bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathogen Clearance-based Correlates of Immunoprotection Reveal Insightful Features of Vaccine Immunity
Authors: Tian Xianbin , Wang Juanjuan , Chen Haoze , Ding Ming , Jin Qian , Zhang Jing-Ren
Published: August 2022

Vaccination has significantly reduced the incidence of invasive infections caused by several bacterial pathogens, includingStreptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzaeandNeisseria meningitidis. However, no vaccines are available for many other invasive pathogens. A major hurdle in vaccine development is the lack of functional markers to quantify vaccine immunity in eliminating pathogens in the process of infection. Based on our recent discovery of the liver as the major organ of vaccine-induced clearance of blood-borne virulent bacteria, we here describe a new vaccine evaluation system that quantitatively characterize important properties of effective vaccines in shuffling virulent bacteria from the blood circulation to the liver resident macrophage Kupffer cells (KCs) and sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) in animal models. This system consists of three related correlates or assays: pathogen clearance from the bloodstream, pathogen trapping in the liver, and pathogen capture by KCs/LSECs. The readouts of these correlates were consistently associated with the serotype-specific immunoprotection levels of the 13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against lethal infections ofS. pneumoniae,a major invasive pathogen of community-acquired infections in humans. Furthermore, the reliability and sensitivity of these correlates in reflecting vaccine efficacy were verified with whole cell vaccines ofKlebsiella pneumoniaeandEscherichia coli, two major pathogens in hospital-acquired invasive infections. This system may be used as cost effective readouts to evaluate the immunoprotective potential of vaccine candidates in the preclinical phase by filling the current technical gap in vaccine evaluation between the conventionalin vitroapproaches (e.g., antibody production and pathogen neutralization/opsonophagocytosis) and survival of immunized animals.
Why are G-quadruplexes good at preventing protein aggregation?
Authors: Litberg Theodore J. , Reddy Sannapureddi Rajesh Kumar , Huang Zijue , Son Ahyun , Sathyamoorthy Bharathwaj , Horowitz Scott
Published: August 2022

Maintaining a healthy protein folding environment is essential for cellular function. Recently, we found that nucleic acids, and G-quadruplexes in particular, are potent chaperones for preventing protein aggregation. With the aid of structure-function and NMR analyses of two G-quadruplex forming sequences, PARP-I and LTR-III, we uncovered several contributing factors that affect G-quadruplexes in preventing protein aggregation. Notably, three factors emerged as vital in determining holdase activity of G-quadruplexes: their structural topology, structural dynamics, and oligomerization state. These factors together appear to largely dictate whether a G-quadruplex is able to prevent partially misfolded proteins from aggregating. Understanding the genesis of G-quadruplexes’ power as chaperones is an important facet to elucidating various protein aggregation diseases.

Key Points

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How nucleic acids act as protein chaperones is currently unknown.

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G-quadruplexes are excellent at preventing protein aggregation, and here we describe basic tenets of this activity.

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This activity could help design treatments for multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
Severity analysis and risk profiling of port logistics barriers in the Industry 4.0 era
Authors: Sarkar Bishal Dey , Shankar Ravi , Kar Arpan Kumar
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Global trade depends on more complex, prolonged and larger port systems, where port logistics is a backbone for such operations. Ports are responsible for transferring more than 80 percent of the global trade. Port logistics are prone to being risk-oriented. The study proposes a model to study various port logistics barriers and their associated risks for emerging economies in the Industry 4.0 era.

Design/methodology/approach

The study develops a framework by integrating the fuzzy set theory, the evidential reasoning approach and the expected utility theorem for identifying the severity value of port logistics barriers under the Industry 4.0 era for emerging economies and prioritize them based on various perspectives. The study identifies multiple risks associated with the barriers, and intensity-based categorization of the risks is performed for risk profiling.

Findings

The study reveals that poor infrastructure, nonsupportive policy ecosystem, and lack of research and development are the top barriers that need immediate attention. A new approach has been proposed that changes the importance of perspectives, and 192 analytical experiments were done to study the changing behavior of barriers. The study also presents various types of risks associated with the selected barriers.

Research limitations/implications

In future studies, other barriers can be discovered and studied to develop such models. To cover the entire spectrum of possibilities, belief degrees of the barriers could be used to study the barriers instead of changing the weights.

Practical implications

This study presents a quantification model to prioritize the barriers based on environmental, economic and operational perspectives. Further, the model helps create scenarios for decision-makers to improve port logistics performance and achieve sustainability. The study identifies various risks associated with port logistics barriers and allows decision-makers to take proactive actions.

Originality/value

This study contributes significantly to the literature on port logistics by developing a framework for determining the severity of the barriers in the Industry 4.0 era for emerging economies. Further, the study pinpoints various risks associated with port logistics, and risk profiling is carried out.
To green or not to green? How CSR mechanisms at the governance level affect the likelihood of banks pursuing green product strategies
Authors: Birindelli Giuliana , Palea Vera
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between banks’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) mechanisms at the governance level and their likelihood of pursuing green product strategies. It also examines how CSR characteristics and green product strategies have evolved across regions and time.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of listed banks from different economic areas over the period 2010–2019, the authors examine how CSR mechanisms at the governance level and green product strategies, which they categorize through principal component analysis, have changed over time and across regions. The authors then conducted panel regression to identify which CSR characteristics affect the likelihood that banks implement green product strategies.

Findings

Results show that CSR mechanisms related to bank transparency and commitment to the community, such as sustainability reporting and United Nations Global Compact adherence, are substantive in affecting the likelihood of banks pursuing green product strategies. In contrast, mechanisms related to internal organization, such as the presence of a CSR Committee and an environmental management team, tend to play more a symbolic role. Findings also support a reconsideration of environmental, social and governance-related compensation schemes, which appear to decrease the likelihood that banks engage in some forms of green financing. The likelihood of banks pursuing green product strategies varies across regions and has increased after the Paris Agreement.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are useful in guiding regulators, supervisory authorities and policymakers in defining policies that can create conditions for banks to develop green products and, hence, encourage the sustainability behaviors of their clients. Empirical evidence reveals that some corporate governance mechanisms and green product strategies correlate positively, institutional factors matter and public policies can play a role in strengthening such a correlation. However, results are limited to specific geographical areas and listed banks.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the institutional literature by showing that some corporate governance mechanisms are substantive in increasing the likelihood of banks pursuing green product strategies, while others are more symbolic. It also extends the literature by analyzing how banks belonging to different geographical areas have responded, over time, to sustainability objectives.
Identifying the barriers to housing finance in Ethiopia
Authors: Asnakew Masresha Belete , Amogne Minale Kassahun
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The accessibility of housing for many purposes is more influenced by the functioning of housing market. As access to housing is an expensive and long-term exertion of household, looking for appropriate housing fund is necessary whether the source of fund is private saving or mortgage. However, insufficient finance in Ethiopia is a reason for inaccessible of land and housing by the low- and middle-income people. This study aims to identify the barriers to access finance in the study area.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a qualitative and quantitative research approach to investigate the barriers of housing finance. To undertake and increase the relevance of this study, primary and secondary, qualitative and quantitative data were used. Primary data were collected from respondents; focal person’s and key informants. Both descriptive statistical analysis and relative importance index analysis was deployed for this study. In addition, the quantitative data were analyzed using logistic regresion model.

Findings

The result of this study found that in Ethiopia at all, there is no enough mortgage and long-term lending banks. The result of this study inspects some variables significantly affect the access to finance. The result of this study will help the government in buildup of financial institutions in many perspectives. Financial institutions and clients may also be beneficiary through stiffen housing finance system.

Originality/value

The barriers of access to finance were not sufficiently studied in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study may be a pioneer for the researchers, as it did not cover the whole area of the country to study and also appoint the government to reform the financial sector based on the findings of the researches.
The quality of case studies on new product development: state of the art and future prospects
Authors: Wang Jinfeng , Zhang Luyao , Lin Kuo-Yi , Feng Lijie
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The desired outcome in the new product development (NPD) effort is the timely commercialization of a profitable product. Whether marketing can benefit from the NPD case study is a critical but underresearched issue. The purpose of this study is to investigate the usage and quality of NPD case studies in business and industrial marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the prevalence and research quality of case studies on NPD in business and industrial marketing, 317 case studies published in mainstream journals over the past decade (2010–2020) are reviewed.

Findings

This study finds that the distribution of quantity and quality of case studies fluctuates across journals. The scores on the evaluation template for the different case study stages vary widely across journals. This indicates that different journals have different criteria and priorities for NPD case studies. By focusing on different issues, enterprises can quickly find appropriate journals and case results according to their own needs.

Originality/value

This paper can help spark a debate about the implementation and quality of NPD case studies, including future studies and practical applications. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no similar study has been found in existing studies.
Does Tawarruq still remain the top option for Islamic home financing (IHF) products in Malaysia?
Authors: Ibrahim Norhazlina , Mohd Sapian Safeza
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Tawarruq Islamic home financing (IHF) products remain untouched and maintain their position as the top IHF product in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a qualitative research methodology that included both literature review and content analysis. Firstly, the existing studies and literature were reviewed to compare different types of IHF. The composition of IHF products offered by these Islamic banks was then investigated further to analyse each bank’s progress in IHF from 2015 to 2019. The data were gathered from bank websites, brochures, product disclosure sheets and annual reports.

Findings

The findings reveal that around 62.5% of Islamic banks offered Tawarruq for IHF in the year 2020. For the banks that offered Tawarruq, the amount of the financing continued to grow each year. The plausible reason for the preference for Tawarruq was its less risky nature, despite facing numerous operating, legal and Shariah issues.

Research limitations/implications

This study has several limitations, including the fact that it was limited to home financing products only, the methodology used and the research period.

Practical implications

This study aimed to provide beneficial insights into the use of Tawarruq, which has been a source of concern for regulators as well as steps made to reduce its usage in the industry. Islamic banks should be more proactive in developing non-Tawarruq products to enhance product innovation in the market and minimise the heavy reliance on debt-based products.

Originality/value

This study provides useful insights by analysing IHF in depth for each Islamic bank and making recommendations for future research. Specifically, the method facilitated critical discussions and comparisons to previous research findings as to why Tawarruq has remained popular.
The importance of first impressions in a hybrid working era
Authors: Gopalan Suman
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to provide insight of virtual onboarding and the importance of good technology and making good first impressions in the hybrid working era.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper followed a structured opinion piece byline, taking into account statistics and research from survey and methodology to include factual points on the current situation of employee experience in hybrid working.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights about how change is brought about during internal brand building. It suggests that successful leaders act as “integrating forces” on two levels: integrating the elements of corporate identity structures, and mediating between the corporate branding structures and the individual.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need for businesses to drive good employee experience when virtual onboarding.
Exploring the role of systemic immune‐inflammation index and neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio in cardiovascular risk stratification for patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Sánchez‐Díaz Manuel , Salvador‐Rodríguez Luis , Cuenca‐Barrales Carlos , Arias‐Santiago Salvador , Molina‐Leyva Alejandro
Published: August 2022

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the hair follicle that has previously been associated with a higher cardiovascular risk (CVR). Although different methods have been described for CVR stratification in HS, there is little evidence about the role of hemogram indexes in CVR in HS. Given its potential convenience, the aim of this study was to assess the role of the hemogram indexes systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) and neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in CVR stratification for patients with HS. A cross‐sectional study was performed to assess the role of SII and NLR in CVR stratification in patients with moderate to severe HS who were candidates for biologic therapy. SII, NLR, carotid intima‐media thickness, and other clinical and biochemical CVR factors were assessed before the start of the treatment. Fifty patients were included. The male:female ratio was 3:2, and the mean International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System score was 21.6. After multivariate analysis, SII correlated with higher values of systolic blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, and higher risk of insulin resistance (p < 0.05). NLR was associated with insulin resistance (p < 0.05). These associations were independent of age, sex, body mass index, severity of the disease, and tobacco consumption. The implementation of SII and NLR in daily practice may be of benefit for identifying patients with HS at higher risk of high blood pressure, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome. Since these indexes are simple to calculate, they could be used as a screening tool in HS‐specific units.
The practice of participatory action research: Complicity, power and prestige in dialogue with the ‘racialised mad’
Authors: Haarmans Maria , Nazroo James , Kapadia Dharmi , Maxwell Charlotte , Osahan Sonja , Edant Jennifer , Grant‐Rowles Jason , Motala Zahra , Rhodes James
Published: August 2022

Mental health service users in the UK have become increasingly involved in research over the last 2 decades partly as a consequence of research governance. Ethnic minority service users, however, point to power imbalances stemming from marginalisation and discrimination creating barriers to knowledge co‐production (Kalathil, J. (2013). Hard to reach? Racialised groups and mental health service user involvement.). Heavily influenced by Freire’s liberatory education, participatory action research (PAR) repoliticises participation where those most affected by injustice are central in both producing knowledge about injustice and implementing solutions. Ethnic minority people with lived experience of ‘severe mental illness’ (‘the racialised mad’) were appointed as coresearchers to work with academic researchers on a qualitative study exploring ethnic inequalities in ‘severe mental illness’. Drawing on Foucault’s notion of power as relational, we focus on three key aspects of productive power: (1) relational engagement and reciprocity, (2) positioning coresearchers as authentic researchers and (3) adopting an ethic of care, to explore complicity and resistance in reproducing hierarchies of knowledge and power when attempting to create and sustain a PAR process for collective analysis, action and solidarity. We utilise retrospective and recorded reflections over the course of the project. Finally, we discuss the ethical and methodological implications for contemporary sociological research into health and illness.
RESTORING A RIVER, RE‐STORYING HISTORY
Authors: Wiggin Bethany
Published: August 2022

This essay zooms in on an unloved stretch of Philadelphia's tidal Schuylkill River, long home to the largest petroleum refinery on the United States’ East Coast, the cradle of petromodernity. In the aftermath of the refinery's spectacular explosion in 2019, city officials were confronted by the data poverty in this sacrifice zone where many residents live in analog poverty. The essay contributes to our understanding of urban waters in two ways. First, it uncovers the shape and texture of the sacrifices made to dry out and urbanize wetlands, exploring how and by whom this former marshland has been made into what Ruth Wilson Gilmore calls a ‘forgotten place’. Second, it presents a set of interrelated community‐based participatory research projects designed to document the inhabitants’ lived experiences—glaringly absent from existing environmental data collected across different levels of governance and largely missing from the historical record. The essay explores embodied research methods and storytelling as tools to build and sustain academic–community alliances.
AMBIVALENT GOVERNANCE AND SLOW VIOLENCE IN MUMBAI'S MITHI RIVER
Authors: Kamath Lalitha , Tiwari Anushri
Published: August 2022

We argue that state agencies in Mumbai involved in urban environmental governance, specifically river governance, have made real estate and property urbanism more durable amidst the crisis of rising waters through the performance of ambivalent governance. This ‘ambivalencing’ entails government agencies enacting differential practices selectively across and within two interfaces which characterize the governance of flood threat: environmental protection and real estate development (protection vs. development) on the one hand; and informality (elite informalities vs. survival informalities) on the other. We show how ambivalencing as a modality of political power distributes socio‐material and discursive harm by being strong in real estate development and slum displacement and weak in protecting the environment and the city's poor. Ambivalent governance regimes draw on new political logics, where we see the language of protection serve the motive of growth on the one hand, while replaying older inequities by serving as an instrument of dispossession on the other. State‐led informalities—facilitated through formal plans and laws alongside informal agreements to suspend laws or tolerate violations—are central to this governance regime. We conclude with a reflection on the need to grasp the modalities of ambivalent governance and assemble a counter‐politics to reclaim environmental protection by anchoring it to notions of justice for the vulnerable, both human and non‐human.
TOXICITY 1: On Ambiguity and Sewage in Mumbai's Urban Sea
Authors: Anand Nikhil
Published: August 2022

In this essay, I focus on the remarkable process through which Mumbai's urban administration has continued to release its sewage, largely untreated, into the Arabian Sea. I show how it does this by rendering sewage both legally and materially ambiguous. I urge an attention to the processes of legal and material ambiguation, through which ‘slow violence’ is unevenly administered in Mumbai. Building on the work of Jacqueline Best, I argue that ambiguity does not simply leave open improvised forms of technocratic administration; ambiguity also defers bureaucratic activity in particular domains, while permitting activity in others. Taken together, the municipal administration mobilizes ambiguity so as to evade rendering toxicity an actionable problem of urban living and distributed social vulnerability in the city.
TOXICITY 2: The Violence of Thresholds in Philadelphia
Authors: Bhatia Tathagat
Published: August 2022

In this essay I explore how regulatory standards for lead—which are designed to ensure the quality of drinking water—permit toxic harm to befall Philadelphia's residents, especially communities of color. The bureaucratic practices of the city's water department, I argue, render knowledge about toxic harm and risk both materially and legally illegible—not always despite, but also because of these standards. A class‐action lawsuit filed against the City of Philadelphia over concerns about lead in the residents’ water supply is used to contextualize and explicate a predominant approach to environmental protection that is centered on creating standards to regulate toxic substances. As the case of Philadelphia shows, such an approach is prone to failure because ultimately the harm caused by a pollutant is only secondary to empirical questions about whether actionable thresholds are crossed and protocols breached.
Identification of four distinct ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ species in pomegranate trees showing witches' broom, little leaf and yellowing in Jordan, and preliminary insights on their putative insect vectors and reservoir plants
Authors: Abu Alloush Asem Habes , Bianco Piero Attilio , Amashah Sadeer , Busato Enrico , Mahasneh Amre , AlShoubaki Mahmoud , Alma Alberto , Tedeschi Rosemarie , Quaglino Fabio
Published: August 2022

During field surveys conducted in northern Jordan from June to November 2020, phytoplasma‐like symptoms, including leaf yellowing/reddening and rolling, little leaf and witches' broom were observed in pomegranate. Disease incidence in 22 surveyed orchards ranged from 30% to 65%. Nested PCR‐based amplification of 16S rRNA gene detected phytoplasmas in 17% of collected symptomatic pomegranate trees. Amplicon nucleotide sequence analyses allowed attributing the detected phytoplasmas to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’, ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’, ‘Ca. P. asteris’ and ‘Ca. P. ulmi’. These phytoplasmas were found in plants showing specific symptoms and differentially distributed in the considered locations. Additionally, three cicadellids (Macrosteles sexnotatus, Cicadulina bipunctata and Psammotettix striatus) and two non‐crop plants (Plantago major and Capsicum annuum) resulted hosting ‘Ca. P. asteris’ strains, and one cicadellid (Balclutha incisa) was carrying a ‘Ca. P. solani’ strain. A new pomegranate disease complex associated with multiple phytoplasmas, including ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’ and ‘Ca. P. ulmi’, never reported before in this host plant, is described here. Moreover, preliminary indications are provided on its possible epidemiology in Jordan, involving two putative insect vectors (M. sexnotatus, B. incisa) first reported in the Country.
Cocaethylene cardiotoxicity in emergency department patients with acute drug overdose
Authors: Shastry Siri , Manoochehri Omid , Richardson Lynne D. , Manini Alex F.
Published: August 2022

Objectives

Cocaine use results in over 500,000 emergency department (ED) visits annually across the United States and ethanol co‐ingestion is reported in 34% of these. Commingling cocaine with ethanol results in the metabolite cocaethylene (CE), which is metabolically active for longer than cocaine alone. Current literature on the cardiotoxicity of CE compared to cocaine alone is limited and lacks consensus. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature and examine cardiovascular events in cocaine use as confirmed by urine toxicology versus CE exposure.

Methods

This was a secondary data analysis of a prospective cohort study of adult patients with acute drug overdose at two urban tertiary care hospital EDs over 4 years. Patients with positive urinary cocaine metabolites were analyzed, and outcomes were compared between patients with overdose and confirmed presence of cocaine on urine toxicology (cocaine group) and patients with cocaine and ethanol use (CE group). The primary outcome was cardiac arrest. Secondary outcomes included myocardial injury and hyperlactatemia. Data were analyzed using multivariable regression models.

Results

We enrolled a total of 199 patients (150 cocaine, 49 CE). Rates of cardiac arrest were significantly higher in the CE group compared to cocaine (6.1% vs. 0.67%, p = 0.048). Cocaine was significantly associated with myocardial injury compared to CE exposure (mean initial troponin 0.01 ng/ml vs. 0.16 ng/ml, p = 0.021), while hyperlactatemia was associated with CE exposure (mean initial lactate 4.1 mmol/L vs. 2.9 mmol/L, p = 0.038).

Conclusions

When compared to cocaine exposure alone, CE exposure in ED patients with acute drug overdose was significantly associated with higher occurrence of cardiac arrest, higher mean lactate concentrations, and lower occurrence of myocardial injury.
Assessing the quality of publicly available videos on MDMA‐assisted psychotherapy for PTSD
Authors: Kyarunts Mariam , Mansukhani Meghna P. , Loukianova Larissa L. , Kolla Bhanu P.
Published: August 2022

Background and Objectives

Patients increasingly rely on the Internet for healthcare information. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of videos on 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)‐assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on YouTube™.

Methods

YouTube™ was searched for the terms “MDMA” and “PTSD.” The 100 most viewed videos were analyzed using three standard quality measures: Global Quality Scores (GQS), JAMA benchmark, and DISCERN. Viewer engagement features and source of upload, video duration, inclusion of patient narrative and/or MD/DO/PhD, the mention of lack of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, side effects, potential for abuse, and use in conjunction with psychotherapy were recorded.

Results

The videos were of poor quality (mean GQS: 2.26 ± 0.94/5, JAMA: 1.96 ± 0.45/4, and DISCERN: 29.5 ± 8.2/80). A significant positive association was found between video quality and duration (GQS: r = .5857, p < .0001, JAMA: r = .279, p = .0409, DISCERN: r = .5783, p < .0001). Videos including an MD/DO/PhD had the highest scores (GQS: 2.87/5 [1.22], p = .006, DISCERN: 38.35/80 [13.32], p < .0003). A minority of videos were uploaded by academic institutions (1%); most were from professional organizations (29%). No correlation was found between quality and viewer engagement features‐number of views, subscribers, likes/dislikes, or comments. A majority mentioned that MDMA must be used in conjunction with psychotherapy (85%) and is not FDA‐approved (82%) for PTSD. Only 32% of videos mentioned risks or potential for abuse.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the need for better quality of online health material and an opportunity for involvement of healthcare professionals in the dissemination of accurate health information via content creation.

Scientific Significance

This is the first study to examine publicly available information on the use of MDMA for PTSD.
Radiological versus laparoscopic insertion of peritoneal dialysis catheter: a study comparing outcomes at a single centre
Authors: Sia Yi , Hodgson Russell , Kuder Paula , Tog Chek
Published: August 2022

Background

Although peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a well‐established and effective form of renal replacement therapy in end‐stage renal failure (ESRF) patients, there is no consensus as to the optimal insertion technique. This study compares the outcomes of PD catheters inserted radiologically versus laparoscopically at a single centre.

Methods

Patients who underwent either radiological PD catheter insertion (RC) or laparoscopic insertion (LC) between 2013 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Primary outcome was catheter patency at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included exit‐site infections, peritonitis, and pericatheter leaks within 30 days of insertion, any complications associated with insertion, overall catheter survival, and inpatient length of stay (LoS).

Results

There were 81 patients included in this study, with a total of 100 procedures performed (RC = 48, LC = 52). There were significantly fewer overall complications in the LC group compared to the RC group (P < 0.001). However, when individual complications were considered, this significant difference was only seen in the rate of malpositioned catheters (10.4% versus 0%, P = 0.023). Hospital LoS was longer in the LC group compared to the RC group (3 versus 2 days, P = 0.004), but this was outweighed by the fact that there were more laparoscopically inserted PD catheters still functioning and patent at 12 months compared to those inserted radiologically.

Conclusion

This study has demonstrated that our laparoscopic PD catheter insertion technique of securing the catheter tip low in the pelvis is safe and effective, providing a lower complication rate and longer‐term viability when compared to the radiological percutaneous approach.
MotiMove: Multi‐purpose transcutaneous functional electrical stimulator
Authors: Popović‐Maneski Lana , Mateo Sébastien
Published: August 2022

MotiMove is a battery‐powered general‐purpose transcutaneous functional electrical stimulator (tFES) that comes out of more than 40‐year academic research at the University of Belgrade, Serbia. MotiMove can be used for therapeutic intervention, clinical research, and support of fitness training in different application modes (cycling, rowing, grasping, walking, and exercising). Unlike other commercially available tFES devices, it allows real‐time open or closed‐loop control of stimulation parameters to 8 separate current sources from a multitude of sensors. Recent studies with MotiMove in healthy people and people with motor diseases have shown the applicability of the MotiMove stimulator for different users in various environments. Future development will focus on FES clothes with dry interface electrodes and integrated sensors that combined with MotiMove will make a compact easy‐donning testbed for real‐time FES control algorithms.
The biopsychosocial model in paediatric clinical practice—An interdisciplinary approach to somatic symptom disorders
Authors: Førde Stein , Herner Linn Breen , Helland Ingrid B. , Diseth Trond H.
Published: August 2022

Aim

The paper aims to show how the biopsychosocial (BPS) model can be applied as a clinical method and guide the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with somatic symptom disorders (SSD).

Methods

Based on relevant literature and our clinical work with children and adolescents with SSD, we have developed a method to ensure a structured, interdisciplinary examination of biological, psychological and social factors, operationalising the BPS model into a clinical method.

Results

The BPS model renders assessment and treatment of complex conditions as a basis for evaluating phenomena not confined by diagnostic tools, but still includes all information from these tools. It requires an interdisciplinary approach, giving individual patient and caregivers a central position. A thorough medical examination is required as a starting point for assessments. Good results rest upon a shared understanding between patient, caregivers and professionals.

Conclusions

‘Biopsychosocial’ is often claimed as a basis for clinical work with complex cases, medical, functional and psychiatric, but scarcely with a corresponding BPS method or practice. The BPS method should guide further development of holistic, interdisciplinary health care on all levels, to assess and help children and adolescents with SSD.
Amplitude integrated electroencephalography – Reference values in children aged 2 months to 16 years
Authors: MacDarby Laura J. , Healy Martina , Curley Gerard , McHugh John C.
Published: August 2022

Aim

Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is a bedside neuromonitoring tool, standard within neonatal critical care provision. Its application in children is increasing but normative data underpinning such use are lacking. We present a dataset of normative aEEG values for children aged 2 months to 16 years.

Methods

This retrospective observational cohort study derives aEEG normative amplitude characteristics from electroencephalograms (EEGs) recorded in Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin. aEEG was derived from 350 normal EEGs, recorded in children aged 2 months to 16 years. Supplementary aEEGs were derived from children with abnormal EEG traces. Median upper and lower margin amplitudes and bandwidth were calculated from 5 min waking and sleeping EEG epochs.

Results

aEEG amplitudes vary with age and state, increasing over the first 2 years of life before diminishing. Upper and lower margin amplitudes and bandwidth are greater during sleep for children <6 years. Reference ranges may be cohorted into two groups (upper and lower reference limits; <6 years ‐ 38 μV/7 μV awake, 54 μV/10 μV asleep; >6 years – 33 μV/5 μV awake, 36 μV/6 μV asleep).

Conclusion

aEEG traces evolve with age in childhood and differ from neonatal values. We provide a comprehensive set of aEEG normatives to facilitate clinical interpretation in older children.
The virtues of COVID‐19 pandemic: How working from home can make us the best (or the worst) version of ourselves
Authors: Rocchi Marta , Bernacchio Caleb
Published: August 2022

The combined effect of technological innovations in the workplace and the lockdowns imposed by the COVID‐19 pandemic has rapidly increased the prominence of remote working, with an undeniable impact on both business and society. In light of this organizational and sociological change, this article analyzes how this renewed work environment can be the place where workers can develop several relevant virtues, specifically moderation, integrity, and mercy. This new environment may also present the opportunity to develop a number of opposing vices, which are also explained and analyzed. The article concludes by suggesting some implications for managers who wish to promote virtuous behaviors in the new context of remote work.
A Formal Causal Interpretation of the Case-Crossover Design
Authors: Shahn Zach , Hernán Miguel A. , Robins James M.
Published: August 2022

The case-crossover design of Maclure is widely used in epidemiology and other fields to study causal effects of transient treatments on acute outcomes. However, its validity and causal interpretation have only been justified under informal conditions. Here, we place the design in a formal counterfactual framework for the first time. Doing so helps to clarify its assumptions and interpretation. In particular, when the treatment effect is nonnull, we identify a previously unnoticed bias arising from strong common causes of the outcome at different person-times. We analyze this bias and demonstrate its potential importance with simulations. We also use our derivation of the limit of the case-crossover estimator to analyze its sensitivity to treatment effect heterogeneity, a violation of one of the informal criteria for validity. The upshot of this work for practitioners is that, while the case-crossover design can be useful for testing the causal null hypothesis in the presence of baseline confounders, extra caution is warranted when using the case-crossover design for point estimation of causal effects.
Are commonly used lab‐based measures of food value and choice predictive of self‐reported real‐world snacking? An ecological momentary assessment study
Authors: Masterton Sarah , Hardman Charlotte A. , Boyland Emma , Robinson Eric , Makin Harriet E. , Jones Andrew
Published: August 2022

Objectives

While the assessment of actual food intake is essential in the evaluation of behaviour change interventions for weight‐loss, it may not always be feasible to collect this information within traditional experimental paradigms. For this reason, measures of food preference (such as measures of food value and choice) are often used as more accessible alternatives. However, the predictive validity of these measures (in relation to subsequent food consumption) has not yet been studied. Our aim was to investigate the extent to which three commonly used measures of preference for snack foods (explicit food value, unhealthy food choice and implicit preference) predicted self‐reported real‐world snacking occasions.

Design

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) design.

Method

Over a seven‐day study period, participants (N = 49) completed three daily assessments where they reported their healthy and unhealthy snack food consumption and completed the three measures of preference (explicit food value, unhealthy food choice and implicit preference).

Results

Our findings demonstrated some weak evidence that unhealthy Visual Analogue Scale scores predicted between‐subject increases in unhealthy snacking frequency (OR = 1.018 [1.006, 1.030], p = .002). No other preference measures significantly predicted self‐reported healthy or unhealthy snacking occasions (ps > .05).

Conclusions

These findings raise questions in relation to the association between measures of preference and self‐reported real‐world snack food consumption. Future research should further evaluate the predictive and construct validity of these measures in relation to food behaviours and explore the development of alternative assessment methods within eating behaviour research.
Epigenetic engineering for optimal chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy
Authors: Ito Yusuke , Kagoya Yuki
Published: August 2022

Recent advancements in cancer immunotherapy, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐engineered T cell therapy and immune checkpoint therapy, have significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with several types of cancer. To broaden its applicability further and induce durable therapeutic efficacy, it is imperative to understand how antitumor T cells elicit cytotoxic functions, survive as memory T cells, or are impaired in their effector functions (exhausted) at the molecular level. T cell properties are regulated by their gene expression profiles, which are further controlled by epigenetic architectures, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. Multiple studies have elucidated specific epigenetic genes associated with T‐cell phenotypic changes. Conversely, exogenous modification of these key epigenetic factors can significantly alter T cell functions by extensively altering the transcription network, which can be applied in cancer immunotherapy by improving T cell persistence or augmenting effector functions. As CAR‐T cell therapy involves a genetic engineering step during the preparation of the infusion products, it would be a feasible strategy to additionally modulate specific epigenetic genes in CAR‐T cells to improve their quality. Here, we review recent studies investigating how individual epigenetic factors play a crucial role in T‐cell biology. We further discuss future directions to integrate these findings for optimal cancer immunotherapy.
Depathologising diversity: Trans children and families' experiences of pathologisation in the UK
Authors: Horton Cal
Published: August 2022

In January 2022 the World Health Organization removed transgender identities from categorisation as a mental illness, marking a significant global shift from the pathologisation of gender diversity. However, a legacy of pathologisation of trans identities continues to impact trans lives, particularly on trans children. Informed by qualitative data from 30 families with trans children, this article examines the continued impacts of pathologisation on trans children and families in the UK, exploring how pathologisation manifests at individual, institutional and societal levels. The article advocates for trans depathologisation as a critical priority for child rights and social justice.
Combining surface and soil environmental DNA with artificial cover objects to improve terrestrial reptile survey detection
Authors: Kyle Kathleen E. , Allen Michael C. , Dragon Jeffrey , Bunnell John F. , Reinert Howard K. , Zappalorti Robert , Jaffe Benjamin D. , Angle Jordan C. , Lockwood Julie L.
Published: August 2022

Reptiles are increasingly of conservation concern due to their susceptibility to habitat loss, emerging disease, and harvest in the wildlife trade. However, reptile populations are often difficult to monitor given the frequency of crypsis in their life history. This difficulty has left uncertain the conservation status of many species and the efficacy of conservation actions unknown. Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys consistently elevate the detection rate of species they are designed to monitor, and while their use is promising for terrestrial reptile conservation, successes in developing such surveys have been sparse. We tested the degree to which inclusion of surface and soil eDNA sampling into conventional artificial‐cover methods elevates the detection probability of a small, cryptic terrestrial lizard, Scincella lateralis. The eDNA sampling of cover object surfaces with paint rollers elevated per sample detection probabilities for this species 4–16 times compared with visual surveys alone. We readily detected S. lateralis eDNA under cover objects up to 2 weeks after the last visual detection, and at some cover objects where no S. lateralis were visually observed in prior months. With sufficient sampling intensity, eDNA testing of soil under cover objects produced comparable per sample detection probabilities as roller surface methods. Our results suggest that combining eDNA and cover object methods can considerably increase the detection power of reptile monitoring programs, allowing more accurate estimates of population size, detection of temporal and spatial changes in habitat use, and tracking success of restoration efforts. Further research into the deposition and decay rates of reptile eDNA under cover objects, as well as tailored protocols for different species and habitats, is needed to bring the technique into widespread use.
Planning for people and nature: Comparing quality‐of‐life outcomes across environmental systems to inform conservation planning
Authors: Liberati Marjorie R. , May Christopher A. , Sowa Scott P. , Kyriakakis Stephanie R. , Pearsall Doug R. , Doran Patrick J.
Published: August 2022

Conservation programs have been slow to integrate socio‐economic indicators into decision making despite growing recognition that addressing social‐ecological systems improves outcomes for nature and people. Our goal was to identify small, comprehensive sets of socio‐economic indicators for conservation programs designed to (1) improve agricultural soil health and reduce sediment and nutrient loading to freshwater systems, (2) restore Great Lakes coastal wetlands, and (3) implement green stormwater infrastructure in cities. We piloted a structured decision‐making process to select indicators more objectively and transparently. Important elements of our process were (a) using a human quality‐of‐life framework to identify potential indicators and (b) evaluating indicators' relevance to conservation, resonance with communities, and data‐availability. The programs identified 278 potential indicators across seven quality‐of‐life domains, of which 78 were evaluated against six selection criteria. For each program, we developed intended use scenarios, assigned relative weights to selection criteria, and used these weights to calculate a weighted sum of the indicator's criteria scores and rank indicators. Across programs and intended uses, 21 indicators achieved top‐five rankings; indicators for flood risk and damage were common across all three programs. Our collaborative approach provided opportunities to evaluate indicator selections across quality‐of‐life domain, conservation program, and intended uses.
Social Norm Change, Behavioural Approaches and the Politics of Knowledge: A Conversation between the Ivory Tower and the Field
Authors: Wazir Rekha
Published: August 2022

The social norms approach (SNA), the new entrant from the behavioural sciences into the field of development practice, professes a scientific, more accurate, efficient and cost‐effective methodology for identifying, measuring and changing harmful social norms. Despite its increasing popularity, no systematic, robust or long‐term field evaluations are available to demonstrate the effectiveness and sustainability of using the SNA, nor its superiority over other, pre‐existing methods. This article critiques the SNA from the perspective of development praxis, highlighting three concerns: the underlying cultural presumptions about development and its subjects; the problematic methodological design and its complexity; and the lack of contextual framing in the approach and its focus on individual behaviour to the exclusion of the structural constraints embedded in the social and economic environment. The recent drift to broaden the SNA framework is also discussed and assessed. To illustrate a contrasting approach, a case study is presented of MV Foundation, a civil society organization that works on changing social norms on issues of education and child labour. The article concludes that the SNA is arguably yet another instance of colonization of the field of development through hegemonic control of the creation of knowledge.