bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does geopolitics trigger energy inflation in the European economic area? Evidence from a panel time-varying regression
Authors: Olasehinde-Williams Godwin , Olanipekun Ifedolapo , Usman Ojonugwa
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the reaction of energy inflation to geopolitical risks in the European Economic Area between 1990 and 2015.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies the nonparametric time-varying coefficient panel data model with fixed effects. In addition, to further reveal potential tail effects that may not have been captured by conditional mean-based regressions, the method of moments quantile regression was also used.

Findings

The findings of this study are as follows: first, as European countries get exposed to geopolitical tensions, it is expected that energy prices will surge. Second, the ability of geopolitical risk to trigger energy inflation in recent times is not as powerful as it used to be. Third, countries with a lower inflation rate, when exposed to geopolitical risks, experience smaller increases in energy inflation compared to countries with a higher inflation rate.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study lead us to the conclusion that transitioning from nonrenewable to renewable energy use is one channel through which the sampled countries can battle the energy inflation, which geopolitical risks trigger. A sound macroeconomic policy for inflation control is a complementary channel through which the same goal can be achieved.

Originality/value

Given the increasing level of energy inflation and geopolitical risks in the world today, this study is an attempt to reveal the time-varying characteristics of the relationship between these variables in European countries using a nonparametric time-varying coefficient panel data model and method of moments quantile regression with fixed effects.
Foreign investors and stocks' volatility: evidence from COVID-19
Authors: Batra Shallu , Yadav Mahender , Saini Mohit
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine the relationship between foreign ownership and stock return volatility and second, to explore how COVID-19 impacts such a relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This empirical research is based on the non-financial firms of the BSE-100 index over the 2013–2022 period. The ordinary least squares, fixed effects and system GMM (Generalized method of moment) techniques are used to analyze the effect of oversea investors on stock return volatility.

Findings

Results indicate an inverse association between foreign ownership and stock return volatility. The outcomes of the pre-and during-COVID-19 period show a negative but insignificant relationship between foreign ownership and stock return volatility. These results reflect foreign investors sold their stocks pessimistically, which badly affected the Indian stock market.

Originality/value

This study enriches the previous literature by exploring the impact of foreign investors on the stock return volatility of Indian firms. To date, no study has captured the impact of foreign ownership on stock return volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-03-2023-0179
Collaboratively crafting learning standards for tertiary education for environment and sustainability
Authors: McBain Bonnie , Phelan Liam , Ferguson Anna , Brown Paul , Brown Valerie , Hay Iain , Horsfield Richard , Taplin Ros , Tilbury Daniella
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to outline the collaborative approach used to craft national learning standards for tertiary programs in the field of environment and sustainability in Australia. The field of environment and sustainability is broad and constituted by diverse stakeholders. As such, articulating a common set of learning standards presents challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed and used a staged collaborative curriculum design methodology to engage more than 250 stakeholders in tertiary environmental education, including discipline scholars, students, professional associations and employers and other environmental educators. The approach was adaptive, to ensure underrepresented stakeholders’ perspectives were welcomed and recognised. The project was commissioned by the Australian Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (ACEDD) and funded by the Federal Government’s Office for Learning and Teaching.

Findings

The collaborative approach developed and used for this work facilitated an inclusive process that valued diversity of perspectives, rather than marginalise diversity in favour of a perspective representing a minimum level of agreement. This is reflected in the standards themselves, and is evidenced by participant feedback, piloting of the standards and their subsequent application at multiple universities. Achieving this required careful planning and facilitation, to ensure a democratisation of the stakeholder consultation process, and to build consensus in support of the standards. Endorsement by ACEDD formalised the standards’ status.

Originality/value

Collaborative curriculum design offered the opportunity to foster a shared sense of common purpose amongst diverse environmental education stakeholders. This approach to curriculum design is intensive and generative but uncommon and may be usefully adapted and applied in other contexts. The authors note one subsequent instance where the approach has been further developed and applied in transforming a generalist science program, suggesting the methodology used in this case may be applied across other contexts, albeit with appropriate adjustments: the authors offer it here in the spirit of supporting others in their own complex curriculum design challenges.
Documentation to Documentality in the works of Michael Buckland
Authors: Day Ronald E.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Michael Buckland's works have spanned theoretical, historical and practice-oriented foci and genre. This article focuses on some of his theoretical-historical works that span over 20 years, which demonstrate a reading and critique of European Documentation in terms of what has been called “Documentality.” This turn to a philosophy of information called “Documentality” marks the moment of “neo-documentation.” This article surveys this moment in Buckland's works by reading his articles “Information as Thing,” “What is a ‘Document’?”, and “Documentality Beyond Documents.” It shows the transition from Documentation as a philosophy of information as representation to Documentality as a philosophy of information as function and performance. Some concepts and works of Bruno Latour are used to illuminate this transition from Documentation to Documentality. Implications and further research directions are discussed at the end.

Design/methodology/approach

Conceptual and historical analyses.

Findings

The article follows a neo-documentalist transition in Buckland's works in the thinking of documents from an Otletian representationalist epistemology (“Documentation”) to a functionalist and performative epistemology (“Documentality”) for documents.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual work on a limited corpus in Buckland's oeuvre. It has a limited discussion of Documentality in the works of other writers, namely the works of Bernd Frohmann and Maurizio Ferraris.

Practical implications

The article points to historical shifts in the study of documents in Library and Information Science.

Social implications

Documentality critically and materially studies documents in sociotechnical information management systems and elsewhere.

Originality/value

This work highlights the importance of the above works and the importance of the neo-documentalist perspective of Documentality.
Of acquisitions and interference: accounting for systemic threats to the freedom to read
Authors: Lawrence E.E.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Librarianship’s dominant conception of the freedom to read is governed by a liberal principle of noninterference, wherein free readers are those who face no intentional intervention in their choice of materials. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how this account fails to adequately capture systemic threats that impoverish people’s reading lives.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper deploys informal argumentation to expose a flaw in the dominant account of the freedom to read. The author uses a case study of comparative titles or comps, an editorial decision-making and justificatory convention that reproduces racial inequality in Anglophone trade publishing.

Findings

Comps present one example of how everyday norms and practices of literary production render people’s reading lives pervasively unfree, even absent some intent to interfere in them. The going account of the freedom to read calls, at best, for a greater diversity of book-commodities from which consumers may choose. However, the comp case suggests that this distributive remedy will be insufficient without relevant changes to the institutional arrangements that condition readers' choices in the first place.

Originality/value

This paper draws together insights from Library and Information Science, political philosophy and print culture studies to illuminate limitations in librarianship’s standard conception of the freedom to read. This reveals the need for an alternative, structural account of that freedom with significant implications for practice.
How family firm advisors understand their clients: a mixed-methods analysis of social capital signaling in web-based marketing
Authors: Randolph Robert , Kushins Eric , Gala Prachi
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Despite similarities, research across family business and business advising forwards contradictory conclusions when considering family business advising. The authors seek to integrate these literature and in doing so uncover both the hurdles facing family business advisors attempting to adapt tools developed in corporate advising to the family business context as well as the potential for greater integration of these streams in ways that contribute to both family business and advising research and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected both in the form of a survey questionnaire and website marketing content. In the survey, 47 family business advisors evaluated the distinctiveness of their family business clients across structural, cognitive and relational social capital dimensions. Motivated by unexpected findings, a content analysis of advisor websites uncovered specific marketing themes that illustrate the divides between family business advising and scholarship.

Findings

Family business advisors reliably acknowledge structural and cognitive social capital as preeminently characterizing the distinctiveness of their family business clients. Expanding on this, the authors’ findings suggest that the urgency signaled in advisor marketing via their websites may inspire tactics misaligned with the long-term time horizon typically characterizing family businesses strategy.

Originality/value

The few family business advising studies that exist predominantly consider post-hoc evaluation of advising by family business clients. The primary data the authors collect are unique in the literature in that the data detail how family business advisors perceive and engage with potential clients.
Population health management: from principal to practice
Authors: Alton Daniel Mark
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Population Health Management (PHM) is a methodology which has the potential to help support the aspirations of the NHS's Integrated Care Systems to address health inequalities, shift from reactive to proactive care and prevention, work in a more integrated manner, and deliver person-centered care tailored to the individual's needs. Although PHM is featured in a number of key national policy documents, moving from the conceptual to widespread adoption requires some key conditions to be in place and barriers to be overcome. It may also require a wider cultural change amongst teams as part of a more truly integrated, holistic ethos.

Design/methodology/approach

This Viewpoint Paper sets out the advantages and challenges associated with the adoption of PHM.

Findings

Key features of PHM are outlined, as well as the conditions needed for successful adoption. Key barriers which need to be overcome are discussed, not least occasional scepticism from clinical colleagues and how this can be addressed and translated into a source of energy and enthusiasm for a new approach.

Originality/value

This is a viewpoint based on the author's personal experience of supporting the implementation and spread of PHM in England's NHS, summarising shared learning and suggesting practical strategies.
Adoption intention of mobile QR code payment system among marginalized street vendors: an empirical investigation from an emerging economy
Authors: Nandru Prabhakar , S.A. Senthil Kumar , Chendragiri Madhavaiah
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Recently, the Government of India has emphasized digital financial inclusion for promoting cashless transactions with a vision to transform India from a traditional cash-based economy into a cashless economy. Technology-driven payment apps are facilitated greater access to cashless financial services and improve the speed, efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of financial transactions. This study aims to explore the determinants of quick response (QR) code mobile payment (m-payment) adoption intention among marginalized street vendors in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed research model was tested using 320 responses from QR code m-payment users. An interview schedule was performed using the structured questionnaire from marginalized street vendors by adopting a purposive sampling technique. The proposed research framework of this study developed on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). In addition to the existing variables proposed in the UTAUT model, three more variables have been added, namely, digital financial literacy (DFL), personal innovativeness (PI) and perceived trust (PT). Besides, the study used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques to analyze the data.

Findings

This study confirms that factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, PT and customers’ DFL are significant determinants of street vendors’ intention to use QR code m-payment services. However, social influence and PI have shown an insignificant relationship with adopting a QR code m-payment system.

Research limitations/implications

The results provide insights for policymakers and service providers. Specifically, government and bankers design promotional campaigns emphasizing the ease of use, perceived benefits, security and faster business transactions to accept and use the QR code m-payment system to encourage prospective users to achieve a cashless economy.

Originality/value

Many prior studies have widely concentrated on m-payment adoption intention in India. However, only a few studies have attempted to examine the factors influencing the adoption of QR code m-payment services among merchants from emerging economies. There is a dearth of studies on QR code adoption from an unorganized sector perspective, specifically marginalized street vendors. Therefore, this study explicitly examines the extent to which the determinants of adoption intention toward QR code-based m-payment services among marginalized street vendors within the framework of the extended UTAUT model by incorporating DFL, PI and PT. The findings of this study contribute, theoretically and practically, to the existing literature.
Navigating the research-oriented university from perspective of uncertainty reduction theory: the impact of strategic HRM on new faculty
Authors: Peng Michael Yao Ping , Lee Meng-Hsiu , Huang Ya-Hui
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between positive emotion, self-efficacy, job satisfaction and turnover intention in the context of resource building during the socialization process of new faculty members, particularly in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a quantitative research design and employs purposive sampling to obtain 554 valid questionnaires. The study analyzes the relationship between positive emotion, self-efficacy, job satisfaction and turnover intention and examines the influence of strategic human resource management (SHRM) on these variables.

Findings

The results of the study reveal that SHRM positively influences positive emotion and self-efficacy, which, in turn, positively impact job satisfaction. However, positive emotion is negatively related to turnover intention.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature on human resource management (HRM) by examining the impact of strategic HRM on the socialization process of new faculty members. The findings of the study have significant practical implications for the implementation of HRM in research-oriented universities.
Towards concise reporting through integrated reporting: a bibliometric review
Authors: Fayad Abdallah A.S. , Binti Mohd Ariff Arifatul Husna , Ooi Sue Chern , Ahmi Aidi , Khatib Saleh F.A.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to systematically analyse the publications in the field of integrated reporting (IR) and to present an overview of the current publication trends in IR based on the data obtained from the Scopus database.

Design/methodology/approach

Selected bibliometric indicators and bibliometrix R-packages are used in examining metrics like annual publication trends, authors with the most produced work, papers that are often cited, top productive countries, top productive affiliations, frequently mentioned journals, frequently mentioned keywords, analysis of co-citation, analysis of collaboration and analysis of co-word.

Findings

The findings from the bibliometric review indicated that the trend of IR literature had increased from 2017 to 2020, specifically from 2017 to 2019. The findings also indicated that several publications on IR entailed several authors’ collaboration and were published in various languages. Moreover, around 148 institution-affiliated researchers from 40 institutions in 20 countries contributed to the IR publication.

Research limitations/implications

This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the current development in IR. It is useful to help emerging scholars identify and understand current trends in IR based on different countries, authors and languages.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on IR by highlighting the trends of IR publications from the Scopus database using bibliometric analysis.
A financial analysis of inventory leanness before, during and after the Covid-19 crisis
Authors: Haque Md Reiazul
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The recent Covid-19 crisis has exposed the limitations of inventory leanness (i.e. keeping fewer inventories than expected), leading its followers to question whether it is the end of inventory leanness. This study aims to answer that question from a financial perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This study considers 2019, 2020 and 2021 as the pre-, during- and post-Covid periods, respectively, and compares the financial performance and risks of firms that followed a lean inventory strategy (lean firms) to those that do not (non-lean firms). The sample is drawn from manufacturing firms in the USA, and the data are analyzed using univariate tools (such as a t-test) and multivariate regressions.

Findings

The results show that the financial performance of lean firms was better than that of non-lean firms under normal operating conditions in 2019, which continued to sustain during the crisis and post-crisis operating conditions in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Lean firms were also less risky than non-lean firms, except for in 2020, where they were equally risky.

Practical implications

A financial perspective suggests that managers of lean firms who might be thinking of changing over to a non-lean or more conservative strategy in the post-Covid era in relation to their firms' level of inventories do not need to do so unless otherwise required.

Originality/value

This is the very first study that shows the implications of inventory leanness for firms across three operating conditions: pre-crisis (normal business condition), crisis (abnormal business condition) and post-crisis (sub-normal business condition).
Long‐term evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a novel 20% oxybutynin hydrochloride lotion for primary palmar hyperhidrosis: An open‐label extension study
Authors: Fujimoto Tomoko , Terahara Takaaki , Okawa Koji , Inakura Hiroshi , Hirayama Yuta , Yokozeki Hiroo
Published: August 2023

The long‐term safety and efficacy of 52‐week application of oxybutynin hydrochloride 20% lotion (20% OL) for the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPHH) in Japanese patients aged ≥12 years were evaluated in an open‐label extension (OLE) of a 4‐week, randomized, double‐blind (DB) study. The OLE included 114 patients who completed the DB study and wished to continue treatment and 12 new patients. In the safety analysis population (125 patients), the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was 79.2% and 36.0%, respectively. Serious AEs were observed in two patients but were considered unrelated to the investigational drug. The incidence of AEs that led to study discontinuation was 1.6%. The incidence of application site AEs and ADRs was 35.2% and 26.4%, respectively. The severity of most events was mild. The incidence of anticholinergic AEs related to dry mouth was 3.2% for thirst and 0.8% for dry throat. The long‐term efficacy of 20% OL was confirmed by a long‐lasting reduction in sweat volume and improvement in the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale and Dermatology Life Quality Index. This study has several limitations: First the results may include some bias because most of the participants were from the prior DB study; second, the results may not be generalizable because only a few participants were in the age group most susceptible to PPHH (i.e., < 15 years old); and third, the study did not obtain safety information from treatment for more than 52 weeks, so this information must be collected in clinical practice in the future. No reduced therapeutic effect was observed in patients with PPHH in this study after 52‐week application of 20% OL. Also, few patients experienced serious AEs or AEs that led to study treatment discontinuation.
Diverse aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs synthesize bacteriochlorophyll in oligotrophic rather than copiotrophic conditions, suggesting ecological niche
Authors: Kuzyk Steven B. , Messner Katia , Plouffe Jocelyn , Ma Xiao , Wiens Kaitlyn , Yurkov Vladimir
Published: August 2023

While investigating aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs (AAP) from Lake Winnipeg's bacterial community, over 500 isolates were obtained. Relatives of 20 different species were examined simultaneously, identifying conditions for optimal growth or pigment production to determine features that may unify this group of phototrophs. All were distributed among assorted α‐Proteobacterial families including Erythrobacteraceae, Sphingomonadaceae, Sphingosinicellaceae, Acetobacteraceae, Methylobacteriaceae, and Rhodobacteraceae. Major phenotypic characteristics matched phylogenetic association, including pigmentation, morphology, metal transformations, tolerances, lipid configurations, and enzyme activities, which distinctly separated each taxonomic family. While varying pH and temperature had a limited independent impact on pigment production, bacteriochlorophyll synthesis was distinctly promoted under low nutrient conditions, whereas copiotrophy repressed its production but enhanced carotenoid yield. New AAP diversity was also reported by revealing strains related to non‐phototrophic Rubellimicrobium and Sphingorhabdus, as well as spread throughout Roseomonas, Sphingomonas, and Methylobacterium/Methylorubrum, which previously only had a few known photosynthetic members. This study exemplified the overwhelming diversity of AAP in a single aquatic environment, confirming cultivation continues to be of importance in microbial ecology to discover functionality in both new and previously reported cohorts of bacteria as specific laboratory conditions were required to promote aerobic bacteriochlorophyll production.
Enforcing energy consumption promotes microbial extracellular respiration for xenobiotic bioconversion
Authors: Liang Zi‐Han , Sun Hong , Li Yang , Hu Anyi , Tang Qiang , Yu Han‐Qing
Published: August 2023

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) empowers electrogens to catalyse the bioconversion of a wide range of xenobiotics in the environment. Synthetic bioengineering has proven effective in promoting EET output. However, conventional strategies mainly focus on modifications of EET‐related genes or pathways, which leads to a bottleneck due to the intricate nature of electrogenic metabolic properties and intricate pathway regulation that remain unelucidated. Herein, we propose a novel EET pathway‐independent approach, from an energy manipulation perspective, to enhance microbial EET output. The Controlled Hydrolyzation of ATP to Enhance Extracellular Respiration (CHEER) strategy promotes energy utilization and persistently reduces the intracellular ATP level in Shewanella oneidensis, a representative electrogenic microbe. This approach leads to the accelerated consumption of carbon substrate, increased biomass accumulation and an expanded intracellular NADH pool. Both microbial electrolysis cell and microbial fuel cell tests exhibit that the CHEER strain substantially enhances EET capability. Analysis of transcriptome profiles reveals that the CHEER strain considerably bolsters biomass synthesis and metabolic activity. When applied to the bioconversion of model xenobiotics including methyl orange, Cr(VI) and U(VI), the CHEER strain consistently exhibits enhanced removal efficiencies. This work provides a new perspective and a feasible strategy to enhance microbial EET for efficient xenobiotic conversion.
Multi‐family therapy for adult outpatients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder and their family members, targeting family accommodation
Authors: Tandt Hannelore L. N. , Leyman Lemke , Baeken Chris , Purdon Christine , Lemmens Gilbert M. D.
Published: August 2023

This paper describes a multi‐family therapy (MFT) group for adult outpatients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder and their family members. Since family accommodation (FA) is known to maintain OCD symptoms by preventing exposure and response prevention (ERP), reduction of FA is a major focus of the treatment. Furthermore, psychoeducation, conjoint ERP and (re)discovering resources and strengths of families are also important therapeutic foci of the family group. The organisation of MFT is explained and involvement of family is illustrated with clinical vignettes. Finally, some reflections about MFT are provided. On the basis of initial clinical impressions, MFT seems a promising approach. A clinical trial is currently underway.
PLURALITY IN URBAN POLITICS: Conflict and Commonality in Mouffe and Thévenot
Authors: Eranti Veikko , Meriluoto Taina
Published: August 2023

In this article we introduce a pragmatist interpretation of agonistic pluralism and develop this into an analytical framework that is applied to the analysis of urban conflicts. In the article, we take stock of contemporary critical and radical urban scholarship, our aim being twofold. First, we substantiate Chantal Mouffe's notion of agonistic pluralism with tools from French pragmatic sociology. We suggest that, in a democracy, plurality emerges both as a plurality of conflict manifested in the variety of possible ways to identify injustices, and formulate and justify claims in public struggles, and a plurality of commonality, manifested in different logics by which a ‘we’ can be formed and action coordinated so as to solve issues without resorting to physical violence. Secondly, by applying the developed conceptualization of plurality to an ongoing urban conflict concerning an airport, we showcase the value of the approach for identifying and analyzing different forms and phases of actually existing political conflicts, and for recognizing their meaning for democracy.
Inclusion of microalgae in the caprine diet improves nutritional profile of milk and its Camembert cheese
Authors: Gebereyowhans Solomon , Quan Zhu Hui , Zhang Shuwen , Pang Xiaoyang , Workelul Kidane , Lu Jing , Lv Jiaping
Published: August 2023

The experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of supplementation with microalgae (Schizochytrium sp.) on the nutritional characteristics of milk and Camembert cheese from dairy goats. The yield and composition of milk and cheese and the sensory quality of cheese were not affected by the supplementation. As the level of supplementation increased, the concentration of docosahexaenoic acid and total n‐3 fatty acids increased, whereas the ratio of n‐6/n‐3 and total saturated fatty acids decreased in the milk and cheese. In conclusion, supplemented goats, especially goats that received 35 g/head/day produced milk and cheese with better fatty acid composition for human consumption, without affecting the production and composition.
Social risk and patient‐reported outcomes after total knee replacement: Implications for Medicare policy
Authors: Danielson Elizabeth C. , Li Wenjun , Suleiman Linda , Franklin Patricia D.
Published: August 2023

Objective

To determine whether county‐level or patient‐level social risk factors are associated with patient‐reported outcomes after total knee replacement when added to the comprehensive joint replacement risk‐adjustment model.

Data Sources and Study Setting

Patient and outcomes data from the Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement cohort were merged with the Social Vulnerability Index from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Study Design

This prospective longitudinal cohort measured the change in patient‐reported pain and physical function from baseline to 12 months after surgery. The cohort included a nationally diverse sample of adult patients who received elective unilateral knee replacement between 2012 and 2015.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Using a national network of over 230 surgeons in 28 states, the cohort study enrolled patients from diverse settings and collected one‐year outcomes after the surgery. Patients <65 years of age or who did not report outcomes were excluded.

Principal Findings

After adjusting for clinical and demographic factors, we found patient‐reported race, education, and income were associated with patient‐reported pain or functional scores. Pain improvement was negatively associated with Black race (CI = −8.71, −3.02) and positively associated with higher annual incomes (≥$45,00) (CI = 0.07, 2.33). Functional improvement was also negatively associated with Black race (CI = −5.81, −0.35). Patients with higher educational attainment (CI = −2.35, −0.06) reported significantly less functional improvement while patients in households with three adults reported greater improvement (CI = 0.11, 4.57). We did not observe any associations between county‐level social vulnerability and change in pain or function.

Conclusions

We found patient‐level social factors were associated with patient‐reported outcomes after total knee replacement, but county‐level social vulnerability was not. Our findings suggest patient‐level social factors warrant further investigation to promote health equity in patient‐reported outcomes after total knee replacement.
Foraging valor linked with aggression: selection against completely abandoning aggression in the high‐elevation ant Tetramorium alpestre?
Authors: Contala Marie‐Luise , Krapf Patrick , Steiner Florian M. , Schlick‐Steiner Birgit C.
Published: August 2023

Aggression has multiple benefits and is often coupled with other behaviors (“behavioral syndromes”). The level of aggressiveness is influenced by an adaptive benefit–cost ratio suggesting that benefits should outweigh the costs of aggression. Here, we assess if several behaviors are coupled in two behaviorally different populations (aggressive, peaceful) of the high‐elevation ant Tetramorium alpestre. For three weeks, we collected colony fragments and analyzed boldness, exploring, foraging, and risk‐taking behaviors. We hypothesized that the aggressive population is bolder, more explorative and risk‐prone, and forages more food than the peaceful population. To test whether (a) the combination of experiments and parameters used yields a good setup, (b) populations differ behaviorally, and (c) populations display behavioral syndromes, we assessed (a) the frequency of repeatable behaviors of each experiment, (b) the behavioral means among populations, and (c) the behavioral repeatability, respectively. We found that (a) boldness and exploring were most repeatable and represent a good experimental setup, (b) the aggressive population was bolder and more explorative and risk‐prone than the peaceful population, (c) boldness and exploring behaviors were highly repeatable in both populations, thus corroborating our hypothesis. The results suggest that boldness, exploring, and risk‐taking but not foraging are presumably coupled with aggression and indicate the presence of behavioral syndromes in this ant. Under specific ecological conditions, aggression may be coupled with other behaviors and important for finding food. Aggression is probably adaptive in T. alpestre, possibly indicating that selection favors aggression at least partially, which may counteract the complete loss of intraspecific aggression.
Investigation on epidermal structure and water migration of postharvest passion fruit during storage
Authors: Li Xingyan , Pei Zhisheng , Meng Lanhuan , Jiang Yue , Liu Hanmei , Pan Yonggui
Published: August 2023

Passion fruit is a tropical fruit that has plenty of fruit fragrance. During storage, passion fruit quickly loses water, resulting in its poor quality. Researching the mechanism of water loss contributes to prolonging the storage time. In this study, passion fruit was stored at 7 or 25°C to analyze the relationship between epidermal structure and water migration. The epidermal wax and structure of passion fruit began to show signs of destruction from the middle stage (day 8) during storage. The mobility of free water was decreased at 7°C and increased at 25°C in passion fruit from the middle stage of storage (day 8). The migration rate of free water in passion fruit stored at 7°C was lower than that at 25°C. The mobility of immobile water was weaker in the late storage period but that of bound water changed barely. These results showed that the migration of free, immobile, and bound water had a connection with the epidermal structure. Incomplete epidermal structure promoted water loss in passion fruit, with the most pronounced loss of free water.

Practical Application

Maintaining the epidermal structure of passion fruit well can decrease the water loss ratio. Passion fruit stored at low temperatures could better sustain the integrity of epidermal wax and structure; it was able to change the water migration rate in the epidermis of passion fruit, which was conducive to maintaining the water content.
Design of a chimeric glycosyltransferase OleD for the site‐specific O‐monoglycosylation of 3‐hydroxypyridine in nosiheptide
Authors: Zhao Ling , Xu Yuncong , Chen Manting , Wu Lingrui , Li Meng , Lu Yuanyuan , Lu Meiling , Chen Yijun , Wu Xuri
Published: August 2023

To identify the potential role of the 3‐hydroxyl group of the pyridine ring in nosiheptide (NOS) for its antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive pathogens, enzymatic glycosylation was utilized to regio‐selectively create a monoglycosyl NOS derivative, NOS‐G. For this purpose, we selected OleD, a UDP glycosyltransferase from Streptomyces antibioticus that has a low productivity for NOS‐G. Activity of the enzyme was increased by swapping domains derived from OleI, both single and in combination. Activity enhancement was best in mutant OleD‐10 that contained four OleI domains. This chimer was engineered by site‐directed mutagenesis (single and in combination) to increase its activity further, whereby variants were screened using a newly‐established colorimetric assay. OleD‐10 with I117F and T118G substitutions (FG) had an increased NOS‐G productivity of 56%, approximately 70 times higher than that of wild‐type OleD. The reason for improved activity of FG towards NOS was structurally attributed to a closer distance (<3 Å) between NOS/sugar donor and the catalytic amino acid H25. The engineered enzyme allowed sufficient activity to demonstrate that the produced NOS‐G had enhanced stability and aqueous solubility compared to NOS. Using a murine MRSA infection model, it was established that NOS‐G resulted in partial protection within 20 h of administration and delayed the death of infected mice. We conclude that 3‐hydroxypyridine is a promising site for structural modification of NOS, which may pave the way for producing nosiheptide derivatives as a potential antibiotic for application in clinical treatment.
Best practices for genotype imputation from low‐coverage sequencing data in natural populations
Authors: Watowich Marina M. , Chiou Kenneth L. , Graves Brian , Montague Michael J. , Brent Lauren J. N. , Higham James P. , Horvath Julie E. , Lu Amy , Martinez Melween I. , Platt Michael L. , Schneider‐Crease India A. , Lea Amanda J. , Snyder‐Mackler Noah
Published: August 2023

Monitoring genetic diversity in wild populations is a central goal of ecological and evolutionary genetics and is critical for conservation biology. However, genetic studies of nonmodel organisms generally lack access to species‐specific genotyping methods (e.g. array‐based genotyping) and must instead use sequencing‐based approaches. Although costs are decreasing, high‐coverage whole‐genome sequencing (WGS), which produces the highest confidence genotypes, remains expensive. More economical reduced representation sequencing approaches fail to capture much of the genome, which can hinder downstream inference. Low‐coverage WGS combined with imputation using a high‐confidence reference panel is a cost‐effective alternative, but the accuracy of genotyping using low‐coverage WGS and imputation in nonmodel populations is still largely uncharacterized. Here, we empirically tested the accuracy of low‐coverage sequencing (0.1–10×) and imputation in two natural populations, one with a large (n = 741) reference panel, rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), and one with a smaller (n = 68) reference panel, gelada monkeys (Theropithecus gelada). Using samples sequenced to coverage as low as 0.5×, we could impute genotypes at >95% of the sites in the reference panel with high accuracy (median r2 ≥ 0.92). We show that low‐coverage imputed genotypes can reliably calculate genetic relatedness and population structure. Based on these data, we also provide best practices and recommendations for researchers who wish to deploy this approach in other populations, with all code available on GitHub (https://github.com/mwatowich/LoCSI‐for‐non‐model‐species). Our results endorse accurate and effective genotype imputation from low‐coverage sequencing, enabling the cost‐effective generation of population‐scale genetic datasets necessary for tackling many pressing challenges of wildlife conservation.
Efficacy of prescribed opioids for acute pain after being discharged from the emergency department: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Daoust Raoul , Paquet Jean , Marquis Martin , Williamson David , Fontaine Guillaume , Chauny Jean‐Marc , Frégeau Amélie , Orkin Aaron M. , Upadhye Suneel , Lessard Justine , Cournoyer Alexis
Published: August 2023

Background

Opioids are often prescribed for acute pain to patients discharged from the emergency department (ED), but there is a paucity of data on their short‐term use. The purpose of this study was to synthesize the evidence regarding the efficacy of prescribed opioids compared to nonopioid analgesics for acute pain relief in ED‐discharged patients.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and gray literature databases were searched from inception to January 2023. Two independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials investigating the efficacy of prescribed opioids for ED‐discharged patients, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Authors were contacted for missing data and to identify additional studies. The primary outcome was the difference in pain intensity scores or pain relief. All meta‐analyses used a random‐effect model and a sensitivity analysis compared patients treated with codeine versus those treated with other opioids.

Results

From 5419 initially screened citations, 46 full texts were evaluated and six studies enrolling 1161 patients were included. Risk of bias was low for five studies. There was no statistically significant difference in pain intensity scores or pain relief between opioids versus nonopioid analgesics (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.10 to 0.34). Contrary to children, adult patients treated with opioid had better pain relief (SMD 0.28, 95% CI 0.13–0.42) compared to nonopioids. In another sensitivity analysis excluding studies using codeine, opioids were more effective than nonopioids (SMD 0.30, 95% CI 0.15–0.45). However, there were more adverse events associated with opioids (odds ratio 2.64, 95% CI 2.04–3.42).

Conclusions

For ED‐discharged patients with acute musculoskeletal pain, opioids do not seem to be more effective than nonopioid analgesics. However, this absence of efficacy seems to be driven by codeine, as opioids other than codeine are more effective than nonopioids (mostly NSAIDs). Further prospective studies on the efficacy of short‐term opioid use after ED discharge (excluding codeine), measuring patient‐centered outcomes, adverse events, and potential misuse, are needed.
Strange bedfellows: Mammal burrow disturbances may provide thermoregulatory microsites for fossorial reptiles in densely vegetated dunes
Authors: Hodgson Mitchell J. , Ritchie Daniel
Published: August 2023

Burrow excavation by mammals generates heterogeneity within landscapes. Globally, these disturbances are known to provide significant ecosystem benefits. Most investigations of native Australian burrowing mammal disturbances has focused on the role of burrows in landscape function and interspecific thermal refugia. Herein, we present a novel observation of the fossorial skink Lerista bougainvillii utilizing burrow mounds of the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) for possible thermoregulatory gains. In the early morning, when thermoregulatory opportunities were limited, L. bougainvillii were detected in mounds that appeared hotter than adjoining vegetation. These observations suggest that in densely vegetated habitats thermal heterogeneity caused by mammal burrows may offer important thermoregulatory opportunities for fossorial species with limited climbing capacity.
Survival outcomes of head and neck melanoma patients in Queensland, Australia from 2009 to 2018
Authors: Dwivedi Nikhil , Barsoum Ramez , Moore Julie , Rathbone Evelyne
Published: August 2023

Background/Objectives

To compare survival outcomes for patients with cutaneous invasive head and neck melanoma (HNM) with those of patients with melanoma on other anatomical sites.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study using patient data extracted from the Cancer Alliance Queensland's Oncology Analysis System (OASYS) over a 10‐year period from 2009 to 2018. Melanoma‐specific survival was compared between patients with HNM and non‐HNM. Kaplan–Meier survival estimates were calculated at 5 and 10 years. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis determined factors associated with survival.

Results

The 5‐ and 10‐year survival probabilities were 90.7% and 89.1%, respectively for HNM, compared with 94.7% and 93.0%, respectively, for non‐HNM melanoma. The 5‐ and 10‐year survival probabilities for scalp melanoma were 77.8% and 75.5%, respectively. Patients with HNM died of melanoma at 1.22 times (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09–1.37) the rate of those with non‐HNM, controlling for sex, age, socioeconomic status, remoteness, Breslow thickness, the presence of multiple invasion melanoma and ulceration. Patients with scalp melanoma died of melanoma at 1.57 times (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.26–1.95) the rate of those with non‐scalp HNM.

Conclusions

There is a statistically significant survival difference between patients with HNM and non‐HNM, and between patients with scalp melanoma and non‐scalp HNM, even after adjusting for prognostic factors.
Climatic factors affecting seasonal movements of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in a semi‐arid region of South Africa
Authors: Deacon Francois , Smit Gert Nicolaas , Grobbelaar Andri
Published: August 2023

To the modern‐day conservationist, knowledge on giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) movement patterns is crucial for the effective management of this increasingly threatened species. The aim of this study was to determine the seasonal distances travelled by giraffes in a highly seasonal semi‐arid savanna area and to investigate how specific climatic factors influence their spatial distribution. Distributed over the 95,537‐ha reserve, we selected eight adult female giraffes that were equipped with radio transmitter collars using geographical positioning system devices to investigate their movement patterns over a 21‐month period in the Kalahari region of South Africa. Climatic data were collected using three weather stations at different locations in the study area. Giraffes moved significantly longer distances and for longer hours during the cool, dry season compared to other seasons. Both temperature and rainfall had statistically significant effects on distances travelled. The giraffes moved significantly longer distances with higher rainfall and temperature. They also moved significantly further during the middle of the day in all seasons, except winter. The reasons for these movement patterns are discussed with special emphasis on the influence of climatic factors on resource availability in a highly seasonal environment with periods of low resource availability.
Varied plant species' responses to climate and environmental change on Mount Kenya after 40 years
Authors: Downing Timothy A. , Olago Daniel O. , Nyumba Tobias O. , Peacock Mary M. , Young Truman P.
Published: August 2023

Tropical alpine areas are some of the most vulnerable areas in the world to climate change. Their plant communities have narrow thermal niches and have limited geographic areas to expand. Here we examine changes in plant species' abundance and distribution in the Teleki Valley (3900–4500 m asl) of Mount Kenya using a spatially explicit vegetation survey from 1980. Vascular plant species were re‐sampled in 35 plots across the valley, and additional size and density data were collected for the two Dendrosenecio species. Overall species richness and diversity were lower in 2021 than in 1980, and the abundance of dominant species had declined. Changes in elevation suggested both upward and downward shifts had occurred. Dendrosenecio keniodendron exhibited a shift towards the valley bottom as well as a change in population structure towards younger individuals. The dominant environmental factors affecting plant composition were similar in both 1980 and 2021, namely elevation, vegetation cover and the presence of D. keniodendron. This keystone species plays a significant role in shaping communities but is undergoing rapid demographic changes, which may have cascading implications on the ecology of the system.