bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A study of business knowledge requirements for software projects
Authors: Mishra Debasisha
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the expertise level required in various kinds of business knowledge such as regulatory, domain, strategic, operation process and, business process to execute globally distributed software projects for development, re-engineering and maintenance projects in the Indian outsourcing software industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a questionnaire survey method to collect the expert responses for a knowledge management framework which is suggested in the literature for software development work. The questionnaire survey findings were verified by expert interviews.

Findings

The research shows that there is a lot of similarity between re-engineering and maintenance projects for different kinds of business knowledge expertise requirements for execution. The development projects require higher expertise in all the business knowledge for execution.

Research limitations/implications

The research work studies the business knowledge required for the execution of development, re-engineering and maintenance projects in Indian outsourcing software projects. However, the project’s characteristics can vary drastically for a single kind of project. So the study cannot be generalized and instead should be used as a tool for learning.

Practical implications

The research findings can be used by software project managers to get insight into project planning, which can help the division of work between the onsite, offshore team and individual work allocation.

Originality/value

The research is novel as there are very few previous attempts to find the business expertise needed to execute various kinds of software projects in the Indian outsourcing industry.
Intellectual capital in Society 5.0 by the lens of the knowledge creation theory
Authors: Konno Noboru , Schillaci Carmela Elita
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This paper reviews the development of knowledge creation theory in the last quarter-century and how it has contributed to innovation management and looks into social and human aspects of innovation in the era of “Society 5.0”.

Design/methodology/approach

This research aims to relate basic theoretical concepts: knowledge creation and knowledge assets, purpose, leadership, and place (Ba) for innovation to drive innovation and its management as a whole ecosystem. It also discusses the application to innovation management systems open innovation, and social innovation.

Findings

Today's innovation demands socio-economic fusion that goes beyond current corporate boundaries. By preparing the system (knowledge ecosystem) as the basis, we could build the bridge, and such fusion would be possible.

Research limitations/implications

This paper shows the framework of the idea. Evidence-based research based on “knowledge assessment” will be discussed on another occasion.

Originality/value

This research is to explain knowledge management, innovation, and social innovation beyond the corporate framework.
Cultural distance and inter-organizational knowledge transfer: a case study of a multinational company
Authors: Sapuarachchi Dasun Bhagya
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore a phenomenon in knowledge management that has been given scant attention: the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer in the context of multinational companies involving headquarters in the USA and a subsidiary in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

Designed as a qualitative exploratory study, data was collected through in-depth interviews of 15 participants and documents review.

Findings

The findings of this study implied that the theoretically introduced cultural dimensions shall be relevant to analyze the phenomenon of this study. Consequently, through the findings of this study, it is argued that inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies is influenced by cultural distance.

Research limitations/implications

This study theoretically and empirically contributes to the debates on knowledge transfer in knowledge management research in general and, inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies between headquarters and subsidiaries with respect to the influence of cultural distance in particular, through the light of Trompenaars’ (1993) cultural dimensions theory.

Practical implications

The findings of this study could motivate the practitioners to take into account: the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer, if inter-organizational knowledge transfer happens in similar contexts: multinational companies with a headquarters in the USA (a western context) and a subsidiary in Sri Lanka (a non-western context) in the practical business world.

Originality/value

This study provides theoretical and empirical insights into the influence of cultural distance on inter-organizational knowledge transfer in multinational companies between headquarters and subsidiaries in the selected context while suggesting various avenues for further research toward the influence of cultural distance on such phenomenon in similar/dissimilar contexts.
How to counter organisational inertia to enable knowledge management practices adoption in public sector organisations
Authors: Ashok Mona , Al Badi Al Dhaheri Mouza Saeed Mohammed , Madan Rohit , Dzandu Michael D.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Knowledge management (KM) is associated with higher performance and innovative culture; KM can help the public sector to be fiscally lean and meet diverse stakeholders’ needs. However, hierarchical structures, bureaucratic culture and rigid processes inhibit KM adoption and generate inertia. This study aims to explore the nature and causes of this inertia within the context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an in-depth case study of a UAE public sector organisation, this study explores how organisational inertia can be countered to enable KM adoption. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with 17 top- and middle-level managers from operational, management and strategic levels. Interview data is triangulated with content analysis from multiple sources, including the UAE Government and case organisation documents.

Findings

The results show transformation leadership, external factors and organisational culture mediate the negative effect of inertia on KM practices adoption. We find that information technology plays a key role in enabling knowledge creation, access, adoption and sharing. Furthermore, we uncover a virtuous cycle between organisational culture and KM practices adoption in the public sector. In addition, we develop a new model (the relationship between KM practices, organisational inertia, organisational culture, transformational leadership traits and external factors) and four propositions for empirical testing by future researchers. We also present a cross-case comparison of our results with six private/quasi-private sector cases who have implemented KM practices.

Research limitations/implications

Qualitative data is collected from a single case study.

Originality/value

Inertia in a public section is a result of bureaucracy and authority bounded by the rules and regulations. Adopting a qualitative methodology and case study method, the research explores the phenomena of how inertia impacts KM adoption in public sector environments. Our findings reveal the underlying mechanisms of how internal and external organisational factors impact inertia. Internally, supportive organisational culture and transformational leadership traits positively effect KM adoption, which, in turn, has a positive effect on organisational culture to counter organisational inertia. Externally, a progressive national culture, strategy and policy can support a knowledge-based organisation that embraces change. This study develops a new model (interactions between internal and external factors impacting KM practices in the public sector), four propositions and a new two-stage process model for KM adoption in the public sector. We present a case-comparison of how the constructs interact in a public sector as compared to six private/quasi-private sector cases from the literature.
Knowledge hiding in academia: an empirical study of Indian higher education students
Authors: Garg Neha , Talukdar Asim , Ganguly Anirban , Kumar Chitresh
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of knowledge hiding (KH) on academic performance, using three antecedents – relatedness with peers, territoriality of knowledge and performance motivation. It also looked into the moderating role of academic self-efficacy upon student’s KH behavior and academic performance. The research was grounded on the theory of reasoned action.

Design/methodology/approachx

Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the five hypotheses. The data was collected through a primary survey based on a structured questionnaire with a sample size of 324 students from the Indian higher education institutions.

Findings

The study found that performance motivation and territoriality are positively associated with KH, which is further positively related to students’ academic performance. Sense of relatedness had no influence upon KH behavior, implying that proximity of social relationships does not predict KH behavior among students. Additionally, it was also observed that while evasive (a situation where the knowledge hider deliberately provides incorrect, partial or misleading information) and rationalized KH (a situation where the knowledge hider tries to provide a rational justification for not sharing the knowledge) had a significant influence on the academic performance of the students, the effect of “playing dumb” was not significant. The study did not reveal any moderating effect of academic self-efficacy on all three forms of KH and academic performance.

Practical implications

The findings of the study are expected to be valuable for instructors, administrative authorities and policymakers at the higher education level, to create a more conducive teaching and learning environment. Out of the three hiding strategies, students indulge more often in rationalized KH. Based on the outcomes of this research, management may focus toward the creation of an institutional environment conducive toward knowledge sharing interdependency among students.

Originality/value

One of the novel contributions of this study is that it analyzes Indian higher education, providing a developing country perspective, thereby contributing to the body of knowledge in knowledge management and hiding. The study also intends to understand the interplay of constructs such as KH, territoriality, sense of relatedness and academic performance, which have not been discussed previously within the higher education context, thus making the research work original. The study was done among the students and hence, brings in the academic perspective in the KH literature, which has seen limited research impetus.
Multidisciplinary, simulation-based training to improve review of seclusion
Authors: Akroyd Mike , Allison Janet , Booth Sarah , Gilligan Carole , Harrison David , Holden Victoria , Mace Rebecca
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Seclusion is the supervised containment of a patient, away from others, when immediately necessary to manage safety on a psychiatric inpatient ward. When seclusion is necessary, it should be used for the shortest time possible, with a regular multidisciplinary review of the patient’s mental and physical health, medication and risk guiding decisions around continuation or ending of this restrictive measure. However, many medical and nursing staff can be anxious about taking part in such reviews. Simulation has been used in many areas of medicine to help people to develop competence and confidence, in a safe setting where their own needs can be paramount. This paper aims to describe the use of a blended learning approach, including simulation, to build confidence and competence amongst healthcare professionals in the safe review of seclusion.

Design/methodology/approach

A multidisciplinary group, including input from individuals with lived experience of use of seclusion, put together a one-day training course, which included group debate exploring the relationship between seclusion and the Human Rights Act, guided discussion of videos exploring some aspects of practice and a half-day of simulation where multidisciplinary teams could act as the team reviewing a patient who had been secluded.

Findings

This paper found that the course’s blended learning approach helped participants to feel more confident in their understanding of several aspects of seclusion, including what their team discussions should include before and after seeing a patient and in knowing when to end a period of seclusion.

Originality/value

While simulation is slowly becoming a more familiar component of the undergraduate and postgraduate education offer in psychiatry, the authors are unaware of any evaluation of a dedicated simulation-based training course around reviews of seclusion.
Performance matters: when supervisors socially accept unethical behavior
Authors: Zhu Dongqing , Zhang Zhiying , Wang Chunzhen
Published: March 2021

Purpose

It is generally believed that supervisors would deter employee unethical behavior. However, drawing from social exchange theory and the theory of moral disengagement, we posit that supervisors are more willing to tolerate employee unethical behavior through moral disengagement when the perpetrator is a high performing employee.

Design/methodology/approach

Study 1, which measured employee unethical behavior in a specific group of doctors through a time-lagged survey, and Study 2, which manipulated employee unethical behavior with a diverse sample by a vignette-based experiment, provided convergent support for our hypothesized 1st-stage moderated mediation model. Hierarchical regression, bootstrapping and ANOVA are used to test our hypotheses.

Findings

Although supervisors generally showed a low social acceptance of an employee who engaged in unethical behavior, they were more likely to socially accept the perpetrator through moral disengagement when the employee was a high rather than a low performer.

Practical implications

Given that supervisor's tolerance of employee unethical behavior may be more dangerous than employee unethical behavior itself, organizations should set up an ethics committee to handle top managers' unethical behavior and consider morality equally important with performance in management practice.

Originality/value

The current research extends research on the interpersonal consequences of employee unethical behavior, explains how moral disengagement promotes social acceptance and identifies the moderating effect of job performance in the process.
Sales growth or employment growth? Exporting conundrum for new ventures
Authors: Chen Mei , Ni Peijie , Reve Torger , Huang Jing , Lu Ren
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Previous studies primarily focus on how to achieve better performance in the international markets, but few centers on whether internationalization is a promising strategy for new ventures’ growth and development. Based on two pioneering frameworks Conservative, Predictable, and Pacemaker (CPP) model and the 7-P model, this paper fills this gap by analyzing how exporting exert heterogeneous effects on two types of growth, sales growth and employment growth. Accordingly, this paper aims to favor market-oriented new ventures to make a strategy on expanding international markets.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on firm-level data from the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database. The year 2005 was used as the shock year. By conducting the propensity score matching method, 793 couples of matched new ventures were collected with sales growth and 686 couples with employment growth. The difference-in-differences method was applied to analyze the various influences that exporting has on new ventures’ sales growth and employment growth.

Findings

The main finding of this paper is that new ventures that exported can achieve better sales growth than their counterparts that only operated domestically, whereas new ventures that remain in the domestic market have no difference in employment growth from those that exported.

Research limitations/implications

This study shows that exporting is especially beneficial for market-seeking new ventures. Because the study is based on Chinese data, scholars of international business can conduct further research on other countries with different economic structures.

Originality/value

Theoretically, this paper contributes to both international business theory and entrepreneurship theory by combining the CPP model and the 7-P model. Practically, this paper shows that exports mainly benefit the sales growth of new ventures. This suggests that business practitioners should consider their growth goals before they choose to enter the global market.
Male condition influences female post mating aggression and feeding in Drosophila
Authors: Bath Eleanor , Buzzoni Daisy , Ralph Toby , Wigby Stuart , Sepil Irem
Published: March 2021

Mating changes female behaviour and physiology across a wide range of taxa, with important effects for male and female fitness. These changes are often induced by components of the male ejaculate, such as sperm and seminal fluid proteins.

However, males can vary significantly in their ejaculates, due to factors such as age, mating history or nutritional status. This male variation may therefore lead to variation in the strength of responses males can stimulate in females, with alterations in fitness outcomes for both sexes.

Using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we tested whether three aspects of male condition shape an important, but understudied, post‐mating response—increased female–female aggression.

We found that females mated to old males fought less than females mated to young males. This effect was exacerbated in mates of old, sexually active males, but there was no effect of male starvation status on mating‐induced female aggression. There was also a significant effect of age and mating history on female post‐mating feeding duration.

Our results add to a growing body of literature that variation in male condition can shape sexual selection through post‐mating responses in females, including female–female interactions. Studying such variation may therefore be useful for understanding how the condition of one sex affects the behaviour of the other.

A free plain language summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Weak coordination between leaf drought tolerance and proxy traits in herbaceous plants
Authors: Májeková Maria , Hájek Tomáš , Albert Ágnes J. , de Bello Francesco , Doležal Jiří , Götzenberger Lars , Janeček Štěpán , Lepš Jan , Liancourt Pierre , Mudrák Ondřej
Published: March 2021

Increased drought is predicted to have a major impact on plant performance under environmental change. Yet leaf hydraulic traits directly related to drought tolerance, such as leaf turgor loss point (πtlp), are under‐represented in trait‐based studies and have been largely overlooked within the main frameworks evaluating trait–trait coordination and trade‐offs—the leaf economics spectrum (LES) and the global spectrum of plant form and function.

Using 122 herbaceous species from the Central European temperate grasslands, we investigated (a) the coordination between πtlp and traits often used as proxies for drought tolerance, namely SLA, leaf area (LA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf thickness (LT), plant height and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE); (b) whether the strength of the trait–trait relationships differed across plant functional types (PFTs: graminoids and forbs) and depended on species phylogeny; and (c) whether single or multiple traits, combined with either PFTs or phylogenetic relatedness, provide a good prediction of πtlp.

A more negative πtlp (higher leaf drought tolerance) was coordinated with higher LDMC and higher iWUE. This pattern was consistent among PFTs and also after accounting for phylogenetic relatedness. However, the coordination of πtlp with other traits was weak. For LT and height, it was driven by the differences between PFTs. For SLA and LA, it was only observed after accounting for phylogenetic relatedness.

The most parsimonious model predicting πtlp as a function of other traits retained LDMC and LA (adj. R2 = 0.37). Since πtlp showed a strong phylogenetic signal, accounting for the influence of phylogenetic relatedness further improved πtlp prediction by 17%.

In herbaceous temperate plants, there is relatively weak coordination between leaf drought tolerance (πtlp) and traits representing key dimensions of the LES and the global spectrum of plant form and function. None of the proxy traits considered here, alone or in combination, provided a strong prediction of πtlp across a large number of grassland plant species. Therefore, our work emphasizes the need for direct measurements of leaf hydraulics when estimating plant drought responses to better understand and predict species responses to environmental change.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Latitudinal clines in sexual selection, sexual size dimorphism and sex‐specific genetic dispersal during a poleward range expansion
Authors: Dudaniec Rachael Y. , Carey Alexander R. , Svensson Erik I. , Hansson Bengt , Yong Chuan Ji , Lancaster Lesley T.
Published: March 2021

Range expansions can be shaped by sex differences in behaviours and other phenotypic traits affecting dispersal and reproduction.

Here, we investigate sex differences in morphology, behaviour and genomic population differentiation along a climate‐mediated range expansion in the common bluetail damselfly (Ischnura elegans) in northern Europe.

We sampled 65 sites along a 583‐km gradient spanning the I. elegans range in Sweden and quantified latitudinal gradients in site relative abundance, sex ratio and sex‐specific shifts in body size and mating status (a measure of sexual selection). Using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data for 426 individuals from 25 sites, we further investigated sex‐specific landscape and climatic effects on neutral genetic connectivity and migration patterns.

We found evidence for sex differences associated with the I. elegans range expansion, namely (a) increased male body size with latitude, but no latitudinal effect on female body size, resulting in reduced sexual dimorphism towards the range limit, (b) a steeper decline in male genetic similarity with increasing geographic distance than in females, (c) male‐biased genetic migration propensity and (d) a latitudinal cline in migration distance (increasing migratory distances towards the range margin), which was stronger in males. Cooler mean annual temperatures towards the range limit were associated with increased resistance to gene flow in both sexes. Sex ratios became increasingly male biased towards the range limit, and there was evidence for a changed sexual selection regime shifting from favouring larger males in the south to favouring smaller males in the north.

Our findings suggest sex‐specific spatial phenotype sorting at the range limit, where larger males disperse more under higher landscape resistance associated with cooler climates. The combination of latitudinal gradients in sex‐biased dispersal, increasing male body size and (reduced) sexual size dimorphism should have emergent consequences for sexual selection dynamics and the mating system at the expanding range front. Our study illustrates the importance of considering sex differences in the study of range expansions driven by ongoing climate change.
Higher sample sizes and observer inter‐calibration are needed for reliable scoring of leaf phenology in trees
Authors: Liu Guohua , Chuine Isabelle , Denéchère Rémy , Jean Frédéric , Dufrêne Eric , Vincent Gaëlle , Berveiller Daniel , Delpierre Nicolas
Published: March 2021

Reliable phenological observations are needed to quantify the impact of climate change on tree phenology. Ground observations remain a prime source of phenological data, but their accuracy and precision have not been systematically quantified. The high subjectivity of ground phenological observations affects their accuracy, and the high within‐population variability of tree phenology affects their precision. The magnitude of those effects is unknown to date.

We first explored the inter‐observer variability in the timing of bud development and leaf senescence in trees using a unique dataset of seven observer inter‐calibration sessions. Then, using tree phenological data collected in three European forests (n = 2,346 observations for budburst, n = 539 for leaf senescence), we quantified how the ‘observer uncertainty’ (accuracy of the observations) and the ‘population sampling uncertainty’ (precision of the observations) combine to affect the estimates of the budburst and the leaf senescence dates.

The median observer uncertainty was 8 days for budburst (BBCH = 7) and 15 days for leaf senescence (BBCH = 95). As expected, the population sampling uncertainty decreased with increasing sample size, and was about 6 days for budburst and 10 days for leaf senescence for a sample of 10 individuals monitored per population (corresponding to the median sample size in the phenological literature). As a whole, the overall uncertainty of phenological observations could reach up to 2 weeks for budburst and 1 month for leaf senescence.

Synthesis. This paper quantifies for the first time the accuracy and precision of ground phenological observations in forest trees and as such offers tables to estimate the uncertainty of phenological data. We show that reliable estimates of budburst and leaf senescence require three times (n = 30) to two times (n = 20) larger sample sizes as compared to sample sizes usually considered in phenological studies. We further call for an increased effort of observer inter‐calibration, required to increase the accuracy of phenological observations. These recommendations reduce the uncertainty of phenological data, thereby improving the estimation of phenological trends over time, the response of phenology to temperature or the inference of phenological model parameters.
Soil actinobacteria tend to have neutral interactions with other co‐occurring microorganisms, especially under oligotrophic conditions
Authors: Yan Bingfa , Liu Ning , Liu Minghao , Du Xueyuan , Shang Fei , Huang Ying
Published: March 2021

Actinobacteria produce a variety of secondary metabolites that can influence the survival or behaviour of other organisms. The understanding of the ecological roles of actinobacteria has significantly improved in the past decades, but a systematic insight into the interactions between actinobacteria and other microbes in nature is warranted. Here, we studied the pairwise effects of actinobacteria on other microbes isolated from red soils under different nutritional conditions. We found that neutral effects dominated the interactions, accounting for 68.1% of the interactions in eutrophic conditions and for a significantly higher proportion (86.2%) in oligotrophic conditions. High nutrient levels boosted active metabolism of actinobacteria and generally made them more aggressive, supporting the stress gradient hypothesis. The secondary metabolites produced by actinobacteria played a pivotal role in interference competition with other microbes, of which the role of desferrioxamine siderophores could not be ignored. Niche overlap seemed to be another cause of competition, notably under oligotrophic conditions. Moreover, the large‐scale phylogeny had a much greater impact on the interaction than the location origin of the microbes. These results provide an understanding of the coexistence of actinobacteria with other microbes in nature and suggest neutrality as a key mechanism for maintaining microbial diversity in soils.
In vitro phenols bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of goat milk yogurt fortified with Rhus coriaria leaf powder
Authors: Simonetti Amalia , Perna Annamaria , Grassi Giulia , Gambacorta Emilio
Published: March 2021

Goat yogurt samples fortified with 20% (w/v) Rhus coriaria leaf powder were in vitro digested in order to evaluate the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AA), and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in the digestate. After digestion, TPC and AA values of the R. coriaria‐fortified yogurts increased compared to the undigested yogurts (P < 0.001). In particular, TPC has increased about twice; whereas, AA values have increased about 10 and 6 times, for ABTS and FRAP assays, respectively. The bioaccessibility index was well above the 100% for all identified phenols; except for (‐)‐epicatechin (82.04%), rutin (51.51%), and gallic acid (5.42%). This different behavior highlighted that the bioaccessibility was modulated by both the yogurt‐polyphenol complexes and phenol stability under digestion system. These findings can contribute to elucidate the influence of in vitro digestion on antioxidant capacity and polyphenols recovery infortified yogurts, and may help in the design of dairy products with better functional quality

Practical Application

Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) is a polyphenol‐rich Mediterranean plant that may be used as functional ingredient to enrich fermented food such as yogurt. However, in fortified yogurts the evaluation of bioaccessibility, that is, the compounds released from the yogurt and stable in the digestive environment, thus able to exert their biological effects on the gastrointestinal system, is more important than the content of these compounds in the corresponding food. This study highlighted the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in goat milk yogurt fortified with R. coriaria leaf powder after simulated gastro‐pancreatic digestion.
Evaluation of the efficacy of probiotic VSL#3 and synbiotic VSL#3 and yacon‐based product in reducing oxidative stress and intestinal permeability in mice induced to colorectal carcinogenesis
Authors: Cruz Bruna Cristina dos Santos , de Sousa Moraes Luís Fernando , De Nadai Marcon Letícia , Dias Kelly Aparecida , Murad Leonardo Borges , Sarandy Mariáurea Matias , Conceição Lisiane Lopes da , Gonçalves Reggiani Vilela , Ferreira Célia Lúcia de Luces Fortes , Peluzio Maria do Carmo Gouveia
Published: March 2021

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of probiotic VSL#3 isolated or associated with a yacon‐based product (synbiotic) on oxidative stress modulation and intestinal permeability in an experimental model of colorectal carcinogenesis. Forty‐five C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: control (standard diet AIN‐93 M); probiotic (standard diet AIN‐93 M and multispecies probiotic VSL#3, 2.25 × 109 CFU), and synbiotic (standard diet AIN‐93 M with yacon‐based product, 6% fructooligosaccharides and inulin, and probiotic VSL#3, 2.25 × 109 CFU). The experimental diets were provided for 13 weeks. The probiotic and the yacon‐based product showed antioxidant activity, with the percentage of DPPH radical scavenging equal to 69.7 ± 0.4% and 74.3 ± 0.1%, respectively. These findings contributed to reduce hepatic oxidative stress: the control group showed higher concentration of malondialdehyde (1.8‐fold, p = 0.007 and 1.5‐fold, p = 0.035) and carbonylated protein (2‐fold, p = 0.008 and 5.6‐fold, p = 0.000) compared to the probiotic and synbiotic groups, respectively. Catalase enzyme activity increased 1.43‐fold (p = 0.014) in synbiotic group. The crypt depth increased 1.2‐fold and 1.4‐fold with the use of probiotic and synbiotic, respectively, compared to the control diet (p = 0.000). These findings corroborate the reduction in intestinal permeability in the probiotic and synbiotic groups, as measured by the percentage of urinary lactulose excretion (CON: 0.93 ± 0.62% × PRO: 0.44 ± 0.05%, p = 0.048; and CON: 0.93 ± 0.62% × SYN: 0.41 ± 0.12%, p = 0.043). In conclusion, the probiotic and synbiotic showed antioxidant activity, which contributed to the reduction of oxidative stress markers. In addition, they protected the mucosa from damage caused by chemical carcinogen and reduced intestinal permeability.

Practical Application

The relationship between intestinal health and the occurrence of various organic disorders has been demonstrated in many studies. The use of probiotics and prebiotics is currently one of the main targets for modulation of intestinal health. We demonstrated that the use of a commercial mix of probiotic bacteria (VSL#3) isolated or associated with a yacon‐based prebiotic, rich in fructooligosaccharides and inulin, is able to reduce the oxidative stress and intestinal permeability in a colorectal carcinogenesis model. These compounds have great potential to be used as a food supplement, or as ingredients in the development of food products.
Thermal Behavior and Determination of the Heated Structure of 11Å Anomalous Tobermorite by in situ X‐ray Diffraction
Authors: YAN Yu , WANG Hejing
Published: March 2021

This article presents the thermal transitions of a tobermorite‐bearing sample when heated from 30°C up to 1200° C, both in vacuum and in static air, including tobermorite transforming to wollastonite, aragonite to calcite and calcite to lime. Characteristics obtained by in situ high temperature X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy analyses jointly indicate that the investigated tobermorite is anomalous. The variations along the a, b, c axes and the volume changes of tobermorite with increasing temperature are described, and its thermal shrinkage coefficients therefore determined. The comparison between the refined structures at 30°C and 800°C demonstrates that the shrinkage degree (Δa/a0) along the a axis is higher than those (Δb/b0, Δc/c0) along the b and c axes. The wollastonite is formed in two ways: Tobermorite converting to wollastonite and lime reacting with quartz to form wollastonite.
Application of Optically Stimulated Luminescence Technique in Exploring a Concealed Sandstone‐type Uranium Deposit
Authors: KANG Huan , CHEN Yuelong , XUE Guoliang , ZHAO Junxiang , ZHANG Na , ZHANG Yangyang
Published: March 2021

Identifying ore‐induced geochemical anomalies at the surface that indicate concealed deposits in buried areas remains a significant challenge in geochemical exploration. In this study, in order to trace the source of the geochemical anomalies, systematic luminescence intensity analyses were conducted on quartz grains from the Quaternary regolith at the Hadatu sandstone‐type uranium deposit in the Erenhot Basin. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages were much older than the depositional ages of the Quaternary regolith. Moreover, quartz OSL ages were closely related to both borehole grades and sampling depths. Thus, the abnormal mineral OSL ages from near‐surface sediments were ultimately controlled by the sandstone‐type uranium deposits. This is identical to the rapid changes of quartz OSL ages (0.063 ka/cm) and equivalent doses (0.19 Gy/cm) with depths in a given sampling site. The instantaneous soil radon concentration was positively correlated with the quartz OSL apparent age, indicating their ore‐induced origin and, as a result, their effectiveness in the exploration of concealed uranium deposits. Other parameters, including mobile‐state uranium and 210Po contents, were poorly correlated with quartz OSL ages and therefore should only be used with caution for geochemical exploration. This is the first time an attempt has been made to discriminate the ore‐induced sources for different surface anomaly parameters, including instantaneous soil radon, mobile‐state uranium and 210Po contents for concealed sandstone‐type uranium deposits.
A Preliminary Study on the Aghbolaq (Fe, Cu) Skarn Deposit, Oshnavieh, NW Iran: Constraints on Metasomatic Fluid Evolution
Authors: SIAHCHESHM Kamal , KHAJEMOHAMMADLO Nasrin , CALAGARI Ali Asghar , ABEDINI Ali
Published: March 2021

The Aghbolaq skarn deposit is located in the Urumieh‐Golpayegan plutonic belt, NW Iran. The garnetite skarn (stage I) has been intensely cross‐cut by the magnetite‐garnet skarn (stage II) which were, in turn, cut and offset by the ore‐hosting quartz veins/veinlets (stage III). The predominance of andradite (Adr82.5–89.1) and its high Fe3+/Al ratio (up to 1685) apparently supports the high fO2, salinity and prevalence of magmatic/hydrothermal fluids involved, rather than meteoric waters, during the magnetite‐garnet skarn formation. Two major groups of fluid inclusions, namely aqueous (LV, LVS) and aqueous–carbonic (LVC, LLCVC), were recognized in garnet and quartz veins that, especially in growth zones and along intra‐granular trails, better display fluid inclusion assemblages (FIAs) than those in clusters. The prograde magnetite‐garnet skarn was formed by the metasomatic fluid at relatively high Th (209–374°C), under a lithostatic pressure of ∼200 bars. The retrograde mineralized quartz veins were formed at temperatures ranging from 124°C to 256°C, by dilute and less saline (2.57–11.93 wt% NaCl eq.) hydrothermal fluids under a hydrostatic pressure of ∼80 bars. The fluid evolution of the Aghbolaq skarn began with an earlier simple cooling of metasomatic fluid during the prograde stage, followed by the later influx of low salinity meteoric fluids during the retrograde stage.
Finding Mr. Schumpeter: technology adoption in the cement industry
Authors: Macher Jeffrey T. , Miller Nathan H. , Osborne Matthew
Published: March 2021

We examine the adoption of fuel‐efficient precalciner kilns in the cement industry using the universe of adoption decisions in the United States over 1973–2013. We find that cement plants are more likely to adopt the technology if fuel costs are high, nearby competitors are few, and local demand conditions are favorable. We relate the findings to the Schumpeterian and induced innovation hypotheses regarding the effects of competition and factor prices. Our results suggest firms may be most responsive to factor prices under advantageous competitive and demand conditions.
SHR‐1316, an anti‐PD‐L1 antibody, plus chemotherapy as the first‐line treatment for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A multicentre, phase 2 study
Authors: Mu Lan , Song Yan , Zhao Kuaile , Liu Ying , Fan Qingxia , Wang Xi , Li Qun , Wang Xiaopeng , Huang Jing
Published: March 2021

Background

This multicentre, open‐label study evaluated the efficacy and safety of antiprogrammed death ligand 1 antibody SHR‐1316 plus liposomal irinotecan and 5‐fluorouracil as the first‐line treatment for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

Eligible patients received SHR‐1316 (10 mg/kg), liposomal irinotecan (60 mg/m2 for the first cycle, 80 mg/m2 thereafter), and 5‐fluorouracil (2400 mg/m2) every 14 days until disease progression, intolerable toxicity or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Results

We enrolled 23 patients between 11 March 2019 and 31 May 2019. The median follow‐up duration was 15.2 months (95% CI 14.2–16.2). The median PFS was 8.5 months (95% CI 1.2–15.8), and ORR and DCR were 52.2% (95% CI 30.1–74.3) and 73.9% (95% CI 54.5–93.3), respectively. The median OS was 11.6 months (95% CI 6.7–16.6). The most common treatment‐related grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia (17.4%), nausea (13.0%), and anorexia (13.0%). Treatment‐related serious AEs occurred in two patients. No treatment‐related deaths occurred.

Conclusions

SHR‐1316 plus liposomal irinotecan and 5‐fluorouracil has a promising efficacy and manageable safety profile, and could be a new first‐line treatment approach for patients with unresectable locally advanced or distant metastatic ESCC.
Do social media constrain or promote company violations?
Authors: Li Jie , Yu Li , Mei Xiaofeng , Feng Xu
Published: March 2021

Using retail investor posts on the stock forum from 2008 to 2019, we study the impact of social media on the incidence of company violations. We find that social media promotes company violations, which supports the ‘pressure effect’ rather than the ‘monitoring effect’. This conclusion holds even considering potential endogenous issues. In robustness tests, when alternative sample selection, alternative independent variables and alternative dependent variables are used, the results still show that social media promote company violations. Our study supports cognitive evaluation theory, which proposes that external pressure imposed on managers increases the likelihood of violations.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: Access in the First Year
Authors: Crawford Mitchell , Farahmand Pantea , McShane Erin Kate , Schein Abigail Z. , Richmond Janet , Chang Grace
Published: March 2021

Background and Objectives

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) detect high‐risk prescribing and patient behaviors. This study describes the characteristics associated with documented PDMP access when prescribing opioids.

Methods

Retrospective chart review of 695 opioid prescriptions written from inpatient and outpatient medical and psychiatric settings. Data were abstracted and analyzed to identify characteristics associated with documented PDMP access.

Results

One‐third of the charts had PDMP access documented within the week of opioid prescription; 12% showed PDMP consultation on the same day. Services varied greatly from 10.5% (inpatient medicine) to 57% (inpatient psychiatry) with regard to same‐day PDMP access (P < .0001). Patient characteristics associated with PDMP access include having acute pain, current mental health treatment, and current and past substance use disorders (all P < .05). Logistic regression modeling identified three variables associated with the odds of PDMP access (c‐statistic = 0.66): if the prescription originated from the inpatient medicine unit (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32, 0.68), or if the patient received a prescription for an opioid in the past 30 days (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.10, 0.90) or had a urine toxicology screen in the past year (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.40, 2.90).

Discussion and Conclusions

Utilization of the PDMP varied by specialty and setting.

Scientific Significance

This study is among the first to compare rates of PDMP access in a large sample by specialty and practice setting in a healthcare system with a policy requiring its access and appropriate documentation. With less than one‐third adherence to the policy, additional steps to increase consistent PDMP access are warranted. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00–00)
Framing violence: The politics of representing embodied trauma in feminist geographic film
Authors: Zonjić Maja
Published: March 2021

There is increasing concern with issues surrounding researchers’ positionalities and the politics of representation. However, narratives stemming from embodied, sexual, and emotional experiences remain at the margins of geographic scholarship. For researchers who have faced different forms of violence during their fieldwork, the choices of whether or not to speak about and include those narratives in official reports or final research outputs can be difficult. Structural, systemic, and institutional barriers may further complicate this decision‐making process. Moreover, researchers must carefully consider their positionalities and the ethical implications of disclosure for local communities and field sites, as well as their academic institutions, which typically continue to privilege objective discourses. In this paper, I show how employing visual methods within a transformative feminist epistemology can offer possibilities for the weaving together of personal accounts of violence within wider analyses of power and privilege across multiple sites and scales. I draw on experiences from my PhD fieldwork in Utila, Honduras, to explore how researchers who have faced different manifestations of violence may represent embodied trauma in their work, and in doing so, reclaim these experiences through their own voices.
Effects of preoperative psoas muscle index and body mass index on postoperative outcomes after video‐assisted esophagectomy for esophageal cancer
Authors: Uemura Shion , Shichinohe Toshiaki , Kurashima Yo , Ebihara Yuma , Murakami Soichi , Hirano Satoshi
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Preoperative psoas muscle index (PMI) and body mass index (BMI) are relevant to postoperative outcomes. We investigated the associations of PMI, BMI, and preoperative nutritional and muscular score with postoperative outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer who underwent video‐assisted surgery.

Methods

We examined 150 patients (124 men, 26 women) who underwent video‐assisted esophagectomy from February 2002 to March 2016. We used the Clavien‐Dindo (CD) classification to analyze postoperative complications. Because skeletal muscle volume differs significantly between male and female patients, all analyses were performed separately. In male patients, we used the following cut‐off values to categorize patients into three groups: PMI = 600 mm2/m2, BMI = 18.5 kg/m2, and preoperative nutritional and muscular (PNM) scores 0 to 2.

Results

Two patients were converted to open thoracotomy. Among male patients, PMI and PNM scores were significant risk factors for complications. Among male patients, in the high PMI group, the number of CD ≥ IIIa complications was significantly lower. In the PNM score 0 group (both PMI and BMI values exceeded the cut‐off values), the number of complications was significantly lower. In both genders, PMI and BMI were not significantly associated with survival.

Conclusions

PMI and PNM scores can be useful for predicting postoperative outcomes in male patients with esophageal cancer having undergone video‐assisted surgery.
The benefits of teaching on comprehension, motivation, and perceived difficulty: Empirical evidence of teaching expectancy and the interactivity of teaching
Authors: Wang Ying , Lin Lijia , Chen Ouhao
Published: March 2021

Background

Research regarding teaching expectancy has been mostly conducted in research laboratories with college students. These studies provide insufficient evidence regarding its effect on learners’ delayed comprehension. Moreover, the relative superiority of teaching a peer face to face compared to teaching an imagined peer lacks empirical support.

Aims

The purpose of the study was to investigate the interactivity of teaching by comparing peer teaching to imagined teaching, as well as enhancing the generalizability of the teaching expectancy effect by testing it in a secondary school environment.

Sample

A total of 597 students (282 males) from 12 classes in a secondary school were recruited to participate in the study as part of their psychology course.

Methods

Participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions formed by a 2 (teaching expectancy vs. testing expectancy) × 3 (peer teaching vs. imagined teaching vs. no teaching) between‐subjects design. Their immediate and delayed comprehension tests, motivation, and perceived difficulty were measured as dependent variables.

Results

Imagined teaching enhanced both immediate and delayed comprehension, but peer teaching only enhanced immediate comprehension. Moreover, the effects of imagined teaching on perceived difficulty and motivation were dependent upon teaching expectancy or testing expectancy.

Conclusions

Our findings provide empirical evidence to the existing theoretical frameworks, but caution should be taken when applying imagined teaching in practice.