bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social capital accounting and improving financial performance: a mediating role of the quality of accounting information
Authors: Rashid Chnar Abdullah
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of the current research is to examine the relationship between social capital (SC) and financial performance (FP) in industrial enterprises in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Sulaimani City (KRG), as well as the role of the quality of accounting information (QAI) as a mediator between SC and FP.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, SmartPLS is used to analyze the questionnaire that was distributed to 10 industrial firms engaged in the iron industry in 2021. The researcher used stratified random sampling to collect sample data from 252 full-time employees of a manufacturing companies in Kurdistan Region/ Iraq.

Findings

The findings of this research show that accounting measurement and disclosure of social capital (AMDSC) plays an important role in improving FP and that QAI mediates between AMDSC and FP in industrial companies in the KRG and Sulaimani city. This research aims to examine the impact of AMDSC on FP through mediating the QAI between AMDSC and FP at industrial companies in KRG/Sulaimani City. The results showed that AMDSC had a positive and significant impact on the company’s FP. The overall results of this study show that AMDSCs are positively and significantly correlated with financial performance, and QAI mediates between AMDSC and FP. This shows that SC should be considered in the companies’ plan to obtain additional funding in this sector.

Research limitations/implications

This study is exclusive to KRG/Sulaimani City’s iron industry. Other industries including sugar, cement, clothing, vehicles and medications could be the subject of future investigations.

Practical implications

The research provides insightful practical implications for management. First, the outcomes recommend that business owners and managers find a satisfactory level of SC when it significantly and positively affects financial performance. Second, the findings of this study will assist KRG manufacturing companies in making rational decisions to maximize profits while minimizing transaction costs such as information and research costs, increasing trust or reducing administrative burdens. This will eventually lead to the growth of industrial companies’ wealth in KRG/Sulaimani City. Managers should focus on social relationships between employees and management to maximize trust and reduce transaction costs, as they have future earnings.

Originality/value

Due to the lack of prior attention given to social capital in KRG, this research focuses on enhancing financial performance in industrial enterprises in KRG and Sulaimani City.
Cultural integration in AI-enhanced mathematics education: insights from Southeast Asian educators
Authors: Payadnya I Putu Ade Andre , Putri Gusti Ayu Made Arna , Suwija I Ketut , Saelee Sompob , Jayantika I Gusti Agung Ngurah Trisna
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in education, yet its cultural impact, especially in Southeast Asian mathematics education, remains underexplored. This gap is significant because understanding cultural adaptation is essential for AI tools to effectively enhance learning in diverse classrooms. This study examines how AI can be integrated into mathematics education across Southeast Asia, focusing on specific cultural practices such as communal learning styles, respect for hierarchical structures and the role of local languages, as well as educators’ perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative data from questionnaires with qualitative insights from interviews with educators across ten Southeast Asian countries. The study included 543 respondents in total with the numbers is varying in each country, targeting high school teachers experienced in using AI in teaching.

Findings

The findings revealed that educators in Singapore are most confident in AI’s adaptability to cultural contexts, whereas those in Myanmar and Laos face challenges due to infrastructure limitations. Interviews highlighted the need to customize AI tools to align with students’ cultural backgrounds, including language preferences and traditional learning practices, for effective implementation. Teacher training and access to technology, especially in rural areas, were also identified as critical factors.

Originality/value

This study addresses a critical gap in understanding AI’s cultural implications in Southeast Asia, providing insights into how cultural values, language and educational practices influence the integration of AI in mathematics education. The findings highlight the need for culturally responsive AI tools and targeted improvements in infrastructure and teacher training for successful implementation.
The subsidy mechanism for green supply chain financing considering consumer preferences
Authors: Li Xiaoli , Yi Qing
Published: December 2024

Purpose

We aim to determine the subsidy mechanism that can help participants of green supply chain financing (GSCF) maximize their benefits. Then, the optimal subsidy mechanism is designed to promote the development of GSCF.

Design/methodology/approach

To better understand the impact of different government subsidy measures on the optimal strategy for GSCF, we treat the motivation of the participants in the supply chain as a cost–benefit decision-making process. Then, a Stackelberg game model is developed that accounts for consumers' green preferences and government subsidies. In addition, the factors influencing supply chain members' earnings are analyzed via computational experiments.

Findings

(1) When consumers 2019 green sensitivity reaches a certain threshold relative to that of core enterprises (CEs), the optimal order quantity of these enterprises is greater when the government subsidizes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Conversely, the optimal order quantity is greater when CEs are subsidized. (2) When the government subsidizes CEs, financial institutions (FIs) and SMEs at the same time, these forms of subsidies have a cumulative effect on the supply chain, and the supply chain and all participants generate the highest earnings.

Originality/value

We analyze the benefits of each participant of GSCF under different government subsidies and then determine the optimal subsidy measures.
International connectedness, governmental interventions and firms’ adaptation to exogenous shocks: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Krammer Sorin M.S. , Nuruzzaman Nuruzzaman , Mukherjee Debmalya
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Knowledge on how firms adapt to exogenous shocks remains scant. This study examines whether internationally connected firms (i.e. firms that rely on exporting, global value chains and foreign ownership) are less likely to adjust their production in response to a major exogenous shock. Moreover, this study investigates if governmental policy interventions affect more internationally connected firms than domestically focused counterparts.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data on more than 13,000 firms from 41 countries worldwide from the World Bank’s Enterprise Surveys, taking advantage of the recent COVID-19 pandemic as a quasi-experimental setting for research.

Findings

The results show that export-intensive and foreign-owned firms are less likely to adjust their production in response to the pandemic. Moreover, national governmental policies (in the form of confinement stringency and economic stimuli) seem to affect equally all firms in terms of their ability to adapt to the pandemic. Finally, the economic magnitude of these national policies dwarfs those of firms’ international strategies, confirming the paramount role played by governments worldwide in response to major exogenous shocks.

Originality/value

This study examines empirically whether internationally connected firms are more or less affected by a major global crisis (in this case the COVID-19 pandemic) and whether national policies in response to the crisis favor domestic firms.
Sustainable entrepreneurship: exploring the intention–behavior gap
Authors: Dixit Jitendra Kumar , Agrawal Vivek , Agarwal Sucheta
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The sustainability of a student-initiated startup is function of intention–behavior gap and is inversely related. The overall performance of any university/program is evaluated through the number of startups initiated but majority of them are unable to survive when program gets over. Entrepreneurial intention (EI)–behavior gap is a deeply rooted cause behind such compromised entrepreneurial outcome of entrepreneurship education. The purpose of this study is to explore determinants of intention–behavior gap to address sustainability dimension of startups initiated by university students.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has adopted qualitative approach to explore determinants of EI–behavior gap; 12 students-initiated startups had been identified from a private university established in the region of Uttar Pradesh in India. One member from each group of student’s initiated startups had been contacted for in-person interview. Responses collected through structured interviews were analyzed afterward for the purpose.

Findings

The outcome of the study has identified five key determinants and develops a conceptual EI–behavior gap framework to address sustainability challenges of student-initiated startups.

Originality/value

The outcome of this study can be utilized by educational institutions to strengthen their entrepreneurial eco-system to ensure the sustainability of student-initiated startups. Identified determinants may reduce the possibility of startups failures in comparison to non-student entrepreneurs.
Sustainable strategy: encouraging implementation in small enterprises
Authors: Zhang Yu , Lim Weilee
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Prioritising economic, environmental and social requirements of society has become imperative for attaining a competitive edge in the global marketplace. This study examines how internal and external factors influence sustainable strategic orientations of Chinese small technology enterprises. It uses an initial framework grounded in institutional theory and resource-based view (RBV).

Design/methodology/approach

The study surveyed small technology enterprises using quantitative techniques. A combination of partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to analyse 402 valid samples with statistical significance.

Findings

The PLS-SEM results show that absorptive capacity, innovation culture and coercive pressure positively influence small enterprises’ sustainability orientation. Additionally, the fsQCA method identifies five complex combinations of causal antecedents that can facilitate small enterprises’ adoption of sustainability orientation.

Practical implications

The findings reaffirm the importance of maintaining ideal environmental cognition and external institutional pressure. Specifically, enterprises need to strategically allocate their limited resources to optimal levels and combinations to achieve sustainability orientation.

Originality/value

This study enhances the understanding of sustainability orientation by integrating the RBV and institutional theory, highlighting various factors that promote sustainability at the firm level. Furthermore, asymmetric research perspectives show the triggers of sustainability orientation from both symmetrical and asymmetrical perspectives. Set theory approaches represent a pioneering approach that captures the intricacies of sustainability orientation, advancing beyond previous variance-based findings by providing optimal mix solutions.
Research on the adsorption of Pb2+ ions and methylene blue dyes by a kapok and polypropylene fibre web
Authors: Truong Dat Van , Le Song Thanh Quynh , Bui Huong Mai
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate into the adsorption mechanism of heavy metal ions Pb2+ and methylene blue (MB) dyes on an adsorbent-web formed from kapok fibres (KP) and polypropylene fibres (PP).

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, the KP underwent pre-treatment with NaClO2 solution, and their morphology and structure changes were examined through scanning electron microscope images. Subsequently, the KP fibres were blended with PP fibres at a ratio of 70 / 30 and processed through a laboratory carding machine to form a fibre web, which was then secured using a heat press to fabricate the adsorbent-web. The resultant adsorbent-web was subjected to evaluation for the adsorption process.

Findings

The findings revealed that the adsorbent-web produced via the dry-laid method exhibited promising attributes, and the adsorption process conformed to the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir isotherm model. Parameters such as adsorbent-web porosity, solution pH, and adsorption thermodynamics exerted notable influences on the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent-web. Notably, the adsorbent-web demonstrated remarkable reusability and desorption capacity. In the fifth cycle, the adsorption capacity of adsorbent-web for MB and Pb2+ ions only decreased by 9.13% and 11.48%, respectively, compared to the first cycle. The desorption efficiency of the adsorbent-web exceeded 90% for MB and over 73% for Pb2+ ions.

Originality/value

This study makes a significant contribution to the practical application of KP as an adsorbent-web for treating waste from the textile dyeing industry.
Attaining sustainable employment within organizations: uncovering the impact of job crafting amid contextual and individual influences
Authors: Kohli Manpreet Kaur , Priyadarshi Pushpendra
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to elucidate a framework to attain sustainable employment driven by contextual and dispositional determinants mediated by job crafting. The factors under investigation encompass high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX), job characteristics in alignment with the job characteristics model (JCM) and individuals’ approach temperament.

Design/methodology/approach

This study identified a sample of 222 corporate professionals residing in the Delhi/NCR region. This study used SmartPLS 4 to conduct structural equation modeling to examine and interpret the obtained data.

Findings

Collectively, LMX, job characteristics and approach temperament exert a beneficial influence on employees who actively engage in job crafting, subsequently enhancing sustainable employment. The findings confirm that the relationship between approach temperament and sustainable employment is fully mediated by job crafting. Furthermore, job crafting partially mediates the relationship between (1) LMX and sustainable employment and (2) job characteristics and sustainable employment.

Practical implications

Through our study, organizations can gain valuable insights into enhancing employees’ sustainable employability by fostering job crafting. Achieving this objective involves incorporating contextual and dispositional elements like LMX and job characteristics and training individuals on approach temperament.

Originality/value

This unique study aims to establish a framework to achieve sustainable employment initiated by contextual and dispositional factors. It also contributes to the literature by presenting the mediation effect of job crafting between contextual and dispositional factors and sustainable employment.
Unveiling the key drivers of continuity in the Indian IT domain: an integrated IRP-TISM approach
Authors: Khan Areeba , Nasim Saboohi
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Organizational transformation and widescale upgradation of working conditions have resulted in disrupted work–life balance and employee health. In this era of drastic change interventions taking place, there is an urgent need to balance organizational changes simultaneously with forces of continuity. It is essential to consider these forces of continuity with respect to employees’ well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employs an integrated approach, which consists of two distinct stages. In the first stage, the relevant forces of continuity are identified, validated and ranked with reference to employees’ subjective well-being. In the second stage, TISM-derived criterion weights are utilized to obtain the final ranking of these forces.

Findings

This paper has identified six forces of continuity operating in the information technology (IT) sector and constructed a unique IRP model. Findings advocate that preserving organizational culture and following performance standards were at the upper levels and were found to be the most significant forces influencing employees’ well-being.

Practical implications

The established framework for continuity forces among IT professionals offers a potential solution to the challenges encountered by organizations in mitigating the adverse change effects on the employees. This framework offers a means to boost their performance by improving organizational effectiveness through the enhancement of strategic change management.

Originality/value

This is one of the pioneering studies providing a breakthrough in applying the multi-criteria decision-making techniques in organizational behavior and human resource management. As per our awareness, this is the first study incorporating the IRP-TISM technique to recognize and prioritize the forces of continuity for Indian IT professionals.
Issues of cross‐sector service delivery in complex settings: Does the ‘public policy–implementation’ framework help?
Authors: Spink Peter Kevin
Published: December 2024

The ‘policy–implementation’ framework emerged in the 1970s to provide an academic and professional description of decisions and actions in public affairs, compatible with more open democracies with broader and more social agendas. It saw policies as designed and approved by governments with public services responsible for their implementation. This hierarchical simplicity was later softened by the introduction of the street‐level agenda and discussions of governance, but, in the administrative imaginary, policy and implementation continue to flow outwards and downwards. Whilst this may remain a plausible description of some public service settings, there are a growing number of others in which the everyday experience is radically different. Amongst these are services that require cross‐sector actions in complex and vulnerable settings and where policy is neither implemented nor translated but fragmented and rebuilt on a case‐by‐case basis. Is it sufficient to treat such cases as outliers, or is it time to rethink the curve? Could a public action framework provide a better option? The empirical focus of the article is on the policy–implementation framework for probation services for young people in São Paulo, Brazil, but similar challenges can be found in other areas in developing and developed countries.

Points for practitioners

For practitioners in street‐level organisations: remember that policies, directives, and other instructions need to be translated and sometimes they do not apply.

For policy advisors: is the policy you are proposing capable of being translated into daily action? Does it converse with practice?

For policymakers: take time out to meet with people who are trying to apply your policies in their day‐to‐day work.
Legal geographies in the making: Urban inequality, neighbourhood networks, and pandemic territorialities
Authors: Lois María , González‐Iturraspe Silvia , Delgado‐Castresana Mireia , Limón‐López Pedro , de las Heras Mariano García , Valle Javier De Pablo‐Del , González Sergio‐Claudio , Cairo Heriberto
Published: December 2024

In March of 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) escalated into a global health emergency. In Madrid, public institutions were overwhelmed by this crisis, and mutual aid networks were deployed in multiple neighbourhoods to assist thousands of families—approximately 15,000 households—with food and care in the absence of actions taken by the Madrid City Council. Drawing on a mixed methodology that combines discourse analysis and statistical data from social actors and multi‐level institutions, this study aims to highlight the patterns of socio‐spatial inequalities in Madrid in light of the urban impact of pandemic regulations and the role of public institutions in re‐territorialising its already existing inequalities through legal zoning. In particular, this study examines the relationship between the territorial irruption of COVID‐19‐related collective action initiatives and the re‐spatialisation of social inequalities in Madrid. In line with this objective, two additional questions are addressed. The study highlights the value of a legal geography theoretical framework in examining how law works as a political technology over territory and also shows how social organisations and networks have claimed legal regulations as bottom‐up social change processes, challenging the dynamics in the political production of law. The aim of this work is twofold: on the one hand, we wonder to what extent the solidarity networks could be related to urban territorialities and the spatialisation of social inequalities in Madrid. On the other hand, we aim to show how a legal geography perspective could be useful in examining how law is used over territory as a political technology and as a surveillance tool and, conversely, how from social movements representing social networks in pandemic, many regulations are demanded and vindicated as bottom‐up social change processes that mean a contention of former dynamics in the political production of law.
Study on simulating the filling and emptying process of ship lock based on Storm Water Management Model
Authors: Zhang Jiayi , Gu Zhenghua , Cao Minxiong
Published: December 2024

Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was widely used in hydrological simulation, river network calculation, flood control, and disaster reduction, but it was rarely used in ship lock hydraulics simulation. In this paper, SWMM is used to simulate the water filling and emptying process in ship lock. One‐dimensional hydraulic mathematical models are established for the centralized filling and emptying system, simple decentralized filling and emptying system, and complex decentralized filling and emptying system, respectively, and they are applied to Mengli Ship Lock of North River in Guangdong Province, Qiaogong Ship Lock of Hongshui River, and Bajiangkou Ship Lock of Gui River in Guangxi Province of China. Compared with the results from the physical model experiments of ship lock hydraulics, it is shown that SWMM has better simulation effects on the centralized filling and emptying system with short corridor and the simple decentralized filling and emptying system, and their relative errors of filling and emptying time and maximum flow are totally less than 5%. For the complex decentralized filling and emptying system, SWMM has a good simulation effect on the water level change process, but the simulation error of the flow change process is larger relatively, and the relative errors of filling and emptying time and maximum flow are totally less than 10%. In addition, the filling and emptying process simulations are all completed within 5 s for three types of filling and emptying systems. The results show that the mathematical model of ship lock filling and emptying based on SWMM has high operation efficiency and good simulation accuracy and can not only be used as an effective tool for hydraulic calculation of ship lock but also provide mathematical model support for navigation intelligent scheduling.
Is more always better? An experimental examination of the effects of feedback frequency, narcissistic oversensitivity, and growth mindset on performance accuracy
Authors: Johnson Joseph A. , Kelly Khim , Olczak Wioleta
Published: December 2024

The provision of more frequent feedback to employees is increasing, although prior research has found mixed results as to the effect of increased feedback frequency on employee performance. Narcissism research identifies narcissistic oversensitivity as a key narcissistic subdimension that may result in particularly strong responses to performance feedback. We predict and find in an experiment that increased performance feedback frequency has a more negative impact on the performance accuracy of individuals with higher levels of narcissistic oversensitivity and that this negative interactive effect of feedback frequency and narcissistic oversensitivity is mitigated by the priming of a growth mindset. These results should be of practical interest to firms as they design their management control systems to improve employee performance, considering the variation in narcissistic oversensitivity among their employees. These results also contribute to recent accounting research on the effects of feedback frequency and employee mindsets.
Association of metabolomic aging acceleration and body mass index phenotypes with mortality and obesity‐related morbidities
Authors: Zeng Xiaomin , Chen Ruiye , Shi Danli , Zhang Xiayin , Su Ting , Wang Yaxin , Hu Yijun , He Mingguang , Yu Honghua , Shang Xianwen
Published: December 2024

This study aims to investigate the association between metabolomic aging acceleration and body mass index (BMI) phenotypes with mortality and obesity‐related morbidities (ORMs). 85,458 participants were included from the UK Biobank. Metabolomic age was determined using 168 metabolites. The Chronological Age‐Adjusted Gap was used to define metabolomically younger (MY) or older (MO) status. BMI categories were defined as normal weight, overweight, and obese. Participants were categorized into MY normal weight (MY‐NW, reference), MY overweight (MY‐OW), MY obesity (MY‐OB), MO normal weight (MO‐NW), MO overweight (MO‐OW), and MO obesity (MO‐OB). Mortality and 43 ORMs were identified through death registries and hospitalization records. Compared with MY‐NW phenotype, MO‐OB phenotype yielded increased risk of mortality and 32 ORMs, followed by MO‐OW with mortality and 27 ORMs, MY‐OB with mortality and 26 ORMs, MY‐OW with 21 ORMs, and MO‐NW with mortality and 14 ORMs. Consistently, MO‐OB phenotype showed the highest risk of developing obesity‐related multimorbidities, followed by MY‐OB phenotype, MO‐OW phenotype, MY‐OW phenotype, and MO‐NW phenotype. Additive interactions were found between metabolomic aging acceleration and obesity on CVD‐specific mortality and 10 ORMs. Additionally, individuals with metabolomic aging acceleration had higher mortality and cardiovascular risk, even within the same BMI category. These findings suggest that metabolomic aging acceleration could help stratify mortality and ORMs risk across different BMI categories. Weight management should also be extended to individuals with overweight or obesity even in the absence of accelerated metabolomic aging, as they face increased healthy risk compared with MY‐NW individuals. Additionally, delaying metabolic aging acceleration is needed for all metabolomically older groups, including those with normal weight
Income inequality and economic growth
Authors: Qi Zixiang , Wang Bicong , Wang Yaxin
Published: December 2024

According to the increasing marginal tendency towards tax avoidance, we develop a macro theoretical model and derive an optimal path of economic growth using only dimensionless parameters, which illustrates an inverted U‐shaped effect of income inequality on economic growth in the long run. Specifically, economic growth initially moves upwards and subsequently downwards as the Gini coefficient increases. Moreover, this study presents empirical evidence via dynamic GMM estimates based on instrumental variables and PMG estimates relying on cointegration analyses, consistent with the implications of our theoretical model.
The Association of ACA on Embryonic Development and Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients Undergoing IVF/ICSI Treatment
Authors: Lian Ruochun , Zhang Ximin , Liu Zhiqiang , Chen Cong , Lin Rong , Mo Meilan , Yuan Yan , Zeng Yong , Sun Qing , Chen Xian
Published: December 2024

Objective

To investigate whether anti‐centromere antibody (ACA) is associated with embryonic development and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment.

Materials and Methods

Women who underwent fresh or frozen embryo transfer cycles at a reproductive center between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2023, were retrospectively studied. Women were divided into ACA– group and ACA+ group according to ACA levels. After controlling the bias between groups using the propensity score‐matching (PSM) method, the impact of ACA on embryonic development and clinical outcomes was compared between the two groups. Propensity score regression adjustment and inverse probability treatment weighting were used for sensitivity analysis.

Results

A total of 18 578 patients with ACA screening information were included in the analytical sample, with 164 patients (0.88%) diagnosing ACA positive. After 1:3 PSM, 656 patients (492 in the ACA– group, 164 in the ACA+ group) were finally included. There were significant differences in the rates of cleavage, available embryo, blastocyst formation, and high‐quality blastocyst formation between the ACA– group and the ACA+ group. Linear regression analysis indicated that ACA was negatively associated with the rates of available embryos on Day 3, blastocyst formation, and high‐quality blastocyst formation after adjusting potential confounding factors. Binary logistic regression analysis suggests that ACA positivity does not affect clinical outcomes after IVF/ICSI treatment.

Conclusions

In this cohort study of patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment, ACA positivity significantly interfered with embryonic development. These findings suggest that ACA evaluation before IVF/ICSI treatment might be a promising biomarker for predicting embryonic development but not for clinical outcomes.
Intra‐thoracic thyroid rests: an updated classification and case series
Authors: Serrao‐Brown Hazel , Kostenbauer Jakob , Papachristos Alex , Sywak Mark , Sidhu Stan
Published: December 2024

Background

Thyroid rests are common and arise during embryological development, with aberrant descent of thyroid tissue along the thyro‐thymic tract. These give rise to a range of pathologies, including goitre formation and malignancy. Thyroid rests have been graded I–IV based on their connection to the thyroid gland proper – grade I is a short protuberance, grade II & III are connected via a pedicle and fibrous band respectively, and grade IV is completely disconnected. We propose the addition of grade V to describe entirely intra‐thoracic disconnected rests. The recognition of Grade V is important, as failure of complete excision may lead to recurrence of a mediastinal goitre, also known as the ‘forgotten goitre’.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed to include all patients who underwent thyroidectomy for benign retrosternal thyroid disease from January 2015 to January 2022 at the University of Sydney Endocrine Surgical Unit. Data regarding patient demographics, pre‐operative work‐up, intra‐operative findings, histopathology and complications were collated.

Results

Our unit performed 1087 thyroidectomies for benign retrosternal goitre during the study period. Twenty‐six Grade V rests were identified in 20 patients (1.8%). Surgery was performed for compressive symptoms in 13 patients, seven were incidental. All patients underwent sternotomy or manubriotomy.

Conclusion

It is important to recognize thyroid rests that are completely disconnected from the thyroid gland. Identification of these rests requires tailored pre‐operative work‐up, as excision requires access to the thoracic cavity for vascular control. Incomplete excision may lead to development or persistence of the “forgotten goitre” among other pathologies.
Barriers to Healthcare for People With a Learning Disability From Ethnic Minorities: Perspectives of Self‐Advocates and Carers
Authors: Cooper‐Moss Nicola , Umpleby Katie , Roberts Christina , Garner Christie , Edwards Aisha Hazel , Ditzel Nicola , Butt Jabeer , Clark Samantha , Hatton Christopher , Chauhan Umesh
Published: December 2024

Background

People with a learning disability from ethnic minorities experience barriers in their access to healthcare services and poorer health outcomes. This study aimed to explore the factors that contribute to these barriers and to better understand how they can be reduced.

Methods

Twenty ‘experts by experience’ took part in experience‐based co‐design workshops to ascertain how lived experiences related to findings from a co‐designed scoping review. Audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using framework analysis.

Findings

Self‐advocates and carers experienced discrimination within a range of healthcare settings; however, recognising and understanding the source was difficult. Many people reported a lack of reasonable adjustments or support services that considered their ethnic identities. Participants also experienced isolation and stigma within their own family and community networks. Access to healthcare was adversely affected by COVID‐19. Many people were unaware of the Learning Disability Register and there was insufficient support when transitioning between healthcare services.

Conclusions

Services can be improved by effective communication, continuity of care and an enhanced understanding of the experiences of learning disability across different ethnic groups. Understanding an individual's needs and preferences from the first point of contact is important for the allocation of resources.
Exploring the Sense of Virtual Community Among Members of the Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability (RNID) Excellence Ireland Network Facebook Group
Authors: Reidy Mary , Callaghan Liam
Published: December 2024

Background

Virtual Communities of Practice offer opportunities to build professional support networks, encourage continuing professional development, share knowledge and promote the translation of evidence into nursing practice. The Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability (RNID) Excellence Ireland Network is a private Facebook group aimed at promoting and maintaining the RNID's professionalism. This article explores the sense of virtual community and factors that impact the engagement of members of the RNID Excellence Ireland Network Facebook group with group activities.

Materials and Methods

The study design incorporated a cross‐sectional descriptive survey that explored the sense of virtual community and engagement factors of registered and student nurses with group activities. The questionnaire was administered to registered and student nurses in Intellectual Disability (n = 140, age range 18−65 years) in Ireland.

Results

The majority of registered/student nurses rated their engagement with the Facebook page very highly for promoting a sense of virtual community of practice and a safe and trustworthy environment where information could be shared, questions answered and a support network developed. However, concerns about social media privacy impacted engagement with the platform for almost one‐third of participants.

Conclusion

Senior nurses engage with group activities, ensuring junior colleagues receive quality mentorship in the spirit of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives. Efforts should be continued to engage students with the virtual community of practice as part of the professional practice toolkit for the RNID.
Technology transfer in mixed oligopolies: The role of cooperatives
Authors: Chennak Ahmed , Giannakas Konstantinos
Published: December 2024

This paper develops a sequential game‐theoretic model of technology licensing with heterogeneous firms and consumers in a mixed oligopoly to systematically analyze the optimal licensing decision of the cooperative and the market and welfare impacts of cooperative involvement in the licensing of cost‐reducing process innovations. Analytical results show that the organizational form does matter in technology licensing; cooperative behavior differs from that of its investor‐owned counterparts yielding significantly different equilibrium outcomes in mixed oligopolies where the cooperative is the licensor of the process innovation involved. While our analysis focuses on cost‐reducing process innovations, our results are more general and hold also for quality‐enhancing product innovations.
Dramatic Response to Ensartinib in Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumors With a Novel CEP44‐ALK Fusion: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Chen Haiyang , Wu Yingxi , Wu Xuan , Wang Kai , Xia Qingxin , Wang Qiming
Published: December 2024

Neuroendocrine tumor (NET) is a deadly malignancy disease that can be found anywhere in the body. The lack of tumor‐specific treatment led to the worse prognosis of NET. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK‐TKIs), such as alectinib and crizotinib, have been used in the treatment of NET patients with ALK rearrangement. However, the response to ensatinib in NET patients with rare ALK fusion has been rarely reported. Here, we report a 55‐year‐old Chinese female patient with NET (atypical carcinoid tumor) and a novel CEP44‐ALK rearrangement identified by next‐generation sequencing (NGS). NGS can provide more information on mutation landscape for rare neuroendocrine tumors to guide treatment and assist in clinical decisions by presenting molecular changes. The patient received ensartinib (225 mg/day) for 18 months until disease progression in June 2024 and achieved a radiographic partial response. Although patients with ALK fusions showed response to ensatinib in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), this study first reports a metastatic NET case with a novel CEP44‐ALK rearrangement that responded favorably to ensartinib.
Optimizing Emergency Medical Service Levels Through Strategic Ambulance Base Location in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Fortes Luis , Ribeiro Glaydston Mattos , Bahiense Laura , González Pedro Henrique
Published: December 2024

This study addresses the location of emergency rescue vehicle bases in the western region of the city of Rio de Janeiro. The research aims to serve the greatest number of people within WHO parameters, which stipulates a maximum waiting time of 10 min. Various scenarios are explored, varying the number of rescue vehicles from 10 to 50 and the number of bases from 10 to 22. The study reveals that having an adequate number of rescue vehicles is crucial before determining the number and locations of the bases. Even in optimized scenarios with 5 or 8 bases, population coverage still falls short of the ideal, especially for 10‐min response times. However, increasing the number of bases, up to a maximum of 22, shows significant improvements in population coverage, especially when aiming for a 10‐min response time. Suggestions for future research include calculating the exact number of rescue vehicles needed to optimize the service and considering cost implications. This study highlights the importance of enhancing the emergency response system to meet the needs of the population.
Teaching Early Reading Skills to Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Using a Support Worker/Family Carer Mediated Online Reading Programme: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Denne Louise D. , Moody Gwenllian , Coulman Elinor , Gillespie David , Ingarfield Kate , Manktelow Nicholas , Grindle Corinna F. , Hughes J. Carl , Taylor Zac , Hastings Richard P.
Published: December 2024

Background

There is a paucity of research into interventions that help people with intellectual disabilities learn to read. This feasibility study examines whether an online reading programme, Headsprout, with additional support strategies and supervision (the intervention), can be delivered by support workers/family carers and the feasibility of conducting a later large‐scale effectiveness trial.

Methods

The study used a 2‐arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) design with an embedded process evaluation using a mixed methods approach.

Results

Thirty‐six adults with intellectual disabilities were recruited. Informed consent and data were obtained remotely. Progression criteria for recruitment, retention, randomisation and usual practice were met; intervention adherence and fidelity were poor. Pressure on support services was a key barrier.

Conclusions

Whilst progression to a large‐scale effectiveness trial was not recommended, the success of conducting an RCT and remotely obtaining informed consent and data from adults with intellectual disabilities opens opportunities for increased participation in research for a currently under‐represented group.

Registration: ISRCTN11409097
Genetic Diagnosis and Prenatal Diagnosis of a Rare FVIII Family With Haemophilia A
Authors: Yang Yaya , Wang Yidan , Gao Jian
Published: December 2024

It is very difficult to identify the genetic variation of haemophilia A. We examined a case report from a sizable, uncommon haemophilia family, analysing the application of DHPLC in the diagnosis of haemophilia A. The comprehensive clinical data and laboratory assessments of the proband within the family were meticulously compiled. Subsequent to this, tests were conducted to evaluate the activated partial prothrombin time (APTT) and the clotting activity of coagulation factor VIII (F VIII: C). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were employed to identify any inversions within the F8 gene's introns 22 and 1. Thereafter, direct sequencing methodology was utilised to sequence all exons of the F8 gene. To analyse the copy number variations across all exons of the F8 gene, a multiple PCR combined with denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) approach was adopted. In addition, specific pathogenic mutations predisposing to progenitor cell disorders were screened in family members. The APTT of the proband was 60 s. F VIII: C is < 1%. It was found that the progenitor F8 gene exon 14 had a 226 bp insertion sequence, which was of unknown origin and was a pathogenic mutation. The analysis combined with this family situation is consistent with the expectation. The mutation was used as the detection target to complete the prenatal diagnosis. The pathogenic mutation found in this family is a rare large fragment insertion mutation. It is necessary to combine multiple experimental methods to improve the success rate of genetic diagnosis of haemophilia A.
Dorsal Augmentation Rhinoplasty by Cartilage Allograft
Authors: Harutyunyan Armen , Hakobyan Gagik
Published: December 2024

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate long‐term outcomes and patient satisfaction after nasal dorsal rhinoplasty with allogeneic cartilage graft of the nasal septum.

Materials and Methods

The present study included 104 patients (41 males and 63 females) whose mean age at surgery was 28.7 years and who underwent nasal dorsal augmentation with allogenous nasal septal cartilage graft during the period 2017–2023.

Depending on the use of platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF), the patients were divided into two groups:

Group I had PRF applied in dorsal rhinoplasty and included 53 patients (29 males and 24 females).

Group II (control group) had dorsal rhinoplasty without the use of PRF and included 51 patients (26 males and 25 females).

Donor patients included those who had taken excess nasal septal cartilage during functional rhinoplasty. According to the indications, crushed allogenic septal cartilage graft and PRF were also used. Esthetic results of rhinoplasty were assessed from preoperative and postoperative clinical pictures and also by visual examination. To assess the results of esthetic rhinoplasty, the Portuguese version of the Utrecht Questionnaire (UQ) was used, which contains a visual analog scale (VAS) on a 5‐point Likert scale.

Results

In patients included in the study, there were no serious complications: there was no deformation or extrusion, and allograft resorption was not observed. After rhinoplasty in the Group I patients, the mean score of VAS esthetic satisfaction with nose improved from 3.6 preoperatively to 8.5 3 months postoperatively and 9.2 12 months postoperatively. After rhinoplasty in the Group II patients, the mean score of VAS esthetic satisfaction with nose improved from 3.7 preoperatively to 7.8 3 months postoperatively and 8.3 12 months postoperatively.

Conclusions

Rhinoplasty with allogeneic cartilage graft of the nasal septum allows to achieve stable, positive, functional, and esthetic results and is safe to use. It is an alternative to autologous cartilage used in rhinoplasty and also prevents additional surgical procedures.
Can an Algorithm Tell How Spiritual You Are? Using Generative Pretrained Transformers for Sophisticated Forms of Text Analysis
Authors: Prinzing Michael , Bounds Elizabeth , Melton Karen , Glanzer Perry , Fredrickson Barbara , Schnitker Sarah
Published: December 2024

Objective

Text analysis is a form of psychological assessment that involves converting qualitative information (text) into quantitative data. We tested whether automated text analysis using Generative Pre‐trained Transformers (GPTs) can match the “gold standard” of manual text analysis, even when assessing a highly nuanced construct like spirituality.

Method

In Study 1, N = 2199 US undergraduates wrote about their goals (N = 6597 texts) and completed self‐reports of spirituality and theoretically related constructs (religiousness and mental health). In Study 2, N = 357 community adults wrote short essays (N = 714 texts) and completed trait self‐reports, 5 weeks of daily diaries, and behavioral measures of spirituality. Trained research assistants and GPTs then coded the texts for spirituality.

Results

The GPTs performed just as well as human raters. Human‐ and GPT‐generated scores were remarkably consistent and showed equivalent associations with other measures of spirituality and theoretically related constructs.

Conclusions

GPTs can match the gold standard set by human raters, even in sophisticated forms of text analysis, but require a fraction of the time and labor.
Paediatric handgrip reference curves and the relationship between lower handgrip strength and clinical outcomes of hospitalised children
Authors: Kangalgil Melda , Meral Buket , Tiryaki Buğra Kaan , Bayram Hilal
Published: December 2024

Aim

There is a need for population‐based reference values of handgrip strength, which is an objective measurement reflecting muscle status, in the paediatric population and there is limited data on the prognostic importance of handgrip strength. The aim of the study was to establish reference percentiles for handgrip strength in healthy Turkish children and to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength and clinical outcomes in hospitalised children.

Methods

A total of 1437 healthy children and 103 hospitalised children aged 6–16 years were included in this cross‐sectional study. Healthy children were used for the development of sex‐specific handgrip strength centiles adjusted for age and height using the Generalised Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape package. Reference values of age and height specific handgrip strength of children between the ages of 6 and 16 were calculated and curves were plotted. Nutritional risk was assessed in the first 48 h of hospital admission using Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score.

Results

Of the hospitalised children, 32% were at medium risk and 46.6% were at high risk of malnutrition. Lower handgrip strength was 28.2% in the hospitalised children. High risk of malnutrition and lower handgrip strength increased the length of hospital stay in all regression models.

Conclusion

The reference centiles for age‐ and height‐specific handgrip strength, developed for the first time for Turkish children, will enable assessment and interpretation of muscle status. Lower handgrip strength is associated with longer hospital stay in hospitalised children.