bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building brands through internal stakeholder engagement and co-creation
Authors: Merrilees Bill , Miller Dale , Yakimova Raisa
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the voice of the internal stakeholder in a way that emphasizes the internal stakeholder as an active force and decision maker in brand co-creation, as part of the new emerging paradigm of internal branding. The main aim is to understand the active role of volunteers in internal branding that is in the co-creation of value. A subsidiary aim is to understand why some volunteers engage deeply and seriously in a nonprofit organization while other volunteers seem less connected?

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework incorporates several motivators to volunteer-led co-creation. A quantitative, co-variance-based structural equation modelling approach is used on survey data of a sample of 357 volunteers from 14 organizations in the Australian nonprofit sector.

Findings

The research findings contribute to the newly emerging internal branding literature focusing on the active co-creation role of internal stakeholders. The main drivers of volunteer co-creation are volunteer engagement, commitment, altruism, values-congruency and brand reputation. Different explanatory mechanisms/motivators apply to each type of volunteer-led co-creation. In a major initiative, the paper demonstrates linkages across the different types of co-creation, with a foundation/pivotal role for one particular type of co-creation, namely, enhanced client-based solutions.

Research limitations/implications

The research is restricted to the public sector and further research is needed to test applicability to the private sector. Future studies could continue the initiative in the current study to explore the linkages across co-creation types.

Practical implications

Implications depend on which type of co-creation is targeted. Enhancing client-based solutions co-creation requires a very strong role for engaged volunteers. Innovation co-creation requires both engaged volunteers and a propensity to co-create by enhancing client-based solutions. Brand advocacy co-creation is driven by volunteer commitment, altruism and a propensity to co-create innovation.

Social implications

A non-profit context ensures major social implications.

Originality/value

The study operationalizes the Saleem and Iglesias (2016) new internal branding paradigm framework by demonstrating that brands are built organically by interacting and engaging with internal stakeholders (volunteers in this instance), which, in turn, inter alia, motivates co-creation by such internal stakeholders.
Scientific approach using AHP to prioritize low volume rural roads for pavement maintenance
Authors: Nautiyal Akhilesh , Sharma Sunil
Published: February 2021

Purpose

A large number of roads have been constructed in the rural areas of India to connect habitations with the nearest major roads. With time, the pavements of these roads have deteriorated and they need some kind of maintenance, although they all do not need maintenance at the same time, as they have all not deteriorated to the same level. Hence, they have to be prioritized for maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to present a scientific methodology for prioritizing pavement maintenance, the factors affecting prioritization and the relative importance of each were identified through an expert survey. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to scientifically establish weight (importance) of each factor based on its relative importance over other factors. The proposed methodology was validated through a case study of 203 low volume rural roads in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. Ranking of these roads in order of their priority for maintenance was presented as the final result.

Findings

The results show that pavement distresses, traffic volume, type of connectivity and the socioeconomic facilities located along a road are the four major factors to be considered in determining the priority of a road for maintenance.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology provides a comprehensive, scientific and socially responsible pavement maintenance prioritization method which will automatically select roads for maintenance without any bias.

Practical implications

Timely maintenance of roads will also save budgetary expenditure of restoration/reconstruction, leading to enhancement of road service life. The government will not only save money but also provide timely benefit to the needy population.

Social implications

Road transportation is the primary mode of inland transportation in rural areas. Timely maintenance of the pavements will be of great help to the socioeconomic development of rural areas.

Originality/value

The proposed methodology lays special emphasis on rural roads which are small in length, but large in number. Instead of random, a scientific method for selection of roads for maintenance will be of great help to the public works department for better management of rural road network.
Researcher or respondent: a personal commentary on ageing and the servicescape
Authors: Bateson John
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to be a "Call to Arms" for researching the impact of the changes to the mind body and senses with age on the design of the Servicescape.

Design/methodology/approach

Personal insight on servicescape research from someone who is both researcher and a healthy aging individual.

Findings

The over 65’s represent the only growing part of the market in most of the developed world and hence are of growing importance to service businesses the past 20 years this age group, more than any other, has seen significant improvements in health and a consequential increase in spending. Age brings with it changes directly relevant to the evaluation of the service experience and to consumer co-production. Very little is known about the impact of those changes.

Practical implications

Service businesses urgently need to recognize the opportunity and develop a strategy to deal with it. They will need to develop age neutral servicescapes offering all ages the same quality of experience and the same co-production facilities.

Social implications

Ageism is one of the major issues facing society today. Consumer ageism is a real issue that permeates the design of the servicescape and potentially services research. Research of all kinds is urgently needed to attack ageism.

Originality/value

This paper provides fresh insights into an emerging area that needs to have a higher priority. It is based upon the existing research on the servicescape and a multi-disciplinary view of ageing.
The mediating role of sense of belonging in the relationship between the built environment and victimisation: a case of Penang, Malaysia
Authors: Abdullah Aldrin , Safizadeh Mina , Hedayati Marzbali Massoomeh , Maghsoodi Tilaki Mohammad Javad
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The current direction of urban planning and development is plagued with a number of issues related to crime and safety in neighbourhood areas. Undoubtedly, the physical characteristics of the surrounding environment play a vital role in residents’ social interactions and crime rate. This study aims to examine the role of the environmental features of the built environment, in particular house maintenance, on residents’ sense of belonging and victimisation. Although past research has relied on police victimisation rates, the current research has measured the actual victimisation rate through a questionnaire survey.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is quantitative in nature and consists of 255 residents from an urban neighbourhood in Penang, Malaysia.

Findings

The results of structural equation modelling indicate that house maintenance has a significant and positive impact on the sense of belonging, while there is a negative impact on victimisation rate. However, the study findings do not support the mediation role of the sense of belonging in the relationship between house maintenance and victimisation rate.

Originality/value

The study suggests that physical characteristics of the environment play a significant role in reducing opportunities for property victimisation and a building sense of belongings amongst neighbours. This study can also be considered as a further step for obtaining insight into the understanding of the impact of physical characteristics of the neighbourhood environment on victimisation.
Beyond social media news use algorithms: how political discussion and network heterogeneity clarify incidental news exposure
Authors: Scheffauer Rebecca , Goyanes Manuel , Gil de Zúñiga Homero
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Traditionally, most readers' news access and consumption were based on direct intentional news seeking behavior. However, in recent years the emergence and popularization of social media platforms have enabled new opportunities for citizens to be incidentally informed about public affairs and politics as by-product of using these platforms. This article seeks to shed light on how socio-political conversation attributes may explain incidental exposure to information.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on US and UK survey data, the authors explore the role of political discussion and discussion network heterogeneity in predicting individuals' levels of incidental exposure to news. Furthermore, the authors also test the role of social media news use as a moderator. A hierarchical OLS regression analysis with incidental news exposure as dependent variable was conducted as well as analyses of moderation effects (heterogeneity*social media and political discussion*social media) using the PROCESS macro in SPSS.

Findings

Findings reveal that heterogeneous networks are positively related to incidental news exposure in the UK, while sheer level of political discussion is a positive influence over incidental news exposure in the US. Social media news use moderates the relationship between political discussion and incidental news exposure in the UK. That is, those who are highly exposed to news on social media and discuss less often about politics and public affairs, they tend to be incidentally exposed to news online the most. Meanwhile, the interaction of social media news and discussion heterogeneity showed significant results in the US with those exhibiting high levels of both also receiving the biggest share of INE.

Originality/value

This study contributes to closing research gaps regarding how and when people are inadvertently exposed to news in two Western societies. By highlighting that beyond the fate of algorithmic information treatment by social media platforms, discussion antecedents as well as social media news use play an integral part in predicting incidental news exposure, the study unravels fundamental conditions underlying the incidental news exposure phenomenon.
Children’s dominance in family vacation decision-making (FVDM): a multi-national analysis
Authors: Chiang Yu Chih , Su Che-Jen , Liao Hsin-Hsing , Chaudhary Monica , Lan Yi-Fang
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore adolescents’ perceptions of child-parent dominance in family vacation decision-making (FVDM) by investigating child-parent relative influence (CPRI) and responsibility-sharing (RS) within the family in regard to 15 vacation issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts Davis and Rigaux’s (1974) framework for identifying adolescents’ perceptions of child-parent dominance across a set of subjects concerning FVDM, by inspecting the distribution of family decision roles across 25 nations. This study then segments the issues regarding family vacations and nations, judging by CPRI and RS within the family. In addition, this paper introduces Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and diverse indices of development for each surveyed nation and compares their respective correlations with CPRI and RS at the national level.

Findings

The results, derived from data collected in 25 countries or territories, illustrate a climate of a parent-dominant-to-autonomous style of FVDM for all decision issues and all nations. Overall, both information availability and economizing attribute of issues are related to the democratization of FVDM. The relationship between the child-parent role distribution and national clusters varied across issue clusters. In addition, the paper found the national effectiveness more effective than the cultural dimension in explaining the dispersal of CPRI-RS profiles.

Originality/value

The data collected from 25 nations provide strong evidence for profiling child-parent dominance in FVDM. The data also serve as a basis for analyzing the role of sociocultural and ideological influences on child-parent dominance in FVDM, which was not established in previous research.
Recombinant Rv1654 protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induces mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis in macrophage
Authors: Lee Kang‐In , Choi Seunga , Choi Han‐Gyu , Gurmessa Sintayehu Kebede , Dang Thi Binh , Back Yong Woo , Park Hye‐Soo , Kim Hwa‐Jung
Published: February 2021

Mycobacterium tuberculosis contains diverse immunologically active components. This study investigated the biological function of a newly identified component, Rv1654, with the potential to induce apoptosis in macrophages. Recombinant Rv1654 induced macrophage apoptosis in a caspase‐9/3‐dependent manner through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interaction with Toll‐like receptor 4. In addition, Rv1654 induced the production of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 through the mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway. Furthermore, Rv1654‐induced c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) activation was inhibited by the ROS scavenger and Rv1654‐induced apoptosis was inhibited by the JNK inhibitor. Moreover, it was found that treatment of macrophages with Rv1654 led to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, and translocation of Bax into the mitochondria. Finally, Rv1654‐mediated apoptosis was inhibited in macrophages transfected with Bax siRNA. These results suggest that Rv1654 induces macrophage apoptosis through a mitochondrial‐dependent pathway and ROS‐mediated JNK activation.
Explaining permanent and temporary water market trade patterns within local areas in the southern Murray–Darling Basin
Authors: Haensch Juliane , Wheeler Sarah Ann , Zuo Alec
Published: February 2021

The southern Murray–Darling Basin of Australia has the world’s largest and most sophisticated water markets. However, there has been little study on the drivers of permanent and temporary water market movements within local areas, or the substitution effects between groundwater and surface‐water extraction over time. This topic is important as it is often claimed that water market trade patterns (especially selling large amounts of permanent water) are associated with rural decline. This study uses random‐effects tobit panel models to investigate the association of regional and spatial socio‐economic characteristics with temporary and permanent southern Murray–Darling Basin water market trade, using a broker panel database at postcode level from 2010/11 to 2013/14. Overall, results suggest there is no statistical significant evidence that more disadvantaged communities sold larger amounts of permanent water. Permanent water selling was statistically more likely to be associated with other spatial and land productivity characteristics, while temporary water market trade volumes were more related to water scarcity factors. In addition, there was evidence to suggest a substitution effect between rural areas selling higher volumes of permanent water and using higher volumes of groundwater.
Should Australia be concerned by Beijing’s trade threats: modelling the economic costs of a restriction on imports of Australian coal
Authors: Giesecke James A. , Tran Nhi H. , Waschik Robert
Published: February 2021

A country’s economic dependence on its trade with various other countries is often expressed in terms of trade values and shares. A country’s vulnerability to economic coercion by the countries with which it trades is similarly expressed in such terms. Using the recent issues relating to Australia’s coal trade with China as an example, we propose a better framework for assessing vulnerability to coercive trade instruments. We argue that the capacity for a given export trade to fund real consumption is a superior indicator of economic vulnerability than the simple value of the underlying trade flow. Our framework takes account of trade diversion, foreign capital ownership, the terms of trade, resource mobility, and capital and production tax rates. Using this framework, we demonstrate that the damage from trade sanction is far less than might be expected from a simple focus on the value of the affected trade flow alone.
Chromosome‐level reference genome of the soursop (Annonamuricata): A new resource for Magnoliid research and tropical pomology
Authors: Strijk Joeri S. , Hinsinger Damien D. , Roeder Mareike M. , Chatrou Lars W. , Couvreur Thomas L. P. , Erkens Roy H. J. , Sauquet Hervé , Pirie Michael D. , Thomas Daniel C. , Cao Kunfang
Published: February 2021

The flowering plant family Annonaceae includes important commercially grown tropical crops, but development of promising species is hindered by a lack of genomic resources to build breeding programs. Annonaceae are part of the magnoliids, an ancient lineage of angiosperms for which evolutionary relationships with other major clades remain unclear. To provide resources to breeders and evolutionary researchers, we report a chromosome‐level genome assembly of the soursop (Annona muricata). We assembled the genome using 444.32 Gb of DNA sequences (676× sequencing depth) from PacBio and Illumina short‐reads, in combination with 10× Genomics and Bionano data (v1). A total of 949 scaffolds were assembled to a final size of 656.77 Mb, with a scaffold N50 of 3.43 Mb (v1), and then further improved to seven pseudo‐chromosomes using Hi‐C sequencing data (v2; scaffold N50: 93.2 Mb, total size in chromosomes: 639.6 Mb). Heterozygosity was very low (0.06%), while repeat sequences accounted for 54.87% of the genome, and 23,375 protein‐coding genes with an average of 4.79 exons per gene were annotated using de novo, RNA‐seq and homology‐based approaches. Reconstruction of the historical population size showed a slow continuous contraction, probably related to Cenozoic climate changes. The soursop is the first genome assembled in Annonaceae, supporting further studies of floral evolution in magnoliids, providing an essential resource for delineating relationships of ancient angiosperm lineages. Both genome‐assisted improvement and conservation efforts will be strengthened by the availability of the soursop genome. As a community resource, this assembly will further strengthen the role of Annonaceae as model species for research on the ecology, evolution and domestication potential of tropical species in pomology and agroforestry.
Complete portal robotic resection of a giant mediastinal parathyroid cyst; A case report
Authors: Yang Jie , Cai Jing‐Sheng , Wang Gang , Yang Mu‐Zi , Yang Hao‐Xian
Published: February 2021

Parathyroid cysts (PCs) are rare, benign, cystic lesions, and PCs that occur in the mediastinum (mediastinal parathyroid cysts [MPCs]) are even more rare. Surgical resection is recommended as the first choice of treatment for MPCs. Sternotomy, thoracotomy, and thoracoscopic approaches are the most common methods for resection of MPCs. Herein, we report a case of robotic right portal minimally invasive resection of a giant nonfunctional MPC in the right anterosuperior mediastinum.
There will be conflict – agricultural landscapes are prime, rather than marginal, habitats for Asian elephants
Authors: de la Torre J. A. , Wong E. P. , Lechner A. M. , Zulaikha N. , Zawawi A. , Abdul‐Patah P. , Saaban S. , Goossens B. , Campos‐Arceiz A.
Published: February 2021

Misconceptions about species’ ecological preferences compromise conservation efforts. Whenever people and elephants share landscapes, human–elephant conflicts (HEC) occur in the form of crop raiding, elephant attacks on people and retaliatory actions from people on elephants. HEC is considered the main threat to the endangered Asian elephant Elephas maximus. Much of HEC mitigation in Asia is based on rescuing elephants from conflict areas and returning them to nature, for example, by means of ‘problem elephant’ translocation. Here, we used two independent and extensive datasets comprising elephant GPS telemetry and HEC incident reports to assess the relationship between elephant habitat preferences and the occurrence of HEC at a broad spatial scale in Peninsular Malaysia. Specifically, we assessed (a) the habitat suitability of agricultural landscapes where HEC incidents occur and (b) sexual differences in habitat preferences with implications for HEC mitigation and elephant conservation. We found strong differences in habitat use between females and males and that the locations of HEC incidents were areas of very high habitat suitability for elephants, especially for females. HEC reports suggest that in Peninsular Malaysia females are involved in more crop damage conflicts than males, whereas males are more prone to direct encounters with people. Our results show that human‐dominated landscapes are prime elephant habitat, and not merely marginal areas that elephants use in the absence of other options. The high ecological overlap between elephants and people means that conflict will continue to happen when both species share landscapes. HEC mitigation strategies, therefore, cannot be based on elephant removal (e.g. translocation) and need to be holistic approaches that integrate both ecological and human social dimensions to promote tolerated human–elephant coexistence.
Measuring financial toxicity in Australian cancer patients – Validation of the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (FACT COST) measuring financial toxicity in Australian cancer patients
Authors: Durber Kimberley , Halkett Georgia KB , McMullen Michelle , Nowak Anna K
Published: February 2021

Aim/Background

The FACT COST is a patient‐rated measure of financial toxicity, developed and validated in a North American population. We aimed to confirm the validity and reliability of the FACT COST in Australian cancer patients, because the Australian healthcare funding structure is different to that in North America.

Methods

A single center, cross‐sectional study design investigated financial toxicity in oncology outpatients. Eligible adults had current malignancy, with or without active cancer treatment. The primary endpoint was the degree of financial toxicity experienced via the COST questionnaire; secondary endpoints included health‐related quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General), anxiety, and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Clinical and demographic data were recorded. Statistical analysis determined the internal consistency, test‐retest reliability and validity of COST, and correlations between COST score and secondary endpoints.

Results

A total of 257 patients participated (79% response rate). Fifty‐three percent were female; median age 63 years (range 19‐88). COST scores were skewed toward less financial toxicity, median 26 (SD 10.3, range 1‐43), lower scores indicating higher toxicity. High internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.884), test‐retest reliability (ICC = 0.801), and convergent validity were demonstrated. Financial toxicity was greatest in younger participants, those with more inpatient admissions, those with a change in employment status following diagnosis, and those in the lowest income quintile. Financial toxicity was associated with worse health‐related quality of life, and greater depression and anxiety.

Conclusion

The COST measure of financial toxicity demonstrated acceptable validity parameters in an Australian outpatient population. Greater financial toxicity was associated with worse psychological well‐being and with certain patient demographics.
Geographic variation in health system performance in rural areas of New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Slimings Claudia , Moore Malcolm
Published: February 2021

Objectives

(i) To quantify geographic variation in selected health system performance indicators across local government areas of rural New South Wales and (ii) to compare relationships between sociodemographic factors and health system performance indicators across the regions.

Design

Ecological study.

Setting

Rural New South Wales communities.

Participants

Eighty‐nine local government areas in rural areas comprising 47 inner regional, 33 outer regional, 6 remote and 3 very remote areas.

Main outcome measures

Deaths from avoidable causes, public hospital admissions for potentially preventable conditions, screening program participation, immunisation coverage.

Results

The largest geographic variation between rural areas of New South Wales was seen for avoidable mortality and potentially preventable hospital admissions. The average annual avoidable age‐standardised mortality rate (2013‐2017) ranged from 78.1 per 100 000 population to 493.7 per 100 000 population and the age‐standardised rate of potentially preventable hospitalisations (2016‐2017) ranged from 1491 to 5797 per 100 000 population. Approximately three quarters of local government areas had bowel and breast cancer screening participation rates equivalent to or better than the overall New South Wales rate; however, only 34% of local government areas met the New South Wales rate for cervical cancer screening. The least variation was seen for immunisation coverage; Byron had the lowest immunisation coverage for all 3 ages. The most common explanations for variation between rural local government areas in New South Wales were remoteness and socioeconomic characteristics.

Conclusions

The analysis of health system performance indicators reveals differences among New South Wales rural local government areas. The results highlight specific areas that might benefit from targeted intervention to improve inequities particularly for avoidable mortality and potentially preventable hospitalisations.
Ocular pathogens and antibiotic resistance in microbial keratitis over three years in Harbin, Northeast China
Authors: Xu Shuo , Guo Dawen , Liu Xintian , Jin Xin , Shi Yan , Wang Yingbin , Zhang Nan , Zhang Hong
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Understanding the spectrum of ocular pathogens in a given geographic region is important for devising appropriate practical treatment. Therefore, we examined the pathogen spectrum and antibiotic resistance of microbial keratitis in northeast China.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed the microbiology laboratory records of patients diagnosed with microbial keratitis in a tertiary eye hospital in Harbin, northeast China, between 2017 and 2019, and analysed the pathogen spectrum and antibiotic susceptibility.

Results

We collected 462 specimens, of which 282 exhibited positive cultures. Among these cultures, 257 were bacterial and 25 were fungal. Of the 257 bacterial isolates, 214 (83.27%) were gram positive whereas 43 (16.73%) were gram negative. The most prevalent gram‐positive pathogen was coagulase‐negative staphylococcus (CoNS; 58.37%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus; 20.62%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (2.33%). Of the gram‐negative bacterial isolates, 10 were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.89%). The most frequently detected ocular pathogens from fungal isolates were Fusarium species (40%). We also found more culture‐positive cases of bacterial keratitis in summer. Overall, 16.98% S. aureus and 64.00% CoNS isolates were methicillin resistant. These methicillin‐resistant bacteria were also more likely to be resistant to other antibiotics, with multidrug resistance found in 77.78% methicillin‐resistant S. aureus and 90.63% methicillin‐resistant CoNS. However, all gram‐positive isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid.

Conclusion

Coagulase‐negative staphylococcus are the most common ocular pathogens in northeast China. We also show the prevalence of methicillin resistance and concurrent multidrug resistance among staphylococcal isolates. Monitoring the patterns of antimicrobial resistance could help in the management selection.
Impact of the introduction of pure retroperitoneoscopic living‐donor nephrectomy on perioperative donor outcomes: A propensity score matching comparison with hand‐assisted laparoscopic living‐donor nephrectomy
Authors: Noguchi Hiroshi , Hisadome Yu , Sato Yu , Mei Takanori , Kaku Keizo , Okabe Yasuhiro , Nakamura Masafumi
Published: February 2021

Introduction

We previously reported that the outcomes of pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy are superior to those of hand‐assisted retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy. Consequently, we introduced pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy in our hospital. Here, we compared perioperative outcomes between hand‐assisted intra‐abdominal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed data from 315 living‐donor kidney transplantation procedures performed between October 2015 and December 2020 (213 involving hand‐assisted intra‐abdominal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, October 2015 to June 2019; 102 involving pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy, May 2019 to December 2020). After propensity score matching, 90 transplantations were included in each group (n = 180 overall).

Results

Donors in the pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy group had longer warm ischemia times (P < .001), lower serum C‐reactive protein concentrations and white blood cell counts on postoperative day 1 (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively), and shorter postoperative stays (P < .001) than donors in the hand‐assisted intra‐abdominal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy group. Five (5.6%) modified Clavien‐classifiable complications occurred in the hand‐assisted intra‐abdominal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy group; no complications occurred in the pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy group (P = 0.008). One recipient in the hand‐assisted intra‐abdominal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy group had donor‐related delayed graft function. There were no significant differences between groups in recipient estimated glomerular filtration on postoperative day 7.

Conclusion

The introduction of pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy was safe and effective. Moreover, it was less invasive and less harmful for donors, compared with hand‐assisted intra‐abdominal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy; recipient outcomes were equivalent.
Haematology and plasma biochemistry reference intervals in wild bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)
Authors: Howard JG , Jaensch S
Published: February 2021

The aim of the study is to provide haematology and plasma biochemistry reference intervals for wild free‐roaming central bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). These data will aid the veterinarian in determining the health and husbandry status of the pet bearded dragon. The study group consisted of 130 wild central bearded dragons. The data were assigned into two groups: Breeding Season (BS) from September to November and Non‐Breeding Season (NBS) from December to March. These groups were further divided into sex and reproduction status with females determined to either be gravid or non‐gravid. The 83 male and 47 female dragons were captured in north western New South Wales, Australia, centred around the towns of Bourke, Wanaaring and Tibooburra. Haematological and plasma biochemistry parameters were measured using standard methods. Data were analysed for the effects of sex, season and gravid status. There were significant differences between sexes in PCV, basophils, albumin, globulin, amylase, calcium, phosphate and triglycerides. There were seasonal differences in PCV, basophils, uric acid, glucose, globulin, calcium, phosphate, cholesterol and triglycerides. There were significant differences in phosphate and cholesterol between gravid and non‐gravid dragons within the breeding season. There were variations in haematology and biochemistry parameters depending on sex, season and reproductive status of females. These reference intervals differed from previous studies of captive central bearded dragons and can provide some insight into captive conditions compared to wild animals.
Hard won lessons learned in the evaluation field: Implications for behavioural insights practice
Authors: McDavid Jim , Henderson Kathryn
Published: February 2021

This article explores parallels between the recent emergence of Behavioural Insights (BI) as an applied public policy‐related field and the first years of the evaluation field (dating back to the 1960s). We identify four developments in the evaluation field and implications relevant for BI. We then identify three challenges that lie ahead for BI, with the most significant involving professionalizing BI practice. We identify several advantages to professionalization, one being an improved capacity to speak truth to power. The evaluation field, globally, is exploring steps to professionalize practice, but given the continued emergence of competing approaches, in theory and practice, it is an open question whether professionalization can be successful. Understanding challenges in the evaluation field can inform BI efforts to professionalize as a regular contributor to government assessment and improvement of policies and programs.
Communication of health risk in substance‐dependent populations: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Goh Melvin C. W. , Kelly Peter J. , Deane Frank P. , Raftery Dayle K. , Ingram Isabella
Published: February 2021

Issues

Individuals with substance use problems are at greater risk of chronic diseases due to their unhealthy lifestyle behaviours (e.g. alcohol use, smoking, physical inactivity, poor nutrition). There is increasing evidence that health risk communication is crucial in improving risk perception and knowledge of chronic diseases, and both factors are associated with health behaviour change. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of evidence on health risk communication on people with substance use problems.

Approach

A systematic search identified peer reviewed studies from the databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Scopus. Data were extracted from the included studies and a narrative synthesis of the results was conducted.

Key Findings

Eight articles, representing five unique studies, were included in the review. The overall risk of bias of the included studies was considered to be low. The studies evaluated the use of message framing and personalised/customised recommendations across smoking cessation and patient engagement with methadone maintenance treatment. Results revealed that message framing, specifically gain‐framed messages, had a positive impact on smoking cessation. Risk perception, sex and level of nicotine dependence were also found to be associated with smoking cessation.

Implications and Conclusions

The limited number of studies provides preliminary evidence that health risk communication promotes smoking cessation. However, studies included in the review were characterised by heterogeneous methods and measures. Further investigation of health risk communication using adequately powered randomised controlled trial is warranted.
Early identification of respiratory disease in children with neurological diseases: improving quality of life?
Authors: Langdon Katherine , Cooper Monica S
Published: February 2021

This commentary is on the original article by Hov et al. on pages 537–544 of this issue.
Application of specialized pro‐resolving mediators in periodontitis and peri‐implantitis: a review
Authors: Ali Muhanad , Yang Fang , Plachokova Adelina S. , Jansen John A. , Walboomers X. Frank
Published: February 2021

Scaling and root planning is a key element in the mechanical therapy used for the eradication of biofilm, which is the major etiological factor for periodontitis and peri‐implantitis. However, periodontitis is also a host mediated disease, therefore, removal of the biofilm without adjunctive therapy may not achieve the desired clinical outcome due to persistent activation of the innate and adaptive immune cells. Most recently, even the resident cells of the periodontium, including periodontal ligament fibroblasts, have been shown to produce several inflammatory factors in response to bacterial challenge. With increased understanding of the pathophysiology of periodontitis, more research is focusing on opposing excessive inflammation with specialized pro‐resolving mediators (SPMs). This review article covers the major limitations of current standards of care for periodontitis and peri‐implantitis, and it highlights recent advances and prospects of SPMs in the context of tissue reconstruction and regeneration. Here, we focus primarily on the role of SPMs in restoring tissue homeostasis after periodontal infection.
Cod movement ecology in a warming world: Circumpolar arctic gadids
Authors: Pettitt‐Wade Harri , Loseto Lisa L. , Majewski Andrew , Hussey Nigel E.
Published: February 2021

Understanding fish movement in the Arctic is paramount during the current era of rapidly warming seas, receding sea ice and associated shifting species distributions and fishing effort. We synthesized the literature and identified key knowledge gaps on the movement ecology of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and Polar/Ice cod (Arctogadus glacialis, both Gadidae) in the context of climate change. Standardized web‐based English‐language literature searches yielded 51 articles directly relevant and 122 indirectly relevant for the movement ecology of these species combined. Most articles were primarily relevant toB. saida(85% of total filtered articles), occurred during open water season (49/38%) with focus on distribution (32/22%), predators (30/22%), seasonal spawning/feeding movements (22/19%), sea ice association (22/26%), climate change (20/15%) and vertical movements (17/19%) with few focused on horizontal dynamics (3/0%;B. saida/A. glacialis, respectively). Disproportionate data resolution has resulted in greater predictive power of movement models for the European (29% of articles) and North American (86%) Arctic regions relative to the logistically challenging Central Arctic Ocean and Russian‐Siberian Arctic shelves (both 7%). The movements of circumpolar Arctic gadids are dependent on complex dynamics that include regional currents, the longevity of ice‐flows and polynyas, water stratification and coastal hydrology. Dependence on these interactive and often co‐dependent processes highlights major pathways and barriers to movement and distribution at higher latitudes. Despite a recent increase in impactful research, there is a critical need for more direct research on circumpolar gadid movements to aid understanding of climate change impacts on Arctic ecosystems and fisheries.
Heme & RAGE: A new opportunistic relationship?
Authors: Yepuri Gautham , Shekhtman Alexander , Marie Schmidt Ann , Ramasamy Ravichandran
Published: February 2021

Heme is an iron‐containing complex involved in fundamental cellular functions including oxygen transport. Free heme accumulation in blood, during intravascular hemolysis and other pathological conditions, triggers vascular dysfunction, pro‐inflammatory, and prothrombotic cascade. Studies by May et al present a novel finding that heme is a ligand for RAGE and that heme binds to the V domain of RAGE and induces RAGE oligomerization. Furthermore, they show that the in vivo consequences of heme–RAGE interaction lead to a pro‐inflammatory and procoagulant phenotype in the lungs. This discovery of heme as a ligand for RAGE sets the stage for probing the role of RAGE in heme homeostasis and the pathogenic role of heme–RAGE interaction in hemolytic diseases.
Dampening antiviral immunity can protect the host
Authors: Panetti Camilla , Kao Kung‐Chi , Joller Nicole
Published: February 2021

Viral infections are very common, and in most cases, the virus is well controlled and eliminated by the immune system. Nevertheless, in some cases, damage of the host tissue inflicted by the virus itself or by the elicited immune response may result in severe disease courses. Thus, regulatory mechanisms are necessary to control virus‐induced and immune pathology. This ensures immune responses are elicited in a potent but controlled manner. In this review, we will outline how immune regulation may contribute to this process. We focus on regulatory T cells and co‐inhibitory receptors and outline how these two regulatory immune components allow for and may even promote potent but not pathologic immune responses. By enabling a balanced immune response, regulatory mechanisms can thus contribute to pathogen control as well as tissue and host protection.
Defined benefit pension de‐risking and corporate risk‐taking
Authors: Silverstein Brian
Published: February 2021

U.S. corporate sponsors of defined benefit (DB) pension plans in recent years have been de‐risking by paying premiums to transfer their pension plan assets and liabilities to the balance sheets of third‐party insurers. The passage of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP‐21) in 2012 provided the pension funding relief necessary to make de‐risking a mainstream corporate activity. This study provides the first empirical analysis of plan and firm factors that cause a firm to de‐risk its DB pension plans. We find a positive association between de‐risking and aggregate corporate risk‐taking. The results also show that de‐risking, on average, has a stronger effect on corporate financing policy than investment policy, leading to an increase in credit risk reflected in a firm's credit rating and cost of debt. Also, we present suggestive evidence that the reallocation of pension risk increases firm idiosyncratic risk and excess returns.
Understanding water and energy fluxes in the Amazonia: Lessons from an observation‐model intercomparison
Authors: Restrepo‐Coupe Natalia , Albert Loren P. , Longo Marcos , Baker Ian , Levine Naomi M. , Mercado Lina M. , da Araujo Alessandro C. , Christoffersen Bradley O'Donnell , Costa Marcos H. , Fitzjarrald David R. , Galbraith David , Imbuzeiro Hewlley , Malhi Yadvinder , von Randow Celso , Zeng Xubin , Moorcroft Paul , Saleska Scott R.
Published: February 2021

Tropical forests are an important part of global water and energy cycles, but the mechanisms that drive seasonality of their land‐atmosphere exchanges have proven challenging to capture in models. Here, we (1) report the seasonality of fluxes of latent heat (LE), sensible heat (H), and outgoing short and longwave radiation at four diverse tropical forest sites across Amazonia—along the equator from the Caxiuanã and Tapajós National Forests in the eastern Amazon to a forest near Manaus, and from the equatorial zone to the southern forest in Reserva Jaru; (2) investigate how vegetation and climate influence these fluxes; and (3) evaluate land surface model performance by comparing simulations to observations. We found that previously identified failure of models to capture observed dry‐season increases in evapotranspiration (ET) was associated with model overestimations of (1) magnitude and seasonality of Bowen ratios (relative to aseasonal observations in which sensible was only 20%–30% of the latent heat flux) indicating model exaggerated water limitation, (2) canopy emissivity and reflectance (albedo was only 10%–15% of incoming solar radiation, compared to 0.15%–0.22% simulated), and (3) vegetation temperatures (due to underestimation of dry‐season ET and associated cooling). These partially compensating model‐observation discrepancies (e.g., higher temperatures expected from excess Bowen ratios were partially ameliorated by brighter leaves and more interception/evaporation) significantly biased seasonal model estimates of net radiation (Rn), the key driver of water and energy fluxes (LE ~ 0.6 Rn and H ~ 0.15 Rn), though these biases varied among sites and models. A better representation of energy‐related parameters associated with dynamic phenology (e.g., leaf optical properties, canopy interception, and skin temperature) could improve simulations and benchmarking of current vegetation–atmosphere exchange and reduce uncertainty of regional and global biogeochemical models.
Corseted Choristry: Arthur Schnitzler's Reigen as Chor(e)ography∗
Authors: Schweiger Sophie
Published: February 2021

Arthur Schnitzler's drama Reigen is primarily known for its explicit content and the scandals it produced. Yet Reigen also reads as an attempt to modernize, and localize, the classical form of the chorus which had not found a place in modern bourgeois theater. Curiously overlooked in studies on literary choruses, the play—its title being one of the possible translations of the Greek χoϱός (choros)—can in fact be resituated as χoϱός‐literature, as choreo‐graphy, as literal transposition of a dance into a series of dialogues. The stringency of its serial format, the attention it gives to movement and location, entering and exiting, up to its suspension of language for the sake of rhythmical notation (– – –) reveal Reigen as theatrical hybrid: as chorus bursting with its copulating individuals. Radically questioning the conventions of “domestic” theater, Schnitzler's Reigen brings to the stage a critique of theatrical genres and conventions that, by the end of the nineteenth century, had clearly outgrown their use.
Queer Utopia in Klaus Mann'sDer fromme Tanz
Authors: Vendrell Javier Samper
Published: February 2021

Klaus Mann'sDer fromme Tanz(1926) was the first German mainstream novel featuring a homosexual character. Critics have focused on autobiographical aspects in the novel, particularly the difficult relationship the author had with his father, Thomas Mann, as well as on the author's open and positive attitude towards homosexuality. The article contends that Mann's novel is more than a historical document of queer life in Weimar‐era Germany; it also fostered hope for new worlds of relationality and queer desire. To make this case, the article analyzesDer fromme Tanzalongside texts by Ernst Bloch and José Esteban Muñoz, making the idea of utopia relevant to contemporary queer theory again. The main character's determination to find his own path, even his inability to consummate his love, is a refutation of the widespread homophobic belief that same‐sex desiring men are incapable of establishing long‐lasting relationships. The character's unflinching hope in the future expresses a longing for new social relations and alternative ways of being an individual in the world.
Non‐destructive detection of moisture content in Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerate L.) silage in wrapped round bales using microstrip transmission line sensor and its transmitted microwaves
Authors: Matsuo Morinobu , Kon Seitaro , Takimoto Hiroki , Osada Akira
Published: February 2021

This paper demonstrates a non‐destructive method for measuring the moisture content of silage in wrapped round bales (WRBs) via microwave signals using a microstrip transmission line (MSTL) sensor and vector network analyzer under outdoor conditions. We analyzed the relationships between the amplitude changes (Δα) and phase shifts (Δφ) of the microwave‐transmitted signals from the WRB surfaces without tearing their films. The press MSTL method was strongly suggested over the touch MSTL method for the non‐destructive measurement of WRB qualities. We also obtained strongly negative and significant correlations between the slopes of the linear regression lines (Δφ–Δα ratios) and moisture contents for frequencies in the range of 3.6–6.2 GHz. Thus, in this frequency zone, the press MSTL method can be effectively used to determine the moisture content of silage in WRBs.