bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To track or not to track: examining perceptions of online tracking for information behavior research
Authors: Makhortykh Mykola , Urman Aleksandra , Gil-Lopez Teresa , Ulloa Roberto
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study investigates perceptions of the use of online tracking, a passive data collection method relying on the automated recording of participant actions on desktop and mobile devices, for studying information behavior. It scrutinizes folk theories of tracking, the concerns tracking raises among the potential participants and design mechanisms that can be used to alleviate these concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses focus groups composed of university students (n = 13) to conduct an in-depth investigation of tracking perceptions in the context of information behavior research. Each focus group addresses three thematic blocks: (1) views on online tracking as a research technique, (2) concerns that influence participants' willingness to be tracked and (3) design mechanisms via which tracking-related concerns can be alleviated. To facilitate the discussion, each focus group combines open questions with card-sorting tasks. The results are analyzed using a combination of deductive content analysis and constant comparison analysis, with the main coding categories corresponding to the thematic blocks listed above.

Findings

The study finds that perceptions of tracking are influenced by recent data-related scandals (e.g. Cambridge Analytica), which have amplified negative attitudes toward tracking, which is viewed as a surveillance tool used by corporations and governments. This study also confirms the contextual nature of tracking-related concerns, which vary depending on the activities and content that are tracked. In terms of mechanisms used to address these concerns, this study highlights the importance of transparency-based mechanisms, particularly explanations dealing with the aims and methods of data collection, followed by privacy- and control-based mechanisms.

Originality/value

The study conducts a detailed examination of tracking perceptions and discusses how this research method can be used to increase engagement and empower participants involved in information behavior research.
Understanding online review behaviors of patients in online health communities: an expectation-disconfirmation perspective
Authors: Chen Qin , Jin Jiahua , Yan Xiangbin
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Although online health communities (OHCs) and online patient reviews can help to eliminate health information asymmetry and improve patients' health management, how patients write online reviews within OHCs is poorly understood. Thus, it is very necessary to determine the factors influencing patients' online review behavior in OHCs, including the emotional response and reviewing effort.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on expectation-disconfirmation theory, this study proposes a theoretical model to analyze the effects of service quality perception (i.e. outcome quality and process quality perceptions) and disconfirmation (i.e. outcome quality and process quality disconfirmations) on patients' emotional response and reviewing effort. The authors test the research model by using empirical data collected from a popular Chinese OHC and applying ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and zero-truncated negative binomial (ZTNB) regression models.

Findings

Both service quality perception and disconfirmation have a positive effect on patients' positive emotional intensity in textual reviews, and disease severity enhances these relationships of process quality. Moreover, there is an asymmetric U-shaped relationship among service quality perception, disconfirmation and reviewing effort. Patients who perceive low service quality have higher reviewing effort, while service quality disconfirmation has the opposite relationship. Specifically, patients' effort in writing textual reviews is lowest when perceived outcome quality is 3.5 (on a five-point scale), perceived process quality is 4 or outcome quality and process quality disconfirmations are −1.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine patients' online review behavior and its motivations and contributes to the literature on online reviews and service quality. In addition, the findings of this study have important management implications for service providers and OHC managers.
Integrating knowledge management with intellectual capital to drive strategy: a focus on Italian SMEs
Authors: Giampaoli Daniele , Sgrò Francesca , Ciambotti Massimo , Bontis Nick
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the linkage between knowledge management (KM), intellectual capital (IC), planning effectiveness (PE) and innovation performance in Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data from 172 Italian SMEs was collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling (partial least square).

Findings

Results show that KM practices have a positive direct impact on each IC component which influences PE. Finally, structural capital and PE have a positive direct impact a firm’s ability to innovate.

Research limitations/implications

For researchers, this paper fills an important gap in the academic literature by conceptualizing and empirically testing the link between IC and PE. The main practical implication of this study is that developing intangible resources is of particular importance for strategic decision-making in SMEs. The focus on Italian SMEs limits the generalizability of the results.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence on how KM and IC interact and mutually drive PE. Second, results shed light on the importance of IC to enhance a firm’s ability to reach its goals. Finally, the focus on SMEs enriches the extant literature in the field confirming the vital role of KM and IC in managerial decision-making.
Factors affecting the frequency and contents of routine antenatal care in remote rural China in 2009–2016: An observational study
Authors: Feng Xing Lin , Wang Ying , Chen Zhengchao , Ronsmans Carine
Published: December 2021

Objective

We assessed factors associated with the frequency and contents of antenatal care (ANC) in remote rural China, including the province of residence and individual‐level factors.

Design

Survey‐based cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Five provinces in remote rural China: Guizhou, Hunan, Jilin, Ningxia and Shaanxi.

Sample

A cohort of 3918 women with a live birth in 2009–2016.

Methods

Poisson regression.

Main Outcome Measures

ANC frequency: five or more visits, starting in the first trimester. ANC contents: coverage of six care components and overuse of ultrasound.

Results

Three‐quarters (72.9%) of women had five or more ANC visits, starting in the first trimester; 68.8% received all six care components and 94.5% had three or more ultrasounds. Only 30.9% of women sought ANC from township hospitals, paying between $3.80 and $25.80 per visit. ANC frequency and contents were associated with the socio‐economic characteristics of the women, but provincial effects were much greater, even after adjusting for individual factors. Women living in Guizhou and Ningxia, the two poorest provinces, with high proportions of ethnic minorities, were particularly underserved. Compared with women in Shaanxi, women in Guizhou were 33% (adjusted RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.61–0.74) less likely to receive five or more ANC visits, starting in the first trimester; women in Ningxia were 17% less likely (adjusted RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.76–0.90) to receive all six care components.

Conclusions

The province of residence was a stronger predictor of ANC frequency and contents than the individual characteristics of women in China, suggesting that strengthening the decentralised system of the financing and organisation of ANC at the province level is crucial for achieving success. Future efforts are warranted to engage subregional administrations.

Tweetable Abstract

The province of residence was a stronger predictor of ANC frequency and contents than the individual characteristics of women.
Incorporating harms into the weighting of the revised Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety for Selected Indicators Composite (Patient Safety Indicator 90)
Authors: Zrelak Patricia A. , Utter Garth H. , McDonald Kathryn M. , Houchens Robert L. , Davies Sheryl M. , Skinner Halcyon G. , Owens Pamela L. , Romano Patrick S.
Published: December 2021

Objective

To reweight the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Patient Safety for Selected Indicators Composite (Patient Safety Indicator [PSI] 90) from weights based solely on the frequency of component PSIs to those that incorporate excess harm reflecting patients' preferences for outcome‐related health states.

Data Sources

National administrative and claims data involving hospitalizations in nonfederal, nonrehabilitation, acute care hospitals.

Study Design

We estimated the average excess aggregate harm associated with the occurrence of each component PSI using a cohort sample for each indicator based on denominator‐eligible records. We used propensity scores to account for potential confounding in the risk models for each PSI and weighted observations to estimate the “average treatment effect in the treated” for those with the PSI event. We fit separate regression models for each harm outcome. Final PSI weights reflected both the disutilities and the frequencies of the harms.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We estimated PSI frequencies from the 2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases with present on admission data and excess harms using 2012–2013 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Fee‐for‐Service data.

Principal Findings

Including harms in the weighting scheme changed individual component weights from the original frequency‐based weighting. In the reweighted composite, PSIs 11 (“Postoperative Respiratory Failure”), 13 (“Postoperative Sepsis”), and 12 (“Perioperative Pulmonary Embolism or Deep Vein Thrombosis”) contributed the greatest harm, with weights of 29.7%, 21.1%, and 20.4%, respectively. Regarding reliability, the overall average hospital signal‐to‐noise ratio for the reweighted PSI 90 was 0.7015. Regarding discrimination, among hospitals with greater than median volume, 34% had significantly better PSI 90 performance, and 41% had significantly worse performance than benchmark rates (based on percentiles).

Conclusions

Reformulation of PSI 90 with harm‐based weights is feasible and results in satisfactory reliability and discrimination, with a more clinically meaningful distribution of component weights.
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources: what has been achieved and what more can be done
Authors: Bartram Timothy , Cooke Fang Lee
Published: December 2021

The Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources (APJHR) celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2022. In this 60th anniversary issue, we provide a brief overview of the APJHR and its recent developments. We outline a few thematic areas, with indicative research questions that would facilitate researchers to extend the field of HRM research with policy relevance and societal impact in the Asia Pacific, drawing on several megatrends as the context. These include demographic changes, climate change and energy transition, digital technology and the growing interest in HR analytics, and the global pandemic. We then present a collection of review articles included in this anniversary issue that provide a critical appraisal, from a historical lens, of selected research topics including those published in the APJHR; we reflect on how they have evolved and what further research efforts can be exerted to advance the field.
Lactobacillus alleviated obesity induced by high‐fat diet in mice
Authors: Song Wei , Song Chen , Li Li , Wang Tianyi , Hu Jinhong , Zhu Lina , Yue Tianli
Published: December 2021

Obesity is closely related to dyslipidaemia, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. Long‐term consumption of a high‐fat diet (HFD) is an important risk factor that can lead to obesity. In the current research, three Lactobacillus strains, namely, Loigolactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens T3 (T3), Lacticasebacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei M5 (M5), and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei X12 (X12), were tested to determine their inhibitory effects on HFD‐induced obesity. The results showed that M5, T3, and X12 significantly decreased the body weight gain, Lee's index and adipose index. T3 showed significant effects on reducing serum TG levels to 0.92 mmol/ml and increasing HDL‐C levels to 2.18 mmol/ml. The M5 treatment significantly reduced the serum TG level and leptin content to 1.11 mmol/ml and 3.7 ng/ml, respectively, and it increased the HDL‐C level and adiponectin content to 2.35 mmol/ml and 7 ng/ml, respectively. M5 and T3 dramatically ameliorated hepatic steatosis in HFD‐treated mice by reducing the liver index, lipid droplet number in the liver and TC levels in the liver. Gene expression of PPAR‐γ and TNF‐α was notably downregulated and FAS was upregulated by T3 and M5 treatment. Additionally, administration of M5 and T3 modified the diversity of the gut microbiota with increased OTU number, ACE index, and Chao1, and decreased the Shannon index and the Bacteroidetes /Firmicutes ratio. Overall, our results indicate that Lactobacillus may be used to prevent obesity and gut dysbiosis.

Practical Application

Lactobacillus from traditional Chinese foods showed strong anti‐obesity effects on high‐fat diet‐fed mice through the regulation of adipocytokines. Additionally, administration of certain Lactobacilli modified the diversity of the gut microbiota. The results indicate that Lactobacillus may be promising functional materials in healthy foods.
Private contracts in two‐sided platforms
Authors: Llanes Gastón , Ruiz‐Aliseda Francisco
Published: December 2021

We study a platform that signs private contracts with sellers. Contractual secrecy implies interrelated hold‐up problems for buyers and sellers that reduce platform profits and welfare. By increasing its control over sellers' prices, the platform is able to increase price transparency and commit to not behaving opportunistically, which increases profits and welfare. Thus, policy prescriptions for dealing with contractual secrecy are reversed in the case of two‐sided platforms. We also find a platform may benefit from an erosion of its market power on one side of the market because this erosion may raise the surplus it offers the other side.
Effects of interventions to combat tobacco addiction: Cochrane update of 2019 and 2020 reviews
Authors: Livingstone‐Banks Jonathan , Lindson Nicola , Hartmann‐Boyce Jamie , Aveyard Paul
Published: December 2021

Aims

To summarize evidence on tobacco addiction interventions published by the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group (CTAG) from 2019 to 2020.

Methods

Narrative summary of all new and updated Cochrane Reviews published by CTAG in 2019 and 2020, outlining key results and promising avenues for future research.

Results

CTAG published six new reviews and updated 15 reviews. There is high‐certainty evidence that combining fast‐acting nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with transdermal patches helped more people to quit than single‐form NRT [risk ratio (RR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15–1.36, 14 studies, n = 11 356; I2 = 4%] and moderate‐certainty evidence that using NRT before quitting can increase quit rates more than using NRT from quit day onwards (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.08–1.44, nine studies, n = 4395; I2 = 0%). Reducing smoking in order to quit completely results in similar quit rates to abrupt quitting (RR = 1.01, 95% CI= 0.87–1.17; I2 = 29%; 22 studies, n = 9219; moderate‐certainty). Electronic cigarettes may help more people quit than NRT (RR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.21–1.93; I2 = 0%; four studies, n = 1924; moderate certainty), nicotine‐free electronic cigarettes (RR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.21–3.13; I2 = 0%; five studies, n = 1447; moderate‐certainty) and behavioural/no support (RR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.44–4.74; I2 = 0%; six studies, n = 2886; very low‐certainty). Varenicline may help prevent relapse in abstainers (RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.08–1.41; I2 = 82%; 11 studies, n = 1297; moderate‐certainty), but behavioural support did not prevent relapse (RR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.87–1.11; I2 = 52%; 11 studies, n = 5523; moderate‐certainty). Financial incentives increased quit rates in the general population (RR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.28–1.73; I2 = 33%; 30 studies, adjusted n = 20 097; high‐certainty) and during pregnancy (RR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.54–3.69; I2 = 41%; nine studies, n = 2273; moderate‐certainty). This overview also provides detail on a wider range of interventions.

Conclusions

There is high certainty that using nicotine replacement therapy from quit day increases smoking abstinence and no further research is required. Evidence is less certain that nicotine replacement increases abstinence when used in higher doses tailored to particular groups of smokers or use prior to quit day, and further research would be helpful. There is moderate‐certainty evidence to support the use of e‐cigarettes as cessation aids, but research on their role in preventing relapse would be particularly helpful.
Efficacy and comparative effectiveness of telephone and smartphone remote continuing care interventions for alcohol use disorder: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: McKay James R. , Gustafson David H. , Ivey Megan , Pe‐Romashko Klaren , Curtis Brenda , Thomas Tyrone , Oslin David W. , Polsky Daniel , Quanbeck Andrew , Lynch Kevin G.
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims

Management of alcohol use disorder (AUD) could be enhanced by effective remote treatments. This study tested whether supplementing intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) with continuing care delivered via (1) telephone, (2) smartphone or (3) their combination improves outcomes relative to (4) IOP only. Continuing care conditions were also compared.

Design

Randomized controlled trial of four groups with 3‐, 6‐, 9‐, 12‐ and 18‐month follow‐ups.

Setting

University research center in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Participants

Participants (n = 262) met DSM‐V criteria for AUD, were largely male (71%) and African American (82%).

Interventions and Comparator

Telephone monitoring and counseling (TMC; n = 59), addiction comprehensive health enhancement support system (ACHESS; n = 68) and TMC + ACHESS (n = 70) provided for 12 months. The control condition received IOP only (TAU; n = 65).

Measurement

The primary outcome was percentage of days heavy drinking (PDHD) in months 1–12. Secondary outcomes were any drinking, any drug use, drinking consequences and quality of life.

Findings

Mean PDHD in months 1–12 was 10.29 in TAU, 5.41 in TMC, 6.80 in ACHESS and 5.99 in TMC + ACHESS. PDHD was lower in TMC [Cohen's d = 0.35, P = 0.018, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (−1.42, −0.20)], ACHESS [d = 0.31, P = 0.031, 95% CI = (−1.27, −0.06)] and TMC + ACHESS [d = 0.36, P = 0.009, 95% CI = (−1.40, −0.20)] than in TAU. Differences between TMC + ACHESS, TMC and ACHESS were small (d ≤ 0.06) and non‐significant. Findings were inconclusive as to whether or not the treatment conditions differed on PDHD at 18 months. A significant effect was obtained on any drinking, which was higher in months 1–12 in TAU than in TMC [odds ratio (OR) = 3.02, standard error (SE) = 0.43, 95% CI = (1.30, 6.99), P = 0.01] and TMC + ACHESS [OR = 2.43, SE = 0.39, 95% CI = (1.12, 5.27), P = 0.025). No other significant effects were obtained on other secondary outcomes during or after treatment.

Conclusions

A telephone‐delivered intervention and a smartphone‐delivered intervention, alone and in combination, provided effective remote continuing care for alcohol use disorder. The combination of both interventions was not superior to either alone and effects did not persist post‐treatment.
Accounting for both automated recording unit detection space and signal recognition performance in acoustic surveys: A protocol applied to the cryptic and critically endangered Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis)
Authors: Leseberg Nicholas P. , Venables William N. , Murphy Stephen A. , Jackett Nigel A. , Watson James E. M.
Published: December 2021

Research into the suitability of autonomous recording units (ARUs) when surveying for vocal species is increasing. Simultaneously, there has been extensive research into methods for efficiently extracting signals of interest from the acoustic data sets that accrue from the deployment of ARUs. For some species, bioacoustic monitoring supported by computerised signal detection offers the only effective and efficient method for widespread survey. In these circumstances, the detection space of both the ARU and the performance of the signal detection process must be considered concurrently, but typically, these two elements have been considered separately. Here, using the Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) as a case study, we consider both ARU detection space and the signal detection process to develop a robust and repeatable survey protocol for the species. After developing a call recogniser for the Night Parrot, we test its performance on a data set of Night Parrot calls given at a known distance from an array of ARUs. Having established a relationship between ARU type, recogniser performance and distance, we determine the sampling radius of an ARU for a given recogniser score cut‐off, and the associated probability of detecting a Night Parrot that calls within that sampling radius. Using these data, we outline how to develop a robust and repeatable survey protocol for the Night Parrot, with a defined probability of detection. This protocol could be adapted for other scenarios where deployment of ARUs is necessary to determine a species’ status and distribution.
A potential diagnostic pitfall in ST elevation: Acute pulmonary embolism or ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Zheng Bo , Bian Fei , Li Jingsen , Xu Huipu , Wang Jian
Published: December 2021

The diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a great challenge for physicians due to its nonspecific symptoms, and often missed or misdiagnosed as acute coronary syndrome. Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are seen in majority of patients with APE. Recently, APE with ST‐segment elevation (STE) in leads V1–V3/V4, mimicking ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), has been described. However, coronary angiography showed that the patient's coronary arteries were mostly normal. Herein, we describe a case of APE presenting with STE in V1–V4, along with severe stenosis of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery.
Non‐synonymous alterations in AKR7A3 and ABCA6 correlate with bleeding in aged patients treated with rivaroxaban
Authors: Zhao Ming , Zhang Qiang , Wang Xizi , Zhang Qianqian , Tian Conghui , Li Rongrong , Jia Xiaodong , Gu Mingliang , Yang Liping
Published: December 2021

Rivaroxaban is an oral anticoagulant that inhibits thrombin and blocks coagulation cascade through directly inactivating factors Xa. Despite rivaroxaban is widely used for prevention and treatment of venous thrombosis, and its common adverse reactions have been reported, including abnormal coagulation, mucosal hemorrhage, hematuria, and intracranial hemorrhage. To explore potential drivers of individual differences in adverse reactions induced by rivaroxaban, we performed whole‐exome sequencing and found that AKR7A3 rs1738023/rs1738025 and ABCA6 rs7212506 are susceptible sites for rivaroxaban‐related bleeding in aged patients treated with rivaroxaban. Gene functional annotation and signaling pathway enrichment indicated that homozygous mutations in AKR7A3 and ABCA6 might alter normal rivaroxaban transport and metabolism, and lead to continuous accumulation of activated drugs and toxic substances in vivo. Our results suggested that interindividual differences in bleeding events induced by rivaroxaban may be potentially driven by genetic alterations related to abnormal metabolism and transport of rivaroxaban.
When long appears short: Effects of auditory distraction on event‐related potential correlates of time perception
Authors: Getzmann Stephan , Arnau Stefan , Gajewski Patrick D. , Wascher Edmund
Published: December 2021

Attentional models of time perception assume that the perceived duration of a stimulus depends on the extent to which attentional resources are allocated to its temporal information. Here, we studied the effects of auditory distraction on time perception, using a combined attentional‐distraction duration‐discrimination paradigm. Participants were confronted with a random sequence of long and short tone stimuli, most of which having a uniform (standard) pitch and only a few a different (deviant) pitch. As observed in previous studies, pitch‐deviant tones impaired the discrimination of tone duration and triggered a sequence of event‐related potentials (ERPs) reflecting a cycle of deviance detection, involuntary attentional distraction and reorientation (MMN, P3a, RON). Contrasting ERPs of short and long tone durations revealed that long tones elicited a more pronounced fronto‐central contingent negative variation (CNV) in the time interval after the expected offset of the short tone as well as a more prominent centro‐parietal late positive complex (LPC). Relative to standard‐pitch tones, deviant‐pitch tones especially impaired the correct discrimination of long tones, which was associated with a reduction of the CNV and LPC. These results are interpreted within the theoretical framework of resource‐based models of time perception, in which involuntary distraction due to a deviant event led to a withdrawal of attentional resources from the processing of time information.
Relationship satisfaction among spouse caregivers of service members and veterans with comorbid mild traumatic brain injury and post‐traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Brickell Tracey A. , French Louis M. , Varbedian Nicole V. , Sewell Jessie M. , Schiefelbein Faith C. , Wright Megan M. , Lange Rael T.
Published: December 2021

This study examined relationship satisfaction and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among spouse caregivers assisting service members and veterans (SMV) with comorbid uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Spouse caregivers (N = 205) completed the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI), 12 HRQOL measures, and the Mayo‐Portland Adaptability Inventory 4th Edition (MPAI‐4). T‐scores were classified as “clinically elevated” using a cutoff of ≥60T. The sample was also classified into “Satisfied” (≥13.5, n = 113, 55.0%) or “Dissatisfied” (<13.5, n = 92, 44.0%) relationship categories. Using stepwise regression analysis, Anxiety, Family Disruption, Vigilance, Emotional Support, Feeling Trapped, and MPAI‐4 Adjustment were identified as the strongest predictors of CSI total scores (p < 0.001), accounting for 41.6% of the variance. Squared semi‐partial correlations revealed that 18.1% of the variance was shared across all six measures, with 7.8% to 1.5% of unique variance accounted for by each measure separately. When comparing the number of clinically elevated measures simultaneously, the Dissatisfied group consistently had a higher number of clinically elevated scores compared to the Satisfied group (e.g., 3‐or‐more clinically elevated scores: Dissatisfied = 40.2%, Satisfied = 8.8%, OR = 6.93, H = 0.76). Caring for a SMV with comorbid TBI and PTSD can have a profound impact on the spouse caregiver's HRQOL, relationship satisfaction, and family functioning. The findings from the current study continue to support the need for family involvement in the SMV’s treatment plan, but more effort is needed to integrate behavioral health treatment that focuses on the family member's own issues into military TBI and PTSD systems of care.
Oral health status and associated factors among Sudanese older adults: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Salih Mayson Ahmed , Ali Raouf Wahab , Nasir Elwalid Fadul
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The aim was to assess the oral health status, prosthetic needs and the associated factors among older adults living in Khartoum State, Sudan.

Background

Understanding the extent of the oral health problems and the associated factors in the older population is important for the determination of treatment needs and future planning of dental services.

Materials and Methods

A cross‐sectional study among individuals ≥60 years attending Health Care Centers. Two calibrated examiners examined participants according to the WHO oral health examination form for adults. DMFT, periodontal conditions, oral mucosal lesions, tooth wear, prosthetic status and prosthetic needs were reported. Risk indicators investigated include age, gender, socioeconomic status, general health, oral hygiene practices, tobacco use and utilisation for dental services.

Results

Two hundred forty‐nine older adults participated in the study, and 64.3% were males. The mean age was 68.4 years (SD ±6.7). The mean DMFT was 15.9 (SD ±9.1), with 85.3%, 94.8% and 19.3% of the participants having decayed, missing or filled teeth respectively. Periodontal pockets were present in 41.9%, mucosal lesions in 14.9% and tooth wear in 46.2% of the participants. Although only 5.2% were completely edentulous, 93.2% need prosthetic replacement. Risk indicators for poor oral health were being female, oral hygiene practices, frequency and reason of dental visits.

Conclusion

Old adults showed a high experience of missing and decayed teeth, periodontal inflammation and prosthetic treatment needs. Future oral health policies need to consider the different needs between men and women, exposure to risk factors and barriers to access dental care.
A femin… manifesto: Academic ecologies of care and cure during a global health pandemic
Authors: Benozzo Angelo , Koro Mirka , Vasquez Anani , Vitrukh Mariia , Barbetta Pietro , Long Charlton
Published: December 2021

This article is a femin… manifesto for supporting and encouraging academic ecologies of care and cure: it is a collaborative assemblage created by six academics—laborers, white, native American, European, Caucasian, cisgender, neurodivergent, bisexual, gay, and… and… and…—who wrote these reflections during the pandemic events that affected their lives. The cultural artifact, the femin… manifesto, is organized around nine theses, each of which tries to highlight the multiplicity of cares and genders, the challenges, the productive vitality, and the enforced slowness experienced both during lockdown and after it. The paper uses different forms/styles—academic writing, pictures, poems, first‐person narratives—which nurture the flow of the presentation of the nine theses. Each thesis ends with a call for action. The femin… manifesto is a performative text which, while opposing the constraints of the COVID‐19 emergency, also sees the potential the event offers for caring and curing ‐ both life and our academic lives. Femin… manifesto renders explicit the undecidability of cares and cures and is a call to unite with the aim of resisting the inequalities and vulnerabilities which COVID‐19 has exacerbated.
Distributed Thermal Response Multi‐Source Modeling to Evaluate Heterogeneous Subsurface Properties
Authors: Liu Honglei , Stumpf Andrew J. , Lin Yu‐Feng F. , Liu Xiaobing
Published: December 2021

A thorough assessment of thermal properties in heterogeneous subsurface is necessary in design of low‐temperature borehole heat exchangers (BHEs). A distributed thermal response test (DTRT), which combines distributed temperature sensing (DTS) with a conventional thermal response test (TRT), was conducted in a U‐bend geothermal loop installed in an open borehole at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign to estimate thermal properties by analyzing the thermal response of different geologic materials while applying a constant heat input rate. Fiber‐optic cables in the DTRT were deployed both inside the U‐bend geothermal loop and in the center of the borehole to improve the accuracy of calculated heat‐loss rates and borehole temperature profile measurements. To assess the subsurface thermal conductivity during the heating phase of the DTRT, a single‐source model and a multi‐source model, both based on the infinite line source method, were developed using the borehole temperature data and temperatures inside and along the outside of the loop, separately. The two models returned similar thermal conductivity values. The multi‐source modeling has the advantage of predicting the thermal conductivity of heterogeneous geologic materials from borehole temperature profiles during the DTRT heating phase. In addition, based on the distributed thermal conductivity measured in the borehole, estimates were made for both radial thermal impacts and the rate of heat loss in the BHE.
U–Pb dating of detrital zircon from Permian successions of the South Kitakami Belt, Northeast Japan: Clues to the paleogeography of the belt
Authors: Li Yuxiao , Takeuchi Makoto
Published: December 2021

The South Kitakami Belt in the northeast Japan is unique in presence of a thick Paleozoic–Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. The Permian sedimentary succession in the Maiya area of this belt is divided into the Nishikori, Tenjinnoki, and Toyoma formations, in ascending stratigraphic order. The Tenjinnoki Formation includes the Yamazaki Conglomerate Member containing granitic clasts. We performed U–Pb dating for detrital zircon of one sample of tuffaceous sandstone from the Nishikori Formation, six samples of sandstone from the Tenjinnoki and Toyoma formations, and five granitic clasts from the Yamazaki Conglomerate using laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry. Our dating results show that the tuffaceous sandstone sample has two age peaks at 287 and 301 Ma for the Nishikori Formation, three age peaks at 320–300, 290, and 270 Ma for the Tenjinnoki and Toyoma Formation, and ages of 311, 300, and 270 Ma from granitic clasts of the Yamazaki Conglomerate. In addition, older ages of 452–435 and 380 Ma were obtained from some zircon grains of the sandstone and granitic clasts. Our results suggest igneous activity in these periods. The South Kitakami Belt's origin with respect to continental blocks has been discussed in regard of the margin of North China Block or South China Block. Based on the stratigraphic ages and timing of igneous activity, we conclude that during the Permian the South Kitakami Belt was located at the margin of the South Central Asian Orogenic Belt, near the Solonker‐Xra Moron‐Changchun suture and the North China Block in East Asia.
Consumer e‐waste disposal behaviour: A systematic review and research agenda
Authors: Gilal Faheem Gul , Shah Syed Mir Muhammad , Adeel Sultan , Gilal Rukhsana Gul , Gilal Naeem Gul
Published: December 2021

E‐waste is the world's fastest‐growing waste stream, and it contains toxic chemicals that are harmful to human health. Research has shown that the vast majority of consumers are unwilling to dispose of e‐waste, preferring to keep obsolete products at home rather than returning them to manufacturers for recycling. Despite the evident importance of this area of research, there is yet to be a systematic assessment of e‐waste disposal behaviour that summarises the relationships among constructs in the forms of antecedents, decisions, and consequences from the perspective of consumer behaviour. With this knowledge gap in mind, the current paper's goal is to provide a comprehensive examination of available studies on consumer e‐waste disposal behaviour. In particular, the purpose is to promote e‐waste disposal behaviour by looking at how such behaviour has been utilised as a construct in the literature and what theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodological approaches have been used to strengthen this behaviour. Towards this aim, we used VOSviewer to examine N = 43 research publications on e‐waste disposal behaviour published in Scopus‐indexed journals between 2000 and 2021, noting discrepancies, identifying major research gaps, and developing comprehensive research agendas (provided in the form of testable propositions).
La conformité sociale, une pratique rentable? Pourquoi on peine à convaincre. Analyse sous l'angle des coûts, des bénéfices et du prix de vente
Authors: ANTOLIN Ana , BABBITT Laura , BROWN Drusilla
Published: December 2021

Pour améliorer les conditions de travail au sein des chaînes de valeur mondiales, il faudrait convaincre les directeurs d'usine que c'est une opération rentable, ce que plusieurs études ont établi. L'analyse, qui porte sur un échantillon d'usines appliquant le programme Better Work en Indonésie, en Jordanie et au Viet Nam, montre que le coût de la mise aux normes annule parfois les gains de productivité. Pour que l'opération soit rentable, il faut que les clients revoient leurs pratiques d'achat et acceptent de payer mieux. L'expérience du COVID‐19 confirme du reste l'influence déterminante des acheteurs sur les conditions de travail dans l'amont de la chaîne.
Introducción. Disrupciones en las cadenas mundiales de valor: ¿continuidad o cambio para la gobernanza laboral?
Authors: GEREFFI Gary , POSTHUMA Anne Caroline , ROSSI Arianna
Published: December 2021

La producción y el comercio mundiales organizados en cadenas mundiales de valor determinan la gobernanza del trabajo y las condiciones en que en ellas se ejerce desde hace décadas. Desde principios de los años 2000 se están produciendo perturbaciones económicas, tecnológicas y políticas, incluida la actual pandemia por COVID‐19, que exacerban las grandes preocupaciones en torno a la gobernanza y al futuro del trabajo en la economía mundial. Los artículos del presente monográfico abordan estos temas mediante estudios de caso originales sobre industrias y países, con diseños de investigación tanto longitudinales como comparativos y métodos mixtos para ofrecer perspectivas sobre un marco de gobernanza laboral que se adapte a las futuras cadenas mundiales de valor.
T cell activation niches—Optimizing T cell effector function in inflamed and infected tissues*
Authors: Bala Noor , McGurk Alexander I. , Zilch Tiago , Rup Anastasia N. , Carter Evan M. , Leddon Scott A. , Fowell Deborah J.
Published: December 2021

Successful immunity to infection, malignancy, and tissue damage requires the coordinated recruitment of numerous immune cell subsets to target tissues. Once within the target tissue, effector T cells rely on local chemotactic cues and structural cues from the tissue matrix to navigate the tissue, interact with antigen‐presenting cells, and release effector cytokines. This highly dynamic process has been “caught on camera” in situ by intravital multiphoton imaging. Initial studies revealed a surprising randomness to the pattern of T cell migration through inflamed tissues, behavior thought to facilitate chance encounters with rare antigen‐bearing cells. Subsequent tissue‐wide visualization has uncovered a high degree of spatial preference when it comes to T cell activation. Here, we discuss the basic tenants of a successful effector T cell activation niche, taking cues from the dynamics of Tfh positioning in the lymph node germinal center. In peripheral tissues, steady‐state microanatomical organization may direct the location of “pop‐up” de novo activation niches, often observed as perivascular clusters, that support early effector T cell activation. These perivascular activation niches appear to be regulated by site‐specific chemokines that coordinate the recruitment of dendritic cells and other innate cells for local T cell activation, survival, and optimized effector function.
Skin‐ny deeping: Uncovering immune cell behavior and function through imaging techniques*
Authors: Tan Yingrou , Tey Hong Liang , Chong Shu Zhen , Ng Lai Guan
Published: December 2021

As the largest organ of the body, the skin is a key barrier tissue with specialized structures where ongoing immune surveillance is critical for protecting the body from external insults. The innate immune system acts as first‐responders in a coordinated manner to react to injury or infections, and recent developments in intravital imaging techniques have made it possible to delineate dynamic immune cell responses in a spatiotemporal manner. We review here key studies involved in understanding neutrophil, dendritic cell and macrophage behavior in skin and further discuss how this knowledge collectively highlights the importance of interactions and cellular functions in a systems biology manner. Furthermore, we will review emerging imaging technologies such as high‐content proteomic screening, spatial transcriptomics and three‐dimensional volumetric imaging and how these techniques can be integrated to provide a systems overview of the immune system that will further our current knowledge and lead to potential exciting discoveries in the upcoming decades.
Mutational spectrum of congenital long QT syndrome in Turkey; identification of 12 novel mutations across KCNQ1, KCNH2, SCN5A, KCNJ2, CACNA1C, and CALM1
Authors: Akgun‐Dogan Ozlem , Ağaoğlu Nihat B. , K. Demirkol Yasemin , Doğanay Levent , Ergül Yakup , Karacan Mehmet
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is of great importance as it is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in childhood. The diagnosis is made by the prolongation of the QTc interval on the electrocardiography. However, clinical heterogeneity and nondiagnostic QTc intervals may cause a delay in the diagnosis. In such cases, genetic tests such as next‐generation sequencing (NGS) panel analysis enable a definitive diagnosis. We present the first study that aimed to expand the LQTS's mutational spectrum by NGS panel analysis from Turkey.

Methods

Fifty‐seven unrelated patients with clinically diagnosed LQTS were investigated using an NGS panel that includes six LQTS‐related genes. Clinical aspects, outcome, and molecular analysis results were reviewed.

Results

Pathogenic (53%)/likely pathogenic (23%)/variant of unknown significance (4%) variants were detected in any of the genes examined in 79% of the patients. Among all detected variants, KCNQ1(71%) was the most common gene, followed by SCN5A (11%), KCNH2 (10%), CALM1 (5%), and CACNA1C (3%). Twelve novel variants were detected. Among the variants in KCNQ1, the c.1097G>A variant was present in 42% of patients. This variant also composed 31% of the variants detected in all of the genes.

Conclusion

Our study expands the spectrum of the variations associated with LQTS with twelve novel variants in five genes. And also it draws attention to the frequency of the KCNQ1 c.1097G>A variant and forms the basis for new studies to determine the possible founder effect in the Turkish population. Furthermore, identifying new variants and clinical findings has importance in elaborating the roles of related genes in pathophysiology and determining the variable expression and incomplete penetration rates in this syndrome.
Ethanol exposure of human pancreatic normal ductal epithelial cells induces EMT phenotype and enhances pancreatic cancer development in KC (Pdx1‐Cre and LSL‐KrasG12D) mice
Authors: Yu Wei , Ma Yiming , Roy Sanjit K. , Srivastava Rashmi , Shankar Sharmila , Srivastava Rakesh K.
Published: December 2021

Alcohol is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, the molecular mechanism by which chronic alcohol consumption influences pancreatic cancer development is not well understood. We have recently demonstrated that chronic ethanol exposure of pancreatic normal ductal epithelial cells (HPNE) induces cellular transformation by generating cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here, we examined whether chronic ethanol treatment induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition in HPNE cells and promotes pancreatic cancer development in KC (Pdx1‐Cre, and LSL‐KrasG12D) mice. Our data demonstrate that chronic ethanol exposure of HPNE cells induces SATB2 gene and those cells became highly motile. Ethanol treatment of HPNE cells results in downregulation of E‐Cadherin and upregulation of N‐Cadherin, Snail, Slug, Zeb1, Nanog and BMI‐1. Suppression of SATB2 expression in ethanol‐transformed HPNE cells inhibits EMT phenotypes. KC mice fed with an ethanol‐containing diet show enhanced pancreatic cancer growth and development than those fed with a control diet. Pancreas isolated from KC mice fed with an ethanol‐containing diet show higher expression of stem cell markers (CD133, CD44, CD24), pluripotency‐maintaining factors (cMyc, KLF4, SOX‐2, and Oct‐4), N‐Cadherin, EMT‐transcription factors (Snail, Slug, and Zeb1), and lower expression of E‐cadherin than those isolated from mice fed with a control diet. Furthermore, pancreas isolated from KC mice fed with an ethanol‐containing diet show higher expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐8) and PTGS‐2 (COX‐2) gene than those isolated from mice fed with a control diet. These data suggest that chronic alcohol consumption may contribute to pancreatic cancer development by generating inflammatory signals and CSCs.
The European Green Deal: More than an Exit Strategy to the Pandemic Crisis, a Building Block of a Sustainable European Economic Model*
Authors: Bongardt Annette , Torres Francisco
Published: December 2021

This article puts forward that the European Green Deal (EGD) is more than just another initiative for green growth. Instead, it adds a building block to the European economic model, alongside the single market and economic and monetary union. The pandemic crisis would therefore need to be addressed also through the EGD framework. We find that the Covid‐19 crisis provided a missing link between the EGD's long‐term objectives and conducive short‐term policies. We discuss to what extent economic governance changes reinforce the role of the EGD as a pillar of the European Union economic model, contributing also to creating strong (political, institutional and society) dynamics in favour of sustainability and promoting integration.
Par le Haut Ou Par les Pays‐Bas? French and Dutch Approaches to European Social Policy Coordination Compared*
Authors: Hennis Marjoleine
Published: December 2021

European leaders often seem to refer to the importance of social dialogue and the effectiveness of the European Semester as two sides of the same coin. This article wishes to contribute to a deeper understanding of the link between social dialogue at the national level and the effectiveness of the European Semester. It does so by comparing French and Dutch approaches to social dialogue engagement with respect to social policy coordination between 2011 and 2020. The findings indicate that meaningful engagement of social partners in this process does not lead to more effectiveness in terms of speed and number of the CSRs implemented. The article suggests to broaden the definition of effectiveness in order to better appreciate the progress made, and to contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of the European Semester.