bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Size effect of the guest cation on the AlO4framework in aluminate sodalite-type oxidesM8[Al12O24](SO4)2(M = Sr2+and Ca2+) in theI43mphase
Authors: Nakahira Yuki , Kawamura Genta , Wakamatsu Toru , Terasaki Ichiro , Taniguchi Hiroki , Kuroiwa Yoshihiro , Moriyoshi Chikako
Published: March 2021

Sr8[Al12O24](SO4)2(SAS) and Ca8[Al12O24](SO4)2(CAS) are members of the aluminate sodalite-type oxides with the general chemical formulaM8[Al12O24](XO4)2(M2+is the guest cation andXO42−is the guest anion). To discuss the role of the guest cations (M2+= Sr2+and Ca2+) on the rotation of AlO4in the oxygen tetrahedral framework in theI43mphase, the crystal structure parameters and the probability density function of the guest ions in SAS and CAS have been investigatedviasynchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction by considering Gram–Charlier expansions. The interatomic distances between theM2+and O2−ions evaluated from the maximum positions in the probability density distribution are almost equal to the sum of the ideal ionic radii of theM2+and O2−ions. This result suggests that the geometry of the AlO4tetrahedral framework and the fluctuation of the guest ions are mainly caused by steric effects between theM2+and O2−ions.
The impact of rural infrastructural investment on farmers' income growth in China
Authors: Wang Lishuang , Zhang Fan , Wang Zehao , Tan Qiu
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose and verify the influence mechanism of various kinds of infrastructure investment on farmers' income in rural China. It further analyzes the effect of rural infrastructure investment on rural economic transformation.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is used to GMM model to verify the relationship between infrastructure investment and farmers' income; furthermore, the mediating effect model is used to verify the linear conduction mechanism, and panel threshold model is used to verify the nonlinear conduction mechanism.

Findings

The results show that: (1) Rural infrastructure investment can indirectly affect farmers' income by changing land efficiency and land use structure; (2) The impact of infrastructure investment on farmers' income is nonlinear; (3) Increasing infrastructural investment of productivity and transportation will contribute to accelerating the transformation of rural economy.

Originality/value

This paper expands the research on the impact of rural infrastructure investment on farmers' income; it analyzes the inner mechanism and enriches the research contents in this field; the influence of various infrastructure investment on rural economic transformation is further discussed; it provides policy suggestions and theoretical basis for accelerating the transformation of China's rural economy.
GrowBox: the reality of growth challenges for a social entrepreneur in Cape Town
Authors: Barnardo Claire , Reyneke Mignon , Ferreira Caitlin , Robertson Jeandri
Published: March 2021

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this paper is as follows: to strategically evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, threats and resulting opportunities that face an entrepreneurial startup. To apply the academic principle of competitiveness and evaluate the competitive advantage of the business and its competitors through the application of the Porter’s five forces model. To evaluate the contextual tensions that entrepreneurial ventures face, and how these affect the growth of a sustainable business. To develop the skills to create a target market analysis by using segmentation, targeting and positioning principles. To evaluate the best strategic actions to grow a business through the lens of sustainable entrepreneurship, by using principles such as the triple bottom line and people, opportunity, context and deal and framework.

Case overview/synopsis

The case look at business challenges faced by an entrepreneur, Renshia Manuel, the CEO of GrowBox, as she attempts to balance the profitability and social impact of her venture in Cape Town, South Africa. GrowBox sells customisable self-contained wooden boxes equipped with all materials to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs for consumers. Large volumes of boxes are often purchased by corporate clients who donated these to lower-income communities as part of their social responsibility projects. Additional landscaping and food-scaping services make up another revenue stream of the business. The case study documents the conception of GrowBox in 2016 and the growth of the business in the first four years of operation. The theft of equipment, and difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff due to the volatile social climate of where the business was situated, have put the business under great financial pressure and reduced the efficiency of business processes. The case highlights a number of the harsh realities of sustainable entrepreneurship where both profitability and social impact are vitally important to ensure business sustainability. The case dilemma involves the choices faced by Renshia at the beginning of 2020 regarding the future, sustainable growth of the business.

Complexity academic level

The target audience for this teaching case is primarily business students at a postgraduate level, particularly those studying in the fields of sustainable entrepreneurship and social development, as well as marketing in emerging markets. This teaching case is intended to be used as a case study in postgraduate business programmes such as postgraduate diplomas in management, specialist Masters programmes such as those focussed on entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship or social development, as well as those studying a Master of Business Administration or related executive education programme.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Prosecco has another story to tell: the coexistence of multiple knowledge networks in the same value chain
Authors: Sedita Silvia Rita , Hoffmann Valmir Emil , Guarnieri Patricia , Toso Carraro Ermanno
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze how knowledge networks can be configured within a value chain and provide evidence of the coexistence of multiple knowledge networks in the same value chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical setting is the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG wine cluster in the Veneto region of Northeast Italy. Data was collected through the administration by telephone of a semi-structured questionnaire to 37 oenologists, sales managers, production managers and owners of bottling companies in the district. The authors used social network analysis tools to map knowledge networks in the Prosecco cluster.

Findings

The results shed light on the importance of singling out knowledge networks in clusters at the value chain level to aid practitioners and researchers in this field. In fact, this research proves the existence of knowledge networks specificities related to the various phases of the production process.

Research limitations/implications

This study has certain limitations. The most relevant is connected to the choice to limit the analysis to a specific cluster. Future research might extend this type of analysis to multiple clusters in different locations.

Practical implications

The authors explain that in the cluster they studied, internationalization, as a common objective, might be made easier if firms could establish a more developed sales knowledge network.

Social implications

The relational approach to value chain enables disentangling specific roles of each actors. The social dimension of the value chain is taken in consideration.

Originality/value

The authors show that a firm operating in the wine industry can have different knowledge networks in the same value chain. This work adds to previous literature on knowledge networks in clusters by shedding light on an important, but still understudied aspect in the cluster functioning. Knowledge diffusion in clusters is not only uneven but is also value chain stage specific. By intersecting literature on knowledge networks, value chain and cluster research, the authors proposed a new perspective of analysis of the wine industry.
Individual psychological distance: a leadership task to assess and cope with invisible change
Authors: Abbas Ansar , Ekowati Dian , Suhariadi Fendy
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The current research review aims to provide a conceptual framework for future research on individual psychological distance in leadership tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

Through literature review, the authors developed an intended research framework.

Findings

The need of intended framework from theoretical perspective, meta-analysis and situational analysis is presented in this paper. The discussion on a present study about the various aspects of individual perspective, strategic leadership and its link with organizational outcomes are hypothetically aligned in the framework.

Originality/value

Strategic change management is the process of managing change in an organization. Change is critical to measure existing structures in the thoughtful way. Mapping individual behavior change is a difficult task, and organizational goals, objectives and missions are an important element of the learning process. Through this framework, the authors attempt to reach the model.
Do dissimilarities in the family involvement in family firms lead to different levels of indebtedness? Evidence from Spain
Authors: Comino-Jurado María , Sánchez-Andújar Sonia , Parrado-Martínez Purificación
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper examines how differences in the family involvement in a family business can influence its level of indebtedness. Assuming the influence of family is not the same for all family firms, we consider each company as a combination of the family involvement in three dimensions of the business: ownership, management and governance structure.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the partial least squares technique allows us to address the heterogeneity of family firms through an integral concept of family involvement in business that jointly considers the level of family participation in the ownership, management and governance structure of each firm.

Findings

Our results demonstrate that the level of family involvement in a family firm, considering the heterogeneity existing within the family business group, directly influences its level of indebtedness. In addition, we find that family involvement in ownership and governance structures individually considered are positively related to the level of indebtedness of the family business.

Originality/value

Our findings prove that some indebtedness patterns, which previous literature has described as common to all Spanish family businesses, may actually be valid only for specific family firms with a particular level of family involvement. In addition, the way of measuring family business heterogeneity through our integral concept of family involvement can be replicated by other authors because of the manageability of the items, thus contributing to an increased understanding of the effects of family involvement in firms' development.
Exiting fieldwork “with grace”: reflections on the unintended consequences of participant observation and researcher-participant relationships
Authors: Franco Paolo , Yang Ye (Nicole)
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the methodological importance of how researchers exit fieldwork to draw attention to implications for participant and researcher well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

Reflecting in detail on one researcher’s final six-months exiting fieldwork at a retirement village, this paper critically examines the unintended consequences of participant observation and researcher-participant relationships.

Findings

The paper illustrates that difficulties to exit fieldwork can be unintended consequences of participant observation activities and developing researcher-participant relationships. The findings also discuss how fieldwork exit can impose upon participant and researcher well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are built upon fieldwork at a retirement village where the researcher served as a volunteer. Thus, the discussion focusses on participant observation activities that are likely to lead to close researcher-participant relationships. However, this paper aims to serve as a useful resource for researchers when considering how to exit their unique fieldwork contexts “with grace”.

Practical implications

The paper provides practical suggestions to help marketing researchers such as ethnographers, manage fieldwork exits with participant and researcher well-being concerns in mind.

Social implications

The practical suggestions provided by this paper aim to enable marketing researchers to exit fieldwork contexts “with grace” through reflection and proactive management of the social impacts of their research activities.

Originality/value

Even though researchers acknowledge fieldwork is social and personal by nature, little research attention has been paid to the management of researcher-participant relationships and the exit stage of fieldwork. This paper discusses and addresses this blind-spot in marketing research.
An investigation on the impact of shading devices on energy consumption of commercial buildings in the contexts of subtropical climate
Authors: Rana Md. Jewel , Hasan Md. Rakibul , Sobuz Md. Habibur Rahman
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Application of appropriate shading device strategies in buildings can reduce direct solar heat gain through windows as well as optimize cooling and artificial lighting load. This study investigates the impact of common shading devices such as overhangs, fins, horizontal blinds, vertical blinds and drapes on energy consumption of an office building and suggests energy efficient shading device strategies in the contexts of unique Bangladeshi subtropical monsoon climate.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was performed through the energy simulation perspective of a prototype office building using a validated building energy simulation tool eQUEST. Around 100 simulation patterns were created considering various types of shading devices and building orientations. The simulation results were analysed comprehensively to find out energy-efficient shading device strategies.

Findings

Optimum overhang and fin height is equal to half of the window height in the context of the subtropical climate of Bangladesh. South and West are the most vulnerable orientations, and application of shading devices on these two orientations shows the highest reduction of cooling load and the lowest increment of lighting load. An existing building was able to save approximately 7.05% annual energy consumption by applying the shading device strategies that were suggested by this study.

Originality/value

The shading device strategies of this study can be incorporated into the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) as new energy-efficient building design strategies because the BNBC does not have any codes or regulations regarding energy-efficient shading device. It can also be used as energy-efficient shading device strategies to other Southeast Asian countries with similar climatic contexts of Bangladesh.
Illuminating the intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of ecological stability across scales
Authors: Ross Samuel R. P.‐J. , Suzuki Yuka , Kondoh Michio , Suzuki Kenta , Villa Martín Paula , Dornelas Maria
Published: March 2021

Our knowledge of ecological stability is built on assumptions of scale. These assumptions limit our ability to reach a generalizable and mechanistic understanding of stability under global environmental change. Moving towards a multiscale approach—across space, time and environment—will allow us to better understand the intrinsic (e.g., demographic) and extrinsic (environmental) drivers of ecological stability. In this perspective, we review multiple sources of variation responsible for shaping ecological dynamics, and how scale affects our observation of these dynamics through its confounding effect on drivers of variation in ecosystems. We discuss the effect of temporal scale when combining empirical dynamic modeling with high‐resolution population time series to consider the time‐varying nature of multispecies interaction networks, highlighting interspecific interactions as an intrinsic driver of community dynamics. Next, we examine energy landscape analysis as a method for inferring stability and transience during community assembly and its interaction with spatial scale, emphasizing the intrinsic role of compositional variability in assembly dynamics. We then examine population dynamics at species' range margins and show how considering the interaction between spatial and temporal environmental heterogeneity, an extrinsic driver of population dynamics, can facilitate a nuanced understanding of population expansions, range shifts, and species invasions. Finally, we discuss broadly how the sources of intrinsic and extrinsic variation interact with each other and with spatiotemporal scale to shape ecological dynamics. Better recognition of the scale‐dependent nature of the relationship between drivers of variation and ecological dynamics will be invaluable to illuminate the dynamics influencing ecological stability across scales.
Planes of Immanence: Walking on Carl Andre's Art in Moments of Protest
Authors: Tymkiw Michael
Published: March 2021

This essay examines the stakes of walking on Carl Andre's sculptures during moments of protest, particularly from the 1990s onward, when his art became the target of feminist protest actions. Walking on Andre's sculptures has often been framed in highly generalized terms, as an almost universally shared experience that prompts an immanent connection between body and matter. To open up a space for addressing the diverse, subjective nature of spectators' experiences when walking on Andre's art, the present study explores how his metal planes have functioned as ‘planes of immanence’, a term drawn from the writings of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. In particular, it considers how the act of treading on Andre's sculptures during moments of protest has contributed to reshaping his planes of immanence, transforming them into surfaces that create new ‘lines of flight’ for contesting power, meaning, and the parameters of knowledge.
The Minaeans after Maʿīn? The latest presently dateable Minaic text and the God of Maʿīn
Authors: Weimar Jason
Published: March 2021

Historians of Ancient South Arabia have long questioned when the Minaean Kingdom collapsed and when the Minaean people disappeared thereafter. Scholarship presently leans towards dating the fall to sometime in the first century AD with the Minaeans dissipating shortly thereafter. Relevant for the question of the Minaeans’ disappearance is the Minaic RyIIIb stick inscription called L 53, which I decipher here. Based on a new paleographical dating system for RyIIIb inscriptions that I have developed, L 53 appears to date between the first to third centuries AD. This would make it the latest dateable Minaic text and quite possibly place its origins to after the fall of the Kingdom of Maʿīn. The text also contains the first attestations of the first person plural independent pronoun “we” nḥn in Ancient South Arabian in addition to a new divine moniker “the God of Maʿīn” (ʾlh mʿn). L 53 therefore might attest to a continuing Minaean linguistic and religious identity after the fall of their kingdom, which may be corroborated by Ptolemy’s statement that the Minaeans were a “great people” in the second century AD.
Chronic endometritis in women with suspected retained products of conception and their reproductive outcomes
Authors: Elder Simone , Bortoletto Pietro , Romanski Phillip A. , Spandorfer Steven
Published: March 2021

Objective

To determine whether women who underwent operative hysteroscopy for suspected retained products of conception (rPOC) have histopathologic evidence of chronic endometritis (CE).

Design

Retrospective cohort.

Setting

Academic center.

Patient(s)

One hundred and eleven women who underwent operative hysteroscopy for suspected rPOC between 2016 and 2018.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Evidence of CE on histopathology and subsequent reproductive outcomes.

Result(s)

One hundred and eleven women with retained products of conception were included in our study of which 26 (23.4%) were diagnosed with CE. Women without CE had a higher median gravidity (1 vs. 2, p = .021) and a higher median number of prior pregnancy losses (1 vs. 2 prior losses, p = .005) compared to those with CE. Subsequent pregnancy data were available for 63 women. There was no difference in the subsequent pregnancy rate (61.5 vs. 54%, p = .626) between those with and without CE. Once pregnant, miscarriage (37.5 vs. 25.9%, p = .524) and live birth rates (50 vs. 44.4%, p = .782) were similar between the groups. Women with CE received antibiotics 57.7% of the time, the most common of which was doxycycline (46.6%). Of the women with CE who received antibiotics (n = 10), 8 became pregnant, and 4 of whom went on to have a live birth.

Conclusion(s)

Nearly 1 in 4 women undergoing hysteroscopy for rPOC was incidentally diagnosed with CE. It is not clear whether CE is a causative agent for retained products or a response to the pregnancy loss. In this cohort, a diagnosis of CE did not negatively impact subsequent reproductive outcomes.
A porcine model of subcutaneous Staphylococcus aureus infection: a pilot study
Authors: Nielsen Ole Lerberg , Mellergaard Maiken , Frees Dorte , Larsen Maria Nygaard , Skov Søren , Olsen Lisbeth Høier , Reimann Maria Josefine
Published: March 2021

In this descriptive pilot study, we aim to establish a porcine Staphylococcus aureus skin infection model by subcutaneous injection (s.c.) of the porcine S54F9 S. aureus strain in the groin area. Six pigs were used in the study: Five pigs were injected with S. aureus, inocula ranging from 7 × 103 to 5 × 107 colony‐forming units per kg bodyweight; one pig was injected with saline exclusively. Lesions were recorded up to 6 days postinoculation using clinical evaluation, ultrasound evaluation, microbiology, flow cytometry, and pathology. Inoculation gave rise to lesions ranging from localized skin infection, that is, minute histological changes, intracellular infection, and macroscopic abscess formation with sequestration of soft tissue, to generalized infection and development of disseminated intravascular coagulation necessitating euthanasia only 10 h after inoculation. Ultrasound assessment of maximum width and characteristics was not able to disclose the progress of the local infection. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry revealed the participation of γδT cells in the immune response. In conclusion, we did see a graded inflammatory response associated with the dose of s.c. inoculated bacteria, which may be useful for studying, in particular, the interaction of bacteria and inflammatory mononuclear cell populations. It needs to be investigated if the model is discriminatory and robust.
Cryptotephras in the Lateglacial ICDP Dead Sea sediment record and their implications for chronology
Authors: Neugebauer Ina , Müller Daniela , Schwab Markus J. , Blockley Simon , Lane Christine S. , Wulf Sabine , Appelt Oona , Brauer Achim
Published: March 2021

Due to a lack of visible tephras in the Dead Sea record, this unique palaeoenvironmental archive is largely unconnected to the well‐established Mediterranean tephrostratigraphy. Here we present first results of the ongoing search for cryptotephras in the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP) sediment core from the deep Dead Sea basin. This study focusses on the Lateglacial (~15–11.4 cal. ka BP), when Lake Lisan – the precursor of the Dead Sea – shrank from its glacial highstand to the Holocene low levels. We developed a glass shard separation protocol and counting procedure that is adapted to the extreme salinity and sediment recycling of the Dead Sea. Cryptotephra is abundant in the Dead Sea record (up to ~100 shards cm-3), but often glasses are physically and/or chemically altered. Six glass samples from five tephra horizons reveal a heterogeneous geochemical composition, with mainly rhyolitic and some trachytic glasses potentially sourced from Italian, Aegean and Anatolian volcanoes. Most shards likely originate from the eastern Anatolian volcanic province and can be correlated using major element analyses with tephra deposits from swarm eruptions of the Süphan Volcano ~13 ka BP and with ashes from Nemrut Volcano, presumably the Lake Van V‐16 volcanic layer at ~13.8 ka BP. In addition to glasses that match the TM‐10‐1 from Lago Grande di Monticchio (15 820±790 cal. a BP) tentatively correlated with the St. Angelo Tuff of Ischia, we further identified a cryptotephra with glass analyses which are chemically identical with those of the PhT1 tephra in the Philippon peat record (13.9–10.5 ka BP), and also a compositional match for the glass analyses of the Santorini Cape Riva Tephra (Y‐2 marine tephra, 22 024±642 cal. a BP). These first results demonstrate the great potential of cryptotephrochronology in the Dead Sea record for improving its chronology and connecting the Levantine region to the Mediterranean tephra framework.
Mapping leprosy‐associated coding variants of interleukin genes by targeted sequencing
Authors: Zhang Deng‐Feng , Li Hui‐Long , Zheng Quanzhen , Bi Rui , Xu Min , Wang Dong , Zhu Guo‐Ping , Li Yu‐Ye , Yao Yong‐Gang
Published: March 2021

Previous genotyping‐based assays have identified non‐coding variants of several interleukins (ILs) being associated with genetic susceptibility to leprosy. However, understanding of the involvement of coding variants within all IL family genes in leprosy was still limited. To obtain the full mutation spectrum of all ILs in leprosy, we performed a targeted deep sequencing of coding regions of 58 ILs genes in 798 leprosy patients (age 56.2 ± 14.4; female 31.5%) and 990 healthy controls (age 38.1 ± 14.0; female 44.3%) from Yunnan, Southwest China. mRNA expression alterations of ILs in leprosy skin lesions or in response to M. leprae treatment were estimated by using publicly available expression datasets. Two coding variants in IL27 (rs17855750, p.S59A, p = 4.02 × 10−8, odds ratio [OR] = 1.748) and IL1RN (rs45507693, p.A106T, p = 1.45 × 10−5, OR = 3.629) were significantly associated with leprosy risk. mRNA levels of IL27 and IL1RN were upregulated in whole blood cells after M. leprae stimulation. These data showed that IL27 and IL1RN are leprosy risk genes. Further functional study is required for characterizing the exact role of ILs in leprosy.
Winter weather and work hours: Heterogeneous effects and regional adaptation
Authors: Liu Bo , Hirsch Barry T.
Published: March 2021

We examine how work hours reported in the Current Population Survey vary with snowfall in 265 metropolitan areas during 2004–2014. The effects of snowfall on work vary across types of workers, occupation, industry, and region. Regions adapt to inclement weather. Losses in work hours from snow events are particularly large in Southern states and among construction workers. An average daily inch of snowfall during a week reduces work by an hour. Few of the hours lost are “made‐up” in subsequent weeks. A “back‐of‐an‐envelope” calculation suggests that in average years, snow reduces annual hours worked by 0.15%.
Using conservation criminology to understand the role of restaurants in the urban wild meat trade
Authors: Gluszek Sarah , Viollaz Julie , Mwinyihali Robert , Wieland Michelle , Gore Meredith L.
Published: March 2021

At unsustainable rates and in illegal contexts, the wild meat trade is a driver of species extinction; it can also threaten ecosystem services, local food security and contribute to the risk of zoonotic disease spread. The restaurant and catering sectors are understudied groups in conservation, both with regards to the legal and illegal wild meat trade and particularly in urban areas. Restaurateurs are key actors between wild meat consumers and suppliers and thus play a central role in the supply chain. This study applied a crime science hot product approach to characterize: (a) restaurateur perceptions of urban wild meat consumption; (b) wildlife species most at risk in the urban wild meat trade; and (c) the differences between restaurants in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo). Through focus groups in both cities, participants affirmed that in urban centers wild meat is considered a luxury item and sign of wealth. Monkeys were seen as a hot product in both cities, but we found a greater variety of hot wild meat products in Brazzaville. When looking at the differences between the restaurant tier levels, middle‐tiered restaurants identified pangolin and antelopes as being hot products, rather than monkeys as with upper and lower‐tiered restaurants. By applying a hot product analysis, we identified the wild meat groups most likely to be targeted by the urban wild meat trade. Findings herein offer novel opportunities to better tailor and prioritize conservation interventions against illegal trade using design against crime or other crime prevention strategies.
Pancreas transplantation would be easy if the recipients were not diabetic: A practical guide to post‐operative management of diabetic complications in pancreas transplant recipients
Authors: Cerise Adam , Chen Jeanne M. , Powelson John A. , Lutz Andrew J. , Fridell Jonathan A.
Published: March 2021

Diabetes mellitus remains a major public health problem throughout the United States with over $300 billion spent in total cost of care annually. In addition to being a leading cost of kidney failure, diabetes causes a host of secondary hyperglycemic‐related complications including gastroparesis and orthostatic hypotension. While pancreas transplantation has been established as an effective treatment for diabetes, providing long‐term normoglycemia in recipients, the secondary complications of diabetes mellitus persist complicating the post‐operative course of an otherwise successful pancreas transplantation. This review describes the mechanism and impact of diabetic gastroparesis and orthostatic hypotension in the post‐operative course of pancreas transplant patients and analyzes the various treatment modalities, based on current data and extensive experience at our institution, to treat these respective complications. While gastroparesis and orthostatic hypotension remain challenging post‐operative conditions, the establishment of institutional protocols and step‐up treatment algorithms can help define more effective therapies.
The Global Kidney Exchange: Revisiting exploitation arguments
Authors: Reyneke Maryn , Borry Pascal
Published: March 2021

The Global Kidney Exchange (GKE) program, introduced by Rees et al. (2017), has been described as an innovative method to address the global shortage of kidneys for the purpose of transplantation. However, the concept of the GKE has evoked controversy and various international bodies have accused it of being a form of low‐ and middle‐income country (LMIC) exploitation. Using Julian Koplin's framework of exploitation, we consider three different conceptualizations of wrongful advantage taking in the unique setting formed by the GKE. The analysis contributes to a better understanding of the controversy and gives insight into how to deal with background conditions that influence the fairness of such a global social cooperation.
No time to look after the kids: The unintended consequences of export expansion on child health*
Authors: Dai Lihua , Fan Qi , Li Yanyun , Lin Faqin
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we examine the effect of export expansion on the health of children under the age of 6 years in China. Using the CHNS survey, we exploit trade exposure variation among regions after China's entry into the WTO to construct a difference‐in‐differences and instrumental variable identification. We show that 1% increase in export expansion over GDP share exacerbates child' illness rates by 0.6%, and the effect is more pronounced for less educated parents. The increasing workloads and having less time to look after the child account for the increasing illness rates, especially for mothers.
Hydrostatic pressure influence activity and assembly of bacterial communities in reservoir sediments
Authors: Wu Hainan , Li Yi , Zhang Wenlong , Niu Lihua , Gao Yu , Hui Cizhang , Bertilsson Stefan
Published: March 2021

Reservoir sediments are subjected to highly variable hydrostatic pressures, but little is known about the direct impacts of this environmental variable on microbial communities and biogeochemical processes mediated by microbes in the numerous deep reservoirs (>100 m) scattered across our planet.

To address this gap, the organic matter degradation and community assembly of sediment bacteria were studied in bioreactors maintained under different hydrostatic pressures (0.5–3.0 MPa) and explored using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analysis.

Our results showed that rates of CO2 and CH4 production and microbial activity decreased significantly with increasing pressure, at least when exceeding 1.0 MPa. In contrast, α‐diversity and community structure of the active (16S rRNA) and total (16S rRNA gene) bacterial communities did not show any significant response to the different hydrostatic pressures, but a co‐occurrence network demonstrated that interactions between bacterial populations were stronger at higher pressures (≥1.5 MPa).

Moreover, ecological null model analyses revealed that when the pressure exceeded 1.5 MPa, the main assembly processes of bacterial communities changed from stochastic to deterministic. These findings corroborate an important role of pressure in the assembly and emerging interactions within sediment bacterial communities.

Our results imply that increased hydrostatic pressure caused by dam constructions may hamper the metabolism of the sediment microbiota, and that this may result in enhanced sediment burial of nutrients and organic matter, at least when pressures exceed 1.0 MPa.
Incidence and factors associated with prescribing renin‐angiotensin‐system inhibitors in adult idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Nishiwaki Hiroki , Niihata Kakuya , Shimizu Sayaka , Shibagaki Yugo , Yamamoto Ryohei , Nitta Kosaku , Tsukamoto Tatsuo , Uchida Shunya , Takeda Asami , Okada Hirokazu , Narita Ichiei , Isaka Yoshitaka , Kurita Noriaki ,   Japan Nephrotic Syndrome Cohort Study group
Published: March 2021

Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are prescribed as conservative or adjunctive therapies for adult idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. However, studies on real‐world practice patterns are scarce. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and incidence of ACEI/ARB prescription and their associated factors. This nationwide cohort study included adult Japanese patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome including minimal change disease (MCD), membranous nephropathy (MN), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and others. The outcomes were the prevalence of ACEI/ARB prescription at baseline (date of renal biopsy or date of immunosuppressant initiation) and at 2 months after baseline. Of the 326 eligible patients, 122 (37.4%) had already been prescribed ACEIs/ARBs. Of the remaining 204 patients, 67 (32.7%) were newly prescribed within the 2‐month period. MN/FSGS (vs. MCD, adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.96 [95% confidence interval {CI} 2.53–9.72] and 3.95 [95% CI 1.61–9.66], respectively), higher age (per 1‐yr increase, AOR: 1.02 [95% CI 1.00–1.04]), other hypertensive agents (AOR: 2.18 [95% CI 1.21–3.92]), antidiabetic drug (AOR: 6.57 [95% CI 1.77–24.4]) were associated with a higher prevalence of ACEI/ARB prescription. MN (vs. MCD, AOR: 6.00 [95% CI 2.57–14.0]) and higher baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) (per 10‐mmHg increase, AOR: 1.36 [95% CI 1.09–1.70]) were associated with a higher incidence of ACEI/ARB prescription. On average, incidence of ACEI/ARB prescription increased from 19.2% to 40.8% as baseline SBP increased from 100 to 140 mmHg. Thus, Japanese nephrologists are likely to prescribe ACEIs/ARBs for nephrotic patients with MN or high baseline SBP, even below the hypertensive range.
Acupoint catgut embedding improves senescence in a rat model of ageing by regulating mitophagy via the PINK1 pathway
Authors: Zhou Meiling , Yuan Yumei , Lin Zishu , Zhang Bin , Qin Wenluo , Liu Yongqiang , Yang Cong , Wang Qi , Zhang Hong
Published: March 2021

Ageing population is a tough task worldwide, and the aggravating trend of ageing population in China brings enormous pressure to healthcare system. Chinese acupuncture has shown definite anti‐ageing effect as arthralgia relief, movement improvement, energy increase and immunity enhancement; however, the mechanisms underlying are far away from illumination. Increasing literature has highlighted the role of alterations in mitochondrial function as a potential central regulator in ageing biology; mitophagy plays a critical role in mitochondrial quality control. In the present study, we demonstrated that acupoint catgut embedding treatment ameliorated ageing‐related alterations in appearance, muscle function and spatial memory in rats, reduced degenerated cells in hippocampus, and maintained relatively normal structures in the hippocampus tissue and neurons. These changes were proved to be associated with the regulation of mitochondrial function and autophagic activity. Furthermore, we investigated part of the molecular mechanisms and demonstrated that the PINK1 other than PINK1–Parkin signalling pathway involved in the effects of acupoint catgut embedding, and the imbalancement between mitochondrial fusion and fission and stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis may aggravate or compensate for impaired mitochondria. The factors act downstream PINK, and the interaction between them for mitochondrial homeostasis in this process remains to be identified.
Job Stress, Psychological Capital, Perceived Social Support, and Occupational Burnout Among Hospital Nurses
Authors: Liu Ying , Aungsuroch Yupin , Gunawan Joko , Zeng Dejian
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To determine the structural relationships among nurses’ occupational burnout, job stress, psychological capital, and perceived support from society.

Design

A cross‐sectional design was performed to collect data from 766 registered nurses in three general tertiary Class A hospitals from March to August 2018.

Methods

Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the proposed model.

Findings

The research data supported the proposed model. Psychological capital, job stress, and perceived social support significantly influenced occupational burnout. Job stress indirectly influenced burnout through perceived social support and psychological capital. The influencing factors accounted for 49% of the variance in explaining burnout.

Conclusions

The findings identified structural relationships among the four studied variables. This study provides new information regarding the preventive role of perceived social support and psychological capital, which perform the mediating role between job stress and occupational burnout.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing administrators should provide a healthy work environment, effective psychological capital training, and assistance to reduce nurses’ occupational burnout.
Nurse navigators and person‐centred care; delivered but not valued?
Authors: Byrne Amy‐Louise , Harvey Clare , Baldwin Adele
Published: March 2021

Positioning the individual at the centre of care (person‐centred care [PCC]) is essential to improving outcomes for people living with multiple chronic conditions. However, research also suggests that this is structurally challenging because health systems continue to adopt long‐standing, episodic care encounters. One strategy to provide a more cohesive, individualised approach to care is the implementation of the nurse navigator role. Current research shows that although PCC is a focus of navigation, such care may be hindered by the rigid, systematised health services providing siloed specialist care. In this paper, we utilised a case study method to investigate the experiences of a nurse navigator and patient. The nurse navigator and the patient participated in individual interviews, the transcripts of which were analysed using critical discourse analysis. Findings from a larger research project suggest that traditional measures (hospital avoidance, emergency department usage) which work as the service objectives of the nurse navigator service have the potential to stifle the delivery of PCC. The analysis from this case study supports the broader findings and further highlights the need for improved alignment between service objectives and the health and well‐being of the individuals utilising the services.
The rise of the syndrome – sub‐optimal growth disorders in farmed shrimp
Authors: Kooloth Valappil Rajendran , Stentiford Grant D. , Bass David
Published: March 2021

The phenomenon of slow growth in farmed shrimp was observed for the first time in 1989 in Penaeus vannamei as a clinical manifestation of runt deformity syndrome caused by infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus. Subsequently, it was recorded in Penaeus monodon during 2001–2002. Since then, the condition described as monodon slow growth syndrome (MSGS) has been reported from many countries. Though not leading to mortality, retarded growth at the pond level results in significant economic losses. Several potential pathogens have been identified from affected shrimp; however, no confirmed causal relationship has yet been established. Initially, P. vannamei farmed alongside slow growth‐affected P. monodon were unaffected by the condition. Further, experimental studies suggested that P. vannamei was not susceptible. However, in recent years, increasing incidence of severe growth retardation has been reported in farmed P. vannamei. Currently, slow growth is considered as one of the most impactful production‐limiting conditions affecting shrimp farming across Asia. Similar to MSGS, many infectious agents have been detected in slow growth‐affected P. vannamei, especially the microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei. Further, genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to play a role. However, the exact cause of slow growth remains elusive, proposing that it may be a multi‐factor syndrome. This review tracks the trajectory of the condition over the period of significant expansion of shrimp farming and postulates that conventional single pathogen/single disease paradigms are insufficient to deal with chronic yield‐limiting syndromes. We suggest more realistic, multi‐dimensional aetiological consideration of syndromic and emerging diseases in shrimp aquaculture.
A survey of attributes of surgical resident applicants deemed important to American College of Veterinary Surgeons board‐certified surgeons involved in resident selection and methods used to evaluate these attributes
Authors: Upchurch David A. , Renberg Walter C.
Published: March 2021

Objective

To determine which attributes of residency applicants were most commonly assessed by large and small animal American College of Veterinary Surgeons diplomates and to determine which evaluation methods were perceived to assess those attributes.

Study design

Online survey.

Sample population

American College of Veterinary Surgeons board‐certified surgeons as of March 2019.

Methods

An online survey was sent to eligible individuals. Respondents rated the importance of 23 attributes assessed by the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) application as well the usefulness of interviews, conversations with people knowledgeable with the applicants, and review of the VIRMP packet for evaluating each of these attributes. Responses were compared between large and small animal practitioners and between individuals involved in residency selection (supervisors) and individuals not involved in residency selection (nonsupervisors).

Results

Surveys were completed by 221 individuals (14.6% response rate). Seventeen of the 23 attributes were considered important by most respondents. Grade point average (GPA) and class rank were used as screening tools by 73% and 65% of supervisors, respectively. Letters of reference (LOR) were ranked as the most important part of the VIRMP packet. Conversations with people knowledgeable with the applicant was the only method judged by most respondents to be appropriate to evaluate all 23 attributes. Responses were similar between large and small animal supervisors and nonsupervisors.

Conclusion

Respondents considered conversations with people knowledgeable with the applicant to be the most useful methods for assessing a resident applicant, but LOR, GPA, and class rank were also important.

Impact

Resident applicants and mentors can use this information to strengthen applications.
Phytodiversity in Christmas‐tree plantations under different management regimes
Authors: Streitberger Merle , Fartmann Thomas
Published: March 2021

Christmas trees are increasingly being cultivated throughout Europe. Christmas‐tree plantations (CTP) are characterised by intensive vegetation management, which is essential for ensuring tree quality. Within conventional CTP, herbicides are applied extensively, whereas in organic plantations, alternative methods for vegetation management, such as grazing, are implemented. A further characteristic of organic CTP is the application of organic fertiliser. We compared soil conditions, habitat structure and phytodiversity of differently managed CTP for deriving management recommendations for promoting plant species diversity in CTP. We focused on four different plantation types, representing a gradient of land‐use intensity: conventional CTP in open landscapes (CTP‐OPEN) and on former windthrows (CTP‐WIND), organic CTP (CTP‐ORG) and fir‐greenery plantations (FIR) as a baseline for lowest land‐use intensity. Our study discovered clear differences in soil characteristics, habitat structure and phytodiversity among the different plantation types. However, former land use had only little impact, as the differences between the two conventional CTP (CTP‐OPEN/‐WIND) were small. Soil conditions were similar among the three types of CTP compared to FIR. In contrast, habitat structure and phytodiversity differed between the two conventional CTP and the less intensively managed CTP‐ORG and FIR. Conventional CTP were characterised by open vegetation with relatively low plant species richness and a low number of stress‐tolerant species, but some neophytes. In contrast, CTP‐ORG and FIR had a high cover of grasses, the highest overall species richness and the highest number of stress‐tolerant species. For promoting plant species diversity in CTP, we recommend a reduction in management intensity, especially herbicide application.
Site‐specific weed management—constraints and opportunities for the weed research community: Insights from a workshop
Authors: Lati Ran Nisim , Rasmussen Jesper , Andujar Dionisio , Dorado Jose , Berge Therese W. , Wellhausen Christina , Pflanz Michael , Nordmeyer Henning , Schirrmann Michael , Eizenberg Hanan , Neve Paul , Jørgensen Rasmus Nyholm , Christensen Svend
Published: March 2021

The adoption of site‐specific weed management (SSWM) technologies by farmers is not aligned with the scientific achievements in this field. While scientists have demonstrated significant success in real‐time weed identification, phenotyping and accurate weed mapping by using various sensors and platforms, the integration by farmers of SSWM and weed phenotyping tools into weed management protocols is limited. This gap was therefore a central topic of discussion at the most recent workshop of the SSWM Working Group arranged by the European Weed Research Society (EWRS). This insight paper aims to summarise the presentations and discussions of some of the workshop panels and to highlight different aspects of weed identification and spray application that were thought to hinder SSWM adoption. It also aims to share views and thoughts regarding steps that can be taken to facilitate future implementation of SSWM.