bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk assessment of underground and elevated metro projects from clients' and contractors' perspective
Authors: Karmarkar Omkar Deepak , Krishnan Shivram G. , Delhi Venkata Santosh Kumar , Velaga Nagendra R. Rao
Published: May 2022

Purpose

India is a rapidly urbanizing developing country with a population of 1.4 Billion. Indian governments have invested USD 50 Billion) in metro rail projects in 18 cities. Metro constructions are multi-stakeholder mega-projects and are prone to a variety of risks. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the risks involved in metro rail construction projects in a densely populated developing country for two types of systems and from two perspectives. Current literature lacks an understanding of similarities and differences in the risks involved in underground and elevated metro projects from clients' and contractors' perspectives, which the paper highlights.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of twenty-five risks were identified, categorized and assessed through experts' opinions about the impact and probability of occurrence of the risks through a questionnaire-based survey. The survey respondents included experts in metro rail construction from client and contractor sides. Paper uses a Fuzzy Inference System to calibrate risk magnitude from occurrence probability and impact.

Findings

A notable difference was observed in the views of clients and contractors, except for certain common risks. Both stakeholders had different risk perceptions for the underground and elevated metro rail systems.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the risk assessment for different types of metro systems. This research can help policymakers as well as consultants in prioritizing their risk management strategies in developing countries like India.

Originality/value

Highlighting the critical aspects of risks in metro projects in a developing country, this paper also provides system-based and stakeholder-based comparative aspects of risk analysis.
The role of health orientation in determining purchase intention and behaviour
Authors: Szymkowiak Andrzej , Antoniak Marcin Adam , Borusiak Barbara
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The objective of the study is to explain how health orientation influences attitude towards paying attention to nutrition claims (NCs), intention to pay attention to NCs, and willingness to buy products containing NCs.

Design/methodology/approach

In the first study, conducted amongst 770 respondents using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method, the authors investigated the role of health orientation in explaining intention to pay attention to NCs and willingness to buy products with NCs. The theory of planned behaviour was used as the main theoretical framework. In the second online experiment, carried out amongst 485 respondents, the impact of health orientation on attitude towards the label containing NC and on NC product purchase intention was studied.

Findings

The authors revealed that health orientation plays a significant (direct and indirect) role in explaining attitude towards paying attention to NCs, and intention to pay attention to NCs, as well as NC product purchase intention.

Originality/value

Health orientation appeared to be an important determinant of selecting products with NCs. Consumers' intent to choose products containing claims is mainly determined according to their attitudes driven by health orientation and outcome expectancy. Consequently, intention to pay attention to NCs is strongly related to intention to buy products containing claims.
Dust yourself off and try again: the positive process of career changes or shocks and career resilience
Authors: Peeters Ellen R. , Caniëls Marjolein C.J. , Verbruggen Marijke
Published: May 2022

Purpose

To deepen the understanding of the process of growth and development of career resilience, this study aims to investigate the impact of career history and openness to change as antecedents of career resilience and the effect of career resilience on career self-management and career outcomes (salary and career satisfaction) over time using the Career Construction Theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied structural equation modeling with cross-lagged associations between career characteristics (number of employees, job seniority and missed promotions), openness to change, career resilience, individual career management (ICM) and career success (salary and career satisfaction) using three-wave data of 872 employees.

Findings

Openness to change had cross-lagged positive relationships with career resilience. The number of (previous) employers and missed promotions had a positive effect on career resilience, whereas job seniority was related negatively to career resilience. Furthermore, career resilience had a positive effect on individual career self-management in terms of networking, practical things and drawing attention over time. No effect was found on the individual career self-management dimension of mobility-oriented behavior over time. Finally, ICM had a positive effect on salary and career satisfaction over time.

Originality/value

Altogether these results suggest that career resilience is not only a way to stay active as an employee and cope with career changes, but it also enhances employees’ chances to achieve objective and subjective career success.
Authentic leadership: making meaning and building engagement
Authors: Winton Bradley Gene , Whittington J. Lee , Meskelis Simone
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Today’s organizations continue to suffer from the detrimental effects of employee disengagement. Leaders and their behavior play a significant role in limiting these negative effects. The literature provides evidence that facets of the full-range leadership model impact employee engagement. This paper aims to extend the leader-engagement connection to include the role authentic leadership plays in cultivating meaningfulness and engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a quantitative survey of 90 working professionals to test a mediated model and its hypothesized relationships among authentic leadership, meaningfulness and employee engagement. Hypotheses were tested with ordinary least squares regression in the PROCESS macro for Statistical Packages for the Social Science.

Findings

The results confirmed the positive impact of authentic leadership on engagement. The indirect effect of authentic leadership on engagement through meaningfulness was not found to be significant. However, post hoc analysis found evidence that the impact of authentic leadership is mediated by the dimensional aspect of meaningfulness, positive meaning.

Originality/value

These findings extend the empirical evidence tying leadership behavior to employee engagement by clarifying how authentic leadership influences employees to participate more fully in their organization’s activities. Further, this research provides alternative pathways for leaders to encourage and elicit engagement from their followers.
Environmental policy uncertainty and corporate green innovation: evidence from China
Authors: Huang Jinrong , Wang Zongjun , Jiang Zhenyu , Zhong Qin
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Previous studies have mostly discussed the impact of environmental policy on enterprise innovation, but the discussion on how turbulence in environmental policy may affect firms' green innovation has been insufficient. This paper explores the effect of environmental policy uncertainty on corporate green innovation in the turnover of environmental protection officials (EPOT) context.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors manually collected the data on the EPOT of 280 Chinese prefecture-level cities, and used the Poisson regression model to conduct empirical analyses based on the panel data of 1472 Chinese listed manufacturing firms from 2008 to 2017.

Findings

The results show that environmental policy uncertainty leads firms to reduce their green patent applications only for green invention patent applications. Such an effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs). In addition, when the new directors of the Ecology and Environmental Bureau take office through promotions or are no more than 55 years old, the negative effect is more obvious, but there is no significant difference regardless of whether new directors have worked in environmental protection departments.

Originality/value

First, this paper supplements the research on the antecedents of corporate green innovation from the perspective of environmental policy uncertainty and extends the applications of real options theory. Second, this paper expands the research on the government–business relationship from the EPOT perspective.
Cue congruence effects of attribute performance and hosts’ service quality attributes on room sales on peer-to-peer accommodation platforms
Authors: Chen Dongzhi , Bi Jian-Wu
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore how attribute performance and hosts’ service quality attributes affect room sales on peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms from the cue congruence perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

More than 9.53 million reviews concerning 258,473 listings located in 35 major cities worldwide were collected from Airbnb. Data was collected from December 2019 to December 2020 and was analysed using a generalised linear model.

Findings

Results show that when attribute performance and hosts’ service quality attributes give positive signals, Airbnb room sales are significantly higher than when the two kinds of cues give inconsistent or negative signals; when attribute performance gives positive signals and hosts’ service quality attributes give negative signals, room sales are higher than when the former gives negative signals and the latter give positive signals; surprisingly, when both kinds of cues give negative signals, room sales are higher than when attribute performance gives positive signals and hosts’ service quality attributes give negative signals.

Research limitations/implications

This paper adds useful insights on understanding of cue congruence (incongruence) effect on room sales of P2P accommodation platforms. This study has practical implications for hosts, online platform managers and guests regarding how to use online strategies and promotions on the Airbnb platform.

Originality/value

This study is an early attempt to explore how the combination of attribute performance and hosts’ service quality attributes affects Airbnb room sales under the conditions of consistency and inconsistency.
Online communities and offline sales: considerations on visiting behavior dimensions and online community types
Authors: Sun Yuan , Zhong Yating , Li Qi
Published: May 2022

Purpose

As an increasingly popular tool for product exploration, online communities have an important impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions. The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how visiting behaviors in online communities affect consumers’ offline purchasing behavior. The moderating role of two dimensions of consumer visiting behaviors (visiting depth and visiting breadth) also receives attention. Moreover, the impact of consumer visiting behaviors on offline sales for different types of online communities is also the focus of this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the empirical model, the authors collected data on consumers’ visits to an online real estate platform with local housing sales data. In addition to the baseline regression analysis of the data with the help of Stata 17.0, the study also analyzes the robustness of the results through several methods.

Findings

The authors focus on an online community for newly-built housing and find that consumer visits to the focal online community have a positive impact on offline sales. Visiting breadth has a negative moderating effect on this relationship, and no statistically significant moderating effect is found for visiting depth. Further, our empirical exploration finds that consumer visits to competitive online communities have a positive impact on offline focal product sales, but visits to complementary online communities have no statistically significant effect on offline sales.

Originality/value

Our findings contribute to the understanding of consumers’ cross-channel purchasing behavior and provide new insights into how visiting behaviors in online communities affect consumers’ purchasing decisions.
Conceptual review study of working capital management practices in the construction industry: trends and research prospects in Ghana
Authors: Asare Emmanuel , Owusu-Manu De-Graft , Ayarkwa Joshua , Edwards David John
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The concept of working capital management (WCM) has been a fundamental financial accounting term that has evolved in financial theory for centuries. Given that the construction industry (CI) is financially dynamic, there is an imperative need to understand its WCM practices. The call for the industry players to adhere to efficient financial management practices as a result of a huge financing gap requires consented effort. This study aims to explore the trend of practices of WCM in the CI and elicit a broader polemic dialogue about this crucial theme.

Design/methodology/approach

The source of information for the study was secondary mainly from referenced journals and international conference papers published on WCM relating to the CI. A three-step sample selection strategy was adopted to identify the range and scope of publications on WCM in the CI based on the systematic literature review method.

Findings

The CI cannot boost of enough empirical WCM research to gain in-depth understanding of its practical trend. The developing economies are failing to produce insightful peer-reviewed papers on WCM to assist in bridging the infrastructural financing gap through apposite strategies. Gaining appropriate knowledge of the short-term financial operations through a conceptualization of WCM practices in the CI may lead to better strategies formulated for smooth operations.

Originality/value

This is a pioneering paper in developing economies that have taken stock of WCM knowledge of the practical trend in the CI. Future research prospects in which WCM matters can use it as a reference point.
Return and volatility spillover between India and leading Asian and global equity markets: an empirical analysis
Authors: Mishra Aswini Kumar , Agrawal Saksham , Patwa Jash Ashish
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The study uses the multivariate GARCH-BEKK model (which was first proposed by Baba et al. (1990) and then further developed by Engle and Kroner (1995)) to examine the return and volatility spillover between India and four leading Asian (namely, China, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong) and two global (namely, the United Kingdom and the United States) equity markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a multivariate GARCH-BEKK model to quantify return correlation and volatility transmission across the pre- and post-2008 global financial crisis periods (apart from other conventional time series modelling like cointegration, Granger causality using vector error correction model (VECM)).

Findings

The results show a tendency of the Indian stock market index to move along with the US and Hong Kong market indices. The decrease in the value of the co-integration coefficient during the recession was explained by reduced investor confidence in developing countries. The result further shows a clear distinction in terms of volatility spillover between the Asian market vis-a-vis US and UK markets. Volatility transmission from India to Asian markets was found to be significantly higher as compared to the US and UK. So also, the study’s results show a puzzling result giving us comparable co-integration ranks for phase 2 (expansion) and phase 3 (slow-down) of the business cycle in most cases.

Research limitations/implications

In Granger causality testing, the results were unable to ascertain the difference between phase 2 (expansion) and phase 3 (slowdown). However, the multivariate GARCH (MGARCH)-BEKK model showed a clear reduction in volatility transmission to NIFTY50 (is the flagship index on the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. (NSE)) as India entered slow-down. This shows that the Indian economy does go through different business cycles, and the changes in parameters hence prove hypothesis 3 to be true with respect to volatility transmission to India from International markets.

Originality/value

The results show that for all countries, the volatility transmitted to India increases significantly going from phase 1 (recession) to phase 2 (expansion) and reduces again once the countries enter slow-down in phase 3 (slowdown). This shows that during expansion shocks and impulses in international markets affect the Indian markets significantly, supporting the increase in co-integration in phase 2 (expansion). During expansion, developing markets like India become profitable for investors, due to the high growth rate when compared to developed countries. This implies that a significant amount of capital enters Indian markets, which is susceptible to the volatility of international markets. The volatility transmission from India to the US and UK was insignificant in phase 1 (recession and recovery) and phase 3 (slow-down) showing a weak linkage between the markets during volatile time periods.
Followership: a review of current and emerging research
Authors: Matshoba-Ramuedzisi Tumeka , de Jongh Derick , Fourie Willem
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Over time, the role of followers within leadership discourse has gained greater status, leading to followers being acknowledged as significant actors in the leadership process. This has led to the development of follower-centric leadership studies, as well as the more emergent research area of followership, with followership research having the specific intention to find out about followers from the perspective of followers. In this paper, the authors provide a review of role-based followership approaches, and implicit leadership and followership theories as a basis to build a case for follower implicit followership theories (FIFTs) as a focus area for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a review of seminal and current role-based followership literature, with a specific focus on FIFTs and followership studies conducted within the African context.

Findings

Implicit theories have been an area of leadership research that has added much value, and as such could do the same for development of followership research. FIFTs as a research area are nascent and, as such, should continue to be explored in order to expand our understanding of followership.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first literature reviews to have a specific focus on FIFTs, as well as on followership research conducted within the African context.
Retention and turnover of staff undertaking degree studies: insights and evidence from South Africa
Authors: Adriano Judite A. , Callaghan Christian
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Social exchange theory predicts that perceptions of employee/employer exchange relationships may change as employees add educational qualifications. Literature also suggests that more innovative individuals, who are particularly important to organisations, may be more likely to change jobs. The purpose of this study is to test how the innovativeness of an individual differs in its contribution to retention when subjected to different mediating and moderating influences indicated in the literature, for a cohort of employees that are undertaking degree studies while working.

Design/methodology/approach

To test theory that suggests certain implications for employee turnover, the part-time studies unit of a large South African university offering degree studies by evening classes was sampled, yielding 323 useable responses, with a response rate of about 30%. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to test a theoretical model predicting certain mediating and moderating influences on the relationship between individual innovativeness and turnover intentions.

Findings

Individuals with higher innovativeness self-report higher turnover intentions, which seem to be reduced by the mediating effects of perceived supervisor support and job satisfaction. Perceptions of distributive justice and core self-evaluations, which may be associated with an individual's evaluation of the social exchange relationship, are found to directly enable retention.

Originality/value

A model of moderation and mediation relationships between employee innovativeness and turnover intentions is derived from the literature and tested, offering novel insights into how to retain valuable staff in this context.
Improving the outcome of treating striae gravidarum by combined therapies using topical β‐glucan and 1565‐nm non‐ablative fractional laser: A prospective randomized vehicle‐controlled parallel group study
Authors: Cao Yajing , Wang Peiru , Liu Xiaojing , Zhang Guolong , Cao Zhi , Xue Huan , He Qiumin , Wang Xiuli
Published: May 2022

Striae gravidarum (SG) is a kind of dermal scar associated with psychosocial and therapeutic challenge. Topical reagents and non‐invasive laser are more preferred than invasive procedures for less pain and shorter downtime. However, there are few studies on comparing and combining these two modalities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of a topical regimen containing β‐glucan, 1565‐nm non‐ablative fractional laser (NAFL; ResurFX), and combination of them for SG. A total of 128 unilateral abdomens from 64 subjects were randomly divided into four strategies and were followed up for 12 weeks: topical vehicle (Veh); topical β‐glucan (B); 1565‐nm NAFL combined topical vehicle (NAFL); 1565‐nm NAFL combined topical β‐glucan (B + NAFL). NAFL was applied three times with a 4‐week interval. Topical reagent was applied b.i.d. for 12 weeks. Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) scores were assessed by blinded physician according to standard photograph, and by subjects at 12th week. The degree of SG atrophy was assessed by blinded physician before treatment and at the 12th week according to a standard 5‐point scale. Collagen remodeling was evaluated by histological analysis and all adverse effects were recorded. A total of 56 women (112 unilateral abdomens) completed all study. The GAIS scores by blinded physician showed greater improvement in NAFL as compared with β‐glucan, and by subjects showed greater improvement in β‐glucan as compared with vehicle. In terms of striae atrophy scale, the improvement of SG atrophy was more prominent in NAFL compared to β‐glucan, and in β‐glucan + NAFL compared to Veh + NAFL. All treatments were well tolerated. Topical β‐glucan regimen can mildly improve SG. NAFL showed better results than topical β‐glucan regimen. The combined strategy may further improve the SG atrophy compared with single treatment strategy.
Citizen science across two centuries reveals phenological change among plant species and functional groups in the Northeastern US
Authors: Fuccillo Battle Kerissa , Duhon Anna , Vispo Conrad R. , Crimmins Theresa M. , Rosenstiel Todd N. , Armstrong‐Davies Lilas L. , de Rivera Catherine E.
Published: May 2022

Understanding the breadth and complexity of changes in phenology is limited by the availability of long‐term historical data sets with broad geographic range.

We compare a recently discovered historical data set of plant phenology observations collected across the state of New York (1826–1872) to contemporary volunteer‐contributed observations (2009–2017) to evaluate changes in plant phenology between time periods. These multi‐site, multi‐taxa phenology data matched with temperature data uniquely extend historical observations back in time prior to the major atmospheric effects of the Industrial Revolution.

The majority of the 36 trees, shrubs and forbs that comprised our analysable data set flowered and leafed out earlier in contemporary years than in the early to mid‐19th century. This shift is associated with a warming trend in mean January‐to‐April temperatures, with flowering and leafing advancing on average 3 days/°C earlier. On average, plants flowered 10.5 days earlier and leafed out 19 days earlier in the contemporary period. Urban areas exhibit more advanced phenology than their rural counterparts overall, and insect‐pollinated trees show more advanced phenology than wind‐pollinated trees and seasonality and growth form explain significant variation in flowering phenology. The greatest rates of temperature sensitivity and change between time periods for flowering are seen in early‐season species, particularly trees. Changes in the timing of leaf out are the most advanced for trees and shrubs in urban areas.

Synthesis. Citizen science observations across two centuries reveal a dramatic, climate‐driven shift to earlier leaf out and flowering. The magnitude of advancement varies across settings, species and functional groups, and illustrates how long‐term monitoring and citizen science efforts are invaluable for ecological forecasting and discovery.
Washed preparation of faecal microbiota changes the transplantation related safety, quantitative method and delivery
Authors: Lu Gaochen , Wang Weihong , Li Pan , Wen Quan , Cui Bota , Zhang Faming
Published: May 2022

The safety, quantitative method and delivery of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) vary a lot from different countries in practice. Recently, the improved methodology of FMT based on the automatic filtration, washing process and the related delivery was named as washed microbiota transplantation (WMT). First, this study aimed to describe the methodology development of FMT from manual to washing preparation from 2012 to 2021 in China Microbiota Transplantation System (CMTS), a centralized stool bank for providing a national non‐profit service. The secondary aim is to describe donor screenings, the correlation between faecal weight and treatment doses, incidence of adverse events and delivery decision. The retrospective analysis on the prospectively recorded data was performed. Results showed that the success rate of donor screening was 3.1% (32/1036). The incidence rate of fever decreased significantly from 19.4% (6/31) in manual FMT to 2.7% (24/902) in WMT in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), which made UC a considerable disease model to reflect the quality control of faecal microbiota preparation. We defined one treatment unit as 10 cm3 microbiota precipitation (1.0 × 1013 bacteria) based on enriched microbiota instead of rough faecal weight. For delivering microbiota, colonic transendoscopic enteral tube is a promising way especially for multiple WMTs or frequent colonic administration of drugs combined with WMT. This study should help improve the better practice of FMT for helping more patients in the future.
Nursing knowledge captured in electronic health records
Authors: Rossi Laura , Butler Shawna , Coakley Amanda , Flanagan Jane
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which nursing assessment data was present in the electronic health record and linked to NANDA‐I, NIC, and NOC.

Methods

This retrospective review used a descriptive approach to examine documentation in the electronic health records (EHR) of 10 hospitalized patients requiring cardiac surgery. A team of experts applied a Delphi consensus‐building process to identify the supports and barriers for nursing documentation.

Findings

Collection of the health history was organized using Gordon's Functional Health Pattern (FHP) Framework. Seventy‐five fields were noted for the entry of nursing assessment data of which 65 focused on health history data and 30 documented physical findings and observations. There were no references to the defining characteristics or etiologies with any of the diagnostic labels used. Care plans included the nursing diagnoses, goals of care, and interventions, although there was a lack of clear alignment between the assessment, NANDA‐I, NIC, and NOC and the care plan. Progress note documentation addressed significant events in the patient's clinical course; however, these were not nursing problem or diagnosis focused. Four expert reviewers arrived at consensus regarding the supports and challenges impacting nurses’ ability to document data depicting nursing's contribution to care using a FHP and standardized nursing language in the EHR.

Conclusions

The EHR provides an opportunity to reflect nursing clinical judgment and make nursing care visible. These findings suggest there are challenges to capturing nurse focused data elements in the EHR.

Implications for nursing practice

This work has important implications for clinicians, educators, and administrators alike. EHR systems must accurately capture nurses’ contribution to patient care to plan for resource allocation and quality care delivery. Ultimately, the development of standardized data sources reflecting the outcomes of nursing care will expand the opportunities to advance nursing knowledge.
Using Facebook language to predict and describe excessive alcohol use
Authors: Jose Rupa , Matero Matthew , Sherman Garrick , Curtis Brenda , Giorgi Salvatore , Schwartz Hansen Andrew , Ungar Lyle H.
Published: May 2022

Background

Assessing risk for excessive alcohol use is important for applications ranging from recruitment into research studies to targeted public health messaging. Social media language provides an ecologically embedded source of information for assessing individuals who may be at risk for harmful drinking.

Methods

Using data collected on 3664 respondents from the general population, we examine how accurately language used on social media classifies individuals as at‐risk for alcohol problems based on Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test‐Consumption score benchmarks.

Results

We find that social media language is moderately accurate (area under the curve = 0.75) at identifying individuals at risk for alcohol problems (i.e., hazardous drinking/alcohol use disorders) when used with models based on contextual word embeddings. High‐risk alcohol use was predicted by individuals’ usage of words related to alcohol, partying, informal expressions, swearing, and anger. Low‐risk alcohol use was predicted by individuals’ usage of social, affiliative, and faith‐based words.

Conclusions

The use of social media data to study drinking behavior in the general public is promising and could eventually support primary and secondary prevention efforts among Americans whose at‐risk drinking may have otherwise gone “under the radar.”
First‐in‐human phase 2 trial with mite allergoids coupled to mannan in subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy
Authors: Nieto Antonio , Mazón Ángel , Nieto María , Ibáñez Ethel , Jang Dah‐Tay , Calaforra Susana , Alba Pilar , Pérez‐Francés Carmen , Llusar Ruth , Montoro Javier , de Mateo Antonio , Alamar Remedios , El‐Qutob David , Fernández Javier , Moral Luis , Toral Teresa , Antón Mónica , Andreu Carmen , Ferrer Ángel , Flores Isabel‐María , Cerdá Neus , del Pozo Sandra , Caballero Raquel , Subiza José Luis , Casanovas Miguel
Published: May 2022

Background

Polymerized allergens conjugated to non‐oxidized mannan (PM‐allergoids) are novel vaccines targeting dendritic cells (DCs). Previous experimental data indicate that PM‐allergoids are readily taken up by DCs and induce Treg cells. This first‐in‐human study was aimed to evaluate safety and to find the optimal dose of house dust mite PM‐allergoid (PM‐HDM) administered subcutaneously (SC) or sublingually (SL).

Methods

In a randomized, double‐blind, double‐dummy, placebo‐controlled trial, 196 subjects received placebo or PM‐HDM at 500, 1000, 3000, or 5000 mannan‐conjugated therapeutic units (mTU)/mL in 9‐arm groups for 4 months. All subjects received 5 SC doses (0.5 ml each) every 30 days plus 0.2 ml SL daily. The primary efficacy outcome was the improvement of titrated nasal provocation tests (NPT) with D. pteronyssinus at baseline and at the end of the study. All adverse events and reactions were recorded and assessed. Secondary outcomes were the combination of symptom and medication scores (CSMS) and serological markers.

Results

No moderate or severe adverse reactions were reported. Subjects improving the NPT after treatment ranged from 45% to 62% in active SC, 44% to 61% in active SL and 16% in placebo groups. Statistical differences between placebo and active groups were all significant above 500 mTU, being the highest with 3000 mTU SL (p = 0.004) and 5000 mTU SC (p = 0.011). CSMS improvement over placebo reached 70% (p < 0.001) in active 3000 mTU SC and 40% (p = 0.015) in 5000 mTU SL groups.

Conclusions

PM‐HDM immunotherapy was safe and successful in achieving primary and secondary clinical outcomes in SC and SL at either 3000 or 5000 mTU/ml.
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae infection of pulmonary macrophages drives neutrophilic inflammation in severe asthma
Authors: Ackland Jodie , Barber Clair , Heinson Ashley , Azim Adnan , Cleary David W. , Christodoulides Myron , Kurukulaaratchy Ramesh J. , Howarth Peter , Wilkinson Tom M. A. , Staples Karl J. ,   the WATCH study investigators
Published: May 2022

Background

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a respiratory tract pathobiont that chronically colonizes the airways of asthma patients and is associated with severe, neutrophilic disease phenotypes. The mechanism of NTHi airway persistence is not well understood, but accumulating evidence suggests NTHi can persist within host airway immune cells such as macrophages. We hypothesized that NTHi infection of pulmonary macrophages drives neutrophilic inflammation in severe asthma.

Methods

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from 25 severe asthma patients were assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation to quantify NTHi presence. Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed on RNASeq data from NTHi‐infected monocyte‐derived macrophages to identify transcriptomic networks associated with NTHi infection.

Results

NTHi was detected in 56% of BAL samples (NTHi+) and was associated with longer asthma duration (34 vs 22.5 years, p = .0436) and higher sputum neutrophil proportion (67% vs 25%, p = .0462). WGCNA identified a transcriptomic network of immune‐related macrophage genes significantly associated with NTHi infection, including upregulation of T17 inflammatory mediators and neutrophil chemoattractants IL1B, IL8, IL23 and CCL20 (all p < .05). Macrophage network genes SGPP2 (p = .0221), IL1B (p = .0014) and GBP1 (p = .0477) were more highly expressed in NTHi+ BAL and moderately correlated with asthma duration (IL1B; rho = 0.41, p = .041) and lower prebronchodilator FEV1/FVC% (GBP1; rho = −0.43, p = .046 and IL1B; rho = −0.42, p = .055).

Conclusions

NTHi persistence with pulmonary macrophages may contribute to chronic airway inflammation and T17 responses in severe asthma, which can lead to decreased lung function and reduced steroid responsiveness. Identifying therapeutic strategies to reduce the burden of NTHi in asthma could improve patient outcomes.
Solidarity and the ethics of exposing others to risk in medical research
Authors: Łuków Paweł
Published: May 2022

The ethical justifiability of the invitation of others to participate in research and their deliberate exposure to risks of harm is not a common topic in bioethics. If, however, some offers ought not to be made and the corresponding actions ought not to be facilitated, invitations to, and the conduct of, a medical study involving humans needs justification. This paper addresses this issue by linking the search for medical knowledge with solidarity. The argument begins with the observation that scientific research is aimed at general knowledge, which is a necessary condition of the social value of research. The applicability of this knowledge to many makes it potentially a public good; that is, a good that is available freely to all. For knowledge to be a public good, a social decision to make it freely available to all needs to be made. It is proposed that this decision be grounded in society's, and so in both researchers' and potential research participants’, commitment to solidarity and its obligations of provision, sharing, support, and loyalty. These obligations imply, among other things, an imperfect obligation to participate in research and the corresponding entitlement of the investigators to invite others to participate in research, and so to expose them to its risks during implementation. This entitlement is exercised in an environment shaped by the standards and protections of research ethics and the relevant institutional arrangements.
Easy or difficult? Children's understanding of how supply and demand affect goal completion
Authors: Stonehouse Emily E. , Huh Michelle , Friedman Ori
Published: May 2022

Three experiments examined children's understanding of how supply and demand affect the difficulty of completing goals. Participants were 368 predominantly White Canadians (52% female, 48% male) tested in 2017–2022. In Experiment 1, 3‐year‐olds recognized that obtaining resources is easier where supply exceeds demand than where demand exceeds supply. However, in Experiment 2, 3‐year‐olds were insensitive to supply and demand when comparing situations where demand exceeded supply to a greater or lesser degree. Finally, Experiment 3 revealed a developmental lag in 3‐ to 7‐year‐olds' understanding of how supply and demand affects goal completion: Children succeeded when contrasting a surplus and a shortage of supply relative to demand at 4;2. But they only succeeded when contrasting degrees of greater supply than demand at 5;10.
Thalamic atrophy, duration of illness, and years of education are the best predictors of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Khedr Eman M. , Desoky Tarek , Gamea Ayman , Ezzeldin Mohammed Y. , Zaki Ahmed F.
Published: May 2022

Background

Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in multiple sclerosis. We assessed the relationship between CI and demographic, motor disability, and volumetric brain atrophy in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods

In all, 43 RRMS patients and 40 age‐ sex‐, and education‐matched normal volunteers were enrolled. Assessments included: demographic, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS); Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS); and brain volumetric assessment.

Results

The mean age of onset of RRMS patients was 25.72 y and the mean number of attacks was 3.30 ± 2.33/year. The total brain volume, cerebral, and cerebellar hemispheres, brainstem as well as thalamic and hippocampal gray matter were significantly reduced in RRMS patients compared with controls.

CI was detected in 41.9% of patients. Patients with CI had fewer years of education (P = .001), a higher number of attacks (P = .002), worse EDSS scores (P = .030); reduced gray matter volume, particularly of the thalamus, and hippocampus compared with patients without CI. There were significant negative correlations between CI with duration of illness, number of attacks, time elapsed between onset and diagnosis, and EDSS. Thalamic volume showed strong positive correlations with CI (P < .0001). The best predictors of CI were thalamic atrophy, duration of illness, and years of education (P = .001, .010, and .035 respectively).

Conclusion

We confirmed the presence of gray matter atrophy of the brain in RRMS patients. Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging measures of thalamus, duration of illness, and years of education could be useful biomarkers of CI in RRMS.
Double trouble: A case of spinal muscular atrophy type III found to be complicated by myasthenia gravis due to subacute dysphagia
Authors: Ishikawa Ruoyi , Sugimoto Takamichi , Abe Takafumi , Ohno Narumi , Giga Mayumi , Naito Hiroyuki , Kono Tomoyuki , Nomura Eiichi , Yamawaki Takemori
Published: May 2022

Background

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disorder caused by the progressive loss of lower motor neurons. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired, autoimmune, neuromuscular junction disorder. We encountered a rare case of coexisting SMA and MG.

Case Presentation

A man was diagnosed with SMA type III when aged in his 20s. At the age 71 years, he started experiencing difficulty flexing his elbow, with dysphagia appearing within a few months. He had difficulty eating and was referred to our hospital to undergo gastrostomy. Other diseases that could cause dysphagia were investigated. Tests for acetylcholine receptor antibody and edrophonium showed positive results, based on which he was diagnosed with MG. A genetic test was carried out that reconfirmed SMA. He was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone, pyridostigmine and tacrolimus, resulting in dysphagia gradually recovering and he could consume a full meal. The patient was discharged without undergoing gastrostomy.

Conclusions

SMA type III is a disease manifesting as slowly progressive muscle weakness. When the muscle weakness progresses and dysphagia appears subacutely in SMA type III patients, it is necessary to consider the complications of other diseases, such as MG.
Expanding the novel MAPKAPK5–related developmental disorder's genotype–phenotype correlation: Patient report and 19 months of follow‐up
Authors: Vecchio Davide , Cocciadiferro Dario , Macchiaiolo Marina , Gonfiantini Michaela Veronika , Agolini Emanuele , Matraxia Marta , Carboni Alessia , Coretti Antonella , Villani Andrea , Panfili Filippo Maria , Dentici Maria Lisa , Buonuomo Paola Sabrina , Rana Ippolita , Colafati Giovanna Stefania , Digilio Maria Cristina , Novelli Antonio , Bartuli Andrea
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to widen the knowledge of a recently identified, autosomal‐recessive, multiple congenital anomalies syndrome to date observed in only other three children. This is the second report of biallelic mutations in MAPKAPK5 whose impairment during human development has been associated with neurological, cardiac, and facial anomalies combined with fingers and toes malformations. Through the affected patients' genetic and phenotypic features overlap, this report confirms MAPKAPK5 as causative gene and adds unique neurodevelopmental characterization. Moreover, based on the complex congenital genitourinary anomalies reported and MAPKAPK5 literature review, we also propose kidney and external genitalia involvement as a key syndromic feature whose expressivity may be more severe in males.
Radiographic bone volume alteration after jaw cyst enucleation with or without simultaneous bone grafts: A prospective randomized study
Authors: Shi Jue , Zhou Jinhan , Liu Chuanxia , Liu Yu , Si Misi
Published: May 2022

Objective

This study was aimed to evaluate bone healing after jaw cyst enucleation with or without bone substitutes by cone beam computed tomography, and to analyze potential influence factors for bone formation as well.

Materials and Methods

Sixty seven jaw cyst patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Thirty three patients in control group accepted cystectomy without any filling material. The rest 34 bone cavities which filled with xenograft (DBBM, Bio‐Oss®) and covered by absorbable membrane (Bio‐Gide®) were included in the guided bone regeneration (GBR) group. All patients were examined with cone bean computerized tomography before operation, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Linear regression analysis was applied to evaluate the influence factors of bone healing.

Results

There was no significant difference in bone formation rate at 3 months after enucleation, with shrinkage rate (SR) of cystic lesion in control group and GBR group of 26.43 ± 14.98% and 20.78 ± 10.80%, respectively (p > 0.05). Larger shrinkage area in GBR group was detected on postoperative radiographs after 6 months with SR of 60.11 ± 19.23%, when compared to those in patients without filling (6 months SR: 48.63 ± 19.39%,p = 0.018, <0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that cyst size was negatively correlated with bone formation.

Conclusion

GBR with bovine xenograft and absorbable membrane showed considerable bone regeneration property in the healing of jaw cystic defects after enucleation of radicular cysts. Cyst size showed a suppressive influence on bone formation.
The impact of body mass index (BMI) on satisfaction with work life: An international BODY‐Q study
Authors: Jacobsen Amalie L. , DeVries Claire E. E. , Poulsen Lotte , Mou Danny , Klassen Anne F. , Pusic Andrea L. , Makarawung Dennis J. S. , Wiezer Marinus J. , van Veen Ruben N. , Sørensen Jens A.
Published: May 2022

Obesity is a global health issue known to have a major influence on health‐related quality of life (HR‐QOL). HR‐QOL is a concept evaluating physical and psychological health. Work life can impact HR‐QOL in people with obesity. The aim of this study was to measure the association between body mass index (BMI) and satisfaction with work life. This study included participants from an international multicenter field‐test study of BODY‐Q scales. Recruitment took place at hospitals in Denmark, The Netherlands and USA between June 2019 and January 2020. The BODY‐Q Work Life scale was used to measure work life satisfaction. The difference between BMI groups and work life satisfaction was examined using one‐way analysis of variance. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between BMI and work life satisfaction, adjusted for significant confounders. Of 4123 participants, 2515 completed the BODY‐Q Work Life scale. BMI groups showed significant difference in work life satisfaction (p < .0001). The Work Life scale mean score was 77.6 for the normal BMI group, 78.5 for the overweight group and 75.0, 68.9 and 63.8 for Class 1, 2 and 3 obesity, respectively. Furthermore, BMI was significantly associated with satisfaction with work life (adjusted regression coefficient −.962, p < .0001). Higher BMI was associated with lower work life satisfaction. This finding suggests that a reduction in BMI may have a positive influence on work life satisfaction in people with obesity.
Right laparoscopic pudendal release + neurostimulator prosthesis (LION procedure) in pudendal neuralgia
Authors: Moncada Enrique , de San Ildefonso Alberto , Flores Erene , Garrido Lucia , Cano‐Valderrama Oscar , Vigorita Vincenzo , Sánchez‐Santos Raquel
Published: May 2022

Aim

Pudendal neuralgia is a highly disabling entity with complex diagnostic and controversial treatment results. Surgical neurolysis has been shown to be the most effective treatment. Sacral root neurostimulation or posterior tibial nerve stimulation are used to rescue patients who either have not responded to surgery or have worsened after an initial improvement.

Methods

Given the excellent visualization of the pudendal nerve during laparoscopic pudendal release, we propose to combine this procedure with neurostimulation, taking advantage of the possibility of in situ placement of the electrode. The abdominal cavity is accessed laparoscopically through four ports, and after identifying and releasing the pudendal nerve a neurostimulation electrode is placed next to the nerve and is connected to a generator located in a subcutaneous pocket.

Results

This procedure has been performed in one patient with a satisfactory result.

Conclusions

Laparoscopic pudendal release with neurostimulator prosthesis is an experimental technique that can be promising for the treatment of pudendal neuralgia.