bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of green supply chain management practices on the triple bottom line: a study on apparel manufacturers of Sri Lanka
Authors: Susitha Emmanuel , Nanayakkara Madhurika
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the impact of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices on the triple bottom line’s economic, social and environmental performance of Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers.

Design/methodology/approach

This quantitative study uses a deductive approach. The practice-based view is used to support the conceptual framework. The partial least square structural equation modelling technique empirically assessed the conceptual model using 164 responses from Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers through a structured survey questionnaire. Apart from examining the direct effects of GSCM practice on the triple bottom line, the study also investigated the moderating effects of firm size and duration.

Findings

The results show that GSCM practices positively affect the organisation’s triple bottom line while business size and duration moderate the said relationship.

Research limitations/implications

The fact that this study is based on Sri Lankan apparel producers may impact the generalizability of the findings across different industries and countries. Furthermore, the survey only looked at export manufacturers. This raises questions about the results’ relevance to other non-export groups of the current population with distinct characteristics.

Practical implications

The paper provides insights for both academia and practitioners on the importance of adopting GSCM practices for the business performance of apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka. The paper includes implications for devising strategic solutions for organisational performance and sustainability by using GSCM practices in apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the body of knowledge in the GSCM field in general. This research also contributes to the limited literature on GSCM practices in Sri Lanka. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to explain how apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka are organised.
Does financial distress induce companies to restructure their financing mix?
Authors: Rawal Aashi , Bhimavarapu Venkata Mrudula , Sidhu Anureet Virk , Rastogi Shailesh
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Distressed companies create panic among investors. The overall effect comes on the economy and leads to a degraded image and value of all the companies operating in a country. These distressing situations are harmful to the efficient development of a country in process of development. Financial distress (FD) is when a company or individual cannot promise to pay their obligations on time. Therefore, to analyze the threatening impacts of FD, the current study aims to reveal the impact of FD on the debt ratio (proxy of capital structure) of firms working in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Panel data analysis (PDA) has been used in the current study to analyze the data and generate novel results. The authors have considered the secondary data of firms present in the S&P BSE 100 index for ten financial years, i.e. 2010 to 2019.

Findings

This study has established that FD has no significant impact on the firm's capital structure. In addition, it has also been proved that asset size, learner's index, market capitalization and operating profit margin (OPM) have no interacting impact on the association between FD and the capital mix of firms.

Originality/value

As per the authors’ observation, no such study has been conducted till now that involves finding out the moderating impact of four different but significant factors of the business environment (assets size, learner's index, market capitalization and OPM) on the association between FD and capital structure of companies operating in a such an extensive and diverse economy.
Sri Lanka’s political-economic crisis; corruption, abuse of power and economic crime
Authors: Abeyagoonasekera Asanga
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the present Sri Lankan political-economic crisis and its connection to corruption. The paper will discuss the autocratic rule, elite domination of state extractive systems, which have been moulded and configured by Sri Lanka’s political environment over decades. Elite capture has become a significant factor. Sri Lanka’s authoritarian model exercised by Gotabaya Rajapaksa reduced competitive mode and shifted towards a monopolistic corruption structure, centralising on the first family and military rule where powerful elites supported the model. The paper attempts to find the connection between dysfunctional political model and economic crimes committed through several case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses five case studies using qualitative analysis using secondary data. The insider trading case study is discussed with quantitative data. Several political and social analyses were carried out with primary data captured from field research by the author.

Findings

Sri Lankan economic crisis was triggered because of high-level corruption. The autocratic model introduced by the political authority failed to fight corruption. Transnational mechanisms will fail if there is no credibility and commitment in their own respective nations such as in the USA. External factors such as China in Sri Lanka did have an impact for elite capture.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited only to five case studies. Transnational mechanism and recommendations require a lengthy study. Only one external factor was assessed because of its significance; there could be other external factors for elite capture.

Practical implications

This study has limited access to capture primary data because of sensitivity during a heavy autocratic regime. Because of state and self-censorship, secondary data had to be tested.

Social implications

Economic crisis in Sri Lanka is an example to many developing nations fighting corruption. The autocratic family rule supported by external forces crippled the state anti-corruption processes. Economic crime is a key driver for poverty and economic crisis.

Originality/value

This is a unique paper that examines Sri Lanka’s present economic crisis and its political model and economic crime. The paper will discuss transnational mechanisms for anti-corruption and attempt to apply to the Sri Lankan crisis.
Intention to adopt Islamic finance through the mediation of attitudes towards Islamic finance
Authors: Shah Naimatullah , Bhatti Mitho Khan , Anwar Sadia , Soomro Bahadur Ali
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the intention to adopt Islamic finance (ItIF) through the mediation of attitudes towards Islamic finance among microbusiness owners of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is co-relational and based on cross-sectional data. The authors gathered the data from microbusiness owners through a survey questionnaire. The authors used 236 valid cases to assume the outcomes.

Findings

The results through structural equation modeling reveal a significant positive effect of the perception of Shariah compliance (PoSC), knowledge of the Islamic financial system (KoIF), religious preferences (RP) and loyalty on ItIF. Furthermore, attitude towards Islamic finance (AtIF) is a potent factor in developing the relationship between PoSC, KoIF, RP, loyalty and ItIF.

Practical implications

The study’s findings would be helpful for planners and policymakers in developing policies that favourably enhance the attitudes and intentions among individuals towards Islamic financing. The results would inspire readers to go to Islamic finance and an interest-free financial system enriched with Shariah law or Islamic obligations. The study would provide implications for the financial institutions in Pakistan and the rest of the Muslim world.

Originality/value

The study offers an apparent thoughtfulness of the empirical evidence from microbusiness owners of Pakistan. The study would provide a plausible mediating contribution of AtIF.
Opportunity mapping: locating the upside of risk through visual mapping
Authors: Case Tyler
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The increasing prevalence of enterprise risk coupled with global competition requires a strategic link to the way forward through measured outcomes determined in a collaborative and visual manner.

Design/methodology/approach

The model was conceptualized and validated through strategic management deficiencies encountered in venture ownership, management consulting and teaching practice and was augmented with extensive stakeholder input and existing scholarly research.

Findings

Managing risk is a complex and somewhat dark task that can happen everywhere or nowhere within a firm and requires mitigating strategies developed with stakeholder consensus. In practice with three distinct audiences of entrepreneurs, senior managers and capstone student strategists, the model does facilitate linked risk and opportunity identification as well as the quantification and/or qualification of variables. The process is as impactful as the outcomes when individual risk “appetites” and a collective risk culture emerge.

Practical implications

Innovative organizations must regularly scan their external environment and assess internal resources and capabilities in a structured and actionable manner while understanding their risk culture. Valuable outcomes emerge from facilitating strategic risk management discussions, particularly in growing and informal organizations. Risk communications with stakeholders are complex and increasingly important.

Originality/value

Opportunity mapping offers a novel process to identify prioritized strategies that may be otherwise determined intuitively with limited input or absent altogether. The process facilitates actionable outcomes as a supplement to the known practice of risk assessment while contributing to a competitive advantage.
Deep decomposition learning for reflectivity inversion
Authors: Torres Kristian , Sacchi Mauricio D
Published: May 2023

We report a combination of classical regularization theory with a null space neural network approach based on deep decomposition learning, paying particular attention to the solution of one ubiquitous problem in seismic exploration: the recovery of full‐band reflectivity from band‐limited seismic traces. The method extends the popular post‐processing approach by learning how to improve an initial reconstruction with estimated missing components from the null space of the forward operator, which in our case, are the missing frequency components of the reflectivity. We integrate the null space element prediction to act in conjunction with convolutional neural network based denoising and a data‐consistent algorithm. The proposed framework honours the input measurements while enforcing generalization. Numerical experiments on synthetic and real datasets show that the proposed method naturally enforces a high‐resolution prediction consistent with the low‐resolution input seismic traces. We compare its performance with state‐of‐the‐art thin‐bed reflectivity estimation methods.
Preprocessing of passive‐source ocean‐bottom seismometer data in the Mariana subduction zone
Authors: Li Dong , Chen Chuanxu , Zhang Hanyu , Wang Yuan , Wu Shiguo
Published: May 2023

The data collected by ocean‐bottom seismometers are unique compared to that of land seismic stations and require preprocessing before use. In this study, we focus on preprocessing seismic data obtained from a passive‐source experiment in the Mariana subduction zone conducted by the Institute of Deep‐Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences from 2018 to 2019. We outline the steps involved in preprocessing the data, including time correction using the ocean background noise cross‐correlation function, tilt correction using a transfer function and orientation correction based on seismic wave polarization. Our results show that the maximum clock drifting was ∼4 s on two stations (K06 and K20), whereas the rest of the station waveforms have clock drifting of less than 2 s. Among stations, only the K06 station is tilted, and the tilt angle is 19.82°. We use the P‐wave and Rayleigh wave polarization methods to determine the orientation. Our results indicate that the error in the result obtained using the P‐wave polarization method is less than that of the Rayleigh wave polarization method. Additionally, we address the advantages and disadvantages of these preprocessing techniques. Our goal is to offer a comprehensive overview of the preprocessing process, to assist beginners in the field and to serve as a foundation for future research in passive‐source ocean‐bottom seismometers.
DeepWild: Application of the pose estimation tool DeepLabCut for behaviour tracking in wild chimpanzees and bonobos
Authors: Wiltshire Charlotte , Lewis‐Cheetham James , Komedová Viola , Matsuzawa Tetsuro , Graham Kirsty E. , Hobaiter Catherine
Published: May 2023

Studying animal behaviour allows us to understand how different species and individuals navigate their physical and social worlds. Video coding of behaviour is considered a gold standard: allowing researchers to extract rich nuanced behavioural datasets, validate their reliability, and for research to be replicated. However, in practice, videos are only useful if data can be efficiently extracted. Manually locating relevant footage in 10,000 s of hours is extremely time‐consuming, as is the manual coding of animal behaviour, which requires extensive training to achieve reliability.

Machine learning approaches are used to automate the recognition of patterns within data, considerably reducing the time taken to extract data and improving reliability. However, tracking visual information to recognise nuanced behaviour is a challenging problem and, to date, the tracking and pose‐estimation tools used to detect behaviour are typically applied where the visual environment is highly controlled.

Animal behaviour researchers are interested in applying these tools to the study of wild animals, but it is not clear to what extent doing so is currently possible, or which tools are most suited to particular problems. To address this gap in knowledge, we describe the new tools available in this rapidly evolving landscape, suggest guidance for tool selection, provide a worked demonstration of the use of machine learning to track movement in video data of wild apes, and make our base models available for use.

We use a pose‐estimation tool, DeepLabCut, to demonstrate successful training of two pilot models of an extremely challenging pose estimate and tracking problem: multi‐animal wild forest‐living chimpanzees and bonobos across behavioural contexts from hand‐held video footage.

With DeepWild we show that, without requiring specific expertise in machine learning, pose estimation and movement tracking of free‐living wild primates in visually complex environments is an attainable goal for behavioural researchers.
Rethinking the nation and international relations: The space of nation states
Authors: Schmitz Andreas , Atkinson Will , Lebaron Frédéric
Published: May 2023

Efforts to move sociology beyond the nation state and international relations theory have both been plagued by several limitations and dualisms. Recent research has begun to find ways beyond the problems by turning to Pierre Bourdieu's relational conception of social structure and practice. Yet one specific relational structure forming a key part of the puzzle has been neglected or merely implicitly assumed so far: the space of nation states. After clarifying the structural‐constructivist nature of this concept, we aim to specify it by constructing an empirical model of the contemporary space of nation states using a specially compiled dataset and tools of geometric data analysis. The analysis reveals the distribution of powers on the world scene, and more specifically, the uneven possession of two varieties of “meta‐capital” understood as capacities to regulate the value and exchangeability of certain capitals and to decree what even defines a legitimate “state”. We argue that the nation state, which is accurately understood as a contingent construct and well‐founded fiction from a Bourdieusian viewpoint, should not be excluded when analyzing the expression and reproduction of contemporary global power relations.
Growing a rural family physician workforce: The contributions of rural background and rural place of residency training
Authors: Patterson Davis G. , Shipman Scott A. , Pollack Samantha W. , Andrilla C. Holly A. , Schmitz David , Evans David V. , Peterson Lars E. , Longenecker Randall
Published: May 2023

Objective

To determine the distinct influences of rural background and rural residency training on rural practice choice among family physicians.

Data Sources and Study Setting

We used a subset of The RTT Collaborative rural residency list and longitudinal data on family physicians from the American Board of Family Medicine National Graduate Survey (NGS; three cohorts, 2016–2018) and American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

Study Design

We conducted a logistic regression, computing predictive marginals to assess associations of background and residency location with physician practice location 3 years post‐residency.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We merged NGS data with residency type—rural or urban—and practice location with AMCAS data on rural background.

Principal Findings

Family physicians from a rural background were more likely to choose rural practice (39.2%, 95% CI = 35.8, 42.5) than those from an urban background (13.8%, 95% CI = 12.5, 15.0); 50.9% (95% CI = 43.0, 58.8) of trainees in rural residencies chose rural practice, compared with 18.0% (95% CI = 16.8, 19.2) of urban trainees.

Conclusions

Increasing rural programs for training residents from both rural and urban backgrounds, as well as recruiting more rural students to medical education, could increase the number of rural family physicians.
Effects of first‐line antidiabetic drugs on the improvement of arterial stiffness: A Bayesian network meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Jincheng , Wang Yuhan , Wang Yueheng , Li Yu , Zhang Jiamei , Zhang Han , Fu Xiaomin , Guo Zhiqin , Yang Ying , Kang Kaining , Zhang Wei , Tian Li , Wu Yanqiang , Xin Shuanli , Liu Hongzhou
Published: May 2023

Background

Changes in vascular function are closely associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a potential indicator of vascular dysfunction; it allows noninvasive assessment of arterial stiffness. Currently, evidence for the effects of different classes of antidiabetic drugs on arterial stiffness remains limited. In this study, a network meta‐analysis (NMA) was performed to explore the associations between changes in arterial stiffness and first‐line antidiabetic drugs by evaluating PWV in patients with different metabolic abnormalities.

Methods

We systematically searched several electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from inception until 25 August 2022, without language restrictions. The primary outcome was the change in PWV (ΔPWV) in all included studies; subgroup analysis was performed for patients with abnormal glucose metabolism, including prediabetes and diabetes mellitus. NMA was performed to calculate the mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as effect sizes to evaluate the ΔPWV.

Results

Among the 2257 candidate articles identified in the initial search, 18 RCTs were eventually included in the analysis. In all studies, two classes of new antidiabetic drugs, glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor (GLP‐1R) agonists and sSodium‐glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT‐2) inhibitors, improved arterial stiffness by decreasing PWV compared with placebo (MD = −1.11, 95% CI: −1.94 to 0.28) and (MD = −0.76, 95% CI: −1.45 to −0.08). A conventional antidiabetic drug, metformin, also showed similar efficacy compared with placebo (MD = −0.73, 95% CI: −1.33 to −0.12). Finally, in subgroup studies of patients with abnormal glucose metabolism diseases, GLP‐1R agonists (MD = −1.06, 95% CI: −2.05 to −0.10) significantly decreased PWV compared with placebo.

Conclusion

Three classes of antidiabetic drugs—GLP‐1R agonists, SGLT‐2 inhibitors, and metformin—have the potential to improve arterial stiffness. Among the six classes of antidiabetic drugs analyzed, GLP‐1R agonists constitute the only class of drugs that improves arterial stiffness in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism diseases.
The wrong kind of information
Authors: Kuvalekar Aditya , Ramos João , Schneider Johannes
Published: May 2023

Agents, some with a bias, decide between undertaking a risky project and a safe alternative based on information about the project's efficiency. Only a part of that information is verifiable. Unbiased agents want to undertake only efficient projects, but biased agents want to undertake any project. If the project causes harm, a court examines the verifiable information, forms a belief about the agent's type, and decides the punishment. Tension arises between deterring inefficient projects and a chilling effect on using the unverifiable information. Improving the unverifiable information always increases overall efficiency, but improving the verifiable information may reduce efficiency.
Documenting Jordan's epigraphic heritage: Preliminary remarks on newly discovered Safaitic inscriptions
Authors: Al‐Manaser Ali
Published: May 2023

This paper presents some of the new Safaitic inscriptions that were found in 2022 in one of the branches of Wādī al‐Khuḍarī, which is in al‐Ḥarrah approximately 35 km to the northwest of al‐Ruwayshed (H4). Two of these inscriptions bear an attestation for the verb ṣlb, meaning ‘to crucify’. This is the fourth appearance of that verb in Safaitic inscriptions. The verb is thoroughly discussed in this study since the topic of crucifixion in the context of Safaitic epigraphy is of particular interest and has been the subject of scholarly dispute. The present research also provides an explanation for some geographical terms that are used by local residents and researchers to refer to the locations of the inscriptions. Apart from the philological analysis of these selected texts, the paper presents an overview of the ‘Badia Epigraphic Surveys’ (BES) project, which was launched by Michael C. A. Macdonald and Ali Al‐Manaser in 2015, and aims to redocument the inscriptions and rock art from the Jordanian Ḥarrah region. As a part of this project, five survey seasons have been conducted so far. During these surveys, nearly 400,000 images from the Jordanian Badia were photographed. These include images of the inscriptions and images of the sites where the texts were found. Some of these images are a redocumentation of inscriptions that were previously reported by various researchers, and some of the images contain new inscriptions that will be added to the ‘Online Corpus of the Inscriptions of Ancient North Arabia’ (OCIANA) database. It is important to note that soon after the launch of the BES project, interest in the Jordanian Badia region began to increase, and many epigraphic and archaeological surveys have been conducted in this region. Furthermore, the Jordanian government has recently registered the Jordanian Ḥarrah region on the Tentative List of World Heritage.
An anatomical and volumetric study on brain ventricles in sheep using different techniques
Authors: Kose Fatma , Duzler Ayhan
Published: May 2023

This study investigated the morphological features of the ventricular system of the brain in Akkaraman sheep in a measured and structural manner. In the study, 24 adults male Akkaraman sheep, which is a common and hornless breed were used. Anatomical features of the ventricular system were determined by latex injection and dissection, acrylic injection and corrosion cast and magnetic resonance imaging. In the measurements, a precise digital calliper, Archimedes' principle, Cavalieri's principle and ITK‐SNAP imaging were used by comparing them with each other. The average weight of fresh sheep brains was 102 g (0.226 lb), the volume 115.8 mL and the length, height and width were 130.78, 40.58 and 70.08 mm, respectively. The olfactoric bulb contained a cavity associated with the lateral ventricle, large enough to be called a ventricle. The cavity of septum pellucidum has a large cavity was observed. However, there was no cerebrospinal fluid in this cavity. The interventricular foramen of the dissected brain was also an opening measuring 1.4 mm × 3.9 mm × 5.5 mm. The total volume of the ventricles of the brain of Akkaraman sheep was found to be 7107.71 ± 479, 7115 ± 737 and 7080 ± 647 mm3 and 6200 mm3 using the Planimetry, Point Counting method, ITK‐SNAP program, and Archimedes' principle, respectively. In the study, species and breed‐specific brain indices values and many detailed morphometric data were obtained.
Surgical management of necrotising enterocolitis in Sweden: A national cohort study
Authors: Svenningsson Anna , Borg Helena , Hagander Lars , Engstrand Lilja Helene
Published: May 2023

Aim

Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is the dominating surgical emergency in preterm neonates. The aims were to investigate indications, surgical management and mortality for surgically treated neonates with NEC.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register for Swedish neonates with surgically treated NEC from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021. Diagnosis was validated by surgical records and histopathology. Neonates with isolated spontaneous intestinal perforation were excluded.

Results

In total, 109 neonates were included. Median gestational age was 25 weeks (22–38), and median birth weight was 771 g (269–3920). Preoperative pneumoperitoneum was found in 32%, portal venous gas in 25% and clinical deterioration on conservative treatment in 26% of the neonates. Among the 97 neonates presenting with small bowel necrosis, single‐focal NEC occurred in 38 (39%), multifocal NEC in 35 (36%) and panintestinal NEC in 24 (25%). A primary anastomosis was performed in 10/87 (11%) of the neonates with bowel resection at primary surgery. Clip‐and‐drop technique was applied in 24/87 (28%).Mortality rate was 37%.

Conclusion

Mortality was well comparable with earlier reports considering exclusion of spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) and the low gestational age of the study population. Resection of necrotic bowel with stoma formation was the dominating surgical method.
Skin‐to‐skin contact after birth: Developing a research and practice guideline
Authors: Brimdyr Kajsa , Stevens Jeni , Svensson Kristin , Blair Anna , Turner‐Maffei Cindy , Grady Julie , Bastarache Louise , al Alfy Abla , Crenshaw Jeannette T. , Giugliani Elsa Regina Justo , Ewald Uwe , Haider Rukhsana , Jonas Wibke , Kagawa Mike , Lilliesköld Siri , Maastrup Ragnhild , Sinclair Ravae , Swift Emma , Takahashi Yuki , Cadwell Karin
Published: May 2023

Aim

Skin‐to‐skin contact immediately after birth is recognised as an evidence‐based best practice and an acknowledged contributor to improved short‐ and long‐term health outcomes including decreased infant mortality. However, the implementation and definition of skin‐to‐skin contact is inconsistent in both practice and research studies. This project utilised the World Health Organization guideline process to clarify best practice and improve the consistency of application.

Methods

The rigorous guideline development process combines a systematic review with acumen and judgement of experts with a wide range of credentials and experience.

Results

The developed guideline received a strong recommendation from the Expert Panel. The result concluded that there was a high level of confidence in the evidence and that the practice is not resource intensive. Research gaps were identified and areas for continued work were delineated.

Conclusion

The World Health Organization guideline development process reached the conclusion immediate, continuous, uninterrupted skin‐to‐skin contact should be the standard of care for all mothers and all babies (from 1000 g with experienced staff if assistance is needed), after all modes of birth. Delaying non‐essential routine care in favour of uninterrupted skin‐to‐skin contact after birth has been shown to be safe and allows for the progression of newborns through their instinctive behaviours.
Editorial: coeliac disease follow‐up guided by gluten immunogenic peptides—are we there yet?
Authors: Tye‐Din Jason A.
Published: May 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Garzón‐Benavides et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17417 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17492
Letter: factors influencing discontinuation of aspirin in patients after gastrointestinal bleeding – authors' reply
Authors: Li Darrick K. , Laine Loren
Published: May 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Li et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17278 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17500.
Robot‐assisted low anterior resection for a rectal cancer patient with ileal conduit: A case report
Authors: Yamamoto Daisuke , Kotake Masanori , Ishibayashi Kenichi , Fujimori Daisuke , Saito Hiroshi , Sawada Koichiro , Oshima Masahiro , Hayashi Hironori , Oyama Kaeko , Hara Takuo , Inaki Noriyuki
Published: May 2023

Surgery for rectal cancer patients with an ileal conduit after total cystectomy is difficult because adhesions in the pelvis and around the ileal conduit are expected. In the present case, we performed robot‐assisted low anterior resection of the rectum in a 69‐year‐old male patient with rectal cancer who underwent ileal conduit diversion after total cystectomy. In this procedure, the port was inserted into the left upper abdomen as a first step, and two additional ports were added on the left side. Low anterior resection was performed using two left hands to create more space in the abdominal cavity for the ileal conduit. We present this minimally invasive robotic procedure that is extremely useful for dissection of adhesions in a narrow pelvic cavity.
Systematic review: Impact of parental decision on paediatric COVID‐19 vaccination
Authors: Garbin Artênio José Ísper , Chiba Erika Kiyoko , Garbin Cléa Adas Saliba , Chiba Fernando Yamamoto , Moimaz Suzely Adas Saliba , Saliba Tânia Adas
Published: May 2023

Objective

The objective was to carry out a systematic review on the acceptance of parents to vaccinate their children against COVID‐19 and the factors that contribute for vaccination hesitancy.

Methods

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Re‐ views and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) strategy were followed. A search was carried out in the VHL Regional Portal, PubMed, Scielo, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus databases. We included articles that assessed the rate of acceptance and/or hesitation of parents and the factors that affect the decision about vaccination against COVID‐19 for their children in cross‐sectional studies. Laboratory studies, animal models, tests and case reports that elected other aspects related to COVID‐19 were excluded. The methodological quality of the studies was based on the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data, developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.

Results

From the 708 articles found, 237 studies remained after removal of duplicates. Titles and abstracts of these publications were evaluated and, applying the exclusion criteria, 56 articles were selected. Inclusion criteria were employed and 28 studies were eligible. Overall average vaccination acceptance rate was 55.81%, and the main reasons for vaccine hesitancy were uncertainty of vaccine efficacy and safety, concerns about side effects, and lack of access to relevant information.

Conclusion

The research results can be useful for the development of health education and parental awareness strategies in order to promote greater adherence to vaccination against COVID‐19.
Species accumulation in novel grassland habitats is linked to land cover history
Authors: Horstmann Svenja , Auffret Alistair G. , Dániel‐Ferreira Juliana , Öckinger Erik
Published: May 2023

Novel grassland habitats along linear infrastructure have gained attention as potential supplementary or replacement habitats for species suffering from the widespread loss of traditionally managed semi‐natural grasslands. However, it can take time for species to colonise new habitats, and both the historical and the current landscape composition can affect colonisation rates, particularly for grassland specialist species. We investigated the influence of more than 100 years of landscape history on present‐day species richness of plants, butterflies and bumblebees in two types of linear infrastructure habitats: road verges and power line corridors. We analysed the effects of time since habitat establishment and the amount of surrounding grassland cover in different time periods on species richness of the three taxa. Our results suggest a long time lag in the establishment of plant species in novel grassland habitats, with richness of butterflies and bumblebees largely dependent on the richness of plant species. There was no direct relationship between habitat age and the richness of butterflies or bumblebees, but we found unexpected legacy effects of grassland area on present‐day species richness. Higher richness of bumblebee species in road verges located in landscapes with larger surrounding grassland cover in the past is most likely a consequence of those landscapes containing a mosaic of afforested and abandoned grassland habitats today. Furthermore, we found that power line corridors might be important replacement habitats for butterflies in landscapes with little other grassland area left. Provided that road verges and power‐line corridors are managed appropriately, our results show that their species richness can be expected to increase in the future.
Long‐term efficacy in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma achieving a complete response with pixantrone
Authors: Cencini Emanuele , Rocco Melania , Ghio Francesco , Simonetti Federico , Cuccaro Annarosa , De Marco Federica , Consoli Chiara , Bocchia Monica , Fabbri Alberto
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The prognosis of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients with refractory or multiply relapsed (R/R) disease is disappointing. Pixantrone is currently approved as third or fourth line regimen, with encouraging results, even if long‐term follow‐up data are limited.

Methods

In this post‐hoc analysis of our observational study, we retrospectively investigated disease outcome and clinical characteristics of 16 R/R DLBCL patients who achieved a complete response with pixantrone.

Results

Pixantrone was administered as third or fourth line in 12/16 (75%) and 4/16 (25%) cases. After a median follow‐up of 24 months, 14/16 patients (87.5%) were alive (causes of death were progressive disease and secondary acute myeloid leukemia, one case each). Median progression‐free survival was 23.8 months, median duration of response was 17.8 months and median overall survival (OS) was not reached (2‐years OS was 84%). A significant proportion of patients achieved a long‐lasting response >12 months (7/16 cases). Response to prior therapy did not influence long‐term remission after pixantrone.

Conclusion

In this real‐life experience, pixantrone demonstrated long‐term efficacy in a cohort of R/R DLBCL cases who had previously received at least two prior regimens; many of whom had characteristics associated with poor prognosis.
Biogeographic context is related to local scale tree demography, co‐occurrence and functional differentiation
Authors: Swenson Nathan G. , Zambrano Jenny , Howe Robert , Wolf Amy
Published: May 2023

Identifying the drivers of community structure and dynamics is a major pursuit in ecology. Emphasis is typically placed on the importance of local scale interactions when attempting to explain these fundamental ecological patterns. However, regional scale phenomena are also important predictors. The importance of regional scale context should be more evident in assemblages where multiple species are close to their range margins. Here, we test the importance of regional scale context using data from a temperate forest plot that contains two species groups – one near its northern range limit and one near its southern range limit. We show the proximity of species to their southern or northern range margins is linked to local scale co‐occurrence, similarity in gene expression responses to a key environmental driver, demographic performance and inter‐specific variation in conspecific negative density dependence. In sum, many of the key local scale patterns and processes of interest to community ecologists are linked to biogeographic context that is frequently ignored.
Multifaceted effects of promotion focus on marital outcomes under mate value discrepancy
Authors: Lee Hanbyeol Esther , Kim Jeongwoo John , Cheon Jeong Eun , Kim Young‐Hoon
Published: May 2023

Objective

This study aimed to examine the effects of promotion focus on the relationship between high mate value discrepancy (MVD) and marital satisfaction and alternative monitoring behavior.

Background

Much research has documented the detrimental effects of MVD on marriage. Nevertheless, little work has been devoted to investigating the individual differences within the negative relationship between MVD and marital outcomes.

Method

In all, 700 Korean participants (350 men and 350 women) were recruited for an online survey. The moderating effects of promotion focus on the relationship between MVD and (a) marital satisfaction and (b) alternative monitoring were tested. We computed MVD with three methodologies: absolute difference, weighted difference, and residual score.

Results

When confronted with a high MVD, highly promotion‐focused individuals were shown to maintain a more satisfactory marriage than did those low in promotion focus. At the same time, however, highly promotion‐focused individuals showed a greater tendency to engage in alternative monitoring behavior under high MVD.

Conclusion

Promotion focus could buffer the negative effects of MVD on marital satisfaction, but it could also exacerbate the detrimental effects of MVD on alternative monitoring behavior.

Implications

Understanding one of the underlying reasons on seeking alternative romantic partners and how individuals differ in their chronic ways to be motivated can help counselors and family practitioners. The information helps tailor strategies to meet specific goals and directions that individuals have. This may, therefore, better guide couples to adjust their marital lives.
Mother–child relationships during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A longitudinal qualitative approach
Authors: Vaterlaus J. Mitchell , Patten Emily V. , Spruance Lori A. , Horton Tabitha , Brown Sydney
Published: May 2023

Global crises have a disproportionate impact on women, and typical family life for mothers and children in the United States was disrupted by the COVID‐19 pandemic. This longitudinal qualitative study examined mothers' (n = 82) experiences in their mother–child relationships between March 2020 and April 2021 during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Participants completed open‐ended online survey items at both time points, while 22 participants also completed in‐depth interviews in April 2021. Three themes were identified through longitudinal qualitative analysis: (1) outside relationships and resources, (2) relational change and continuity, and (3) mother–child time. Results are discussed using Bronfenbrenner's Person, Process, Context, Time (PPCT) model.
Immediate and carry‐over effects of late‐spring frost and growing season drought on forest gross primary productivity capacity in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Chen Liang , Keski‐Saari Sarita , Kontunen‐Soppela Sari , Zhu Xudan , Zhou Xuan , Hänninen Heikki , Pumpanen Jukka , Mola‐Yudego Blas , Wu Di , Berninger Frank
Published: May 2023

Forests are increasingly exposed to extreme global warming‐induced climatic events. However, the immediate and carry‐over effects of extreme events on forests are still poorly understood. Gross primary productivity (GPP) capacity is regarded as a good proxy of the ecosystem's functional stability, reflecting its physiological response to its surroundings. Using eddy covariance data from 34 forest sites in the Northern Hemisphere, we analyzed the immediate and carry‐over effects of late‐spring frost (LSF) and growing season drought on needle‐leaf and broadleaf forests. Path analysis was applied to reveal the plausible reasons behind the varied responses of forests to extreme events. The results show that LSF had clear immediate effects on the GPP capacity of both needle‐leaf and broadleaf forests. However, GPP capacity in needle‐leaf forests was more sensitive to drought than in broadleaf forests. There was no interaction between LSF and drought in either needle‐leaf or broadleaf forests. Drought effects were still visible when LSF and drought coexisted in needle‐leaf forests. Path analysis further showed that the response of GPP capacity to drought differed between needle‐leaf and broadleaf forests, mainly due to the difference in the sensitivity of canopy conductance. Moreover, LSF had a more severe and long‐lasting carry‐over effect on forests than drought. These results enrich our understanding of the mechanisms of forest response to extreme events across forest types.
A vernacular archive of early modern disability: Martin Luther's figurative uses of deafness
Authors: Baum Jacob
Published: May 2023

This essay charts a key moment in the premodern cultural history of disability by mapping out how Martin Luther talked about deafness in his vernacular works. It employs a simple keyword search methodology to the digitized version of the Weimarer Ausgabe, compiling all references to taub and Taubheit. Also included are references to taubstumm and stumm, reflecting premodern tendencies to blur distinctions between deafness and mutism. Analysis reveals several patterns: (1) Luther rarely said anything about living deaf people but instead used deafness figuratively to serve theological or polemical points. (2) His figurative uses of deafness can be divided into eight categories of mostly negative representations. (3) Luther was more prone to make positive or neutral associations with deafness earlier in his career, but over time, this gave way to an overwhelmingly negative picture. (4) Comparison with a sample of Luther's Latin works suggests that similar patterns prevail across the entirety of the Weimarer Ausgabe.
RETRACTED: Wound complications frequency in heart transplant recipients on mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhu Shenyu , Yu Wenbo , Gao Jianfeng , Xiong Jianxian
Published: May 2023

A meta‐analysis investigation was executed to measurethe wound complications (WCs) frequency in heart transplant (HT) recipients on mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (MTRIs). A comprehensive literature investigation till February 2023 was applied and 978 interrelated investigations were reviewed. The 10 chosen investigations enclosed 2173 individuals with HT were in the chosen investigations' starting point, 1164 of them were utilising MTRIs, and 1009 were utilising control. Odds ratio (OR) in addition to 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilised to compute the value of the WCs frequency in HT recipients on MTRIs by the dichotomous approaches and a fixed or random model. MTRIs had significantly higher WCs (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.19–1.98, P = .001) compared with those with control in individuals with HT. MTRIs had significantly higher WCs compared with those with control in individuals with HT. However, care must be exercised when dealing with its values because of the low number of the nominated investigations and the low sample size of some of the nominated investigations for the meta‐analysis.
Two‐dimensional materials for bone‐tissue engineering
Authors: Khodabandehloo Amir Hossein , Pourmadadi Mehrab , Shamsabadipour Amin , Langari Hadis , Manicum Amanda‐Lee , Rahdar Abbas , Baino Francesco
Published: May 2023

There are diverse diseases such as some infections, trauma, and tumor resections during cancer surgery that can cause bone damage or skeletal defects in persons. Most of the time, these defects cannot heal spontaneously due to several medical conditions that patients encounter, like diabetes, hormone‐related problems, and autoimmune disorders. This issue is even worse for older people and some special treatments should be provided for them. Bone‐tissue engineering has emerged to tackle these challenges. By investigating bone repair strategies, studying bone structures and biomechanics, and employing appropriate growth factors, suitable scaffolds, and biomaterial‐centered regenerative approaches can be employed to treat bone defects more effectively. This study reviews some recent bone‐tissue‐engineering strategies relying on two‐dimensional (2D) materials, including graphene and its derivatives, black phosphorus, and MXenes that are exhibiting a great potential in regenerative medicine.
The relative role of climate and biotic interactions in shaping the range limits of a neotropical orchid
Authors: de Mattos Jacqueline Salvi , Pinheiro Fabio , Luize Bruno Garcia , Chaves Cleber Juliano Neves , de Lima Thales Moreira , Palma da Silva Clarisse , Leal Bárbara Simões Santos
Published: May 2023

Aim

The centre‐periphery hypothesis (CPH) explains the decline of species abundance towards range limits and how this is driven by increasing ecological marginality. So far, most studies testing the CPH have focused on abiotic factors contributing to marginality, while the role of biotic interactions in limiting species distribution has been neglected. Here, we investigate both drivers' roles in restricting an orchid's range along a broad environmental gradient.

Location

Atlantic Forest and Pampas grasslands (south and southeastern Brazil).

Taxa

Sand dune orchidEpidendrum fulgens(Orchidaceae).

Methods

We integrated empirical data on geographical distribution, pollinator richness and genetic diversity along the entire range of the species to investigate whether range limits match niche limits and whether habitat suitability declines towards low‐ and high‐latitude species ranges. We performed niche models to predict niche limits and used polynomial and linear regression models to investigate the associations between ecological niche and species range as well as to test the relationship between genetic‐derived metrics and the geographical and ecological distances.

Results

Ecological conditions become more marginal towards the edges of theE. fulgensrange, with an abrupt variation in precipitation. While pollinator richness increases habitat suitability ofE. fulgensin the low‐latitude edge range, climate has primarily shaped the species' high‐latitude limit. Genetic diversity within populations decreases, while genetic differentiation increases towards both margins, although with a more consistent pattern for the low‐latitudinal component.

Main Conclusions

This study corroborates the predictions of CPH regarding ecological and genetic patterns of variation in space and highlights distinct factors limiting geographical distribution at the opposite margins of a latitudinal and narrowly distributed species. This improves our understanding on how biotic and abiotic variables limit species distribution ranges along latitudinal gradients in an extremely diverse and vulnerable tropical ecosystem, with potential for informing conservation practices.