bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subcutaneous Buprenorphine Extended-Release Use Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Authors: Cleary E.M. , Byron R.K. , Hinely K.A. , Talley A.W. , Costantine M.M. , Rood K.M.
Published: May 2021

(Obstet Gynecol. 2020;136:902–903)

Sublingual buprenorphine is used to treat moderate-to-severe opioid-use disorder (OUD) in pregnant and lactating women. Its advantages over methadone are fewer cardiac arrhythmias, fewer death due to overdose, and less severe withdrawal symptoms from opioids in neonates. Extended-release buprenorphine has recently been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for OUD treatment in nonpregnant women, who have been stable on daily sublingual buprenorphine. However, data on its use in pregnant and lactating women is unknown since this population was not included in Phase 1 through Phase 3 trials. The aim of this study was to assess the use of extended-release buprenorphine for the treatment of OUD in pregnant and lactating women.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Liposomal Bupivacaine for Pain Following Obstetrical Laceration
Authors: Dengler K.L. , Simpson K.J. , Strauchon C.J. , Shaddeau A.K. , Brooks D.I. , Gruber D.D.
Published: May 2021

(Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2020;2:100115)

Following a second-, third-, or fourth-degree laceration in a vaginal delivery, pain management is important. Correct pain management methods can positively impact the postpartum recovery period and the desire to decrease use of opioids has led to the search for long-acting non-opioid medications. Liposomal bupivacaine is bound by liposomes, allowing for a slow release of bupivacaine (and therefore prolonged analgesia). While studies exist referencing the effectiveness of bupivacaine as a postoperative pain management treatment, its use as a treatment following lacerations after vaginal delivery have yet to be documented. The primary aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of liposomal bupivacaine as a pain control method following vaginal deliveries involving a second-, third-, or fourth-degree obstetric laceration on postpartum day (PPD) 3.
Cervical Dilation at the Time of Epidural Catheter Insertion Is Not Associated With the Degree of Prolongation of the First or Second Stages of Labor, or the Rate of Instrumental Vaginal Delivery
Authors: Lipschuetz M. , Nir E.A. , Cohen S.M. , Guedalia J. , Hochler H. , Amsalem H. , Karavani G.
Published: May 2021

(Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2020;99:1039–1049)

Although epidural analgesia (EA) is used in over 60% of deliveries in Western countries with high patient satisfaction, it has been associated with risk of prolonged second stage of labor and instrumental vaginal delivery. The optimal time to administer EA based on cervical dilation is unknown, and whether the timing of its administration affects the duration of the first and second stages of labor or maternal or fetal outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine if the cervical dilation at the time of epidural placement impacts the duration of the first and/or second stage of labor and correlates with the rate of instrumental vaginal delivery.
Impact of Anesthesiologist’s Fellowship Status on the Risk of General Anesthesia for Unplanned Cesarean Delivery
Authors: Wagner J.L. , White R.S. , Mauer E.A. , Pryor K.O. , Kjaer K.
Published: May 2021

(Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2019;63:769–774)

The use of general anesthesia (GA) in unplanned cesarean delivery (CD) is associated with risks including difficult airway management and fetal depression, while neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean is associated with more successful breastfeeding and decreased use of opioids. While it is recommended to keep the rate of GA use below 3% for unplanned cesarean patients receiving epidural labor analgesia (ELA), GA is used in 5% of these cases (ELA-GA). Care provided by a non-obstetric anesthesiologist is one possible, modifiable risk factor for ELA-GA. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the effect of training in obstetric anesthesia as a risk factor for GA use in ELA-CD patients.
Choice of Hypnotic Drug for Obstetric and Non-obstetric General Anaesthesia. Comment on Br J Anaesth 2020; 125: e81-7
Authors: Bouvet L. , Chassard D.
Published: May 2021

(Br J Anaesth. 2020;125:e452–e453)

Airway management conditions are affected by many factors, including the anesthetic induction drugs used. A recent study by Bonnett and colleagues in patients undergoing non-elective Cesarean delivery found co-administering propofol with succinylcholine resulted in superior intubating conditions compared with the co-administration of thiopental with succinylcholine. These results support the use of propofol rather than thiopental in obstetric general anesthesia.
Impact of an Enhanced Recovery Program for Cesarean Delivery on Postoperative Opioid Use
Authors: Lester S.A. , Kim B. , Tubinis M.D. , Morgan C.J. , Powella M.F.
Published: May 2021

(Int J Obstet Anesthesia. 2020;43:47–55)

Enhanced recovery programs have been increasingly used following cesarean delivery (CD). In other settings, enhanced recovery after surgery programs have been shown to speed recovery and decrease the postoperative use of opioids. This study aimed to determine whether postoperative opioid consumption would be reduced in CD patients receiving an enhanced recovery program.
The Legacy of Virginia Apgar
Authors: Oliveira C.R.D.
Published: May 2021

(Br J Anaesth. 2020;124:e185–e186)

The Apgar scale, was created by and named after Virginia Apgar, who was an anesthesiologist. This scale is widely used clinically to assess newborn babies across the world.
AHA update
Authors: Craig-Brangan Karen Jean , Day Mary Patricia
Published: May 2021

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released its 2020 guidelines for advanced cardiovascular life support, basic life support, and pediatric advanced life support. This article details these updates, as well as the latest AHA recommendations for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care.
Janus kinase–signal transducers and activators of transcription cell signaling in Spondyloarthritis: rationale and evidence for JAK inhibition
Authors: Raychaudhuri Suravi , Cheema Karmtej Singh , Raychaudhuri Smriti K. , Raychaudhuri Siba P.
Published: May 2021

Purpose of review

The Janus kinase–signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK–STAT) signaling proteins represent a group of intracellular kinase molecules that play a central role in the signaling pathways induced by cytokines, chemokines, and certain growth factors associated with systemic and local inflammation of autoimmune diseases including in Spondyloarthritis (SpA). Here, we will discuss (i) the functional significance of the JAK–STAT kinase cascades in the inflammatory-proliferative processes of SpA and its cellular/molecular mechanisms (ii) progress in the development of oral synthetic JAK inhibitors (JAKi) and their therapeutic efficacies in SpA.

Recent findings

Development JAKi is a fast-moving field in the medical science. Several new-generation JAKi are being identified for psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. It is expected these JAKi likely to have higher potency and less adverse effects.

Here, we are providing an updated review on the significance of JAK–STAT signaling proteins in SpA with an emphasis on new-generation of JAK–STAT inhibitors for the treatment of SpA.
RBC Transfusion Induced ST Segment Variability Following the Norwood Procedure
Authors: Savorgnan Fabio , Bhat Priya N. , Checchia Paul A. , Acosta Sebastian , Tume Sebastian C. , Lasa Javier J. , Asadourian Vicken , Achuff Barbara-Jo , Flores Saul , Ahmed Mubasheer , Crouthamel Daniel I. , Loomba Rohit S. , Bronicki Ronald A.
Published: May 2021

Objectives:

The transfusion of stored RBCs decreases nitric oxide bioavailability, which may have an adverse effect on vascular function. We assessed the effects of RBC transfusion on coronary vascular function by evaluating the relationship between myocardial oxygen delivery and demand as evidenced by ST segment variability.

Design:

Retrospective case-control study.

Setting:

Nine-hundred seventy-three–bed pediatric hospital with a 54-bed cardiovascular ICU.

Patients:

Seventy-three neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome following the Norwood procedure, 38 with a Blalock-Taussig shunt and 35 with a right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt.

Interventions:

RBC transfusion.

Materials and Main Results:

High-frequency physiologic data were captured 30 minutes prior to the initiation of (baseline) and during the 120 minutes of the transfusion. A rate pressure product was calculated for each subject and used as an indicator of myocardial oxygen demand. Electrocardiogram leads (aVL, V1, II) were used to construct a 3D ST segment vector to assess ST segment variability and functioned as a surrogate indicator of myocardial ischemia. One-hundred thirty-eight transfusions occurred in the Blalock-Taussig shunt group and 139 in the right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt group. There was no significant change in the rate pressure product for either group; however, ST segment variability progressively increased for the entire cohort during the transfusion, becoming statistically significant by the end of the transfusion. Upon subgroup analysis, this finding was noted with statistical significance in the Blalock-Taussig shunt group and trending toward significance in the right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt group.

Conclusions:

We found a significant increase in the ST segment variability and evidence of myocardial ischemia temporally associated with RBC transfusions in neonates following the Norwood procedure, specifically among those in the Blalock-Taussig shunt group, which may impact immediate and long-term outcomes.
A Call for Faith Integration Among Graduate Nursing Students
Authors: Hartman Sheri
Published: May 2021

Spiritual assessment and faith integration are essential components of faith-based graduate nursing education. However, there are limited resources on faith integration in the graduate nursing curriculum. The author provides a framework and examples of application of four major concepts that can assist Christian nurse educators to engage students in transformational integration of faith and learning.
Evaluation of PM2.5 air pollution sources and cardiovascular health
Authors: Slawsky Erik , Ward-Caviness Cavin K. , Neas Lucas , Devlin Robert B. , Cascio Wayne E. , Russell Armistead G. , Huang Ran , Kraus William E. , Hauser Elizabeth , Diaz-Sanchez David , Weaver Anne M.
Published: May 2021

Long-term air pollution exposure, notably fine particulate matter, is a global contributor to morbidity and mortality and a known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarctions (MI). Knowledge of impacts related to source-apportioned PM2.5 is limited. New modeling methods allow researchers to estimate source-specific long-term impacts on the prevalence of CAD and MI. The Catheterization Genetics (CATHGEN) cohort consists of patients who underwent a cardiac catheterization at Duke University Medical Center between 2002 and 2010. Severity of coronary blockage was determined by coronary angiography and converted into a binary indicator of clinical CAD. History of MI was extracted from medical records. Annual averages of source specific PM2.5 were estimated using an improved gas-constrained source apportionment model for North Carolina from 2002 to 2010. We tested six sources of PM2.5 mass for associations with CAD and MI using mixed effects multivariable logistic regression with a random intercept for county and multiple adjustments. PM2.5 fractions of ammonium bisulfate and ammonium nitrate were associated with increased prevalence of CAD (odds ratio [OR] 1.20; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.22 and OR 1.18; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.32, respectively). PM2.5 from ammonium bisulfate and ammonium nitrate were also associated with increased prevalence of MI (OR 1.20; 95% CI = 1.10, 1.29 and OR 1.35; 95% CI = 1.20, 1.53, respectively). Greater PM2.5 concentrations of ammonium bisulfate and ammonium nitrate are associated with greater MI and CAD prevalence. The association with bisulfate suggests aerosol acidity may play a role. Our findings suggest analyses of source specific PM2.5 mass can reveal novel associations.
Ovarian Low-grade Basaloid Carcinoma Arising in Brenner Tumor: A New Variant of Malignant Brenner Tumor
Authors: McGinn Barry , Lemaire Anne S. , McCluggage W. Glenn
Published: May 2021

Brenner tumors are uncommon ovarian neoplasms, most of which are benign, although borderline and malignant variants occur. We report 2 unusual ovarian neoplasms composed of an admixture of typical benign Brenner tumor and a low-grade epithelial neoplasm which we designate as low-grade basaloid carcinoma. The latter component morphologically and immunohistochemically resembled “salivary gland-type/myoepithelial” neoplasms with variable positive staining with cytokeratins, p63, S100, and CD117. One tumor exhibited aggressive behavior with local recurrence and distant metastasis. This neoplasm exhibited focal “high-grade” transformation with diffuse mutation-type p53 staining, in contrast to the wild-type immunoreactivity in the low-grade component. As far as we are aware, such neoplasms have not previously been reported in the literature and this represents a newly described morphologic variant of malignant Brenner tumor.
Adenomatoid Tumor of Fallopian Tube With “Deciduoid” Morphology and Atypical Nuclear Features
Authors: Pongsuvareeyakul Tip , Quddus M. Ruhul , Singh Kamaljeet
Published: May 2021

Adenomatoid tumor is a benign neoplasm of mesothelial origin. Adenomatoid tumor in female genital tract shows typical morphologic features with bland nuclei. Deciduoid morphology has not been reported in adenomatoid tumor. Tumors with deciduoid cells and atypical nuclear features may pose a diagnostic challenge and raise the suspicion of malignancy. We present a case of fallopian tube adenomatoid tumor with deciduoid morphology and atypical nuclear features in a 39-year-old woman with prolonged progestin therapy. We hypothesize that the unusual morphological changes in adenomatoid tumor, like deciduoid morphology and nuclear atypia, may be secondary to hormone effects.
The Effects of Focal Electrically Administered Seizure Therapy Compared With Ultrabrief Pulse Right Unilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy on Suicidal Ideation
Authors: Youssef Nagy A. , George Mark S. , McCall William V. , Sahlem Gregory L. , Short Baron , Kerns Suzanne , Manett Andrew J. , Fox James B. , Dancy Morgan , Cook Daniel , Devries William , Rosenquist Peter B. , Sackeim Harold A.
Published: May 2021

Background

Preliminary data suggest that focal electrically administered seizure therapy (FEAST) has antidepressant effects and less adverse cognitive effects than traditional forms of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This study compared the impact of FEAST and ultrabrief pulse, right unilateral (UB-RUL) ECT on suicidal ideation.

Methods

At 2 sites, patients in a major depressive episode were treated openly with FEAST or UB-RUL ECT, depending on their preference. The primary outcome measure was scores on the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI). Scores on the suicide item of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-SI) provided a secondary outcome measure.

Results

Thirty-nine patients were included in the intent-to-treat sample (FEAST, n = 20; UB-RUL ECT, n = 19). Scores on both the SSI and HRSD-SI were equivalently reduced with both interventions. Both responders and nonresponders to the interventions showed substantial reductions in SSI and HRSD-SI scores, although the magnitude of improvement was greater among treatment responders.

Conclusions

Although limited by the open-label, nonrandomized design, FEAST showed comparable effects on suicidal ideation when compared with routine use of UB-RUL ECT. These results are encouraging and support the need for further research and a noninferiority trial.
Pre-Clinical Application of Functional Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Airway Epithelial Grafts
Authors: Varma Ratna , Marin-Araujo Alba E. , Rostami Sara , Waddell Thomas K. , Karoubi Golnaz , Haykal Siba
Published: May 2021

Airway pathologies including cancer, trauma and stenosis lack effective treatments, meanwhile airway transplantation and available tissue engineering approaches fail due to epithelial dysfunction. Autologous progenitors do not meet the clinical need for regeneration due to their insufficient expansion and differentiation, for which human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are promising alternatives. Airway epithelial grafts are engineered by differentiating hiPSC-derived airway progenitors into physiological proportions of ciliated (73.9±5.5%) and goblet (2.1±1.4%) cells on a Silk Fibroin-Collagen Vitrigel Membrane (SF-CVM) composite biomaterial for transplantation in porcine tracheal defectsex vivoandin vivo. Evaluation ofex vivotracheal repair using hiPSC-derived SF-CVM grafts demonstrate native-like tracheal epithelial metabolism and maintenance of mucociliary epithelium to day 3.In vivostudies reveal SF-CVM integration, maintenance of airway patency, showing 80.8±3.6% graft coverage with an hiPSC-derived pseudostratified epithelium and 70.7±2.3% coverage with viable cells, 3 days post-operatively. We demonstrate the utility of bioengineered, hiPSC-derived epithelial grafts for airway repair in a pre-clinical survival model, providing a significant leap for airway reconstruction approaches.
Effect of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) compaction degree and concentration on rGO-polymer composites printability and cell interactions
Authors: Cámara-Torres María , Sinha Ravi , Eqtesadi Siamak , Wendelbo Rune , Scatto Marco , Scopece Paolo , Sanchez Alberto , Villanueva Sara , Egizabal Ainhoa , Álvarez Noelia , Patelli Alessandro , Mota Carlos , Moroni Lorenzo
Published: May 2021

Graphene derivatives combined with polymers have attracted enormous attention for bone tissue engineering applications. Among others, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is one of the preferred graphene-based fillers for the preparation of composites via melt compounding, and their further processing into 3D scaffolds, due to its established large-scale production method, thermal stability, and electrical conductivity. In this study, rGO (low bulk density 10g/L) was compacted by densification using a solvent (either acetone or water) prior to melt compounding, to simplify its handling and dosing into a twin-screw extrusion system. The effects of rGO bulk density (medium and high), densification solvent, and rGO concentration (3, 10 and 15% in weight) on rGO dispersion within the composite, electrical conductivity, printability and cell-material interactions were studied. High bulk density rGO (90 g/L) occupied a low volume fraction within polymer composites, offering poor electrical properties but a reproducible printability up to 15 wt% rGO. On the other hand, the volume fraction within the composites of medium bulk density rGO (50 g/L) was higher for a given concentration, enhancing rGO particle interactions and leading to enhanced electrical conductivity, but compromising the printability window. For a given bulk density (50 g/L), rGO densified in water was more compacted and offered poorer dispersability within the polymer than rGO densified in acetone, and resulted in scaffolds with poor layer bonding or even lack of printability at high rGO percentages. A balance in printability and electrical properties was obtained for composites with medium bulk density rGO densified in acetone. Here, increasing rGO concentration led to more hydrophilic composites with a noticeable increase in protein adsorption. Moreover, scaffolds prepared with such composites presented antimicrobial properties even at low rGO contents (3 wt%). In addition, the viability and proliferation of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) was maintained on scaffolds with up to 15% rGO and with enhanced osteogenic differentiation on 3% rGO scaffolds.
PiggyBac Transposable Element-derived 1 controls Neuronal Progenitor Identity, Stress Sensing and mammal-specific paraspeckles
Authors: Raskó Tamás , Pande Amit , Radscheit Kathrin , Zink Annika , Singh Manvendra , Sommer Christian , Wachtl Gerda , Kolacsek Orsolya , Inak Gizem , Szvetnik Attila , Petrakis Spyros , Bunse Mario , Bansal Vikas , Selbach Matthias , Orbán Tamás , Prigione Alessandro , Hurst Laurence D. , Izsvák Zsuzsanna
Published: May 2021

The evolution and functional integration of new genes, especially those that become core to key functions, remains enigmatic. We consider the mammal-specific gene, piggyBac transposable element derived 1 (PGBD1), implicated in neuronal disorders. While it no longer recognises piggyBac transposon-like inverted repeats and transposase functionality having been lost, it has evolved a core role in neural homeostasis. Depletion of PGBD1 triggers accumulation of mammal-specific paraspeckles and neural differentiation. It acts by two modalities, DNA binding and protein-protein interaction. As a transcriptional repressor of (lnc)NEAT1, the backbone of paraspeckles, it inhibits paraspeckle formation in neural progenitor cells (NPCs). At the protein level it is associated with the stress response system, a function partially shared with (lnc)NEAT1. PGBD1 thus presents as an unusual exemplar of new gene creation, being a recently acquired multi-function, multi-modal gene. Mammalian specificity associated with control of a mammal-specific structure implies coevolution of new genes with new functions.
Phospholipases D1 and D2 regulate cell cycling in primary prostate cancer cells and are differentially associated with the nuclear matrix
Authors: Noble Amanda R , Hogg Karen , Bourgoin Sylvain , Coverley Dawn , Archer Leanne , Frame Fiona , Maitland Norman J , Rumsby Martin G
Published: May 2021

Phospholipases D1 and D2 (PLD1/2) have been implicated in tumorigenesis. We previously detected higher expression of PLD in the nuclei of patient-derived prostate cancer (PCa) cells and prostate cancer cell lines. Here we have examined whether PLD1 or PLD2 are associated with the nuclear matrix and influence cell cycling. PLD1/PLD2 were detected by qualitative immunofluorescence in cultured PCa cells and extracted with a standardised protocol to reveal nuclear matrix-associated proteins. The effects of isoform-specific inhibition of PLD1or PLD2 on PCa cell cycle progression were analysed by flow cytometry. PLD2 mainly co-localised with the nucleolar marker fibrillarin in PCa cells. However, even after complete extraction, some PLD2 remained associated with the nuclear matrix. Inhibiting PLD2 effectively reduced PCa cell cycling into and through S phase. In contrast, PLD1 inhibition effects were weaker, and a subpopulation of cycling patient-derived PCa cells was unaffected by PLD1 inhibition. When associated with the nuclear matrix PLD2 could generate phosphatidic acid to regulate nuclear mTOR and control downstream transcriptional events. The association of PLD2 with the nucleolus also implies a role in stress regulation. The cell cycling results highlight the importance of PLD2 inhibition as a novel potential prostate cancer therapeutic mechanism by differential regulation of cell proliferation.
ASCL1 represses a SOX9+ neural crest stem-like state in small cell lung cancer
Authors: Olsen Rachelle R. , Ireland Abbie S. , Kastner David W. , Groves Sarah M. , Spainhower Kyle B. , Pozo Karine , Kelenis Demetra P. , Whitney Christopher P. , Guthrie Matthew R. , Wait Sarah J. , Soltero Danny , Witt Benjamin L. , Quaranta Vito , Johnson Jane E. , Oliver Trudy G.
Published: May 2021

ASCL1 is a neuroendocrine lineage-specific oncogenic driver of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), highly expressed in a significant fraction of tumors. However, ∼25% of human SCLC are ASCL1-low and associated with low neuroendocrine fate and high MYC expression. Using genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), we show that alterations in Rb1/Trp53/Myc in the mouse lung induce an ASCL1+ state of SCLC in multiple cells of origin. Genetic depletion of ASCL1 in MYC-driven SCLC dramatically inhibits tumor initiation and progression to the NEUROD1+ subtype of SCLC. Surprisingly, ASCL1 loss promotes a SOX9+ mesenchymal/neural crest stem-like state and the emergence of osteosarcoma and chondroid tumors, whose propensity is impacted by cell of origin. ASCL1 is critical for expression of key lineage-related transcription factors NKX2-1, FOXA2, and INSM1 and represses genes involved in the Hippo/Wnt/Notch developmental pathways in vivo. Importantly, ASCL1 represses a SOX9/RUNX1/RUNX2 program in vivo and SOX9 expression in human SCLC cells, suggesting a conserved function for ASCL1. Together, in a MYC-driven SCLC model, ASCL1 promotes neuroendocrine fate and represses the emergence of a SOX9+ nonendodermal stem-like fate that resembles neural crest.
Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic: the technical, moral and facilitating role of management control
Authors: Passetti Emilio Emilio , Battaglia Massimo , Bianchi Lara , Annesi Nora
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The study analyses how management control supports the organisation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Design/methodology/approach

Video interviews with top and middle-level managers who were directly involved in handling the response to the COVID-19 crisis in late winter and spring 2020 form the empirical base. The object-of-control framework and the distinction between organic and mechanistic management controls inform the exploratory case analysis of a large food retail cooperative in Italy.

Findings

Both organic and mechanistic management control mechanisms enabled an immediate response and management of the crisis. The use of cultural, action and results controls supported employees' health and safety coordination, a tight monitoring of financial performance and social interventions in support of the local community.

Originality/value

The study provides original exploratory insights on the use and role of management control in the context of an unprecedented emergency and an unplanned setting (i.e. a pandemic crisis), which is an under-investigated topic in the accounting literature. The study shows how management control operated, linking moral and technical aspects as well as facilitating organisational adaptation and pandemic effects mitigation.
Producers' and processors' perceptions of locality and its interaction with the concept of organic farming – empirical evidence from Denmark
Authors: Teuber Ramona , Jensen Jørgen Dejgård
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Given the fact that local food as a tool to create value-added is a relatively new trend in Scandinavian countries with a strong emphasis on organic food, only limited – and mainly qualitative and case-based - empirical evidence on producers and processors involved in local food value chains (FVCs) has been available so far. Thus, the present paper contributes to the small but growing literature analyzing local FVCs by providing and analyzing quantitative survey data. More specifically, the authors aim at investigating (1) how agricultural producers and processors define and perceive local food, (2) which drivers are important for the decision to become involved in local FVC and (3) whether these drivers differ in a systematic way across producers and processors.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to address these research questions, empirical data from a quantitative stakeholder survey carried out in spring in 2017 is used. Data are analyzed via descriptive and inductive statistics including a cluster analysis.

Findings

The survey results concerning the definition and perceptions of local food are in line with previous studies showing that there is usually a strong emphasis on geographic proximity. Besides, local (organic) food producers and processors are diverse and heterogeneous with differing distribution and product differentiation strategies being implemented and pursued. In particular, businesses employing primarily a personified distribution strategy (e.g. direct sales via farmers markets) differ quite substantially from businesses employing mainly a standardized distribution strategy (e.g. via retail) in their economic characteristics. Moreover, differences in the perception of potential benefits of local food as well as in the underlying drivers to become part of local FVCs were detected across businesses with different distribution strategies.

Research limitations/implications

Although the employed data sample is considered adequate for analyzing heterogeneity in firms' business strategies, the sample is not representative for Denmark and cannot straight-forwardly be extrapolated to the population level.

Originality/value

One of the first quantitative study on producers' and processors' perceptions of local food and its interaction with organic farming. So far, there is a large literature on consumers' perceptions but empirical evidence for other stakeholders is scarce. Hence, the present study provides a complementary perspective on the topic of local food.
Who does the media love? A qualitative content analysis of the narratives of founders and nonfounders in IPO firms
Authors: Tupper Christina H.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Researchers have investigated the distinctions between founder and nonfounder chief executive officers (CEOs) for different performance variables. Researchers have also investigated the use of media as supplemental information that investors review to make decisions about initial public offering (IPO) firms. Research that investigates founders and nonfounder CEOs of IPO firms in the media is limited but growing. This paper aims to explore how founder and nonfounder CEOs' narratives are portrayed differently in business media following an IPO.

Design/methodology/approach

Using insights from the narrative paradigm, 1,057 news paragraphs about CEOs from 19 matched pairs (38 firms) were content analyzed using a contrasting coding strategy.

Findings

Founders and nonfounders' narratives differ in three ways. Specifically, founder CEOs are more likely to (1) have their personal background detailed in the media, (2) translate technical business information to easy-to-understand general language and (3) be quoted talking about positive information than nonfounder CEOs.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study show the media's role in creating narratives about management and how the experiences of founders and nonfounders are represented differently in the media. The study is limited by only investigating media articles about CEOs and not investigating the entire organizational narrative.

Originality/value

This study adds to the growing literature that investigates the role the media plays in portraying management in the media at time of IPO.
Agent-embedded system dynamics (aeSD) modeling approach for analyzing worker policies: a research case on construction worker absenteeism
Authors: Hwang Sungjoo , Ahn Seungjun , Lee SangHyun
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Both system dynamics (SD) and agent-based modeling (ABM) have been used in simulation-based group dynamics research. To combine the advantages of both simulation approaches, the concept of SD-ABM hybrid simulation has been proposed. However, research efforts to compare the effectiveness of modeling approaches between the hybrid and non-hybrid models in the context of group dynamics study are rare. Against this background, this study aims to propose an agent-embedded SD (aeSD) modeling approach and demonstrate its advantages when compared to pure SD or ABM modeling approaches, based on a research case on construction workers’ social absenteeism.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors introduce an aeSD modeling approach to incorporate individual attributes and interactions among individuals in an SD model. An aeSD model is developed to replicate the behavior of an agent-based model previously developed by the authors to study construction workers’ group behavior regarding absenteeism. Then, the characteristics of the aeSD model in comparison with a pure ABM or SD model are demonstrated through various simulation experiments.

Findings

It is demonstrated that an aeSD model can capture the diversity of individuals and simulate emergent system behaviors arising from interactions among heterogeneous agents while holding the strengths of an SD model in identifying causal feedback loops and policy testing. Specifically, the effectiveness of the aeSD approach in policy testing is demonstrated through examples of simulation experiments designed to test various group-level and individual-level interventions to control social absence behavior of workers (e.g. changing work groupings, influencing workgroup networks and communication channels) under the consideration of the context of construction projects.

Originality/value

The proposed aeSD modeling method is a novel approach to how individual attributes of agents can be modeled into an SD model. Such an embedding-based approach is distinguished from the previous communication-based hybrid simulation approaches. The demonstration example presented in the paper shows that the aeSD modeling approach has advantages in studying group dynamic behavior, especially when the modeling of the interactions and networks between individuals is needed within an SD structure. The simulation experiments conducted in this study demonstrate the characteristics of the aeSD approach distinguishable from both ABM and SD. Based on the results, it is argued that the aeSD modeling approach would be useful in studying construction workers’ social behavior and investigating worker policies through computer simulation.
European competitiveness and sustainable development – A policy-oriented response to “Rethinking the role of the EU in enhancing European competitiveness”
Authors: Aiginger Karl
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The world order is changing, with the lead of the US waning, along with its reduced commitment to rule-based multilateralism during the past administration. China is on the way to becoming number one again, investing abroad with primarily egoistic motives and steered by an authoritarian domestic regime. Meanwhile, the EU is striving for a new geopolitical role, while becoming more heterogenous.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper measures performance and competitiveness not only according to conventional criteria but also based on broader welfare indicators. The ultimate aim of competitiveness is to deliver well-being. Decentralized local strategies are presented, but also the need for guidance by societal goals.

Findings

What we measure matters. The EU is underperforming in per capita GDP and failing to close the gap in labour productivity towards the frontier defined by the USA. But it is leading in environmental and social indicators, has an accessible health system and provides increasing longevity. This performance nevertheless has to be improved, if climate goals should be fulfilled and upcoming new inequalities addressed.

Originality/value

Localization and place-based strategies have advantages, but also harper the danger that negative spillovers may not be minimized and positive not used. Innovation is a search process but has to be directed by goals in Europe and globally. Otherwise, change incurs high costs and many losers, fostering nationalism and populistic calls to return to a past glory that never existed.
SomPack: succession planning gone wrong
Authors: Dube Manu , Dube Sema
Published: May 2021

Learning outcomes

The case, while acknowledging the difficulty of managing a family business in view of the accompanying human issues, emphasizes that sound business practices and procedures, and clarity with regard to the goal, remain the key; a firm is a complex, interconnected system and management needs a systems viewpoint; and technology can only support underlying business processes if there is clarity with respect to these.

Case overview/synopsis

SomPack had survived low-cost Asian competition starting the mid-1990s, a revolt by some extended family to try and bring it down with the help of a competitor, the Turkish banking crisis of 2001, and the global economic crisis of 2008 all the while watching its suppliers, competitors and customers collapse. A focus on cost-cutting and internal discipline by the successor, who had been promoted to CEO in 2004, had exacerbated internal discontent somewhat and had led to issues with production planning, but everyone understood that times were tough. Several large customers who had left were asked to return because the alternatives had been worse. By 2012, SomPack was considering expansion into new products in collaboration with its international partners. Then one day, in July 2013, it suddenly collapsed. Could the entire approach have been wrong? What should management have done instead?

Complexity academic level

Undergraduate, graduate business management.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 7: Management Science.
Climate financing: case study of Kenya Climate Venture Ltd.
Authors: Mungai Edward Mbucho
Published: May 2021

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the case study discussions, successful students will be able to: discuss the challenges of green financing and provide solutions on how to address such challenges. Explore the different dimensions for structuring a green financing fund. Analyse the risks and suggest a mechanism for de-risking an investment fund.

Case overview/synopsis

Kenya Climate Venture was established in 2016 as an independent subsidiary of Kenya Climate Innovation Centre, with a seed capital of $5m from European development financing institutions Danida and UKAid and the fund raised another $5m in new capital in early 2020. Its remit was to invest in commercially viable enterprises in agribusiness, water, commercial forestry, renewable energy and waste management, largely targeting small and medium-sized enterprises. The case is exploring three themes; Theme1: Challenges of climate financing, Theme 2: Structuring a climate financing fund Theme 3: De-risking an investment fund.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.
Sport psychology coaching to align individual and team performance
Authors: Moore Amy Fisher , Hawarden Verity
Published: May 2021

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the case discussion, students will be able to: identify the enablers of a mental skills coaching process and the broad outcomes as a result of a coaching intervention; understand the contributing factors towards creating greater psychological safety in a team and the impact this has on team performance; and identify positive leadership strategies to create an environment in which meaningful work and goal achievement increase engagement.

Case overview/synopsis

Leanne Redding was the mental skills coach for Maccabi, a professional league soccer club in Johannesburg, South Africa. Redding had worked with the club’s players using mental techniques, the ultimate aim being to improve performance. Redding’s work was based on the premise of trust, lived values, self-respect and reflection. She believed that a strengths-based approach grounded in sports psychology and aligned with mental contrasting enabled resilience. Her process of holding individual and team sessions helped with sustaining motivation, overcoming limiting fears and encouraging focus on the greater good of the team. The result was Maccabi’s promotion to the professional league of soccer. However, not all of her broad stakeholder group had bought into the value of sports psychology coaching. The case explores Redding’s process and her belief of the importance and buy-in from all players of the team values which should inform behaviour. The case concludes with Redding contemplating what she should do to gain greater acceptance from the rest of the coaching staff for her work.

Complexity academic level

This case can be used in graduate and postgraduate level courses such as an MBA, in management development programmes or in short executive education courses focusing on organisational behaviour, leadership and human capital development and sports management.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 7: Management Science.
Characteristics of women’s leadership in African social enterprises: The Heartfelt Project, Bright Kids Uganda and Chikumbuso
Authors: Jeong Bok Gyo , Compion Sara
Published: May 2021

Learning outcomes

This trio of cases is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate classes or for postgraduate programs in non-profit management, leadership and community development, international development, global studies, women’s and gender studies and social entrepreneurship. It allows the instructors and students to engage with classical leadership tenets and emerging social entrepreneurship literature. Upon completion of the case study discussion and assignments, students will be able to: identify diverse obstacles that African women face in starting social enterprises; understand the ways that African women leaders build a social dimension to their enterprise; and identify characteristics of women’s leadership and critique the value of women’s leadership for establishing sustainable social enterprises.

Case overview/synopsis

The case stories of the three African social enterprises portray how female leaders have fostered sustainable organisations through prioritising social, over economic and governance investments. Martha Letsoalo, a former domestic worker, founded the Heartfelt Project in South Africa, which now employs fifteen women, ships products all around the world and enriches the community of Makapanstad with its workshop, training and education centre. Victoria Nalongo Namusisi, daughter of a fisherman in rural Uganda, founded Bright Kids Uganda, a thriving care facility, school and community centre that educates vulnerable children, empowers victims of gender-based violence and distributes micro-loans to female entrepreneurs. Gertrude, abandoned in Lusaka, Zambia, founded Chikumbuso, a home of resilience and remembrance to educate children and offer women employment in a cooperative business. Each case documents the founding years of the social enterprise and outlines some of the shared women’s leadership approaches. The case dilemma focuses on why and how women start social enterprises in socially and economically difficult contexts.

Complexity academic level

This trio of cases is appropriate for undergraduate or graduate-level programs in non-profit management, leadership and community development, international development, global studies and social entrepreneurship.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Marketing accountability and marketing automation: evidence from Portugal
Authors: Silva Susana C. , Corbo Leonardo , Vlačić Božidar , Fernandes Mariana
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The present study seeks to outline the role of marketing automation (MA) in measuring the return on marketing activities and the challenges associated with reaching accountability in marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the objective of the study, the authors adopted a qualitative approach, conducting an exploratory study among ten key informants located in Portugal.

Findings

Based on the results of the qualitative analysis, a conceptual framework is proposed, which includes both strategic- and operational-level factors with the goal of creating a value-based agenda. In this agenda, executives such as the Chief Marketing Officer emerge as value creators, fostering business scalability, and further arguments are provided to justify budget allocation to MA activities.

Originality/value

Through careful research of the elements that characterize the phenomenon under study, the present paper ultimately contributes to a better understanding of MA and accountability within the current business paradigm.
Impact of brand equity on purchase intentions: empirical evidence from the healthtakāfulindustry of the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Rizwan Shahid , Al-Malkawi Husam-Aldin , Gadar Kamisan , Sentosa Ilham , Abdullah Naziruddin
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Although 76% of the population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is Muslim,takāful(Islamic insurance) has a much smaller share of business in the UAE than conventional insurance does. The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance of brand equity (BE), which is known as the incremental value that provides reason to buy a brand. This study provides useful insights that can help the healthtakāfulindustry to gain a feasible market share in the UAE.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study in which stratified random sampling was adopted for data collection from 300 respondents through a self-administered questionnaire from August to November 2018. Underpinning the study is the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique has been used to examine the impact of BE on purchase intentions (PI) through the moderating role of demographic factors such as age, income, education and religion. Three dimensions of BE, i.e. brand awareness (BAW), brand association (BAS) and perceived quality (PQ), are evaluated in terms of their significance as dimensions of BE.

Findings

The major findings of this study confirm that BE has a strong positive influence on the PIs of healthtakāfulcustomers in the UAE and that all three dimensions of BE make significant contributions to the overall BE. The results show that education does moderate the relationship between BE and PI while age, income and religion do not. A new finding of this study is the nonsignificant moderating role of religion, whereby it was found thattakāfulproducts in the UAE are not limited to Muslim customers but can include potential customers who are followers of other religions.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first of its kind to examine the impact of BE on the PI of healthtakāfulcustomers in the UAE. The findings of the study give academia, researchers and marketers a better understanding of the importance of BE and of its vital role in promotingtakāfulproducts in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries such as the UAE.
City destinations, overtourism and governance
Authors: Goodwin Harold
Published: May 2021

Purpose

There has been limited research on the governance of cities coping with large numbers of tourists. Empirical studies of the ways in which elected authorities in cities balance the conflicting interests of the tourism stakeholders, other businesses, communities and residents. It is clear that this requires a whole of government approach, and cities generally have a wide range of expertise and powers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses conceptual viewpoint approach.

Findings

As the cases of Barcelona and Venice demonstrate, they are unable to manage the flows of day visitors arriving from the surrounding region, and the airports, ports, roads and railways are managed by regional and national governments. The different functions, powers and performance of government bodies need to be researched if we are to secure a better understanding of the complex and multi-layered activity of tourism can best be governed.

Originality/value

This is an original viewpoint.