bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The right to care? Social citizenship and care poverty in developed welfare states
Authors: Rummery Kirstein
Published: January 2022

Purpose

There are clear theoretical, policy and practice tensions in conceptualising social or long-term care as a “right”: an enforceable choice. The purpose of this article is to address the following questions: Do disabled and older citizens have the right to long-term care? What do these rights look like under different care regimes? Do citizens have the right or duty to *provide* long-term care? It is already known that both formal and informal care across all welfare contexts is mainly provided by women and that this has serious implications for gender equality.

Design/methodology/approach

In this article, the author takes a conceptual approach to examining the comparative evidence from developed welfare states with formal long-term care provision and the different models of care, to challenge feminist care theory from the perspective of those living in care poverty (i.e. with insufficient access to long-term care and support to meet their citizenship rights).

Findings

Drawing on her own comparative research on models of long-term and “personalised” care, the author finds that different models of state provision and different models of personalised care provide differential citizenship outcomes for carers and those needing care. The findings indicate that well-governed personalised long-term care provides the best outcomes in terms of balancing potentially conflicting citizenship claims and addressing care poverty.

Originality/value

The author develops new approaches to care theory based on citizenship and care poverty that have not been published elsewhere, drawing on models that she developed herself.
The role of audit committees in mitigating earnings management: evidence from Jordan
Authors: Almarayeh Taha , Abdullatif Modar , Aibar-Guzmán Beatriz
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between audit committees (ACs) and earnings management (EM) in the developing country context of Jordan. In particular, it investigates whether audit committee attributes, including their size, independence, expertise and meetings, are able to restrict discretionary accruals as a proxy for EM.

Design/methodology/approach

The generalized least square (GLS) regression was used to study the association between audit committee attributes and discretionary accruals, as a proxy of EM, for a sample of industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period 2012–2020. Data were obtained from the firms' annual reports.

Findings

The regression results indicate that audit committee independence is the only audit committee attribute that seems to improve the effectiveness of ACs, in that it is significantly associated with less EM, while other audit committee attributes that were tested do not show statistically significant associations.

Research limitations/implications

In emerging markets, like Jordan, ACs may not be an efficient monitoring mechanism; therefore, it can be argued that the prediction made by the agency theory about the role of ACs in mitigating opportunistic EM activities does not necessarily apply to all contexts.

Practical implications

A better understanding of audit committee effectiveness in developing countries could help regulators in these countries assess the impact of planned corporate governance (CG) reforms and to better monitor and enhance the performance of ACs.

Social implications

In a setting characterized by closely held companies, high power distance and low demand for high-quality CG mechanisms, this study contributes to understanding how this business system operates, and how improving CG mechanisms could be successful in such cultures.

Originality/value

This study investigates the under-researched relationship between audit committee characteristics and EM in developing countries. In so doing, it aims to provide new insights into this relationship within the developing context case of Jordan, including if and how the institutional setting influences this relationship.
Integrating liberal education, business, and high-impact practices – the case of George Mason University’s School of Business
Authors: Magro Anne , Gring-Pemble Lisa Marie , Bishop Charish R.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

In College Learning for the New Global Century, the National Leadership Council of Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) argue for a liberal education for all students because “(i)n an economy fueled by innovation, the capabilities developed through a liberal education have become America’s most valuable economic asset.” (LEAP, 2007). The Business for a Better World Center and the School of Business at George Mason University endorse this view and have applied the liberal education approach to the study of business. This paper aims to explore the current environment of business education, the role of liberal education and the school’s programs and their benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper relies on a case-study approach.

Findings

In this paper, the authors explore how George Mason University’s School of Business brings a liberal education approach to business education and draws on a combination of high impact practices, such as first-year seminars, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, collaborative assignments, undergraduate research, community-based learning, internships, capstone courses and projects and diversity and global learning (Kuh, 2008). Mason’s experience demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of this integration.

Originality/value

This case study provides unique insight into how business schools can integrate a liberal education approach into business education with successful results. As such, the paper contributes to the growing body of research on the benefits of liberal arts and business education models as a means of addressing global goals and provides a valuable case study to understand better the necessity of integrative, interdisciplinary learning.
Job challenges are hindrances too: examining experiences of managers and employees in Finnish SMEs
Authors: Vanharanta Outi , Vartiainen Matti , Polvinen Kirsi
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The study aims to explore job demands experienced by employees and managers in micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the job demands framework, the study discusses the experienced demands from the perspective of challenges that create opportunities for learning and achievement and hindrances that create obstacles for work. The study builds on the idea that the same demand can be perceived both as a challenge and a hindrance. That approach opens a path to responding to challenges by reformulating working practices and removing hindrances by designing, developing and crafting jobs and tasks.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyzed open-ended survey responses (N = 306) to study experienced job demands in 50 micro-enterprises and SMEs, how the perceived demands differ between employees and managers and whether they represent challenge or hindrance demands.

Findings

The authors identified 17 job demand categories most including both challenge and hindrance demands. Time management and prioritization was the most central challenge and hindrance category for both employees and managers. For employees, sales and stakeholder relationships represented the second largest challenge category and communication and information flow was the second largest hindrance category. For managers, the second largest challenge and hindrance categories were organization and management of activities and the fragmentation of work, respectively.

Originality/value

By focusing on employee experience, the achieve a more nuanced understanding of the SME context, which has been dominated by managerial evaluations. The study also advances the discussion on job demands by extending our knowledge of demands that may be experienced both as a challenge and a hindrance.
Management obfuscation through mandatory financial risk disclosure: evidence from European-listed banks
Authors: Ferri Luca , Allini Alessandra , Maffei Marco , Spanò Rosanna
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the readability of financial risk disclosure divulged by listed banks of the first five European countries according to gross domestic product.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the management obfuscation hypotheses and tests data gathered for a sample of 790 observations from listed banks in Europe covering the 2007–2018 period. This study uses a readability index (Gunning’s fog index) as the dependent variable for measuring the readability of banks’ mandatory financial risk disclosures. Moreover, it relies on a completeness index, discretionary accruals and several control variables for identifying the determinants of risk disclosure readability using ordinary least square regression for testing the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings show the existence of a positive relation\nship between readability and completeness of risk disclosure. In contrast, a negative relationship exists between readability and banks’ discretionary accruals.

Originality/value

This study expands the stream of accounting literature analyzing the lexical characteristics of narrative risk disclosure, and, by focusing on the financial risk disclosure of banks, it extends the readability-related debate, which has primarily concentrated on other types of disclosure to date. This study is relevant to regulators and policymakers for fostering reflections as actions for improving the financial risk disclosures readability. This study is also of potential interest for investors to better delve into the questions surrounding risk disclosure.
Corporate governance and the quality of CSR disclosure: lessons from an emerging economy
Authors: Ananzeh Husam
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This paper is motivated by the absence of rules that govern the practice of corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the corporate governance factors that impact the quality of CSRD. This study further examines the moderating role of family ownership and educational qualifications of female directors on the relation between board gender diversity and CSRD quality.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a sample of 94 non-financial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange to collect data on CSRD based on a checklist of 41 items for seven years from 2010–2016. The quality of CSRD is measured using a four-dimensional method that encompasses relative quantity, disclosure intensity, degree of accuracy and management outlook.

Findings

This study finds that CSRD quality is far from satisfactory in Jordan. The results also suggest that board size, auditor type, company size and profitability are positively associated with CSRD quality. On the other hand, factors such as chief executive officer duality, board diversity, ownership concentration and financial leverage are negatively associated with CSRD quality. In addition, the results of the empirical analysis suggest that the negative relationship between the quality of CSRD and the presence of female board members is stronger for family-owned companies. By contrast, the negative relationship between the quality of CSRD and the presence of female board members is weakened when the company has more educated, skilled and qualified female directors.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is manifested in the development of a quantitative measurement of CSRD quality.
A psychological and educational intervention program for incarcerated youth
Authors: Scott David A. , Beeson Spencer , Adams Shanada , Scott Michelle , Scott Taylor Grace
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the results of a deliberate psychological and educational intervention with at-risk youth (placed in a detention center) that have been identified as having the potential to benefit from a behavioral program.

Design/methodology/approach

The program provided systemic behavioral health assessments using trauma-informed care guidelines and then linked the participants to mental health and substance services to increase the children’s access to key health services and reduce the risk of recidivism. The program also provided psychoeducational resources to stakeholders including parents, judges and corrections officers. Comparisons were made between participants receiving the intervention to determine pre and post results.

Findings

Recidivism rates were also examined. Study participants included 395 at-risk youth between the ages of 13 and 17. In summary, the findings supported the use of this multi-pronged program with juveniles residing in detention centers.

Originality/value

All work on this research project was completed by the listed authors.
Pre‐eclampsia screening studies – overcoming intervention bias
Authors: Cuckle Howard
Published: January 2022

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on David Wright eet al., pp. 1308–1317 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17096.
Impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on cervical cancer will be severe
Authors: Massad Leslie Stewart
Published: January 2022

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on Jennifer M. Davies et al., pp. 1133–1139 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17098
Petrogenesis of Early Permian Intrusive Rocks from Southeastern Inner Mongolia, China: Constraints on the Tectonic Framework of the Southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt
Authors: QIAN Cheng , LU Lu , SHI Lu , DU Jiyu , WANG Yan , YANG Xiaoping , ZHANG Yujin
Published: January 2022

The late Paleozoic tectonic framework of the southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt is key to restricting the accretion orogeny between the Siberia Craton and the North China Craton. To clarify the framework, petrogenesis of early Permian intrusive rocks from southeastern Inner Mongolia was studied. Zircon U‐Pb dating for bojite and syenogranite from Ar‐Horqin indicate that they were emplaced at 288–285 Ma. Geochemical data reveal that the bojite is highly magnesian and low‐K to middle‐K calc‐alkaline, with E‐MORB‐type REE and IAB‐like trace element patterns. The syenogranite is a middle‐K calc‐alkaline fractionated A‐type granite and shows oceanic‐arc‐like trace element patterns, with depleted Sr‐Nd‐Hf isotopes, (87Sr/86Sr)I = 0.7032–0.7042, εNd(t) = +4.0 to +6.6 and zircon εHf(t) = +11.14 to +14.99. This suggests that the bojite was derived from lithospheric mantle metasomatized by subducted slab melt, while the syenogranite originated from very juvenile arc‐related lower crust. Usng data from coeval magmatic rocks from Linxi–Ar‐Horqin, the Ar‐Horqin intra‐oceanic arc was reconstructed, i.e., initial transition in 290–280 Ma and mature after 278 Ma. Combined with regional geological and geophysical materials in southeastern Inner Mongolia, an early Permian tectonic framework as ‘one narrow ocean basin of the PAO’, ‘two continental marginal arcs on its northern and southern’ and ‘one intra‐oceanic arc in its southern’ is proposed.
Experimental Simulation Study of the Dominant Enrichment Area of Terrestrial Organic Matter in the Shallow‐Delta Sedimentary System of the Yacheng Formation in the Qiongdongnan Basin
Authors: XU Xinde , YANG Xibing , QU Tong , GAO Gang , LIANG Gang , LI Xing
Published: January 2022

Shallow‐delta sedimentary systems receive both terrestrial and marine organic matter. As oil and gas exploration activities determine that the source rocks of the deep‐water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea, are generally rich in and even dominated by terrestrial organic matter, this has led many researchers to examine the rules governing terrestrial organic matter enrichment in shallow‐delta sea sedimentary systems. However, the deep burial of source rocks in deep‐water areas and the relatively small amount of drilling undertaken have greatly restricted the study of these rules. In this study, the ‘forward modeling’ research method was used to observe and analyze the deposition and preservation of terrestrial organic matter through flume experiments, where the depositional results were carefully depicted and sampled. The total organic carbon content of selected samples was measured and when combined with qualitative observations and quantitative comparison results, the dominant enrichment areas of terrestrial organic matter were identified. The experimental results show that the overbank parts of the delta front, the dune countercurrent surface, the low‐lying parts, the delta front slope area and the shallow‐prodelta sea area are where terrestrial organic matter is predominantly enriched. This provides an important basis and guidance for the prediction of the development areas of marine source rocks with terrestrial input in the deep‐water areas of the Qiongdongnan Basin.
Association between Klebsiella pneumoniae and ankylosing spondylitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Long Fayu , Wang Taiping , Li Qing , Xiong Yiquan , Zeng Yong
Published: January 2022

Aim

The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between Klebsiella pneumoniae infection and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Method

Five electronic databases, PubMed, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, and Scopes, were searched until September 29, 2021. Cohort and case‐control studies that assessed the association between K. pneumoniae infection and AS were included. Pooled odds ratio (OR) was selected to show the effect size. Subgroup analysis (active or inactive AS) and 2 forms of sensitivity analysis were conducted. All statistical analyses were conducted by using STATA 12.0.

Results

There were 25 case‐control studies finally included, including 8 studies concerning presence of K. pneumoniae in feces, and 17 studies concerning serum antibody (immunoglobulin [Ig]G, IgM, IgA) against K. pneumoniae. The results suggested that when compared with healthy people, presence of K. pneumoniae in feces was associated with AS (OR: 5.65; 95% CI: 1.68‐19.00). Similarly, when compared with healthy people, higher positive rates of IgA (OR: 6.28; 95% CI: 3.32‐11.91) and IgG (OR: 5.22; 95% CI: 1.36‐19.99) were observed. Subgroup analyses suggested that association between K. pneumoniae and AS appears stronger in active AS.

Conclusion

When compared with healthy people, a significantly higher positive rate of K. pneumoniae in feces, serum IgA and IgG were observed in patients with AS, suggesting that K. pneumoniae probably plays a crucial role in the occurrence of AS. The findings in this study need further prospective investigations for confirmation.
Complete reconstruction of the process and conditions during gold smelting in the 15th–17th centuries in Złoty Stok based on metallurgical slags
Authors: Warchulski Rafał , Kupczak Krzysztof , Gawęda Aleksandra , Sitko Rafał
Published: January 2022

This study presents the first complete reconstruction of gold metallurgy in Złoty Stok, Poland. The key parameters of the process (i.e., temperature of smelting and solidification, melt viscosity, oxygen fugacity) are calculated using the remnants of the process: metallurgical slags. The slags consist of silicate phases (i.e., olivine, pyroxene), sulfides and arsenides (i.e., pyrrhotite, Fe2As), as well as glass. These slags are chemically dominated by SiO2 (< 56.60 wt%), MgO (< 18.36 wt%), FeO (< 15.36 wt%), and CaO (< 15.19 wt%). The obtained results indicate that the temperature during the metallurgical process was at least 1300–1350°C, and crystallization of the slags took place until they cooled to < 1200°C. The morphology of olivine crystals in the slags indicates large differences in their cooling rate, from 5 to 300°C/h. Strongly reducing conditions during the metallurgical process (−10.5 to −11.5 log fO2) was confirmed. Low melt viscosity (logƞ = 0.26 – 0.90 Pa s) facilitated the separation of the sulfide melt rich in gold from the silicate melt being the slag precursor. The obtained results allowed existing descriptions of the smelting process in Złoty Stok to be corrected.
Using visible derivative spectroscopy to assess flaked projectile point provenance: Application and preliminary analysis of the welling site, Ohio, U.S.A
Authors: Lewis Angela R. , Simone Diana , Williams Jeremy , Eren Metin I. , Ortiz Joseph D.
Published: January 2022

Linking the stone raw material of a lithic artifact to its original outcrop is an important endeavor that facilitates archaeologists' understanding of prehistoric mobility, trade, economics, and land use. Based on macroscopic identification, archaeologists' presume that prehistoric Holocene occupants of the Welling Site, Ohio, made use of the locally available Upper Mercer chert for the majority of their projectile points. Here we apply visible derivative spectroscopy (VDS) to quantitatively assess this claim by examining 55 projectile points from the site. VDS identified 85%, whereas macroscopic analysis found 73% of the projectile points examined derived from the Upper Mercer Chert. These proportions are not statistically different given the sample size. Although the VDS analysis supported the hypothesis that Welling's Holocene projectile points were predominately produced from Upper Mercer chert, discrepancies between the results of macroscopic versus VDS chert identification point to future avenues of research including an expansion of VDS analyzed hand samples and comparison of VDS to other sourcing methods. Nevertheless, we propose that VDS has much promise and should be researched further so that archaeologists' can add another tool to their lithic artifact raw material sourcing toolbox.
The Impact of Lessee and Lessor Accounting in Local Councils
Authors: Fahad Nafiz , Scott Tom
Published: January 2022

This paper examines the impact of capitalising operating leases on the financial ratios for New Zealand councils (local government). It finds that required financial management and leverage ratios significantly worsen, but by an immaterial amount. In contrast, return on assets significantly increases by a material amount. This extends the constructive lease capitalisation literature to public benefit entities. This paper also discusses the role of councils as both lessees and lessors and that any change to lessor accounting for operating leases would have a greater impact on councils, although likely still immaterial. As a recent exposure draft suggests the convergence of International Public Sector Accounting Standard lease accounting with International Financial Reporting Standard 16, this paper provides timely evidence to standard‐setters.
Diagnosis and management of Waldenström macroglobulinaemia—A British Society for Haematology guideline
Authors: Pratt Guy , El‐Sharkawi Dima , Kothari Jaimal , D’Sa Shirley , Auer Rebecca , McCarthy Helen , Krishna Rajesh , Miles Oliver , Kyriakou Charalampia , Owen Roger
Published: January 2022

Scope

The objective of this guideline is to provide healthcare professionals with clear guidance on the management of patients with Waldenström macroglobulinaemia. In individual patients, circumstances may dictate an alternative approach.

Methodology

This guideline was compiled according to the British Society for Haematology (BSH) process at http://www.b‐s‐h.org.uk/guidelines/proposing‐and‐writing‐a‐new‐bsh‐guideline/. Recommendations are based on a review of the literature using Medline, Pubmed, Embase, Central, Web of Science searches from beginning of 2013 (since the publication of the previous guidelines) up to November 2021. The following search terms were used: Waldenström(’s) macroglobulin(a)emia OR lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, IgM(‐related) neuropathy OR cold h(a)emagglutinin disease OR cold agglutinin disease OR cryoglobulin(a)emia AND (for group a only) cytogenetic OR molecular OR mutation OR MYD88 OR CXCR4, management OR treatment OR transfusion OR supportive care OR plasma exchange OR plasmapheresis OR chemotherapy OR bendamustine OR bortezomib OR ibrutinib OR fludarabine OR dexamethasone OR cyclophosphamide OR rituximab OR everolimus, bone marrow transplantation OR stem cell transplantation. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) nomenclature was used to evaluate levels of evidence and to assess the strength of recommendations. The GRADE criteria can be found at http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org. Review of the manuscript was performed by the British Society for Haematology (BSH) Guidelines Committee Haemato‐Oncology Task Force, the BSH Guidelines Committee and the Haemato‐Oncology sounding board of BSH. It was also on the members section of the BSH website for comment. It has also been reviewed by UK Charity WMUK; these organisations do not necessarily approve or endorse the contents.
Altering consumer practices, facing uncertainties, and seeking stability: Canadian news media framings of international retirement migrants during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Tate Jessica , Crooks Valorie A. , Snyder Jeremy
Published: January 2022

International retirement migration involves the seasonal relocation of older adults to destinations abroad. For Canadians, this is typically done to escape winter at home in favour of warmer weather elsewhere. In this paper, we explore how Canadian newspapers chronicled the changes associated with managing the COVID‐19 pandemic in Canada, including border measures and calls to avoid non‐essential travel, and how they impacted international retirement migrants and their movements. We specifically present the findings of a framing analysis conducted of 187 newspaper articles published in 2020, identified through the Canadian Newsstream Database. The framing analysis identified three ways in which Canadian international retirement migrants were discussed in relation to the pandemic and the changed spatio‐temporal realities that affected their transnational movements. First, they are a group who altered their consumer practices, which had economic impacts at home and in their usual seasonal destinations. Second, they are a group who faced considerable uncertainty with regard to travel and movement, among other things, as the pandemic unfolded in 2020. Finally, Canadian international retirement migrants sought stability in a number of ways, both in terms of their social networks and living arrangements at home and abroad.
The measure of a fan: Social patterns of voracious sports following in Canada
Authors: Gemar Adam , Vanzella‐Yang Adam
Published: January 2022

Sociological studies on the manifestations and reproduction of inequality through cultural consumption have focused on few domains of culture and have mostly neglected intensity in consumption. Using large‐scale survey data about professional sports following in Canada, we investigate how socioeconomic position is associated with intensity of professional sports following (“voraciousness”). Our multinomial logistic regression analyses suggest that social class, gender, and geography are predictors of voraciousness in each of the major professional sports leagues. Our latent class analysis (LCA) reveals seven sports following profiles marked by differences in range and intensity of following. We find that the most voracious sport followers are also the most omnivorous but are not distinctively the most privileged group. Findings suggest a distinct sport following profile of the predominantly male and economically dominant group in the field of social classes and point toward groups of sport followers with different styles of aversion and passing knowledge, perhaps in a type of deployment of Bourdieu's (1984) disinterested aesthetic. Overall, however, gender and region appear to be stronger predictors of voraciousness in sports following than social class in the Canadian context.
Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Skene Kayleigh , O’Farrelly Christine M. , Byrne Elizabeth M. , Kirby Natalie , Stevens Eloise C. , Ramchandani Paul G.
Published: January 2022

This systematic review and meta‐analysis considered evidence of guided play compared to direct instruction or free play to support children's learning and development. Interventions from 39 studies were reviewed (published 1977–2020); 17 were included in meta‐analysis (Ntotal = 3893; Mchildage = 1–8 years; Mgirls 49.8%; Methnicity White 41%, African American/Black 28%, Hispanic 19%). Guided play had a greater positive effect than direct instruction on early maths skills (g = 0.24), shape knowledge (g = 0.63), and task switching (g = 0.40); and than free play on spatial vocabulary (g = 0.93). Differences were not identified for other key outcomes. Narrative synthesis highlighted heterogeneity in the conceptualization and implementation of guided play across studies.
Retracted: A 5‐year randomized controlled clinical trial comparing 4‐mm ultrashort to longer implants placed in regenerated bone in the posterior atrophic jaw
Authors: Barausse Carlo , Pistilli Roberto , Canullo Luigi , Bonifazi Lorenzo , Ferri Agnese , Felice Pietro
Published: January 2022

Background

Short implants (up to 5‐mm long) have shown good results when compared to longer implants placed in augmented bone.

Purpose

To evaluate if 4‐mm ultrashort implants could also be an alternative to bone augmentation in the severely atrophic posterior jaws. The primary aim of the study was to compare implant survival rates between study groups.

Materials and Methods

Eighty partially edentulous patients with posterior atrophic jaws (5–6 mm of bone above the mandibular canal and 4–5 mm below the maxillary sinus) were included: 40 patients in the maxilla and 40 in mandible. The patients were randomized to receive one to three 4‐mm ultrashort implants or one to three implants at least 10‐mm long in augmented bone. Results are reported 5 years after loading with the following outcome measures: implant and prosthetic failures, complications and peri‐implant marginal bone level changes.

Results

Thirty‐two complications were reported for the control group in 18 patients versus 13 complications in 10 patients in the test group, the difference being not statistically significant (p = 0.103). In the augmented group, 12 implants failed in 6 patients versus 7 short implants in 6 cases, and 9 prostheses failed in the control group while 4 in the test one, without statistically significant differences (p = 1.000 and 0.363, respectively). At 5 years after loading, short implants lost on average 0.58 ± 0.40 mm of peri‐implant marginal bone and long implants 0.99 ± 0.58 mm, the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Four‐millimeter ultrashort implants showed similar if not better results when compared to longer implants placed in augmented jaws 5 years after loading. For this reason, their use could be in specific cases preferable to bone augmentation since the treatment is less invasive, faster, cheaper and associated with less morbidity. However, longer follow‐ups and larger trials are needed.
Strategic collaboration: Examining the possibilities of cooperation among local economic developers
Authors: Jennings Joel P.
Published: January 2022

Site selection processes whereby companies choose a location for an expansion or relocation have changed substantially over the past several decades. One key shift has been the emergence of collaboration among both individual economic developers and cooperation among the communities they represent. The rise in collaborative practices has also been increasingly reflected in the contemporary economic development literature outside the discipline of geography. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of economic development studies of collaboration and then to suggest ways that geographers might use concepts from that scholarship to inform and extend the limited number of studies exploring site selection practices. The paper begins by offering a context for the emergence of collaboration trends by highlighting the ways that information asymmetry in site selection processes create a demand for greater collaboration among industry practitioners. It then turns to an overview of the burgeoning literature on collaboration that has evolved over the last decade in the interdisciplinary scholarship on economic development. Next, the paper shifts to a discussion of the ways that geographers might use the literature on collaboration to inform studies of site selection, specifically focusing on geographic scale and research on site selection consultants as possible areas for future investigation. The article concludes by arguing that studying collaboration in the context of geographies of site selection holds the potential for greater insights into the broader outcomes of economic development.
An ADTS Toolbox for Automatically Interpreting Active Distributed Temperature Sensing Measurements
Authors: Simon Nataline , Bour Olivier
Published: January 2022

Active distributed temperature sensing (ADTS) experiments are very useful to provide in‐situ and distributed estimates of thermal conductivities of the subsurface and of groundwater flows. However, the data interpretation can be seen as difficult considering the large amount of data collected along a heated fiber‐optic cable and the lack of associated tools for their automated analysis. In this context, we developed an automated routine program for the interpretation of ADTS measurements: the ADTS Toolbox. It contains several codes written in MATLAB that calculate, for each measurement point located along a heated section, both the thermal conductivity of the surrounding material and the groundwater flux. In addition, it provides uncertainties on the estimated thermal conductivities and fluxes according to the temperature resolution (noise) or to errors on temperature measurements. By offering the possibility of automatically interpreting ADTS measurements, the ADTS Toolbox facilitates the use and interpretation of ADTS experiments for characterizing at high resolution the groundwater flows distribution and for imaging the thermal conductivities variability.
Plasma sVCAM‐1, antiretroviral therapy and mortality in HIV‐1‐infected West African adults
Authors: Affi Roseline , Gabillard Delphine , Kouame Gérard Menan , Ntakpe Jean Baptiste , Moh Raoul , Badje Anani , Danel Christine , Inwoley André , Eholié Serge P. , Anglaret Xavier , Weiss Laurence
Published: January 2022

Objectives

We report the association between pre‐antiretroviral therapy (pre‐ART) soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (sVCAM‐1) levels and long‐term mortality in HIV‐infected West African adults participating in a trial of early ART in West Africa (Temprano ANRS 12136 trial).

Methods

The ART‐naïve HIV‐infected adults were randomly assigned to start ART immediately or defer ART until the WHO criteria were met. Participants who completed the trial follow‐up were invited to participate in a post‐trial phase (PTP). The PTP end‐point was all‐cause death. We used multivariable Cox proportional models to analyse the association between baseline sVCAM‐1 and all‐cause death, adjusting for ART strategy, sex, CD4 count, plasma HIV‐1 RNA and peripheral blood mononuclear cell HIV‐1 DNA levels.

Results

In all, 954 adults (77% women, median CD4 count of 387 cells/μL) were randomly assigned to start ART immediately (n = 477) or to defer initiation of ART (n = 477). They were followed for a median of 5.8 years [interquartile range (IQR): 5.2–6.3]. In multivariable analysis, the risk of death was significantly associated with baseline sVCAM‐1 [≥1458 vs. < 1458 ng/mL; adjusted hazard ratio = 2.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60–5.11]. The 6‐year probability of death rates were 14.4% (95%CI: 9.1–22.6) and 9.4% (5.4–16.1) in patients with baseline sVCAM‐1 ≥ 1458 ng/mL randomized to deferred and immediate ART, respectively, and 3.8% (2.2–6.5) and 3.5% (1.9–6.3) in patients with baseline sVCAM‐1 < 1458 ng/mL randomized to deferred and immediate ART. The median difference between pre‐ART and 12‐month sVCAM‐1 levels in patients randomized to immediate ART was −252 (IQR: −587 to −61).

Conclusions

Pre‐ART sVCAM‐1 levels were significantly associated with mortality, independently of whether ART was started immediately or deferred, but they significantly decreased after 12 months of ART.
Defect‐mediated optical properties of Fe‐substituted TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Rathore Neetu , Kulshreshtha Asita , Shukla Rajesh Kumar , Sharma Darshan
Published: January 2022

Here, sol–gel derived Fe–TiO2 anatase nanoparticles with varying concentrations of Ti(1–x)FexO2 (x = 0%, 1%, 5%, 10%) were prepared. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of prepared samples were studied. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) patterns show the formation of pure anatase phase. The mean crystallite size of Fe–TiO2 decreases with increase in the concentration of Fe. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra confirmed the presence of Ti–O vibrational band for all the samples. In Raman spectrum, peak broadening and red shifting linked with Eg ∼144 cm–1 divulge the Fe substitution at Ti sites into host lattice structure. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra verified nine peaks related to near band‐edge emission and various defect states. The UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra represent redshift and reduction in the bandgap energy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations show that the size of the grains decreases with increase in Fe doping concentration. The study shows that Fe‐doped TiO2 anatase phase nanoparticles are suitable for photocatalytic activity and solar cell applications.
Non‐lethal sampling for the stable isotope analysis of the critically endangered European eel Anguilla anguilla: how fin and mucus compare to dorsal muscle
Authors: Boardman Rose M. , Pinder Adrian C. , Piper Adam T. , Roberts Catherine Gutmann , Wright Rosalind M. , Britton J. Robert
Published: January 2022

Ecological studies on the critically endangered European eel Anguilla anguilla often incorporate stable isotope analysis that typically uses dorsal muscle sampled from euthanised eels. To minimise the lethal sampling of imperilled populations, fin tissue and/or epidermal mucus can provide non‐lethal alternatives to muscle. The results here indicate that δ13C and δ15N values of both eel fin and mucus are not significantly different from those of muscle and can be applied directly in comparative SI studies.
Do institutions, religion and the economic cycle impact bank stability in dual banking systems?
Authors: Bektas Eralp , Elbadri Marei , Molyneux Philip
Published: January 2022

We investigate the relationship of institutional quality, religion, and economic cycles to bank stability using a sample of 254 banks, including Islamic (IBs) and conventional banks (CBs), located in nine countries (QISMUT+3) that follow dual banking systems. We use a comprehensive model and adopt a stronger econometric methodology compared with previous literature. Our findings reaffirm the significant positive influence of institutional quality on bank stability as proxied by a bank's Z‐score. Institutional quality variables including financial freedom, voice and accountability, the rule of law, and political stability positively influence bank stability. On the other hand, other institutional quality variables such as economic freedom, government effectiveness, RQ, and corruption negatively affect bank stability. Overall, our empirical evidence shows that IBs are relatively less stable than CBs, due to banking practices, riskier products, and immature legal frameworks. Our analysis also suggests that IBs operate in a similar manner as CBs. New to this study, results suggest that religious orientation has no significant effect on bank stability in our sample countries with dual banking systems. Importantly, we find that the legal system, in particular the Sharià‐based legal system, has no significant effect on stability for IBs. Furthermore, customer religiosity measured as the share of Muslim population does not appear to have a differential impact on stability for IBs compared to CBs except when the Muslim share in population exceeds 85%.
Effect of Lumenato oral supplementation on plasma carotenoid levels and improvement of visual and experiential skin attributes
Authors: Tarshish Elizabeth , Hermoni Karin , Sharoni Yoav , Muizzuddin Neelam
Published: January 2022

Background

Cellular metabolism and exposure to solar irradiation result in generation of free radicals which are destructive and can lead to premature aging. Antioxidants and free radical scavengers such as carotenoids successfully protect from these free radicals by quenching and neutralizing them thereby strengthening skin barrier which leads to improved skin moisturization, desquamation, and a more youthful look. This study was designed to evaluate the consumer‐perceived efficacy of an oral supplement (Lumenato™) containing a mix of tomato carotenoids and oil‐soluble vitamins in improving skin appearance after 12 weeks of supplement use.

Materials and Methods

Plasma levels of phytoene, phytofluene, zeta‐carotene, and lycopene were quantitated before and after 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐week administration of Lumenato by 24 healthy volunteers. Part II of the study addressed skin visual attributes as assessed by validated tools (questionnaires). A total of 60 females, aged 35 to 55 years, completed part II of the study. The subjects answered questionnaires pertaining to their assessment of skin appearance before and after 12 weeks of taking the supplement.

Results

There was a significant increase (p < 0.001) in plasma levels of phytoene, phytofluene, and zeta‐carotene after 1‐ to 4‐week treatment with Lumenato. After 12 weeks of using the supplement, the score of different skin parameters was reported to significantly improve (p < 0.001). Improvement was recorded in skin elasticity, firmness, brightness, skin tone, reduction in dark spots and periorbital dark circles, skin hydration, texture and fine lines and wrinkles. A significant (p < 0.001) improvement in overall skin condition after using the supplement was observed. The subjects noticed statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in skin elasticity, firmness, brightness, skin tone, reduction in dark spots and periorbital dark circles, skin hydration, texture and fine lines and wrinkles after 12 weeks of using the supplement. The overall skin condition also exhibited a significant improvement (p < 0.001). Self‐assessed improvement of the face was identified at the first time point (4 weeks) and improved significantly (p < 0.001) for the 12 weeks of use. Interestingly, these improvements persisted even after treatment was stopped.

Conclusion

Based on the confines and conditions of this study, the use of oral supplement containing a mix of tomato carotenoids significantly increased plasma levels of phytoene, phytofluene, and zeta‐carotene, and continuous use resulted in improved facial skin attributes which were palpable by the consumers and continued even after treatment was stopped.
Hyperpigmentation: Looking beyond hydroquinone
Authors: Charoo Naseem Ahmad
Published: January 2022

Hyperpigmentation is the most common complaint in the age group 40–45 years, seeking consultation for skin disorders. Hydroquinone is a commonly used depigmenting agent in clinical practice for treating hyperpigmentation. Prolonged use of hydroquinone has been associated with cancer risk and exogenous ochronosis. The CARES (The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) Act of 2020 has instituted significant changes to hydroquinone containing OTC (over the counter) products, and consequently, many hydroquinone‐based OTC products had to be withdrawn from the market. Henceforth, products containing hydroquinone would need US Food and Drug Administration approval via new drug application pathways for commercialization. Alternative treatment options to hydroquinone in clinical practice are reviewed in this paper with regard to their safety and efficacy vis a vis hydroquinone. Also, new potential treatment options such as thiamidol,Polypodium leucotomos, and glutathione are discussed. The review shows that these alternative depigmenting agents can be rationally combined to achieve desired treatment goals in the management of hyperpigmentation.
School Pushout: The Role of Supportive Strategies Versus Punitive Practices for LGBT Youth of Color
Authors: Snapp Shannon D. , Day Jack K. , Russell Stephen. T.
Published: January 2022

Recently, schools have focused on supportive (e.g., behavioral supports) rather than punitive (e.g., suspension) strategies to reduce school pushout among marginalized youth. We examined the association between suspension and discipline practices for students with intersecting identities (e.g., LGBT youth of color). We used teacher and student data from 1,091 schools that participated in the California School Climate and California Healthy Kids Surveys. Relative to White LGBT youth, LGBT youth of color were at higher risk of being suspended, and youth were differentially affected by punitive policies depending on their race, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. While supportive strategies were associated with lower risk of suspension, punitive practices were associated with higher risk of suspension, especially for LGBT youth of color.
Impact of COVID‐19 public health restrictions on hospital admissions for young infants in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Licheni Shane H , Devaraja Latha , Watson Benjamin , Simeonovic Marcelle , Cheng Daryl R , Hoq Monsurul , Standish Jane , Gawler Louise , McNab Sarah , Danchin Margie
Published: January 2022

Aim

Strict public health measures during the COVID‐19 pandemic led to less support for infants and their parents. We aimed to characterise the frequency and nature of infant admissions to the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), Melbourne in 2020, compared to the previous year.

Methods

A retrospective review of medical records identified infants ≤3 months admitted to the general medicine unit, RCH from March to September in 2019 and 2020. Diagnoses potentially related to the impact of public health measures and reduced family and community supports were identified and compared to all infant diagnoses across both years. Clinical characteristics and need for referral for additional supports or mental health services were also ascertained.

Results

There were fewer admissions for infants ≤3 months in 2020 (n = 411) compared to 2019 (n = 678), with a threefold increase in admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of feeding difficulties, growth disturbance, infant irritability or maternal mental health concerns (191/411; 46% vs. 97/678; 14%). There were more infants of first‐time parents (112/191; 59% vs. 44/97; 45%) and a reduction in the number of admissions due to infection (145/411; 35%; vs. 467/678; 69%).

Conclusion

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, there was a threefold increase in admissions for infants ≤3 months due to poor growth, feeding difficulties, irritability and maternal mental health concerns in 2020 compared to 2019. These findings may inform future pandemic planning and policy development to ensure maintenance of community supports such as maternal child health nurse (MCHN) service delivery for young infants.