bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward sustainability reporting in the MENA region: the effects on sector's performance
Authors: Buallay Amina
Published: February 2022

Purpose

This study investigates the relationship between the level of sustainability reporting and sector's performance (operational, financial and market) in Middle East and North African countries (MENA) region.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data culled from 316 observations from seven different sectors located in 11 countries for 10 years (2008–2017), an independent variable derived from environmental, social and governance (ESG) score are regressed against dependent performance indicator variables (return on assets [ROA], return on equity [ROE] and Tobin's Q [TQ]). Two types of control variables complete the regression analysis in this study: firm-specific and macroeconomic.

Findings

The findings elicited from the empirical results that there are differences in the impact of sustainability reporting (ESG) on firm's operational performance (ROA), financial performance (ROE) and market performance (TQ) between the sectors in the MENA region.

Originality/value

The model in this study presents a valuable analytical framework for exploring sustainability reporting as a driver of performance in MENA economies. In addition, since this study contributes to the literature of sustainability accounting by a systematic depiction of cross-sectorial ESG reporting, this study establishes a benchmark to guide to firms wishing to adopt sustainability reporting.
Examining the sources of police confidence when working with autistic individuals
Authors: Love Abigail M.A. , Railey Kirsten S. , Jones Colleen P.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Not only is the prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rising, but there has been increased attention in the media focused on interactions between autistic individuals and police officers. Research suggests that police officers report concerns regarding how to appropriately support autistic individuals during interactions due to a lack of training opportunities or general knowledge of ASD. To contribute to this emerging research, the aim of the present study was to examine what makes police officers feel more or less confident when working with autistic individuals of all ages in the capacity of their job.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present study, police officers' responses (N = 317) to open-ended questions were analyzed using thematic analysis to understand what makes police officers feel more and less confident when interacting with someone with autism.

Findings

Analysis yielded several major and minor thematic categories, which were combined into three major factors including (a) effective training, (b) malleable factors and (c) fixed factors.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide novel insight into police officer confidence to communicate and interact with autistic individuals. This research utilized the voices of police officers to identify areas of need and themes relating to officer confidence. The findings can be immediately used to inform research and practice and to improve relationships between first responders and the autistic community.
How difficulties in upward voice lead to lateral voice: a case study of a Chinese hospital
Authors: Jing Fenwick Feng , Wilkinson Adrian , Mowbray Paula K. , Khan Maria , Zhang Huanpeng
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore and unpack the notion of lateral voice within the context of a Chinese hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative design was used, involving interviews of 24 medical personnel from a public hospital in mainland China. This included two focus groups (eight participants each) of physicians and nurses, and eight individual interviews with managers, including a chief nurse and directors of the medical centre.

Findings

The findings reveal that in top-down contexts with a respect for hierarchy, direct and vertical voice is discouraged but lateral voice fills this gap and can lead in some circumstances to a pathway to collective vertical voice. Interestingly, the study finds that fear of damaging relationships with peers may also discourage lateral voice in some cases, leading to silence altogether. Contradictory lateral voice outcomes arising from employees working within this context are discussed.

Originality/value

The study makes an original contribution to voice literature through exploring an understudied voice target, that is, voicing to peers. In doing so, the study demonstrates the importance of lateral voice as an important component of voice behaviour.
The role of internet of things (IoT) in the assessment and communication of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in buildings: a review
Authors: Broday Evandro Eduardo , Gameiro da Silva Manuel Carlos
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The changes brought by Industry 4.0 go beyond transformations in the industrial environment. The increasingly frequent digitization and robotization of activities is not only restricted to the industrial environment, but also to people's daily routine. People spend a large part of their time inside buildings, and maintaining adequate Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is an essential factor for a healthy and productive environment. In this sense, the purpose of this study is to verify how the Internet of Things (IoT) is being used to improve the indoor environment, through sensors that instantly measure the conditions of the environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim of this paper is to verify, through a literature review, how IoT is being used for building control (for energy saving purposes) and to monitor IEQ conditions inside buildings, in order to provide a better environment for occupants, in terms of health and comfort. By combining keywords in databases, PRISMA method was used to select the articles for analysis, and 91 articles were analyzed.

Findings

The main findings in this research are: (1) the main purpose for applying IoT inside buildings is to reduce energy consumption; (2) there is an interest in developing low-cost sensoring devices with a learning approach; (3) Machine Learning methods are mainly used for energy saving purposes and to learn about occupants' behavior inside buildings, focusing on thermal comfort; (4) sensors in the IoT era are a requirement to help improve people's comfort and well-being.

Originality/value

Studies directly correlating IoT and IEQ are limited. This paper emphasises the link between them, through the presentation of recent methods to control the built environment.
Developing a collaborative framework for construction projects in emerging economies
Authors: Faris Hazhar , Gaterell Mark , Hutchinson David
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The construction industry is a primary contributor to the development of emerging economies such as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. However, the sector is underperforming, and products are not meeting expectations. A lack of collaboration is considered a significant contributor to these issues. Various researchers have identified factors to improve collaborative approaches. However, there is still a lack of clear frameworks to help implement collaboration in the construction industry, especially in emerging economies. Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework to implement collaboration in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This article utilises a review of literature, questionnaire and interviews with experts in the construction industry in order to develop a framework to achieve collaboration in construction projects.

Findings

The research presents a framework that distributes the factors of collaboration over the project lifecycle stages in accordance with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work 2007. Each factor is divided into a set of enabling conditions which must be satisfied to ensure that the given specific factors are delivered. Additionally, the framework suggests appointing a collaboration champion at the beginning of the project to manage the process.

Originality/value

The research contributes to scarce literature about collaboration practices in the Kurdistan Region and in emerging economies in general.
Empiric antifungal therapy in patients with cutaneous and subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis
Authors: Noguchi Hiromitsu , Matsumoto Tadahiko , Kimura Utako , Hiruma Masataro , Kano Rui , Yaguchi Takashi , Kubo Masahide , Kashiwada‐Nakamura Kayo , Fukushima Satoshi
Published: February 2022

We encountered two cases of phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei and E. oligosperma that were treated with fosravuconazole and terbinafine, respectively. Our cases were successfully treated with empiric therapy before the pathogen’s species or antifungal sensitivity had been determined. We summarized 32 cases of cutaneous and subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala species in Japan. The patients received antifungals, including itraconazole, terbinafine, voriconazole, and fosravuconazole, and the treatment success rates of these monotherapies were 77% (17/22), 67% (8/12), 100% (5/5), and 50% (1/2), respectively. Although the broad‐spectrum azole antifungal itraconazole is the first choice for treatment, terbinafine at 125 mg/day might exert the same efficacy. Fosravuconazole is a novel broad‐spectrum azole and a moderate inhibitor of Cyp3A4 that causes fewer drug interactions than itraconazole and voriconazole, indicating a promising drug for this disease.
Relating wing morphology and immune function to patterns of partial and differential bat migration using stable isotopes
Authors: Rogers Elizabeth J. , McGuire Liam , Longstaffe Fred J. , Clerc Jeff , Kunkel Emma , Fraser Erin
Published: February 2022

Migration is energetically expensive and is predicted to drive similar morphological adaptations and physiological trade‐offs in migratory bats and birds. Previous studies suggest that fixed traits like wing morphology vary among species and individuals according to selective pressures on flight, while immune defences can vary flexibly within individuals as energy is variably reallocated throughout the year.

We assessed intraspecific variation in wing morphology and immune function in silver‐haired bats Lasionycteris noctivagans, a species that follows both partial and differential migration patterns. We hypothesized that if bats experience energy constraints associated with migration, then wing morphology and immune function should vary based on migratory tendency (sedentary or migratory) and migration distance. We predicted that long‐distance migrants would have reduced immune function and more migration‐adapted wing shapes compared to resident or short‐distance migrating bats.

We estimated breeding latitude of spring migrants using stable hydrogen isotope techniques. Our sample consisted primarily of male bats, which we categorized as residents, long‐distance northern migrants, short‐distance northern migrants and southern migrants (apparent breeding location south of capture site). Controlling for individual condition and capture date, we related wing characteristics and immune indices among groups.

Some, but not all, aspects of wing form and immune function varied between migrants and residents. Long‐distance northern migrants had larger wings than short‐distance northern migrants and lower wing loading than southern migrants. Compared with resident bats, short‐distance northern migrants had reduced IgG while southern migrants had heightened neutrophils and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratios. Body fat, aspect ratio, wing tip shape and bacteria killing ability did not vary with migration status or distance.

In general, male silver‐haired bats do not appear to mediate migration costs by substantially downregulating immune defences or to be under stronger selection for wing forms adapted for fast, energy‐efficient flight. Such phenotypic changes may be more adaptive for female silver‐haired bats, which migrate farther and are more constrained by time in spring than males. Adaptations for aerial hawking and the use of heterothermy by migrating bats may also reduce the energetic cost of migration and the need for more substantial morphological and physiological trade‐offs.
How an intermediary model manages the tension between low contractibility and probity when outsourcing human services
Authors: Bates Shona
Published: February 2022

Human services, such as social supports and health care, have low contractibility; services are difficult to specify and measure, and difficult to manage when delivered by a third party. Services can and do fail, resulting in the inefficient use of public resources and potential harm to clients. This article develops a conceptual framing using transaction cost economics (TCE) theory to understand why human services are difficult to contract, and management control theory to understand how services might be managed. This identifies a potential tension between how low contractible services are managed when probity requirements are high. This is explored using a qualitative case study of an intermediary model of outsourcing, focusing on one of 31 Primary Health Networks tasked to commission primary health care under contract to the Australian Government. This study explains how design choices, making use of controls available in different organisational contexts across the intermediary model, overcame the tension between low contractibility and probity. This study adds to our understanding of the TCE characteristic of probity. A greater understanding of why this intermediary model works has the potential to help policy makers and service managers improve the way human services are outsourced.
Gender roles and selection mechanisms across contexts: a comparative analysis of the relationship between unemployment, self‐perceived health and gender
Authors: Tattarini Giulia , Grotti Raffaele
Published: February 2022

Health literature shows that unemployment has a gendered effect on health. However, whether men or women are more affected and why remains unclear. We assume that unemployment harms women less than men because of two mechanisms: social roles theories and health selection. First, the availability and centrality in individuals’ lives of roles other than employment may reduce the detrimental effect of unemployment for women. Second, the gendered impact of unemployment on health results from the different ways selection mechanisms operate across genders. Moreover, these two mechanisms may operate differently in different contexts – for example, across different gender regimes. We investigate this by pursuing a three‐step comparative approach. The analysis relies on EU‐SILC data covering Italy and Sweden for 2004 to 2015 and SOEP data for Germany (1995–2017) and applies correlated dynamic random‐effects probit models. While we find weak support for the role of health selection in shaping the relations between unemployment, health, and gender, our empirical results are in line with the hypothesis of a larger gendered effect in older (vs younger) cohorts, western (vs eastern) Germany and Italy (vs. Sweden). Future empirical research needs to directly address the role of gender regimes in moderating such complex relationships.
Resilience in the context ofconflict‐relatedsexual violence and beyond: A “sentient ecology” framework
Authors: Clark Janine Natalya
Published: February 2022

In his research with Indigenous Evenki people living in Arctic Siberia, Anderson introduces the concept of “sentient ecology”, defined as “the mutual interrelation of person and place”. This interdisciplinary article starts from the basic premise that sentient ecology is relevant for research on resilience, and it aims to demonstrate this in two key ways. First, it uses sentient ecology as a novel framework for thinking about resilience, with a particular focus on conflict‐related sexual violence (CSRV)—an area of scholarship that to date has given very little attention to the concept of resilience. The article locates resilience in the fluid and dynamic interactions between individuals and their social ecologies. What sentient ecology contributes in this regard is a different way of thinking about these interactions. In particular, it highlights some of the ways that female and male victims–/survivors of CRSV actively utilize and engage with the more‐than‐human living world around them in the process of rebuilding and moving on with their lives. Second, the article uses sentient ecology as a framework for thinking in new “sentient” ways about social‐ecological systems (SES)—and how the social and ecological parts of these systems communicate with each other. Taking this a step further, it argues that sentient ecology offers a potential basis for developing more posthumanist accounts of resilience as an extension of SES.
Whole‐exome sequencing uncovers new variants in GDF15 associated with hyperemesis gravidarum
Authors: Fejzo Marlena S. , MacGibbon Kimber W. , First Olivia , Quan Courtney , Mullin Patrick M.
Published: February 2022

Objective

A genome‐wide association study (GWAS) linked the placenta and appetite hormone gene GDF15 to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). This paradigm‐changing finding has shifted the field away from the prevailing hypotheses, but more evidence is needed. This study was performed to identify coding variants in addition to the non‐coding variants implicated by GWAS.

Setting

Case–control research study performed in a university setting.

Design

Case–control study.

Population

Hyperemesis gravidarum cases requiring intravenous fluid treatment for disease (n = 926) and controls with normal or no nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (n = 660), from the USA.

Methods

Whole exome‐wide sequencing and genome informatics were performed using the standard Regeneron pipeline. All variants were compared between cases and controls using dominant, recessive, and allelic models to identify variants with exome‐wide significant p values (p < 10−6). Odds ratios and associated p values were calculated for exome‐wide significant allele(s) in subgroups of genetically predicted ancestries. Variants were filtered to identify rare pathogenic variants occurring in ≥10 cases and in no controls.

Main outcome measures

Identification of exome‐wide significant and rare genetic variant(s) associated with HG.

Results

A common coding variant in GDF15 was the only exome‐wide significant association, and a rare coding variant in GDF15 was the only predicted disease‐causing variant occurring in 10 or more cases.

Conclusions

This study confirms the GWAS finding that GDF15 is the greatest genetic risk factor for HG. The new variants identified may have implications for prediction and diagnosis. The findings provide insight into the cause, and molecular mechanisms for developing therapeutics for HG.

Tweetable abstract

Whole‐exome sequencing reveals placenta and vomiting hormone GDF15 most likely cause of Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
Treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease with the HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor enarodustat: A review of the evidence
Authors: Fujikawa Ryo , Nagao Yuji , Fujioka Masaki , Akizawa Tadao
Published: February 2022

Enarodustat, a newly developed hypoxia‐inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, is used in clinical practice in Japan. Several clinical studies showed that enarodustat corrected and maintained hemoglobin (Hb) levels by stimulating endogenous erythropoietin production and improving iron utilization in anemic patients with chronic kidney disease, regardless of whether they were on dialysis. In addition, Phase III comparative studies demonstrated that enarodustat was noninferior to darbepoetin alfa in controlling Hb levels. Furthermore, enarodustat was well tolerated during the treatment. Enarodustat is currently being developed in the Republic of Korea and China and is expected to be developed worldwide. This article reviews the data on enarodustat, including the findings from preclinical studies, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and efficacy and safety results of clinical studies.
Passive sampling of environmental DNA in aquatic environments using 3D‐printed hydroxyapatite samplers
Authors: Verdier Héloïse , Konecny‐Dupre Lara , Marquette Christophe , Reveron Helen , Tadier Solène , Grémillard Laurent , Barthès Amélie , Datry Thibault , Bouchez Agnès , Lefébure Tristan
Published: February 2022

The study of environmental DNA (eDNA) released by aquatic organisms in their habitat offers a fast, noninvasive and sensitive approach to monitor their presence. Common eDNA sampling methods such as water filtration and DNA precipitation are time‐consuming, require difficult‐to‐handle equipment and partially integrate eDNA signals. To overcome these limitations, we created the first proof of concept of a passive, 3D‐printed and easy‐to‐use eDNA sampler. We designed the samplers from hydroxyapatite (HAp samplers), a natural mineral with a high DNA adsorption capacity. The porous structure and shape of the samplers were designed to optimize DNA adsorption and facilitate their handling in the laboratory and in the field. Here we show that HAp samplers can efficiently collect genomic DNA in controlled set‐ups, but can also collect animal eDNA under controlled and natural conditions with yields similar to conventional methods. However, we also observed large variations in the amount of DNA collected even under controlled conditions. A better understanding of the DNA–hydroxyapatite interactions on the surface of the samplers is now necessary to optimize eDNA adsorption and to allow the development of a reliable, easy‐to‐use and reusable eDNA sampling tool.
Association of Osteopontin gene single nucleotide polymorphism with lupus nephritis
Authors: Metwally R. M. , Hasan Ahmad S. , R EL‐Sayed G.
Published: February 2022

Aim

To determine the association of single nucleotide polymorphism at 9250 C/T in exon 7 of the Osteopontin (OPN) gene among Egyptian patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and healthy controls and assess its relation with clinical and laboratory features in addition to both activity and chronicity indices in these patients.

Materials and method

The study population includes 100 patients with LN and 100 age‐ and gender‐matched controls. OPN gene 9250 C/T polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results

We observed a significant difference in the frequencies of the OPN gene 9250 T allele between the patients with LN and the controls (74.5% vs 57.5%, P < .001); also, TT and CT + TT genotypes showed significant differences in frequencies between LN patients versus controls (59% vs 35% P = .005 and 90% vs. 80% P = .048, respectively). We also observed a non‐significant association between OPN gene 9250 genotypes and each of the laboratory data and clinical features in addition to activity and chronicity indices in all studied LN patients. There were no statistically significant increased TT and CT + TT genotypes and T allele frequencies in LN patients with renal failure compared to those without renal failure. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only OPN (CT + TT) genotype could predict LN development in Egyptian patients.

Conclusion

TT and CT + TT genotypes and T alleles of OPN 9250 are considered risk factors for LN development in Egyptian systemic lupus erythematosus patients. However, these genotypes showed no association with each laboratory data and clinical feature or activity and chronicity indices in these patients. OPN 9250 (CT + TT) genotype could be used to predict LN development in SLE.
In it together: Candida–bacterial oral biofilms and therapeutic strategies
Authors: Hwang Geelsu
Published: February 2022

Under natural environmental settings or in the human body, the majority of microorganisms exist in complex polymicrobial biofilms adhered to abiotic and biotic surfaces. These microorganisms exhibit symbiotic, mutualistic, synergistic, or antagonistic relationships with other species during biofilm colonization and development. These polymicrobial interactions are heterogeneous, complex and hard to control, thereby often yielding worse outcomes than monospecies infections. Concerning fungi,Candidaspp., in particular,Candida albicansis often detected with various bacterial species in oral biofilms. These Candida‐bacterial interactions may induce the transition ofC.albicansfrom commensal to pathobiont or dysbiotic organism. Consequently, Candida–bacterial interactions are largely associated with various oral diseases, including dental caries, denture stomatitis, periodontitis, peri‐implantitis, and oral cancer. Given the severity of oral diseases caused by cross‐kingdom consortia that develop hard‐to‐remove and highly drug‐resistant biofilms, fundamental research is warranted to strategically develop cost‐effective and safe therapies to prevent and treat cross‐kingdom interactions and subsequent biofilm development. While studies have shed some light, targeting fungal‐involved polymicrobial biofilms has been limited. This mini‐review outlines the key features of Candida–bacterial interactions and their impact on various oral diseases. In addition, current knowledge on therapeutic strategies to target Candida–bacterial polymicrobial biofilms is discussed.
Morphology of the male reproductive tract of Eira barbara
Authors: Gonçalves Thamara Cozzi , Sousa Diego Ferreira de , Pinto Marina Pratagy Estrela , Rodrigues Rogério Antônio Ribeiro , Giese Elane Guerreiro , Branco Érika , Lima Ana Rita de
Published: February 2022

Eira barbara, popularly known as irara, is a medium‐sized carnivore member of the Mustelidae family. Despite its important role in the ecosystems in which its lives, data on the internal morphology of E. barbara remains scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to provide knowledge regarding the anatomy of the male reproductive system of this species to improve understanding of its reproduction to inform its conservation. We studied seven specimens who had died after being run over. The specimens were dissected for the evaluation of the reproductive system, which comprised a globular scrotum; a small pendulum covered with light‐coloured hair; a pair of testicles of firm consistency and ellipsoid shape and suspended in the scrotum by the spermatic cord; a paired duct system; an ampoule of the deferens duct and prostate constituting the set of attached glands; a urethra divided into pelvic and penile portions; a penis with a baculum having a novel “C” shaped apex; and a prepuce. Microscopically, the testicular parenchyma consisted of seminiferous tubules separated by intertubular spaces formed by loose connective tissue, fibrocytes, Leydig cells, and blood and lymph vessels. The epididymis was surrounded by a capsule of dense connective tissue and extended to form septa. The baculum was microscopically classified as a compact bone containing several bony lamellae with osteocytes and osteoblasts. The macro and microscopic findings were generally similar to those of domestic carnivores, with some notable differences.
Belief correlations with parental vaccine hesitancy: Results from a national survey
Authors: Matthews Luke J. , Nowak Sarah A. , Gidengil Courtney C. , Chen Christine , Stubbersfield Joseph M. , Tehrani Jamshid J. , Parker Andrew M.
Published: February 2022

We conducted a nationally representative survey of parents’ beliefs and self‐reported behaviors regarding childhood vaccinations. Using Bayesian selection among multivariate models, we found that beliefs, even those without any vaccine or health content, predicted vaccine‐hesitant behaviors better than demographics, social network effects, or scientific reasoning. The multivariate structure of beliefs combined many types of ideation that included concerns about both conspiracies and side effects. Although they are not strongly related to vaccine‐hesitant behavior, demographics were key predictors of beliefs. Our results support some of the previously proposed pro‐vaccination messaging strategies and suggest some new strategies not previously considered.
Trends in publication of general surgery research in Australia, 2000–2020
Authors: Izwan Sara , Chan Erick , Ibraheem Christian , Bhagwat Gayatri , Parker David
Published: February 2022

Background

The significance of evidence‐based surgery has resulted in a shift towards producing high‐quality surgical research. The aim of this bibliometric analysis was to evaluate trends in publication of general surgery research in Australia from 2000 to 2020.

Methods

General surgery publications including clinical trials, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews and meta‐analyses by Australian‐affiliated authors between 2000 and 2020 were extracted from PubMed. Titles, abstracts, journals and authors were independently screened by two investigators and arbitrated by a third. Publication type and area of focus were manually entered. Quality of articles was measured by trends in impact factor (IF) and SCImago Journal Rank (SJR). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data and identify trends.

Results

Three hundered and ninety‐eight articles met inclusion criteria for this study, with a progressive increase in publications over the study period. RCTs and systematic reviews accounted for 109 and 234 publications, respectively. The median number of authors remained constant (p = 0.060). There was a significant increase in publication of clinical trials and RCTs (p < 0.001) as well as systematic reviews and meta‐analyses (p < 0.001). The median IF increased from 1.93 to 3.08, whilst median SJR increased from 1.11 to 1.16, equivalent to organic growth of journal IF and SJR over this period. Female authorship significantly increased over time (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

There is a trend towards increased quantity, quality and diversity in Australian general surgery publications, which is indicative of the progression and importance of robust modern surgical research.
The prognostic value of the number of positive lymph nodes and the lymph node ratio in early‐stage cervical cancer
Authors: Olthof Ester P. , Mom Constantijne H. , Snijders Malou L. H. , Wenzel Hans H. B. , van der Velden Jacobus , van der Aa Maaike A.
Published: February 2022

Introduction

To establish the impact of the number of lymph node metastases (nLNM) and the lymph node ratio (LNR) on survival in patients with early‐stage cervical cancer after surgery.

Material and methods

In this nationwide historical cohort study, all women diagnosed between 1995 and 2020 with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 stage IA2–IIA1 cervical cancer and nodal metastases after radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy from the Netherlands Cancer Registry were selected. Optimal cut‐offs for prognostic stratification by nLNM and LNR were calculated to categorize patients into low‐risk or high‐risk groups. Kaplan–Meier overall survival analysis and flexible parametric relative survival analysis were used to determine the impact of nLNM and LNR on survival. Missing data were imputed.

Results

The optimal cut‐off point was ≥4 for nLNM and ≥0.177 for LNR. Of the 593 women included, 500 and 501 (both 84%) were categorized into the low‐risk and 93 and 92 (both 16%) into the high‐risk groups for nLNM and LNR, respectively. Both high‐risk groups had a worse 5‐year overall survival (p < 0.001) compared with the low‐risk groups. Being classified into the high‐risk groups is an independent risk factor for relative survival, with excess hazard ratios of 2.4 (95% confidence interval 1.6–3.5) for nLNM and 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.7–3.8) for LNR.

Conclusions

Presenting a patient's nodal status postoperatively by the number of positive nodes, or by the nodal ratio, can support further risk stratification regarding survival in the case of node‐positive early‐stage cervical cancer.
Endometriosis and preterm birth: A Danish cohort study
Authors: Breintoft Kjerstine , Arendt Linn Håkonsen , Uldbjerg Niels , Glavind Maria Tølbøll , Forman Axel , Henriksen Tine Brink
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Emerging evidence shows that women with endometriosis face a higher risk of preterm birth. However, the pathways are unclear. The objective of this study is to further investigate at different gestational ages the association between endometriosis and different pathways of preterm birth including, medically indicated preterm birth, premature pre‐labor rupture of membranes (PPROM), and spontaneous labor contractions.

Material and methods

In this population‐based cohort study we linked singleton pregnancies from the Aarhus Birth Cohort to the Danish National Patient Registry, the Danish Medical Birth Registry, the Danish National Pathology Registry and Data Bank, and the Danish in vitro fertilization registry to gather information on endometriosis status, outcomes and maternal characteristics. We investigated preterm birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation and very preterm birth before 32 completed weeks of gestation. We explored different pathways including medically indicated preterm birth defined as induction of labor with intact membranes and no prior labor contractions, PPROM defined as rupture of membranes, and spontaneous labor contractions defined as contractions with intact membranes resulting in labor.

Results

We found that women with endometriosis had an increased risk of preterm birth before 37 gestational weeks overall (adjusted hazard rate [aHR] 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–1.9) and very preterm birth before 32 gestational weeks (aHR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1–2.9) compared with women without endometriosis. Medically indicated preterm birth was more prominent in women with endometriosis in deliveries before 37 gestational weeks (aHR 2.4, 95% CI 1.8–3.2) whereas spontaneous labor contractions were more common before 32 gestational weeks (aHR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1–4.5) in women with endometriosis compared with women without endometriosis. Further, in the analyses restricted to women with a histologically verified diagnosis of endometriosis, the results were strengthened overall and showed that women with endometriosis had an increased risk of PPROM before 32 gestational weeks (aHR 3.49, 95% CI1.36–8.98).

Conclusions

Endometriosis was associated with both preterm and very preterm birth; however, apparently through different pathways. Women with endometriosis were more prone to have medically indicated preterm births before 37 gestational weeks and spontaneous preterm births before 32 gestational weeks compared with women without endometriosis.
Native aortic valve Staphylococcus warneri endocarditis after COVID‐19 infection: a case report and a review of literature
Authors: Gelman Ram , Potruch Assaf , Oster Yonatan , Ishay Yuval , Gur Chamutal , Beeri Ronen , Strahilevitz Jacob
Published: February 2022

We report a case of Staphylococcus warneri native valve endocarditis in an immunocompetent healthy adult, without known risk factors for infective endocarditis, two months following COVID‐19 infection, who recovered with conservative treatment. Additionally, we reviewed previous cases of native valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus warneri and summarized the main clinical implications.
Early improvement in bowel wall thickness on transperineal ultrasonography predicts treatment success in active ulcerative colitis
Authors: Sagami Shintaro , Kobayashi Taku , Aihara Kanako , Umeda Misaki , Odajima Kazuhiro , Morikubo Hiromu , Asonuma Kunio , Miyatani Yusuke , Fukuda Tomohiro , Matsubayashi Mao , Kiyohara Hiroki , Nakano Masaru , Hibi Toshifumi
Published: February 2022

Background

Bowel ultrasonography is a non‐invasive imaging tool that can repeatedly monitor ulcerative colitis (UC) activity.

Aim

This study aimed to determine whether early transabdominal or transperineal ultrasonography changes can predict subsequent clinical response to induction therapy in patients with UC.

Methods

This single‐centre prospective study explored ultrasonographic predictors for clinical remission (patient‐reported outcome‐2 ≤ 1 with no rectal bleeding subscore) at week 8 in patients with active UC who underwent induction therapy, in comparison with faecal calprotectin and C‐reactive protein (measured at baseline, week 1 and week 8). Predictive factors were assessed using multivariable regression models and receiver‐operating‐characteristic curve analysis.

Results

A total of 100 patients were analysed, of which 54 achieved remission at week 8. Baseline biomarker and ultrasonographic‐parameter values were not predictive of remission. Contrastingly, change from baseline to week 1 in rectal bowel wall thickness measured using transperineal ultrasonography was an independent predictor of remission by week 8 (adjusted odds ratio is associated with a 1‐mm decrease: 1.90 [95% confidence interval, 1.22–2.95]). In a subgroup analysis of the patients who did not achieve remission in 1 week, the predictive value of change in rectal bowel wall thickness remained high (AUC = 0.77 [95% confidence interval, 0.61–0.88]).

Conclusion

Improvement in rectal bowel wall thickness measured using transperineal ultrasonography at week 1 predicts treatment success and potentially facilitates decision making during the early course of induction therapy in UC.
A scientific study of late Islamic blue‐white stonepaste wares of Iran
Authors: Ma Yanying , Li Zhimin , Zhang Liangren , Wu Jingwei , Xiong Yingfei , Vahdati Ali , Zhang Jiayang
Published: February 2022

Blue‐white stonepaste wares were an outgrowth of the bursting innovations of Near Eastern potters striving to imitate Chinese products during the Islamic period. Building on the results of previous research, this paper seeks to increase our knowledge of this type of ceramics by analyzing 16 Qajar period samples from Tepe Naderi in North Khorasan Province, Iran, with stereo microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It appears that the bodies of these samples are characterized by high silicon and high alkali, a hallmark of the traditional Iranian stonepaste. They are coated with transparent alkali glazes and colored with the chromogenic elements of Cr, Co, Fe and Mn derived from chromite, hematite and cobalt ferrite, the latter of which is the decomposed phase of cobaltite ore known from Qamsar in Iran. The provenance of these samples cannot be probed at present, however, due to the lack of study of contemporaneous ceramics in the Near East.
Barriers of emergent psychological groupness predict stockpiling during the pandemic: Lack of trust, media exposure, and anxiety
Authors: Uysal Mete Sefa
Published: February 2022

The stockpiling behaviors during the COVID‐19 pandemic emerged as an example for situations where cooperation is inhibited by lack of trust, media exposure, and increased anxiety. In this paper, I test the hypothesis that stockpiling results from social psychological factors that prevent psychological groupness and cooperation (e.g., low trust in governments and other citizens, high frequency of news exposure, high pandemic anxiety), rather than being an inherently selfish and uncontrollable panic behavior. Specifically, I hypothesized that lower levels of satisfaction with the governments’ COVID‐19 policies, lower trust in people in following physical distancing rules, and more frequent media exposure would predict higher stockpiling behaviors through increased pandemic‐related anxiety. In a cross‐sectional survey study conducted in Turkey and the UK during the first‐wave of the pandemic (N= 5137), I tested a conceptual model via SEM. Findings showed that lower trust in people, lower satisfaction with governments’ COVID‐19 policies, and high exposure to news predicted higher pandemic related anxiety which predicted higher stockpiling in both countries. I discussed that governments policies and media in both countries may be the reason for mass stockpiling behaviors by decreasing predictability and trust.
How student perceptions about online learning difficulty influenced their satisfaction during Canada's Covid‐19 response
Authors: Conrad Colin , Deng Qi , Caron Isabelle , Shkurska Oksana , Skerrett Paulette , Sundararajan Binod
Published: February 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge to higher education and forced academic institutions across the globe to abruptly shift to remote teaching. Because of the emergent transition, higher education institutions continuously face difficulties in creating satisfactory online learning experiences that adhere to the new norms. This study investigates the transition to online learning during Covid‐19 to identify factors that influenced students' satisfaction with the online learning environment. Adopting a mixed‐method design, we find that students' experience with online learning can be negatively affected by information overload, and perceived technical skill requirements, and describe qualitative evidence that suggest a lack of social interactions, class format, and ambiguous communication also affected perceived learning. This study suggests that to digitalize higher education successfully, institutions need to redesign students' learning experience systematically and re‐evaluate traditional pedagogical approaches in the online context.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

University transitions to online learning during the Covid‐19 pandemic were undertaken by faculty and students who had little online learning experience.

The transition to online learning was often described as having a negative influence on students' learning experience and mental health.

Varieties of cognitive load are known predictors of effective online learning experiences and satisfaction.

What this paper adds

Information overload and perceptions of technical abilities are demonstrated to predict students' difficulty and satisfaction with online learning.

Students express negative attitudes towards factors that influence information overload, technical factors, and asynchronous course formats.

Communication quantity was not found to be a significant factor in predicting either perceived difficulty or negative attitudes.

Implications for practice and/or policy

We identify ways that educators in higher education can improve their online offerings and implementations during future disruptions.

We offer insights into student experience concerning online learning environments during an abrupt transition.

We identify design factors that contribute to effective online delivery, educators in higher education can improve students' learning experiences during difficult periods and abrupt transitions to online learning.
The 2021 WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: An update on pediatric low‐grade gliomas and glioneuronal tumors
Authors: Bale Tejus A. , Rosenblum Marc K.
Published: February 2022

The 2021 5th edition of the WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System reflects the discovery of genetic alterations underlying many central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms. Insights gained from technologic advances and novel applications in molecular diagnostics, including next‐generation sequencing and DNA methylation‐based profiling, coupled with the recognition of clinicopathologic correlates, have prompted substantial changes to CNS tumor classification; this is particularly true for pediatric low‐grade gliomas and glioneuronal tumors (pLGG/GNTs). The 2021 WHO now classifies gliomas, glioneuronal tumors and neuronal tumors into 6 families, three of which encompass pLGG/LGNTs: “Pediatric type diffuse low‐grade gliomas,” “circumscribed astrocytic gliomas,” and “glioneuronal and neuronal tumors.” Among these are six newly recognized tumor types: “diffuse astrocytoma, MYB or MYBL1‐altered”; “polymorphous low grade neuroepithelial tumor of the young (PLNTY)”; “diffuse low‐grade glioma‐MAPK altered”; “Diffuse glioneuronal tumor with oligodendroglioma‐like features and nuclear clusters (DGONC)”; “myxoid glioneuronal tumor (MGT)”; and “multinodular and vacuolating neuronal tumor (MVNT).” We review these newly recognized entities in the context of general changes to the WHO schema, discuss implications of the new classification for treatment of pLGG/LGNT, and consider strategies for molecular testing and interpretation.
Technology Matters: Machine learning approaches to personalised child and adolescent mental health care
Authors: Paton Lewis W. , Tiffin Paul A.
Published: February 2022

There has been much interest in the potential for machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance health care. In this article, we discuss the potential applications of the technology to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). We also outline the four key criteria that are likely to be necessary for automated prediction to be translated into clinical benefit. These relate to the choice of task to be automated, the nature of the available data, the methods applied and the context of the system to be implemented.
Varieties of employment equity architectures in Canada: An interprovincial comparison
Authors: Turgeon Luc , Doris Julien , Gagnon Alain‐G. , Caruso Jennifer L.
Published: February 2022

This research note explores approaches adopted by Canadian provinces to promote more representative provincial government bureaucracies. Three dimensions of employment equity are analyzed and compared for each province: the governance framework, the groups targeted, and the data reported. Each province is classified as belonging to one of four “employment equity architectures”: the absent architecture, the minimalist architecture, the partial architecture, and the comprehensive architecture. Overall, this note establishes the continuing existence of major differences in provincial approaches to fostering employment equity.
Multiple cancer type classification by small RNA expression profiles with plasma samples from multiple facilities
Authors: Suzuki Kuno , Igata Hideyoshi , Abe Motoki , Yamamoto Yusuke ,   small RNA based cancer classification project
Published: February 2022

Liquid biopsy is expected to be a promising cancer screening method because of its low invasiveness and the possibility of detecting multiple types in a single test. In the last decade, many studies on cancer detection using small RNAs in blood have been reported. To put small RNA tests into practical use as a multiple cancer type screening test, it is necessary to develop a method that can be applied to multiple facilities. We collected samples of eight cancer types and healthy controls from 20 facilities to evaluate the performance of cancer type classification. A total of 2,475 cancer samples and 496 healthy control samples were collected using a standardized protocol. After obtaining a small RNA expression profile, we constructed a classification model and evaluated its performance. First, we investigated the classification performance using samples from five single facilities. Each model showed areas under the receiver curve (AUC) ranging from 0.67 to 0.89. Second, we performed principal component analysis (PCA) to examine the characteristics of the facilities. The degree of hemolysis and the data acquisition period affected the expression profiles. Finally, we constructed the classification model by reducing the influence of these factors, and its performance had an AUC of 0.76. The results reveal that small RNA can be used for the classification of cancer types in samples from a single facility. However, interfacility biases will affect the classification of samples from multiple facilities. These findings will provide important insights to improve the performance of multiple cancer type classifications using small RNA expression profiles acquired from multiple facilities.