bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alliance termination research: a bibliometric review and research agenda
Authors: Rajan Rishabh , Dhir Sanjay , Sushil
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the existing literature and evaluate the theories, characteristics, context and methods of alliance termination research published from 1992 to 2019. This study also aims to identify the gaps in the literature and recognize directions for future research focusing on alliance termination research.

Design/methodology/approach

The main research methods followed in this study are bibliometric review, citation analysis, co-citation analysis and cluster analysis.

Findings

The main findings of this study are the most cited articles, most productive journals and most productive countries. The results show that a total of 100 research articles were published between 1992 and 2019. The maximum number of publications were observed during 2011–2019. The article “Knowledge, bargaining power, and the instability of international joint ventures” (Inkpen and Beamish, 1997) was the most cited article and the “Academy of Management Review” was the most prominent journal, with 847 citations. The USA, France, the UK, Singapore and Canada are the most productive countries. The study also includes the analysis of the network of co-citation of references and co-occurrence of keywords in the context of alliance termination research.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study seems to be the first to perform bibliometric review and analysis in the area of alliance termination research. Therefore, it can help academicians and practitioners to identify the research trends and gaps in the alliance termination literature on which future research can be performed. Overall, this research paper leads to a better understanding of the alliance termination research and offers new insights into strategic management studies.
Sustainability endeavors and sustainable development in Spanish public hospitals
Authors: Rodriguez Rocio , Otero-Neira Carmen , Svensson Göran
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The research aims to describe the foundation of healthcare organizations’ past and present sustainability endeavors; describe the direction of a health-care organizations’ sustainable development; reveal and characterize what determines the foundation and direction in a public health-care sector; and provide some insights into social marketing for sustainability endeavors.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a semi-inductive approach, judgmental sampling was applied to select relevant health-care organizations. Informants were identified according to their knowledge of their organizations’ sustainability initiatives.

Findings

Offer insights into the foundation of sustainability endeavors and the direction of sustainable development for upstream social marketing in the studied public sector. The social marketing perspective is a common factor of relevance for the studied public hospitals.

Research limitations/implications

The foundations of sustainability endeavors undertaken across the studied health-care organizations have not so far been homogenous. The direction of sustainable development has also varied across the studied public healthcare organizations and there is a need to move beyond individuals and shift from a micro to a macro/structural environment of sustainable development, so as to observe the effectiveness of any social marketing intervention.

Practical implications

This study highlights the importance of applying an upstream social marketing approach and programs, as part of a social marketing strategy, to promote and stimulate sustainable change in health-care organizations.

Social implications

Contrary to the common sense predominating in many societies nowadays regarding sustainability endeavors and sustainable development, we conclude that neither the foundation of such endeavors nor the direction of sustainable development has progressed adequately in the studied public healthcare sector. As social marketing is intended to benefit society and foster social change, the macro level of intervention of the upstream approach clearly reveals its usefulness in the public health area.

Originality/value

Reveals two axes based on a social marketing approach. One is of micro and macro determinants characterizing the direction of sustainable development in a public sector. Another is of homogeneous and heterogeneous foundations of sustainability endeavors.
Impact of consumer engagement on firm performance
Authors: Bai Lijuan , Yan Xiangbin , Yu Guang
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of different dimensions of consumer engagement in social media on firm performance in social media.

Design/methodology/approach

Beyond likes and comments, combined with the interactive behavior of consumer engagement with firms on social media, we proposed a set of metrics for consumer engagement on social media, namely personal engagement, user-interactive engagement, and fan-interactive engagement. We used the fixed-effect model and validated the impact of consumer engagement in different dimensions on firm performance.

Findings

The result shows that personal engagement and user-interactive engagement significantly correlate with firm performance; however, the same effect was not observed in fan-interactive engagement.

Originality/value

Prior researches on consumer engagement in social media are mainly about consumer engagement in firm-initiated social media page. In this study, we consider the consumer engagement behavior in firm-initiated and consumer-initiated social media pages, then validate the impact of different dimensions of consumer engagement on firm performance.
The demand and supply timely financial reports
Authors: Al-Mulla Mazen , Bradbury Michael E.
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper is motivated by the Financial Markets Authority’s (FMA) investigation into reporting delays of New Zealand issuers. The purpose of this paper is to provide regulators with systematic evidence on firm specific characteristics associated with reporting delay. The paper examines the audit report lag (ARL), the financial report lag and the corresponding interim report lags for a large sample of New Zealand listed firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Because of the small sample we report bivariate correlations. Together with OLS regression, we examine the association between reporting delay and firm characteristics (e.g., size, complexity, governance) that capture the supply and demand for timely audited financial reports. We choose a period immediately prior to the FMA enforcement of reporting delays to capture the voluntary choice of reporting timeliness by managers.

Findings

The audit lag (i.e. balance date to preliminary announcement to the NZX) is longer than the report lag (i.e. preliminary announcement date to the issuance of the report to the NZX). We find that audit risk factors (leverage and finance firms) and busy reporting period are associated with longer audit lag. Whereas, having a Big 4 auditor and an interim review reduces annual audit lag. Investor demand factors are associated with a shorter report lag. Firms with a loss and more segments have a shorter report lag, while firms with high market to book ratio have a longer report lag. These are consistent with agency and proprietary cost explanations. The interim report lag is only seven days shorter than the annual lag. The determinants of annual report lag provide weak explanations for the interim report lags.

Research limitations/implications

Although all listed companies are sampled, the small sample size reduces the power of the analysis and may limit finding significant results at conventional levels.

Practical implications

The factors associated with reporting delays could be used by regulators as red flags to identify abnormal reporting delays. Interim reporting lags appear excessively relative to annual report lags. Therefore, regulators should investigate the reasons for the lack of timeliness of interim reports.

Social implications

Report timeliness is an important, but often overlooked, component of accounting quality. The major social implication is that timely reporting reduces information asymmetry between managers and shareholders and other stakeholders. Making better, timelier decisions ought to increase the wealth and welfare of investors and other stakeholders.

Originality/value

There are many studies on reporting delay. However, prior evidence on reporting delay in New Zealand is pre-IFRS and pre-recent regulatory reforms (such as the formation of the FMA). Hence, our contribution is to provide more contemporary-relevant evidence. We also distinguish between ARL and the financial report lag and found that different firm characteristics drive these lags. We also examine the interim reporting lag.
Production of thermochromic microcapsulated inks for smart packaging and examination of printability properties
Authors: Arman Kandirmaz Emine , Ozcan Arif , Er Ulusoy Duygu
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Stimulant-sensitive materials exhibit physical or chemical reversible changes in their properties as a result of environmental variables. One of these materials is thermochromic materials. Materials with thermochromic sensitivity change their color with heat exchange. For this reason, it can be used in many different fields such as security inks. Such substances decompose rapidly by being affected by weather conditions. Furthermore, the particle sizes are larger than normal pigments, and therefore, it is difficult to stabilize thermochromic dyes. Because of all these adverse conditions, thermochromic colorants must be protected before use in the ink. This protection is planned to be provided by the microcapsulation technique. The purpose of this study is to determine the thermochromic printing inks that can be stored stably by microcapsulation technique, to protect it from environmental conditions and the determination of printability parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, capsules with a core material of thermochromic dyeing with polyurea formaldehyde (PUF) or poly-phenolmelamine formaldehyde (PMF) shell were synthesized at appropriate pH and temperature using the appropriate solvent and mixing speed. The chemical structure and dimensions of the obtained capsules were examined by ATR-FTIR and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The produced thermochromic microcapsules were mixed with alkyd resin and mineral oil and screen printing ink was obtained. Printability tests such as surface morphology, color, gloss and light fastness were applied.

Findings

As a result, it was determined that PMF is not a suitable encapsulation technique for thermochromic dyes under suitable conditions and eliminates thermochromic property by providing heat stability. It was found that PUF microcapsulation can be used in thermochromic dyestuff encapsulation and does not lose the thermochromic property. It has also been found that PUF microcapsules increase the lightfastness and stability of thermochromic dye ink.

Originality/value

This study provides experimental research on the encapsulation of a thermochromic dye and its use in ink.
Build accuracy and compression properties of additively manufactured 304L honeycombs
Authors: Spratt Myranda , Anandan Sudharshan , Hussein Rafid , Newkirk Joseph W. , Chandrashekhara K. , Heath Misak , Walker Michael
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the build quality and compression properties of thin-walled 304L honeycomb structures manufactured by selective laser melting. Four honeycomb wall thicknesses, from 0.2 to 0.5 mm, were built and analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

The density of the honeycombs was changed by increasing the wall thickness of each sample. The honeycombs were tested under compression. Differences between the computer-assisted design model and the as-built structure were quantified by measuring physical dimensions. The microstructure was evaluated by optical microscopy, density measurements and microhardness.

Findings

The Vickers hardness of the honeycomb structures was 209 ± 14 at 50 g load. The compression ultimate and yield strength of the honeycomb material were shown to increase as the wall thickness of the honeycomb samples increased. The specific ultimate strength also increased with wall thickness, while the specific yield stress of the honeycomb remained stable at 42 ± 2.7 MPa/g/cm3. The specific ultimate strength minimized near 0.45 mm wall thickness at 82 ± 5 MPa/g/cm3 and increased to 134 ± 3 MPa/g/cm3 at 0.6 mm wall thickness.

Originality/value

This study highlights a single lightweight metal structure, the honeycomb, built by additive manufacturing (AM). The honeycomb is an interesting structure because it is a well-known building material in the lightweight structural composites field but is still considered a relatively complex geometric shape to fabricate. As shown here, AM techniques can be used to make complex geometric shapes with strong materials to increase the design flexibility of the lightweight structural component industry.
Effect of Maleinized Linseed Oil (MLO) on thermal and rheolological properties of PLA/MWCNT and PLA/HNT nanocomposites for additive manufacturing
Authors: Cobos Christian Mauricio , Fenollar Octavio , López Martinez Juan , Ferrandiz Santiago , Garzón Luis
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the influence of maleinized linseed oil (MLO), when used as a lubricant, on the thermal and rheological properties of PLA/MWCNTs (polylactic acid/multi-walled carbon nanotubes) and PLA/HNT (halloysite nanotubes) nanocomposites, as a reference for application in 3D printing processes.

Design/methodology/approach

Nanocomposites were obtained by melting in a twin-screw extruder, mixing PLA with MWCNTs and HNTs in different percentages of 0.5, 0.75 and 1 Wt.% for subsequent mixing by the same process with 5 phr MLO, for application in additive manufacturing, as analyzed by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), capillary rheometry, melt flow rate (MFL) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

Findings

The results obtained for thermal characterization by using DSC indicate the non-variation of glass transition temperature Tg = 62 ± 2°C and a melting temperature (Tm) around 170°C. Crystallization temperature dropped by approximately 12°C, which should be kept in mind during the transformation processes. The values obtained by capillary rheometry indicate that the material’s viscosity is reduced by the influence of the MLO plasticizer’s lubricant effect on the PLA’s molecular structure. The melt flow index values confirm a rise of approximately 46% in the flow index and back up the capillary rheometry results. The values obtained were as follows: PLA/0.5 Wt.% MWCNT/MLO 5 phr 54.07, PLA/0.75 Wt.% MWCNT/MLO 5 phr 53.46, PLA/1 Wt.% MWCNT/MLO 5 phr 51.84y PLA/0.5 Wt.% HNT/MLO 5 phr 61.8, PLA/0.75 Wt.% HNT/MLO 5 phr 68.3 and PLA/1 Wt.% HNT/MLO 5 phr 71.2 g/10 min. Apart from the nanocharge distribution, the information obtained from the FESEM shows the existence of a cluster, which could have been avoided by more energetic stirring during the nanocompound manufacturing process.

Social implications

This paper presents an analysis of the insertion of plasticizer in nanocomposites for the application in additive manufacturing processes in fusion deposition modelling (FDM) system.

Originality/value

This is a novel original research work.
A close look: roving reference in a community college library information commons
Authors: Kramer Eileen Hali
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to answer the questions: What challenges do students face in an information commons and how does roving reference help?.

Design/methodology/approach

The author recounts her work roving in her community college information commons and supplements this with an analysis of 1,500 records from her detailed reference log that compares roving reference results with conventional references and with reference questions as a whole.

Findings

Her autoethnography and data reveal that roving substantially increases the number of reference encounters. In addition, her data sheds light on students’ struggles with common, productivity software, academic packages and malfunctioning hardware. More importantly, these findings show that roving reference data identify problems that librarians, as stakeholders, can solve.

Research limitations/implications

Roving reference in a community college information commons brings students in one library into sharper focus. Roving reference increases the number of reference encounters and the reach of reference service. It also exposes a use-based digital divide that calls for collaboration in the long run and increased point-of-need service immediately.

Practical implications

Even data that points to digital divides, hardware issues or other shortcomings and offers empirical evidence of problems for which library staff, unlike student workers, can find long-term solutions. This study shows that it is possible to gather rich and extensive data with minimal personnel and off-the-shelf software.

Social implications

A college degree is vital to social mobility and easing inequality. Fluency with academic technology and information is necessary for completing college. Roving reference means more opportunities to teach information and computer fluency at point of need and more opportunities for librarian stakeholders to find and remove obstacles to student learning.

Originality/value

This is one of the few, recent studies, autoethnographic or otherwise, on roving reference in a community college library’s information commons.
Global emergence of environmental non‐O1/O139Vibrio cholerae infections linked with climate change: a neglected research field?
Authors: Vezzulli Luigi , Baker‐Austin Craig , Kirschner Alexander , Pruzzo Carla , Martinez‐Urtaza Jaime
Published: April 2020

The bacterium Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic ecosystems across the planet. V. cholerae serogroups O1 and O139 are responsible for cholera outbreaks in developing countries accounting for 3–5 million infections worldwide and 28.800–130.000 deaths per year according to the World Health Organization. In contrast, V. cholerae serogroups other than O1 and O139, also designated as V. cholerae non‐O1/O139 (NOVC), are not associated with epidemic cholera but can cause other illnesses that may range in severity from mild (e.g. gastroenteritis, otitis, etc.) to life‐threatening (e.g. necrotizing fasciitis). Although generally neglected, NOVC‐related infections are on the rise and represent one of the most striking examples of emerging human diseases linked to climate change. NOVC strains are also believed to potentially contribute to the emergence of new pathogenic strains including strains with epidemic potential as a direct consequence of genetic exchange mechanisms such as horizontal gene transfer and genetic recombination. Besides general features concerning the biology and ecology of NOVC strains and their associated diseases, this review aims to highlight the most relevant aspects related to the emergence and potential threat posed by NOVC strains under a rapidly changing environmental and climatic scenario.
Giving birth in Ethiopia: a spatial and multilevel analysis to determine availability and factors associated with healthcare facility births
Authors: Tegegne TK , Chojenta C , Getachew T , Smith R , Loxton D
Published: April 2020

Objective

To assess spatial variations in the use of healthcare facilities for birth and to identify associated factors.

Design

Cross‐sectional analysis of population‐ and healthcare facility‐based data.

Setting

Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2016) linked to Service Provision Assessment data (SPA 2014).

Population

A sample of 6954 women who gave birth in the 5 years preceding EDHS 2016 and 717 healthcare facilities providing delivery care.

Methods

Secondary data analysis of linked population and health facility data was conducted. Multilevel and spatial analyses were conducted to identify key determinants of women’s use of health facilities for birth and to assess spatial clustering of facility births.

Main outcome measure

Health facility birth.

Results

A one‐unit increase in the mean score of the readiness of health facilities to provide basic emergency obstetric care (EmOC) was associated with a two‐fold increase in the odds of facility birthing (adjusted odds ratio, aOR, 2.094, 95% CI 1.187–3.694). A woman’s attendance for at least four antenatal care visits was significantly associated with facility birth (aOR 8.863, 95% CI 6.748–11.640). Distance to a healthcare facility was inversely related to a woman’s use of facility birthing (aOR 0.967, 95% CI 0.944–0.991). Women in the richest wealth quintile were also more likely to have facility births (aOR 2.892, 95% CI 2.199–3.803).

Conclusions

There were geographic variations in facility births in Ethiopia, revealing critical gaps in service availability and readiness. It is important to ensure that health facilities are in a state of readiness to provide EmOC.

Tweetable abstract

Failure to ensure health facility readiness is associated with failure to give birth at a healthcare facility.
Vaginal delivery in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected pregnant women in Northern Italy: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Ferrazzi E , Frigerio L , Savasi V , Vergani P , Prefumo F , Barresi S , Bianchi S , Ciriello E , Facchinetti F , Gervasi MT , Iurlaro E , Kustermann A , Mangili G , Mosca F , Patanè L , Spazzini D , Spinillo A , Trojano G , Vignali M , Villa A , Zuccotti GV , Parazzini F , Cetin I
Published: April 2020

Objective

To report mode of delivery and immediate neonatal outcome in women infected with COVID‐19.

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

Twelve hospitals in northern Italy.

Participants

Pregnant women with COVID‐19‐confirmed infection who delivered.

Exposure

COVID 19 infection in pregnancy.

Methods

SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected women who were admitted and delivered from 1 to 20 March 2020 were eligible. Data were collected from the clinical records using a standardised questionnaire on maternal general characteristics, any medical or obstetric co‐morbidity, course of pregnancy, clinical signs and symptoms, treatment of COVID 19 infection, mode of delivery, neonatal data and breastfeeding.

Main outcome and measures

Data on mode of delivery and neonatal outcome.

Results

In all, 42 women with COVID‐19 delivered at the participating centres; 24 (57.1%, 95% CI 41.0–72.3) delivered vaginally. An elective caesarean section was performed in 18/42 (42.9%, 95% CI 27.7–59.0) cases: in eight cases the indication was unrelated to COVID‐19 infection. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 19/42 (45.2%, 95% CI 29.8–61.3) cases: of these, 7/19 (36.8%, 95% CI 16.3–61.6) required oxygen support and 4/19 (21.1%, 95% CI 6.1–45.6) were admitted to a critical care unit. Two women with COVID‐19 breastfed without a mask because infection was diagnosed in the postpartum period: their newborns tested positive for SARS‐Cov‐2 infection. In one case, a newborn had a positive test after a vaginal operative delivery.

Conclusions

Although postpartum infection cannot be excluded with 100% certainty, these findings suggest that vaginal delivery is associated with a low risk of intrapartum SARS‐Cov‐2 transmission to the newborn.

Tweetable abstract

This study suggests that vaginal delivery may be associated with a low risk of intrapartum SARS‐Cov‐2 transmission to the newborn.
Laparoscopic ablation or excision with helium thermal coagulator versus electrodiathermy for the treatment of mild‐to‐moderate endometriosis: randomised controlled trial
Authors: Misra G , Sim J , El‐Gizawy Z , Watts K , Jerreat S , Coia T , Ritchie J , O'Brien S
Published: April 2020

Objective

To compare electrodiathermy with helium thermal coagulation in laparoscopic treatment of mild‐to‐moderate endometriosis.

Design

Parallel‐group randomised controlled trial.

Setting

A UK endometriosis centre.

Population

Non‐pregnant women aged 16–50 years with a clinical diagnosis of mild‐to‐moderate endometriosis.

Methods

If mild or moderate endometriosis was confirmed at laparoscopy, women were randomised to laparoscopic treatment with electrodiathermy or helium thermal coagulator.

Main outcome measures

Cyclical pain and dyspareunia (rated on a 100‐mm visual analogue scale, VAS), quality of life at baseline and at 6, 12 and 36 weeks following surgery, operative blood loss and surgical complications.

Results

A total of 192 women were randomised. Of these, 155 (81%) completed the primary outcome point at 12 weeks. In an intention‐to‐treat analysis, VAS scores for cyclical pain were significantly lower in the electrodiathermy group compared with the helium group at 12 weeks (mean difference, 9.43 mm; 95% CI 0.46, 18.40 mm; P = 0.039) and across all time points (mean difference, 10.13 mm; 95% CI 3.48, 16.78 mm; P = 0.003). A significant difference in dyspareunia also favoured electrodiathermy at 12 weeks (mean difference, 11.66 mm; 95% CI 1.39, 21.93 mm; P = 0.026). These effects were smaller than the proposed minimum important difference of 18.00 mm, however. Differences in some aspects of quality of life favoured electrodiathermy. There was no significant difference in operative blood loss (fold‐change with helium as reference, 1.43; 95% CI 0.96, 2.15; P = 0.081).

Conclusions

Although electrodiathermy was statistically superior to helium ablation in reducing cyclical pain and dyspareunia, these effects may be too small to be clinically significant.

Tweetable abstract

Helium coagulation is not superior to electrodiathermy in laparoscopic treatment of mild‐to‐moderate endometriosis.
Characterization of the flavor compounds in wheat bran and biochemical conversion for application in food
Authors: Li Qian , Sun Haoran , Zhang Min , Wu Tao
Published: April 2020

Wheat bran, an abundant and low‐cost by‐product from agricultural processing, can be used as an alternative food resource. Biochemical conversion of wheat bran to food ingredient involves pretreatments of bran to enhance its acceptability. In this work, the effects of the Maillard reaction and enzymolysis on flavor properties of wheat bran and sensory evaluation of steamed buns fortified with wheat bran were analyzed using GC‐MS combined with sensory evaluation. The results showed that the Maillard reaction and enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as flavoring process, could effectively improve the flavor profiles of wheat bran. The flavor compounds in modified wheat bran products as well as its fuzzy sensory score increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with those in commercially available dry malt extract. Additionally, steamed buns fortified with wheat bran had enhanced flavor and overall acceptability. The study can be useful in valorization a plethora of grain bran (waste) into valuable resources.
Association of second surveillance colonoscopy findings with index and first surveillance colonoscopy results
Authors: Okagawa Yutaka , Sumiyoshi Tetsuya , Tomita Yusuke , Uozumi Takeshi , Iida Reiichi , Sakano Hiroya , Tokuchi Kaho , Jin Takashi , Yoshida Masahiro , Fujii Ryoji , Minagawa Takeyoshi , Morita Kohtaro , Yane Kei , Ihara Hideyuki , Hirayama Michiaki , Kondo Hitoshi
Published: April 2020

Objective

Although there have been established guidelines for first surveillance colonoscopy (FSC) after a polypectomy, there is no consensus on performing a second surveillance colonoscopy (SSC), especially in Asian countries. This study aimed to investigate the association of SSC findings with index total colonoscopy (TCS) and FSC results.

Methods

This was a single‐center retrospective cohort study involving 1928 consecutive Japanese patients who had received three or more colonoscopies. High‐risk colonoscopic findings were defined as advanced adenoma (≥10 mm in size, with a villous histology or high‐grade dysplasia) or more than three adenomas, whereas low‐risk findings were defined as one to two non‐advanced adenomas. On the basis of index TCS results, the patients were divided into three groups: no adenomas (NA) (n = 888), low‐risk (LR) (n = 476), and high‐risk (HR) (n = 564) groups, respectively.

Results

In the NA group, the rate of high‐risk findings on SSC was significantly higher in patients with high‐risk or low‐risk findings on FSC than in those with no adenoma (7.7% and 7.9% vs 2.2%, P < 0.05). Patients in the LR and HR groups with high‐risk findings on FSC had a significantly higher risk on SSC than those with low‐risk findings or no adenoma on FSC (LR group: 28.6%, 9.4%, and 5.9%, respectively, P < 0.01; HR group: 34.5%, 18.8%, and 7.9%, respectively, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Index TCS and especially FSC findings were predictive of SSC results. The study results may be useful for determining appropriate intervals for surveillance colonoscopy in Asian countries.
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut microbiota promotes host endogenous detoxification capability via regulation of P450 gene expression in the digestive tract
Authors: Wu Yuqi , Zheng Yufei , Chen Yanan , Wang Shuai , Chen Yanping , Hu Fuliang , Zheng Huoqing
Published: April 2020

There is growing number of studies demonstrating a close relationship between insect gut microbiota and insecticide resistance. However, the contribution of the honey bee gut microbiota to host detoxification ability has yet to be investigated. In order to address this question, we compared the expression of cytochrome P450s (P450s) genes between gut microbiota deficient (GD) workers and conventional gut community (CV) workers and compared the mortality rates and the pesticide residue levels of GD and CV workers treated with thiacloprid or tau‐fluvalinate. Our results showed that gut microbiota promotes the expression of P450 enzymes in the midgut, and the mortality rate and pesticide residue levels of GD workers are significantly higher than those of CV workers. Further comparisons between tetracycline‐treated workers and untreated workers demonstrated that antibiotic‐induced gut dysbiosis leads to attenuated expression of P450s in the midgut. The co‐treatment of antibiotics and pesticides leads to reduced survival rate and a significantly higher amount of pesticide residues in honey bees. Taken together, our results demonstrated that honey bee gut symbiont could contribute to bee health through the modification of the host xenobiotics detoxification pathways and revealed a potential negative impact of antibiotics to honey bee detoxification ability and health.
Changes in Hemodynamic Response Function Resulting From Chronic Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Desmond John E. , Rice Laura C. , Cheng Dominic T. , Hua Jun , Qin Qin , Rilee Jessica J. , Faulkner Monica L. , Sheu Yi‐Shin , Mathena Joanna R. , Wand Gary S. , McCaul Mary E.
Published: April 2020

Background

Functional MRI (fMRI) task‐related analyses rely on an estimate of the brain's hemodynamic response function (HRF) to model the brain's response to events. Although changes in the HRF have been found after acute alcohol administration, the effects of heavy chronic alcohol consumption on the HRF have not been explored, and the potential benefits or pitfalls of estimating each individual's HRF on fMRI analyses of chronic alcohol use disorder (AUD) are not known.

Methods

Participants with AUD and controls (CTL) received structural, functional, and vascular scans. During fMRI, participants were cued to tap their fingers, and averaged responses were extracted from the motor cortex. Curve fitting on these HRFs modeled them as a difference between 2 gamma distributions, and the temporal occurrence of the main peak and undershoot of the HRF was computed from the mean of the first and second gamma distributions, respectively.

Results

ANOVA and regression analyses found that the timing of the HRF undershoot increased significantly as a function of total lifetime drinking. Although gray matter volume in the motor cortex decreased with lifetime drinking, this was not sufficient to explain undershoot timing shifts, and vascular factors measured in the motor cortex did not differ among groups. Comparison of random‐effects analyses using custom‐fitted and canonical HRFs for CTL and AUD groups showed better results throughout the brain for custom‐fitted versus canonical HRFs for CTL subjects. For AUD subjects, the same was true except for the basal ganglia.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that excessive alcohol consumption is associated with changes in the HRF undershoot. HRF changes could provide a possible biomarker for the effects of lifetime drinking on brain function. Changes in HRF topography affect fMRI activation measures, and subject‐specific HRFs generally improve fMRI activation results.
Spinal or general anaesthesia for surgical repair of hip fracture and subsequent risk of mortality and morbidity: a database analysis using propensity score‐matching
Authors: Morgan L. , McKeever T. M. , Nightingale J. , Deakin D. E. , Moppett I. K.
Published: April 2020

Around 76,000 people fracture their hip annually in the UK at a considerable personal, social and financial cost. Despite longstanding debate, the optimal mode of anaesthesia (general or spinal) remains unclear. Our aim was to assess whether there is a significant difference in mortality and morbidity between patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia compared with general anaesthesia during hip fracture surgery. A secondary analysis examined whether a difference exists in mortality for patients with pre‐existing cardiovascular disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This was a clinical database analysis of patients treated for hip fracture in Nottingham, UK between 2004 and 2015. Propensity score‐matching was used to generate matched pairs of patients, one of whom underwent each mode of anaesthesia. Data were analysed using conditional logistic regression, with 7164 patients successfully matched. There was no difference in 30‐ or 90‐day mortality in patients who had spinal rather than general anaesthesia (OR [95%CI] 0.97 [0.8–1.15]; p = 0.764 and 0.93 [0.82–1.05]; p = 0.247 respectively). Patients who had a spinal anaesthetic had a lower‐risk of blood transfusion (OR [95%CI] 0.84 [0.75–0.94]; p = 0.003) and urinary tract infection (OR [95%CI] 0.72 [0.61–0.84]; p < 0.001), but were more likely to develop a chest infection (OR [95%CI] 1.23 [1.07–1.42]; p = 0.004), deep vein thrombosis (OR [95%CI] 2.18 [1.07–4.45]; p = 0.032) or pulmonary embolism (OR [95%CI] 2.23 [1.16–4.29]; p = 0.016). The mode of anaesthesia for hip fracture surgery resulted in no significant difference in mortality, but there was a significant difference in several measures of postoperative morbidity.
In pursuit of enhanced recovery after total joint replacement: a narrative review of drivers of length of stay
Authors: Rele Siddharth , Dowsey Michelle M. , Choong Peter F. M.
Published: April 2020

A continual increase in the prevalence of osteoarthritis drives growing demand for total joint arthroplasty. So far, a decrease in length of stay has been the target for health professionals globally. However, a consensus pathway of achieving this has not yet been reached. This article reviews recent advances in pre‐operative and perioperative factors impacting length of stay.
Management of pleomorphic dermal sarcoma
Authors: Lonie Sarah , Yau Benny , Henderson Michael , Gyorki David , Angel Christopher , Webb Angela
Published: April 2020

Background

Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS) is a rare, poorly defined skin neoplasm with features similar to atypical fibroxanthoma, but with adverse histopathological characteristics indicating metastatic potential such as tumour necrosis, invasion beyond superficial subcutis or vascular and/or perineural infiltration. Optimal treatment for PDS is uncertain and reported outcomes vary due to the rarity of this diagnosis and uncertainty over histopathological categorization. The aim of this study was to review the clinical and histopathological features of PDS in a single Australian centre.

Methods

A retrospective review of all patients managed at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre with PDS between 2003 and 2017 was performed by a search of electronic records and histories reviewed.

Results

A total of 27 patients were identified, mostly elderly males (85.2%, mean age 79.8 years). Lesions were seen most commonly on the head and neck region (96.3%), predominantly on the scalp (63%). Mean tumour radial surgical excision margin was 12.8 mm. Eighteen patients (66.7%) underwent radiotherapy; 13 adjuvant, three neoadjuvant and two with palliative intent. After median follow‐up of 46.4 months, two patients had recurrence (7.4%); both had inadequate deep margins at first excision. There were three all‐cause deaths in the cohort. There was one disease‐specific mortality with metastatic PDS disease at the time of initial presentation.

Conclusion

PDS is a rare cutaneous malignancy most commonly found in the head and neck region in elderly men, which is best managed with adequate surgical excision. The role of radiotherapy is undefined and an area for future investigation.
The Political Forest in the Era of Green Neoliberalism
Authors: Devine Jennifer A. , Baca Jenny A.
Published: April 2020

Nancy Peluso and Peter Vandergeest first used the term “political forest” to denaturalise forests, refiguring them as political‐ecological entities. Across three moments of colonialism, post‐colonial independence, and counter‐insurgency struggles, they analyse how states in Southeast Asia (re)made forests as a means of territorialising power. More recently, they identify a fourth, contemporary moment characterised by the entry of diverse non‐state actors into the making of forests, and a shift in the rationalities and technologies of forest management. We label this fourth moment “green neoliberalism” to identify an era of global environmental governance characterised by market‐based solutions to socio‐ecological problems, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration priorities, and new moral and scientific claims to forests spanning a variety of sites and scales. The papers in this symposium transport the analytic of the political forest to Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, Madagascar, Singapore, and Thailand to examine how green neoliberalism’s discourses and practices have created new sites and expressions of territorialisation, governance, knowledge production, and subject formation. In doing so, they illuminate the multiplicity of actors (re)making political forests at a moment when forests’ virtues as carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots draw massive flows of capital and justify remaking socio‐ecological relations across the globe.
Refusing Reform, Reworking Pity, or Reinforcing Privilege? The Multivalent Politics of Young People’s Fun and Friendship within a Volunteering Encounter
Authors: Cheung Judge Ruth
Published: April 2020

This paper analyses initiatives which took British young people from ethnic minority and disenfranchised backgrounds to volunteer in sub‐Saharan Africa. It asks whether decolonial possibilities can be seen in the politics of youthful fun and friendship amid a practice undeniably driven by interpenetrating neocolonial logics, where enrolment in helping “needy” others is seen as a means to “improve” working‐class and racially marked youth. The paper argues that volunteers’ investments in leisure constituted a politics of refusal towards how they were acted upon as objects of concern. More ambivalently, playful, friendly interactions between British and African youth disrupted relations of charitable pity and signalled desires for solidarity and equality, but cannot be claimed as fully decolonial. At times, fun also re‐entrenched neocolonial and other oppressive relations. Overall, the paper demonstrates that a close reading of the multivalent, affective politics of young people’s fun and friendship can reveal much about the reproduction or subversion of contemporary neocolonial logics that operate both within and beyond the borders of postcolonial Britain.
A comparative analysis of tioguanine versus low‐dose thiopurines combined with allopurinol in inflammatory bowel disease patients
Authors: Biemans Vince B. C. , Savelkoul Edo , Gabriëls Ruben Y. , Simsek Melek , Dijkstra Gerard , Pierik Marieke J. , West Rachel L. , de Boer Nanne K.H. , Hoentjen Frank
Published: April 2020

Background

Both tioguanine and low‐dose thiopurines combined with allopurinol (LDTA) can be considered for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when conventional thiopurines fail due to adverse events.

Aim

To compare the safety of tioguanine and LDTA in IBD patients.

Methods

Inflammatory bowel disease patients who failed conventional thiopurines due to adverse events and initiated LDTA in standard care were identified in the prospective ICC Registry. IBD patients who failed conventional thiopurines due to adverse events and initiated tioguanine were enrolled in three university hospitals. Patients on concomitant biologicals were excluded. The primary outcome was discontinuation of therapy due to adverse events. Secondary outcomes included: safety outcomes and surgery‐, biological‐ and corticosteroid‐free clinical remission (physician global assessment = 0) after 104 weeks. Both multiple logistic regression and propensity score matching were used to correct for confounders.

Results

In total, 182 IBD patients treated with tioguanine (n = 94) or LDTA (n = 88) were included with a median follow‐up of 104 weeks (IQR 91‐104). Of these, 19% (tioguanine: 20%, LDTA: 18%) of patients discontinued therapy due to adverse events. After adjusting for confounders, there were no differences in terms of discontinuation rate due to adverse events (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.15‐1.68, P = 0.26), adverse events (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.44‐1.81, P = 0.75), infections (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.40‐2.73, P = 0.93), hospitalisations (OR 2.00, 95% CI 0.64‐6.23, P = 0.23) or clinical remission (OR 0.74, 95%CI 0.33‐1.68, P = 0.48). All results are comparable with the propensity score matched cohort.

Conclusion

Nineteen percent of IBD patients with prior failure to conventional thiopurines due to adverse events discontinued therapy with tioguanine or LDTA due to adverse events. Either therapy may be considered before escalating to biological therapy.
Making Research Usable Beyond Academic Circles: A Relational Model of Public Engagement
Authors: Schalet Amy T. , Tropp Linda R. , Troy Lisa M.
Published: April 2020

There is a growing recognition among researchers, university administrators, funding agencies, and the broader public that the knowledge produced in academia often remains divorced from impacts and use in real‐world contexts. Across a wide range of disciplines, scholars have commonly followed one of two models to take research beyond peer‐reviewed publications and contribute to the common good: the “Expert” model of public engagement and the “Community‐Engaged” model. We present a relational model of public engagement that builds on strengths of these two existing pathways, but constitutes a distinctive third one. The relational model urges relationship building and mutual learning, as well as partnership during dissemination, while maintaining independence of thought, decision‐making, and institutional affiliation during the processes of research design, data collection, and analysis. Researchers can maintain their intellectual and institutional independence while forging relationships of mutual learning with nonacademic audiences, who are not just recipients of knowledge but bring their own interpretations, motivations, and needs in relation to academic knowledge. We clarify the goals, challenges, audience roles, and relations between ethical values and research in the relational model. Researchers can tailor this model to the opportunities and constraints they face, given their specific disciplines, career phases, and individual strengths and proclivities.
A semiparametric Bayesian approach to population finding with time‐to‐event and toxicity data in a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Morita Satoshi , Müller Peter , Abe Hiroyasu
Published: April 2020

A utility‐based Bayesian population finding (BaPoFi) method was proposed by Morita and Müller to analyze data from a randomized clinical trial with the aim of identifying good predictive baseline covariates for optimizing the target population for a future study. The approach casts the population finding process as a formal decision problem together with a flexible probability model using a random forest to define a regression mean function. BaPoFi is constructed to handle a single continuous or binary outcome variable. In this paper, we develop BaPoFi‐TTE as an extension of the earlier approach for clinically important cases of time‐to‐event (TTE) data with censoring, and also accounting for a toxicity outcome. We model the association of TTE data with baseline covariates using a semiparametric failure time model with a Pólya tree prior for an unknown error term and a random forest for a flexible regression mean function. We define a utility function that addresses a trade‐off between efficacy and toxicity as one of the important clinical considerations for population finding. We examine the operating characteristics of the proposed method in extensive simulation studies. For illustration, we apply the proposed method to data from a randomized oncology clinical trial. Concerns in a preliminary analysis of the same data based on a parametric model motivated the proposed more general approach.
Cancer stem cells in Epstein‐Barr virus‐associated gastric carcinoma
Authors: Yasui Mariko , Kunita Akiko , Numakura Satoe , Uozaki Hiroshi , Ushiku Tetsuo , Fukayama Masashi
Published: April 2020

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a decisive role in the development and progression of cancer. To investigate CSCs in Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐associated carcinoma (EBVaGC), we screened previously reported stem cell markers of gastric cancer in EBV‐infected gastric cancer cell lines (TMK1 and NUGC3) and identified CD44v6v9 double positive cells as candidate CSCs. CD44v6/v9+/+ cells were sorted from EBVaGC cell line (SNU719) cells and EBV‐infected TMK1 cells and these cell populations showed high spheroid‐forming ability and tumor formation in SCID mice compared with the respective CD44v6/v9−/− cells. Sphere‐forming ability was dependent on the nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) signaling pathway, which was confirmed by decrease of sphere formation ability under BAY 11‐7082. Small interfering RNA knockdown of latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A), one of the latent gene products of EBV infection, decreased spheroid formation in SNU719 cells. Transfection of the LMP2A gene increased the sphere‐forming ability of TMK1 cells, which was mediated through NF‐κB signaling. Together, these results indicate that CD44v6v9+/+ cells are CSCs in EBVaGC that are maintained through the LMP2A/NF‐κB pathway. Future studies should investigate CD44v6/v9+/+ cells in normal and neoplastic gastric epithelium to prevent and treat this specific subtype of gastric cancer infected with EBV.
Look Me in the Eyes: Mechanisms Underlying the Eye Contact Effect
Authors: Niedźwiecka Alicja
Published: April 2020

Eye contact with an experimenter enhances participants’ performance in certain cognitive tasks. The eye contact effect has been demonstrated in studies with infants and adults. However, this effect may be modulated by individual and contextual factors. In this review, I focus on several mechanisms that may account for the enhancement of cognitive processing by eye contact: an early preparedness to process gaze, an informative signal value of direct gaze, and responses elicited by eye contact (i.e., increased arousal, positive emotions, and approach motivation). We need developmental studies to determine how these mechanisms change over time.