental (PR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01–1.13) than robust individuals. Frailty was independently associated with not using oral health services.

Conclusion

Given the complexity of the determinants of dental service use, frailty adds another dimension to be examined in older adults. Public health strategies considering a common risk factor approach should be endorsed.
Perirenal fat thickness is a powerful predictor for surgical outcomes of transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy
Authors: Hayashida Michikata , Sakaguchi Kazushige , Yasuoka Shotaro , Tanaka Makoto , Oshina Takahiro , Oka Suguru , Tatsushima Keita , Takeshita Akira , Takeuchi Yasuhiro , Urakami Shinji
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been the gold standard surgical procedure. However, the adaptation criteria for malignant tumors and predictors of perioperative outcomes are not well defined. Therefore, this study tried to identify valid predictors for perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy and consider the adaptation criteria.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the preoperative and perioperative data of 216 patients who underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy in our hospital. Preoperative factors associated with perioperative outcomes were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.

Results

Among 216 patients, 165 (76.4%), 26 (12.0%), and 25 (11.6%) were suspected of having benign tumors, pheochromocytoma, and malignant tumors, respectively. Median tumor size was 25.0 mm (interquartile range 18.0–35.0); median perirenal fat thickness was 9.2 mm (interquartile range 4.9–15.6) on preoperative computed tomography scans. The median operative time was 145.5 min (interquartile range 117.5–184.0) and the median estimated blood loss was 0.0 mL (interquartile range 0.0–27.3). Perirenal fat thickness (p < 0.001), tumor size (p < 0.001), and malignant tumors (p = 0.020) were associated with operative time, and perirenal fat thickness (p = 0.038) and malignant tumors (p = 0.002) were associated with estimated blood loss.

Conclusions

Perirenal fat thickness, tumor size, and malignant tumors are valid predictors of the surgical outcomes of transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy. As only perirenal fat thickness is associated with both surgical outcomes except for malignant tumors, it is a powerful predictor. Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy for large malignant adrenal tumors with thick perirenal fat should be performed with caution.
Dynamics of respiratory viruses other than SARS‐CoV‐2 during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Madrid, Spain
Authors: Brañas Patricia , Muñoz‐Gallego Irene , Espartosa Elena , Moral Noelia , Abellán Guadalupe , Folgueira Lola
Published: September 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic and the implemented control measures have impacted the circulation of respiratory‐transmitted pathogens. In this report, we present data from a retrospective study that included 17,883 specimens conducted between 2018 and 2022 in our facility, describing the dynamics of circulation of the main respiratory viruses. We observed a significant decrease in all viral detections (other than SARS‐CoV‐2) starting from March 2020. However, rhinovirus maintained comparable levels to the pre‐pandemic period. Additionally, influenza viruses were not detected during the 2020–2021 season, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) exhibited a shift in its seasonality, with an epidemic peak occurring in the summer of 2021.
Building digital resilience against crises: The case of Taiwan's COVID‐19 pandemic management
Authors: Lee Joyce Yi‐Hui , Chou Chih‐Yuan , Chang Hsin‐Lu , Hsu Carol
Published: September 2023

Digital technologies are playing an increasingly central role in crisis management. Despite concerted efforts by information systems (IS) scholars to explore the capabilities of digital technologies to foster resilience against crises, very few have investigated the dynamics of building digital resilience in turbulent times. This study, drawing upon the resource orchestration view (ROV) and through an empirical investigation of Taiwan's COVID‐19 pandemic management, unpacked the black box process of governments leading heterogeneous societal entities to promote resource orchestration actions for the development of digital resilience. The research findings revealed four patterns of digital resource orchestrations—dual‐purposing existing IS, balancing data exploitation, enacting online co‐production, and augmenting social network effects—that led to rapid and effective pandemic crisis management in Taiwan. We incorporated our findings into a research model of digital resilience in the making, thereby providing a mechanism for building digital resilience at a societal level. The research outcomes foreground temporal and societal aspects of digital resilience that contribute to the literature by adding new insights to the currently limited research on the operational process of building digital resilience.
Governance and Climate Change: A Success Story in Mobilizing Investor Support for Corporate Responses to Climate Change
Authors: Andersson Mats , Bolton Patrick , Samama Frédéric
Published: September 2023

Until fairly recently, the main approach to getting business to respond to climate change has been top‐down efforts to regulate emissions and enact various forms of “carbon pricing.” The aim of such efforts has been to make businesses “internalize” the costs associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Governments are expected to set the environmental protection rules for companies in their respective countries, and markets are expected to adjust to the new regulations and carbon prices.

But this classical approach to economic policy does not work when applied to a global “public goods” challenge like trying to limit the extent and effects of climate change. Instead of a top‐down approach, in which economic actors are forced to respond to regulations imposed on them, the Paris climate agreement of 2015 was reached using a bottom‐up approach centered on the concept of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)—along with a process that ended up encouraging the participation of all economic actors, not just governments.

The authors provide an account of how the Paris agreement was reached, and why the “Portfolio Decarbonization Coalition” under the auspices of the United Nations is the most important of several private‐sector initiatives that are changing the way corporations operate. Thanks in large part to the PDC, investors can now undertake meaningful corporate governance action on climate change. With GHG emissions from a particular companies’ operations now much easier to measure, objective performance metrics on GHG emissions can now be set by boards and verified by shareholders. And current decarbonized indexes can be used as performance benchmarks for asset managers’ compensation, which can be tied to return outperformance relative to a “decarbonized” index.
The Evolution of Integrating ESG Analysis into Wealth Management Decisions
Authors: Roselle Peter
Published: September 2023

Retail investors rely heavily on the advice of their financial advisors. But relatively few of those advisors have begun to incorporate investment strategies based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors for their client's portfolios. The author attributes this lack of interest to the disappointing returns of the “first generation” of ESG retail investment products, which approached the topic through a “socially responsible investing” (SRI) lens with mandates to exclude companies and industries viewed as having negative impact on society. These early “negative screening” directives had the effect of reducing the size of the manager's investable universe, which effectively ensured that SRI portfolio would underperform the overall market.

The author, who is himself a practicing financial advisor, proposes that an innovative evolutionary process is underway in which investment managers are shifting away from a penchant for “negative screening” to a more inclusive approach he refers to as “best‐in‐class ESG Factor Integration.” And he identifies three main catalysts for this evolution: (1) greater disclosure of ESG data by public companies; (2) the growing accuracy and accessibility of ESG research, from commercial as well as academic sources; and (3) the inclusion of ESG factors with the traditional value drivers emphasized by the fundamental and quantitative methods used by portfolio managers.

Although such integration is yet in its early stages, the author is optimistic that this growing trend will become an important part of an overall sustainable investing movement. No longer confined to large institutional investors, ESG factor integration is now available through a growing number of products and investment platforms.
Managing the “S” in ESG: The Case of Indigenous Peoples and Extractive Industries
Authors: Pelosi Nick , Adamson Rebecca
Published: September 2023

Although a company's “social license to operate” is critical to its long‐run viability and success, the “social” component of corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) problems appears to be taking the longest to be integrated into the corporate business model. The authors make the case that corporate boards must assume a more direct and proactive role in identifying, measuring, and mitigating social risk.

Board involvement in the management of social issues, although not a silver bullet by itself, is an important step that can help catalyze the changes needed within upper, middle, and lower management. The absence of board oversight of social performance means that the reporting chain is not reaching the highest level of management. And this in turn creates a lack of attention and accountability to social performance that is likely to permeate the rest of the company.

Along with board oversight, companies need more and better information to understand the value that good social performance creates for business, and to equip them for building and maintaining positive relationships with communities. At the individual company level, this means more comprehensive and granular analysis of social risk, the full range of costs of conflicts with local communities, the benefits of having a social license, and quality baseline data for community engagement. At the macro level, these data points must be aggregated to understand their implications across industries.
ESG Investing in Emerging and Frontier Markets
Authors: Odell Jamieson , Ali Usman
Published: September 2023

The authors discuss the benefits of considering material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors when investing in emerging and frontier markets. Companies that operate in these markets face a myriad of operating challenges, and management teams that respond to such challenges effectively can achieve superior financial performance over time. They are able to grow faster, achieve higher profitability, reduce their cost of capital, and manage exogenous risks better than their peers.

For investment managers, integrating sustainability into the analysis process provides a differentiated lens to identify companies that possess strong competitive advantages that can drive value creation over time. At the same time, it can help investment managers avoid companies that have embedded risks in their business model or operations that may not be entirely visible to the market.

Finally, given the early‐stage nature of many of these markets and the sometimes uneven understanding of sustainability issues at a company level, the authors argue that active ownership can be an important driver of alpha generation by fund managers. Engaging constructively with board members and management teams to improve a company's ESG profile can help drive operational improvements, strengthen the risk management function, and upgrade investors’ perception of the quality of the management team.