bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zoomvesting: angel investors' perception of subjective cues in online pitching
Authors: Kuhn Nicole , Sarfati Gilberto
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed angel investment meetings from in-person to online. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether this move affected angel investors' perception of subjective behavioral cues in pitch sessions within a large Brazilian angel group.

Design/methodology/approach

This study followed an exploratory approach using a triangulation process that combined observation, documents and interviews. Data collected by observation, document studies, and interviews were themed, coded, and organized during the research.

Findings

The move from in-person to online pitches did not seem to affect levels of trustworthiness or arrogance as angels assessed more message content during Q&A sessions. Body movement, gestures and “eye gaze” (i.e. the look on a presenter’s face) played a central role in passion assessment during in-person meetings. Body language was highly limited during online sessions and tone of voice became the main source of passion assessment.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study suggest that pitches at online meetings affect angel investors' perception of founders' subjective cues, particularly cues pertaining to passion. Entrepreneurs should be trained to convey passion with tone of voice and to improve their body language in the context of webcam use. The interviews with volunteer sampling were subject to volunteer bias. Additionally, the findings may be affected by cultural context.

Practical implications

A practical contribution of this study is to highlight the need for entrepreneurs to be trained for online pitches. In an online setting, body language is limited, but it is still possible to use one’s hands and tone of voice to connect better to investors.

Originality/value

This study is unique because it captures the transition of angel investment meetings from in-person affairs before the pandemic to online meetings during the pandemic crisis. These unique circumstances provided a real-world laboratory to observe founders' subjective cue effects on angel investment decision-making.
Barriers to corporate social responsibility implementation in the medium size manufacturing sector: an interpretive structure modelling approach
Authors: Dawar Gaurav , Singh Seema
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices are gaining momentum globally but their implementation becomes problematic due to the presence of barriers. So, this study aims to identify the barriers to CSR implementation among manufacturing enterprises, develop their classification and establish relationships among the barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

An exhaustive list of barriers was identified from the literature, and following surveys and expert opinions, 19 critical barriers were extracted. Interpretive structure modelling was used to understand the hierarchal and contextual relationships among barriers of CSR implementation.

Findings

The results show that are no autonomous variables present in the study. The proposed conceptual framework presents the hierarchy and interlinkage of barriers to CSR implementation in manufacturing enterprises. The results also indicate that rigidity in culture and corruption in the system and within the governance system of the country are the two most influential barriers that impede CSR implementation in manufacturing enterprises.

Originality/value

The interactions among CSR barriers provide policymakers, industrial practitioners and managers with a framework to recognise and evaluate mutual relationships and interlinking among barriers. CSR training and undertaking CSR in collaboration can help medium enterprises overcome these barriers and prepare strategies to mitigate their impact.
Human capital and organisational resilience in the context of manufacturing: a systematic literature review
Authors: Shela V. , Ramayah T. , Noor Hazlina Ahmad
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The manufacturing sector is well known for its significance in upholding the economic prosperity of many nations. However, in today's unprecedented environment, the resilience of this sector has become vulnerable to relentless catastrophic events, thus gaining a serious concern among the economies driven by this sector. Albeit the various determinants, human capital emerges as the widely accepted core factor that holds the key to proliferate organisational resilience. Therefore, the present systematic literature review seeks to intensify the understanding of the link between human capital and organisational resilience in the manufacturing context.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper systematically reviews the studies converging human capital and organisational resilience in the context of manufacturing from the year 2011 to 2021 based on the PRISMA protocol. A bibliographic coupling analysis was carried out using VOSviewer software to expose the main research themes and trends concerning the relationship.

Findings

The bibliographic coupling analysis discovered links between publications to produce a framework outlining a holistic state-of-art of the literature intersecting human capital and organisational resilience. The analysis identified main research themes by clustering the prior studies into seven groups, which describe the direction of the literature.

Originality/value

This study offers a novel framework and in-depth understanding to the research community to delve into the interrelationship between human capital and organisational resilience research. Guided by the gaps in the literature, a set of outstanding avenues for the forthcoming studies are also proposed.
Addressing customer misbehavior contagion in access-based services
Authors: Srivastava Himanshu Shekhar , Jayasimha K.R. , Sivakumar K.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Access-based services (ABSs) provide short-term access to goods, physical facilities, space or labor in exchange for access fees without transferring legal ownership (e.g. bike-sharing). This study aims to investigate what service providers can do to minimize financial losses when customers misbehave with the service providers’ assets in ABSs. The study also examines the effects of product misuse on subsequent customers and what factors may mitigate it.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a scenario-based experiment to test the conceptual model.

Findings

Injunctive norms reduce the mediating effect of descriptive norms on misbehavior contagion. As generally accepted and approved (injunctive) norms become salient, they override the impact of prevailing (descriptive) norms, thereby breaking the vicious cycle of misbehavior contagion. Customer-company identification (CCI) and reduced interpersonal anonymity mitigate the effects of previous misbehavior on misbehavior contagion.

Practical implications

ABS firms should strive to mitigate the financial and reputational losses they suffer from customer misbehavior. Such mitigation would be a win-win for the ABS firm (reduced misbehavior) and the customers (improved user experience).

Originality/value

The research complements prior research highlighting the role of social norms in misbehavior contagion. The study demonstrates the role of boundary conditions by investigating the interactive effects of descriptive and injunctive norms. In addition, it shows the positive impact of CCI and reduced interpersonal anonymity on containing misbehavior contagion.
Through the rhetoric art: CEO incentives in sustainability sensitive industries
Authors: Mnif Yosra , Kchaou Jihene
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationship between the readability of sustainability reports and chief executive officer (CEO) attributes, comprising monetary, non-monetary incentives and personal characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an international sample of companies operating in sustainability-sensitive industries during 2016–2018.

Findings

The results prove that CEO monetary incentives, as well as CEO non-monetary incentives, negatively influence the readability of sustainability reports, revealed in a positive relationship with readability indexes, by providing reports with greater reading difficulty. Additionally, this study shows evidence about the relation of complementarity between these incentives. Other CEO characteristics have no significant effect on the readability of sustainability reports.

Originality/value

This research sheds the light on the role of CEO incentives in obfuscating sustainability information to portray the company, operating in sustainability-sensitive industries, in a favorable image.
Association of different types of dietary fatty acids with breast cancer, a case-control study
Authors: Gholamalizadeh Maryam , Shahdoosti Hossain , Bahadori Effat , BourBour Fatemeh , Akbari Mohammad Esmail , Rastgoo Samira , Doaei Saeid
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the association between intake of different types of dietary fats with breast cancer (BC) risk in Iranian women.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 540 women (180 women with BC and 360 healthy women) were recruited from Shohadaye Tajrish hospital, Tehran, Iran. Data on anthropometric measurements, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption were collected. The food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the intake of fatty acids including saturated fatty acids, mono unsaturated fatty acids, poly unsaturated fatty acids, macronutrients, total fat, cholesterol, and calorie.

Findings

The cases had significantly higher BMI (29.19 ± 3.2 vs 27.27 kg/m2 ± 2.8) and higher intake of calorie (2737 ± 925 vs 2315 ± 1066 kcal/d, P = 0.01), carbohydrate (402 ± 125 vs 312 ± 170 kcal/d, P = 0.01) and ω−6 fatty acids (5.45 ± 6.9 vs 3.39 ± 0.59 g/d, P = 0.001) compared to the control group . Higher consumption of ω−6 fatty acids was related with higher risk of BC (OR = 5.429, CI95%:2.5–11.79, P = 0.001) The association between BC and intake of omega-6 fatty acids remained significant after adjustments for age, BMI, for using alcohol drinks, smoking, physical activity, calorie intake, protein intake and carbohydrate intake.

Originality/value

There are insufficient studies to investigate the association of different types of fatty acids with BC. This study found that higher omega-6 fatty acids intake was associated with increased risk of BC in women.
Does the expertise of outsourced IAF providers affect audit efficiency? Empirical evidence from an emerging market
Authors: Baatwah Saeed Rabea , Omer Waddah Kamal Hassan , Aljaaidi Khaled Salmen
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect on audit efficiency of outsourced internal audit function (IAF) providers with industry and/or firm-specific expertise. Drawing on relevant studies from external and internal audit literature, the authors assume that such IAF providers are associated with greater audit efficiency as proxied by audit report lag and audit fees.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of firms listed on the Omani capital market during 2005–2019, the pooled regressions are used to test the developed hypotheses. The authors use the market share approach to identify outsourced IAF industry expertise providers and tenure to measure the firm-specific expertise of outsourced IAF providers.

Findings

The authors find that industry outsourced IAF providers are not associated with shorter audit report lag and lower audit fees. The authors also find that firm-specific expertise outsourced IAF providers are associated with a greater reduction in audit report lag and audit fees. These conclusions are robust under a battery of analyses. The significant contribution of firm-specific expertise outsourced IAF providers to audit efficiency is incremental when abnormal audit report lag and audit fees analysis is conducted.

Originality/value

The results are the first to attest to the contribution of outsourced IAF with firm-specific expertise. They also show that industry expertise held by outsourced IAF providers does not contribute to audit efficiency.
Bridging the employability skills gap: going beyond classroom walls
Authors: Tan Lin Mei , Laswad Fawzi , Chua Frances
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Employability skills are critical for success in the workplace, even more so in this era of globalisation of economies and advancement in technologies. However, there is ample evidence of the gap between the skills acquired by graduates at universities and the skills expected by employers in the workplace. Applying the modes of grasping and transforming the experience embodied in Kolb’s experiential learning theory (ELT) (1976, 1984), the purpose of this paper is to examine the development of employability skills of accountancy students through their involvement in two extracurricular activities: community accounting and an accountancy club.

Design/methodology/approach

Underpinned by Kolb’s (1976, 1984) four modes of ELT and work-integrated learning to develop professional competencies required for future work, an online survey of accounting students was conducted to assess their reflections on involvement in these two aforementioned extracurricular activities over a two-year period.

Findings

The findings indicate that the students had developed useful cognitive and behavioural skills from their participation in these extracurricular activities. These findings are consistent with the literature on internships and service-learning, both of which have been associated with transferable skills development.

Originality/value

Prior studies focused on in-classroom learning activities or internships to help students develop various essential skills required in the workplace. However, extracurricular activities have received little attention in the accounting education literature. This study provides insights into skills accounting students can gain from extracurricular participation in community accounting and an accountancy club.
How can logistics service providers foster supply chain collaboration in logistics triads? Insights from the Italian grocery industry
Authors: Prataviera Lorenzo Bruno , Creazza Alessandro , Dallari Fabrizio , Melacini Marco
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Collaborative solutions are increasingly being proposed to generate value in supply chains. Concurrently, firms have progressively outsourced logistics operations to logistics service providers (LSPs). However, many questions remain unsolved regarding the role played by LSPs in supporting supply chain collaboration (SCC) in triadic rather than dyadic contexts. This study aims to explore the relational mechanisms that LSPs can leverage to foster value creation through collaboration, elaborating on an existing theory about SCC by focussing on logistics triads.

Design/methodology/approach

By leveraging the view of the network theory, a multiple case study approach was adopted. Seven cases having logistics triads as units of analysis were identified and analysed within the Italian grocery supply chain, allowing for empirical investigation with a middle-range approach to extend the previous theory.

Findings

LSPs are pivotal actors that can actively promote SCC. LSPs can exploit large volumes and asset availability to increase efficiency while improving logistics flexibility and developing regular and trustworthy relationships with the other triad members. Building upon their logistics capabilities and the relational mechanisms in place, LSPs can help manufacturers collaborate with retailers by improving mutual trust and communication, acting as trust builders or trust conductors within the triad.

Originality/value

The study explores the role of LSPs in logistics triads, extending the previous literature. It highlights that LSPs facilitate not only supply and demand integration but also relational integration between firms. Trust emerges as a fundamental building block for SCC, as LSPs can look beyond economic benefits to foster partnerships that empower the co-development of original collaborative solutions.
Do pop-up ads in online videogames influence children’s inspired-to behavior?
Authors: Abbasi Amir Zaib , Rehman Umair , Ting Ding Hooi , Quraishi Muhammad Ali
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Advertising through the videogame has become one of the most effective and prevalent channels of advertisement, especially via pop-up ads – appearing on the screen that interrupts children’s gaming activity. Despite its importance, the effectiveness of pop-up ads and its advertising value in online videogames (O-VGs) to predict children’s inspired-to behavior remains scant. This study aims to investigate the underlying factors that explain the relationship between the four dimensions of pop-up ads and perceived advertising value, which further predicts children’s inspired-to behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 196 parents who observed their children while playing O-VGs, were analyzed using Smart-PLS. As the respondents are parents, the authors took extra precautions to ensure that the findings are valid.

Findings

Results showed that perceived irritation and incentives of pop-up ads do not affect children’s advertising value, whereas perceived informativeness and entertainment of pop-up ads positively impact perceived advertising value among children. Besides, children’s perceived advertising value of pop-up ads in O-VGs predict their inspired-to behavior.

Originality/value

This study contributes to children’s inspired-to behavior via empirically studying the perceived advertising value as a potential deriving source of inspiration. Finally, the study provides information for developers/advertisers about why and under what circumstances children perceived advertising value affect inspired-to behavior.
Patterns and drivers of the degradability of dissolved organic matter in dryland soils on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Chen Hao , Kong Weidong , Shi Quan , Wang Fei , He Chen , Wu Jianshuang , Lin Qimei , Zhang Xianzhou , Zhu Yong‐Guan , Liang Chao , Luo Yu
Published: December 2021

Dryland soils consistently exhibit a low capacity for the long‐term accumulation and storage of organic matter, which has been primarily attributed to low plant biomass inputs under drought suppression. Whether, and how, soil organic matter (SOM) compositions contribute to the consistently low SOM storage have been puzzling. A fundamental understanding of this mechanism is particularly essential to achieve the aspiration of ‘4 per mille Soils for Food Security and Climate’.

By screening the molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM), the gatekeeper of SOM decomposition, we explored the transformation processes among the pools of SOM, DOM and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in soils along a precipitation gradient on dryland grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau.

The results revealed that the number and mean weight of DOM molecules significantly decreased, and the soil DOM composition gradually shifted to be more labile along the transition from meadow, steppe, to desert with decreasing precipitation, coinciding with the substantial reduction in SOM. Compared with meadow soils, DOM degradability increased by 8.7% in steppe soils and by 23.4% in desert soils. The ratio of soil MBC to total organic carbon was threefold higher in desert than in meadow, and positively correlated with DOM degradability, indicating that labile DOM accelerated microbial growth and SOM decomposition in desert soils. Structural equation model and correlation analyses demonstrated that the DOM degradability was primarily controlled by soil dissolved nitrogen and soil organic C and soil DOC/DN ratio.

Synthesis and application. This study at a molecular level provides a novel insight into the important role of the degradability of dissolved organic matter in carbon accumulation in dryland soils with consistently low organic matter storage. The findings will inform better global managements of soil organic matter under consideration of both food security and climate change.
Complex co‐evolutionary relationships between cicadas and their symbionts
Authors: Wang Dandan , Huang Zhi , Billen Johan , Zhang Guoyun , He Hong , Wei Cong
Published: December 2021

Previous evidence suggests that cicadas lacking Hodgkinia may harbour the yeast‐like fungal symbionts (YLS). Here, we reinforce an earlier conclusion that the pathogenic ancestor of YLS independently infected different cicada lineages instead of the common ancestor of Cicadidae. Five independent replacement events in the loss of Hodgkinia/acquisition of YLS and seven other replacement events of YLS (from an Ophiocordyceps fungus to another Ophiocordyceps fungus) are hypothesised to have occurred within the sampled cicada taxa. The divergence time of YLS lineages was later than that of corresponding cicada lineages. The rapid shift of diversification rates of YLS and related cicada‐parasitizing Ophiocordyceps began at approximately 32.94 Ma, and the diversification rate reached the highest value at approximately 24.82 Ma, which corresponds to the cooling climate changes at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary and the Oligocene–Miocene transition respectively. Combined with related acquisition/replacement events of YLS occurred during the cooling‐climate periods, we hypothesise that the cooling‐climate changes impacted the interactions between cicadas and related Ophiocordyceps, which coupled with the unusual life cycle and the differentiation of cicadas may finally led to the diversification of YLS in Cicadidae. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary transition of YLS from entomopathogenic fungi in insects.
Hypertension in pregnancy and adverse outcomes among low‐risk nulliparous women expectantly managed at or after 39 weeks: a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Fishel Bartal Michal , Premkumar Ashish , Murguia Rice Madeline , Reddy Uma M. , Tita Alan T.N. , Silver Robert M. , El‐Sayed Yasser Y. , Wapner Ronald J. , Rouse Dwight J. , Saade George R. , Thorp John M. , Costantine Maged M. , Chien Edward K. , Casey Brian M. , Srinivas Sindhu K. , Swamy Geeta K. , Simhan Hyagriv N. ,   for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, Human Development (NICHD) Maternal‐Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network
Published: December 2021

Objective

To evaluate whether hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) among low‐risk nulliparous women expectantly managed at or after 39 weeks of gestation are associated with adverse outcomes.

Design

Secondary analysis of a randomised trial.

Setting

Multicentre, USA.

Population

Individuals in the expectantly managed group who delivered on or after 39 weeks.

Methods

Multivariable analysis to estimate adjusted relative risks (aRR) for binomial outcomes, adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for multinomial outcomes and 95% CI.

Main outcome measures

Composite adverse maternal outcome including placental abruption, pulmonary oedema, postpartum haemorrhage, postpartum infection, venous thromboembolism or intensive care unit admission. Secondary outcomes included a composite of perinatal death or severe neonatal complications, mode of delivery, small and large for gestational age and neonatal intermediate or intensive unit length of stay.

Results

Of the 3044 women randomised to expectant management in the original trial, 2718 (89.3%) were eligible for this analysis, of whom 373 (13.7%) developed HDP. Compared with participants who remained normotensive, those who developed HDP were more likely to experience the maternal composite (12% versus 6%, aRR 1.84, 95% CI 1.33–2.54) and caesarean delivery (29% versus 23%, aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01–1.71). Differences between the two groups were not significantly different for the adverse perinatal composite (7% versus 5%, aRR 1.38, 95% CI 0.92–2.07) or for other secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

Almost 14% of low‐risk nulliparous individuals expectantly managed at 39 weeks developed HDP, and were more likely to experience adverse maternal outcomes compared with those who did not develop HDP.

Tweetable abstract

Almost 14% of low‐risk nulliparous individuals expectantly managed at 39 weeks developed hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and were more likely to experience adverse maternal outcomes compared with those who did not develop hypertensive disorders.
Monitoring of simulated clandestine graves of dismembered victims using UAVs, electrical tomography, and GPR over one year to aid investigations of human rights violations in Colombia, South America
Authors: Molina Carlos Martín , Wisniewski Kristopher , Heaton Vivienne , Pringle Jamie K. , Avila Edier Fernando , Herrera Luis Alberto , Guerrero Jorge , Saumett Miguel , Echeverry Raúl , Duarte Mario , Baena Alejandra
Published: December 2021

In most Latin American countries, there are significant numbers of missing people and forced disappearances, over 120,000 in Colombia alone. Successful detection of shallow buried human remains by forensic search teams is difficult in varying terrain and climates. Previous research has created controlled simulated clandestine graves of murder victims to optimize search techniques and methodologies. This paper reports on a study on controlled test site results over four simulated dismembered victims’ clandestine graves as this is sadly a common scenario encountered in Latin America. Multispectral images were collected once post‐burial, electrical resistivity surveys were collected 4 times, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys were collected three times up to the end of the 371 day survey monitoring period. After data processing, results showed that the multispectral data set could detect the simulated clandestine and control graves, with electrical resistivity imaging relative high resistances over some of the simulated graves but not over the empty control graves. GPR results showed good imaging on the Day 8 surveys, medium imaging on the Day 294 surveys, and medium to good imaging on the Day 371 surveys. Study implications suggest that, while clandestine graves of dismembered homicide victims would likely result in smaller‐sized graves when compared to graves containing intact bodies, these graves can still potentially be detected using remote sensing and geophysical methods.
Cost and accessibility of empiric food elimination diets for treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis
Authors: Sheedy Katherine , Patel Nishaat , Porter Judi , Silva Hannah
Published: December 2021

Aim

This study aimed to investigate and compare the cost, affordability, and accessibility of three elimination diet approaches for the treatment of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis: the two‐, four‐ and six‐food elimination diets and with comparison to a standard diet.

Methods

An evidence‐based modelling process was undertaken for costing and accessibility, including the development of three hypothetical reference families; four food baskets were modified from an established benchmark for each diet. Baskets were costed across eastern Melbourne, Australia. Affordability was modelled using two incomes: the equivalised disposable household income and welfare payments for reference families. Affordability was defined as <30% of the median weekly household income and food stress defined as >25% of a median weekly household income.

Results

All elimination diets were significantly more expensive than a standard diet and may be unaffordable for those receiving welfare. Prices significantly increased as the number of food allergens eliminated increased. Most items for a two‐food elimination diet were available at major supermarkets; however, items for nutritionally complete four‐ and six‐food elimination diets required a visit to a second store.

Conclusion

A step‐up approach, commencing with a two‐food elimination diet, instead of starting with a six‐food elimination diet, may alleviate affordability barriers for most family types, which may enhance compliance. Clinicians should consider family type, financial situation, as well as accessibility of allergen‐free foods in the patient's residential area when deciding on the most appropriate dietary or therapeutic treatment approach for eosinophilic oesophagitis.
Development and validation of a prediction model using molecular marker for long‐term survival in unresectable stage III non‐small cell lung cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Yang Yufan , Zhang Tao , Zhou Zongmei , Liang Jun , Chen Dongfu , Feng Qinfu , Xiao Zefen , Hui Zhouguang , Lv Jima , Deng Lei , Wang Xin , Wang Wenqing , Wang Jianyang , Liu Wenyang , Zhai Yirui , Wang Jie , Bi Nan , Wang Luhua
Published: December 2021

Background

This study aimed to establish a predictive nomogram integrating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status for 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival (OS) in unresectable/inoperable stage III non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Methods

A total of 533 stage III NSCLC patients receiving chemoradiotherapy from 2013 to 2017 in our institution were included and divided into training and testing sets (2:1). Significant factors impacting OS were identified in the training set and integrated into the nomogram based on Cox proportional hazards regression. The model was subject to bootstrap internal validation and external validation within the testing set and an independent cohort from a phase III trial. The accuracy and discriminative capacity of the model were examined by calibration plots, C‐indexes and risk stratifications.

Results

The final multivariate model incorporated sex, smoking history, histology (including EGFR mutation status), TNM stage, planning target volume, chemotherapy sequence and radiation pneumonitis grade. The bootstrapped C‐indexes in the training set were 0.688, 0.710 for the 3‐ and 5‐year OS. For external validation, C‐indexes for 3‐ and 5‐year OS were 0.717, 0.720 in the testing set and 0.744, 0.699 in the external testing cohort, respectively. The calibration plots presented satisfying accuracy. The derivative risk stratification strategy classified patients into distinct survival subgroups successfully and performed better than the traditional TNM staging.

Conclusions

The nomogram incorporating EGFR mutation status could facilitate survival prediction and risk stratification for individual stage III NSCLC, providing information for enhanced immunotherapy decision and future trial design.
The age factor in optic nerve regeneration: Intrinsic and extrinsic barriers hinder successful recovery in the short‐living killifish
Authors: Vanhunsel Sophie , Bergmans Steven , Beckers An , Etienne Isabelle , Van Bergen Tine , De Groef Lies , Moons Lieve
Published: December 2021

As the mammalian central nervous system matures, its regenerative ability decreases, leading to incomplete or non‐recovery from the neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system insults that we are increasingly facing in our aging world population. Current neuroregenerative research is largely directed toward identifying the molecular and cellular players that underlie central nervous system repair, yet it repeatedly ignores the aging context in which many of these diseases appear. Using an optic nerve crush model in a novel biogerontology model, that is, the short‐living African turquoise killifish, the impact of aging on injury‐induced optic nerve repair was investigated. This work reveals an age‐related decline in axonal regeneration in female killifish, with different phases of the repair process being affected depending on the age. Interestingly, as in mammals, both a reduced intrinsic growth potential and a non‐supportive cellular environment seem to lie at the basis of this impairment. Overall, we introduce the killifish visual system and its age‐dependent regenerative ability as a model to identify new targets for neurorepair in non‐regenerating individuals, thereby also considering the effects of aging on neurorepair.
Did the under‐reporting of meth/amphetamine use increase in a general population survey in Australia as negative media coverage increased?
Authors: Chan Gary C. K. , Sun Tianze , Lim Carmen , Stjepanović Daniel , Rutherford Brienna , Johnson Benjamin , Hall Wayne , Leung Janni
Published: December 2021

Aim

To test (1) if there was a change in self‐reported lifetime prevalence of meth/amphetamine use by birth cohort and (2) if the extent of under‐reporting of meth/amphetamine use was associated with the proportion of the population who nominated meth/amphetamine as a drug problem.

Design

Observational study using seven waves of repeated cross‐sectional nationally representative household surveys between 2001 and 2019.

Setting

Australia.

Participants

Participants were from three birth cohorts: 1951–60 (age 68–77 at the 2019 survey; n = 29 458; 55% female), 1961–1970 (age 58–67; n = 29 859; 57% female) and 1971–1980 (age 48–57; n = 28 758; 59% female). Data were weighted to align the sample to the Australian population.

Measurements

Past year meth/amphetamine use; under‐reporting of lifetime meth/amphetamine use in each birth cohort, year and survey stratum (operationalised as the difference between self‐reported lifetime prevalence in 2001 and that of each subsequent year); proportion of the population who nominated meth/amphetamine as a drug problem in each birth cohort, year and survey stratum. Under‐reporting was regressed on the proportion of people holding negative attitude towards meth/amphetamine. Survey year and birth cohort were adjusted for.

Findings

Between 2001 and 2019, the lifetime prevalence of meth/amphetamine decreased from 6.1% (95% CI = 5.3–6.9) to 1.7% (95% CI = 1.2–2.2) in the 1951–1960 birth cohort (p < 0.001), from 13.0% (95% CI = 12.0–14.1) to 4.4% (95% CI = 3.7–5.2) in the 1961–1970 birth cohort (p < 0.001) and from 21.4% (95% CI = 19.9–22.9) to 11.2% (95% CI = 10.0–12.4) in the 1971–1980 birth cohort (p < 0.001). The proportion who nominated meth/amphetamine as a ‘drug problem’ increased significantly in all three cohorts (all p < 0.001) and the degree of under‐reporting of meth/amphetamine use was significantly associated with proportion of people who nominated meth/amphetamine as the ‘drug problem’ (b = 0.09, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

In Australia, the actual prevalence of lifetime meth/amphetamine use may be two‐ to fourfold higher than that estimated in the most recent national household surveys (2019). The level of under‐reporting is strongly associated with increasing negative attitudes towards methylamphetamine and d‐amphetamine use over the same period.
Revisiting the tariff‐growth correlation: The Australasian colonies, 1866–1900
Authors: Varian Brian D.
Published: December 2021

This article tests for the presence of a tariff‐growth correlation among the seven tariff‐autonomous colonies of late‐nineteenth‐century Australasia, making use of several colony‐specific macroeconomic series that have only recently become available. Introducing tariffs to a convergence model yields no evidence of an association between tariffs and growth among the Australasian colonies. This finding is unaltered when the tariff variable is replaced by a purposefully constructed proxy variable for the tariff on manufactures specifically. Additionally, this article finds little evidence that tariffs induced an intersectoral adjustment into manufacturing.
Retreatability of calcium silicate‐based root canal sealer using reciprocating instrumentation with different irrigation activation techniques in single‐rooted canals
Authors: Angerame Daniele , De Biasi Matteo , Porrelli Davide , Bevilacqua Lorenzo , Zanin Riccardo , Olivi Matteo , Kaitsas Vassilios , Olivi Giovanni
Published: December 2021

This study analysed the bioceramic sealer cleaning ability of two chemo‐mechanical systems in intact and restored teeth. Thirty‐two single‐rooted teeth were used, and half of them restored with a pre‐endodontic composite restoration (PCR). All samples were instrumented with a size 40 Reciproc Blue file and filled with BioRoot RCS. Canals were retreated using the R40 and then R50 Reciproc Blue. The samples were divided into four experimental groups (n = 8): intact teeth/passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) (G1), intact teeth/shock wave‐enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming (SWEEPS) (G2), PCR/PUI (G3) and PCR/SWEEPS (G4). The samples were scanned by micro‐CT before and after retreatment, and the volume of remaining filling material was evaluated. The minor percentage of residues were observed in G2, with a volume of 0.447 ± 0.356% of the endodontic space (P < 0.001). The Reciproc/SWEEPS technique showed the better performance in intact teeth compared with PUI technique. Pre‐endodontic restoration did not significantly affect the effectiveness of sealer removal.
Effect of solvent on root canal filling material removal by two different rotary file systems in C‐shaped root canals
Authors: Chatchawanwirote Yanisa , Yanpiset Kallaya , Jantarat Jeeraphat
Published: December 2021

This study compared the percentage reduction of total obturation materials, gutta‐percha and sealer, using two rotary file systems with/without solvent in retreating C‐shaped root canals and to evaluate the effect of the solvent on instrument separation. C‐shaped root canals were scanned using micro‐CT to identify the root canal morphology and randomly assigned to four groups (n = 12). Retreatment was performed using ProTaper Universal Retreatment (PTUR) or XP‐endo systems with/without solvent. The number of separated instruments were recorded. The samples were scanned pre‐ and post‐retreatment. The percentage reduction of total obturation materials, gutta‐percha and sealer, were calculated. The percentage reduction of gutta‐percha in the PTUR without solvent group was significantly lower than the other groups (P = 0.018). The number of separated instruments in the solvent groups were significantly lower than the no solvent groups (P < 0.05). Solvent increased gutta‐percha removal, when using PTUR and decreased the occurrence of separated instruments for both systems.
Farm labor productivity and the impact of mechanization
Authors: Hamilton Stephen F. , Richards Timothy J. , Shafran Aric P. , Vasilaky Kathryn N.
Published: December 2021

There is a chronic shortage of agricultural labor in the US. Although growers increasingly turn to guest‐worker programs to meet their labor needs, few regard immigrant workers as a viable long‐term solution. Many producers of labor‐intensive agricultural commodities regard mechanization as a clear long‐term solution, making the slow rate of adoption of mechanized harvesting equipment in the US an empirical puzzle. In this article, we demonstrate that wage‐setting farmers have an incentive to “overmechanize,” or employ more than the cost‐minimizing level of capital when capital and labor are substitutes, but “undermechanize” when labor and capital are technical complements. This outcome can cause agricultural labor problems to persist under complementarity. To assess the potential role of farm under investment in labor augmenting capital equipment, we examine labor market outcomes following the adoption of non‐autonomous harvesting aids on a large strawberry farm in Central California. We develop an econometric model of peer‐affected productivity that controls for the group performance of farm workers operating in crews and find that mechanical aids complement labor in strawberry production, a finding that helps explain not only the relative lack of mechanized harvesting in strawberry production but, more generally, the persistent productivity gap in agricultural industries. We examine the broader implications of our theory for the slow rate of adoption of mechanical harvesting technologies in US agriculture by comparing general wage trends across several labor‐intensive and non‐labor‐intensive industries in California.
Skin collision tumour and dermoscopic diagnosis of melanoma in situ and dilated pore of Winer
Authors: Cabrera Raúl , Matus Paloma , Coulon Gabriela , Castro Alex , Reculé Francisca
Published: December 2021

Collision tumours are a random association of two or more neoplasms arising in the same anatomical site. Dilated pore of Winer (DPW) – an adnexal tumour of pilar origin – has been described in collisions with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and trichoblastoma. We present a literature review of melanoma‐associated skin lesions and describe the first collision of a DPW with a melanoma in situ (MIS) and the sequential dermoscopic examination for diagnosis.
Long term outcomes of hepatic resection following orthotopic liver transplant
Authors: Murphy Skyle , Hodgkinson Peter , O'Rourke Thomas R. , Slater Kellee , Yeung Shinn , Fawcett Jonathan
Published: December 2021

Background

Liver resection is sometimes used as a graft saving procedure following orthotopic liver transplantation.

Methods

In this single centre retrospective cohort study, 12 adult patients underwent resection over a 20 year period, including recipients of split livers and second grafts.

Results

Indications for resection were vascular (portal vein obstruction and hepatic artery thrombus), biliary (ischaemic cholangiopathy, chronic biliary obstruction, biliary‐vascular fistula and biloma) and recurrence of disease (primary sclerosing cholangitis [PSC] and hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]). There was no perioperative mortality. Median follow up was 89 months. At the completion of the study 40% of patients had functioning grafts. One third required retransplantation with a median 1 year 6 months post resection. Three patients were deceased (recurrent HCC n = 1, PSC n = 1 and unspecified causes n = 1). Total graft survival was 91.7% at 1 year, 73.3% at 5 years and 64.2% at 10 years.

Conclusions

Liver resection following liver transplant in select patients may salvage the graft or delay the need for retransplantation.
Hyponatremia an indicator of complicated appendicitis in children: Starship experience
Authors: Walsh Abby , Lala Shareena , Wells Cameron , Upadhyay Vipul
Published: December 2021

Background

Timely preoperative recognition of children with complicated appendicitis allows for planning and effective management. The aim of this study was to evaluate hyponatremia, an objective biochemical marker, as a predictor of complicated appendicitis.

Methods

A retrospective review of 1283 paediatric patients (≤15 years) who underwent acute appendicectomy from January 2016 to December 2020 (5‐year period) was performed. Complicated appendicitis was defined by intraoperative findings of; macroscopic perforation, free pus, gangrene, faecal contamination or intraabdominal abscess. Comparison groups consisted of patients with complicated appendicitis, patients with uncomplicated appendicitis and patients with presumed appendicitis who went on to have no appendicitis on histology (no appendicitis group). Preoperative hyponatremia was defined as serum sodium <135 mmol/L.

Results

Of the 1283 children; 35% (443/1283) had complicated appendicitis, 54% (690/1283) had uncomplicated appendicitis and 12% (150/1283) had no appendicitis. Rates of hyponatremia were much greater in the complicated group (31.4%; 139/443) than in the uncomplicated group (3.8%; 26/690) (p < 0.0001) or the no appendicitis group 10.7% (16/150) (p < 0.0001). The no appendicitis group had higher rates of hyponatremia than the uncomplicated group (p = 0.001), an unexpected finding.

The receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosis of complicated appendicitis versus uncomplicated appendicitis, using a cut‐off serum sodium of <135 mmol/L will identify complicated appendicitis with sensitivity 31.4% and specificity of 95.7% (area under the curve of 0.76).

Conclusion

Hyponatremia is a discriminating predictor of complicated appendicitis in a paediatric population.
Review article: Diagnosis and investigation of irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Black Christopher J.
Published: December 2021

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of gut‐brain interaction. It is defined by the Rome criteria as the presence of abdominal pain, related to defaecation, associated with a change in stool form and/or frequency. The approach to diagnosis and investigation of suspected IBS varies between clinicians and, due in part to the uncertainty that can surround the diagnosis, many still consider it to be a diagnosis of exclusion. However, exhaustive investigation is both unnecessary and costly, and may also be counterproductive. Instead, physicians should aim to make a positive diagnosis, based on their clinical assessment of symptoms, and limit their use of investigations. The yield of routine blood tests in suspected IBS is low overall, but normal inflammatory markers may be reassuring. All patients should have serological testing for coeliac disease, irrespective of their predominant stool form. Routine testing of stool microbiology or faecal elastase is unnecessary; however, all patients with diarrhoea aged <45 should have a faecal calprotectin or a similar marker measured which, if positive, should lead to colonoscopy to exclude possible inflammatory bowel disease. Colonoscopy should also be undertaken in any patient reporting alarm symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer, and in those whose presentation raises suspicion for microscopic colitis. Testing for bile acid diarrhoea should be considered for patients with IBS with diarrhoea where available. Hydrogen breath tests for lactose malabsorption or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth have no role in the routine assessment of suspected IBS. Adopting a standardised approach to the diagnosis and investigation of IBS will help to promote high‐quality and high‐value care for patients overall.
Review article: current and future treatment approaches for IBS with constipation
Authors: Liu Joy J. , Brenner Darren M.
Published: December 2021

Background

Multiple efficacious therapies are currently available for treating irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS‐C). IBS‐C specific survey tools that assess symptom relief, treatment satisfaction, and quality of life are important for gauging real‐world effectiveness.

Aims/Methods

This article reviews clinical trial efficacy data as well as survey data on adequate relief and quality of life from pivotal trials for lubiprostone, linaclotide, plecanatide, tenapanor, and tegaserod. A brief discussion of agents in development with novel mechanisms of action is also provided.

Results/Conclusions

Quality of life and symptom metrics should be standardized and continue to be represented in future IBS‐C trials. The choice of agent should be tailored to probability of improving symptoms, safety, tolerability, and cost.