bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of gender discrimination on medical students‘ choice of specialty for their (junior) residency – a survey among medical students in Germany
Authors: Stock Jule , Kaifie Andrea
Published: May 2024

Background

Gender discrimination is known to affect societies in many different settings. Medical education is no exception. This study focusses on the consequences, gender discrimination can have on medical students and their choice of (junior) residency specialty.

Methods

An online questionnaire was developed and distributed among the 40 medical faculties in Germany. The study population contained medical students in their fifth and sixth academic year.

Results

The survey’s participants consisted of 759 students from 31 universities. Female medical students experienced significantly more gender discrimination compared to their male colleagues (f = 487, 87.9% vs. m = 76, 45.8%, p < 0.0001). The specialties with the most reported gender discrimination were family medicine (f = 180, 42.9% vs. m = 15, 23.8%, p < 0.05), followed by surgery (f = 369, 87.4% vs. m = 44, 69.8%, p < 0.05), internal medicine (f = 282, 67.3% vs. m = 37, 58.7%, ns), orthopaedics/casualty surgery (f = 270, 65.1% vs. m = 32, 50.8%, p < 0.05), and gynaecology (women (f = 142, 34.1% vs. m = 34, 54.0%, p < 0.05). Gynaecology was the only specialty, men experienced more discrimination compared to women. Among the students that ever changed their specialty of choice (f = 346 (73.3%) m = 95 (72%)), significantly more women than men claimed gender discrimination to be one of the main three reasons for their specialty choice (f = 42, 12.1% vs. m = 1, 1.1%, p < 0.05). In addition, 53 students (f = 50 (10.6%) m = 3 (2.3%)) stated to rule out a specialty from the beginning due to gender discrimination.

Conclusion

Gender discrimination is frequently experienced by medical students in Germany. It influences their choice of medical specialty directly. Our data suggest a fundamental problem that proposes and implicates certain specialties to be attractive for only one gender.
Challenges and advantages of electronic prescribing system: a survey study and thematic analysis
Authors: Bouraghi Hamid , Imani Behzad , Saeedi Abolfazl , Mohammadpour Ali , Saeedi Soheila , Khodaveisi Taleb , Mehrabi Tooba
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) systems can bring many advantages and challenges. This system has been launched in Iran for more than two years. This study aimed to investigate the challenges and advantages of the e-prescribing system from the point of view of physicians.

Methods

In this survey study and thematic analysis, which was conducted in 2023, a researcher-made questionnaire was created based on the literature review and opinions of the research team members and provided to the physician. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software, and qualitative data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti software. Rank and point biserial, Kendall’s tau b, and Phi were used to investigate the correlation between variables.

Results

Eighty-four physicians participated in this study, and 71.4% preferred to use paper-based prescribing. According to the results, 53.6%, 38.1%, and 8.3% of physicians had low, medium, and high overall satisfaction with this system, respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between the sex and overall satisfaction with the e-prescribing system (p-value = 0.009) and the computer skill level and the prescribing methods (P-value = 0.042). Physicians face many challenges with this system, which can be divided into five main categories: technical, patient-related, healthcare providers-related, human resources, and architectural and design issues. Also, the main advantages of the e-prescribing system were process improvement, economic efficiency, and enhanced prescribing accuracy.

Conclusion

The custodian and service provider organizations should upgrade the necessary information technology infrastructures, including hardware, software, and network infrastructures. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to incorporate the perspectives of end users in the system design process.
Revolution in sepsis: a symptoms-based to a systems-based approach?
Authors: Dobson Geoffrey P. , Letson Hayley L. , Morris Jodie L.
Published: May 2024

Severe infection and sepsis are medical emergencies. High morbidity and mortality are linked to CNS dysfunction, excessive inflammation, immune compromise, coagulopathy and multiple organ dysfunction. Males appear to have a higher risk of mortality than females. Currently, there are few or no effective drug therapies to protect the brain, maintain the blood brain barrier, resolve excessive inflammation and reduce secondary injury in other vital organs. We propose a major reason for lack of progress is a consequence of the treat-as-you-go, single-nodal target approach, rather than a more integrated, systems-based approach. A new revolution is required to better understand how the body responds to an infection, identify new markers to detect its progression and discover new system-acting drugs to treat it. In this review, we present a brief history of sepsis followed by its pathophysiology from a systems’ perspective and future opportunities. We argue that targeting the body’s early immune-driven CNS-response may improve patient outcomes. If the barrage of PAMPs and DAMPs can be reduced early, we propose the multiple CNS-organ circuits (or axes) will be preserved and secondary injury will be reduced. We have been developing a systems-based, small-volume, fluid therapy comprising adenosine, lidocaine and magnesium (ALM) to treat sepsis and endotoxemia. Our early studies indicate that ALM therapy shifts the CNS from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance, maintains cardiovascular-endothelial glycocalyx coupling, reduces inflammation, corrects coagulopathy, and maintains tissue O2supply. Future research will investigate the potential translation to humans.
Glutathione-depleting Liposome Adjuvant for Augmenting the Efficacy of a Glutathione Covalent Inhibitor Oridonin for Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapy
Authors: Liu Yi , Wang Xiaoning , Feng Hui , Li Xinyan , Yang Runyu , Zhang Mengyao , Du Yue , Liu Ruimin , Luo Minna , Li Zhiyi , Liu Bo , Wang Jincheng , Wang Wenjuan , An Feifei , Niu Fan , He Pengcheng
Published: May 2024

Background

Discrepancies in the utilization of reactive oxygen species (ROS) between cancer cells and their normal counterparts constitute a pivotal juncture for the precise treatment of cancer, delineating a noteworthy trajectory in the field of targeted therapies. This phenomenon is particularly conspicuous in the domain of nano-drug precision treatment. Despite substantial strides in employing nanoparticles to disrupt ROS for cancer therapy, current strategies continue to grapple with challenges pertaining to efficacy and specificity. One of the primary hurdles lies in the elevated levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH). Presently, predominant methods to mitigate intracellular GSH involve inhibiting its synthesis or promoting GSH efflux. However, a conspicuous gap remains in the absence of a strategy capable of directly and efficiently clearing GSH.

Methods

We initially elucidated the chemical mechanism underpinning oridonin, a diminutive pharmacological agent demonstrated to perturb reactive oxygen species, through its covalent interaction with glutathione. Subsequently, we employed the incorporation of maleimide-liposomes, renowned for their capacity to disrupt the ROS delivery system, to ameliorate the drug’s water solubility and pharmacokinetics, thereby enhancing its ROS-disruptive efficacy. In a pursuit to further refine the targeting for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we harnessed the maleic imide and thiol reaction mechanism, facilitating the coupling of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) peptides to the liposomes’ surface via maleic imide. This strategic approach offers a novel method for the precise removal of GSH, and its enhancement endeavors are directed towards fortifying the precision and efficacy of the drug’s impact on AML targets.

Results

We demonstrated that this peptide-liposome-small molecule machinery targets AML and consequently induces cell apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo through three disparate mechanisms: (I) Oridonin, as a Michael acceptor molecule, inhibits GSH function through covalent bonding, triggering an initial imbalance of oxidative stress. (II) Maleimide further induces GSH exhaustion, aggravating redox imbalance as a complementary augment with oridonin. (III) Peptide targets TLR2, enhances the directivity and enrichment of oridonin within AML cells.

Conclusion

The rationally designed nanocomplex provides a ROS drug enhancement and targeted delivery platform, representing a potential solution by disrupting redox balance for AML therapy.
Effect of robot-assisted gait training on improving cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients: a meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Xiao , Yin Lu , Hou Yangbo , Wang Jie , Li Yongyi , Yan Juntao , Tao Jiming , Ma Shujie
Published: May 2024

Objective

Understanding the characteristics related to cardiorespiratory fitness after stroke can provide reference values for patients in clinical rehabilitation exercise. This meta- analysis aimed to investigate the effect of robot-assisted gait training in improving cardiorespiratory fitness in post-stroke patients, compared to conventional rehabilitation training.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CBM, CNKI and Wanfang databases were searched until March 18th, 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of robot-assisted gait training versus control group were included. The main outcome variable was peak oxygen uptake. 6-minute walking test, peak heart rate, peak inspiratory expiratory ratio as our secondary indicators. RevMan 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis.

Results

A total of 17 articles were included, involving 689 subjects. The results showed a significant effect for robot-assisted gait training to improve VO2peak (MD = 1.85; 95% CI: -0.13 to 3.57; p = 0.04) and 6WMT (MD = 19.26; 95% CI: 10.43 to 28.08; p < 0.0001). However, no significant difference favouring robot-assisted gait training were found in HRpeak (MD = 3.56; 95% CI: -1.90 to 9.02; p = 0.20) and RERpeak (MD = -0.01; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.01; p = 0.34).

Conclusion

These results showed that robot-assisted gait training may have a beneficial effect in improving VO2peak and 6WMT, with a moderate recommendation level according to the GRADE guidelines.
Effect of umbilical cord blood-mononuclear cells on knee osteoarthritis in rabbits
Authors: Fu Yuhang , Zhang Chi , Yang Yong , Zhou Baisui , Yang Meng , Zhu Guoshuai , Zhu Yonglin
Published: May 2024

Background

To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of umbilical cord blood-mononuclear cells (UCB-MNCs) in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in rabbits.

Methods

A rabbit KOA model was prepared by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Fifty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into the control group, model group, sodium hyaluronate (SH) group, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) group and UCB-MNC group. Knee injections were performed once a week for five consecutive weeks. The gross view of the knee joint, morphology of knee cartilage and structural changes in the knee joint were observed on CT scans, and graded by the Lequesne MG behavioral score and the Mankin score. TNF-α and IL-1β levels in the synovial fluid of the knee were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression levels of MMP-13 and COL-II in the knee cartilage were detected by Western blotting and qRT-PCR.

Results

The Lequesne MG behavioral score and the Mankin score were significantly higher in the model group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Rabbits in the SH, PRP and UCB-MNC groups had sequentially lower scores than those in the model group. Imaging features of KOA were more pronounced in the model group than in the remaining groups. CB-MNC significantly relieved KOA, compared to SH and PRP. Significantly higher levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the synovial fluid of the knee, and up-regulated MMP-13 and down-regulated COL-II in the knee cartilage were detected in the model group than in the control group. These changes were significantly reversed by the treatment with SH, PRP and UCB-MNCs, especially UCB-MNCs.

Conclusion

Injections of UCB-MNCs into knees protect the articular cartilage and hinder the progression of KOA in rabbits by improving the local microenvironment at knee joints.
The novel SMYD3 inhibitor EM127 impairs DNA repair response to chemotherapy-induced DNA damage and reverses cancer chemoresistance
Authors: Sanese Paola , De Marco Katia , Lepore Signorile Martina , La Rocca Francesca , Forte Giovanna , Latrofa Marialaura , Fasano Candida , Disciglio Vittoria , Di Nicola Elisabetta , Pantaleo Antonino , Bianco Giusy , Spilotro Vito , Ferroni Claudia , Tubertini Matilde , Labarile Nicoletta , De Marinis Lucia , Armentano Raffaele , Gigante Gianluigi , Lantone Valerio , Lantone Giuliano , Naldi Marina , Bartolini Manuela , Varchi Greta , Del Rio Alberto , Grossi Valentina , Simone Cristiano
Published: May 2024

Background

SMYD3 has been found implicated in cancer progression. Its overexpression correlates with cancer growth and invasion, especially in gastrointestinal tumors. SMYD3 transactivates multiple oncogenic mechanisms, favoring cancer development. Moreover, it was recently shown that SMYD3 is required for DNA restoration by promoting homologous recombination (HR) repair.

Methods

In cellulo and in vivo models were employed to investigate the role of SMYD3 in cancer chemoresistance. Analyses of SMYD3-KO cells, drug-resistant cancer cell lines, patients’ residual gastric or rectal tumors that were resected after neoadjuvant therapy and mice models were performed. In addition, the novel SMYD3 covalent inhibitor EM127 was used to evaluate the impact of manipulating SMYD3 activity on the sensitization of cancer cell lines, tumorspheres and cancer murine models to chemotherapeutics (CHTs).

Results

Here we report that SMYD3 mediates cancer cell sensitivity to CHTs. Indeed, cancer cells lacking SMYD3 functions showed increased responsiveness to CHTs, while restoring its expression promoted chemoresistance. Specifically, SMYD3 is essential for the repair of CHT-induced double-strand breaks as it methylates the upstream sensor ATM and allows HR cascade propagation through CHK2 and p53 phosphorylation, thereby promoting cancer cell survival. SMYD3 inhibition with the novel compound EM127 showed a synergistic effect with CHTs in colorectal, gastric, and breast cancer cells, tumorspheres, and preclinical colorectal cancer models.

Conclusions

Overall, our results show that targeting SMYD3 may be an effective therapeutic strategy to overcome chemoresistance.
Identifying uncertainty in physical–chemical property estimation with IFSQSAR
Authors: Brown Trevor N. , Sangion Alessandro , Arnot Jon A.
Published: May 2024

This study describes the development and evaluation of six new models for predicting physical–chemical (PC) properties that are highly relevant for chemical hazard, exposure, and risk estimation: solubility (in water SW and octanol SO), vapor pressure (VP), and the octanol–water (KOW), octanol–air (KOA), and air–water (KAW) partition ratios. The models are implemented in the Iterative Fragment Selection Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (IFSQSAR) python package, Version 1.1.0. These models are implemented as Poly-Parameter Linear Free Energy Relationship (PPLFER) equations which combine experimentally calibrated system parameters and solute descriptors predicted with QSPRs. Two other ancillary models have been developed and implemented, a QSPR for Molar Volume (MV) and a classifier for the physical state of chemicals at room temperature. The IFSQSAR methods for characterizing applicability domain (AD) and calculating uncertainty estimates expressed as 95% prediction intervals (PI) for predicted properties are described and tested on 9,000 measured partition ratios and 4,000 VP and SW values. The measured data are external to IFSQSAR training and validation datasets and are used to assess the predictivity of the models for “novel chemicals” in an unbiased manner. The 95% PI intervals calculated from validation datasets for partition ratios needed to be scaled by a factor of 1.25 to capture 95% of the external data. Predictions for VP and SW are more uncertain, primarily due to the challenges in differentiating their physical state (i.e., liquids or solids) at room temperature. The prediction accuracy of the models for log KOW, log KAW and log KOA of novel, data-poor chemicals is estimated to be in the range of 0.7 to 1.4 root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP), with RMSEP in the range 1.7–1.8 for log VP and log SW.

Scientific contribution

New partitioning models integrate empirical PPLFER equations and QSARs, allowing for seamless integration of experimental data and model predictions. This work tests the real predictivity of the models for novel chemicals which are not in the model training or external validation datasets.

Graphical Abstract
Multilayer 3D seismic attribute analysis and fault framework modeling of shallow extensional fault systems in the Delaware Basin
Authors: Petkovsek Chesney
Published: May 2024

Shallow extensional fault systems within the southern Delaware Basin have gained the interest of Permian operators since published works noted them in 2019. These shallow extensional fault systems, referred to as “lineaments” by operators, are seismogenic hazards, pose significant hazards to drilling operations, and are associated with elevated water-oil ratios and H2S concentrations. Previous work using seismic attribute analysis has resulted in the successful mapping of extensional fault systems at the Ochoan/Guadalupian interface, whereas fault geometry, origin, and depth of penetration have remained elusive. First- and second-order ant tracking of the variance cube is rendered on multiple seismic horizons throughout an 856 km2 (approximately 330 mi2) depth-migrated 3D seismic reflection volume to expand the interpretation of the deformation zone at depth and guide a robust 3D fault model that forms the framework for the predictive model. A total of 60 previously undocumented features are identified in southwestern Reeves County — 56 penetrate the Ochoan/Guadalupian interface, 60 penetrate the middle Guadalupian, 29 penetrate the early Guadalupian, and 21 penetrate the early Leonardian. Structural modeling returns an average strike orientation of 318° north-northwest–south-southeast and an average dip of 84°. Spatial and temporal analysis of the model constrains the timing of extension to the Cenozoic. In contrast to previous studies, the improved depth of investigation of the 3D fault model allows for the correlation of documented drilling hazards with offset wastewater disposal wells along shared lineaments. Communication is indicated by H2S risking flags from mass spectrometry data along the vertical and horizontal sections of producing and injecting wells. Drilling data validates the seismic characterization and prediction of the 3D faulted architecture within the largest contiguous study of shallow extensional fault systems within the Delaware Basin and establishes a repeatable workflow for mitigating the negative impacts of shallow lineament geohazards on drilling operations and production profiles.
Controversies in the Surgical Management of Gynecologic Cancer: Balancing the Decision to Operate or Hesitate
Authors: Somasegar Sahana , Anastasio Mary Katherine , Karam Amer , Rossi Emma C. , Obermair Andreas
Published: May 2024

Cancer outcomes are largely measured in terms of disease-free survival or overall survival, which is highly dependent on timely diagnosis and access to treatment methods available within the country's existing health care system. Although cancer survival rates have markedly led in the past few decades, any improvement in the 5-year survival of gynecologic cancers has been modest, as in the case of ovarian and cervical cancers, or has declined, as in the case of endometrial cancer. The lack of effective screening options contributes to many women presenting with advanced-stage disease and the need for radical approaches to treatment. Although treatment for early-stage disease can lead to a cure, advanced-stage disease is fraught with a high potential for morbidity and mortality, and recent clinical trials have aimed to assess the noninferiority of minimally invasive options versus aggressive surgical approaches. Of particular interest is fertility-sparing treatments for endometrial and cervical cancers, which have recently been on the rise among younger women. Balancing morbidity with the risk of mortality, and loss of fertility and quality of life requires a targeted patient-centered approach to treatment. This is an ongoing area of intense research and sometimes may challenge current treatment paradigms. In this two-part review, we present an overview of current approaches to gynecologic cancer treatment and the need to de-escalate radical surgical approaches and preserve fertility. We also review the intricacies of ovarian and advanced endometrial cancer treatment, exploring the nuances in surgical debulking timing and its impact on outcomes.
International Variations in Surgical Quality of Care in Men With Prostate Cancer: Results From the TrueNTH Global Registry
Authors: Sibert Nora Tabea , Garin Olatz , Ferrer Montserrat , Connor Sarah E. , Graham Ian D. , Litwin Mark S. , Millar Jeremy , Moore Caroline M. , Nguyen Anissa V. , Paich Kellie , Kowalski Christoph
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE

Functional problems such as incontinence and sexual dysfunction after radical prostatectomy (RP) are important outcomes to evaluate surgical quality in prostate cancer (PC) care. Differences in survival after RP between countries are known, but differences in functional outcomes after RP between providers from different countries are not well described.

METHODS

Data from a multinational database of patients with PC (nonmetastatic, treated by RP) who answered the EPIC-26 questionnaire at baseline (before RP, T0) and 1 year after RP (T1) were used, linking survey data to clinical information. Casemix-adjusted incontinence and sexual function scores (T1) were calculated for each country and provider on the basis of regression models and then compared using minimally important differences (MIDs).

RESULTS

A total of 21,922 patients treated by 151 providers from 10 countries were included. For the EPIC-26 incontinence domain, the median adjusted T1 score of countries was 76, with one country performing more than one MID (for incontinence: 6) worse than the median. Eighteen percent of the variance ( R2) of incontinence scores was explained by the country of the providers. The median adjusted T1 score of sexual function was 33 with no country performing perceivably worse than the median (more than one MID worse), and 34% ( R2) of the variance of the providers' scores could be explained by country.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first comparison of functional outcomes 1 year after surgical treatment of patients with PC between different countries. Country is a relevant predictor for providers' incontinence and sexual function scores. Although the results are limited because of small samples from some countries, they should be used to enhance cross-country initiatives on quality improvement in PC care.
Contours of a Historical Materialist Theory of Transsexuality
Authors: Llaveria Caselles Eric
Published: May 2024

This article proposes to engage with the etiological question haunting the transsexual subject as a sociogenic project of identifying and analyzing relevant problematizations of transsexuality. The article elaborates on the social contexts of the biomedical, sociological, and genealogical problematizations of transsexuality, critically assessing their onto-epistemic stances and political fields. Building on the limitations of these three problematizations, the article projects a fourth problematization drawing from Marxist-feminist approaches. To this end, it engages critically with four different conceptualizations of transsexuality in current trans Marxist debates and establishes the conditions for a distinct historical materialist problematization. Finally, the article puts forward a definition of transsexuality as a technology of containment of the possibility of gender mobility and ambiguity within the Western biopolitical generative dispositive in its functional relation to the capitalist mode of production. The containment works through the displacement of a structural conflict of social reproduction specific to the Western modern/colonial gender order to the interiority of the trans subject, ultimately foreclosing the possibility of the democratization of relations of procreation. Gender intransigence is proposed as an epistemic and political category for historical materialist problematization of transsexuality which can provide an alternative to the hegemonic framework of gender identity.
Shadows of the Empire/A New Hope
Authors: Fulloon JD
Published: May 2024

Online news outlets have published a fair amount of journalism concerning Isabel Fall's 2020 science fiction short story, “I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter,” later retitled “Helicopter Story.” Yet the highly polarized reception the story received has made up the bulk of the discourse. This is a tragic oversight, as the most interesting thing about “Helicopter Story” is not the online reaction to its original title but how the content of the story itself serves as an illustration of a dialectical history of gender in the United States. In Fall's story, gender is partially demystified by acknowledging the eradication of Indigenous cross-gender practices, racially imbricated plasticity, and the fusion of state and medical power that determines and shapes gender. Even so, some mystification remains. Gender is a reified social relation whose origins are an attempt to install binary biological sex. However, this reification does not result in the reinstallation of gender as ineluctable truth. Rather, it provides the opportunity for the expression of utopian desire, as theorized in the queer Marxism of Kevin Floyd or the dialectical literary criticism of Fredric Jameson, both of whom draw heavily from Frankfurt School theorist Herbert Marcuse when proposing that the only way out of reification is through. A proposed subgenre of science fiction, “speculative gender fiction,” is a literary form uniquely suited for exploring both the reification of gender and the utopian desire to escape from it.
Becoming Spectral
Authors: Montgomery Westley
Published: May 2024

Often defined by its characteristic and heavy use of autotuned vocals, the microgenre hyper-pop is perhaps just as recognizable for the ubiquitous transness of its most important artists. Reading trans hyper-pop performers Blackwinterwells, laura les, and quinn's uses of the figure of the “bedsheet ghost,” this article explores trans artists’ responses to late capitalism's regimes of alienation as a means of desubjectivization through strategies of becoming spectral—resisting commodification through a spectral orientation toward their sonic corporeality.
Archipelagic Thinking and Mozambican Women's Multivalent Articulations: Paulina Chiziane'sThe First Wife
Authors: Lim R. J.
Published: May 2024

Archipelagic thinking today has ventured beyond its shores of merely dialoguing with island narratives and their related territorialities. Perusing this in contemporary times calls for a flexible definition of this, via conversations that engage textual heterogeneity. The article examines contemporary notions of archipelagic thought together with the women-centric Afro-Luso writing of Mozambican author Paulina Chiziane. It analyzes Chiziane's novel The First Wife or Niketche, with its intrinsically archipelagic-centric female articulations, through its multivalent prisms of island-configured thought that counters the petrified continental rhetoric pervading in her society. Chiziane's nonconforming viewpoints offer distinction from colonial and postindependence rhetoric that has attempted to hegemonize Mozambique's diverse regional social and cultural outlooks. The article contends that through ruminating on its Indian Ocean imaginaries, the divergent impetuses of women-centric language in Chiziane's Afro-Luso writings arise, revealing its polyphonic cadences and traits. The movements of island thought lend cogency to unraveling Chiziane's writing through its interpersonal yet paradoxically collective approach, which underscores the multivalence of Mozambican women's distinctive voices.
Information Technology and Returns to Scale
Authors: Lashkari Danial , Bauer Arthur , Boussard Jocelyn
Published: May 2024

What are the implications of the dramatic fall in IT prices for aggregate technology? When firm-level technologies are continuously differentiable, a factor price shock leads to (i) a substitution between factors and/or (ii) an endogenous response of returns to scale. The second channel is governed by the output elasticity of relative factor demand. Using detailed firm-level data from France, we estimate this elasticity to be positive for IT factor demand. A quantitative exercise accounting for both technological channels shows that falling IT prices can explain much of the changes in concentration and the composition of aggregate labor share in France. (JEL D22, D24, D33, E25, L63, L86)
An ontology of mechanisms of action in behaviour change interventions
Authors: Schenk Paulina M. , Wright Alison J. , West Robert , Hastings Janna , Lorencatto Fabiana , Moore Candice , Hayes Emily , Schneider Verena , Howes Ella , Michie Susan
Published: May 2024

Background Behaviour change interventions influence behaviour through causal processes called “mechanisms of action” (MoAs). Reports of such interventions and their evaluations often use inconsistent or ambiguous terminology, creating problems for searching, evidence synthesis and theory development. This inconsistency includes the reporting of MoAs. An ontology can help address these challenges by serving as a classification system that labels and defines MoAs and their relationships. The aim of this study was to develop an ontology of MoAs of behaviour change interventions. Methods To develop the MoA Ontology, we (1) defined the ontology’s scope; (2) identified, labelled and defined the ontology’s entities; (3) refined the ontology by annotating (i.e., coding) MoAs in intervention reports; (4) refined the ontology via stakeholder review of the ontology’s comprehensiveness and clarity; (5) tested whether researchers could reliably apply the ontology to annotate MoAs in intervention evaluation reports; (6) refined the relationships between entities; (7) reviewed the alignment of the MoA Ontology with other relevant ontologies, (8) reviewed the ontology’s alignment with the Theories and Techniques Tool; and (9) published a machine-readable version of the ontology. Results An MoA was defined as “a process that is causally active in the relationship between a behaviour change intervention scenario and its outcome behaviour”. We created an initial MoA Ontology with 261 entities through Steps 2-5. Inter-rater reliability for annotating study reports using these entities was α=0.68 (“acceptable”) for researchers familiar with the ontology and α=0.47 for researchers unfamiliar with it. As a result of additional revisions (Steps 6-8), 23 further entities were added to the ontology resulting in 284 entities organised in seven hierarchical levels. Conclusions The MoA Ontology extensively captures MoAs of behaviour change interventions. The ontology can serve as a controlled vocabulary for MoAs to consistently describe and synthesise evidence about MoAs across diverse sources.
Menstrual hygiene practices, social taboos and restrictions: a study among adolescent schoolgirls of Manipur
Authors: Lalramnghaki Elizabeth , Singh Huidrom Suraj
Published: May 2024

Although menstruation is a normal phenomenon, many girls across the world are subjected to social taboos and misconceptions and are denied the right to control their menstruation in a dignified and healthy manner. This results in poor menstrual hygiene and a high risk for adverse physical, emotional, and mental health outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to assess the menstrual hygiene practices and social taboos among the adolescent girls of Manipur. A school-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 215 adolescent girls aged 10–19 years from different ethnic groups of Manipur. The mean menarcheal age is 12.4 ± 1.2 years. The majority of the participants (95.35%) are aware of the essence of menstruation. However, only half of the studied population follow hygienic practices concerning the type of absorbent used and the frequency of changing absorbents. Approximately 40% of the respondents are associated with social taboos and restrictions, and these belong exclusively to the Meitei community. In general, the menstrual hygiene practices of the studied adolescent girls are poor. Many girls, irrespective of different ethnic groups, are associated with unhealthy menstrual-related cultural beliefs and taboos. Therefore, future intervention programmes should be introduced to maintain hygienic and safe menstruation practices. Moreover, awareness should be developed, imparting adequate knowledge on menstrual hygiene and waste management practices to prevent associated adverse health outcomes.
PROFESSIONAL RESILIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY OF MEDICAL WORKERS
Authors: Shmeleva Elena A. , Kislyakov Pavel A. , Karaseva Tatiana V. , Prijatkin Danila A.
Published: May 2024

Background. Professional resilience of doctors and medical staff is a dynamic process and integrative characteristic of personality, which reflects the ability to successfully cope with difficulties, challenges and changes arising in professional activities, adapt to difficult working conditions, risks and has an indirect impact on improving the level of quality of medical care.
Purpose - study of professional resilience of medical workers (doctors and medical staff) as representatives of socionomic professions and approbation of the author's methodology.
Methods. A group of 183 medical workers, including doctors, nurses and medical assistants, was studied. The scale of professional resilience assessed the general index of resilience and its components in specialists of the socionomic sphere, the scale of feeling of security determined the security of interpersonal communication and the feeling of confidence and control in predicting personal life.  The dominant values among doctors and medical personnel and their influence on behaviour and decision-making, the measure of personality reflexivity were assessed. A brief resilience scale was used to test the validity of the methodology. Relationships between variables were studied using Spearman's correlation coefficients with regard to position and multiple regression analysis.
Results. The parameters of professional resilience of doctors and medical workers were substantiated: I and colleagues, I and mentees, I in the profession. Significant positive correlations between professional resilience of medical workers and values of conformity - traditions (r = 0.218, p < 0.01), risk-novelty (r = 0.151, p < 0.05), care (r = 0.215, p < 0.01); interpersonal safety (r = 0.298, p < 0.01) and confidence and control (r = 0.238, p < 0.01) were found. The reliability and validity of the author's questionnaire of the professional resilience scale on a sample of doctors and medical staff was confirmed. It has been revealed that middle medical personnel possess more professional resilience.
Conclusion. Professional resilience of physicians and medical staff is based on psychological mechanisms that ensure reliable relationships, interactions and support among colleagues, empathy and care and professionalism towards patients and their relatives, adaptation to change, self-development and self-identification in the profession. The development of professional resilience is influenced by the value orientations of doctors and medical staff and their sense of psychological safety. It is recommended to conduct trainings on resilience development for medical workers.
THE INFLUENCE OF COMPLEX PREPARATIONS BASED ON HYDROGEL AND CULTURE OF PHOSPHATE-MOBILIZING BACTERIA BACILLUS MYCOIDES A7 ON TOMATO GROWTH UNDER LIGHT CULTURE
Authors: Eliseeva Anna D. , Maksimov Alexander Yu.
Published: May 2024

Background. Uneven distribution and lack of water is one of the global problems faced all over the world. Particularly relevant is the uneven water supply for crop production. In agricultural practice, the problem of water shortage can be solved by introducing preparations based on hydrogels into the soil. The use of hydrogels makes it possible to reduce the frequency of irrigation and soil compaction, stop erosion, leaching of nutrients and biogenic elements, optimize soil aeration and microbiological activity. However, agricultural sorption polymers available on the market do not solve the problems of plant nutrition and health improvement.
The purpose of these experiments is to determine the effect of complex preparations based on a polymer carrier and a strain of phosphate-mobilizing bacteria Bacillus mycoides A7, which has amylase and lipase activity, on the growth of tomato seedlings under light culture conditions.
Materials and research methods. To assess the effect of different variants of the biological product on the growth of tomatoes of the early ripe variety "Balkonnoe chudo", the morphometric parameters and biochemical parameters of plants were measured. In each variant, the mean value and standard deviation were determined. Proline concentration in leaves was measured as described by Bates et al., 1973. Protein concentration was determined by the method of Bradford, 1976. The activity of the antioxidant peroxidase enzyme was evaluated by the method of Chance and Maley, 1955. Catalase activity was measured by the method of Nakano and Asads, 1981.
Results. It has been shown that the addition of both Bacillus mycoides A7 biomass and the obtained complex preparations to the soil has a pronounced growth-stimulating effect on model plants. Inoculation of a liquid suspension of B. mycoides A7 culture stimulated the growth of model plants to a greater extent than all preparations of pure hydrogel, but to a lesser extent than all complex preparations of this culture with hydrogels. It was also established that the variants with the introduction of a bacterial culture and a complex preparation contain lower concentrations of stress factors, which indicates the normalization of metabolic processes and the general condition of model plants.
Conclusion. The study of the effect of complex preparations based on polyacrylamide hydrogel and a culture of phosphate-mobilizing bacteria Bacillus mycoides A7, a producer of amylase and lipase enzymes, on the growth of tomato plants of the early ripening "Balkonnoe chudo" variety under light culture conditions showed that this culture, as part of a complex preparation, normalizes the physiological hygienic state and stimulates plant growth.
TO THE BIOINDICATION INDICATORS OF BACKGROUND PLANT SPECIES IN NATURAL STOCKS AS THE BASIS OF PROSPECTIVE BIOMONITORING
Authors: Soboleva Olga A. , Nozdracheva Elena V. , Anishchenko Lidiya N.
Published: May 2024

In the Non-Black Earth Region of the Russian Federation, for more than 14 years, a database of long-term observations of the state of springs has been created as the most valuable element of the unique landscapes of ecotone zones. Long-term studies carried out on the biochemical characteristics of background plant species in spring tracts created the basis for bioindication of the general condition of spring streams based on the activity of the antioxidant system in seven bioindicators. The purpose of the work is to present the biochemical features of the background species of springs and streams for bioindication in the system of prospective biomonitoring of springs. As a result of the use of route, biochemical research methods, it has been proven that for biomonitoring studies it is advisable to use indicators of the activity of oxidoreductases of background species of spring tracts due to individual species resistance. A series of sensitivity of background species of herbaceous plants to significant anthropogenic load, including chemical pollution of spring waters, based on the degree of decrease in polyphenoloxidase activity: Agrostis stolonifera < Scirpus sylvaticus < Rorippa amphibia < Alisma plantago-aquatica < Lycopus europaeus < Leptodictyum riparium < Marchantia polymorpha. A series of plant sensitivity to stress factors according to the degree of increase in catalase (catalase activity): Agrostis stolonifera > Scirpus sylvaticus > Rorippa amphibia > Alisma plantago-aquatica > Lycopus europaeus > Leptodictyum riparium > Marchantia polymorpha. A series of sensitivity to the general anthropogenic load, including chemical water pollution according to the degree of peroxidase reduction: Agrostis stolonifera < Scirpus sylvaticus < Rorippa amphibia < Alisma plantago-aquatica < Lycopus europaeus < Leptodictyum riparium < Marchantia polymorpha.
A clinical case of recurrent polychondritis in a middle-aged woman
Authors: Kulagin I.
Published: May 2024

A case of recurrent polychondritis with damage to cartilage tissue (perichondritis) of the auricles, the back of the nose, and episcleritis in a 38-year-old woman is presented. The case is notable for the presence of characteristic clinical symptoms of a rare pathology, a long undulating course of the disease with periods of exacerbation and remission, as well as multiple changes in treatment regimens and the occurrence of an iatrogenic complication of drug therapy - Itsenko-Cushing syndrome.
Pluralismo jurídico y derecho ambiental
Authors: Villa Fontecha Germán , Valencia-Tello Diana Carolina
Published: May 2024

En este contexto, si comparamos el derecho ambiental con otras ramas del derecho, podemos observar que este es un derecho reciente, debido en parte a que la conciencia sobre el deterioro de los recursos naturales y del medio ambiente a gran escala es también reciente. Así, el derecho ambiental representa una nueva racionalidad dentro de las sociedades, que, preocupadas por el evidente deterioro de los ecosistemas, buscan garantizar unos mínimos de subsistencia para las comunidades presentes y futuras en nuestro planeta.
Addressing Online Users’ Suspicion of Sponsored Search Results: Effects of Informational Cues
Authors: Deng Honglin , Wang Weiquan , Lim Kai H.
Published: May 2024

Online searches are often accompanied by sponsored content (e.g., targeted ads), which sometimes seem irrelevant but could be good alternatives to expand users’ consideration space. The sponsored search results (SSRs) often trigger suspicions among users. This study examines the potential of customer ratings and reviews of the SSRs to mitigate such suspicion and enhance user engagement with the SSRs. The research reveals that when SSRs for well-known brands are paired with positive customer ratings, users’ suspicion toward the SSRs can be reduced. However, for lesser-known brands, only ads with high ratings can effectively reduce users’ suspicion. This study further reveals that addressing users’ uncertainty in evaluating SSRs and concerns about the platform’s intentions in providing them is paramount to minimizing users’ suspicion. Our study holds significant practical implications for online platforms seeking to optimize the presentation of SSRs either with famous or unknown brands alongside organic search results. The findings underscore the importance of strategically integrating user-generated content and ratings to reduce the suspicion of users navigating SSRs. It offers actionable insights for e-commerce platforms aiming to enhance users’ decision-making processes by better utilizing SSRs with positive customer ratings.
Firm-Sponsored Online Communities: Building Alignment Capabilities for Participatory Governance
Authors: Safadi Hani , Skousen Tanner , Karahanna Elena
Published: May 2024

Practice- and Policy-Oriented Abstract

Many organizations recognize the capacity of online communities to generate knowledge and create value. However, firm-sponsored online communities are composed of both community and firm stakeholders, where the goals and desires of each side can differ. This dichotomy of goals can create challenges when determining how best to govern a firm-sponsored online community, such as how much control the firm should exert on community behavior. Our work shows that community governance need not stem solely from the firm or the community. Rather, a successful and vibrant community that achieves the goals of all its stakeholders is achieved through participatory governance, which adopts both firm- and community-based governance modes. Drawing from a case study from Mayo Clinic Connect, a successful firm-sponsored online community that employs a participatory governance model, we discovered governance alignment as a capability that improves participatory governance. Governance alignment is an adaptive process that effectively balances the sponsoring firm’s goals with the community members’ needs and participation. In this paper, we present specific practices and actionable examples for governance alignment, such as standardizing organic community content, training community super users, and more. These actionable insights can enhance the value that firms hope to achieve when leveraging online communities.
Stars in Their Constellations: Great Person or Great Team?
Authors: Mindruta Denisa , Bercovitz Janet , Mares Vlad , Feldman Maryann
Published: May 2024

Although much attention is accorded to star performers, this paper considers the extent to which stars, themselves, benefit from the contribution of their collaborators (the constellation). By considering stars, constellations, and the synergies between them, we address a key question: To what extent is collaboration performance driven by the great individual or by great constellations? We introduce a novel approach that uses a matching model to uncover the complementarities driving collaboration formation. We use formal value-capture theory to estimate the relative contribution of stars and constellations to joint value creation. Analyzing a sample of academic research collaborations, we document that stars’ relative contribution exceeds that of their constellations in less than 15% of collaborations, although constellations provide a greater relative contribution in 9%. In most collaborations, neither party dominates: Innovation is a collective endeavor driven equally by the star and the constellation. Joint value creation and relative contribution are explained by the subtle interplay between complementarities in joint work and the substitutability of collaborative parties in the market. Joint value creation increases with the strength of complementarities between parties in a match. Relative value creation, and hence dominance, increases with the substitutability of one’s collaborative partner. Interestingly, joint value creation is greatest in collaborations where both stars and constellations offer bundles of rare attributes and where neither the star nor the constellation dominates.

This paper was accepted by Olav Sorenson, organizations.

Funding: D. Mindruta gratefully acknowledges funding from the HEC Foundation and from the French National Research Agency (ANR) “Investissements d’Avenir” (LabEx Ecodec/ANR-11-LABX-0047). J. Bercovitz and M. Feldman gratefully acknowledge funding from the Science of Science Approach to Analyzing and Innovating the Biomedical Research Enterprise (SCISIPBIO) program of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) [Grant 1934875].

Supplemental Material: The online appendices and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.01969 .