bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of rare earth on microstructure and corrosion behavior of electroless Ni-W-P composite coatings
Authors: Jia Ya-Peng , Sun Wan-Chang , Xiao Yan , Liu Jing-Pei , Zhang Cong-Xiao , Zhang Tong-Qiang , Hou Ze-Feng
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to research the effect of different concentrations for Nd(NO3)3 and Ce(NO3)3 on the microstructures and corrosion resistance of Ni-W-P composite coatings through electroless plating method.

Design/methodology/approach

Scanning electron microscope, attached energy dispersive spectroscopy system and X-ray diffraction were used in this work. Meanwhile, the immersion test and electrochemical tests were used to characterize the corrosion behavior of the coating.

Findings

The coatings prepared at 1.00 g·L−1 Nd(NO3)3 exhibit a dense structure and high phosphorus content (12.38 wt.%). In addition, compared to the addition of Ce(NO3)3, when Nd(NO3)3 was introduced at a concentration of 1.00 g·L−1, the minimum corrosion rate of the coating was 1.209 g·m−2·h−1, with a noble Ecorr (−0.29 V) and lower Icorr (8.29 × 10−4 A·cm−2).

Originality/value

The effects of rare earths on the deposition and corrosion resistance mechanisms of Ni-W-P composite coatings were explored, with the rare earth elements promoting the deposition of nickel and tungsten atoms. Simultaneously, the amorphization of the coating increases, which excellently enhances the corrosion resistance of the coating.
A new approach for optimal photovoltaic resources in distribution networks with reconfiguration based on L_∞
Authors: Badr Hussein Mohammed , Ali Ramzy Salim , Mahmood Jawad Radhi
Published: March 2022

Purpose

In the vast majority of published papers, the optimal allocation of photovoltaic distributed generation (PVDG) units and reconfiguration problems are proposed along with the number of PVDG used in the simulation. However, optimisation without selecting the number of PVDG units installed in the distribution grid is insufficient to achieve a better operational performance of power systems. Moreover, multi-objective installation of PVDG units and reconfiguration aims to simultaneously relieve congestion problems, improve voltage profile and minimise the active and reactive power losses. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a new modified camel algorithm (NMCA) to solve multi-objective problems considering radial distribution system to achieve secure and stable operation of electric power system with good performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the decision variables include the location and size of PVDG units with specific rang to determine the number of PVDG units needed to install and open network lines determined using NMCA based on the L_∞ technique. This also satisfies the operating and radial constraints. Furthermore, a benchmark comparison with different well known optimisation algorithms has been made to confirm the solutions. Finally, an analysis of the findings was conducted, and the feasibility of solutions was fully verified and discussed.

Findings

Two test systems – the institute of electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE) 33-bus and IEEE 69-bus, were used to examine the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The findings obtained amply proved the efficiency and superiority of the NMCA algorithm over the other different optimisation algorithms.

Originality/value

The proposed approach is applied to solve the installation PVDG unit’s problem and reconfiguration problem in the radial distribution system, satisfying the operating and radial constraints. Also, it minimises active and reactive power losses and improves voltage profile.
The value-relevance of social media activity of Finnish listed companies
Authors: Rautiainen Antti , Jokinen Jonna
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The use of social media tools by companies is common, but the links between the use of multiple social media tools by companies and stock price changes are largely unknown. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the value-relevance of social media activities on Facebook (FB), Instagram (IG), LinkedIn (LI), Twitter (TW) and YouTube (YT).

Design/methodology/approach

Stock market data and hand-picked social media data in this study were collected from Finland, a small language area with consistent International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) reporting practices, in the expectation of better comparability and lower noise in the data.This study uses correlation, regression and factor analyses for a sample of 105 Finnish public limited companies listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.

Findings

This paper finds evidence that social media activity is an important area of analysis and that the activity and popularity of a company in social media are value-relevant variables in forecasting stock prices.

Practical implications

Not all social media activities are necessarily equally important for managers and investors. Focus on visual messages in social media is recommended.

Originality/value

The findings of this study highlight the value-relevance of using multiple visual social media channels, particularly IG and YT. This paper suggests avenues for future research and for analyzing social media information.
Sustainable management of coastal critical infrastructure: case study of multi-purpose cyclone shelters in South Asia
Authors: Jaiswal Ankit , Kumar Anil , Pal Indrajit , Raisinghani Bhushan , Bhoraniya Tushar H.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To minimize risk of coastal communities arising from cyclones, several risk mitigation initiatives have been taken in countries. Cyclone shelters have proven to be an important critical infrastructure in saving lives from cyclones. A large number of coastal critical infrastructure in the form of multi-purpose cyclone shelters (MPCS) are built to provide safe shelter during disasters. Often observed, such critical infrastructures are non-operational during the normal period, which makes them difficult to use during any disaster. Efforts have been made to keep these infrastructures in working condition. This research paper aims to bring together various management practices adopted for the MPCS in the South-Asian region with a focus on Bangladesh, and India. It also suggests ways to improve these practices for sustainable management of the MPCS.

Design/methodology/approach

India and Bangladesh are the most vulnerable countries in the South Asian region. As per the Global Climate Index, India and Bangladesh come in the list of “in extreme risk” countries in the world and are vulnerable to several natural hazards, especially climate-induced hydrometeorological hazards. India has a vast coastline and out of 7,516 km of coastline, a large extent, i.e. 5,700 km is prone to cyclones and that keeps 40% of the population vulnerable living within 100 km of the coastline. On the other hand, Bangladesh has a coastline of 580 km, which is equally vulnerable to tropical cyclones. Safeguarding communities from impending coastal risk through coastal cyclone shelters are of prime concern. This paper uses a qualitative approach to analyze secondary data, and literature in the field of critical infrastructure, sustainability, cyclone shelter, and management practice for cyclone shelters.

Findings

To provide sustainability and community ownership of the MPCS, various service plans are adopted in different countries. This paper provides insights on service and sustainability efforts made for the proper functioning of the MPCS in India and Bangladesh. It also provides insight into the roles played by different institutions involved in maintaining the MPCSs.

Originality/value

The research reiterates understanding of the cyclone shelter management from different geographic locations in the South Asian region. Various gaps identified in shelter management practices are discussed in the paper and key recommendations are proposed for better management of cyclone shelters.
How scarcity influences home country consumers' attitudes toward the firm engaging in cross-border philanthropy? The role of perceived distributive justice
Authors: Tong Zelin , Ma Fang , Xiao Haowen , Haan Perry , Feng Wenting
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to explore how experienced scarcity affects home country consumers' attitudes toward the firm engaging in cross-border philanthropy by analyzing perceived distributive justice as a mediating variable. This research also investigates the moderating factor of this effect to identify practical strategies for managers.

Design/methodology/approach

This research conducted one survey (Study 1) and three experiments (Studies 2–4) by manipulating scarcity to provide robust evidence for the influence of experienced scarcity on consumer perception of the company conducting cross-border philanthropy.

Findings

This paper provides empirical insights about the significant negative effect of experienced scarcity on consumer attitudes toward the firm engaging in cross-border philanthropy. It proposes that home country consumers with high versus low experienced scarcity show lower perceived distributive justice for cross-border philanthropy, which generates less favorable attitudes toward the firm. To alleviate the negative impact of experienced scarcity on consumers' perceptions of corporate reputation, providing donation amount comparisons between home and foreign countries has a significant moderating effect.

Practical implications

This paper provides several suggestions for marketers seeking cross-border philanthropy to improve consumers' attitudes toward the firm.

Originality/value

This paper enriches the literature on corporate social responsibility in the domain of cross-border philanthropy and explains contradictory findings on consumers' attitudes toward corporate cross-border philanthropy. Moreover, this study makes meaningful contributions to the scarcity and justice literature.
A consumer cultural paradox: exploring the tensions between traditional and international education
Authors: Beveridge Ivana , Furrer Olivier , Gelb Betsy D.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

In a globalized world, consumers embrace mutually conflicting cultural values rather than making exclusive, either/or choices. As a result, they experience multiple tensions, a phenomenon that can be identified as the consumer cultural paradox. Despite clear interest in the influence of local/global culture on consumers, knowledge of how conflicting cultural elements shape consumer behavior remains limited. To address these issues, the current article seeks to identify higher- and lower-level tensions inherent in the consumer cultural paradox.

Design/methodology/approach

Using in-depth interviews, the authors investigate tensions experienced by Chinese consumers of international private education services. This study applies a paradox lens, a tension-based conceptual approach that is well suited for studying consumer paradoxes.

Findings

Ten lower-level tensions of the consumer cultural paradox arise in the focal international service context; these tensions in turn form three higher-level tensions.

Originality/value

The study is among the first in marketing to use a paradox lens and empirical research to delineate multiple dimensions of the consumer cultural paradox, then categorize them into lower and higher-level tensions. The findings offer theoretical and managerial implications, in that recognizing the multiple tensions experienced by consumers allows scholars and marketers to gain a better understanding of how consumers perceive and evaluate services from different cultures.
Immigrant entrepreneurship with a focus on human and social capital as determinants of success: evidence from South Africa
Authors: Urban Boris , Murimbika McEdward , Mhangami Dennis
Published: March 2022

Purpose

As a consequence of global changes, the landscape of immigration is changing. This brings opportunities for researching more nuanced aspects related to immigrant entrepreneurship in new contexts. The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which Africa-to-African immigrants leverage their social capital and human capital towards improving the success of their entrepreneurial ventures.

Design/methodology/approach

First-generation immigrant entrepreneurs within the Johannesburg area in South Africa were surveyed (n = 230). Instrument validity and reliability was first established, and then the hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analyses.

Findings

Hypotheses are supported insofar African immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa rely on their structural and resource-related dimensions of social capital to achieve entrepreneurial success. Furthermore, human capital in terms of both work experience and entrepreneurial experience was found to be a significant predictor of entrepreneurial success.

Research limitations/implications

There is value in developing policies that promote African immigrant entrepreneurs with higher levels of human and social capital. These African immigrants have the potential to increase the national skills base and knowledge required for successful entrepreneurship development in South Africa.

Originality/value

While both human capital and social capital have been associated significantly with the generic entrepreneurship literature, this paper provides an empirical contribution by focusing on the relevance of these constructs in the context of immigrant entrepreneurship from an African emerging market perspective.
From supply chain resilience to supply chain disruption orientation: the moderating role of supply chain complexity
Authors: Hussain Ghulam , Nazir Mian Sajid , Rashid Muhammad Amir , Sattar Maheen Abdul
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of supply chain resilience enablers on supply chain disruption orientation per supply chain resilience. It conjointly examined the moderation of supply chain complexity on resilience enablers and supply chain resilience. It further detailed the conditional indirect effects of supply chain resilience enablers on supply chain disruption orientations via supply chain resilience at varying levels of supply chain complexity.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a time-lagged design (three-wave) and self-administered surveys to collect data from the supply chain managers of fast-moving consumer goods firms. A sample of 214 responses was used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The results showed that supply chain resilience significantly mediated on the relationship between supply chain resilience enablers and supply chain disruption orientation. Further, supply chain complexity positively moderated on supply chain resilience enablers and supply chain resilience. The results also supported the moderated mediated hypothesis.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to prevalent theory and practices in the wake of recent disruptions faced by the firms. It persuades the managers to emphasize on structuring resilient supply chain system to recover from the disruptions and accumulate and incorporate learning gained from the disruptions to strengthen the firm's response management system.

Originality/value

This study attempted to explore the underlying antecedents and consequences of supply chain resilience in Pakistan and established boundary condition effects of supply chain complexity on the proposed relationships. This research complemented and extended the conceits of resource-based and contingent resource-based views.
Reexamining the anti-money-laundering framework: a legal critique and new approach to combating money laundering
Authors: Gilmour Paul Michael
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Money laundering poses significant challenges for policymakers and law-enforcement authorities. The money-laundering phenomenon is often acknowledged as a type of “serious and organised crime” yet has traditionally been described as a complicated three-stage process, involving the “placement, layering and integration” of criminal proceeds. This article aims to reexamine the money-laundering concept within the realm of organised crime and critique its legal underpinnings.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores how criminal actors collude in organised money-laundering schemes to circumvent laws and frustrate the efforts of officials, while advancing the regulatory-spatial paradigms of which organised money launderers operate. In doing so, it reframes the debate towards the “who” and “where” of money laundering.

Findings

This paper argues that authorities’ efforts to combat money laundering relies on rigid legal definitions and flawed ideals that fail to address the money-laundering problem.

Originality/value

There has been little scholarly debate that questions the fundamental approach to conceptualising money laundering. This paper proposes a new approach to combating money laundering that better incorporates the actors involved in money laundering and the spaces in which it occurs.
Financial inclusion and financial stability nexus revisited in South Asian countries: evidence from a new multidimensional financial inclusion index
Authors: Sethy Susanta Kumar , Goyari Phanindra
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial inclusion and financial stability in South Asian countries.

Design/methodology/approach

To measure the financial inclusion, a multidimensional time-varying index is constructed following the Human Development Index method. The long-run relationship between financial inclusion and financial stability is examined by using the panel cointegration test, fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares approaches to show the long-run elasticity of explanatory variables on dependent variables. Further, Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality test is used to find the direction of causality between financial inclusion and financial stability. Data set is of annual frequency of seven countries for the period from 2004 to 2018.

Findings

The empirical findings of this study confirm that financial inclusion has a positive and statistically significant impact on financial stability. These results suggest that South Asian countries can attain long-run financial stability by improving the coverage of financial inclusion. Further, panel causality test shows a unidirectional causality from financial inclusion to financial stability.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation of the study is the availability of time series data for all important variables. Various socioeconomic variables can be used to measure financial stability, but this study included only theZ-score as the proxy for financial stability. Due to the data constraint, this study is unable to use the time series econometric analysis.

Practical implications

As the study confirms that financial inclusion is one of the main drivers of financial stability, it is suggested that the policymakers should emphasize on financial sector reforms to enjoy financial stability in the long run, especially in developing countries. So governments and policymakers of study countries need to address the issues involved in access to financial services to increase financial stability. Furthermore, it is also important to remove limitations of access to formal financial services for marginalized sections of the society with proper supervisions.

Originality/value

This is a new contribution on the present topic. This study has constructed a new multidimensional financial inclusion index (FII) following the Human Development Index method for South Asian countries based on annual data and using ten indicators of formal financial services related to availability, accessibility and usage. To the best of the authors’ knowledge and information, this is the first study on South Asian countries to construct and apply the new multidimensional FII. Further, the study examines the long-run elasticity of financial inclusion on financial stability employing FMOLS and DOLS approach.
Cause for pause in retail service: a respond, reimagine, recover framework
Authors: Palakshappa Nitha , Dodds Sarah , Bulmer Sandy
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many consumers to pause and rethink the impacts of their consumption behavior. The purpose of this paper is to explore changes to consumers’ preferences and shopping behavior in retail using a sustainable consumption lens to understand the long-term effects of the pandemic on retail services.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants to gain insights into shopping behaviors and preferences during the pandemic and to investigate changes in attitudes or behaviors toward sustainable consumption as a result of the pandemic. Data analysis involved an iterative inductive process and subsequent thematic analysis.

Findings

The results reveal a strong move toward sustainable and conscious consumption with three key changes occurring as a result of the pandemic, including changes in consumers’ ethos, move to purpose-driven shopping and drive to buy local and support national.

Practical implications

This paper reveals insights into consumer shopping behaviors and preferences that can potentially counter the collapse of “normal” marketplace activities in the face of the current global pandemic by providing a framework for how retail services can respond, reimagine and recover to move forward long term.

Originality/value

This study uncovers the importance of services marketing in endorsing and promoting sustainable consumption by shaping subtle shifts in conscious consumption as a way to recover from a global pandemic and move to a “new” service marketplace.
Data literacy and technology impacting libraries
Authors: Oyelude Adetoun A.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on data literacy and its use with technology in libraries. The trends in technology and data literacy emphasize making information accessible and easily usable for purposes of informed decision-making.

Design/methodology/approach

Systematic literature review is done, exploring blogs and wikis, to collect information on the ways in which data literacy is being and can be used in libraries.

Findings

It is found that the gap between the information user and the information provider is bridged by data literacy training. Also, that data literacy, technological savviness, people advocacy and business acumen are all essential in bringing about employee-centric workplace.

Originality/value

This study concludes that change management and data literacy in technology-based environments are necessary especially now, and in libraries of the future.
Does corporate social responsibility mitigate earnings management?
Authors: Gaio Cristina , Gonçalves Tiago , Sousa Maria Verónica
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the association between earnings management (EM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR), as well as whether a firm's CSR orientation moderates the trade-off between accruals earnings management (AEM) and real earnings management (REM).

Design/methodology/approach

Firm-year pooled regressions, based on unbalanced panel data and controlling for country, year and sector fixed effects, were estimated using a sample composed of European companies from 16 countries.

Findings

Results suggest a negative relationship between EM and CSR, consistent with the idea that socially responsible activities are associated with more ethical behavior. Moreover, social responsibility orientation seems to mitigate strongly ERM, which may suggest that managers use less REM in order to protect firm's long-term profitability.

Practical implications

The authors' findings have practical implications for a large group of stakeholders, such as regulators, investors and business partners. Thus, from an ethical perspective, more socially responsible firms present more trustworthy financial information and more sustainable economic performance, which decreases risk assessment from their business partners and remaining stakeholders.

Originality/value

Prior literature focuses mainly on discretionary accruals to study the association between EM and CSR. The authors contribute to the literature by considering both EM strategies, accruals and real operations in a European context, which allows for a better understanding of the relationship between CSR and financial information transparency and quality.
An institutional view on the relationship between high-performance work system and organizational performance: the role of country of origin
Authors: Zhai Xiaoxuan , Tian Xiaowen
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper extends the institution theory to examine the relationship between high-performance work system (HPWS) and organizational performance (OP), and analyzes how country of origin interacts with performance measures and industrial affiliation in moderating the HPWS–OP relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper collects data of 60,142 firms and establishments in 252 studies published up to December 2021 and employs meta-analysis techniques to test hypotheses on the role of country of origin in moderating the HPWS–OP relationship in conjunction with performance measures and industrial affiliation.

Findings

The paper finds that, firstly, there is a positive relationship between HPWS and OP, but the relationship is much stronger in developing than advanced countries. Secondly, the relationship is stronger when OP is measured in operational than financial term in both developing and advanced countries, but the moderating effect of performance measures is stronger in developing than advanced countries. Thirdly, the relationship is stronger in service than manufacturing industries in developing countries, but no such variation is found in advanced countries.

Originality/value

The study for the first time unveils the important role of country of origin in interacting with performance measures and industry affiliation to condition the HPWS–OP relationship, and provides a coherent explanation based on institutional theory. The study sheds fresh light on the HPWS–OP relationship, and has important implications for managers.
Family caregivers’ experiences of providing care for hospitalized older people with a tracheostomy: a phenomenological study
Authors: Tabootwong Watchara , Vehviläinen-Julkunen Katri , Jullamate Pornchai , Rosenberg Edwin , Turunen Hannele
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe family caregivers’ experiences of providing care for older people with a tracheostomy during hospitalization.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive phenomenological approach was used in this study. A total of 40 family caregivers were interviewed face-to-face in medical-surgical wards. Data was analyzed using Giorgi’s phenomenological method.

Findings

Family caregivers described meanings of providing care, learning how to provide care, caring activities, impacts of caregiving, support needs and qualities of being a caregiver. Meanings included filial responsibility, spousal attachment and end of life care. Caring activities were varied. Impacts experienced were reported as physical, psychological, social and financial. Caregivers expressed the need for information from the nursing team and assistance from their relatives. Positive caregiver qualities that were described included loving to provide care for older people and confidence and sincerity in caregiving.

Practical implications

Although caring for older people with a tracheostomy was difficult and came with challenging impacts, family caregivers were willing to support their loved ones due to feelings of family responsibility.

Originality/value

The paper addresses family participation in providing care for people with a tracheostomy. They experience physical, psychological, social and financial consequences of caregiving. Therefore, health-care professionals should support family caregivers with education, training and awareness of supports and resources for dealing with problematic impacts and other expressed needs.
The historical development of imperfect indicative and conditional inflection in Pyrenean Romance*
Authors: Esher Louise
Published: March 2022

Even historical developments which appear opaque due to limited empirical data may prove tractable when sources of diverse types are combined. For systems of three‐way inflectional contrast among imperfect indicative forms in a geographically coherent cluster of Catalan, Aragonese and Gascon varieties (e.g. first‐conjugation [kanˈtaβam] ‘we sang’; third‐conjugation [peɾˈðeβam] ‘we lost’; fourth‐conjugation [paˈtiβam] ‘we suffered’ in the Catalan variety of Castigaleu), two principal accounts have been proposed: an ‘etymological’ hypothesis in which three‐way imperfect contrasts represent a conservative feature continuing Latin forms, and an ‘analogical’ hypothesis in which thematic labials in non‐first‐conjugation imperfects are ascribed to analogical innovation. By examining historical texts, modern dialect data and areal patterns in order to develop a unified analysis of the Pyrenean systems, this study demonstrates that the modern systems result from analogical innovation, and further establishes the directionality and relative chronology of the analogical changes involved.
Managerial coaching skill and team performance: How does the relationship work and under what conditions?
Authors: Nyfoudi Margarita , Shipton Helen , Theodorakopoulos Nicholas , Budhwar Pawan
Published: March 2022

Empirical evidence about whether and how managerial coaching relates to team performance continues to lag behind research conducted on individual employee outcomes. We address this question by drawing on social cognition theory and turning the spotlight on the moderating role of managers' learning goal orientation and the mediating role of team‐level architectural knowledge. We employ dual‐source data from 182 knowledge workers and their managers nested in 60 teams in knowledge‐based organisations. Our findings indicate that team‐level architectural knowledge mediates the relationship between managerial coaching skill and team performance when the managers' learning goal orientation is high rather than low. Our study contributes to the human resources literature by highlighting the importance of managers in devolved developmental interventions and offers practical implications for the informed workplace use of managerial coaching.
Texture and flavor evaluation of peanut butter stabilized with natural waxes
Authors: Winkler‐Moser Jill K. , Anderson Julie A. , Hwang Hong‐Sik
Published: March 2022

Natural peanut butter was stabilized with 1.0%–2.0% (w/w) beeswax (BW), candelilla wax (CLW), rice bran wax (RBW), or sunflower wax (SFW). The appearance, spreadability, mouthfeel, and flavor attributes of these samples were evaluated by a trained sensory panel using commercial stabilized peanut butter and a sample stabilized with hydrogenated cottonseed oil as references. The waxes and their blend ratio significantly (p < 0.05) influenced appearance, spreadability, firmness, mouthfeel, and flavor attributes. Samples with 1.5%–2.0% CLW, or 1.0%–1.5% RBW had the fewest differences in appearance and texture from the reference and commercial samples. However, an off‐flavor was attributed to 1.5% or higher CLW. Samples stabilized with BW or with 1.0%–1.5% RBW had the fewest difference in flavor compared to the reference sample. Overall, samples stabilized with 1.0%–1.5% RBW scored closest to the commercial and reference samples. The response of CLW, RBW, and SFW (which was only evaluated for appearance and spreadability) indicates that amounts of these waxes could be tailored in different products to achieve a product with desirable texture and flavor as well as stability to oil loss.

Practical Application

This research provides information that could be used by food companies that make seed or nut butters as spreads or as ingredients for use in foods. It shows the impact of the use of four types of waxes as stabilizers, at commercially relevant levels (< 3.0%), and at levels previously shown to be effective for stabilization, on the firmness, spreadability, and other texture and flavor attributes, and thus provides a starting point for optimization for commercial product specifications.
Untapped Potential: Do Stakeholders Value Forests for Providing Clean Drinking Water?
Authors: Huizenga Emily , Huff Emily S. , Dowtin Asia L. , Latimore Jo A.
Published: March 2022

Billions of people around the world rely on forests to filter and provide clean drinking water. The immense value of drinking water can be a strong rationale for conserving and sustainably managing forests, however, people are often unaware of this forest ecosystem service of providing clean drinking water which can lead to the service’s degradation. Using a qualitative case‐study approach we conducted semi‐structured interviews in three watersheds in Michigan, USA to investigate the values and perceptions stakeholders have for forests and drinking water. Our results show that (1) stakeholders value forest’s role enhancing water quality but do not connect this forest role to providing drinking water, (2) no stakeholder groups interviewed engage in actions or behavior that explicitly address the connection between forests and drinking water, and (3) that policy makers have a large influence on the functioning of the forest provision of drinking water while nonprofit organizations are best positioned to influence conservation strategies that include this forest role. While stakeholders may not explicitly value forests for the provision of clean drinking water, there is untapped potential for incorporating this ecosystem service in future conservation strategies.
The Geopolitics of Infrastructure and Securitisation in a Postcolony Frontier Space
Authors: Karrar Hasan H.
Published: March 2022

Infrastructure has played an agential role in the securitisation of everyday life in the Karakoram high mountains of north Pakistan. Geopolitics bear heavily on this region where Pakistan shares borders with China, with whom it has aligned its foreign and security policy, and with India, with whom Pakistan remains embroiled in a long‐standing territorial dispute. Consequently, in the Karakoram, geopolitical anxieties have reflected inwards onto local populations through both security infrastructure and securitised infrastructure. In this postcolony frontier space, statecraft also frequently bypasses normative legal and administrative structures; such exceptions to normative law and administration have antecedents in colonial statecraft on the territorial margins of empire. This paper also argues that long cycles of military rule have allowed the military to acquire and project technocratic expertise, become custodians of state‐led development, and recently, to assume guardianship of, and to enter into joint financing with China on, construction projects.
Protocolized screening effectively identifies myocardial recovery following destination therapy left ventricular assist device implantation
Authors: Smith Nathan J. , Collar Nicholas , Duvvuri Padmaraj , Miles Bryan , Wu Ruizhe , Szabo Aniko , Gaglianello Nunzio , Joyce Lyle D. , Joyce David L.
Published: March 2022

Background

Myocardial recovery following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation has been of interest in transplant candidates with non‐ischemic cardiomyopathy but is rare. Evidence suggests that a combination of left ventricular unloading and pharmacologic reverse remodeling is beneficial. Recovery in non‐transplant candidates (i.e., destination therapy [DT]) patients is believed to be even rarer.

Methods

All DT LVADs between January 1, 2017 and November 23, 2020 were reviewed. All patients were subjected to an institutional protocol consisting of combined pharmacologic remodeling and mechanical unloading with proactive screening for recovery. The primary outcome of interest was the cumulative incidence of myocardial recovery. Baseline characteristics and operative outcomes were compared between recovered and non‐recovered DT patients using non‐parametric tests to identify predictive factors.

Results

A total of 49 patients received DT LVADs. Nine patients were identified as myocardial recovery candidates using the protocol screening criteria. Overall, 11 patients underwent formal confirmatory testing for recovery, of which 10 were deemed recovered and underwent LVAD explant, defunctionalization, or transplantation. 37.5% of patients that had a concomitant coronary artery bypass during LVAD implantation achieved recovery. An equal proportion of ischemic and non‐ischemic cardiomyopathy patients achieved recovery. The cumulative incidence of myocardial recovery was 25.1% at 36 months. No factors were identified as being predictive of recovery.

Conclusion

Myocardial recovery in DT LVAD patients can be achieved at a higher rate than previously reported. Revascularization at the time of LVAD is safe and may be beneficial. LVAD therapy may not be the final destination in these patients.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension in children with obesity
Authors: Apperley Louise , Kumar Ram , Senniappan Senthil
Published: March 2022

Aim

Obesity is an under‐recognised risk factor for raised intracranial pressure in the paediatric population. The pathophysiology remains unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and weight in children.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with IIH at a tertiary children's hospital were retrospectively identified between April 2017 and April 2019. Information regarding the patients' body mass index, presentation, investigation and treatment was collected and analysed.

Results

In total, 18 patients (M:F 7:11) were identified with a mean age of 11 years (±3.3SD; range: 6–15 years). The mean BMI was 30.3 kg/m2 and mean BMI SDS was +2.5. Twelve (66.6%) patients presented with both headaches and eye signs. Three patients were asymptomatic, with papilloedema noted on routine optician review. Of the 18 patients, 15 were treated medically, two had long‐term neurosurgical interventions and one patient was managed conservatively.

Conclusion

The results show that the majority of children with obesity who develop IIH were female. Awareness regarding IIH secondary to obesity needs to be highlighted to ensure detailed clinical evaluation takes place so that raised intracranial pressure can be diagnosed and managed earlier, to avoid more serious complications such as permanent visual loss.
Incidence of allopurinol‐induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction in Malaysia
Authors: Ng Wei Leik , Lim Kheng Seang , Hariraj Vidhya , Lee Sing Chet , Wo Wee Kee , Ramli Azuana , Lai Pauline Siew Mei , Fong Si Lei , Lim Jing Ran
Published: March 2022

Aims

Allopurinol is known to cause severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCAR) in Malaysia. However, the incidence of allopurinol‐induced SCAR is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the incidence of allopurinol‐induced SCAR in Malaysia over 5 years from 2015 to 2019.

Methods

This retrospective analysis was done in collaboration with the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA). All allopurinol‐induced adverse drug reaction cases reported to NPRA from 2015 to 2019 were extracted. Allopurinol‐induced SCAR cases were identified and the incidence over the 5 years was calculated.

Results

Incidence of allopurinol‐induced SCAR averaged at 2.5 cases per 1000 new users over the 5‐year period, with a reducing trend from 3.2 per 1000 new users in 2015 to 2.25 per 1000 in 2019; despite the increasing number of adverse drug reaction cases being reported over the years. Stevens–Johnson syndrome was the commonest form of allopurinol‐induced SCAR reported, at 143 cases (46.8% of total SCAR reported). Among Malaysia's 3 main ethnicities, the Chinese had the highest percentages of allopurinol‐induced SCAR when compared to the Bumiputera and Indians (3.18 × 10−4%).

Conclusion

The estimated incidence of allopurinol‐induced SCAR in Malaysia from 2015 to 2019 was 2.5 cases per 1000 new users. This figure is consistent with the incidence reported in other Asian countries, namely Taiwan and Thailand.
Considerations for addressing anti‐vaccination campaigns: How did we get here and what can we do about it?
Authors: Barrett Jeffrey S. , Yang Scarlett Y. , Muralidharan Kavitha , Javes Victoria , Oladuja Kemi , Castelli María Sofía , Clayton Nicole , Liu Jiaqi , Ramos Andre
Published: March 2022

A course on vaccine development asked students to write a blog addressing general anti‐vaccination strategies and their significance today, in the context of the resistance seen against novel SARS‐CoV‐2 mRNA vaccines. This perspective explores how and why these efforts are successful at reducing vaccine uptake and why, for the most part, efforts to combat the movement have been unsuccessful. This summary of the collective view of the class provides recommendations for combatting current and future campaigns of misinformation. It is hoped that this perspective will serve as a call to action for clinical pharmacologists and translational scientists to do their part to educate the lay community and promote the science in an open and transparent manner to ensure that current and future vaccines fulfill their potential.
Dilation of pancreatic duct stenosis using a newly designed drill dilator
Authors: Yasuda Tsukasa , Hara Kazuo , Haba Shin
Published: March 2022

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Using the string‐clip method to retrieve the resected specimen allowed a clear observation of the colon and detection of a new lesion
Authors: Ma Xinghua , Kawashima Kazumasa , Saito Yutaka
Published: March 2022

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What is the best modality for diagnosing pancreatic cancer?
Authors: Fujimori Nao , Minoda Yosuke , Ogawa Yoshihiro
Published: March 2022

This Editorial refers to the article by S. Omoto et al., p 198‐206 of this issue DEN 34:1.
microRNA expression levels in the nucleus accumbens correlate with morphine‐taking but not morphine‐seeking behaviour in male rats
Authors: Gillespie Aria , Mayberry Hannah L. , Wimmer Mathieu E. , Daws Stephanie E.
Published: March 2022

A powerful motivation to seek opioids remains after drug cessation and intensifies during extended periods of abstinence. Unfortunately, biomarkers associated with continued drug seeking have not been described. Moreover, previous studies have focused on the effects of early abstinence with little exploration into the long‐term drug‐induced mechanisms that occur after extended abstinence. Here we demonstrated that 30 days (D) of forced abstinence results in a time‐dependent increase in morphine seeking in a rat model of morphine self‐administration (SA). We measured expression of known drug‐responsive microRNAs (miRNAs) in the nucleus accumbens, an area critical for reward‐related plasticity, during early or late abstinence in animals that underwent either a cue‐induced relapse test or no relapse test. miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that represent suitable biomarker candidates due to their long‐lasting nature. mir‐32‐5p levels during early abstinence negatively correlated with active lever pressing in both cue‐exposed and cue‐naïve animals. mir‐1298‐5p positively correlated with drug SA history after a relapse test during late abstinence. When animals underwent acute abstinence with no relapse test, mir‐1298‐5p correlated with drug infusions and active lever pressing during SA. In late abstinence with no relapse test, mir‐137‐3p negatively correlated with drug infusions. Regulation of mir‐32‐5p target genes and significant correlation of target gene mRNA with mir‐32‐5p was observed after abstinence. These results indicate that lasting regulation of miRNA expression is associated with drug intake following morphine SA. In addition, we conclude that the miRNA profile undergoes regulation from early to late abstinence and miRNA expression may indicate past drug history.
Toward the “overthrow of Platonism”: Processist critical social ontology and ameliorative discourse
Authors: Giladi Paul
Published: March 2022

In this article, I argue that, for the purpose of developing an effective critical social ontology about gender groups, it is not simply sufficient to carve gender groups at their joints: one must have in view whether the metaphysical categories we use to make sense of gender groups are prone to ideological distortion and vitiation. The norms underpinning a gender group's constitution as a type of social class and the norms involved in gender identity attributions, I propose, provide compelling reason to think critical social ontological discourse is more processist‐orientated, rather than substantival‐orientated. The advantages of a processist critical social ontology of gender groups are that, unlike substance‐discourse, process‐discourse recognizes how gender group talk and gender identity talk are often messy and therefore require a conceptual scheme that can transform vocabulary for the emancipatory purpose of ending oppression, domination, and marginalization.
The role of nutritional impairment in carbon‐water balance of silver fir drought‐induced dieback
Authors: González de Andrés Ester , Gazol Antonio , Querejeta José Ignacio , Igual José M. , Colangelo Michele , Sánchez‐Salguero Raúl , Linares Juan Carlos , Camarero J. Julio
Published: March 2022

Rear‐edge populations at the xeric distribution limit of tree species are particularly vulnerable to forest dieback triggered by drought. This is the case of silver fir (Abies alba) forests located in Southwestern Europe. While silver fir drought‐induced dieback patterns have been previously explored, information on the role played by nutritional impairment is lacking despite its potential interactions with tree carbon‐water balances. We performed a comparative analysis of radial growth, intrinsic water‐use efficiency (iWUE), oxygen isotopes (δ18O) and nutrient concentrations in leaves of declining (DD) and non‐declining (ND) trees in silver fir in four forests in the Spanish Pyrenees. We also evaluated the relationships among dieback predisposition, intraspecific trait variation (wood density and leaf traits) and rhizosphere soil physical–chemical properties. The onset of growth decline in DD trees occurred more than two decades ago, and they subsequently showed low growth resilience against droughts. The DD trees presented consistently lower foliar concentrations of nutrients such as P, K, Cu and Ni than ND trees. The strong effects of foliar nutrient status on growth resilience indices support the key role played by mineral nutrition in tree functioning and growth before, during and after drought. In contrast, variability in wood density and leaf morphological traits, as well as soil properties, showed weak relationships with tree nutritional status and drought performance. At the low elevation, warmer sites, DD trees showed stronger climate–growth relationships and lower δ18O than ND trees. The uncoupling between iWUE and δ18O, together with the positive correlations between P and K leaf concentrations and δ18O, point to deeper soil/bedrock water sources and vertical decoupling between nutrient and water uptake in DD trees. This study provides novel insights into the mechanisms driving silver fir dieback and highlights the need to incorporate tree nutrition into forest dieback studies.