bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autoaggregation inStreptococcus intermediusis driven by the Pel polysaccharide
Authors: Raju Deepa , Turner Siobhán A. , Castro Karla , Whitfield Gregory B. , LaMarche Daphnée , Mahajan Sahil , Pfoh Roland , Le Mauff François , Joe Maju , Sarkar Susmita , Lowary Todd L. , Sheppard Donald C , Wozniak Daniel J. , Surette Michael G. , Howell P. Lynne
Published: April 2024

The Streptococcus Milleri Group (SMG) comprising ofStreptococcus intermedius, anginosusandconstellatusare commensal bacteria commonly found in healthy individuals. These bacteria are increasingly being recognized as opportunistic pathogens that can cause purulent infections at sterile body sites and have also been identified in the sputum of individuals with cystic fibrosis. Although the mechanisms of conversion to opportunistic pathogens are not well understood, auto-aggregation is a key driver of biofilm adhesion and cohesion in many Streptococci and Staphylococci. Here, we identify a gene cluster in theS. intermediusgenome with significant homology to thepeloperons inBacillus cereusandPseudomonas aeruginosa, which are required for Pel exopolysaccharide production and biofilm formation in these species. Characterization of a panel of clinicalS. intermediusstrains identified a range of aggregating phenotypes. Analysis of thepeloperon in the hyper-aggregating C1365 strain revealed that each of the canonicalpelDEADAFGgenes, but not the four additional genes are required for aggregation. Further, we demonstrate that C1365 produces a GalNAc-rich exopolysaccharide and that aggregates can be disrupted by the α1,4N-acetylgalactosaminidases, PelA and Sph3, but not other glycoside hydrolases, proteinase K or DNase I. Using an abscess model of mouse infection, we show that Pel driven aggregation leads to longer lasting infections, and that lack of Pel allows for the bacteria to be cleared more effectively. The polymer also affects how the bacteria interacts with the host immune system. Collectively, our data suggest that thepeloperon has relevancy toS. intermediuspathogenicity.
Pathological R-loops in bacteria from engineered expression of endogenous antisense RNAs whose synthesis is ordinarily terminated by Rho
Authors: Pandiyan Apuratha , Mallikarjun Jillella , Maheshwari Himanshi , Gowrishankar Jayaraman
Published: April 2024

In many bacteria, the essential factors Rho and NusG mediate termination of synthesis of nascent transcripts (including antisense RNAs) which are not being simultaneously translated. It has been proposed that in Rho’s absence toxic RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops) may be generated from nascent untranslated transcripts; and genome-wide mapping studies inEscherichia colihave identified putative loci of R-loop formation from more than 100 endogenous antisense transcripts that are synthesized only in a Rho-deficient strain. Here we provide evidence that engineered expression in wild-typeE. coliof several such individual antisense regions on a plasmid or the chromosome generates R-loops that, in an RNase H-modulated manner, serve to disrupt genome integrity. Rho inhibition was associated with increased prevalence of antisense R-loops also inXanthomonas oryzaepv.oryzaeandCaulobacter crescentus. Our results confirm the essential role of Rho in several bacterial genera for prevention of toxic R-loops from pervasive yet cryptic endogenous antisense transcripts. Engineered antisense R-looped regions may be useful for studies on both site-specific impediments to bacterial chromosomal replication and the mechanisms of their resolution.
Wine tourism in developing countries – the case of Armenia
Authors: Bitsch Linda , Hanf Jon H. , Kottmann Isabel
Published: April 2024

Purpose

With increasing wine consumption in Armenia, both residents and inbound tourists have become attractive target groups for wine sales, which are stimulated by wine tourism activities. The objective of this explorative study is to shed light on the potential of wine tourism for rural development in Armenia.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts with a structured and interdisciplinary literature review. Based on qualitative surveys among local tour operators and wine producers, and complemented by three expert interviews, the offer of wine tourism activities in Armenia will then be analyzed.

Findings

Each of the surveyed wine producers offers wine tourism activities. Foreign tourists know little about the Armenian wine industry, however, and are interested in cultural experiences and Armenia’s breathtaking nature. Armenian wine producers need to understand the expectations of their target groups to develop or adapt their offers successfully.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the explorative nature of this study, the sample size of the surveyed wineries and tour operators is small and hence not representative. In addition, only local tour operators were surveyed. The sample should be extended to include foreign tour operators and more wineries in future research projects.

Originality/value

Whereas first studies on the structure and competitiveness of the Armenian wine sector exist, there is no survey on the general wine tourism in Armenia and its potential to foster rural development.
Mapping attributes and managing heritage sites: the case of the Old Town of Ghadames-Libya
Authors: Alkhalaf Hiba , Elhabashi Alaa , Hesham Yassmen , Hiba Abdulsalam , Omaar Abdulkader , Walda Hafed , Wootton Will Thomas
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper introduces a methodology to identify, analyse and represent heritage site attributes, emphasizing their impact on value, authenticity, integrity and management, with a case study on Ghadames, Libya. Inscribed in 1986 and moved to the In-Danger List in 2016 due to conflict, this work seeks to update the site's attributes and values for improved management.

Design/methodology/approach

This methodology, focusing on Ghadames, leverages recent heritage management advancements to monitor conflict-induced changes, aiming to enhance decision-making through a detailed analysis of the site's natural and cultural attributes.

Findings

Our findings highlight the need for systematic and holistic assessments of heritage site attributes and values, crucial for managing sites of both local and global significance. This approach is a key to understanding their identity, guiding interpretation, management and preserving cultural significance.

Research limitations/implications

Developed for Ghadames, the methodology requires adaptation for other sites, underscoring the importance of identifying core tangible and intangible attributes that define a site's uniqueness.

Practical implications

Our developed methodology offers a replicable framework that can be modified by local heritage professionals to map attributes and assess the direct and indirect impact of conflict on heritage sites.

Originality/value

The detailed assessment provides a foundation for crafting informed policies and effective management strategies. It specifically targets minimizing the adverse effects of conflict on heritage sites' attributes. This effort is instrumental in preparing the necessary documentation to support the delisting of these sites from the UNESCO World Heritage Site In-Danger List, promoting their preservation and recovery.
Instantaneous audience responses: an organizational genre theory perspective
Authors: Kim Jaemin , Greiner Michael , Zhu Ellen
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The worldwide imposition of lockdown measures to control the 2020 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has shifted most executive communications with external stakeholders online, resulting in quick responses from stakeholders. This study aims to understand how presentational styles exhibited in online communication induce immediate audience responses and empirically test the effectiveness of reactive impression management tactics.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze presentational styles using MP3 files containing executive utterances during earnings call conferences held by S&P 100-listed firms after June 2020, the quarter after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Using timestamps, the authors link each utterance to a 1-minute interval change in the ask/bid prices of the stocks that occurs a minute after the corresponding utterance begins.

Findings

Exhibiting an informational presentation style in earnings calls leads to positive and immediate audience responses. Managers tend to increase their reliance on promotional presentation styles rather than on informational ones when quarterly earnings exceed market forecasts.

Originality/value

Drawing on organizational genre theory, this research identifies the discrepancy between the presentation styles that audiences positively respond to and those that managers tend to exhibit in earnings calls and provides a reactive impression management typology for immediate responses from online audiences.
Dietary restriction extends lifespan across different temperatures in the fly
Authors: Phillips Eleanor J. , Simons Mirre J. P.
Published: April 2024

Dietary restriction (DR) has been consistently shown to extend lifespan across a range of taxa. However, it has recently been reported that DR does not extend lifespan at certain, namely lower, temperatures in flies (Drosophila melanogaster). Similar to the interpretation of other findings that appear to question DR's universality, this finding has been interpreted as suggesting that lifespan extension in response to DR is an artefact of benign laboratory conditions.

We re‐test this hypothesis, now using a strain that shows robust lifespan extension at 25°C (across three prior experiments), and using a range of five diets across two temperatures, 18°C and 21°C.

We found the DR longevity response to be robust, extending lifespan irrespective of temperature. We measured fecundity as a positive control for the DR phenotype, and found, as predicted, that DR reduces egg laying.

We suggest differences in experimental setup, genetic lines used and variation in the diet‐lifespan reaction norm are responsible for this discrepancy. In addition, starting with a strain and conditions that show a lifespan extension by DR, as we do here, and then changing environment and/or genotype promises a more robust test of DR modulating factors.

In conclusion, it will be important for results that question DR as a phenotype to not be overinterpreted readily, as with a substantially larger sample size and a larger range of diets we were unable to replicate this prior work.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Defence systems and horizontal gene transfer in bacteria
Authors: Kogay Roman , Wolf Yuri I. , Koonin Eugene V.
Published: April 2024

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a fundamental process in prokaryotic evolution, contributing significantly to diversification and adaptation. HGT is typically facilitated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as conjugative plasmids and phages, which often impose fitness costs on their hosts. However, a considerable number of bacterial genes are involved in defence mechanisms that limit the propagation of MGEs, suggesting they may actively restrict HGT. In our study, we investigated whether defence systems limit HGT by examining the relationship between the HGT rate and the presence of 73 defence systems across 12 bacterial species. We discovered that only six defence systems, three of which were different CRISPR‐Cas subtypes, were associated with a reduced gene gain rate at the species evolution scale. Hosts of these defence systems tend to have a smaller pangenome size and fewer phage‐related genes compared to genomes without these systems. This suggests that these defence mechanisms inhibit HGT by limiting prophage integration. We hypothesize that the restriction of HGT by defence systems is species‐specific and depends on various ecological and genetic factors, including the burden of MGEs and the fitness effect of HGT in bacterial populations.
A template for creating and sharing ground truth data in digital forensics
Authors: Horsman Graeme
Published: April 2024

Ground truth data (GTD) is used by those in the field of digital forensics (DF) for a variety of purposes including to evaluate the functionality of undocumented, new, or emerging technology and services and the digital traces left behind following their usage. Most accepted and reliable trace interpretations must be derived from an examination of relevant GTD, yet despite the importance of it to the DF community, there is little formal guidance available for supporting those who create it, to do so in a way that ensures any data is of good quality, reliable, and therefore usable. In an attempt to address this issue, this work proposes a minimum standard of documentation that must accompany the production of any GTD, particularly when it is intended for use in the process of discovering new knowledge, proposing original interpretations of a digital trace, or determining the functionality of any technology or service. A template structure is discussed and provided in Appendix S1 which sets out a minimum standard for metadata describing any GTD's production process and content. It is suggested that such an approach can support the maintenance of trust in any GTD and improve the shareability of it.
Cellular host response sepsis test for risk stratification of patients in the emergency department: A pooled analysis
Authors: O'Neal Hollis R. , Sheybani Roya , Kraus Chadd K. , Self Wesley H. , Shah Ajay M. , Thomas Christopher B. , Tse Henry T. K. , Scoggins Robert
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Sepsis is one of the most common, costly, and misdiagnosed conditions in U.S. emergency departments (EDs). ED providers often treat on nonspecific signs, subjective suspicion, or presumption of infection, resulting in over‐ and undertreatment. An increased understanding of host response has opened a new direction for sepsis diagnostics. The IntelliSep test is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration–cleared cellular host response diagnostic that could help distinguish sepsis in ED settings. Our objective was to evaluate the potential of the cellular host response test to expedite appropriate care for patients who present with signs of infection.

Methods

We performed a pooled analysis of five adult (≥18 years) cohorts enrolled at seven geographically diverse U.S. sites in separate studies. Structured blinded adjudication was used to classify presence or absence of sepsis, and only patients with high confidence in the adjudicated label were included (n = 1002), defined as patients for whom there was consensus in the determination of sepsis per the Sepsis‐3 and severe sepsis per the Sepsis‐2 definitions between both the independent adjudication panel and the site‐level physician.

Results

Among patients with signs or suspicion of infection, the test achieved similar or better performance compared to other indicators in identifying patients at high risk for sepsis (specificity > 83%) and significantly superior performance in identifying those at low risk (sensitivity > 92%; 0% sepsis‐associated mortality). The test also stratified severity of illness, as shown by 30‐day in‐hospital mortality (p < 0.001), hospital length of stay (p < 0.01), and use of hospital resources (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the cellular host response test provides clinically actionable results for patients at both high and low risk for sepsis and provides a rapid, objective means for risk stratification of patients with signs of infection. If integrated into standard of care, the test may help improve outcomes and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
Is low‐level alcohol consumption really health‐protective? A critical review of approaches to promote causal inference and recent applications
Authors: Visontay Rachel , Mewton Louise , Sunderland Matthew , Chapman Cath , Slade Tim
Published: April 2024

Heavy and disordered alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for several health conditions and is associated with considerable disease burden. However, at low‐to‐moderate levels, evidence suggests that drinking is associated with reduced risk for certain health outcomes. Whether these findings represent genuine protective effects or mere methodological artifacts remains unclear, but has substantial consequences for policy and practice. This critical review introduces methodological advances capable of enhancing causal inference from observational research, focusing on the ‘G‐methods’ and Mendelian Randomization. We also present and evaluate recent research applying these methods and compare findings to the existing evidence base. Future directions are proposed for improving our causal understanding of the relationships between alcohol and long‐term health outcomes.
The effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use on subjective drug effects: A narrative review across methodologies
Authors: Bedillion Margaret F. , Claus Eric D. , Wemm Stephanie E. , Fox Helen C. , Ansell Emily B.
Published: April 2024

Over 75% of young adults who use cannabis also report drinking alcohol, leading to increased risks that include impaired cognition, substance use disorders, and more heavy and frequent substance use. Studies suggest that subjective responses to either alcohol or cannabis can serve as a valuable indicator for identifying individuals at risk of prolonged substance use and use disorder. While laboratory studies show additive effects when alcohol and cannabis are used together, the impact of co‐using these substances, specifically with respect to cannabidiol, on an individual's subjective experience remains unclear. This narrative review explores the effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis (SAM) use on subjective drug effects, drawing from qualitative research, laboratory experiments, and naturalistic studies. Experimental findings are inconsistent regarding the combined effects of alcohol and cannabis, likely influenced by factors such as dosage, method of administration, and individual substance use histories. Similarly, findings from qualitative and naturalistic studies are mixed regarding subjective drug effects following SAM use. These discrepancies may be due to recall biases, variations in assessment methods, and the measurement in real‐world contexts of patterns of SAM use and related experiences. Overall, this narrative review highlights the need for more comprehensive research to understand more fully subjective drug effects of SAM use in diverse populations and settings, emphasizing the importance of frequent and nuanced assessment of SAM use and subjective responses in naturalistic settings.
Limited recovery of soil organic carbon and soil biophysical functions after old field restoration in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Parkhurst Tina , Standish Rachel J. , Prober Suzanne M.
Published: April 2024

The conversion of woodland ecosystems to agricultural landscapes has led to unprecedented losses of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning globally. Unsustainable agricultural practices have contributed to the degradation of soil's physical and biogeochemical properties. Ecological restoration of unproductive agricultural land is imperative for reversing land degradation and ameliorating the degrading effects of agriculture on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, it is unclear to what extent common restoration activities, such as tree planting, can facilitate the recovery of ecosystem condition and in particular, improve soil physical, biogeochemical and biotic components. Here, we investigated how the cessation of cropping, followed by tree planting, affected soil carbon concentrations and key biophysical soil functions. Data were collected across 10 sites a decade after the replanting of woody species on old fields in semi‐arid Western Australia. We applied a chronosequence approach and measured soil functions in fallow cropland (restoration starting point), 10‐year‐old planted old fields and intact woodland reference sites (restoration target point). We stratified sampling between open areas and patches under trees in planted old fields and reference woodlands to account for inherent biophysical differences. Soils under planted trees recovered to some extent, having reduced soil compaction and higher soil penetration depth in comparison with the fallow cropland. However, soils under trees in planted old fields did not reach woodland reference conditions for these properties. Moreover, recovery was not evident for other soil physical, biogeochemical and biotic components such as soil organic carbon, soil moisture, leaf litter and woody debris decomposition rates. Limited recovery of soil functions may be at least partly explained by time lags associated with slow growth rates of planted trees in dry ecosystems. Our study shows that the legacy of cropping can persist over long timeframes in semi‐arid regions, with modest signs of woodland recovery beginning to emerge 10 years after tree planting.
Editorial: Can dietary gluten restriction improve hepatic steatosis?
Authors: Kranidioti Hariklia , Deutsch Melanie
Published: April 2024

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Armandi et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17941 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18025.
Editorial: Are changes in quantitative biliary metrics the first sign of progression in primary sclerosing cholangitis?
Authors: Eaton John E. , Venkatesh Sudhakar K.
Published: April 2024

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Trivedi et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17944
What motivates South Korean Official Development Assistance?
Authors: Atkinson Joel
Published: April 2024

Official Development Assistance (ODA) is defined by a motive: the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries. This review article considers the motives of one donor, South Korea, with a close reading and comparison of three authoritative texts. It argues that Korean ODA is primarily motivated by increasing status and influence, and supporting the overseas expansion of Korean companies. There is also a contribution from secondary motivations more clearly related to the definition of ODA: humanitarianism and being a good global citizen.
Stewardship according to context: Justifications for coercive antimicrobial stewardship policies in agriculture and their limitations
Authors: Johnson Tess
Published: April 2024

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent, global threat to public health. The development and implementation of effective measures to address AMR is vitally important but presents important ethical questions. This is a policy area requiring further sustained attention to ensure that policies proposed in National Action Plans on AMR are ethically acceptable and preferable to alternatives that might be fairer or more effective, for instance. By ethically analysing case studies of coercive actions to address AMR across countries, we can better inform policy in a context‐specific manner. In this article, I consider an example of coercive antimicrobial stewardship policy in Canada, namely restrictions on livestock farmers' access to certain antibiotics for animal use without a vet's prescription. I introduce and analyse two ethical arguments that might plausibly justify coercive action in this case: the harm principle and a duty of collective easy rescue. In addition, I consider the factors that might generally limit the application of those ethical concepts, such as challenges in establishing causation or evidencing the scale of the harm to be averted. I also consider specifics of the Canadian context in contrast to the UK and Botswana as example settings, to demonstrate how context‐specific factors might mean a coercive policy that is ethically justified in one country is not so in another.
Senescence and senolysis in cancer: The latest findings
Authors: Imawari Yoshimi , Nakanishi Makoto
Published: April 2024

Aging is a life phenomenon that occurs in most living organisms and is a major risk factor for many diseases, including cancer. Cellular senescence is a cellular trait induced by various genomic and epigenetic stresses. Senescent cells are characterized by irreversible cell growth arrest and excessive secretion of inflammatory cytokines (senescence‐associated secretory phenotypes, SASP). Chronic tissue microinflammation induced by SASP contributes to the pathogenesis of a variety of age‐related diseases, including cancer. Senolysis is a promising new strategy to selectively eliminate senescent cells in order to suppress chronic inflammation, suggesting its potential use as an anticancer therapy. This review summarizes recent findings on the molecular basis of senescence in cancer cells and senolysis.
Indicator‐based natural capital reporting to inform decision‐making in the Brazilian Pantanal
Authors: Fairbrass Alison J. , Moretti Victor , Quaresma Elvander , Ribeiro Celma , de Oliveira Roque Fabio , Oller Claudio , Tomei Julia
Published: April 2024

The natural capital indicator framework (NCIF) offers an entry‐level approach to natural capital reporting using existing data sources and indicators. Here, we test the NCIF for the first time in the megadiverse Pantanal biome in Brazil. We compile publicly available indicators on the cattle, soy, fishing, and nature‐based tourism industries alongside indicators on the state of the biome and its ecosystem services. We show that the NCIF is quick to implement using existing environmental and socioeconomic indicators produced by public and NGO statistics communities. However, we identify significant gaps in indicators on the condition and economic value of the biome, the human investment required to derive benefits from the biome, emissions produced by the industries that exploit the biome, and the ecosystem services that maintain the functioning of the biome, such as nutrient cycling and biodiversity. Existing initiatives in Brazil could fill natural capital reporting gaps, including Brazil's experimental natural capital accounts. The NCIF provides a structured approach to highlight gaps in natural capital reporting and guide decision‐makers to prioritize investment in filling data and reporting gaps. Systematic, transnational monitoring must fill gaps in natural capital data to inform decision‐making in the megadiverse Pantanal biome.
Fiscal policy volatility and capital flight
Authors: Apeti Ablam Estel
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we analyse the effect of fiscal policy volatility on capital flight. Based on a sample of 27 African countries over the period 1970–2018 and using System generalised method (GMM) of moments, we show that fiscal policy volatility increases capital flight. Specif‐ically, our baseline results indicate that an increase in fiscal policy volatility by 1% increases capital flight by 1.4%. In other words, an increase in fiscal policy volatility by 100% increases capital flight by 140% or by 40% above the increase in the cause, that is, fiscal policy volatility. These results are robust to additional control variables, alternative methods, samples, and specifications, and may vary with the initial level of capital flight.
Spatial inequality in prices and wages within a late‐developing economy: Serbia, 1863–1910
Authors: Nikolić Stefan
Published: April 2024

Serbia emerged as a small independent nation‐state in the economic periphery of nineteenth‐century Europe. This article leverages uniquely abundant town‐level data to examine spatial inequality in prices and wages within this late‐developing economy. I first build a new dataset on prices of traded and household goods, and wages of skilled and unskilled workers for a panel of 42 urban settlements in Serbia in the period from 1863 to 1910. I apply the welfare ratio approach to calculate real wages of day labourers and masons. Second, I find strong spatial convergence in grain prices and costs of living, but divergence in wages, both nominal and real. Lastly, I investigate the determinants of price convergence and wage divergence with panel‐data models. The results suggest that falling transport costs decreased price gaps between locations, whereas rising population differences increased inter‐urban wage gaps.
Clinical effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis stratified by disease‐modifying treatment
Authors: De Troyer Marijke , Van Remoortel Ann , Van Schependom Jeroen , Faille Laetitia Della , D'hooghe Marie B. , Peeters Gertjan , Nagels Guy , D'haeseleer Miguel
Published: April 2024

Background and purpose

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccination has been associated with a dampened humoral and/or cellular immune response in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were concurrently on disease‐modifying treatment (DMT) with B‐cell depleting agents or sphingosine‐1‐phosphate receptor modulators (S1PRMs). Our main goal was to investigate the impact of these DMT classes on the clinical effectiveness of COVID‐19 vaccination.

Methods

Since March 2020, demographics and clinical data of patients with MS who developed COVID‐19 have been collected at the Belgian National MS Centre in Melsbroek. Patients were considered to be ‘protected by vaccination’ if they were (i) fully vaccinated and (ii) tested positive for COVID‐19 in the period ranging from 14 days to 6 months after the last administered vaccine.

Results

On 19 December 2022, 418 COVID‐19 cases were retrospectively identified in 389 individual patients. Hospitalization and mortality rates resulting from the infection were 10.8% and 2.4%, respectively. Being ‘unprotected by vaccination’ was significantly associated with a worse COVID‐19 outcome (i.e., hospitalization and/or death) in the total cohort (N = 418, odds ratio [OR] 3.96), in patients on ongoing DMT other than anti‐CD20 agents or S1PRMs (N = 123, OR 31.75) and in patients without DMT (N = 182, OR 5.60), but not in those receiving anti‐CD20 agents (N = 91, OR 0.39); the S1PRMs subgroup was considered too small (22 infections) for any meaningful analysis.

Conclusions

Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination protects against severe infection in patients with MS but it was not possible to confirm this effect in those on DMT with B‐cell depleting agents.
Identifying the service and social policy needs, gaps, barriers and enablers for grandparent carers
Authors: Blundell Barbara , Fernandes Christina , Moran Rebecca J
Published: April 2024

Objective

The goal of this research was to map and identify service and social policy needs, gaps, barriers, and enablers for Western Australian custodial grandparent carers.

Background

Grandparents are increasingly providing custodial kinship care for their grandchildren, yet there is substantial inconsistency in policy frameworks, systems, and services that offer support to grandfamilies across Australia.

Method

This mixed‐methods research project synthesized micro‐ to macro‐level data, including grandparent carer respondents to an online survey, qualitative interviews with stakeholder organization representatives, focus groups with key agency frontline staff, and service, social policy, and legislative mapping.

Findings

Current focused and generic services do not meet the complex needs of many grandparent carers and their families, particularly informal grandparent carers and those with diverse, intersectional needs.

Conclusion

Grandparent carers are an often hidden and marginalized population, with many struggling within a complex policy and service delivery framework that may encompass multiple sectors. There are service, policy, and legislative gaps, particularly for informal grandparent carers and those who may already be experiencing intersectional disadvantage.

Implications

Holistic, culturally competent, individualized, and flexible service and social policy responses need to be developed to support grandfamilies, as well as further funding, support and legislative recognition for informal grandparent carers.
Resource acquisition strategies of joint‐venture universities in China: Two cases in the Greater Bay Area
Authors: Liu Xu , Pan Pengfei
Published: April 2024

As cross‐border education continues to evolve, a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends requires an awareness of the behaviours of partner universities and host governments. This case study examines two joint‐venture universities in China and compares their institutional approaches to resource acquisition. It compares their strategies in four dimensions: initial launch, choice of name, capacity building, and strategy in leveraging resources from the local government. The divergent strategies show that both universities use their particular advantages to obtain different resources to sustain their development. This study presents a portrait of a dynamic organisational environment for cross‐border in China. While the government plays a key role in the establishment of the universities, their resource acquisition effectiveness depends on how successfully they integrate their agendas with local needs.
Bailed out: Defendants’ and stakeholders’ experiences of a bail support programme
Authors: Peterson Scott , Lambie Ian , Cartwright Claire
Published: April 2024

Despite dropping crime rates and prison muster, pretrial population rates in New Zealand are growing faster than in other OECD nations, risking negative impacts on defendants and communities. Fourteen defendants and 18 stakeholders were interviewed about a bail support service's strengths and weaknesses. Officer‐training quality, communication between stakeholders and access to practical and cultural resources were crucial to success. Defendants reported that professional staff support and having access to services were the most helpful aspects. Changes were positive overall, but the programme's implementation, resources (especially lack of housing suitable for bail), and structure (within changing pretrial legislation) were of concern.
Healthcare delivery in the shadow of war: The experiences of Turkish nurses providing care to Syrian asylum‐seekers
Authors: Çiçek Korkmaz Ayşe , Baykal Ülkü
Published: April 2024

The Syrian civil war caused humanitarian tragedy, resulting in significant losses and massive migration movement, significantly impacting nursing services. The purpose of this study was to identify the problems and experiences of nurses who provided care for Syrian asylum seekers in Turkish border hospitals during the war. This phenomenological and qualitative research selected participants with maximum diversity sampling. Interviews were conducted with 68 nurses who provided care and treatment to asylum seekers during the peak of the war. Data analysis identified two main themes and nine sub‐themes: language differences, interpreting services, intercultural differences, complex patients, non‐compliance with hospital rules, treatment programmes and discharge issues. The nurses experienced both positive and negative emotions during the process. During the Syrian war, patient care issues were identified as being primarily caused by language and cultural differences among asylum seekers and nurses. During this process, nurses who cared for severe injuries and asylum‐seekers experienced both positive and negative emotions simultaneously.
Relationship between structural empowerment and job satisfaction among nurses: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Yesilbas Hande , Kantek Filiz
Published: April 2024

Aim

To investigate the relationship between structural empowerment and job satisfaction among nurses.

Background

Job satisfaction is considered to be a global concern. It is also essential to improve the quality of patient care and promote nurse retention. Structural empowerment of nurses can be an important factor in ensuring nurses' job satisfaction.

Methods

This meta‐analysis was conducted ensuring compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis guidelines. Using seven databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library, the relevant articles were identified. Two independent reviewers screened articles and extracted data. The meta‐analysis was performed using Jamovi statistical software.

Results

In total, 29 studies involving 30 cohorts (N = 11,078) were identified as eligible for the meta‐analysis. A significant positive relationship between nurse structural empowerment and job satisfaction was identified, with the summary effect size of r = 0.559 (95% CI: 0.494–0.618).

Conclusion

There was a strong positive relationship between structural empowerment and job satisfaction in nurses. Exploring the relationship between structural empowerment and job satisfaction can provide strategies to promote nurse retention and prevent nursing shortage.

Implications for nursing and health policy

The results of this study confirmed a strong positive relationship between nurses' job satisfaction and structural empowerment. Implementing interventions that enhance the structural empowerment of nurses will contribute to increasing their job satisfaction, thereby assisting in both nurse retention and optimizing their potential to provide quality patient care. Healthcare organizations and nurse managers should create work environments that provide nurses with access to information, resources, support, and opportunities to empower them and to enhance their job satisfaction.
Millimeter‐wave dielectric characteristics of Sr1−xCaxSmAlO4 ceramics
Authors: Chen Xing Yu , Liu Mei Ying , Li Lei , Chen Xiang Ming
Published: April 2024

Millimeter‐wave dielectric characteristrics of Sr1−xCaxSmAlO4 ceramics were investigated together with their structures. The solid solution in the space group I4/mmm was determined in the entire composition range, and the excellent microwave dielectric characteristics were not only obtained in the centimeter‐wave range but also in the millimeter‐wave range. The dielectric constant εr indicated a slight decrease from 19.5, and the significantly improved Q×f value was achieved, while the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency τf became more negative (from −3.4 to −12 ppm/°C) with increasing x. Q×f value showed apparent increase with increasing frequency, and the Q×f value at 28 GHz was improved from 88 000 to 160000 GHz with increasing x. The best combination of millimeter‐wave dielectric characteristics was achieved at x = 0.6: εr = 19, Q×f = 143 300 GHz (at 27.3 GHz), and τf = −9.3 ppm/°C. The present ceramics could be expected as the promising candidates as millimeter‐wave dielectric ceramics.
Structure, electric, and optical properties of single‐crystalline domain composed thin VO2 films on glass
Authors: Wang Jun , Wen Liping , Qin Minhua , Tian Shouqin , Zhao Xiujian , Liu Baoshun
Published: April 2024

VO2 films prepared on amorphous substrates are generally nanocrystalline and have low semiconductor–metal transition (SMT) properties. The current research reported that both the undoped and Nb‐doped VO2 films, composed of differently‐orientated single‐crystalline domains, can be prepared on amorphous quartz substrates through facile annealing of sputtered precursors, with their structures, electric properties, optical properties, and thermochromism being systematically studied. The results showed that the resistance change of the undoped VO2 films across the SMT was ∼3000 times. The SMT critical temperature (Tc) of the sc‐domain VO2 films can be decreased to room temperature by the Nb doping, and the resistance change across the SMT could remain approximately two orders of magnitude higher when the Tc was decreased to 27°C. It was seen that both the semiconductor‐phase undoped and Nb‐doped VO2 films featured defect‐activated conductances, with the Nb donor ionization energy being 0.14–0.17 eV. The absorption coefficients of the VO2 films were obtained by fitting the transmittance and reflectance optical spectra with the Drude‐Lorentz dispersion model, and the Nb doping widened and merged the d|| and π* bands, with both the optical and physical gaps being decreased due to the band widening. The thermochromic performances were also studied, and the result showed that the solar light modulation could remain 90% of the undoped film when the Tc was decreased to 27°C by the Nb doping, so the Nb‐doped VO2 films can be a good candidate for preparing thermochromic energy‐saving coatings.
Entangled in complexity: An ethnographic study of organizational adaptability and safe care transitions for patients with complex care needs
Authors: Hedqvist Ann‐Therese , Praetorius Gesa , Ekstedt Mirjam , Lindberg Catharina
Published: April 2024

Aim

The aim of this study was to visualize vulnerabilities and explore the dynamics of inter‐professional collaboration and organizational adaptability in the context of care transitions for patients with complex care needs.

Design

An ethnographic design using multiple convergent data collection techniques.

Methods

Data collection involved document review, participant observations and interviews with healthcare and social care professionals (HSCPs). Narrative analysis was employed to construct two illustrative patient scenarios, which were then examined using the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM). Thematic analysis was subsequently applied to synthesize the findings.

Results

Inconsistencies in timing and precision during care transitions pose risks for patients with complex care needs as they force healthcare systems to prioritize structural constraints over individualized care, especially during unforeseen events outside regular hours. Such systemic inflexibility can compromise patient safety, increase the workload for HSCPs and strain resources. Organizational adaptability is crucial to managing the inherent variability of patient needs. Our proposed ‘safe care transition pathway’ addresses these issues, providing proactive strategies such as sharing knowledge and increasing patient participation, and strengthening the capacity of professionals to meet dynamic care needs, promoting safer care transitions.

Conclusion

To promote patient safety in care transitions, strategies must go beyond inter‐professional collaboration, incorporating adaptability and flexible resource planning. The implementation of standardized safe care transition pathways, coupled with the active participation of patients and families, is crucial. These measures aim to create a resilient, person‐centred approach that may effectively manage the complexities in care transitions.

Implications

The recommendations of this study span the spectrum from policy‐level changes aimed at strategic resource allocation and fostering inter‐professional collaboration to practical measures like effective communication, information technology integration, patient participation and family involvement. Together, the recommendations offer a holistic approach to enhance care transitions and, ultimately, patient outcomes.

Reporting Method

Findings are reported per the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative research (COREQ).

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Compromise in hard times? The impact of deglobalization on corporate social responsibility in the US–China supply chain
Authors: Cao Yanming , Chen Jengfang , Chen Xiaomeng Charlene , Lu Meiting
Published: April 2024

This study examines the effect of the US–China trade tensions on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of the Chinese suppliers most affected by the 2018 US tariff surges. Using a difference‐in‐differences approach, we find that Chinese suppliers with direct US corporate customers experience a significant decline in CSR performance, compared with their peers without direct US corporate customers. We also show that the adverse effect of tariff surges on Chinese suppliers’ CSR performance is concentrated among those with a strong cost leadership strategy. However, the CSR performance of Chinese suppliers that have direct US corporate customers with high CSR awareness is not affected by the tariff surges. Further analyses reveal that the negative effects of the trade tensions on CSR performance are felt most strongly by the employees of Chinese suppliers. Taken together, despite the challenges posed by the deglobalization wave to the diffusion of CSR across global supply chains, the increasing demand for CSR involvement from US corporate customers can exert significant pressure on Chinese suppliers’ CSR performance.
Antacids and reflux esophagitis as a risk factor for gastric neoplasm of fundic‐gland type: A retrospective, matched case–control study
Authors: Hayasaka Junnosuke , Hoteya Shu , Takazawa Yutaka , Kikuchi Daisuke , Araki Akihiro
Published: April 2024

Background and Aim

Since the first report of gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic‐gland type in 2010, the clinicopathological characteristics of gastric neoplasm of the fundic‐gland type (GNFG) have become clearer; however, their risk factors remain unclear. This exploratory study aimed to identify the risk factors for GNFG.

Methods

We conducted a single‐center, retrospective, matched case–control study using medical information recorded at our health management center from January 2014 to July 2023. During this period, 39 240 people underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. GNFG were extracted as cases and matched to controls, according to age and sex, in a 1:8 ratio, excluding those with a history of gastrointestinal surgery and those with a history or comorbidity of cancer. Univariate analysis was used to compare patient background and endoscopic findings. Multivariable analysis was performed, adjusting for factors with P values < 0.1 and antacid use.

Results

A total of 20 GNFG cases and 160 matched healthy controls were included. In the univariate analysis, only reflux esophagitis was significantly more common in GNFG (40.0% vs 18.1%; P = 0.036). Factors antacids and duodenitis had P values < 0.1. Logistic regression analysis was performed, adjusting for antacids, reflux esophagitis, and duodenitis. Antacids and reflux esophagitis were the independent risk factors for GNFG (odds ratio = 3.68 [95% confidence interval: 1.04–11.91] and 3.25 [95% confidence interval: 1.11–9.35]).

Conclusions

Although the sample of patients with GNFG was small, antacids and reflux esophagitis were identified as a risk factor. The pathogenesis of antacids and reflux esophagitis may be involved in the development of GNFG.