bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nationwide Resident Access to Elective Rotations
Authors: Anghel Ersilia L. , Jedrzejewski Breanna , Radu Stephanie , Dewey Elizabeth N. , Howell Lori K. , Berli Jens U.
Published: October 2021

Objective

This study seeks to assess the status of elective rotations offered in plastic and reconstructive surgery residency programs throughout the country while also qualifying resident and alumni experiences and identifying barriers to offering electives.

Design

Two prospective surveys were created for (1) program leadership and (2) residents, fellows, and alumni's who have graduated in the last 5 years.

Setting

This is a multi-institutional survey study.

Participants

Of 81 plastic and reconstructive surgery programs, 45 programs, and 102 residents, fellows and/or recent graduates responded to survey 2.

Results

Fifty-six percent of respondents stated that their institution offered electives, 62% of which permitted residents to participate in regional, national, and international rotations primarily in the fifth and sixth years of training. Types of elective rotations completed included aesthetic, craniofacial, sex, hand, and microsurgery. Fifty-three percent responding programs denied barriers to offering elective rotations. When programs noted barriers, the most common were cost to resident/department (28%), institutional Graduate Medical Education policy (22%), and lack of service coverage at the home institution (22%). There was no difference between departments versus divisions offering electives (56.3% vs 57.1%, P = 0.95). Programs that did not offer electives spent an average of 14.6 months on general surgery compared with 9.4 months for programs that did offer electives (P = 0.06). For programs that did not currently offer elective rotations, 71% indicated a desire to do so.

Conclusion

The primary goal of plastic surgery training programs is to produce plastic surgeons of the highest caliber with regard to safety and competence. Although several regulatory bodies ensure that programs adhere to a similar standard, not all programs have opportunities for residents to experience the breadth of our multifaceted specialty. Elective rotations constitute an excellent supplement to a well-rounded training where gaps may exist.
The Potential Impact of COVID-19 on Aesthetic Fellowship Programs
Authors: Bedi Gurbani , Chung Michael T. , Vyas Krishna S. , Vasconez Luis O. , Vasconez Henry C.
Published: October 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about immense change in health care. Surgical specialties in particular have had to make major adjustments because of the cancellation of nonemergent surgeries. Aesthetic surgery fellowships are uniquely affected because of the high number of elective cases and the length of the fellowship. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on current and upcoming aesthetic surgery fellows has not been studied.

Objective

The aim of this article was to study the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons-endorsed and nonendorsed aesthetic fellowship programs.

Methods

A 23-question anonymous web-based survey was sent to aesthetic surgery fellowship directors with an active program in the United States. Surveys were collected from April 18, 2020, through May 14, 2020, with Qualtrics and then analyzed with Microsoft Excel. A 7-question follow-up survey was sent to directors, and a 23-question survey was sent to aesthetic surgery fellows. Data for these surveys were collected from June 6, 2020, through August 18, 2020. The surveys asked questions pertaining to adjustments and impact on current fellow training, as well as possible impact on fellows starting in 2020 and 2021.

Results

There was a 65.5% (19 of 29) response rate for the initial director survey, a 31% (9 of 29) rate for the director follow up survey, and a 28% (9 of 32) rate for the fellow-specific survey. All directors and fellows reported that the pandemic had some impact on aesthetic fellow training. A total of 5.3% of directors reported that they believe COVID-19 would have a “significant impact” on their fellows becoming well-trained aesthetic surgeons, whereas 66.7% of fellows reported that it will have a “mild impact.” Predicted impact on future fellows was not as significant.

Conclusion

Telemedicine, educational efforts, and standardization of guidelines can be increased to minimize loss of training due to COVID-19. Ongoing evaluation and shared experiences can assist fellowships in customizing programs to provide well-rounded education during the pandemic.
Plant organic matter inputs exert a strong control on soil organic matter decomposition in a thawing permafrost peatland
Authors: Wilson Rachel M. , Hough Moira A. , Verbeke Brittany A. , Hodgkins Suzanne B. ,   IsoGenie Coordinators, Chanton Jeff P. , Saleska Scott D. , Rich Virginia I. , Tfaily Malak M.
Published: October 2021

Peatlands are a climate critical carbon (C) reservoir that will likely become a C source under continued warming. A strong relationship between plant tissue chemistry and the soil organic matter (SOM) that fuels C gas emissions is inferred, but rarely examined at the molecular level. Here we compared Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy measurements of solid phase functionalities in plants and SOM to ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometric analyses of plant and SOM water extracts across a palsa-bog-fen thaw and moisture gradient in an Arctic peatland. From these analyses we calculated the C oxidation state (NOSC), a measure which can be used to assess organic matter quality. Palsa plant extracts had the highest NOSC, indicating high quality, while extracts ofSphagnum, which dominated the bog, had the lowest NOSC. The percentage of plant compounds that are less bioavailable and accumulate in the peat, increases from palsa (25%) to fen (41%) to bog (47 %), reflecting the pattern of percentSphagnumcover. The pattern of NOSC in the plant extracts was consistent with the high number of consumed compounds in the palsa and low number of consumed compounds in the bog. However, in the FT-IR analysis of the solid phase bog peat, carbohydrate content was high implying higher quality SOM. We explain this discrepancy as the result of low solubilization of bog SOM facilitated by the low pH in the bog which makes the solid phase carbohydrates less available to microbial decomposition. Plant-associated lignins and tannins declined in the unsaturated palsa peat indicating decomposition, but accumulated in the bog and fen peat where decomposition was presumably inhibited by the anaerobic conditions. A molecular-level comparison of the aboveground C sources and peat SOM demonstrates that climate-associated vegetation shifts in peatlands are important controls on the mechanisms underlying changing C gas emissions.
Performance evaluation of direction-finding techniques of an acoustic source with uniform linear array
Authors: Uddin Syed Farid , Khan Ayan Alam , Wajid Mohd , Singh Mahima , Alam Faisal
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show a comparative study of different direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation techniques, namely, multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming, support vector regression (SVR), multivariate linear regression (MLR) and multivariate curvilinear regression (MCR).

Design/methodology/approach

The relative delay between the microphone signals is the key attribute for the implementation of any of these techniques. The machine-learning models SVR, MLR and MCR have been trained using correlation coefficient as the feature set. However, MUSIC uses noise subspace of the covariance-matrix of the signals recorded with the microphone, whereas DAS uses the constructive and destructive interference of the microphone signals.

Findings

Variations in root mean square angular error (RMSAE) values are plotted using different DOA estimation techniques at different signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) values as 10, 14, 18, 22 and 26dB. The RMSAE curve for DAS seems to be smooth as compared to PR1, PR2 and RR but it shows a relatively higher RMSAE at higher SNR. As compared to (DAS, PR1, PR2 and RR), SVR has the lowest RMSAE such that the graph is more suppressed towards the bottom.

Originality/value

DAS has a smooth curve but has higher RMSAE at higher SNR values. All the techniques show a higher RMSAE at the end-fire, i.e. angles near 90°, but comparatively, MUSIC has the lowest RMSAE near the end-fire, supporting the claim that MUSIC outperforms all other algorithms considered.
Gender diversity in corporate governance: a bibliometric analysis and research agenda
Authors: Mumu Jinnatul Raihan , Saona Paolo , Haque Md. Shariful , Azad Md. Abul Kalam
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine literature on corporate governance from the gender perspective adopting the two novel approaches: bibliometric analysis and content analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

For citation mapping and comprehensive content analysis, total 393 Web of Science indexed journal articles were selected. Initially, this study identifies the most productive authors, journal sources, countries and affiliation within the study topic.

Findings

Findings from the intellectual structure explore four underlying research stems in the corporate governance and gender literature: participation of women on corporate boards and their characteristics, women directors and their roles in board across different countries, gender diversity in the board and corporate social responsibility and firm financial performances, risks and stock prices.

Originality/value

From the content analysis, it is revealed that corporate governance and gender studies have predominantly investigated the gender diversity issues as a catalyst of corporate governance, with a focus on women on corporate boards and firm financial performance, risks and stock price, while the area of board gender diversity and corporate social responsibility remains relatively under-researched.
Dynamic analysis of ball screw feed system with abrupt-change-nonlinear drive stiffness
Authors: Gao Feng , Li Pan-Pan , Li Yan
Published: October 2021

Purpose

For ball screw feed system, a sudden start or stop has a great influence on the transmission stiffness, so the axial stiffness mutation of feed system will occur. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of acceleration on the transmission stiffness and dynamic characteristics of the ball screw feed system.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking the ball screw feed system as a research object, on the basis of the Hertz contact theory and the mixed element method, axial stiffness model and dynamic model are established. And the system stability was analyzed by the time history diagram and Phase-plane portrait diagram. The feed system was analyzed theoretically and experimentally, the experimental results are in good agreement with the model results.

Findings

Lead screw lead angle, preload, load and start acceleration affected ball-screw pair, bearing and transmission stiffness. And the load, nut contact stiffness, bearing contact stiffness, preload have a large effect on the transmission stiffness. The results show that a certain acceleration value will make the axial stiffness abrupt change.

Originality/value

This research provides a useful theoretical support for ensuring a good dynamic for the ball screw feed system.
How children experience virtual reality travel: a psycho-physiological study based on flow theory
Authors: Huang Xiaoting , Liu Chun , LIU Chun , Wei Zhenda , Y. Leung Xi
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Drawn from flow theory, this study aims to explore children’s flow experiences in virtual reality (VR) by examining the relationships between VR experience length, arousal and flow experience (time estimation and enjoyment).

Design/methodolog/approach

A within-subject laboratory experiment was conducted using 9D VR and iMEC 12. A total of 47 children participated in this study. Both survey data and physiological data were collected.

Findings

The results revealed that longer VR videos evoked lower arousal, higher respiratory rates and less enjoyment among child participants than shorter videos. This study also verified the mediating effects of respiratory rates measured arousal on time estimations and self-reported arousal in terms of enjoyment.

Originality/value

This study fills a research gap related to children’s flow experiences in VR, as children’s voices remain limited in tourism research. The study findings offer meaningful insights for destination marketers to leverage the growth of parent-child tours and the increasing effects of VR on the tourism industry.
Review of information asymmetry in banking in the Russian Federation
Authors: Tsindeliani Imeda A. , Mikheeva Irina E.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the prospects and main directions for improving Russian legislation on the protection of the rights of consumers of financial services taking into account the specifics of information asymmetry in banking.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the method of economic and legal analysis, the essence of information asymmetry in banking in the Russian Federation was considered. Taking into account international experience, the analysis of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the existing regulatory and legal field is carried out. A forecast of probable changes in the field of legal regulation of information asymmetry issues in banking was also carried out.

Findings

This paper deals with cases when information asymmetry can be recognized as unfair behavior. The main features of information asymmetry in banking on the part of credit institutions in terms of banks’ failure to provide information on the content of banking services on the right to refuse additional services have been studied.

Originality/value

This study suggests that the current Russian legislation does not provide the necessary protection for consumers of financial services from information asymmetry. Based on a comprehensive analysis of legislation and judicial practice, the information asymmetry in this paper is delimited as an economic and legal concept; the prerequisites and main forms of information asymmetry in banking are determined. The main provisions and conclusions of this study can be used in legislative activities when developing provisions on the protection of the rights of financial services consumers.
Insights from pre Covid-19 perceptions of law students on four learning methods: implications for future design of blended learning
Authors: Heart Tsipi , Finklestein Elad , Cohen Menashe
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess students’ perceptions of four teaching and learning (T&L) methods used in a blended learning Contract Law course, namely, frontal, written assignments, simulations and online asynchronous T&L.

Design/methodology/approach

Law students (n = 417) filled in an anonymous questionnaire on their relative satisfaction with the four methods and their preferences. Participation was voluntary. The questionnaire was administered at the end of term, in class, prior to the Covid-19 restrictions. The results were calculated using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.

Findings

The students preferred face-to-face T&L in class and ranked online T&L last. Notably, 84% preferred blended learning combining all four methods. These results suggest that the online T&L for this Contract Law course setting was unsuccessful and that teachers should experiment with blending various T&L methods to maximize learning effectiveness and students’ satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The results only reflect one course in one year among law students, thus affecting the generalizability of the findings. This is further exacerbated by the convenience sample and the fact that only one type of blending was evaluated. Overall, the findings indicated that the survey participants were not yet ready to embrace online T&L as a primary component of blended T&L.

Practical implications

This study Alternative online solutions should be sought to foster social learning when face-to-face learning is not feasible for reasons, such as geographic distance, students’ disabilities or the current pandemic that prohibits social gatherings. This conclusion is particularly pertinent with respect to the impact of Covid-19 on face-to-face learning. Designers of blended learning programs should listen more carefully to students’ voices, and bear in mind that minimizing face-to-face T&L for various reasons might jeopardize students’ satisfaction, which is likely to decrease learning effectiveness.

Social implications

It is important that students’ perceptions be considered when building future T&L programs, especially students’ need for collaborative and social learning.

Originality/value

This study assessed four T&L methods administered in one course during the pre-Covid-19 era. This setting, which is rare, enabled a real-life assessment of the effectiveness of these popular methods as perceived by students.
The occupational impact of bowel cancer: Survivors' voices and advancing the role of occupational therapy assessment and intervention
Authors: Martin Elizabeth , Hocking Clare , Sandham Margaret
Published: October 2021

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational impact (i.e., how engagement in occupation is affected) of having had bowel cancer and the role of occupational therapy with bowel cancer survivors and their significant others.

Methods

Two rounds of semi‐structured interviews were carried out with individuals who had completed treatment for bowel cancer, with interviews designed to gain insight into their occupational experiences post treatment. Thematic analysis was utilised to construct themes and patterns founded on the perceptions of participants. Analysis involved concurrent data collection and analysis, constant comparative analysis, and iterative analysis.

Findings

Eighteen participants were interviewed, with occupational impact evident across multiple aspects of everyday life. Four themes were identified: Changes in eating habits, changes in toileting habits, changes in relationships, and rethinking occupational choices.

Conclusion

Findings of the occupational impact of having had bowel cancer reveal a possible role for occupational therapists with people affected by bowel cancer. Occupation focused assessments and self‐management programmes are identified as a possible means of meeting the needs of this population, making use of the experiences of peers to provide a credible, relatable voice.
Do Learning Benefits Accrue Equally Over Successive Fundraising Attempts? Strategic Change and the Moderating Role of Experience
Authors: Sewaid Ahmed , Garcia‐Cestona Miguel , Silaghi Florina
Published: October 2021

In the management literature, the role of learning from experience and its effect on performance has been highlighted. However, little is known about the effects of strategic change on performance due to aspects pertaining to the mobility of learning. Building on different learning theories, we theorize about the effect of strategic change on performance when: (i) strategic change does not require the mobilizing of resources; (ii) strategic change does not involve exposure to a new set of stakeholders; and (iii) time commitment to previous strategies is low. We confront our contentions with data on serial campaign launchers in crowdfunding. The data indicates that changing industry adversely affects fundraising performance due to the specificity of a portion of the accrued learning. This adverse effect is mitigated by venture launching experience and exacerbated following failure. Implications for practitioners and scholars are discussed.
Development of green skills module for meat processing technology study
Authors: Handayani Mustika Nuramalia , Kamis Arasinah , Ali Mohammad , Wahyudin Dinn , Mukhidin Mukhidin
Published: October 2021

Green skills need to be developed in vocational education for sustainable future. However, the vocational high school curriculum of agricultural food processing technology in Indonesia does not explicitly state the development of green skills. Teaching materials, such as module are needed to develop vocational students’ green skills. This study aimed to develop green skills module for meat processing technology at vocational high schools. Development of this module used the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model. The contents for a green skills module were developed based on a need analysis for the elements of green skills that must be developed in vocational high schools, curriculum and a literature review analysis related to sustainability in meat processing technology. The module was designed using a scientific approach to strengthen active student learning as per the 2013 curriculum policy for vocational high schools in Indonesia. The developed module was sent to the four selected experts for validating. It gained score of 88.56% in material aspect about meat processing technology by the material experts and 89.18% in media aspects by the media experts. These scores mean that the module was categorized as very feasible. Based on the pre‐test and post‐test of students’ green skills with this module, the calculation of n‐gain test was 0.4 which means moderate category. The findings of this study imply that the module can be used in learning to improve student's green skills. This study may be adapted for the development of other subject modules in vocational schools.
Employee voice, psychologisation and human resource management (HRM)
Authors: Barry Michael , Wilkinson Adrian
Published: October 2021

The ‘psychologisation’ of the human resource management (HRM) and industrial relations (IR) has been a major topic of conversation in management journals, not least in HRMJ (Farndale et al., 2020). We contribute to this debate by focussing on employee voice as an important topic of scholarship, and by explaining how this topic has been psychologised over time. First, we review organisational behaviour (OB) voice literature from the 1980s onwards to show how OB voice has itself shifted, and narrowed, over time, making OB voice a more static phenomenon, and one that marginalises other perspectives and stakeholders. In our review, we distinguish between what we call the ‘old’ and ‘new’ OB voice scholarship, the latter occurring from the mid‐1990s onwards. We then review all voice publications across four major HR journals from 2000 onwards, to show how OB's psychologised conception of voice has influenced HR voice, and the implications of this for HRM.
Mexican‐heritage Children’s Learning of Ballet Folklórico: Herencia, Familia, y Orgullo
Authors: Johnson Sarah Jean , de la Piedra María Teresa , Sanmiguel‐López Alejandra , Pérez‐Piza María
Published: October 2021

This case study examines Mexican‐heritage children’s learning to dance ballet folklórico. Drawing from an interpretive, ethnographic approach, we argue the practices associated with the dance exist within encompassing domains of meaning that are individually enhancing while also prosocial, encouraging membership to the folklórico group and broader cultural community. These domains are presented as “herencia” (heritage), “familia” (family), and “orgullo” (pride) along with a discussion of how they relate to access and equity in arts learning.
Genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism array and whole‐genome sequencing reveal the inbreeding progression of Banna minipig inbred line
Authors: Huo J. L. , Zhang L. Q. , Zhang X. , Wu X. W. , Ye X. H. , Sun Y. H. , Cheng W. M. , Yang K. , Pan W. R. , Zeng Y. Z.
Published: October 2021

Inbred pigs are promising animal models for biomedical research and xenotransplantation. Established in 1980, the Banna minipig inbred (BMI) line originated from a sow and its own male offspring. It was selected from a small backcountry minority Lahu village, where records show that no other pig breed has ever been introduced. During the inbreeding process, we perfomed extreme inbreeding over 23 consecutive generations using full‐sibling or parent–offspring mating. In order to investigate the inbreeding effects in BMI pigs across generations over the past 40 years, in this study we conducted a genome‐wide SNP genotyping of the last 10 generations, representing generations 14–23. In total, we genotyped 57,746 SNPs, corresponding to an average decrease in heterozygosity rate of 0.0078 per generation. Furthermore, we were only able to identify 18,216 polymorphic loci with a MAF larger than 0.05, which is substantially lower than the values in previous reports on other pig breeds. In addition, we sequenced the genome of the first pig in the twenty‐third generation (inbreeding coefficient 99.28%) to an average coverage of 12.4× to evaluate at the genome level the impact of advanced inbreeding. ROH analysis indicates that BMI pigs have longer ROHs than Wuzhishan and Duroc pigs. Those long ROH regions in BMI pigs are enriched for distinct functions compared with the highly polymorphic regions. Our study reveals a genome‐wide allele diversity loss during the progress of inbreeding in BMI pigs and characterizes ROH and polymorphic regions as a result of inbreeding. Overall, our results indicate the successful establishment of the BMI line, which paves the way for further in‐depth studies.
Economic value of tropical inland freshwater shallow lakes: Lesson from Lake Malombe, Malawi
Authors: Makwinja Rodgers , Mengistou Seyoum , Kaunda Emmanuel , Alamirew Tena
Published: October 2021

Freshwater lakes provide critical ecosystem services (ESs) to local and global communities. However, many of these lakes are under serious threat from degradation, over‐exploitation and pollution instigated by unsustainable use and a lack of practical management approaches. Under such conditions, it is critical to quantify the ESs of these lakes and uncover factors affecting local population participation in the conservation. The current study aims to fill this research gap by employing data collection techniques such as household surveys, focus group discussion, field observation, key informant interviews, consultative meetings and a meta‐analytical approach. Lake Malombe has been selected to depict the African freshwater ecosystems’ scenarios. The findings show that 97.74% of the households depend on the lake ESs. The ESs contribute US$124.36 million/year—about 1.97% of Malawi’s GDP and US$1943.08/household/year. Factors such as literacy level, household level of income, age of household head, gender of household and household experiences food shortages significantly (p < 0.05) influenced participation level. The study recommends integrating the economic incentive model into the local policy framework. For example, promoting ecotourism, agroforestry and integrated fish farming can provide economic incentives, reduce direct dependency and increase local participation in conservation.
Starting from scratch: Developing and sustaining a rural research team lessons from a nutrition and dietetics case study
Authors: Brown Leanne J. , Urquhart Lisa , Squires Kelly , Crowley Elesa , Heaney Susan , Kocanda Lucy , Schumacher Tracy
Published: October 2021

Objective

To describe the development of and key factors for sustaining a rural‐based research team focussed on nutrition and dietetics.

Design

A longitudinal embedded case study approach with data sourced from publicly available records and observations. Case study sub‐units were developed into 3 phases with analysis using theoretical propositions and pattern matching. Quantitative data were descriptively analysed.

Setting

University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health across 4 rural sites.

Participants

Publicly available data sources from existing team members.

Main outcome measures

Staffing levels, research supervision, internal and external grant outcomes and peer‐reviewed journal publications.

Result

Academic staffing has increased by 4 full‐time equivalent positions over 18 years, with 6 current higher‐degree research students. Key factors identified in the development of a discipline‐specific research workforce included staff higher degree by research completions, longevity of staff in research‐active roles, immersive rural placements with a research component and collaborations with nationally competitive researchers. Rural pilot research projects, community connections, understanding of the local context and research networks were fundamental to establishing a viable team.

Conclusion

Systematically investing in research that is embedded in local communities will ensure sustainability and relevance, capacity building of existing staff and an ability to problem solve at the local level. Sustained and focussed investment is needed if the current rural research workforce is to develop towards a capacity that meets current demand.
Open versus laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection for mid‐ and low‐ rectal cancer: a propensity score matching study
Authors: Zhang Yang , Yang Xuyang , Wang Di , Zhuang Zixuan , Wei Mingtian , Meng Wenjian , Deng Xiangbing , Wang Ziqiang
Published: October 2021

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the perioperative, pathological and oncological outcomes of open versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) plus lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) for mid‐ and low‐ rectal cancer using propensity score matching.

Methods

Between September 2009 and December 2018, consecutive patients who underwent open or laparoscopic TME plus LLND were collected. Based on the propensity score matching analysis, laparoscopic TME plus LLND was compared with open TME plus LLND for the perioperative, pathological, and oncological outcomes.

Results

A total of 77 patients were collected. There were 13 patients who underwent open TME plus LLND (open group) and 64 patients who underwent laparoscopic TME plus LLND (laparoscopic group). After propensity score matching, 13 patients in the open group were matched to 39 patients in the laparoscopic group (1:3). The laparoscopic group had a significantly shorter length of incision (5 cm vs. 20 cm, p < 0.01), less intraoperative blood loss (80 mL vs. 100 mL, p = 0.02), and shorter time to postoperative liquid diet (72 h vs. 96 h, p = 0.05). There were no significant differences in both early and late postoperative complications. The 3‐year overall survival was 85.9% in the laparoscopic group and 76.9% in the open group (p = 0.75), respectively. The 3‐year disease‐free survival was 70.6% in the laparoscopic group and 74.1% in the open group (p = 0.83), respectively.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic LLND had comparable oncological outcomes to open LLND. Moreover, laparoscopic LLND had postoperative recovery advantages over open LLND.
Retinal venular oxygen saturation is associated with non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy in young patients with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Veiby Nina C.B.B. , Simeunovic Aida , Heier Martin , Brunborg Cathrine , Saddique Naila , Moe Morten C. , Dahl‐Jørgensen Knut , Petrovski Goran , Margeirsdottir Hanna D.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To determine the contribution of retinal vessel density (VD), central retinal vessel diameter and retinal oxygen (O2) saturation independently of other known risk factors in the development of non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).

Methods

Macular optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), central retinal artery/vein equivalent diameter (CRAE/CRVE) measurements and retinal oximetry were performed in a cross‐sectional study of 166 eyes from 166 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) aged 14–30 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate whether O2 saturation, retinal vessel diameters and vessel density in the deep capillary plexus (VD‐DCP) were associated with NPDR, when adjusting for known risk factors. The individuals were allocated to one group without and one group with NPDR.

Results

Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04–1.49) and AV‐difference in O2 saturation (OR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.77–0.93) were significantly associated with NPDR.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that age and lower AV‐O2 saturation difference contribute to explaining the grade of NPDR independently of other well‐known risk factors. Reduced delivery of O2 to the retinal tissue is associated with the development of NPDR in young patients with T1D and should be given appropriate weight in the risk stratification at early stages of the disease.
Response of eosinophilic oesophagitis to proton pump inhibitors is associated with impedance‐pH parameters implying anti‐reflux mechanism of action
Authors: Frazzoni Marzio , Frazzoni Leonardo , De Bortoli Nicola , Russo Salvatore , Tolone Salvatore , Arsiè Elena , Conigliaro Rita , Penagini Roberto , Savarino Edoardo
Published: October 2021

Background

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are effective therapies for eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), but the mechanism of action is uncertain. At on‐PPI impedance‐pH monitoring, improvement in oesophageal chemical clearance assessed with post‐reflux swallow‐induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index characterises PPI‐responsive EoE and reflux disease. Off‐PPI, higher efficacy of the oesophago‐salivary reflex as measured with PSPW‐associated pH increments characterises PPI‐responsive reflux disease and could typify PPI‐responsive EoE as well.

Aim

To establish whether PPI responsiveness in EoE is associated with higher efficacy of the oesophago‐salivary reflex.

Methods

Prospective multicentre study in EoE patients investigated with impedance‐pH monitoring before starting PPI. Impedance‐pH parameters in PPI‐responsive and PPI‐refractory cases were compared. PPI response was defined histologically.

Results

Considerable PSPW‐associated pH increments (median 1.4 units) were found in 80 EoE patients, with significantly higher values in 48 PPI‐responsive than in 32 PPI‐refractory cases (1.8 vs 1.0, P = 0.02). Mucosal integrity, as measured with mean nocturnal baseline impedance was more severely impaired in the distal oesophagus in PPI‐responsive cases, the gradient between mid and distal oesophagus being significantly higher (546 vs 137 Ω, P = 0.0002). PSPW‐associated pH increments and the baseline impedance gradient between mid and distal oesophagus were independently associated with histological response at multivariable logistic regression; at receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve of PPI response calculated by combined assessment was 0.88.

Conclusion

Higher efficacy of oesophago‐salivary reflex and more severe mucosal damage in the distal oesophagus are associated with EoE response to PPIs, implying an anti‐reflux mechanism of action as most likely.
Enhancing creativity in activity‐based offices: A critical incident study of knowledge workers
Authors: Yekanialibeiglou Sepideh , Demirkan Halime , Denti Leif
Published: October 2021

This study investigated the effects of activity‐based offices (ABOs) on individual and group creativity. Adopting an interactionist perspective, we extended the theoretical framework of creative knowledge environments to find the link between ABOs and the concept of creative spaces. We employed the critical incident technique and collected data through interviews and participant observation methods for the case studies of three ABOs. The results show that privacy, noise level, and a distraction‐free environment were the main factors supporting employees' individual creativity, as were open spaces with zones for different levels of noise and private enclosed spaces. For group creativity, the significance of providing suitable equipment and furniture in ABOs was observed—collaborative and disengaged spaces were found to be the recurring spaces for group creativity. Additionally, employee preferences were noted as an important component to consider when looking at environmental features, types of spaces and types of creative activities in creativity‐enhancing ABOs.
A mediation meta‐analysis of the role of maternal responsivity in the association between socioeconomic risk and children’s language
Authors: Borairi Sahar , Fearon Pasco , Madigan Sheri , Plamondon Andre , Jenkins Jennifer
Published: October 2021

This meta‐analysis tested maternal responsivity as a mediator of the association between socioeconomic risk and children's preschool language abilities. The search included studies up to 2017 and meta‐analytic structural equation modeling, allowed us to examine the magnitude of the indirect effect across 17 studies (k = 19). The meta‐analysis included 6433 predominantly White, English speaking children (Mage = 36 months; 50% female) from Western, industrialized countries. All paths in the model were statistically significant, notably, the indirect effect was significant (b = −.052), showing that maternal responsivity may be a proximal intervening variable between socioeconomic risk and children's language development. Moderator analyses found that the indirect effect was stronger for sensitive parenting than warmth and when parenting was assessed in the family home.
Growth, puberty and testicular function in boys born small for gestational age with a nonspecific disorder of sex development
Authors: Tack Lloyd J. W. , van der Straaten Saskia , Riedl Stefan , Springer Alexander , Holterhus Paul‐Martin , Hornig Nadine C. , Kolesinska Zofia , Niedziela Marek , Baronio Federico , Balsamo Antonio , Hannema Sabine E. , Nordenström Anna , Poyrazoglu Sukran , Darendeliler Fatma F. , Grinspon Romina , Rey Rodolfo , Aljuraibah Fahad , Bryce Jillian , Ahmed Faisal , Tadokoro‐Cuccaro Rieko , Hughes Ieuan , Guaragna‐Filho Guilherme , Maciel‐Guerra Andrea T. , Guerra‐Junior Gil , Cools Martine
Published: October 2021

Objective

Being born small for gestational age (SGA) is frequently associated with unexplained disorders of sex development (nonspecific DSD) in boys. Little is known about their future growth, puberty and testicular function. Our objective is to determine the long‐term endocrine outcome of boys born SGA who have a nonspecific DSD.

Design

Boys with a nonspecific DSD born SGA and appropriate for GA (AGA) were retrieved through the International Disorders of Sex Development registry and retrospective data collected, based on a spreadsheet containing 102 items.

Patients and Measurements

In total, 179 boys were included, of which 115 were born SGA and 64 were born AGA. Their growth and pubertal development were compared. Serum LH, FSH, testosterone, AMH and inhibin B levels in infancy and puberty were analysed to assess testicular function.

Results

At 2 years of age, 30% of SGA boys had incomplete or absent catch‐up growth. Boys born SGA also had higher LH during minipuberty and lower testosterone in stimulation tests (p = 0.037 and 0.040, respectively), as compared to boys born AGA. No differences were observed in timing or course of puberty or end‐pubertal hormone levels.

Conclusions

Almost one out of three SGA boys with a nonspecific DSD experiences insufficient catch‐up growth. In addition, our data suggest dysfunction of infantile Leydig cells or altered regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in SGA boys during childhood. Sex steroid production during puberty seems unaffected.
The broader phenotypic spectrum of congenital caudal abnormalities associated with mutations in the caudal type homeobox 2 gene
Authors: Stevens Servi J. C. , Stumpel Constance T. R. M. , Diderich Karin E. M. , van Slegtenhorst Marjon A. , Abbott Mary‐Alice , Manning Courtney , Balciuniene Jorune , Pyle Louise C. , Leonard Jacqueline , Murrell Jill R. , van de Putte Romy , van Rooij Iris A. L. M. , Hoischen Alexander , Lasko Paul , Brunner Han G.
Published: October 2021

The caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) gene encodes a developmental regulator involved in caudal body patterning. Only three pathogenic variants in human CDX2 have been described, in patients with persistent cloaca, sirenomelia and/or renal and anogenital malformations. We identified five patients with de novo or inherited pathogenic variants in CDX2 with clinical phenotypes that partially overlap with previous cases, that is, imperforate anus and renal, urogenital and limb abnormalities. However, additional clinical features were seen including vertebral agenesis and we describe considerable phenotypic variability, even in unrelated patients with the same recurrent p.(Arg237His) variant. We propose CDX2 variants as rare genetic cause for a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome that can include features of caudal regression syndrome and VACTERL. A causative role is further substantiated by the relationship between CDX2 and other proteins encoded by genes that were previously linked to caudal abnormalities in humans, for example, TBXT (sacral agenesis and other vertebral segmentation defects) and CDX1 (anorectal malformations). Our findings confirm the essential role of CDX2 in caudal morphogenesis and formation of cloacal derivatives in humans, which to date has only been well characterized in animals.
Leveraging shark‐fin consumer preferences to deliver sustainable fisheries
Authors: Zhou Xuehong , Booth Hollie , Li Mingzhe , Song Zhifan , MacMillan Douglas C. , Zhang Wei , Wang Qiang , Veríssimo Diogo
Published: October 2021

At least one third of sharks and their cartilaginous relatives (Class Chondrichthyes) meet the IUCN Red List Criteria for being threatened with extinction. Overfishing is the primary threat, with less than 4% of the world's shark catches managed for sustainability. The high‐value shark‐fin trade has gained the greatest attention as a conservation issue, yet there has been little research on shark‐fin consumer preferences, and how these might be leveraged to deliver sustainability goals. We used an online discrete choice experiment to explore preferences for price, quality, rarity, and finning among 2914 shark‐fin soup consumers in China. Overall, consumers prefer higher priced and rare shark‐fins, obtained without finning, yet we found three distinct groups with substantial heterogeneity between them. Our results provide evidence for the conspicuous consumption nature of shark‐fin use, but also suggest these preferences could be leveraged to incentivize responsible shark fishing. In addition, messaging for future unsustainable demand reduction should focus on shark‐finning and animal welfare as opposed species rarity and extinction.
Pharmacokinetics and safety of cenobamate, a novel antiseizure medication, in healthy Japanese, and an ethnic comparison with healthy non‐Japanese
Authors: Yang Eunsol , Sunwoo Jung , Huh Ki Young , Kim Yu Kyong , Lee SeungHwan , Jang In‐Jin , Yu Kyung‐Sang
Published: October 2021

Cenobamate (XCOPRI and ONTOZRY) is a novel antiseizure medication for the treatment of focal‐onset seizures. Nonetheless, there is limited information on the pharmacokinetics (PKs), safety, and efficacy of cenobamate in Asian people, including Japanese people. This study aimed to evaluate the PKs and safety of cenobamate after a single oral dose in healthy Japanese subjects and to compare the PKs with that reported in non‐Japanese subjects. A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, single ascending dose study was conducted at four dose levels of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg. Subjects were randomly assigned to cenobamate or placebo in a 6:2 ratio. Cenobamate was rapidly absorbed, reaching its maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) in 0.75 to 2.25 h, and was eliminated with a mean half‐life of 37.0 to 57.7 h. The Cmax increased dose proportionally, whereas area under the concentration‐time curve increased more than dose proportionally, which was consistent with the findings in non‐Japanese subjects. The systemic exposure of cenobamate was comparable between Japanese and non‐Japanese subjects at all dose levels evaluated. All adverse events were mild in severity, and their incidence did not show dose‐dependent trends. Furthermore, there were no clinically significant issues in safety parameters, including sedation tests, neurologic examinations, and Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale interviews. In conclusion, the systemic exposure of cenobamate after a single dose in Japanese subjects increased by dose, which was similar to the pattern in non‐Japanese subjects. In addition, a single dose of cenobamate was well‐tolerated in the dose range of 50 to 400 mg in healthy Japanese subjects.
Incidental findings in UK healthy volunteers screened for a COVID‐19 vaccine trial
Authors: Hodgson Susanne H. , Iveson Poppy , Larwood Jessica , Roche Sophie , Morrison Hazel , Cosgrove Catherine , Galiza Eva , Ikram Sabina , Lemm Nana‐Marie , Mehdipour Savviz , Owens Daniel , Pacurar Mihaela , Schumacher Michael , Shaw Robert H. , Faust Saul N. , Heath Paul T. , Pollard Andrew J. , Emary Katherine R. W. , Pollock Katrina M. , Lazarus Rajeka
Published: October 2021

The safety of novel therapeutics and vaccines are typically assessed in early phase clinical trials involving “healthy volunteers.” Abnormalities in such individuals can be difficult to interpret and may indicate previously unrecognized medical conditions. The frequency of incidental findings (IFs) in healthy volunteers who attend for clinical trial screening is unclear. To assess this, we retrospectively analyzed data for 1838 “healthy volunteers” screened for enrolment in a UK multicenter, phase I/II severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐COV‐2) vaccine trial. Participants were predominantly White (89.7%, 1640/1828) with a median age of 34 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 27–44). There were 27.7% of participants (510/1838) who had at least one IF detected. The likelihood of identifying evidence of a potential, new blood‐borne virus infection was low (1 in 238 participants) compared with identification of an elevated alanine transaminase (ALT; 1 in 17 participants). A large proportion of participants described social habits that could impact negatively on their health; 21% consumed alcohol in excess, 10% were current smokers, 11% described recreational drug use, and only 48% had body weight in the ideal range. Our data demonstrate that screening prior to enrollment in early phase clinical trials identifies a range of IFs, which should inform discussion during the consent process. Greater clarity is needed to ensure an appropriate balance is struck between early identification of medical problems and avoidance of exclusion of volunteers due to spurious or physiological abnormalities. Debate should inform the role of the trial physician in highlighting and advising about unhealthy social habits.
The print media's construction of the ‘drug problem’ in Victorian newspapers: The case of North Richmond Community Health's medically supervised injecting room
Authors: Whiteside Bianca , Dunn Matthew
Published: October 2021

Introduction

The media's influence on policy has been widely documented. This study sought to investigate how Melbourne's medically supervised injecting room (MSIR) was represented in the print media.

Methods

A qualitative discourse analysis of Victorian print media (n = 441 items) representation of MSIR was conducted. Constructivist Grounded Theory guided the sampling strategy and coding while the discourse analysis was informed by Bacchi's approach to policy analysis, ‘What's the problem represented to be?’. Print news media was gathered from Factiva and Newsbank databases from January 2016 to June 2020.

Results

The media's representation of the ‘drug problem’ of overdose was identified by a range of actors in support and opposition of the facility. In attributing the concept of ‘drug use’ to the ‘drug problem’ items most frequently suggest it is the ‘choice’ of the individual to inject illicit drugs. The voices of people who inject drugs (PWID) were largely silenced in the print news media and to re‐conceptualise the ‘drug problem’ to be a ‘health problem’ would aid in the support for the harm reduction strategy. The research highlighted ‘dividing practices’ (residents vs. PWID) and the portrayal of PWID that translate to the lived effects of PWID.

Discussion and Conclusions

The print news media did not directly influence the establishment of the Melbourne MSIR. However, the representation of PWID in the print media must be further investigated for the successful establishment of future harm reduction strategies.