bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing the impact of management on public and private nurses in Bangladesh
Authors: Xerri Matthew , Ben Farr-Wharton , Brunetto Yvonne , Crossan Frank , Beattie Rona
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use conservation of resources (COR) theory as a lens for comparing the impact of line management on Bangladeshi public and private nurses’ perception of work harassment, well-being and turnover intentions where Anglo-American and European management models have been super-imposed on an existing different culture.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 317 Bangladeshi nurses’ (131 from the public sector and 186 from the private sector). Structural equation modelling was used for analysis.

Findings

High work harassment was associated with low-being, and together with management practices, it explained approximately a quarter of private sector nurses’ well-being. In total, management, work harassment and employee well-being explained approximately a third of the turnover intentions of public sector nurses, whereas only work harassment explained approximately a third of private sector nurses’ turnover intentions. The findings suggest a differential impact of management on work harassment across the public and private sector.

Research limitations/implications

Cross-sectional data are susceptible to common method bias. A common latent factor was included, and several items that were explained by common method variance were controlled. Further, the findings are limited by the sample size from one sector and the use of only one developing country.

Practical implications

It is a waste of resources to transplant Anglo-American and European management models to developing countries without understanding the impact on nurses’ outcomes.

Originality/value

Anglo-American and European management models are not easily transferable to the Bangladesh context probably because of the impact of ties and corruption. Line management is a positive resource that builds employee well-being for public sector employees only.
The role of Zakat in the provision of social protection
Authors: Bilo Charlotte , Machado Anna Carolina
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper discusses the role of Zakat Funds in the provision of social protection in the Middle East and North Africa region, based on the examples of Jordan and Sudan. The purpose of this paper is to assess different modalities of Zakat in two countries where it is regulated in some form by the state.

Design/methodology/approach

Findings are based on a desk review of academic, peer-reviewed literature as well as reports published by international organisations and information provided online by governments and national Zakat Funds. The choice of these countries was further motivated by the availability of literature in English and Arabic.

Findings

The extent to which Zakat can be used to finance social protection measures varies not only in the way it is collected and administered, but also with the country’s geographic and political conditions. In Sudan, Zakat is mandatory and reaches proportionally more households than in Jordan. While the Quran establishes the eight categories for those who should receive Zakat, the selection in both countries is at the discretion of the Funds’ administrators.

Originality/value

The topic of Zakat is one that has received increased attention by researchers interested in Muslim values, social policy and public finance. However, little research has been produced on the intersections of these three topics.
The conceptual heritage of public relations: using public memory to explore constraints and liberation
Authors: Coombs W. Timothy , Holladay Sherry J.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe three foundational concepts that contribute to conceptual heritage of the field of public relations (publics, organizations and relationships). Conceptual heritage is positioned as a type of shared public memory, a dominant narrative, that encourages adherence to the past whilst recognizing that counter-narratives can pose useful alternatives to foundational concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is a selective literature review that describes three dominant concept categories and presents more recently developed alternative concepts and approaches to illustrate how public memory is subjective and evolving.

Findings

The concepts of publics, organizations and relationships have grounded the dominant narrative and development of the field of public relations. Though these concepts continue to be influential as researchers rely upon and expand upon their legacies, counter-narratives can spur the innovation of ideas, measurement and practice.

Research limitations/implications

The paper focuses on only three major foundational concepts selected by the authors. The importance of these concepts as well as additional examples of the field’s conceptual heritage and evolution could be identified by different authors.

Practical implications

The analysis demonstrates how the public memory contributes to the development and evolution of the field of public relations. Counter-narratives can offer appealing, subjectively constructed challenges to dominant narratives.

Originality/value

This paper describes and critiques public relations’ conceptual heritage and argues that conceptually and methodologically-based counter-narratives have contributed to its evolution.
Knowledge creation and interaction in an R&D project: the case of the energy weather forecast
Authors: Suorsa Anna Reetta , Svento Rauli , Lindfors Anders V. , Huotari Maija-Leena
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine knowledge-creating interaction in developing an innovation in a multidisciplinary research community with hermeneutic phenomenology, to understand how previous experiences and future prospects shape the process and to examine the circumstances, which support or limit knowledge creation.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach of this study is phenomenological and the empirical case study has been conducted using ethnography. The data consist of field notes, videos, interviews and documents of a BCDC energy consortium, developing energy weather forecast (EWF) in a new type of research environment.

Findings

The results indicate that the role of actual interactive events was crucial in the development of EWF. Hermeneutic approach illustrated that the roots of that event were in the past experiences of the participants and the circumstances, which promoted the development of the innovation, but the acknowledgment of the future prospects was crucial in finalizing the process. The role of a leader organizing the interaction and collaborative work was also substantial.

Practical implications

The results of this study could be used to plan and organize knowledge creation processes in organizations, especially in universities and research communities, striving to create multidisciplinary research environments and practices.

Originality/value

This study proposes a new approach based on hermeneutic phenomenology to examine it in a unified way, by focusing on the key aspects of elements affecting knowledge-creating interaction.
Quality assurance in metal powder bed fusion via deep-learning-based image classification
Authors: Kunkel Maximilian Hugo , Gebhardt Andreas , Mpofu Khumbulani , Kallweit Stephan
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to establish a standardized, quick, reliable and cost-efficient method of quality control (QC) in metal powder bed fusion (PBFM) based on process monitoring data.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on destructive testing results that emerged from a statistical investigation on powder bed fusion process exceeding reproducibility of mechanical properties, it was investigated if the generated monitoring data from a concept laser machine allows reliable deductions on resulting mechanical properties of the manufactured specimens.

Findings

The application of machine learning on generated melt pool images, under-recognition of destructive testing results, enables enhanced pattern recognition. The generated computational model successfully classified 9,280 unseen layer images by 98.9 per cent accuracy. This finding offers an automated approach to quality control within PBFM.

Originality/value

To the authors knowledge, it is the first time that machine learning has been applied for the purpose of QC in additive manufacturing. The ability of deep convolutional neural networks to recognize patterns, which are imperceptible to the human eye, shows high potential to facilitate activities of QC and to minimize QC-related costs and throughput times. The achieved processing speed for image analyses also points a way for future developments of self-corrective PBFM systems.
Synthesizing a digital badge for chemistry undergraduates
Authors: Behney Melissa
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the development of a digital badge for a discipline-specific course in chemistry that was undertaken as part of an overall course redesign. Learning outcomes were developed based on both disciplinary standards for undergraduate students and the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The badge was designed as a series of challenges and awarded based on successful completion of both the challenges and an associated writing assignment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper considers relevant literature on the application of andragogy (adult learning theory) for online learning, a proposed theoretical framework for digital badge systems, the instructional design principles used for this project, and the potential for using badges for delivering information literacy instruction. The application is supported by examples from academic libraries and this case study, with a specific focus on information literacy.

Findings

Andragogy is highly applicable to online learning but is not the only learning theory relevant to the design of digital badges. Multiple learning theories may be applied during the design process using instructional design principles. Digital badges present one mode of delivering instructional content, but the learning theory and design principles applied are far more important than the delivery mode.

Originality/value

Drawing on both learning theory and instructional design principles, this paper addresses ways in which librarians and educators can develop digital badges or badge systems that align with both curricular needs and the concept-based approach of the Framework.
Non-core deposit of Indonesian banking
Authors: Harun Cicilia A. , Nattan Raquela Renanda
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine non-core deposit (NCD), or the fraction of deposit most likely to be withdrawn, based on bank liquidity behavior. NCD is an analytical component of bank deposit; hence, its withdrawal rate is crucial.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper categorizes all 114 commercial banks in Indonesia using K-Median clustering and produces NCD coefficients for each cluster. Clustering result resembles the bank ownership-based grouping.

Findings

Generally, state-owned banks and private-domestic banks have smaller NCD coefficients compared to foreign-owned, joint-venture and regional government-owned banks. The NCD coefficient then can form thresholds for an event of extreme deposit withdrawal for macroprudential surveillance.

Originality/value

NCD is an analytical indicator that can be useful to manage the liquidity risk of banks; however, this indicator is rarely found in the literatures, hence not many know how to estimate the indicator.
The monitoring role of institutional investors
Authors: Wang Xiaoqiong , Wei Siqi
Published: September 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the monitoring role of institutional investors in corporate decision-making by classifying financial institutions based on geographical proximity and investment horizon from 1980 to 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

By using unique data sets on firm and institution location and investor horizon measure (Gaspar et al., 2005), the authors categorize institutional investors into six proximity-horizon classifications. This method captures the heterogeneity of investors. The corporate decisions assessed include firm investment, financing, payout policy, misbehavior, takeover defenses and profitability.

Findings

Both geographical proximity and investment horizon are directly related to institutional investors' monitoring cost. As a result, the effectiveness of institutional monitoring may vary based on geographical proximity and investment horizon. This paper collectively examines both dimensions of financial institutions and provides evidence that institutional investors present different preferences for corporate policies. Given stronger information advantage, both local and nonlocal investors that are long-term oriented fulfill better roles in monitoring corporate decisions but from different perspectives.

Research limitations/implications

Different from previous studies that treat institutional investors homogeneously, this paper provides empirical support that investors are indeed different in influencing firm policies.

Originality/value

To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first study that classifies investors based on two dimensions, geographical proximity and investment horizon, and examines their joint effects on corporate policies. This proximity-horizon classification allows the authors to better disentangle the effects of institutional ownership structure on the monitoring outcomes.
Entrepreneurial learning as an effectual process
Authors: Haneberg Dag Håkon
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address how entrepreneurial learning may be understood as an effectual process in the early phase of venture creation.

Design/methodology/approach

Previous research is used to develop a conceptual frame of reference, which is further developed through a longitudinal qualitative case study of five new venture teams. Conceptualising these teams’ learning as sequences of events over a one-year period provides rich insight from real-life processes.

Findings

A conceptual model of how entrepreneurial learning may be understood as an effectual process is presented. The interactions and interdependencies between nine process characteristics along three main dimensions in the process, activity, multiple actors and context-dependent, demonstrate how the process tie together as a whole.

Research limitations/implications

The present paper argues for further cross-fertilisation of entrepreneurial learning and effectuation research and showcases how studies of entrepreneurial learning may contribute to organisational learning in entrepreneurial ventures. The conceptualisation of characteristics and dimensions aims to support future process studies by suggesting a framework for analysing process events in longitudinal studies.

Originality/value

Previous research has already established how activities are central to entrepreneurial learning and emphasised that what constitutes the two dimensions of multiple actors and context-dependence is important. The present paper contributes to entrepreneurial learning with an enhanced understanding of why and how the three dimensions are important as well as interdependent and mutually interactive. The present paper also contributes to organisational learning by extending the understanding of learning in emerging entrepreneurial organisations.
The road goes ever on: evidence of the continuing abuse of older people in care homes
Authors: Moore Steve
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a research project designed to enhance knowledge of the current extent and nature of abuse in contemporary care homes for older people.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-completion, postal questionnaire was used to elicit both numerical and textual data that were subsequently subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The questionnaire was distributed to newly appointed care staff in five participating care homes providing care to older people to determine the nature of any abuse they may have witnessed in the homes in which they had previously worked.

Findings

A significant proportion of respondents had witnessed numerous occurrences of primarily psychological and physical abuse and neglect, perpetrated against the older people living in the care homes in which they had previously worked.

Research limitations/implications

Although the research draws upon the experiences of only 197 anonymous questionnaire respondents, of whom 180 had witnessed abuse, data suggest that abuse continues to occur in some care homes for older people.

Originality/value

The research has revealed staffs’ recent experiences of a range of abusive acts and practices. When combined with two previous studies using the same or a similar methodology, the research also confirms the enduring presence of abuse in care homes. Findings again suggest that changes are required to current methods of external scrutiny and investigation of practices in care homes.
Bioacoustic monitoring reveals shifts in breeding songbird populations and singing behaviour with selective logging in tropical forests
Authors: Pillay Rajeev , Fletcher Robert J. , Sieving Kathryn E. , Udell Bradley J. , Bernard Henry
Published: September 2019

Selective logging is the primary cause of tropical forest degradation and is rapidly expanding worldwide. While the impacts of logging on species diversity and distributions are well understood, little is known about the effects of logging on animal behaviours central to individual fitness and population persistence.

The song rate of breeding songbirds is a behavioural trait that is often positively associated with male density and used by conspecific females as an indicator of territory and male quality. Thus, contrasting logging‐induced adjustments in song rates of individual birds with population shifts may illuminate potential mechanisms underlying population distributions.

We present a novel application of bioacoustic monitoring, integrating counts of individuals, songs and duets from single automated recording units (ARUs) with N‐mixture models, to estimate shifts in population parameters (occupancy, abundance) and singing behaviours (per‐capita song rates, per‐pair duet rates) of 32 Bornean songbird species with logging. We tested hypotheses on the relationships between adjustments in behavioural and population parameters with logging, and further tested the extent to which species traits predicted behavioural and population shifts.

Adjustments to singing behaviour in 59 and 53% of species (57% of duetting species) were concordant with differences in occupancy and abundance respectively, such that species showing reduced populations with logging also produced fewer songs per‐capita, and vice versa. Species known to prefer undisturbed habitats and large‐bodied species showed the most negative effects of logging on singing behaviour and population distributions. Species known to exploit degraded habitats exhibited the opposite pattern. Subdued singing in logged forests by species of conservation concern suggests limited competition between territorial males in small populations and may also signal low‐quality territories.

Synthesis and applications. We demonstrate that bioacoustic monitoring can be used to not only estimate important population parameters of occupancy and abundance across a diverse tropical songbird community, but also enables quantification of behaviours considered relevant to individual fitness, yet unobtainable with conventional methods (e.g. point counts). Bioacoustics provides a viable approach to reliable automated large‐scale monitoring of hyperdiverse tropical forest systems under logging operations and other land‐use pressures.
Childhood Vaccination Mandates: Scope, Sanctions, Severity, Selectivity, and Salience
Authors: ATTWELL KATIE , C. NAVIN MARK
Published: September 2019

Policy Points

We offer the first systematic conceptual framework for analyzing the operation of mandatory vaccination policies.

Our multicomponent framework facilitates synthesis judgments on single issues of pressing concern to policymakers, in particular, how mandatory vaccination policies motivate people to vaccinate.

We consider the impact of each component of our framework on persons who remain unvaccinated for different reasons, including complacency, social disadvantage, and more or less committed forms of refusal.

Context

In response to outbreaks of vaccine‐preventable disease and increasing rates of vaccine refusal, some political communities have recently implemented coercive childhood immunization programs, or they have made existing childhood immunization programs more coercive. Many other political communities possess coercive vaccination policies, and others are considering developing them. Scholars and policymakers generally refer to coercive immunization policies as “vaccine mandates.” However, mandatory vaccination is not a unitary concept. Rather, coercive childhood immunization policies are complex, context‐specific instruments. Their legally and morally significant features often differ, and they are imposed by political communities in varying circumstances and upon diverse populations.

Methods

In this paper, we introduce a taxonomy for classifying real‐world and theoretical mandatory childhood vaccination policies, according to theirscope(which vaccines to require),sanctionsandseverity(which kind of penalty to impose on vaccine refusers, and how much of that penalty to impose), andselectivity(how to enforce or exempt people from vaccine mandates).

Findings

A full understanding of the operation of a vaccine mandate policy (real or potential) requires attention to the separate components of that policy. However, we can synthesize information about a policy's scope, sanctions, severity, and selectivity to identify a further attribute—salience—which identifies the magnitude of the burdens the state imposes on those who are not vaccinated.

Conclusion

Our taxonomy provides a framework for forensic examination of current and potential mandatory vaccination policies, by focusing attention on those features of vaccine mandates that are most relevant for comparative judgments.
The association of prenatal alcohol exposure on the cognitive abilities and behaviour profiles of 4‐year‐old children: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Cluver CA , Charles W , van der Merwe C , Bezuidenhout H , Nel D , Groenewald C , Brink L , Hesselman S , Bergman L , Odendaal H
Published: September 2019

Objective

To examine the association of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on cognitive abilities and behaviour profiles of 4‐year‐old children.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Cape Town, South Africa.

Population

A cohort of 500 children.

Methods

Children from the Safe Passage Study, which prospectively collected PAE, were included. Cognition and behavioural profiles were assessed. Children with and without PAE were compared. Mean scores were compared, with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results were adjusted for confounding factors.

Main outcome measures

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for children measured intellectual and mental ability; the NEPSY‐II instrument assessed neurocognitive performance. The caregiver completed the Preschool Child Behaviour checklist to rate the child’s problem behaviours and competencies.

Results

Two hundred children had no PAE, 117 children had mild to moderate PAE (with no binge episodes), 113 children had heavy PAE (with one or two binge episodes), and 70 children had very heavy PAE (with three or more binge episodes). Women who binge drank had significantly higher rates of smoking, marijuana use, and methamphetamine use. Low to moderate PAE had no effect on cognitive ability and behaviour. Very heavy PAE was associated with problems performing simultaneous as well as sequential functions, lower scores in the language and sensorimotor domain, and more attention and pervasive developmental problems.

Conclusions

Low to moderate PAE was not associated with cognitive processing or developmental problems. Women who had many binge drinking episodes during pregnancy were the most at risk for cognitive processing, neurocognitive, and behaviour problems in their children at 4 years of age.

Tweetable abstract

Low to moderate prenatal alcohol use was not associated with cognitive or behavioural problems in 4‐year‐olds.
Review on the Stability Mechanism and Application of Water‐in‐Oil Emulsions Encapsulating Various Additives
Authors: Zhu Qiaomei , Pan Yijun , Jia Xin , Li Jinlong , Zhang Min , Yin Lijun
Published: September 2019

Water‐in‐oil (W/O) emulsions can be used to encapsulate and control the release of bioactive compounds for nutrition fortification in fat‐based food products. However, long‐term stabilization of W/O emulsions remains a challenging task in food science and thereby limits their potential application in the food industry. To develop high‐quality emulsion‐based food products, it is essential to better understand the factors that affect the emulsions’ stability. In real food system, the stability situation of W/O emulsions is more complicated by the fact that various additives are contained in the products, such as NaCl, sugar, and other large molecular additives. The potential stability issues of W/O emulsions caused by these encapsulated additives are a current concern, and special attention should be given to the relevant theoretical knowledge. This article presents several commonly used methods for the preparation of W/O emulsions, and the roles of different additives (water‐ and oil‐soluble types) in stabilizing W/O emulsions are mainly discussed and illustrated to gain new insights into the stability mechanism of emulsion systems. In addition, the review provides a comprehensive and state‐of‐art overview of the potential applications of W/O emulsions in food systems, for example, as fat replacers, controlled‐release platforms of nutrients, and delivery carrier systems of water‐soluble bioactive compounds. The information may be useful for optimizing the formulation of W/O emulsions for utilization in commercial functional food products.
A Comparison of Coronary Artery Stenosis Estimates Made by Forensic Pathologists and Medical Students
Authors: Messner Mitchell , Meyers Sarah E. , Kemp Walter L.
Published: September 2019

Previous studies suggest cardiovascular pathologists are less accurate than noncardiovascular pathologists (e.g., clinical pathologists) in estimating the degree of coronary artery stenosis. To further investigate the effect of training on accurate estimation of coronary artery stenosis, we designed a study to compare the accuracy of estimates made by forensic pathologists versus medical students. Six forensic pathologists and twelve medical students each independently examined 24 images of coronary artery cross sections and gave an estimate of the degree of stenosis. When comparing all 24 images, the forensic pathologists had a median difference between the estimated percentage of stenosis and actual percentage of stenosis of −12.380 and the medical students had a median difference of −16.50 (p‐value of 0.08542). In estimating the percentage of stenosis, training in forensic pathology does not guarantee significantly improved accuracy compared with medical students. Our study showed no consistent statistically significant difference between estimates given by forensic pathologists and by medical students.
Long‐term survival after intensive care: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kristinsdottir Eyrun A. , Long Thorir E. , Sigvaldason Kristinn , Karason Sigurbergur , Sigurdsson Gisli H. , Sigurdsson Martin I.
Published: September 2019

Background

Limited data exist on long‐term survival of patients requiring admission to intensive care units (ICUs). The aim of this study was to investigate long‐term survival of ICU patients in Iceland and assess changes over a 15‐year period.

Methods

Data were collected on age, gender, admission cause, length of stay, comorbidities, mechanical ventilation and survival of patients 18 years and older admitted to the ICUs in Landspitali during 2002‐2016. Long‐term survival of patients surviving more than 30 days from admission was estimated and its predictors assessed with Cox regression analysis. Long‐term survival was compared to the survival of an age‐ and gender‐matched reference group from the general population.

Results

Of 15 832 ICU admissions, 55% was medical, 38% was surgical and 7% was due to trauma. The 5‐year survival of medical, surgical and trauma patients was 66%, 76% and 92% respectively. Significant survival differences were found between admission subgroups. Higher age and comorbidity burden was related to decreased survival in all patient groups. After correcting for age, gender, comorbidities, length of ICU stay and mechanical ventilation, patient survival improved during the study period only for patients admitted for infections. There was a high variability in the estimated time point where the ICU admission had no residual effect on survival.

Conclusions

Long‐term survival of ICU patients is substantially decreased compared to the general population, but varies based on admission causes. Improved long‐term survival of patients admitted with infections could be explained by earlier detection and improved treatment of septic shock.
APACHE II score validation in emergency abdominal surgery. A post hoc analysis of the InCare trial
Authors: Hansted Anna K. , Møller Morten H. , Møller Ann M. , Vester‐Andersen Morten
Published: September 2019

Background

Patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery are at high risk of morbidity and mortality. Accurate identification of high‐risk patients is important. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score needs to be validated in a larger heterogeneous population before implementation. We aimed to assess the predictive value of the APACHE II score in emergency abdominal surgical patients. Furthermore, we compared the APACHE II score with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

Methods

We included adult patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery screened for enrolment in the InCare trial from October 2010 to November 2012. The APACHE II score was evaluated with area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) statistics. The primary outcome was 30‐day mortality. Secondary outcomes included 90‐day mortality and admission to the intensive care unit.

Results

We included a total of 885 patients. All‐cause 30‐day mortality was 5.0%, 90‐day mortality was 8.9%, and a total of 7.9% of the patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. The AUROC (95% confidence interval) of the APACHE II score was 0.72 (0.65‐0.80) for 30‐day mortality, 0.70 (0.64‐0.76) for 90‐day mortality and 0.65 (0.59‐0.71) for admission to the intensive care unit. The CCI performed better in prediction of 90‐day mortality (P = .04). All other results for the ASA score and CCI were comparable with the APACHE II score.

Conclusion

The APACHE II score predicted mortality moderately and admission to intensive care unit poorly in emergency abdominal surgical patients.
Effects of high neuromuscular blocking agent dose on post‐operative respiratory complications in infants and children
Authors: Scheffenbichler Flora T. , Rudolph Maíra I. , Friedrich Sabine , Althoff Friederike C. , Xu Xinling , Spicer Aaron C. , Patrocínio Maria , Ng Pauline Y. , Deng Hao , Anderson Thomas A. , Eikermann Matthias
Published: September 2019

Background

This study evaluated the association between neuromuscular blocking agent dose and post‐operative respiratory complications in infants and children.

Methods

Data from 6507 general anaesthetics provided to children aged 0‐10 years undergoing surgery were analysed to examine the effects of neuromuscular blocking agent dose on post‐operative respiratory complications (primary endpoint) and secondary endpoints. Confounder‐adjusted analyses addressed age, surgical duration, and comorbidity burden.

Results

In confounder‐adjusted analyses, high doses of neuromuscular blocking agents were associated with higher risk of post‐operative respiratory complications (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.12‐4.59; P = .022). The effect was modified by age (P‐for‐interaction = .016) towards a more substantial risk in infants ≤1 year (OR 3.84; 95% CI 1.35‐10.94; P = .012), by duration of surgery (P‐for‐interaction = .006) towards a higher difference in odds for surgeries <90 minutes (OR 4.25; 95% CI 1.19‐15.18; P = .026), and by ASA physical status (P‐for‐interaction = .015) with a greater effect among patients with higher operative risk (ASA >1: OR 3.17; 95% CI 1.43‐7.04; P = .005). Neostigmine reversal did not modify the association between neuromuscular blocking agents and post‐operative respiratory complications (P‐for‐interaction = .38). Instrumental variable analysis confirmed that high doses of neuromuscular blocking agents were associated with post‐operative respiratory complications (probit coefficient 0.25; 95% CI 0.04‐0.46; P = .022), demonstrating robust results regarding concerns of unobserved confounding.

Conclusions

High dose of neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with post‐operative respiratory complications. We have identified subcohorts of paediatric patients who are particularly vulnerable to the respiratory side‐effects of neuromuscular blocking agents: infants, paediatric patients undergoing surgeries of short duration, and those with a high ASA risk score.
Morphometric Biomarkers of Adolescents With Familial Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Maksimovskiy Arkadiy L. , Oot Emily N. , Seraikas Anna M. , Rieselbach Maya , Caine Carolyn , Sneider Jennifer T. , Cohen‐Gilbert Julia E. , Harris Sion K. , Nickerson Lisa D. , Rohan Michael L. , Silveri Marisa M.
Published: September 2019

Background

While many adolescents exhibit risky behavior, teenagers with a family history (FH+) of an alcohol use disorder (AUD) are at a heightened risk for earlier initiation of alcohol use, a more rapid escalation in frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and developing a subsequent AUD in comparison with youth without such family history (FH−). Neuroanatomically, developmentally normative risk‐taking behavior parallels an imbalance between more protracted development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and earlier development of limbic regions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐derived volumetric properties were obtained for these structures in FH+ and FH− adolescents.

Methods

Forty‐two substance‐naïve adolescents (13‐ to 14‐year‐olds), stratified into FH+ (N = 19, 13 girls) and FH− (N = 23, 11 girls) age/handedness‐matched groups, completed MRI scanning at 3.0T, as well as cognitive and clinical testing. T1 images were processed using FreeSurfer to measure PFC and hippocampi/amygdalae subfields/nuclei volumes.

Results

FH+ status was associated with larger hippocampal/amygdala volumes (p < 0.05), relative to FH− adolescents, with right amygdala results appearing to be driven by FH+ boys. Volumetric differences also were positively associated with family history density (p < 0.05) of having an AUD. Larger subfields/nuclei volumes were associated with higher anxiety levels and worse auditory verbal learning performance (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

FH+ risk for AUD is detectable via neuromorphometric characteristics, which precede alcohol use onset and the potential onset of a later AUD, that are associated with emotional and cognitive measures. It is plausible that the development of limbic regions might be altered in FH+ youth, even prior to the onset of alcohol use, which could increase later risk. Thus, targeted preventative measures are warranted that serve to delay the onset of alcohol use in youth, particularly in those who are FH+ for an AUD.
A Bayesian approach to joint modeling of matrix‐valued imaging data and treatment outcome with applications to depression studies
Authors: Jiang Bei , Petkova Eva , Tarpey Thaddeus , Ogden R. Todd
Published: September 2019

In this paper, we propose a unified Bayesian joint modeling framework for studying association between a binary treatment outcome and a baseline matrix‐valued predictor. Specifically, a joint modeling approach relating an outcome to a matrix‐valued predictor through a probabilistic formulation of multilinear principal component analysis is developed. This framework establishes a theoretical relationship between the outcome and the matrix‐valued predictor, although the predictor is not explicitly expressed in the model. Simulation studies are provided showing that the proposed method is superior or competitive to other methods, such as a two‐stage approach and a classical principal component regression in terms of both prediction accuracy and estimation of association; its advantage is most notable when the sample size is small and the dimensionality in the imaging covariate is large. Finally, our proposed joint modeling approach is shown to be a very promising tool in an application exploring the association between baseline electroencephalography data and a favorable response to treatment in a depression treatment study by achieving a substantial improvement in prediction accuracy in comparison to competing methods.
Agriculture trade restrictiveness in Canada: How important are the cross effects?
Authors: Surry Yves , Rude James
Published: September 2019

A trade restrictiveness index (TRI) aggregates an entire protection structure into a single uniform measure that is consistent with trade theory and reflects the extent of policy interventions on trade or welfare. Although there are several variants of a TRI, all approaches aggregate protective measures using weights that depend on import demand and export supply elasticities; some studies ignore cross‐price effects while others account for them. This study measures the degree of bias introduced by ignoring cross effects. It provides a practical approach to account for demand‐ and supply‐side cross‐price effects in a multi‐commodity TRI setting. This approach is illustrated with a case study of distortions in the Canadian crop and livestock sector. Domestic demand and supply cross effects are approximated using a “constant differences of elasticities of substitution” functional form. On average, over the period 1996–2016, we find that cross‐price effects do make a difference, and that including them makes the TRI 27% higher than an approach which ignores them. Furthermore, both TRI approaches produce indices that are higher and more variable than the OECD's percentage Producer Support Estimate (PSE) that measures policy transfers as a share of gross farm receipts. The fundamental differences between a TRI and PSE% is driven by market price support for milk.
Adverse wind conditions during northward Sahara crossings increase the in‐flight mortality of Black‐tailed Godwits
Authors: Loonstra A. H. Jelle , Verhoeven Mo A. , Senner Nathan R. , Both Christiaan , Piersma Theunis
Published: September 2019

Long‐distance migratory flights are predicted to be associated with higher mortality rates when individuals encounter adverse weather conditions. However, directly connecting environmental conditions experienced in‐flight with the survival of migrants has proven difficult. We studied how the in‐flight mortality of 53 satellite‐tagged Black‐tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa limosa) during 132 crossings of the Sahara Desert, a major geographical barrier along their migration route between The Netherlands and sub‐Saharan Africa, is correlated with the experienced wind conditions and departure date during both southward and northward migration. We show that godwits experienced higher wind assistance during southward crossings, which seems to reflect local prevailing trade winds. Critically, we found that fatal northward crossings (15 deaths during 61 crossings) were associated with adverse wind conditions. Wind conditions during migration can thus directly influence vital rates. Changing wind conditions associated with global change may thus profoundly influence the costs of long‐distance migration in the future.
High‐resolution mapping of epilepsy prevalence, ambulance use, and socioeconomic deprivation in an urban area of Sweden
Authors: Magnusson Carl , Zelano Johan
Published: September 2019

Objective

Geographic differences in epilepsy prevalence between areas of different socioeconomic standing have been demonstrated in the United Kingdom, but knowledge from other health care systems is scarce. Our objective was to compare epilepsy prevalence and emergency medical service (EMS) assignments for seizures in areas of different socioeconomic standings in the urban area of Gothenburg.

Methods

Register‐based study in Gothenburg (population 690 000), the second largest city in Sweden. Epilepsy cases were identified in the comprehensive national patient register in 2014‐2015. EMS assignments were identified in the EMS dispatch system in 2013‐2018. Socioeconomic variables were mean income and proportion of welfare recipients.

Results

Significant correlations were seen between epilepsy prevalence and the proportion of welfare recipients (r = .49, P = .0014) and annual income per capita (r = −.42, P = .0071). There were 7907 assignments for seizures during the study years. GPS‐based analysis showed that most assignments occurred in the city center. In addition, several high‐density areas correlated with areas with a high proportion of inhabitants receiving welfare. Correlation analysis showed significant associations between the number of EMS assignments per capita and the proportion of welfare recipients (r = .31, P < .0001) and income (r = −.19, P < .0001). When comparing representative areas, a greater proportion of assignments was given the highest priority in high status areas compared to low status areas, both by the dispatch center and EMS clinicians on scene.

Significance

Our findings that epilepsy prevalence and seizure frequency differ with socioeconomic status on a microgeographic level considerably strengthen the generalizability of previous observations across different health care systems. Differences in priority may reflect health utilization behavior or access to neurologic care.
Sent Spirits, Meaning‐Making, and Agency in Haiti
Authors: Kaiser Bonnie N. , Fils‐Aimé Joseph Reginald
Published: September 2019

In Haiti, a “sent spirit” is an experience of misfortune, such as an illness or accident, which is interpreted as intentionally sent by someone supernaturally. Sent spirits are fundamentally social narratives, reflecting links among social inequality, structural violence, and solidarity. This article focuses on the ethnographic stories of two women who experienced the death of a daughter, with one attributing the death to her own inability to care for her daughter, and the other to a sent spirit. A key question is whether these different explanations of misfortune create different possibilities for recourse to action. I explore how, in the context of gangan makout (“shaman with a sack,” free Vodou services), a sent‐spirit attribution created a means of enacting agency following misfortune. However, as contemporary Vodou institutions have shifted to a gangan ason (“shaman with a rattle/bell,” fee‐for‐service) model, sent‐spirit attributions no longer constitute a feasible avenue for enacting agency. Instead, they leave individuals facing new manifestations of structural violence in the form of marketization of rituals for healing and justice that have become out of reach for the poor. However, sent‐spirit narratives continue to perform the work of culture by displacing blame from suffering individuals. [Vodou, agency, structural violence, supernatural, Haiti]
Seasonal variability of forest sensitivity to heat and drought stresses: A synthesis based on carbon fluxes from North American forest ecosystems
Authors: Xu Bing , Arain M. Altaf , Black T. Andrew , Law Beverly E. , Pastorello Gilberto Z. , Chu Housen
Published: September 2019

Climate extremes such as heat waves and droughts are projected to occur more frequently with increasing temperature and an intensified hydrological cycle. It is important to understand and quantify how forest carbon fluxes respond to heat and drought stress. In this study, we developed a series of daily indices of sensitivity to heat and drought stress as indicated by air temperature (Ta) and evaporative fraction (EF). Using normalized daily carbon fluxes from the FLUXNET Network for 34 forest sites in North America, the seasonal pattern of sensitivities of net ecosystem productivity (NEP), gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (RE) in response toTaand EF anomalies were compared for different forest types. The results showed that warm temperatures in spring had a positive effect on NEP in conifer forests but a negative impact in deciduous forests. GEP in conifer forests increased with higher temperature anomalies in spring but decreased in summer. The drought‐induced decrease in NEP, which mostly occurred in the deciduous forests, was mostly driven by the reduction in GEP. In conifer forests, drought had a similar dampening effect on both GEP and RE, therefore leading to a neutral NEP response. The NEP sensitivity toTaanomalies increased with increasing mean annual temperature. Drier sites were less sensitive to drought stress in summer. Natural forests with older stand age tended to be more resilient to the climate stresses compared to managed younger forests. The results of the Classification and Regression Tree analysis showed that seasons and ecosystem productivity were the most powerful variables in explaining the variation of forest sensitivity to heat and drought stress. Our results implied that the magnitude and direction of carbon flux changes in response to climate extremes are highly dependent on the seasonal dynamics of forests and the timing of the climate extremes.
Urban–rural differences in multimorbidity and associated factors in China and Korea: A population‐based survey study
Authors: Yi Jae Yoon , Kim Hongsoo , Chi Iris
Published: September 2019

Aim

To analyze differences in multimorbidity rates and associated factors between urban and rural regions of Korea and China.

Methods

Data were drawn from the Gateway to Global Aging Datasets. We describe multimorbidity patterns across rural and urban settings in each of the countries. Multivariate regression was used to identify factors associated with multimorbidity in each of the countries by region.

Results

In China, 31% of the sample had multimorbidity, with significantly higher proportions in the cities. In Korea, 24% had multimorbidity, with higher proportions in rural areas. However, multivariate analyses showed that rurality was associated with a lower risk of multimorbidity in both countries. Also, although there was significant socioeconomic disparity regarding multimorbidity in both rural and urban China, the disparity was focused around urban areas for Korea.

Conclusions

Multimorbidity rates and associated socioeconomic factors varied by country and region. The concentration of socioeconomic disparities associated with multimorbidity in urban regions call to attention the vulnerability of “urban poor” in East Asia against chronic conditions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1157–1164.