bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blended learning in entrepreneurship education: a systematic literature review
Authors: Viebig Christoph
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Current research lacks a clear definition of blended learning in entrepreneurship education (EE), a comprehensive overview of the recent research, and a conceptualization of different types of blends with their respective challenges and advantages. In response to that, the author systematically reviewed the literature on blended learning in EE and developed four archetypes of blends for entrepreneurship educators.

Design/methodology/approach

The author conducted a systematic literature review and identified 75 relevant peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2021.

Findings

The findings suggest that blended learning is a common yet underexplored and undertheorized phenomenon in EE. The findings display the rationale and motives, educator characteristics, content, teaching methods, student characteristics, and results of blended learning in EE.

Originality/value

The paper is original because it posits blended learning as an independent and unique mode of delivery in EE. In addition, the author suggests four archetypes of blends in EE: the traditional blend, the for-action blend, the in-action blend, and the experiential blend. For each of these blends, the author identified specific advantages and challenges and discussed under which circumstances educators may employ them.
Sometimes it works: the effect of a reform of the short vocational track on school-to-work transition
Authors: Comi Simona Lorena , Grasseni Mara , Origo Federica
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use the two-way fixed effect (TWFE) methodology to estimate the impact of the reform, exploiting its staggered implementation across regions. The analysis is restricted to graduates from the short vocational track before and after the reform.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper studies the impact on the length of school-to-work transition of a reform that extended from two to three years the short vocational track in Italy in the early 2000s.

Findings

The study finds that the reform had a positive impact and reduced school-to-work transition by around five months (a 24% reduction). Moreover, the new short vocational track proved to be extremely effective for migrants and females, whose school-to-work transition was reduced by 1.4 years and 0.9 years, respectively. In implementing the new short vocational track, some regions adopted a quasi-market organization in which private training institutions competed with public schools. This model proved to be more effective in shortening school-to-work transitions, in particular for migrants.

Originality/value

This study makes an important contribution to the literature on the labor-market effect of vocational education by showing that lengthening the short vocational track, and changing the overall content of curricula, can speed up school-to-work transition.
This brand is who I am… or is it? Examining changes in motivation to maintain brand attachment
Authors: Davis Svetlana V. , Dacin Peter A.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer motivation to maintain brand attachment when faced with brand transgressions. This study investigated consumer motivation to maintain brand attachment when faced with brand transgressions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study consisted of two experiments using student participants (n1 = 383 and n2 = 535) who examined how, from a customer prioritization strategy, perceived value- and image-based transgressions affect the motivation to maintain brand attachment and subsequent behaviors. Hypotheses were developed and tested using moderating mediation models that included attribution of blame and perceived threat.

Findings

Value- and image-based transgressions interacted to affect the motivation to maintain brand attachment and the consequent behavioral intentions among consumers with strong brand attachment. Generally, the interaction had a negative effect on motivation to maintain brand attachment; however, this effect was mediated through perceived threat and moderated by attributions of blame. Depending on the level of motivation to maintain brand attachment and the attribution of blame for the brand transgression (the brand, self- or noncontrollable factors), participants reflected different behavioral intentions: reengagement, contention and/or avoidance. Overall, severe value-based transgression coupled with absence (vs presence) of image-based transgression were perceived more threatening by consumers with strong brand attachment leading to lower motivation to maintain attachment and higher intentions to dissolve the relationship.

Originality/value

Little is known about the conditions that increase or decrease the motivation of strongly attached consumers to maintain their attachment. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the potential effects of brand transgressions on the motivation to maintain brand attachment and the consequent behavioral intentions stemming from perceived transgressions.
The effect of debt maturity structure on earnings management strategies
Authors: Draief Sondes , Chouaya Adel
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate whether debt maturity matters for the choice of earnings management strategy (i.e. accruals earnings management and real earnings management).

Design/methodology/approach

The sample involves 486 American listed firms extracted from fortune 1,000 over the period 2006–2014. Panel data regression models are employed to empirically test the impact of short-term debt and long-term debt on manager's choice of earnings management form. The generalized least square technique is applied to estimate the parameters of the regression models.

Findings

The results show that managers are more likely to manage earnings through real activities and reduce their use of accruals earnings management once short debt is increasing because the latter induces heavy lender's scrutiny. The managers move hence to real earnings management due to a lower possibility of being discovered. Moreover, the results reveal a simultaneous use of accruals earnings management and real earnings management for firms with high long-term debt. This finding highlights that long-term debt does not produce regular lender's enforcement allowing managers to use both earnings management techniques to reach earnings targets.

Research limitations/implications

This research has two limitations. Like many other studies, the measure of discretionary accruals is subject to measurement errors. Moreover, the sample exclusively involves large firms extracted from Fortune 1,000. Therefore, the attained results may be not available for small and medium firms.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for both researchers and lenders. For researchers, the present work points out that the decision about the debt maturity structure is crucial for all managers because they establish their earnings management policy accordingly. For lenders, the findings imply that increasing scrutiny effectively constrains accounting manipulations but does not eliminate earnings management activities altogether. The managers move to another earnings management strategy (i.e. real earnings management). This evidence may support the lenders and the creditors in their decision-making processes.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the accounting literature by providing new and interesting evidence on the role of debt maturity on the trade-off between the earnings management tools. Prior studies provided mixed finding for the issue of earnings management in levered firms. The findings of this study should be viewed as a first step to understand the mixed results on this issue. While most papers focus on one earnings management form when they examine the earnings management in levered firms, the authors highlight the impact of debt on both accruals and real earnings management simultaneously.
Three leadership assessment tools for managers
Authors: Timms Michael
Published: April 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to explain the importance for managers to request feedback as a way to improve their leadership skills.

Design/methodology/approach

The author provides a series of tips on requesting feedback, based on his consulting experience and academic research.

Findings

The author gives readers an array of tips and exercises for managers to request feedback at their organizations.

Originality/value

This paper will prove valuable for readers who are in a leadership position or looking to improve upon their ability to be accountable.
Motivated to share? Development and validation of a domain-specific scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives
Authors: Fischer Caroline
Published: April 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to develop and validate a scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives at work. It is aimed to construct a scale which is explicitly different from knowledge-sharing behavior and to develop a comprehensive and domain-specific scale for this special kind of work motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

The constructed scale was tested in two studies. Survey data (n = 355) were used to perform an exploratory factor analysis. Results were further tested on survey data from the core public sector (n = 314) and the health sector (n = 315). A confirmatory factor analysis confirms the results in both samples. The developed scale was further validated internally and externally.

Findings

The analysis underlines that knowledge-sharing motivation and knowledge-sharing behavior are different constructs. The data suggest three dimensions of knowledge-sharing motives: appreciation, growth and altruism and tangible rewards. While it is suggested that the developed scale works in the public as well as the private sector context, it is found that knowledge sharing of public employees is merely driven by “growth and altruism” and “appreciation of coworkers.”

Originality/value

No comprehensive and reproducible scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives, which is different from behavior and domain-specific as well, was available in the literature. Therefore, such a scale has been constructed in this study. Furthermore, this study uses samples from different organizational sectors to deepen the understanding of knowledge sharing in context.
Severe cutaneous adverse reactions associated with systemic ivermectin: A pharmacovigilance analysis
Authors: Bomze David , Sprecher Eli , Geller Shamir
Published: April 2022

Despite poor evidence, the antiparasitic ivermectin has been advocated as a potential COVID‐19 therapy. This has led to a rise in calls to poison‐control centers by people self‐medicating with ivermectin, which is sold over the counter for veterinary uses. We aimed to investigate the association between severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) and ivermectin. Postmarketing data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), gathered between 2014 and 2021, was employed to detect disproportional signals of SCARs following systemic ivermectin therapy. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) was used to quantify the strength of association, while adjusting for age, sex, and region. The search yielded 517 reports of systemic ivermectin (median age 54 years, 46.8% female), of which 25 (4.8%), 81 (15.7%), and 411 (79.5%) were classified as SCARs, nonsevere cutaneous adverse events (AEs), or noncutaneous AEs, respectively. The regional distribution differed between SCAR reports (32.0% from Africa and 12.0% from North America) compared with other AEs, which originated from North America in over half of cases. The most common SCARs were toxic epidermal necrolysis (seven cases), Stevens–Johnson syndrome (seven cases), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (four cases). Five SCAR cases (20.0%) resulted in death and 12 (48.0%) lead to hospitalization. There was a strong safety signal for any SCAR (adjusted ROR 3.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17–5.12) and toxidermias (adjusted ROR 7.08, 95% CI 4.23–11.84). This study suggests that ivermectin is associated with SCARs on rare occasions. Dermatologists should be aware of this given the increase in ivermectin misuse.
Crossing the Line: Cristóbal de Villalpando and the Surplus of Script
Authors: Hyman Aaron M.
Published: April 2022

In 1706 Cristóbal de Villalpando signed a painting with an unusual, intensive calligraphic flourish, and sent it from Mexico City far to the north. This essay describes Villalpando's decision to invest so much pictorial energy in letterforms against this geographic backdrop. Doing so reveals several social registers in which writing had taken on particular professional charge, and opens on to a yet broader artistic sensitivity to writing: its forms and modes of production. The Spanish Empire's extensive bureaucracy of paper made imperial subjects highly sensitive to script's visual and material qualities, such that Villalpando and his fellow artists could capitalize upon them both to produce meaning within their pictures, and to engineer particular constructions of self. In juxtaposing distinct domains of writing – notarial, educational, performative – with paintings, this essay stakes a methodological claim for considering the archive, broadly conceived, as a place just as important for looking as for reading and transcription.
Marked safety and high diagnostic yield of freehand ultrasound‐guided core‐needle biopsies performed by pulmonologists
Authors: Gershman Evgeni , Vaynshteyn Ilya , Freidkin Lev , Pertzov Barak , Rosengarten Dror , Kramer Mordechai Reuven
Published: April 2022

Background

Adequate tissue sampling is fundamental for establishing a definitive diagnosis, assessing prognosis and tailoring therapy. Each of the methods for obtaining tissue (e.g., endoscopic, image guidance and surgical biopsies) results in a different diagnostic yield and complication rate profile.

Objectives

Present feasibility, and assess safety and efficacy of freehand transthoracic ultrasound‐guided core‐needle biopsies (USGNB) of thoracic lesions performed by pulmonologist.

Methods

A retrospective analysis study of ultrasound‐guided core‐needle biopsies of thoracic lesions performed at the Pulmonary Institute of Rabin Medical Center was conducted from September 2020 to October 2021. All core‐needle biopsies were performed under local anesthesia with guidance of Mindray TE7 2019 US system. Procedural variables including complications and pathological diagnostic yield were the primary end point. IRB 0671‐21‐RMC.

Results

In total 91 biopsy procedures were analyzed in38 females and 53 males, average age 71.1 years. Twenty‐three (25.3%) cases were lung lesions, 7 (7.7%) – mediastinal, 13 (14.3%) – chest wall, 27 (29.7%) – pleural, and 21 (23.1%) supraclavicular lesions. Average lesion size was 51.6 mm, the largest in the mediastinum and the smallest in supraclavicular locations (97.7mm and 28.0 mm, respectively). Overall pathological diagnostic yield was 90%, highest success in chest wall (100%) and lowest in mediastinal biopsies (71.4%). We had only one complication –hemothorax resolved by chest tube drainage‐ accounting for only 1.1% complication rate.

Conclusion

Safety and efficacy were demonstrated in freehand US‐guided core‐needle biopsy of thoracic lesions performed by pulmonologists. We suggest thoracic ultrasound and USG‐CNB be part of training and clinical practice in interventional pulmonology.
Candy‐striped spider leaf and habitat preferences for egg deposition
Authors: Cuff Jordan P. , Evans Sharon Aifionn , Porteous Ian Angel , Quiñonez Julia , Evans Darren M.
Published: April 2022

Candy‐striped spiders (Enoplognatha spp.; Araneae: Theridiidae) are among Britain's commonest theridiid spiders and are potential immigrant biocontrol agents of many pests in arable fields. Though the presence of these spiders in proximity to agriculture is dependent on the availability of suitable leaves for their egg deposition, their preference for different plant species and habitat types has not been fully investigated.

Candy‐striped spiders were observed in leaf‐rolls during transect surveys of semi‐natural habitats (hedgerow, woodland and grassland) adjacent to oilseed rape fields at 10 sites across northeast England in August and September 2021. The local plant community was surveyed and compared against the leaves used by candy‐striped spiders via null models.

Candy‐striped spiders preferentially deposited their eggs in hedgerow, demonstrating relative avoidance of woodland and grassland. They exhibited preference for bramble, common nettle and hogweed leaves, but also used those of dock, ash and blackthorn. Candy‐striped spiders appeared to preferentially use leaves with roughly equal length and width and avoided longer, narrower leaves irrespective of their total size.

The leaves used by candy‐striped spiders are taxonomically broad, but share some morphological commonalities. Candy‐striped spiders exhibit some degree of generalism, regularly utilizing suboptimal leaves in sites lacking their preferences. The availability of preferred plants for these spiders in agriculturally proximate semi‐natural habitat may enhance their possible contribution to biocontrol.
Response to ‘Isotretinoin and adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes: retrospective cohort study using routine data’
Authors: Chang Renin , Lai Chih-Cheng , Hung Yao-Min , Wang Shiow-Ing , Wei James Cheng-Chung
Published: April 2022

Linked Article: Paljarvi et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 187:64–72.
Safety and efficacy of fedratinib, a selective oral inhibitor of Janus kinase‐2 (JAK2), in patients with myelofibrosis and low pretreatment platelet counts
Authors: Harrison Claire N. , Schaap Nicolaas , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Kiladjian Jean‐Jacques , Passamonti Francesco , Zweegman Sonja , Talpaz Moshe , Verstovsek Srdan , Rose Shelonitda , Zhang Jun , Sy Oumar , Mesa Ruben A.
Published: April 2022

Fedratinib, an oral Janus kinase‐2 (JAK2) inhibitor, is approved for patients with myelofibrosis (MF) and platelet counts ≥50 × 109/l, based on outcomes from the phase 3, placebo‐controlled JAKARTA trial in JAK‐inhibitor‐naïve MF, and the phase 2, single‐arm JAKARTA2 trial in patients previously treated with ruxolitinib. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of fedratinib 400 mg/day in patients with baseline platelet counts 50 to <100 × 109/l (“Low‐Platelets” cohorts), including 14/96 patients (15%) in JAKARTA and 33/97 (34%) in JAKARTA2. At 24 weeks, spleen response rates were not significantly different between the Low‐Platelets cohort and patients with baseline platelet counts ≥100 × 109/l (“High‐Platelets” cohort), in JAKARTA (36% vs. 49%, respectively; p = 0.37) or JAKARTA2 (36% vs. 28%; p = 0.41). Symptom response rates were also not statistically different between the Low‐ and High‐Platelets cohorts. Fedratinib was generally well‐tolerated in both platelet‐count cohorts. New or worsening thrombocytopaenia was more frequent in the Low‐Platelets (44%) versus the High‐Platelets (9%) cohort, but no serious thrombocytopaenia events occurred. Thrombocytopaenia was typically managed with dose modifications; only 3/48 Low‐Platelets patients discontinued fedratinib due to thrombocytopaenia. These data indicate that fedratinib 400 mg/day is safe and effective in patients with MF and low pretreatment platelet counts, and no initial fedratinib dose adjustment is required for these patients.
Outcomes of salvage radical prostatectomy after initial irreversible electroporation treatment for recurrent prostate cancer
Authors: van Riel Luigi A.M.J.G. , Geboers Bart , Kabaktepe Ertunc , Blazevski Alexander , Reesink Daan J. , Stijns Pascal , Stricker Phillip D. , Casanova Juan , Dominguez‐Escrig Jose Luis , de Reijke Theo M. , Scheltema Matthijs J. , Oddens Jorg R.
Published: April 2022

Objective

To evaluate: (i) safety, (ii) feasibility, and medium‐term (iii) oncological and (iv) functional outcomes of salvage radical prostatectomy (sRP) for recurrent localised prostate cancer (PCa) following initial focal therapy using irreversible electroporation (IRE).

Patients and Methods

An international, multicentre and retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients that underwent sRP for recurrent localised PCa after initial primary IRE treatment. Data were reported on (i) surgical complications, (ii) feasibility of sRP reported by surgeons, (iii) time interval between IRE and sRP and pathology results, and (iv) urinary continence, erectile function, and quality of life.

Results

In four participating centres, a total of 39 patients with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age 64 (60–67) years were identified. No serious adverse events occurred during or following sRP and surgery was deemed feasible without difficulties. The median (IQR) time to recurrence following IRE was 14.3 (9.1–38.8) months. Pathology results showed localised disease in 21 patients (53.8%) and locally‐advanced disease in 18 (46.2%). Positive surgical margins (PSMs) were observed in 10 patients (25.6%), of which six (15.4%) had significant PSMs. A persistent detectable prostate‐specific antigen level was found in one case after sRP, caused by metastatic disease. One patient had a biochemical recurrence 6 months after sRP. These two cases, together with a PSM case, required additional therapy after sRP. After a median (IQR) follow‐up of 17.7 (11.8–26.4) months, urinary continence and erectile function were preserved in 34 (94.4%) and 18 patients (52.9%), respectively, while quality of life remained stable.

Conclusions

Salvage RP is safe and feasible for patients with recurrent localised PCa following initial IRE treatment. The medium‐term oncological and functional outcomes are similar to primary RP. Strict patient selection for focal therapy and standardised follow‐up is needed as some patients developed high‐grade disease.
Manufacturing clinical‐grade human induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived beta cells for diabetes treatment
Authors: Tan Lay Shuen , Chen Juin Ting , Lim Lillian Yuxian , Teo Adrian Kee Keong
Published: April 2022

The unlimited proliferative capacity of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) fortifies it as one of the most attractive sources for cell therapy application in diabetes. In the past two decades, vast research efforts have been invested in developing strategies to differentiate hPSCs into clinically suitable insulin‐producing endocrine cells or functional beta cells (β cells). With the end goal being clinical translation, it is critical for hPSCs and insulin‐producing β cells to be derived, handled, stored, maintained and expanded with clinical compliance. This review focuses on the key processes and guidelines for clinical translation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)‐derived β cells for diabetes cell therapy. Here, we discuss the (1) key considerations of manufacturing clinical‐grade hiPSCs, (2) scale‐up and differentiation of clinical‐grade hiPSCs into β cells in clinically compliant conditions and (3) mandatory quality control and product release criteria necessitated by various regulatory bodies to approve the use of the cell‐based products.
Adjacent crop type impacts potential pollinator communities and their pollination services in remnants of natural vegetation
Authors: Reynolds Victoria A. , Cunningham Saul A. , Rader Romina , Mayfield Margaret M.
Published: April 2022

Aim

Pollination plays a crucial role in the conservation of many plant species persisting in fragmented, human‐dominated landscapes. Pollinators are known to be instrumental in maintaining genetic diversity and metapopulation dynamics for many plant species and are important for providing ecological services that are essential in agricultural landscapes where populations of native plants are highly isolated. Numerous studies have explored the value of remnant native vegetation for supporting pollination services to crop species, yet the effect of mass‐flowering crops on the pollinator communities and the pollination services they provide to native plant communities persisting in fragmented landscapes are less well understood. Here, we assess the influence of the presence and phenology of a mass‐flowering crop to pollinator community structure, abundance, and pollen load composition in remnant vegetation in complex agricultural landscapes.

Location

South‐west Western Australia, Australia.

Methods

We recorded the composition and abundance of insect flower visitors and their pollen loads in isolated remnants of York Gum‐Jam woodlands adjacent to canola (insect‐attracting) or wheat (non‐insect‐attracting) fields over two years.

Results

All bees were much more sensitive to adjacent crop type (neighbouring canola or wheat) than non‐bee pollinators. Honeybees were the most abundant pollinators in canola fields during peak flowering. Honeybee abundance increased in canola‐adjacent reserves post canola bloom, potentially indicating a movement into reserves as crop flowering waned. Native bees were the most diverse in remnant vegetation. Pollen loads of native bees were more mixed (increased pollen richness and evenness) when sampled next to canola fields compared to wheat fields.

Main conclusion

The availability of potential insect pollinators to remnant wildflower communities in agricultural landscapes is context dependent. Whether sampled communities were adjacent to wheat or canola in a landscape significantly impacted the abundance of potential pollinators in certain landscape elements, but not others, and the composition of pollen loads carried by these insects. Results offer novel insights about the influence of landscape context on pollinator communities and the potential pollination services available for the conservation of native plant species in highly fragmented agricultural landscapes.
Lower cerebral arterial blood flow is associated with greater serum neurofilament light chain levels in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Jakimovski Dejan , Gibney Brianna L. , Marr Karen , Ramasamy Deepa P. , Dwyer Michael G. , Bergsland Niels , Weinstock‐Guttman Bianca , Ramanathan Murali , Zivadinov Robert
Published: April 2022

Background and purpose

Hypoperfusion, vascular pathology, and cardiovascular risk factors are associated with disease severity in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to assess relationships between cerebral arterial blood flow (CABF) and serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) as neuronal damage biomarkers.

Methods and Materials

Total CABF was measured in 137 patients (86 with clinically isolated syndrome/relapsing‐remitting (RR) MS and 51 with progressive MS [PMS]) and 48 healthy controls using Doppler ultrasonography. sNfL was quantitated using a single‐molecule assay (Simoa). Examination using 3.0‐T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allowed quantification of T2 lesions and whole‐brain volume (WBV). Multiple linear regression models determined the sNfL association with CABF after correction for demographic and MRI‐derived variables.

Results

After adjustment for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), total CABF remained statistically significant and model comparisons showed that CABF explained an additional 2.6% of the sNfL variance (β = −0.167, p = 0.044). CABF also remained significant in a stepwise regression model (β = 0.18, p = 0.034) upon the inclusion of T2 lesion burden and WBV effects. Patients in the lowest CABF quartile (CABF ≤ 761 ml/min) had significantly higher sNfL levels (34.6 vs. 23.9 pg/ml, age and BMI‐adjusted‐p = 0.042) when compared to the highest quartile (CABF ≥ 1130 ml/min).

Conclusion

Lower CABF is associated with increased sNfL in MS patients, highlighting the relationship between cerebral hypoperfusion and axonal pathology.
The complete aquatic life: Adaptation of Amphiops mater Sharp (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) to the water surface during the pupal stage
Authors: Kuwabara Tomoharu , Hayashi Masakazu
Published: April 2022

Amphiops mater Sharp, 1873, live on the water surface from the egg stage to the pupal stage. Pupae are usually attached to floating objects and normally hatch even when removed from the objects and allowed to float on the water. The pupal period lasts 2–3 days (mean 2.4 days). Interestingly, the pupae are not easily preyed upon by water striders, Gerris latiabdominis Miyamoto, 1958, and their inconspicuous shape and short pupal duration may allow them to escape predation. Most Hydrophilidae species pupate on land, but A. mater can complete its life stages in an aquatic environment.
Warmer and drier conditions have increased the potential for large and severe fire seasons across south‐eastern Australia
Authors: Collins Luke , Clarke Hamish , Clarke Michael F. , McColl Gausden Sarah C. , Nolan Rachael H. , Penman Trent , Bradstock Ross
Published: April 2022

Aim

The aims were: (1) to identify the environmental drivers of interannual variation in wildfire extent and severity; (2) to examine temporal trends in climatic potential for large and severe wildfires; and (3) to assess whether environmental conditions experienced during the 2019–2020 mega‐fire season were anomalous.

Location

South‐eastern Australia.

Time period

1953–2020.

Major taxa studied

Temperate forests.

Methods

We used satellite‐derived fire severity mapping from 1988 to 2020 to model the effects of drought, weather and fuels on the annual area burned and the proportion of the area burned that was impacted by high‐severity fire across four bioregions. Trends in wildfire extent and severity were then estimated from 1953 to 2020 using these derived models and gridded climate data to assess changes in climatic potential for large and severe wildfires. Estimates of wildfire extent and severity for the 2019–2020 fire season were then assessed against prior seasons (1953–2019).

Results

Annual area burned was positively related to the severity of seasonal drought and frequency of fire weather conditions that promote substantial daily fire growth. Wildfire severity was elevated in years with severe fire weather and increased with increasing antecedent drought in years without severe fire weather. Fuels had a lesser effect on wildfire extent and severity than climate. Potential fire extent and severity have increased over time in response to an increased severity of drought and worsening fire weather conditions. Estimates of wildfire extent and severity during the 2019–2020 fire season approached the upper extreme within each bioregion, owing to widespread extreme climatic conditions.

Main conclusions

The climatic potential for large and severe forest fires has increased across south‐eastern Australia since the 1950s, probably because of anthropogenic climate change. The magnitude and severity of the 2019–2020 fires reflected climatic conditions that are driving an increase in the size and severity of wildfires.
Comprehensive endoscopic management of impacted ureteral stones: Literature review and expert opinions
Authors: Yamashita Shimpei , Inoue Takaaki , Kohjimoto Yasuo , Hara Isao
Published: April 2022

Treatment of urolithiasis, a benign disease, requires high efficacy and safety. Endoscopic treatment of impacted ureteral stones remains a challenging procedure for urologists, despite recent remarkable advances in surgical technology in treatment of urolithiasis. The success rate of endoscopic treatment in patients with impacted stones is reported to be lower than that in patients with nonimpacted stones. Moreover, the presence of stone impaction is associated with high rates of intraoperative and postoperative complications. The best management for patients with impacted ureteral stones should therefore be devised based on the latest knowledge and techniques. The present review focuses on the preoperative prediction of stone impaction, the safest and most effective endoscopic surgical procedures, and the most appropriate management for postoperative ureteral strictures. We overview comprehensive endoscopic management for impacted ureteral stones based on literature review and expert opinions.
Probiotic and paraprobiotic derivates exhibit anti-inflammatory and genoprotective effects during induced stress
Authors: Kostelac Deni , Gerić Marko , Gajski Goran , Frece Jadranka
Published: April 2022

Aims

The literature highlights the pathology of inflammation and its role in carcinogenesis, ageing and related diseases. Inflammatory processes induce oxidative stress and reduce antioxidant capacity. This study investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of probiotic bacteria isolated from fermented whey under conditions of induced stress.

Methods and Results

Functional antioxidant characterization of potential probiotic bacteria Lactiplantibacillus plantarum S1 was performed under different growth conditions (aerobic, respiratory and anaerobic) and under stress to find the conditions that yield the most effective cells. Since aerobic growth yielded the most potent cells, the free radical scavenging ability of live and heat-killed cells was measured before and after exposure to gastrointestinal conditions. For heat-killed cells and extracted probiotic metabolites, the reduction of DNA damage to immune cells was determined in the hydrogen peroxide exposure comet assay. The combination of inactivated cells and metabolites showed the best reduction in DNA damage. Finally, in the LPS inflammation model, the aforementioned probiotic metabolites significantly reduced Tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in immune cells.

Conclusions

Whey-derived potential probiotic bacteria exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and based on this study, we propose a model combining inactivated cells and metabolites to reduce inflammatory and oxidative stress-related adverse effects.

Significance and Impact of Study

In this study, a new probiotic model is proposed for continuous use to reduce oxidative and inflammatory stress in the gut.
Could Bacillus biofilms enhance the effectivity of biocontrol strategies in the phyllosphere?
Authors: Fessia Aluminé , Barra Paula , Barros Germán , Nesci Andrea
Published: April 2022

Maize (Zea mays L.), a major crop in Argentina and a staple food around the world, is affected by the emergence and re-emergence of foliar diseases. Agrochemicals are the main control strategy nowadays; however, they can cause resistance in insects and microbial pathogens and have negative effects on the environment and human health. An emerging alternative is the use of living organisms, i.e. microbial biocontrol agents, to suppress plant pathogen populations. This is a risk-free approach when the organisms acting as biocontrol agents come from the same ecosystem as the foliar pathogens they are meant to antagonize. Some epiphytic microorganisms may form biofilm by becoming aggregated and attached to a surface, as is the case of spore-forming bacteria from the genus Bacillus. Their ability to sporulate and their tolerance to long storage periods make them a frequently used biocontrol agent. Moreover, the biofilm that they create protects them against different abiotic and biotic factors and helps them to acquire nutrients, which ensures their survival on the plants they protect. This review analyzes the interactions that the phyllosphere-inhabiting Bacillus genus establishes with its environment through biofilm, and how this lifestyle could serve to design effective biological control strategies.
Exploring the shared experiences of people with stroke and caregivers in preparedness to manage post‐discharge care: A hermeneutic study
Authors: Chen Langduo , Xiao Lily Dongxia , Chamberlain Diane
Published: April 2022

Aims and objectives

To explore the shared experiences of people with stroke and caregivers in preparedness to manage post‐discharge care.

Background

People with stroke and caregivers show dyadic effects in dealing with post‐discharge care challenges. However, few studies have explored their shared experiences and unique challenges for each dyadic member in preparedness to manage post‐discharge care. This study addresses this research gap.

Design

An interpretive approach underpinned by Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with people with stroke and caregivers in 5 days before hospital discharge (n = 26) or 2 weeks after discharge (n = 4) between July and December 2019. The study followed a five‐step data analysis method aligning with Gadamerian hermeneutics. The study reporting followed the COREQ checklist.

Results

Three themes and six subthemes were identified. First, both people with stroke and caregivers experienced psychological stress, although the sources differed. Second, stroke dyads demonstrated resilience built on positive thoughts, confidence, and support from family and health professionals. Third, stroke dyads exhibited different levels of certainty about post‐discharge care. They desired to be equal partners in co‐developing and co‐implementing discharge plans.

Conclusions

Similarities and differences in perceived preparedness to manage post‐discharge care existed between stroke dyadic members. A co‐design approach to developing and implementing discharge plans would enhance planned post‐discharge care.

Impact

Hospital‐to‐home transition is a challenging time for people with stroke and their caregivers. Understanding the shared experiences of stroke dyads in preparedness for post‐discharge care enables nurses to take proactive actions to enhance managing post‐discharge care. Early identification of those at risk of developing psychological stress will enable nurses to co‐develop stress‐coping strategies. These will have a positive influence on the dyad when facing setbacks due to stroke‐related complications.
Spatio‐temporal evolution of the catuaba clade in the Neotropics: Morphological shifts correlate with habitat transitions
Authors: Calió Maria Fernanda , Thode Verônica A. , Bacon Christine D. , Silvestro Daniele , Antonelli Alexandre , Lohmann Lúcia G.
Published: April 2022

Aim

The biotic assembly of one of the most species‐rich savannas, the Brazilian Cerrado, has involved recruitment of lineages from several surrounding regions. However, we lack a clear understanding about the timing and pathways of biotic exchanges among these regions and about the role those interchanges had in the assembly of Neotropical biodiversity. We investigated the timing and routes of species movements between wet or seasonally dry habitats across Neotropical regions and assessed the potential for ecological adaptation by evaluating the habitat transitions correlated with morphological shifts.

Location

Neotropics.

Taxon

The plant genus Anemopaegma (Bignonieae, Bignoniaceae).

Methods

We inferred a Bayesian molecular phylogeny of Anemopaegma using one nuclear and two chloroplast markers. We sampled more than 90% of the known species diversity of Anemopaegma, covering its full geographical range. We estimated divergence times using a Bayesian relaxed‐clock approach and inferred ancestral ranges as well as shifts in habitat and morphological characters.

Results

Phylogenetic analyses recovered seven main clades within Anemopaegma. The genus likely originated in Amazonia in the late Oligocene. Early‐diverging lineages diversified in situ in Amazonia, particularly during the Miocene, with independent dispersal events to the Andes, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. Shifts from seasonally dry forest to savanna habitats were correlated with shifts from liana to shrub and the loss of tendrils.

Main Conclusions

The timing of diversification of major lineages within Anemopaegma is consistent with major geological and climatic events that occurred during the late Palaeogene and Neogene, such as the Andean uplift and the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum. Movements across different regions within the Neotropics were relatively common but shifts between habitats were not. The correlation in the evolution of the shrubby habit, the loss of tendrils and the shifts from forest to savanna are consistent with a scenario of ecological adaptation.
Research Review: Do antibullying interventions reduce internalizing symptoms? A systematic review, meta‐analysis, and meta‐regression exploring intervention components, moderators, and mechanisms
Authors: Guzman‐Holst Carolina , Zaneva Mirela , Chessell Chloe , Creswell Cathy , Bowes Lucy
Published: April 2022

Background

Effective antibullying interventions may reduce the impact of bullying on young people’s mental health. Nevertheless, little is known about their effectiveness in reducing internalizing symptoms such as anxiety or depression, and what factors may influence intervention effects. The aim of this systematic review, meta‐analysis, and metaregression is to assess the effects of school‐based antibullying interventions on children’s and adolescent’s internalizing symptoms. The secondary aims are to explore potential moderators, intervention components, and reductions in bullying as mediators of intervention effects on internalizing symptoms.

Methods

We searched nine databases: PsycINFO, Web of Science, ERIC, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Medline, Embase, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library, and performed an author search of included studies in English from January 1983 to April 2021. We included studies that evaluated school‐based antibullying interventions using controlled designs and reporting on both bullying and internalizing outcomes. Random‐effects and metaregression models were used to derive Hedges g values with pooled 95% CIs as estimates of effect size and to test associations between moderator variables and effect size estimates. Path analysis was used to test potential mediation using effect size measures of victimization, perpetration, and internalizing outcomes. Quality and risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane collaboration tools.

Results

This review included 22 studies with 58,091 participants in the meta‐analysis. Antibullying interventions had a very small effect in reducing overall internalizing symptoms (ES, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.0284 to 0.1005), anxiety (ES, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.011 to 0.158), and depression (ES, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.014 to 0.107) at postintervention. The reduction in internalizing symptoms did not vary significantly across geographic location, grade level, program duration, and intensity. The intervention component ‘working with peers’ was associated with a significant reduction, and ‘using CBT techniques’ was associated with a significant increase in internalizing outcomes. Bullying victimization and perpetration did not mediate the relationship between intervention condition and internalizing outcomes.

Conclusions

Antibullying interventions have a small impact on reducing internalizing symptoms. Ongoing development of antibullying interventions should address how best to maximize their impact on internalizing symptoms to safeguard young people from the damaging mental health outcomes of bullying.
Adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors as a preventable risk factor for severe hypoglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes: A longitudinal nationwide cohort study
Authors: Yun Jae‐Seung , Han Kyungdo , Park Yong‐Moon , Han Eugene , Lee Yong‐ho , Ko Seung‐Hyun
Published: April 2022

Aims/Introduction

We investigated the associations between a combination of lifestyle factors and changes to these factors and the subsequent risk of severe hypoglycemia (SH) in type 2 diabetes patients.

Materials and Methods

Individuals with adult type 2 diabetes who underwent consecutive 2‐year interval health screening programs from 2009 to 2012 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database were included and followed up until 2018. Information on history of smoking status, alcohol consumption and physical activity, as well as changes to these factors, was obtained. The primary outcome was incident SH.

Results

Of the 1,490,233 type 2 diabetes patients, 30,539 (2.1%) patients developed SH. Current smokers and heavy drinkers had increased risk of SH, compared with non‐smokers and non‐drinkers, respectively (hazard ratio 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.23–1.34; hazard ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.15–1.30). However, regular physical activity was associated with reduced SH risk (hazard ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.77–0.82). A combination of unhealthy lifestyle habits was associated with increased SH risk in a dose‐dependent fashion (P for trend <0.001). Compared with participants without changes in their unhealthy lifestyles, participants who improved lifestyles had decreased risk of SH.

Conclusions

Greater adherence to healthy lifestyle factors and any improvement in unhealthy lifestyle habits were associated with a substantially lower risk of SH in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Resting energy expenditure of a diverse group of South African men and women
Authors: Pretorius Adeline , Piderit Monique , Becker Piet , Wenhold Friede
Published: April 2022

Background

In South Africa, overweight/obesity is a public health concern, disproportionally affecting Black females. A contributory role of a lower resting energy expenditure (REE) is suggested for African Americans. The present study assessed the REE of Black and White South African adults aiming to better understand the underlying predictors to overweight/obesity and transform this into locally appropriate recommendations.

Methods

In 328 (63% female; 39% Black) healthy South African adults, REE was measured with indirect calorimetry and body composition with multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. The REE was estimated with 30 sets of published equations. Black–White differences in REE, as measured and adjusted (analysis of covariance), were determined with quantile regression. Reliability/agreement of estimated (against measured) REE was determined with intra‐class correlations (ICCs) and Bland–Altman analysis. A new equation was developed by median regression followed by preliminary validation.

Results

Measured REE (adjusted for age along with fat‐free mass [FFM], FFM index, FFM plus fat mass, FFM index plus fat mass index) in White subjects was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in Black subjects for men and women alike, regardless of obesity class. None of the sets of estimation equations had good agreement with measured REE for Black, White, male and female subjects simultaneously. A new estimation equation, based on whole‐body variables, had good reliability (ICC = 0.79) and agreement (mean difference: 27 kJ) and presents practical opportunities for groups at the local grass‐roots level.

Conclusions

The REE in Black South African adults is lower than in White adults. Tailored REE equations may improve REE estimation of racially/ethnically diverse South African groups and contribute to improved obesity management.
A feedback regulation between ARF7‐mediated auxin signaling and auxin homeostasis involving MES17 affects plant gravitropism
Authors: Zhang Feng , Li Cuiling , Qu Xingzhen , Liu Jiajia , Yu Zipeng , Wang Junxia , Zhu Jiayong , Yu Yongqiang , Ding Zhaojun
Published: April 2022

Gravitropism is an essential adaptive response of land plants. Asymmetric auxin gradients across plant organs, interpreted by multiple auxin signaling components including AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR7 (ARF7), trigger differential growth and bending response. However, how this fundamental process is strictly maintained in nature remains unclear. Here, we report that gravity stimulates the transcription of METHYL ESTERASE17 (MES17) along the lower side of the hypocotyl via ARF7‐dependent auxin signaling. The asymmetric distribution of MES17, a methyltransferase that converts auxin from its inactive form methyl indole‐3‐acetic acid ester (MeIAA) to its biologically active form free‐IAA, enhanced the gradient of active auxin across the hypocotyl, which in turn reversely amplified the asymmetric auxin responses and differential growth that shape gravitropic bending. Taken together, our findings reveal the novel role of MES17‐mediated auxin homeostasis in gravitropic responses and identify an ARF7‐triggered feedback mechanism that reinforces the asymmetric distribution of active auxin and strictly controls gravitropism in plants.
Impact of the COVID‐19 crisis on healthcare workers: The need to address quality of working life issues
Authors: Marcellin Fabienne , Cousin Lorraine , Di Beo Vincent , Mahé Véronique , Rousset‐Torrente Olivia , Carrieri Patrizia , Chassany Olivier , Duracinsky Martin
Published: April 2022

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