bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaming up for more comprehensive care: case study of the Geriatric flying squad and emergency responders (Ambulance, Police, Fire and Rescue)
Authors: Elias Lynda , Maiden Genevieve , Manger Julie , Reyes Patricia
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, implementation and initial evaluation of the Geriatric Flying Squad's reciprocal referral pathways with emergency responders including New South Wales Ambulance, Police and Fire and Rescue. These innovative pathways and model of care were developed to improve access to multidisciplinary services for vulnerable community dwelling frail older people with the intent of improving health and quality of life outcomes by providing an alternative to hospital admission.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a case study describing the review of the Geriatric Flying Squad's referral database and quality improvement initiative to streamline referrals amongst the various emergency responders in the local health district. The implementation and initial evaluation of the project through online survey are further described.

Findings

Sustainable cross-sector collaboration can be achieved through building reciprocal pathways between an existing rapid response geriatric outreach service and emergency responders including Ambulance, Police, Fire and Rescue. Historically, emergency services would have transferred this group to the emergency department. These pathways exemplify person-centred care, underpinned by a multidisciplinary, rapid response team, providing an alternative referral pathway for first responders, with the aim of improving whole of health outcomes for frail older people.

Practical implications

Enablers of these pathways include a single point of contact for agencies, extended hours to support referral pathways, education to increase capacity and awareness, comprehensive and timely comprehensive assessment and ongoing case management where required and contemporaneous cross-sector collaboration to meet the medical and psychosocial needs of the client.

Originality/value

The Geriatric Flying Squad reciprocal pathways are a unique model of care with a multi-agency approach to addressing frail older people's whole of health needs.
Corporate social responsibility as an effective promotional tool for the Malaysian halal certified companies in the era of Covid-19
Authors: Jaiyeoba Haruna Babatunde , Hossain Shahoriyer , Mohd Salleh Hamzah , Elgharbawy Amal A.M.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to intend to ascertain whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) can serve as an effective promotional tool for the Malaysian halal certified companies in the era of Covid-19 pandemic. Starting from being nice to do, the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought CSR to the forefront of businesses, forcing them to rapidly shift from profit maximisation to business preservation. Thus, it is practically crucial to ascertain whether CSR could be effectively used to promote halal brands in this era.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the stated aim, a survey questionnaire was developed and used to collect data from 295 participants who are familiar with the concepts of CSR and halal in Malaysia. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Findings

The findings reveal that the commitment to halal best practices, zakat and charitable donations, environmental responsibility, employee welfare and responsible dealings with clients are the most important CSR activities that can promote halal certified companies in the era of Covid-19. Whilst there is a positive relationship between halal economic responsibility and CSR as a promotional tool, such relationship is not significant. Nevertheless, the relationship between legal responsibility and CSR as a promotional tool is negative and insignificant.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations are inevitable in any study where a convenient sampling technique is used. Respondents from Klang Valley in Malaysia make up a large proportion of the study’s sample. This may consequently limit the generalisability of the findings of this study. Hence, future research should adequately collect data from other cities in Malaysia. Moreover, this paper does not differentiate between perceptions of Muslims and non-Muslims or between male and female; this might have an effect, as Muslims are likely to favour most of the items in the questionnaire used to collect data for this study. Thus, future research may collect sufficient data to shed more light on this issue.

Originality/value

The researchers have revealed that CSR is an effective promotional tool for the Malaysian halal certified companies in the era of Covid-19 pandemic. Study of this nature is rare in academic literature.
A model of service supply chain sustainability assessment using fuzzy methods and factor analysis in oil and gas industry
Authors: Naghi Beiranvand Davood , Jamali Firouzabadi Kamran , Dorniani Sahar
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The main objective of this study is to present a conceptual model of sustainable product service supply chain (SPSSC) performance assessment in the oil and gas industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an in-depth study of the previous literature, the indicators related to PSSC performance assessment were determined. Then, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were applied to identify and confirm the sub-criteria and criteria pertaining to the proposed model.

Findings

The obtained results identify ten criteria related to the proposed model as follows: “Environmental performance”, “Customer performance”, “financial performance”, “Information technology Performance”, “Social Performance”, “Risk performance”, “Logistics performance”, “Operational performance”, “Organizational performance” and “performance of innovation and growth”.

Research limitations/implications

As the present research was conducted in the Iranian context, caution should be taken regarding the generalizability of the obtained results.

Originality/value

Based on a set of the identified criteria, this study proposes a conceptual model of the PSSC performance assessment in the oil and gas industry which hopefully could be useful for other organizations in this industry and other organizations in other parts of the world.
Cost-sensitive meta-learning framework
Authors: Shilbayeh Samar Ali , Vadera Sunil
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the use of a meta-learning framework for recommending cost-sensitive classification methods with the aim of answering an important question that arises in machine learning, namely, “Among all the available classification algorithms, and in considering a specific type of data and cost, which is the best algorithm for my problem?”

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes the use of a meta-learning framework for recommending cost-sensitive classification methods for the aim of answering an important question that arises in machine learning, namely, “Among all the available classification algorithms, and in considering a specific type of data and cost, which is the best algorithm for my problem?” The framework is based on the idea of applying machine learning techniques to discover knowledge about the performance of different machine learning algorithms. It includes components that repeatedly apply different classification methods on data sets and measures their performance. The characteristics of the data sets, combined with the algorithms and the performance provide the training examples. A decision tree algorithm is applied to the training examples to induce the knowledge, which can then be used to recommend algorithms for new data sets. The paper makes a contribution to both meta-learning and cost-sensitive machine learning approaches. Those both fields are not new, however, building a recommender that recommends the optimal case-sensitive approach for a given data problem is the contribution. The proposed solution is implemented in WEKA and evaluated by applying it on different data sets and comparing the results with existing studies available in the literature. The results show that a developed meta-learning solution produces better results than METAL, a well-known meta-learning system. The developed solution takes the misclassification cost into consideration during the learning process, which is not available in the compared project.

Findings

The proposed solution is implemented in WEKA and evaluated by applying it to different data sets and comparing the results with existing studies available in the literature. The results show that a developed meta-learning solution produces better results than METAL, a well-known meta-learning system.

Originality/value

The paper presents a major piece of new information in writing for the first time. Meta-learning work has been done before but this paper presents a new meta-learning framework that is costs sensitive.
Reflections of a feminist organizational ethnographer: considering the subject matter and the research setting
Authors: Ryan Irene
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reflexively reconsider the effects of the author’s pre-understandings, both academic and non-academic, on the subject matter and the research setting. The unforeseen implications of this disjuncture on our research practice and the expected deliverables are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper engages in a critical, self-reflexive dialogue of a journey through a stimulating yet, uncomfortable piece of feminist, organizational ethnographic research drawing on the insights from the author's research diary.

Findings

The account presented in this paper describes the problematic nature of undertaking a collaborative, reciprocal research project in the distinctive and foreign cultural landscape of the military. The author shows the importance of delving into matters of positionality and preparedness for what might emerge, as a form of closure.

Practical implications

The paper provides insights into the importance of sponsors to access “the field” and our obligation as researchers to produce written deliverables.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the emerging literature on the significance of reflexivity in feminist inspired organizational ethnographies in highly gendered settings such as the military.
Chinese entrepreneurs’ experience of social media marketing: perception, strategy and challenge
Authors: Chen Huan , Ma Dalong , Wang Ruowen
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore Chinese entrepreneurs’ perceptions and interpretations of social media marketing (SMM) in their daily business practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the phenomenon. Specifically, 18 in-depth interviews were conducted among Chinese entrepreneurs to obtain their experiences of and perceptions on SMM.

Findings

Findings revealed that Chinese entrepreneurs have good understandings of SMM. They believe SMM is a necessary way to interact with customers and SMM can provide flexibility and sensitivity which are important for entrepreneurial marketing and are not easy to achieve through traditional marketing activities. When they choose social media applications, they will match the purpose of marketing activity with the characteristics of the social media. They have developed the specific strategies for different social media applications. In the meantime, they are facing some challenges, such as breaking the communication clutter, measuring the results and over depending on social media.

Originality/value

Findings of the current study extend the uses and gratifications theory to the context of business-oriented media usage. In addition, findings of the study expand previous literature by enriching the theoretical understanding of the concept of entrepreneur and entrepreneurial marketing in new social and cultural contexts. Finally, findings of the current study also supplement previous research on social media advertising by uncovering rich meanings of SMM from business owners’ emic perspective.
Entrepreneurial value creation: conceptualizing an exchange-based view of entrepreneurship
Authors: Pinelli Michele , Lechner Christian , Kraus Sascha , Liguori Eric
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper proposes an Exchange-Based View of the value creation process. The Borrowing from marketing literature, the EBV advances that entrepreneurs and stakeholders are tied by exchange relationships, through which they co-create value by reciprocally making and realizing promises of value.

Design/methodology/approach

Propositions are developed and offered to advance the role of exchange in the entrepreneurial value creation process.

Findings

The authors conceptualize the enterprise as a system of exchange relationships between entrepreneurs and their stakeholders, thus proposing an exchange-based view of entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

Such an account of the role of entrepreneurs and of their relationship with the stakeholders has meaningful implications for our understanding of the entrepreneurial tasks of opportunity recognition and exploitation.
Responding to the COVID-19 crisis: the rapid turn toward digital business models
Authors: Kronblad Charlotta , Envall Pregmark Johanna
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The effects of the spread of COVID-19 across the world are devastating, both from a health and an economic perspective. However, we also see encouraging examples of collaborative and innovative initiatives, in society and in organizations. The purpose of this paper is to focus on initiatives related to digital business model innovation. The authors explore how organizational characteristics provide a variety of opportunities for digital responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss the potential consequences for the speed of digital transformation in organizations and society.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors analyze how organizations attempt to mitigate the negative effects of fighting COVID-19 using digital business model responses. The authors draw on a qualitative study where they have collected data from the retail and service industries. They have analyzed the data in relation to theory to better understand this ongoing phenomenon.

Findings

The authors have identified four categories of organizations (crisispreneurs, accelerators, endurers and thrivers). Each category faces different challenges and shows a different intensity in their digital transformation. The authors propose that the rapid turn toward digital business models will have enduring effects, as organizations have gained transformational capabilities that will remain, and that the digital trajectory has, as a result, changed forever.

Originality/value

The findings in this paper point toward new challenges for leaders and policymakers in terms of how to support initiatives and meet the needs of different categories of organizations while simultaneously being conscious of the potential societal effects of this rapid digital shift. The authors hope that this paper can be of value for managing this shock and learning how to adapt for the future taking certain aspects of current business models as the departure point.
“We are all in this together:” police use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hu Xiaochen , Dong Beidi , Lovrich Nicholas
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Previous studies consistently indicate that police agencies tend to use social media to assist in criminal investigations, to improve police-community relations and to broadcast both crime- and non-crime-related tips promotive of public safety. To date, little research has examined what content the police tended to post on their social media sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

By selecting the 14 most widely attended police agencies' Facebook accounts, the current study collects and analyzes a sample of 2,477 police Facebook postings between February 1 and May 31, 2020. By using a mix-method approach, the study addresses three research questions: 1) What kinds of messages did the police tend to post on their Facebook pages before and during this pandemic? 2) What types of COVID-related police Facebook postings were made? 3) How did the public react to COVID-19-related police Facebook postings?

Findings

The findings suggest that the police have come to believe that social media can be used as an effective police−public communicative tool in stressful times. The findings also suggest that social media platforms have become a routinized tool of police−public communications which can, to some appreciable extent, substitute for the in-person contacts traditionally relied upon in community policing.

Originality/value

This study of police use of social media explores the question of whether the use of these media can serve as an effective tool to connect the police with the public under circumstances where in-person contacts are greatly constrained. Some public policy implications emerging from the findings reported are discussed, along with implications for further research along these lines.
Event-based tracking of human hands
Authors: Duarte Laura , Safeea Mohammad , Neto Pedro
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper proposes a novel method for human hands tracking using data from an event camera. The event camera detects changes in brightness, measuring motion, with low latency, no motion blur, low power consumption and high dynamic range. Captured frames are analysed using lightweight algorithms reporting three-dimensional (3D) hand position data. The chosen pick-and-place scenario serves as an example input for collaborative human–robot interactions and in obstacle avoidance for human–robot safety applications.

Design/methodology/approach

Events data are pre-processed into intensity frames. The regions of interest (ROI) are defined through object edge event activity, reducing noise. ROI features are extracted for use in-depth perception.

Findings

Event-based tracking of human hand demonstrated feasible, in real time and at a low computational cost. The proposed ROI-finding method reduces noise from intensity images, achieving up to 89% of data reduction in relation to the original, while preserving the features. The depth estimation error in relation to ground truth (measured with wearables), measured using dynamic time warping and using a single event camera, is from 15 to 30 millimetres, depending on the plane it is measured.

Originality/value

Tracking of human hands in 3 D space using a single event camera data and lightweight algorithms to define ROI features (hands tracking in space).
The impact of the adoption of green marketing on corporate performance of non-profitable organizations: empirical study
Authors: Al-dmour Hani , Hadad Haifa , Al-dmour Rand
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of green marketing adoption on non-profitable organizations’ performance in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was developed to collect the needed data and test the developed hypotheses to investigate the impact of green marketing adoption on non-profitable organizations’ performance. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 183 respondents in non-profitable organizations operating in Jordan.

Findings

The findings indicate that the extent of green marketing adoption by profitable organizations in Jordan is relatively moderate. They also confirm that the corporate performance of non-profitable organizations is positively associated with the extent of adoption of green marketing dimensions, particularly environmental and social responsibility aspects.

Originality/value

Reviewing the existing literature revealed that similar studies had not previously been undertaken in Jordan as a developing country.
Clinging performance on natural substrates predicts habitat use in anoles and geckos
Authors: Wright Amber N. , Kennedy‐Gold Stevie R. , Naylor Emily R. , Screen Robyn M. , Piantoni Carla , Higham Timothy E.
Published: September 2021

For arboreal lizards, the ability to cling or adhere to the substrate is critical for locomotion during prey capture, predator escape, thermoregulation and social interactions. Thus, selection on traits related to clinging is likely strong.

Correlations between morphology, performance and habitat use have been documented in arboreal lizards, providing a framework for using functional traits to predict habitat use in the field.

We tested the hypothesis that clinging performance predicts habitat use in an actively assembling community of introduced lizards in Hawaiʻi comprised of anoles (Anolis carolinensis, A. sagrei) and day geckos (Phelsuma laticauda).

We measured morphological traits (toepad area and lamellae number) and tested clinging performance on two artificial and eight natural substrates in the laboratory. We measured habitat use in 10 m × 10 m outdoor enclosures where habitat availability was controlled and the lizard species assemblage was manipulated to reflect all species combinations. The enclosure experiment generated more than 9,000 habitat use observations from 360 lizards.

Morphological traits that predict performance in Anolis were not predictive in Phelsuma, indicating that direct measures of performance are necessary for comparisons between the genera.

Measuring clinging performance on multiple substrates provided key insights into patterns of habitat use. While all three species performed best on an artificial smooth substrate (acrylic), performance on natural substrates predicted which texture (rough vs. smooth) was most often used by each species.

Performance predicted perch height use: species with the greatest clinging performance (A. carolinensis and P. laticauda) across substrates perched twice as high as A. sagrei.

We did not observe habitat shifts in the height or texture of perches used by any species in response to experimental manipulation of the lizard species assemblage.

Our results highlight the inextricable link between ecology, morphology and performance, the importance of measuring functional traits in ecologically relevant ways, and the potential for resource partitioning to be influenced by differences in the ability to attach to different substrates.
Australian occupational therapists' knowledge of the purpose, scope, and funding of assistance dogs
Authors: Iong Ka Kei , Bould Em , Lalor Aislinn , Callaway Libby
Published: September 2021

Background

Assistance dogs, considered a form of assistive technology within Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), can support scheme participants to achieve greater independence. To receive funding, an allied health assessment report (most often from occupational therapists) is required to justify the animal as a reasonable and necessary support.

Objectives

Examine Australian occupational therapists' knowledge and perceptions of assistance dogs; NDIS funding of animal supports; and resources considered useful to guide occupational therapy assessment and report writing.

Method

An online anonymous survey was developed and distributed via social media channels, an email listserv, and professional association newsletters to Australian occupational therapists. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Inductive content analysis of open‐ended question responses provided additional insights regarding occupational therapists' knowledge, experiences, and information needs in relation to animal supports.

Results

One hundred forty‐five completed surveys were received. A majority of participants had limited knowledge regarding the purpose, scope, and funding of assistance dogs. Only 14 participants had made a referral for an assistance dog for an NDIS participant. For the 36 participants who self‐identified as having good or excellent knowledge of one or more types of assistance dogs, benefits included increasing users' independence, confidence, and quality of life. Although participants agreed they had suitable skills to prescribe assistance dogs, greater clarification regarding their role in the NDIS assessment, advisory, and application process was seen as necessary.

Conclusion

This research highlighted the need for increased information for occupational therapists regarding the various types of assistance dogs and NDIS funding rules. The provision of NDIS reporting templates, practice guidance, and professional development resources—as well as occupational therapy curriculum for near‐graduate therapists—could enhance knowledge, clinical reasoning, and practice when considering the most appropriate support and whether an assistance dog is both reasonable and necessary based on the person's goals and needs.
Renal functional recovery among inpatients: A plausible marker of reduced renal functional reserve
Authors: Gorelik Yuri , Khamaisi Mogher , Abassi Zaid , Evans Roger G , Heyman Samuel N
Published: September 2021

Renal functional reserve (RFR) reflects the ability of the kidney to enhance glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in response to a protein load. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to diminished RFR, since the capacity for whole‐body GFR to increase through hyperfiltration of remaining nephrons is limited. Evaluating 41,456 inpatients following computerised tomography we reported many exhibiting acute kidney injury (AKI) but more patients with recovering kidney function (AKR), presumably reflecting resolution of their critical conditions. The incidences of AKI and AKR were closely co‐associated and were both inversely correlated with baseline kidney function. We discuss this phenomenon, arguing that AKR among inpatients with an acute illness, like AKI, may often reflect underlying subtle CKD with diminished RFR.
Renalase—A new understanding of its enzymatic and non‐enzymatic activity and its implications for future research
Authors: Czerwińska Karolina , Poręba Rafał , Gać Paweł
Published: September 2021

Renalase was first described in 2005 and since then it became an object of scientific interest because of its proposed ability to catalyse circulating neurotransmitters and its promising antihypertensive effects. However, further research on the enzymatic activity of renalase did not confirm these initial findings and yielded that renalase serves to oxidize isomeric forms of β‐NAD(P)H and recycle them by forming β‐NAD(P)+. Moreover, in contrast to initial assumptions, it is indicated that renalase's enzymatic activity is confined to the cell and that extracellular renalase loses its enzymatic properties. These new reports led scientists to question as to whether renalase, as an enzyme, still has the potential to influence various systemic physiological responses (e.g. blood pressure). It was also put into question whether many physiological discoveries published based on the notion that renalase is secreted into the blood and acts by oxidation of catecholamines can still be considered valid. In this article, we attempt to review the literature to confront these doubts and find further possible directions of research on the importance of renalase. Our aim was to evaluate recent reports of non‐enzymatic activity for renalase.
Symbiotic germination and development of fully mycoheterotrophic plants convergently targeting similar Glomeraceae taxa
Authors: Suetsugu Kenji , Okada Hidehito
Published: September 2021

Plants producing dust seeds often meet their carbon demands by exploiting fungi at the seedling stage. This germination strategy (i.e. mycoheterotrophic germination) has been investigated among orchidaceous and ericaceous plants exploiting Ascomycota or Basidiomycota. Although several other angiosperm lineages have evolved fully mycoheterotrophic relationships with Glomeromycota, the fungal identities involved in mycoheterotrophic germination remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted in situ seed baiting and high‐throughput DNA barcoding to identify mycobionts associated with seedlings of Burmannia championii (Burmanniaceae: Dioscoreales) and Sciaphila megastyla (Triuridaceae: Pandanales), which have independently evolved full mycoheterotrophy. Subsequently, we revealed that both seedlings and adults in B. championii and S. megastyla predominantly associate with Glomeraceae. However, mycorrhizal communities are somewhat distinct between seedling and adult stages, particularly in S. megastyla. Notably, the dissimilarity of mycorrhizal communities between S. megastyla adult samples and S. megastyla seedling samples is significantly higher than that between B. championi adult samples and S. megastyla adult samples, based on some indices. This pattern is possibly due to both mycorrhizal shifts during ontogenetic development and convergent recruitment of cheating‐susceptible fungi. The extensive fungal overlap in two unrelated mycoheterotrophic plants indicates that both species convergently exploit specific AM fungal phylotypes.
Technology, poverty and income distribution nexus: The case of fertilizer adoption in Ethiopia
Authors: Shita Aynalem , Kumar Nand , Singh Seema
Published: September 2021

Adoption of agricultural technology is believed to be the pertinent strategy for poverty alleviation through productivity increment. However, it may simultaneously affect the distribution of income among rural households. This paper, therefore, investigated the poverty and income distribution effect of fertilizer adoption in Northern Western Ethiopia based on the propensity score matching technique and dose–response function. The study indicates that the adoption of fertilizer significantly increases household per adult consumption expenditure by US$53.98–57.89 and reduce incidence of poverty by 17.4%–18.2%. Even though adoption improves the income of households by about US$292.92–374.85, it simultaneously worsens income inequality as measured by both the Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient. Moreover, estimates of the dose–response functions indicate that annual income and consumption expenditure of farm households increase with the intensity of fertilizer adoption. On the other hand, the incidence of poverty was found to be reduced when intensity of fertilizer utilization increases. The results imply that technology adoption worsens income distribution by increasing the income of large and medium farmers more proportionately compared to small farmers. Hence, further efforts should be exerted to achieve balanced adoption of fertilizer for the betterment of the welfare of the society.
Brothers, Comrades or Competitors? The Communist Party and Youth League in Shanghai, 1925–1927
Authors: Yi Shensi
Published: September 2021

The ‘Party and Youth League’ model in the Chinese communist movement was copied from Soviet Russia, but its practice by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Youth League has been little studied, especially at the local level. This article draws on a variety of sources to analyse the model's operation in Shanghai. My findings reveal a lasting rivalry between the Communist Party and the Youth League in Shanghai, which both experienced a rise and fall from 1925 to 1927. Despite efforts from leaders on both sides, this conflict went unresolved. The Youth League's transformation from a ‘younger brother’ to a ‘powerful competitor’ within the revolutionary communist community vividly reflects the fact that the Chinese communists were far removed from the iron rule of Bolshevism at that time, and highlights the complexities and difficulties of localizing the international communist movement.
Effect of antithrombin III among patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation in obstetrics: a nationwide observational study in Japan
Authors: Iwasaki Y , Ohbe H , Shigemi D , Fushimi K , Yasunaga H
Published: September 2021

Objective

Pregnant women may develop disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), possibly resulting in massive maternal haemorrhage and perinatal death. The Japan guideline recommends use of antithrombin III (ATIII) for DIC in obstetrics; however, its effect remains uncertain. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of ATIII for DIC in obstetrics, using a national inpatient database in Japan.

Design

Nationwide observational study.

Setting

Japan.

Population

We used the Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database to identify patients who delivered at hospital and were diagnosed with DIC from July 2010 to March 2018.

Methods

Propensity score matching analyses were performed to compare in‐hospital maternal mortality and hysterectomy during hospitalisation between users and non‐users of ATIII on the day of delivery.

Main outcome measures

In‐hospital mortality, hysterectomy.

Results

A total of 9920 patients were enrolled, including 4329 patients (44%) who used ATIII and 5511 patients (56%) who did not use ATIII. One‐to‐one propensity score matching created 3290 pairs. In‐hospital maternal mortality did not differ significantly between the propensity‐matched groups (0.3% in the ATIII group versus 0.5% in the control group; odds ratio 0.73; 95% CI 0.35–1.54). A significantly lower proportion of patients in the ATIII group, compared with those in the control group, underwent hysterectomy during hospitalisation (5.3% versus 8.7%; absolute risk difference −2.9%; 95% CI −4.2 to −1.6%).

Conclusions

Although the present study did not show a mortality‐reducing effect of ATIII for patients with DIC in obstetrics, it may have clinical benefit in terms of reducing the number of patients undergoing hysterectomy.

Tweetable abstract

This study did not show mortality‐reducing effect of antithrombin III for patients with DIC in obstetrics.
APC gene promoter methylation as a potential biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Liu Fang , Lu Xiaoling , Zhou Xiaoxi , Huang He
Published: September 2021

Background

The aim of this study was to quantitatively analysis the diagnostic performance of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene promoter methylation in serum or sputum/bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BLAF) as a biomarker for lung cancer identification through pooling of open published data.

Methods

The relevant electronic MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid, web of science and CNKI databases were systematically searched to identify the studies related to APC gene promoter methylation for lung cancer diagnosis. Data of true positive (tp), false positive (fp), false negative (fn) and true negative (tn) were extracted from the publications included in the study. The pooled diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and area under summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve (AUC‐SROC) of APC gene promoter methylation were calculated. Publication bias was evaluated by Begg's funnel plot and Egger's line regression test.

Results

Fourteen studies associated with APC gene promoter methylation and lung cancer were identified in the databases and finally included in the meta‐analysis. The data was pooled using a random effect model due to significant statistical heterogeneity across the 14 studies (p < 0.05). Using the APC gene promoter methylation as a reference for lung cancer identification, the pooled diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 0.43 (95% CI: 0.40–0.45), and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.90–0.95), respectively with combined diagnostic positive likelihood ratio (+LR) and negative likelihood ratio (−LR) of 7.15 (95% CI: 3.62–14.12) and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.57–0.71). The pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and AUC‐SROC of APC gene promoter methylation for lung cancer diagnosis were 9.84 (95% CI: 5.77–16.79) and 0.7, respectively. The Begg's funnel plot and Egger's line regression test both indicated statistical publication bias (t = 5.40, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

APC gene promoter methylation in serum or sputum/BLAF is a potential biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis with high specificity. However, due to its low sensitivity, it may not be suitable for lung cancer screening in the general population.
Type I Interferon signaling controls the accumulation and transcriptomes of monocytes in the aged lung
Authors: D’Souza Shanti S. , Zhang Yuanyue , Bailey Jacob T. , Fung Ivan T. H. , Kuentzel Marcy L. , Chittur Sridar V. , Yang Qi
Published: September 2021

Aging is paradoxically associated with a deteriorated immune defense (immunosenescence) and increased basal levels of tissue inflammation (inflammaging). The lung is particularly sensitive to the effects of aging. The immune cell mechanisms underlying physiological lung aging remain poorly understood. Here we reveal that aging leads to increased interferon signaling and elevated concentrations of chemokines in the lung, which is associated with infiltration of monocytes into the lung parenchyma. scRNA‐seq identified a novel Type‐1 interferon signaling dependent monocyte subset (MO‐ifn) that upregulated IFNAR1 expression and exhibited greater transcriptomal changes with aging than the other monocytes. Blockade of type‐1 interferon signaling by treatment with anti‐IFNAR1 neutralizing antibodies rapidly ablated MO‐ifn cells. Treatment with anti‐IFNAR1 antibodies also reduced airway chemokine concentrations and repressed the accumulation of the overall monocyte population in the parenchyma of the aged lung. Together, our work suggests that physiological aging is associated with increased basal level of airway monocyte infiltration and inflammation in part due to elevated type‐1 interferon signaling.
Can artificial ponds retain dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) biodiversity? A preliminary study in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Santos Francisco , Nicasio Karoline , Silva Kaires , Martins Jesuíno , Périco Eduardo , Dalzochio Marina , Veras Daniel , Cajaiba Reinaldo Lucas
Published: September 2021

Although ponds are rich ecosystems for the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity, in many regions of the world, they have been adversely affected by anthropogenic changes in surrounding landscapes. Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) are characterized by larval phases that are closely associated with aquatic ecosystems and can accordingly serve as useful indicators of the quality of these environments. In this study, we evaluated the patterns of abundance, richness, and taxonomic composition of adult Odonata in artificial and natural ponds located in the Legal Amazon of Maranhão, which have been exposed to different levels of disturbance. We analysed how the composition of the Odonata assemblages varies between natural and artificial ponds and also assessed to what extent artificial ponds and degraded natural ponds are able to maintain Odonata biodiversity. Our results indicate that the abundance, richness, and composition of Odonata among the monitored ponds were adversely impacted by more disturbed landscapes, with greater abundance and richness being recorded in preserved natural ponds. Although the degraded artificial and natural ponds have Odonata diversities comparable to those of the preserved natural ponds, the latter tend to be characterized by unique and exclusive species, thereby indicating the urgent need for measures designed to protect these natural ecosystems.
Phenotypic variability in the Old World bollworm,Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner) populations in India
Authors: Chakravarty Snehel , Mahalle Rashmi M. , Srivastava Chandra P.
Published: September 2021

Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner) is one of the most prominent polyphagous species of the Heliothinae pest complex that inflicts severe damage to a wide range of crops in India. Knowledge regarding the population structure of the pest species, whether morphological or genetic, is considered as an essential tool in making effective management decisions. Thus here, we performed the phenotypic characterization ofH. armigerapopulations collected from varied geographic locations across India. Studied populations differed significantly for several external morphometric traits studied at larval, pupal and adult stages. Significant differences were also observed with respect to the intensity of black pigmentation on larval body as well as adult eye and forewing colour patterns. Besides external phenotypic traits, the length of genital organs like aedeagus and valva in males, and bursa copulatrix and bursa seminalis in females also differed significantly amongst populations. The dendrogram based on selected traits showed clear cut differentiation of studied populations into two major groups, one including all the South Zone populations and the other having populations from North and Central Zones. Differences based on phenotyping in the present study indicate the possibility of the existence of different subspecies within the Indian populations ofH. armigera.
Clinical and genetic factors are associated with kidney complications in African children with sickle cell anaemia
Authors: Adebayo Oyindamola Christiana , Betukumesu DieuMerci Kabasele , Nkoy Agathe Bikupe , Adesoji Oluyomi Modupe , Ekulu Pepe Mfutu , Van den Heuvel Lambertus P. , Levtchenko Elena N. , Labarque Veerle
Published: September 2021

Clinical and genetic factors have been reported as influencing the development of sickle cell nephropathy (SCN). However, such data remain limited in the paediatric population. In this cross‐sectional study, we enrolled 361 sickle cell disease children from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Participants were genotyped for the beta (β)‐globin gene, apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) risk variants, and haem oxygenase‐1 (HMOX1) GT‐dinucleotide repeats. As markers of kidney damage, albuminuria, hyperfiltration and decreased estimated glomerular filtration with creatinine (eGFRcr) were measured. An association of independent clinical and genetic factors with these markers of kidney damage were assessed via regression analysis. Genetic sequencing confirmed sickle cell anaemia in 326 participants. Albuminuria, hyperfiltration and decreased eGFRcr were present in 65 (20%), 52 (16%) and 18 (5·5%) patients, respectively. Regression analysis revealed frequent blood transfusions, indirect bilirubin and male gender as clinical predictors of SCN. APOL1 high‐risk genotype (G1/G1, G2/G2 and G1/G2) was significantly associated with albuminuria (P = 0·04) and hyperfiltration (P = 0·001). HMOX1 GT‐dinucleotide long repeats were significantly associated with lower eGFRcr. The study revealed a high burden of kidney damage among Congolese children and provided evidence of the possible role of APOL1 and HMOX1 in making children more susceptible to kidney complications.
RETRACTED: Double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled pilot study of the phosphodiesterase‐3 inhibitor cilostazol as an adjunctive to antidepressants in patients with major depressive disorder
Authors: Abdallah Mahmoud S. , Ramadan Ahmed N. , Omara‐Reda Hend , Mansour Noha O. , Elsokary Mohamed A. , Elsawah Hozaifa K. , Zaki Shimaa Abdelsattar , Abo Mansour Hend E. , Mosalam Esraa M.
Published: September 2021

Aims

Cilostazol (CLS) has shown antidepressant effect in cardiovascular patients, post‐stroke depression, and animal models through its neurotrophic and antiinflammatory activities. Consequently, we aimed to investigate its safety and efficacy in patients with MDD by conducting double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled pilot study.

Methods

80 participants with MDD (DSM‐IV criteria) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score >20 were treated with CLS 50 mg or placebo twice daily plus escitalopram (ESC) 20 mg once daily for six weeks. Patients were evaluated by HDRS scores (weeks 0, 2, 4, and 6). Serum levels of CREB1, BDNF, 5‐HT, TNF–α, NF‐ κB, and FAM19A5 were assessed pre‐ and post‐treatment.

Results

Co‐administration of CLS had markedly decreased HDRS score at all‐time points compared to the placebo group (p < 0.001). Early improvement, response, and remission rates after 6 weeks were significantly higher in the CLS group (90%, 90%, 80%, respectively) than in the placebo group (25%, 65%, 50% respectively) (p < 0.001). Moreover, the CLS group was superior to the placebo group in modulation of the measured neurotrophic and inflammatory biomarkers.

Conclusion

CLS is safe and effective short‐term adjunctive therapy in patients with MDD with no other comorbid conditions.

Trial registration ID:NCT04069819.
Ideological homophily in board composition and interlock networks: Do liberal directors inhibit viewpoint diversity?
Authors: Hudson Kerry , Morgan Robert E.
Published: September 2021

Research issue

A consistent feature of social networks is homophily: the tendency for people to interact with similar others. Psychological and sociological research suggests that homophily is most pronounced along ideological lines, with conflicting evidence as to whether this tendency is higher among individuals who hold liberal or conservative beliefs. Based on this literature, we conduct the first study of ideological homophily in two key organizational networks: the intrafirm connections among directors on the board and the interfirm connections created by board interlocks.

Research insights

In a panel of 408 U.S. firms between 2000 and 2020, we find that liberalism increases homophily both within and between boards. Furthermore, we find that homophily has decreased over time but that this has been driven by conservative boards while the effect of liberalism has strengthened in recent years. These findings provide the first evidence for an ideological component in the composition of intra‐ and interorganizational networks.

Academic implications

Most research on director selection and interlock formation has focused on situational or demographic antecedents. Our findings contribute to the development of a broader theoretical framework that accounts for individual dispositional factors in these processes.

Practitioner implications

Our findings bring attention to the issue of ideological homogeneity in firms. Given the growth of homophilic tendencies among liberal directors in recent years, we suggest that it may be increasingly important for directors to become aware, and mitigate the effects, of their ideological biases in order to maintain cognitive diversity in information networks and decision making.
Leukocytoclastic vasculitis as a cutaneous manifestation of ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 corona virus vaccine (recombinant)
Authors: Sandhu Sunmeet , Bhatnagar Anuj , Kumar Harish , Dixit Prashant Kumar , Paliwal Gourang , Suhag Devinder Kumar , Patil Chetan , Mitra Debdeep
Published: September 2021

With the present COVID‐19 vaccination drive across the world, adverse skin reactions post COVID‐19 vaccine is expected. Majority of these reactions seen were transient or local injection site reactions. However, as the larger population is being vaccinated, certain uncommon dermatological presentations including leukocytoclastic vasculitis, pityriasis rosea, and exacerbation of pre‐existing autoimmune diseases are now being reported. Among all the COVID‐19 vaccines, most of these reactions are seen with messenger ribonucleic acid‐based Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) and Moderna (mRNA‐1273) vaccine. We report two cases of leukocytoclastic vasculitis following ChAdOx1 nCoV‐19 corona virus vaccine (recombinant) that bring out potential new dermatological manifestations of recombinant corona virus vaccine being administered across the European, South American, and Asian countries. It is important for all health care workers and patients to be aware of the corona virus vaccine associated adverse cutaneous reactions.