bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suicidal Ideation and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Following Early Childhood Psychotic Experiences in Preadolescent Children at Familial High Risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder—The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study, VIA 11
Authors: Gregersen Maja , Møllegaard Jepsen Jens Richardt , Marie Brandt Julie , Søndergaard Anne , Birkehøj Rohd Sinnika , Veddum Lotte , Bruun Knudsen Christina , Krogh Andreassen Anna , Klee Burton Birgitte , Hjorthøj Carsten , Falkenberg Krantz Mette , Neergaard Greve Aja , Bliksted Vibeke , Mors Ole , Nordentoft Merete , Elgaard Thorup Anne Amalie , Hemager Nicoline
Published: May 2023

Background and Hypothesis

Suicide is a leading cause of death in youth and is often preceded by suicidal ideation (SI) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Identifying early markers of risk for SI and NSSI could improve timely identification of at-risk individuals.

Study Design

Children (mean age 11.9, SD 0.2) at familial high risk of schizophrenia (N = 171), or bipolar disorder (N = 104), and controls (N = 174) were assessed for psychotic experiences (PE), SI, NSSI, and Axis I mental disorders in face-to-face interviews in early and middle childhood (age 7 and 11).

Study Results

Having 2 types of early childhood PE predicted middle childhood SI after accounting for previous SI, NSSI, and mental disorders (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1–6.9; P = .03). Two PE predicted NSSI (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2–7.7; P = .02) in excess of previous SI, NSSI, mental disorders, and familial risk. Persistent and incident PE predicted SI (OR 3.2, 95% CI, 1.1–8.8; P = .03; OR 3.8, 95% CI, 1.3–11.5; P = .02) in the fully adjusted model. Nineteen percent of children with persistent PE reported middle childhood SI vs 3.8% of those who never reported PE. In children with early childhood mental disorders, those who reported 2 PE had 4.4-fold increased odds of later SI (95% CI, 1.2–16.7; P = .03) after adjustments. PE were nondifferentially associated with outcomes across familial risk groups.

Conclusions

Early childhood PE index elevated risk for subsequent SI and NSSI beyond what can be attributed to presence of mental disorders. Mental health screenings and clinical assessments should include early childhood PE.
A review of the psychosocial factors that contribute to sexuality, female sexual dysfunction, and sexual pain among Muslim women
Authors: Lamba Arleen , Mohajir Nadiah , Rahman Sameena
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Sexual pain disorders are complex conditions experienced by women around the world. Muslim women experience sexuality and sexual dysfunction in a distinct manner that is influenced by religious and cultural standards. Muslim women experiencing sexual pain are a unique patient population whose cultural background should be understood by health care professionals to provide culturally competent care.

Objectives

To identify the psychosocial factors that influence Muslim women’s experience of sexual pain.

Methods

A comprehensive review of the literature through PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted to compile information related to sexual dysfunction, sexual pain, and treatment options in the Muslim women population in the United States and internationally.

Results

Painful sex among Muslim women has been associated with female genital cutting, cultural taboos, lack of sex education, absence of language to discuss sex, negative cognitions about sex, expectations to bear the male partner’s inconsiderate sexual performance, and familial interference. Typical treatments for sexual pain in Islamic countries were explored, with new treatments that have recently been tested.

Conclusion

Understanding sexual pain among Muslim women, including the religious and cultural factors that are potentially associated with this pain, is important for health care professionals to care for their Muslim patients in a culturally competent manner and reduce the implicit bias that may affect quality of care. It appears that providing sexual education, with treatment modalities such as psychotherapy and physical therapy, is useful in treating female sexual pain. We suggest that sexual education, as well as a cultural shift that embraces women’s sexual agency, is needed to reduce and prevent sexual pain.
ETS2 promotes cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy in heart failure by regulating lncRNA TUG1/miR‐129‐5p/ATG7 axis
Authors: Tan Li , Xiong Di , Zhang Hui , Xiao Sirou , Yi Ruilan , Wu Jian
Published: May 2023

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic disease in which the heart is unable to provide enough blood and oxygen to the peripheral tissues. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy have been linked to HF progression. However, the underlying mechanism of HF is unknown. In this study, H2O2‐treated AC16 cells were used as a cell model of HF. The mRNA and protein levels of related genes were examined using RT‐qPCR and western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using CCK‐8 and flow cytometry, respectively. The interactions between ETS2, TUG1, miR‐129‐5p, and ATG7 were validated by luciferase activity, ChIP, and RNA‐Binding protein Immunoprecipitation assays. According to our findings, H2O2stimulation increased the expression of ETS2, TUG1, and ATG7 while decreasing the expression of miR‐129‐5p in AC16 cells. Furthermore, H2O2stimulation induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy, which were reversed by ETS2 depletion, TUG1 silencing, or miR‐129‐5p upregulation. Mechanistically, ETS2 promoted TUG1 expression by binding to the TUG1 promoter, and TUG1 sponged miR‐129‐5p to increase ATG7 expression. Furthermore, TUG1 overexpression reversed ETS2 knockdown‐mediated inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy and miR‐129‐5p inhibition abolished TUG1 depletion‐mediated suppression of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy in H2O2‐induced AC16 cells. As presumed, ATG7 overexpression reversed miR‐129‐5p mimics‐mediated repression of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy in H2O2‐induced AC16 cells. Finally, ETS2 silencing reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy to slow HF progression by targeting the ETS2/TUG1/miR‐129‐5p/ATG7 axis, which may provide new therapeutic targets for HF treatment.
USP25 contributes to defective neurogenesis and cognitive impairments
Authors: Cai Fang , Song Beibei , Yang Yi , Liao Haikang , Li Ran , Wang Zhao , Cao Ruixue , Chen Huaqiu , Wang Juelu , Wu Yili , Zhang Yun , Song Weihong
Published: May 2023

Both Down syndrome (DS) individuals and animal models exhibit hypo‐cellularity in hippocampus and neocortex indicated by enhanced neuronal death and compromised neurogenesis. Ubiquitin‐specific peptidase 25 (USP25), a human chromosome 21 (HSA21) gene, encodes for a deubiquitinating enzyme overexpressed in DS patients. Dysregulation of USP25 has been associated with Alzheimer's phenotypes in DS, but its role in defective neurogenesis in DS has not been defined. In this study, we found that USP25 upregulation impaired cell cycle regulation during embryonic neurogenesis and cortical development. Overexpression of USP25 in hippocampus promoted the neural stem cells to glial cell fates and suppressed neuronal cell fate by altering the balance between cyclin D1 and cyclin D2, thus reducing neurogenesis in the hippocampus. USP25‐Tg mice showed increased anxiety/depression‐like behaviors and learning and memory deficits. These results suggested that USP25 overexpression resulted in defective neurogenesis and cognitive impairments, which could contribute to the pathogenesis of DS. USP25 may be a potential pharmaceutical target for DS.
The Protective Effectiveness of 2-Dose Varicella Vaccination in Children in Korea: A Case-control Study
Authors: Lee Young Hwa , Choe Young June , Hong Kwan , Yoon Yoonsun , Kim Yun-Kyung
Published: May 2023

Background:

A 2-dose vaccination against varicella has been adopted in many places; however, it has not been widely introduced in Korea. This study aimed to assess 1-dose and 2-+dose vaccine effectiveness (VE) against laboratory-confirmed varicella in Korea to provide a scientific basis for developing an immunization strategy.

Methods:

We constructed a national cohort using national surveillance data and the national immunization registry. From the cohort, we conducted a 1:2 matched nested case-control study to estimate and compare the VE of the 1-dose and 2-dose of varicella vaccination using exact conditional logistic regression. VE was calculated as [1 − matched odds ratio (OR) × 100%].

Results:

From January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2020, a total of 205,173 varicella cases were reported to the notifiable diseases surveillance system. Of these, we included 4,387 laboratory-confirmed varicella cases and 8,774 controls for the analyses. The VE of 1-dose vaccination was 16.8% (95% CI: −9.0% to 36.5%), whereas the VE of 2-doses of the vaccination was 98.6% (95% CI: 96.0%–99.5%).

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that the 2-dose vaccination strategy can be an effective strategy to prevent varicella.
Association Between Heavy Metals Exposure and Height in Chinese Preschoolers
Authors: Li Mingzhu , Ji Hongxian , Liu Yanli , Fu Ye , Lin Wei , Zhu Meiqin , Xie Duoshuang , Ding Hongcheng , Wang Jing
Published: May 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the association between multiple metals' exposure and children's height.

Methods

We collected urine samples and physical measurement data of 1477 preschoolers in China. Children's actual height was measured, and whether reached target height was also assessed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between heavy metals and height. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was used to select the urinary metals, which were highly correlated.

Results

In the single-metal model after adjusting for potential confounders, urinary iron, aluminum, nickel, chrome, titanium, vanadium, selenium, rubidium, and thallium levels were negatively associated with actual height. Urinary iron, aluminum, nickel, and chrome concentrations were also negatively associated with target height.

Conclusions

The findings suggested that some urinary metal exposure might be associated with height in preschoolers.
Human descending aorta injury caused by brucellosis: A case report
Authors: Li Xiao , Sun Xiwei , Zhang Yang , Luo Sean X. , Yin Hang , Zhang Hua , Wang Zhongying , Cheng Zhihua
Published: May 2023

Background:

Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases in the world. Although cardiovascular complications of human brucellosis account for only 3% of morbidity, they are the leading cause of death. Peripheral vascular disease due to brucellosis is rare and under-reported in the literature.

Case presentation:

Two patients with previous brucellosis, both of whom had been treated with anti-brucellosis, were admitted to vascular surgery for thoracic aortic ulcer and abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm, respectively, with positive IgG antibody to brucellosis and negative IgM antibody to brucellosis, tube agglutination test, and blood culture. These 2 patients were successfully treated with aortic stent-graft implantation and followed up for 8 and 10 weeks without complications.

Conclusions:

Chronic damage to human blood vessels by brucellosis may not disappear with brucellosis treatment, and peripheral blood vessels should be examined annually in people previously diagnosed with brucellosis. Clinicians in related departments should pay attention to peripheral vascular complications of brucellosis.
Clinical study of rhGM-CSF for the treatment of pulmonary exogenous acute respiratory distress syndrome by modulating alveolar macrophage subtypes: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sun Jie , Zhang Xiaokun , Ma Liliang , Yang Yong , Li Xia
Published: May 2023

Background:

By modulating the oxygen partial pressure of alveolar epithelial cells, the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) can stimulate and enhance the innate immune response in the lungs. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of rhGM-CSF in patients suffering from extrapulmonary-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Methods:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted between February 2018 to July 2019, in which 66 sepsis patients with ARDS were recruited. The study randomly allocated the patients into 2 groups: an experimental group (34 cases receiving rhGM-CSF) and a control group (32 cases receiving placebo). The changes in lung function were assessed using the scores of PaO2/FIO2 ratio, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II, sequential organ failure assessment, and lung injury. Additionally, the study analyzed the levels of inflammatory cells, HLA-DR (%), high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB-1) (ng/mL), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (pg/mL), IL-6 (pg/mL), and GM-CSF (pg/mL) in both blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Results:

The study results revealed that the experimental group significantly enhanced their pulmonary function compared to the control group. Moreover, the experimental group demonstrated higher levels of inflammatory cells and HLA-DR, whereas levels of HMGB-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were lower in blood (P < .05, respectively). In addition, the experimental group displayed a higher alternatively activated cell ratio and GM-CSF levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (both P < .05); while HMGB-1 levels were significantly reduced (P < .05). However, no notable difference observed in mortality between the 2 groups (P > .05).

Conclusions:

Administering rhGM-CSF to ARDS patients improves lung function and decreases blood inflammation. Nonetheless, while this treatment demonstrates efficacy in reducing these parameters, it does not significantly impact the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia or 28-day mortality in ARDS patients.
Accuracy of pulse CO-oximetry to evaluate blood carboxyhemoglobin level: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies
Authors: Papin Mathilde , Latour Chloé , Leclère Brice , Javaudin François
Published: May 2023

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is one of the most common causes of poisoning death and its diagnosis requires an elevated carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level. Noninvasive CO saturation by pulse oximetry (SpCO) has been available since 2005 and has the advantage of being portable and easy to use, but its accuracy in determining blood COHb level is controversial. To evaluate the accuracy of SpCO (index test) to estimate COHb (reference test). Systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) studies. Four electronic databases were searched (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and OpenGrey) on 2 August 2022. All studies of all designs published since the 2000s evaluating the accuracy and reliability of SpCO measurement compared to blood COHb levels in human volunteers or ill patients, including children, were included. The primary outcome was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of SpCO for estimating COHb by blood sampling by modeling receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculating sensitivity and specificity (primary measures). The secondary measures were to calculate the limits of agreement (LOA) and the mean bias. This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis-DTA 2018 guidelines and has been registered on International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, CRD42020177940). The risk of bias was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Twenty-one studies were eligible for the systematic review; 11 could be included for the quantitative analysis of the primary measures and 18 for the secondary measures. No publication bias was found. The area under the summary ROC curve was equal to 86%. The mean sensitivity and specificity were 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI, 0.66–0.85) and 0.83, 95% CI (0.74–0.89), respectively (2089 subjects and 3381 observations). The mean bias was 0.75% and the LOA was −7.08% to 8.57%, 95% CI (−8.89 to 10.38) (2794 subjects and 4646 observations). Noninvasive measurement of COHb (SpCO) using current pulse CO oximeters do not seem to be highly accurate to estimate blood COHb (moderate sensitivity and specificity, large LOA). They should probably not be used to confirm (rule-in) or exclude (rule-out) CO poisoning with certainty.
The Swiss Pathogen Surveillance Platform – towards a nation-wide One Health data exchange platform for bacterial, viral and fungal genomics and associated metadata
Authors: Neves Aitana , Walther Daniel , Martin-Campos Trinidad , Barbie Valerie , Bertelli Claire , Blanc Dominique , Bouchet Gérard , Erard Frédéric , Greub Gilbert , Hirsch Hans H. , Huber Michael , Kaiser Laurent , Leib Stephen L. , Leuzinger Karoline , Lazarevic Vladimir , Mäusezahl Mirjam , Molina Jorge , Neher Richard A. , Perreten Vincent , Ramette Alban , Roloff Tim , Schrenzel Jacques , Seth-Smith Helena M. B. , Stephan Roger , Terumalai Dillenn , Wegner Fanny , Egli Adrian
Published: May 2023

The Swiss Pathogen Surveillance Platform (SPSP) is a shared secure surveillance platform between human and veterinary medicine, to also include environmental and foodborne isolates. It enables rapid and detailed transmission monitoring and outbreak surveillance of pathogens using whole genome sequencing data and associated metadata. It features controlled data access, complex dynamic queries, dedicated dashboards and automated data sharing with international repositories, providing actionable results for public health and the vision to improve societal well-being and health.
TRiPPing the sensors: The osmosensing pathway of Polycystin 2
Authors: Márquez-Nogueras K.M. , Knutila R.M. , Vuchkosvka V. , Kuo IY.
Published: May 2023

Mutations to polycystin-2 (PC2), a non-selective cation permeant transient receptor potential channel, results in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Despite the disease relevance of PC2, the physiological agonist that activates PC2 has remained elusive. As one of the earliest symptoms in PKD is a urine concentrating deficiency, we hypothesized that shifts in osmolarity experienced by the collecting duct cells would activate PC2 and loss of PC2 would prevent osmosensing. We found that mice with inducible PC2 knocked out (KO) in renal tubules had dilute urine. Hyperosmotic stimuli induced a rise in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mediated cytosolic calcium which was absent in PC2 KO mice and PC2 KO cells. A pathologic point mutation that prevents ion flux through PC2 inhibited the calcium rise, pointing to the centrality of PC2 in the osmotic response. To understand how an extracellular stimulus activated ER-localized PC2, we examined microtubule-ER dynamics, and found that the osmotically induced calcium increase was preceded by microtubule destabilization. This was due to a novel interaction between PC2 and the microtubule binding protein MAP4 that tethers the microtubules to the ER. Finally, disruption of the MAP4-PC2 interaction prevented incorporation of the water channel aquaporin 2 following a hyperosmotic challenge, in part explaining the dilute urine. Our results demonstrate that MAP4-dependent microtubule stabilization of ER-resident PC2 is required for PC2 to participate in the osmosensing pathway. Moreover, osmolarity represents abona fidephysiological stimulus for ER-localized PC2 and loss of PC2 in renal epithelial cells impairs osmosensing ability and urine concentrating capacity.

Graphical Abstract
Ultrastructural analysis of prostate cancer tissue provides insights into androgen-dependent adaptations to membrane contact site establishment
Authors: Butler Lisa M. , Evergren Emma
Published: May 2023

Membrane trafficking and organelle contact sites are important for regulating cell metabolism and survival; processes often deregulated in cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the developed world. While early-stage disease is curable by surgery or radiotherapy there is an unmet need to identify prognostic biomarkers, markers to treatment response and new therapeutic targets in intermediate-late stage disease. This study explored the morphology of organelles and membrane contact sites in tumor tissue from normal, low and intermediate histological grade groups. The morphology of organelles in secretory prostate epithelial cells; including Golgi apparatus, ER, lysosomes; was similar in prostate tissue samples across a range of Gleason scores. Mitochondrial morphology was not dramatically altered, but the number of membrane contacts with the ER notably increased with disease progression. A three-fold increase of tight mitochondria-ER membrane contact sites was observed in the intermediate Gleason score group compared to normal tissue. To investigate whether these changes were concurrent with an increased androgen signaling in the tissue, we investigated whether an anti-androgen used in the clinic to treat advanced prostate cancer (enzalutamide) could reverse the phenotype. Patient-derived explant tissues with an intermediate Gleason score were culturedex vivoin the presence or absence of enzalutamide and the number of ER-mitochondria contacts were quantified for each matched pair of tissues. Enzalutamide treated tissue showed a significant reduction in the number and length of mitochondria-ER contact sites, suggesting a novel androgen-dependent regulation of these membrane contact sites. This study provides evidence for the first time that prostate epithelial cells undergo adaptations in membrane contact sites between mitochondria and the ER during prostate cancer progression. These adaptations are androgen-dependent and provide evidence for a novel hormone-regulated mechanism that support establishment and extension of MAMs. Future studies will determine whether these changes are required to maintain pro-proliferative signaling and metabolic changes that support prostate cancer cell viability.
Structural basis of TRPV1 modulation by endogenous bioactive lipids
Authors: Arnold William R. , Mancino Adamo , Moss Frank R. , Frost Adam , Julius David , Cheng Yifan
Published: May 2023

TRP ion channels are modulated by phosphoinositide lipids, but the underlying structural mechanisms remain unclear. The capsaicin- and heat-activated receptor, TRPV1, has served as a model for deciphering lipid modulation, which is relevant to understanding how pro-algesic agents enhance channel activity in the setting of inflammatory pain. Identification of a pocket within the TRPV1 transmembrane core has provided initial clues as to how phosphoinositide lipids bind to and regulate the channel. Here we show that this regulatory pocket can accommodate diverse lipid species, including the inflammatory lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), whose actions are determined by their specific modes of binding. Furthermore, we show that an ‘empty pocket’ channel lacking an endogenous phosphoinositide lipid assumes an agonist-like state, even at low temperature, substantiating the concept that phosphoinositide lipids serve as negative TRPV1 modulators whose ejection from the binding pocket is a critical step towards activation by thermal or chemical stimuli.
Content moderation on social media: constructing accountability in the digital space
Authors: Clune Conor , McDaid Emma
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The paper examines the content moderation practices and related public disclosures of the World's most popular social media organizations (SMOs). It seeks to understand how content moderation operates as a process of accountability to shape and inform how users (inter)act on social media and how SMOs account for these practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Content analysis of the content moderation practices for selected SMOs was conducted using a range of publicly available data. Drawing on seminal accountability studies and the concepts of hierarchical and holistic accountability, the authors investigate the design and appearance of the systems of accountability that seek to guide how users create and share content on social media.

Findings

The paper unpacks the four-stage process of content moderation enacted by the World's largest SMOs. The findings suggest that while social media accountability may allow SMOs to control the content shared on their platforms, it may struggle to condition user behavior. This argument is built around the limitations the authors found in the way performance expectations are communicated to users, the nature of the dialogue that manifests between SMOs and users who are “held to account”, and the metrics drawn upon to determine the effectiveness of SMOs content moderation activities.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to examine the content moderation practices of the World's largest SMOs. Doing so extends understanding of the forms of accountability that function in the digital space. Crucial future research opportunities are highlighted to provoke and guide debate in this research area of escalating importance.
Impact of COVID-19 on open universities worldwide: case studies from Asia, Africa and Europe
Authors: Hou Songyan
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 has had a profound impact on education institutions at all levels. Open universities, with their privileged delivery method, have been in an advantageous position. In the earlier stages of the pandemic, they made remarkable contributions to assuring learning continuity. However, with more and more conventional universities migrating online, great changes have taken place in the field of higher education, and it is imperative for open universities to adjust their strategies in order to maintain their leading role in a technology-enabled education context. This paper aims to examine what challenges have been faced by open universities during the pandemic and how they will transform in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

Six open universities in Asia, Africa and Europe were selected as cases in this research to make a comparative study based on the papers in the volume beyond distance education [1]. Similarities and differences among the cases were analyzed in order to identify the developing trend for open universities in the international context.

Findings

The results showed that (1) open universities in these regions demonstrated their resilience in the pandemic; examples were that new technologies have been leveraged to implement totally online delivery with short notice and huge amount of learning resources were offered to the society. (2) However, they encountered challenges of delivering fully online examination due to the lockdown and quarantine policies, and open universities in African and the sole private institution suffered financial pressure due to improving information and communication technology infrastructure and staff training. Another challenge was the fierce competition from conventional universities that open universities in Asia and Europe came across. (3) Four main areas were identified for future development in order to respond to the challenges: No.1 is that programs such as health care, psychology, epidemiology, virology, immunology, data analytics, biology and bio-informatics have stimulated interest for African open universities to develop in the future; No. 2 is that open universities were seeking to innovate their teaching formats; short courses, such as micro credentials, might be developed as agile and flexible offerings which are expected to be suitable to learners in the pandemic context; No 3 is that programs and courses for upskilling in the context of digitalization will be implemented; and No. 4 is that lifelong learning is given a higher priority in order for open universities to stand securely in the higher education sector.

Originality/value

The study may give open university leaders a quick insight into their future development.
Work environment challenge and the wellbeing of women in construction industry in New Zealand – The mediating role of work morale
Authors: Rotimi Funmilayo Ebun , Brauner Marcela , Burfoot Megan , Naismith Nicola , Silva C.W. Chathurani , Mohaghegh Mahsa
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aims to determine the effects of sexism and unfavourable job conditions on women's mental and physical wellbeing in construction operations. In addition, this study will establish the mediating role of work morale in the association between workplace challenges and wellbeing.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this study were obtained from women working in office environments, onsite professionals and those in trades. A total of 65 participants responded to the survey. The partial least square structural equation modelling method was applied to validate the measurement model and test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that benevolent and hostile sexism directly influences work morale and indirectly affects women's mental and physical wellbeing in the construction industry. Hostile sexism is the most significant challenge for female construction workers in New Zealand.

Research limitations/implications

The finding is theory-building and challenges the assumptions that the nature of the construction industry has a bearing on the mental and physical health of women in construction. In addition, the finding is useful for creating positive work environments that are both inclusive and empathetic to the diverse needs of the modern-day construction workforce. Thus, reducing the challenges experienced by construction women's workforce.

Originality/value

The current study focuses on women and those who identified themselves as such. The conclusions show the relevance of work morale to their mental wellbeing. This exploratory quantitative study contributes to research by advancing understanding of the challenges women face in the industry and the consequences of those challenges on their physical and mental wellbeing.
Luxury home market and pre-sales challenges: Aldeola-de-Siolim, Goa
Authors: Kar Pravat Surya
Published: May 2023

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this study are as follows: identify key elements of luxury branding in the context of a new residential real estate brand; select target segment/s and outline the sales pitch for a luxury residential real estate brand; plot the pre-sales stage of the customer journey path (CJP) for a luxury residential real estate brand; and plan a pre-sales customer engagement strategy for a luxury residential real estate brand.

Case overview/synopsis

This case enumerates Aldeola de Siolim, Goa’s (ASG) pre-sales promotional challenges. ASG was an upcoming luxury residential property in Goa, India. Venky Infar – the developer of ASG – a family-owned civil construction firm – wanted to diversify into Goa’s vibrant luxury housing market. In India’s housing market, the success of a project often depends on the “pre-sales,” i.e. attracting target customers and maximizing the sales before the construction. V. Rama Rao, the project manager’s task, was challenging because ASG and Venky were new entrants in a mature and competitive market. However, Rao was determined to capture a slice of this lucrative market. The case discusses the following four points to help the students understand the marketing challenges and decision context. First, ASG’s key attractions, second, overview of the Indian real estate market, third, characteristics of Goa’s luxury home market and finally, Customer Journey Path for residential real estate purchase. The case elaborates on the nuances of strategic dilemmas and and presents competitors' practices and emerging consumer trends.

Complexity academic level

The case will help students analyze and formulate a pre-sales promotional plan for a luxury real estate product. It is suitable for marketing elective courses, e.g. branding, sales management and luxury management.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 8: Marketing
Community college discourses of sustainability in an academic and professional corpus
Authors: Hou Minghui , Ayers David Franklin
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify discourses of sustainability of community colleges and how they related to sustainability imaginaries.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a combination of research strategies associated with corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. Data included 57 issues of Community College Journal, a professional magazine published by the American Association of Community Colleges, and 2,972 abstracts of dissertations about community colleges. Publication dates ranged from 2010 to 2020.

Findings

Community college discourse of sustainability coheres around six themes: careers and fields of study; curriculum and credentialing; campus ecological sustainability; administrative roles and processes; external organizations, partnerships and processes; and fiscal sustainability. There is little evidence of a sustainable living imaginary found.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis is limited to a specific set of professional and academic texts about community colleges. Future researchers should explore discourses of sustainability in other contexts.

Originality/value

There has been no research associated with critical discourse analysis and corpus linguistics to explore community college discourses of sustainability, specifically in the field of community college leadership. The findings of this study situate the community college within contests over sustainability competencies in the practice of community college leadership development.
Generating students’ loyalty towards the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Dabija Dan-Cristian , Campian Veronica , Stanca Liana , Tiron-Tudor Adriana
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in society. Universities were among the few organisations with some previous knowledge of online education, being able to rapidly adapt by transferring already known best practices to the new context. As teaching moved to online, students encountered less sustainable implementation by their universities. This allowed the development of previously planned sustainable strategies so that when face-to-face teaching resumed, universities could be even more sustainable. This paper aims to explore loyalty to the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic based on the university’s efforts to manage a green campus.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate loyalty towards the sustainable university during the later COVID-19 pandemic, a conceptual model is proposed. This research is grounded in an empirical investigation using a quantitative online survey implemented with online interviews, the relations between all latent constructs being analysed with SmartPLS.

Findings

The results show that university sustainability reflects student loyalty, outlining the image developed under the influence of green campus management. The results show that universities must intensify their efforts to support the sustainable agenda and create a sustainable academic brand, inducing student loyalty. The findings may attract the attention of other universities wishing to gain knowledge about the factors that students consider important in generating their loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

As this research was carried out in the later COVID-19 pandemic context from 2021, the students already had experience of online teaching, so their assessment of the sustainability strategies implemented could be quite different from their perceptions in the first months of the pandemic. This research provides a comprehensive insight into the overall strategy that a sustainable university might apply in a crisis context.

Social implications

Research has shown that green campus management has a positive impact on the sustainability of a university’s image, on how students perceive the university at which they study and on the university’s efforts to ensure efficient campus management. These factors contribute to the development of a strong and sustainable image of the university within the community.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper lies in the research questions designed to conceptualise and operationalise the generation of students' loyalty towards their university by encouraging and implementing sustainable strategies on campus. This paper highlights a structural model that combines strategic practices to determine students' loyalty towards a sustainable university during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The theory of second language development for international students
Authors: Liu Wei
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Drawing on diverse findings in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Language Teaching research, but centering on the unique needs and contexts of international students in post-secondary education, this paper aims to develop a working theory of international students’ continued language development.

Design/methodology/approach

As a critical review, the paper focuses on the most relevant concepts that have important bearings on the research topic, such as attitude, motivation and willingness to communicate; the age and biological factor, namely, the critical period for SLA; the learning environment and methodological factors, such as the input hypothesis; and finally, the larger sociocultural factor, i.e. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory of student development.

Findings

This paper has developed a comprehensive theory of second language development for international students by synthesizing all relevant research findings in SLA and language teaching research.

Research limitations/implications

Linguistic factors, i.e. how students’ different first languages impact their pace and difficulty in learning a second language, though important, are not included in this paper.

Practical implications

The paper can better inform international students, faculty members, support staff and even members of the larger community about the attributions, the processes and the possible outcomes of second language development for international students.

Originality/value

Second language development is an immensely important part of international students’ international education journey. But currently, there is no comprehensive and coherent understanding of this issue among stakeholders of international student success.
Sealing the gaps: enhancing quality control in business school dissertations
Authors: Kumar Atul , Gawande Amol , Agarwal Akash , Kale Shailendrakumar , Brar Vinaydeep , Raibagkar Shirish
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify and address significant quality gaps present in business school dissertations in India. Dissertations, an integral and a special component of the overall business school learning process, acquaint students with the practical business world.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors benchmarked the dissertation processes of business schools in India against those of reputed business schools in Germany, France, Sweden and Australia. Using a survey questionnaire, the authors checked whether business schools in India followed international processes and, if not, what could be done to adopt such processes. A sample of 367 business schools was studied to obtain reasonable evidence.

Findings

There were major quality issues in the dissertation process across business schools in India. Serious groundwork preparation issues were identified, such as an absence of research proposals. Most business schools also reported that there were no rubrics for dissertation evaluation, resulting in high subjectivity in the evaluation process. Supervisor interactions and control over the progress of the dissertation were also found to be very weak. As a result, the authors conclude that dissertations from business schools in India have major gaps in quality.

Originality/value

This is a novel study that examines the quality assurance of business school dissertations. It highlights major quality concerns surrounding the business school dissertation process and suggests measures to address quality issues. The study’s implications apply to business schools in all developing countries and not just India.
Drones in hospitality and tourism: a literature review and research agenda
Authors: Sevilla-Sevilla Claudia , Mendieta-Aragón Adrián , Ruiz-Gómez Luis Manuel
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Drones have become an important element within hospitality and tourism. The purpose of this study is to identify the corpus of knowledge and create a research agenda that establishes appropriate guidelines for future study of drone application in hospitality and tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

This work has been undertaken using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research and includes a review of the literature related to the study of drone use in hospitality and tourism.

Findings

The mixed-methods review identified gaps in the research, potential areas of study to enhance the scientific literature and potential uses of drones in tourism and hospitality for researchers, consumers and industry professionals.

Originality/value

This study makes an original contribution by establishing an integrated framework, which led to a synthesis of the research corpus and provided a holistic conceptualisation of the relationship between tourism and drones. In addition, the research agenda proposed will help boost and consolidate this emerging field of research.
Modification of the Marmarou and Foda model of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) improves percentage survival of rats at 24 h and increases the amount of DAI identified
Authors: Fernández‐Liste Alberto , González‐Cantalapiedra Antonio , Cascallana José L. , García‐Caballero Tomás , Gallego Rosalía
Published: May 2023

More than two decades ago, Marmarou published a valid model for producing diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in rats. Since then, both mild and severe injuries have been obtained by researchers using the original method and a weight of 450 g. However, the diffuse brain injuries produced in rats were only similar to those seen in humans when the rats sustained severe brain injuries. In these cases, rat mortality in the original article was around 50%, and the cause of death was prolonged apnea post‐impact. Rat survival after impact is critical for studying the progression of DAI. In order to explain the cause of death in human victims with cranial trauma who do not show gross brain injury, testing for the presence of DAI is essential. Thus, in order to minimize local and cervical injuries to increase rat survival, attention should be paid to the following aspects: a wider head protector disc should be used, the head of the rat should be elevated at the time of impact, and the foam bed should be soft enough to allow the movement caused by acceleration. With our modified method, rat survival increased by 30% compared to the original model (80% versus 50%). Moreover, 85.7% of rats demonstrated DAI after 24 h of survival. With these modifications, injuries appear in the same locations as in humans; thus, the method is suitable for the study of traumatic DAI in humans.
Assessment of fluid responsiveness in children using respiratory variations in descending aortic flow
Authors: Karlsson Jacob , Peters Eric , Denault André , Beaubien‐Souligny William , Karsli Cengiz , Roter Evan
Published: May 2023

Background

The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the ability of respiratory variations in descending aortic flow, measured with two‐dimensional echo at the suprasternal notch (ΔVpeak dAo), to predict fluid responsiveness in anesthetized mechanically ventilated children. In addition, variations in peak descending aortic flow measured with apical transthoracic echo (ΔVpeak LVOT) were examined for the same properties.

Methods

Twenty‐seven patients under general anesthesia were investigated in this prospective observational study. Cardiac output, ΔVpeak dAo, and ΔVpeak LVOT were measured at stable conditions after anesthesia induction. The measurements were repeated after a 10 mL kg−1 fluid bolus. Patients were classified as responders if stroke volume index increased by >15% after fluid bolus. The ability of each parameter to predict fluid responsiveness was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

Twenty‐seven patients were analyzed, mean age and weight 43 months and 16 kg, respectively. Twelve responders and 15 non‐responders were identified. ΔVpeak dAo was significantly higher in the responder group (14%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 12%–17%) compared to the non‐responder group (11%, 95% CI: 9%–13%) (p = .04) at baseline. Area under the ROC curve for ΔVpeak dAo and ΔVpeak LVOT was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.52–0.89, p = .02) and 0.56 (0.34–0.78, p = .3), respectively. A baseline level of ΔVpeak dAo of >14% predicted fluid responsiveness with a sensitivity of 58% (95% CI: 28%–85%) and specificity of 73% (95% CI: 45%–92%).

Conclusion

In mechanically ventilated children, ΔVpeak dAo identified fluid responders with moderate diagnostic power in the current study. ΔVpeak LVOT failed to predict fluid responders in the current study.
Influence of vegetation regeneration and agricultural land use on lizard composition, taxonomic and functional diversity between different vegetation types in Caatinga domain, Brazil
Authors: Brasileiro Ana Carolina , Benício Ronildo Alves , Gonçalves‐Sousa José Guilherme , Ávila Robson Waldemar
Published: May 2023

Anthropogenic changes in habitats are one of the main threats to biodiversity. Understanding how species diversity and their functions are affected by these changes is crucial to assess environmental impacts. In this work, we aim to understand how lizard composition, taxonomic and functional diversity respond to differences in native vegetation regeneration stages (conserved vegetation and open secondary vegetation) and agricultural land use in different vegetation types (Caatinga sensu stricto, Cerrado sensu stricto and Relictual Humid Forest) in Caatinga domain, Brazil. In more degraded areas (open secondary vegetation and agricultural areas), we found a decline in species evenness, shown by greater dominance of few species. Moreover, we found a lower functional evenness in agricultural areas than in areas of conserved vegetation, which suggests that a smaller portion of functional traits present greater dominance in more anthropized areas. We did not detect any significant differences in species richness, but we did registered differences in species composition in Relictual Humid Forest. Contrary to our expectations, lizard abundance was also greater in more degraded areas, probably as a result of the increased abundance of species benefited by anthropization. In this work, we advance the knowledge of how anthropogenic changes influence lizard diversity and emphasize the importance of analysing different facets of diversity and different habitat environments to understand how anthropization affects patterns in community ecology.