bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategic responses to crisis: a review and synthesis of promising research directions
Authors: Kozachenko Ekaterina , Anand Amitabh , Shirokova Galina
Published: December 2021

Purpose

A strategic response to crisis research is a critical and growing area of study in management and business literature. Consequently, the sudden rise of COVID-19, that has a substantial adverse impact on the global economy in a relatively short period of time, brings into sharp focus on the possible and most effective types of strategic responses adopted by firms. In this context, this study aims to shed light on the types of strategic responses adopted by firms and the possible outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

To contribute to the advancement of knowledge around strategic responses in general for business, this study conducted a keyword bibliometric analysis reviewing 66 articles from highly ranked journals according to ABS list of journals published between the period 2006–2020 and synthesize the existing research on strategic responses.

Findings

This research enabled the identification of the novel typology of strategic responses to the crisis, such as revived stakeholders’ relationships, revived pricing mechanisms and revived organizational compliance, and their outcomes. Additionally, the analysis established many research areas for scholars who will deal with this topic in the future.

Originality/value

The literature review contributes to the management and business literature by providing a novel and comprehensive classification of crisis responses and synthesizing all new knowledge gained within a new conceptual framework.
Research Highlight: Social dispersal in giraffes
Authors: Börger Luca
Published: December 2021

Research Highlight: Bond, M. L., Lee, D. E., Ozgul, A., Farine, D. R., & König, B. (2021). Leaving by staying: Social dispersal in giraffes. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.13582. Dispersal is a key ecological and evolutionary process, which shows marked variability between and within species. The social and kinship structure of species fundamentally affects the patterns and types of dispersal, but information on how animals with fission–fusion group dynamics disperse is missing. Bond et al. provide novel data on natal dispersal of giraffe calves in relation to their dynamic multilayered social system, showing that individuals from both sexes can disperse socially, by switching association with different social groups, without leaving their natal area.

The results highlight that traditional spatial‐only measures of dispersal, such as dispersal distance, may be inadequate for social species with overlapping social units.
Contentious connections: infrastructure, dignity, and collective life in Accra, Ghana
Authors: Destrée Pauline
Published: December 2021

Infrastructural systems have emerged as productive ethnographic sites for analysing political subjectivities and rationalities. Through the case of shared electricity and prepaid meters in the compound housing system of Accra, Ghana, I suggest that infrastructures’ political potential lies in their imaginative and hermeneutic abilities to foster desires for dignity, sustain well‐being, and question moral ideals of collective life. In contrast to recent anthropological work that has emphasized the material basis of infrastructures as ‘techno‐political’ devices materializing certain logics of rule and governance, I reclaim a poetics of sociality whereby infrastructures mobilize a politics of (unwanted) collective life. Through the ‘electricity stories’ circulated by tenants, I chart how the moral economy of infrastructure in a context of collective precarity redistributes marginalization and freedom in ways that always exceed political rationales of energy reforms and policies.
The price of a sex offense conviction: A comparative analysis of the costs of community supervision
Authors: Huebner Beth M. , Giuffre Andrea , Pleggenkuhle Breanne , Kras Kimberly R.
Published: December 2021

Monetary sanctions can expand the scope and depth of punishment. Most research on monetary sanctions has centered on fines and fees assessed by the court, but they are also routinely imposed as part of the probation and parole sentence. In this article, we draw on in‐depth interview data from a sample of individuals under correctional supervision to document the often hidden costs of correctional control. We further consider a subsample of participants convicted of sexual offenses to illustrate the unique way that monetary sanctions are levied on groups of people who are considered more morally culpable and worthy of carceral control. We find that monetary sanctions are regularly assessed and challenging for most participants. The stigma of a sexual offense conviction and economic precarity, particularly among Black members of the sample, further the costs of punishment. We contend that costs associated with a sexual offense are unique because they can continue in perpetuity, govern normative behavior, and are centered on an assumption of continued guilt. We argue that the monetary sanctions levied against convicted persons, especially individuals with sexual offenses, demonstrate the often hidden and expansive nature of carceral control for other marginalized groups.
Frequency, composition and mobility of Escherichia coli‐derived transposable elements in holdings of plasmid repositories
Authors: Brkljacic Jelena , Wittler Bettina , Lindsey Benson English , Ganeshan Veena Devi , Sovic Michael G. , Niehaus Jason , Ajibola Walliyulahi , Bachle Susanna M. , Fehér Tamás , Somers David E.
Published: December 2021

By providing the scientific community with uniform and standardized resources of consistent quality, plasmid repositories play an important role in enabling scientific reproducibility. Plasmids containing insertion sequence elements (IS elements) represent a challenge from this perspective, as they can change the plasmid structure and function. In this study, we conducted a systematic analysis of a subset of plasmid stocks distributed by plasmid repositories (The Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center and Addgene) which carry unintended integrations of bacterial mobile genetic elements. The integration of insertion sequences was most often found in, but not limited to, pBR322‐derived vectors, and did not affect the function of the specific plasmids. In certain cases, the entire stock was affected, but the majority of the stocks tested contained a mixture of the wild‐type and the mutated plasmids, suggesting that the acquisition of IS elements likely occurred after the plasmids were acquired by the repositories. However, comparison of the sequencing results of the original samples revealed that some plasmids already carried insertion mutations at the time of donation. While an extensive BLAST analysis of 47 877 plasmids sequenced from the Addgene repository uncovered IS elements in only 1.12%, suggesting that IS contamination is not widespread, further tests showed that plasmid integration of IS elements can propagate in conventional Escherichia coli hosts over a few tens of generations. Use of IS‐free E. coli hosts prevented the emergence of IS insertions as well as that of small indels, suggesting that the use of IS‐free hosts by donors and repositories could help limit unexpected and unwanted IS integrations into plasmids.
Functional role and regulation of permeability‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) in the fetal membrane during drug transportation
Authors: Kammala Ananthkumar , Benson Meagan , Ganguly Esha , Richardson Lauren , Menon Ramkumar
Published: December 2021

Objective

Na+/H+ exchange regulatory factor‐1 (NHERF‐1) is a class I PDZ (PSD95/Discs‐large/ZO‐1) binding protein involved in cell‐surface expression and stabilization of transporter proteins, including permeability‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) in various cell types. P‐gp, expressed in placental trophoblasts, is an efflux transporter protein that influences the pharmacokinetics of various drugs used during pregnancy. Previously we have reported that NHERF‐1 regulates fetal membrane inflammation. However, the role of NHERF‐1 in regulating P‐gp in the fetal membrane during drug transportation remains unclear. This study determined the interplay between NHERF‐1 and P‐gp in human fetal membrane cells.

Methods

Fetal membranes from normal, term cesareans were screened for P‐gp by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Chorionic trophoblast (CTC), with the highest expression of P‐gp among fetal membrane cells, was further used to test interactive properties between NHERF‐1 and P‐gp. BeWo (placental trophoblast cell line) cells were used as a control. Immunoprecipitation (IP) of CTC lysates using the P‐gp antibody followed by western blot determined co‐precipitation of NHERF‐1. Silencing NHERF‐1 using small interfering RNA further tested the relevance of NHERF‐1 in P‐gp expression and function in CTC and BeWo cells. NHERF‐1 regulation of P‐gp's efflux function (drug resistance) was further tested using the ENZOTM efflux dye kit.

Results

Immunohistochemistry localized, and western blot confirmed P‐gp in human fetal membranes, primarily in the CTC with limited expression in the amnion epithelial layer. P‐gp expression in the membranes was similar to that seen in the placenta. IP data showed P‐gp co‐precipitating with NHERF1. Silencing of NHERF‐1 resulted in significant drug resistance suggesting P‐gp function mediated through NHERF1 in CTCs.

Conclusion

Proinflammatory mediator NHERF‐1 regulates P‐gp and control drug transportation across the fetal membranes. Our data suggest a novel functional role for fetal membranes during pregnancy. Besides the placenta, fetal membranes may also regulate efflux of materials at the feto‐maternal interface and control drug transport during pregnancy.
The upregulation of tryptophan hydroxylase‐2 expression is important for premature ejaculation treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
Authors: Zhu Tianle , Gao Pan , Gao Jingjing , Liu Xi , Jiang Hui , Zhang Xiansheng
Published: December 2021

Background

Although there was some evidence to suggest that the serotonergic system in the brain played an important role in premature ejaculation (PE), tryptophan hydroxylase‐2 (TPH2) is considered to be the key enzyme for the synthesis of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) and few studies have reported that brain TPH2 is involved in the regulation of ejaculation.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate whether changes in brain TPH2 levels were associated with PE and to explore the effects of acute administration of dapoxetine on TPH2 expression in the brain of rats with rapid ejaculation.

Materials and methods

Based on the ejaculation frequency, the male rats were split into three groups: “rapid,” “normal,” and “sluggish” ejaculators. The level of 5‐HT in the brain was determined by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. TPH2 expression was detected by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.

Results

The results showed that the concentration of 5‐HT and the expression of TPH2 in rapid rats were the lowest, while those in sluggish rats were the highest. Correlation analysis also indicated the level of TPH2 was positively correlated with ejaculation latency (r = 0.8633, p < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with ejaculation frequency (r = –0.874, p < 0.001). In addition, dapoxetine acute administration to rapid rats resulted in upregulation of TPH2 expression in the brain.

Discussion

There was an important link between the level of TPH2 and the change of ejaculation behaviors. Decreased expression of TPH2 in relevant brain regions will lead to rapid ejaculation. Moreover, the effect of dapoxetine on prolonging ejaculation may be due to the upregulation of TPH2 expression.

Conclusion

We found the correlation between the level of TPH2 in the brain and PE. The findings in this study will open up a novel way for future research in PE therapy.
Comparison of the medical burden of COVID‐19 with seasonal influenza and measles outbreaks
Authors: Nesselroth Dafna , Yakub Hana Hussam , Gleyzer Alexandra , Simoes Eric A. F. , Abu Atta Mahdi , Ben Yehuda Yoram , Bibi Haim , Somekh Ido , Somekh Eli
Published: December 2021

Aim

To examine and compare the medical burden of measles, influenza and COVID‐19 outbreaks in the city of Bnei Brak, Israel.

Methods

The study was conducted during 2018–2021. The numbers of hospitalisations for these infections and their complications were recorded. Hospitalisation rates were determined by using the number of children residing in Bnei Brak and hospitalised with these infections during the study period as the numerators. The denominators were the estimated paediatric cases of measles, influenza and COVID‐19 in Bnei Brak and were calculated under both pragmatic and conservative assumptions.

Results

A total of 247, 65 and 32 children were hospitalised with influenza, COVID‐19 and measles respectively. Complication rates were higher following measles than after influenza and SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. Hospitalisation rates were 10% for measles, 0.6%‐1.2% for influenza and 0.15% ‐ 0.25% for COVID‐19 infections. Relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for hospitalisation following measles compared with COVID‐19 ranged from 42 (26.3–67.3) to 70.1 (43.8–112.1), while the relative risks for influenza hospitalisation ranged from 2.5 (1.83–3.41) to 8.2 (6.0–11.2), compared with COVID‐19 infection.

Conclusion

Hospitalisation rates and direct medical burdens of measles and influenza were significantly higher than those of COVID‐19 infection in children.
Implementing competency‐based medical education curriculum in undergraduate psychiatric training in India: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: Sahadevan Sreeja , Kurian Neetu , Mani Anu Mary , Kishor Manohar Rao , Menon Vikas
Published: December 2021

Medical education in India is undergoing a landmark transformation under the National Medical Commission implementing competency‐based medical education (CBME). The CBME approach intends to ensure that medical graduates acquire the competencies needed to fulfill the health needs of the patient and society. This outcome‐based approach shifts the focus from the traditional knowledge‐based training to skill‐based training valued on attitude, ethics, and communication (AETCOM) competencies. CBME thus aims to create medical professionals capable of providing holistic care with compassion and excellence embracing the global trends. The opportunity posed by the CBME should be utilized to sensitize and create interest among the learners about the science and scope of psychiatry. However, there are many challenges in the successful implementation of CBME, which have to be identified and addressed on time for serving the purpose. A basic tenet in CBME is to continue training until the desired competencies are achieved; in other words, to de‐emphasize time‐based learning. Moreover, the current COVID 19 pandemic is posing a significant influence on the execution of CBME implemented in August 2019. Online platforms could have several advantages in assisting the implementation of CBME; they provide an alternative to continue teaching–learning and assessment during these times and allow learners with the flexibility to learn at their own pace. In this article, we discuss the opportunities, including digital platforms and challenges to be overcame as well as the need for training the faculty toward assimilating the curriculum in the undergraduate psychiatric training.
Improving growth performance and blood profile by feeding autolyzed yeast to improve pork carcass and meat quality
Authors: Namted Siriporn , Poungpong Kanokporn , Loongyai Wiriya , Rakangthong Choawit , Bunchasak Chaiyapoom
Published: December 2021

The 63 commercial pigs were divided into three groups consisting of seven replicates of three piglets each. The experimental diets were (1) control diet, (2) diet with autolyzed yeast (AY) 0.5%, and (3) diet with AY 1.0%. Compared to the control group, using AY 0.5% in the diet reduced average daily feed intake (ADFI) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p < 0.05). The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) in blood decreased with the addition of AY 0.5% (p < 0.05). The pH at 6‐h postmortem of meat in the 0.5% AY diet group was higher than for the control group (p < 0.05). Backfat thickness (p = 0.09) and P2‐backfat thickness (p = 0.07) tended to decrease, while the fat free index (FFI;p = 0.07) tended to increase with 0.5% AY supplementation. The protein percentage (p = 0.07) and the a* value (redness) (p = 0.08) in the meat tended to increase, and the springiness increased with 0.5% AY supplementation (p < 0.05). An appropriate level of AY supplementation can impact positively on the physiological functions in swine with a consequent seems to improve in qualitative traits of the meat quality.
Initiation of paediatric advance care planning: Cross‐sectional survey of health professionals reported behaviour
Authors: Carr Karen , Hasson Felicity , McIlfatrick Sonja , Downing Julia
Published: December 2021

Background

Globally, initiation of paediatric advance care planning discussions is advocated early in the illness trajectory; however, evidence suggests it occurs at crisis points or close to end of life. Few studies have been undertaken to ascertain the prevalence and determinants of behaviour related to initiation by the healthcare professional.

Method

Underpinned by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation–Behaviour (COM‐B) model for behaviour change, a cross‐sectional online survey was conducted in United Kingdom and Ireland using a purposive sample of health professionals. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied and nonparametric statistical analysis used. Open‐ended questions were mapped and correlations between COM‐B and demographic profiles identified.

Results

Responses (n = 140): Paediatric advance care planning was viewed positively; however, initiation practices were found to be influenced by wide ranging diagnoses and disease trajectories. Whilst some tools and protocols exist, they were not used in a systematic manner, and initiation behaviour was often not guided by them. Initiation was unstandardized, individually led, guided by intuition and experience and based on a range of prerequisites. Such behaviour, combined with inconsistencies in professional development, resulted in varying practice when managing clinical deterioration. Professionals who felt adequately trained initiated more conversations (capability). Those working in palliative care specialties, hospice settings and doctors initiated more discussions (opportunity). There was no difference in Motivation between professions, clinical settings or specialisms, although 25% (n = 35) of responses indicated discomfort discussing death and 34% (n = 49) worried about families' emotional reaction.

Conclusion

Although advocated, paediatric advance care planning is a complex process, commonly triggered by the physical deterioration and rarely underpinned by support tools. The COM‐B framework was useful in identifying fundamental differences in initiation behaviour; however, further research is required to explore the complexity of initiation behaviour and the system within which the care is being delivered to identify influences on initiation.
Longitudinal changes in serum testosterone and sex hormone‐binding globulin in men aged 40–69 years from the UK Biobank
Authors: Marriott Ross J. , Murray Kevin , Hankey Graeme J. , Manning Laurens , Dwivedi Girish , Wu Frederick C. W. , Yeap Bu B.
Published: December 2021

Objective

Testosterone and sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations are reported to decline during male ageing, but whether these changes reflect physiological ageing or age‐related comorbidities remains uncertain. We examined longitudinal changes in serum testosterone and SHBG concentrations in middle‐aged to older men, concordance between baseline and follow‐up values and relationships with concomitant changes in lifestyle and medical factors.

Design

Population‐based longitudinal cohort study.

Participants

Community‐dwelling men aged 40–69 years.

Measurements

Immunoassay serum total testosterone (n = 7812) and SHBG (n = 6491) at baseline (2006–2010) and follow‐up (2012–2013). Free testosterone (cFT) was calculated. Bland–Altman analyses and concordance correlation of repeated measurements were conducted. Associations of changes in hormone concentrations with lifestyle and medical factors were explored using Spearman's rank correlation.

Results

Over 4.3 years follow‐up, there was a negligible mean change (±SE) in serum total testosterone concentration (+0.06 ± 0.03 nmol/L), whereas mean SHBG concentration increased (+3.69 ± 0.12 nmol/L) and cFT decreased (−10.7 ± 0.7 pmol/L). Concordance estimates were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66–0.69) for total testosterone, 0.83 (CI = 0.82–0.84) for SHBG and 0.56 (CI = 0.54–0.58) for cFT. Changes in serum total testosterone correlated with changes in SHBG (Spearman's rank ρ = 0.33, CI = 0.30–0.35), and inversely with changes in body mass index (BMI) (ρ = −0.18, CI = −0.20 to −0.16) and waist circumference (ρ = −0.13, CI = −0.15 to −0.11) and in SHBG with changes in BMI (ρ = −0.34, CI = −0.36 to −0.32) and waist circumference (ρ = −0.21, CI = −0.24 to −0.19).

Conclusion

In relatively healthy middle‐aged to older men, mean serum total testosterone concentration is stable with ageing, while mean SHBG concentration increases. Both total testosterone and SHBG concentrations were highly concordant over time.
Quick preparation of ABO‐incompatible living donor liver transplantation for acute liver failure
Authors: Lee Wei‐Chen , Cheng Chih‐Hsien , Lee Chen‐Fang , Hung Hao‐Chien , Lee Jin‐Chiao , Wu Tsung‐Han , Wang Yu‐Chao , Wu Ting‐Jung , Chou Hong‐Shiue , Chan Kun‐Ming
Published: December 2021

Acute liver failure is life‐threatening and has to be treated by liver transplantation urgently. When deceased donors or ABO‐compatible living donors are not available, ABO‐incompatible (ABO‐I) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) becomes the only choice. How to prepare ABO‐I LDLT urgently is an unsolved issue. A quick preparation regimen was designed, which was consisted of bortezomib (3.5 mg) injection to deplete plasma cells and plasma exchange to achieve isoagglutinin titer ≤ 1: 64 just prior to liver transplantation and followed by rituximab (375 mg/m2) on post‐operative day 1 to deplete B‐cells. Eight patients received this quick preparation regimen to undergo ABO‐I LDLT for acute liver failure from 2012 to 2019. They aged between 50 and 60 years. The median MELD score was 39 with a range from 35 to 48. It took 4.75 ± 1.58 days to prepare such an urgent ABO‐I LDLT. All the patients had successful liver transplantations, but one patient died of antibody‐mediated rejection at post‐operative month 6. The 3‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year graft/patient survival were 100%, 87.5%, and 75%, respectively. In conclusion, this quick preparation regimen can reduce isoagglutinin titers quickly and make timely ABO‐I LDLT feasible for acute liver failure.
Why Is the Drug Trade Not Violent? Cocaine Production and the Embedded Economy in the Chapare, Bolivia
Authors: Grisaffi Thomas
Published: December 2021

Bolivia is a centre for drug production and trafficking and yet it experiences far less drug‐related violence than other countries in Latin America that form part of cocaine's commodity chain. Drawing upon more than three years of ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2005 and 2019, this article presents evidence from the Chapare, a coca‐growing and drug processing region in central Bolivia, to consider why this is the case. Building from the literature on embedded economies and the subsistence ethic of peasant communities, the article demonstrates that the drug trade is part of a local moral order that prioritizes kinship, reciprocal relations and community well‐being, facilitated by the cultural significance of the coca leaf. This has served to limit possibilities for the violence that is often associated with drug production and trafficking. In addition, coca grower agricultural unions act as a parallel form of governance, providing a framework for the peaceful resolution of disputes and working actively to exclude the state and criminal actors.
Changes in soil pH and mobility of heavy metals in contaminated soils
Authors: Kicińska Alicja , Pomykała Radosław , Izquierdo‐Diaz Miguel
Published: December 2021

In the present paper, the authors attempt to explain the importance of pH in soil environment studies and show what mistakes to avoid when measuring pH and interpreting the results obtained. The tests conducted (i.e., extraction in aqua regia, buffer capacity determination, and the impact of acidification on the amount of heavy metals extracted from soils) demonstrated how soil pollution and buffer capacity affect the pace of extracting cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) cations from heavily polluted and unpolluted soils following gradual acidification. It was shown that soil acidification caused a significant increase in metal mobility in the following order Cd > Zn > Pb and that the highest decrease in pH was observed after adding the first portion of acid. Further addition of acid caused a gradually lower decrease in pH. Soils from the polluted area presented a high buffer capacity. The control samples displayed a distinctly poorer resistance to pH changes in the soil environment. Special focus was placed on cadmium due to its high mobility in soils, even with neutral and slightly alkaline pH. The analyses revealed that in areas heavily polluted by long‐term industrial activity (Igeo > 5 for Zn, Pb and Cd), it is very important to conduct extensive geochemical studies related to the presence and circulation of particularly toxic elements. This is because every environmental factor, especially pH, may significantly affect their mobility, causing metal ions to become more or less active or increasing or decreasing environmental risk related to their presence.

Highlights

Soil acidification caused a significant increase in metal mobility in the following order: Cd > Zn > Pb.

A special focus needs to be placed on Cd due to its high mobility in soils (up to 70% of total concentration), even with neutral and slightly alkaline pH.

A higher pH buffering capacity would lead to a lower increase in percentage of bioavailable pollutants with an increase in acidity.
Brothers and broken dreams: Men, masculinity, and emotions in platform capitalism
Authors: Dinh Trang Thi Quynh , Tienari Janne
Published: December 2021

How platform companies act as intermediaries between precarious workers and consumers has received critical attention in terms of the way companies exploit those who work for them and the ambiguity they create in the labor market. We study how male drivers, or “brothers,” in an intermediary platform that provides ride‐hailing services in Vietnam discuss their work and lives on social media. We analyze how men experience getting stuck, not achieving their desired dignity, and being exploited, and how they enact masculinity through sharing emotions such as despair, anger, and shame in dealing with their experiences. We argue that this extends understanding of how platform capitalism is experienced by men in the Global South where many low‐skilled jobs have always been precarious, but platform companies offer hope and dreams of freedom and prosperity. How men cope with broken dreams, grapple with challenges to their sense of masculinity, and seek to retain a sense of agency are important questions today.
Tempering–preservation treatment inactivated lipase in wheat bran and retained phenolic compounds
Authors: Qi Yajing , Yang Yuying , Hassane Hamadou Alkassoumi , Shen Qiuyun , Xu Bin
Published: December 2021

Wheat bran is rich in functional ingredients, but the high level of lipase limits its applications. Tempering–preservation treatment (at 70–90 °C with moisture of 20%–40% for 1–4 h) was exploited for stabilising wheat bran and its effect on polyphenols was investigated. The results showed that more lipase was inactivated at higher tempering moisture, temperature and longer time. The optimum condition for inactivation of wheat bran lipase was 30% moisture and 90 °C for 4 h. The inactivation rate reached 93.8% with a residual enzyme activity of 0.264 U g−1. Under the optimum condition, the sum of free phenolic acids rose from 25.4 to 55.8 µg g−1. As for bound phenolic acids, there was a slight increase of hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives but a slight decrease of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The total contents of phenolic acids before and after stabilisation were not significantly different. This study showed the possibility of using tempering–preservation as an efficient method for inactivation of wheat bran lipase while maintaining its phenolic compounds, which could be used in the production of whole wheat flour.
Barriers in adopting health‐promoting behaviours among nurses: A qualitative systematic review and meta‐synthesis
Authors: Chong Kai En , Shorey Shefaly
Published: December 2021

Aims

Nursing is a highly stressful occupation where irregular shifts and working overtime lead to unhealthy behaviours. This qualitative systematic review and meta‐synthesis aims to examine nurses' barriers in adopting health‐promoting behaviours.

Methods

Six electronic databases were searched from their respective inception dates to October 2021: EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist was used to appraise the quality of included studies. Data synthesis followed Sandelowski's and Barroso's two‐step approach.

Results

Fourteen studies were included in this review, and three themes were generated as follows: (1) work environment and workplace culture, (2) nature of the job and (3) intrinsic factors.

Conclusion

This review synthesized available evidence on the barriers nurses experienced while adopting health‐promoting behaviours. Health‐care institutions should target these factors when providing facilities and services to support nurses in adopting health‐promoting behaviours. Policies should focus on workplace health promotion by advocating for healthy lifestyle policies. Future research should be conducted in more multicultural and geographically diverse regions to obtain a more global view of nurses' barriers to adopt health‐promoting behaviours.
Assessing the impacts of donor support on Nigeria's health system: The global fund in perspective
Authors: Kalu Kenneth
Published: December 2021

From 2003 to 2019, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the “Global Fund”) disbursed a total of US$2.3 billion in grants to Nigeria, mainly for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. This paper examines the impacts of the Global Fund's interventions on Nigeria's health system. Case study evidence shows that while the Global Fund has been successful in achieving its specific performance targets, its impacts on Nigeria's health system has been minimal at best. Major reasons for its negligible impacts on the country's health system include the Global Fund's ambivalent operational structure, little input from the host country in program design, excessive focus on fiduciary matters as opposed to public health interventions, as well as emphasis on parochial performance targets. Policy implications arising from this study include the need for domestic actors in Nigeria's health sector to have significant input in designing the Global Fund's projects in the country. In addition, the Global Fund's board and major donors should work collaboratively to refocus the institution to enhance its public health impacts.
Hemocyte activation and nodule formation in the giant keyhole limpet, Megathura crenulata
Authors: Martin Gary G. , Stamnes Stephanie , Henderson Nicola , Lum Juliette , Rubin Nicole , Williams Jonathan P.
Published: December 2021

The giant keyhole limpet, Megathura crenulata, lives in rocky intertidal and subtidal environments along the Southern California coast, where it is exposed to viruses, bacteria, and other potential pathogens. We demonstrate that when exposed to bacteria or latex beads, hemocytes from specimens of M. crenulata in vivo and in vitro immediately become adhesive and form nodules. The rapid activation of hemocytes suggests a role for an array of recognition proteins, and inhibition of nodulation by the tripeptide Arg–Gly–Asp indicates that integrins are involved. The morphological changes involved with nodule formation include the rapid extension of lamellipodia, phagocytosis of particles, and compaction of the hemocyte aggregates. The number of nonadherent hemocytes rapidly decreases as aggregates form. The elimination of bacteria is due to a dynamic hemocyte response, rather than antibacterial factors in the plasma. These findings are compared to work on other gastropods and expand the current knowledge on the immune response of molluscs, such as M. crenulata, which is increasing in importance as they continue to be raised in aquaculture for pharmacological use.
Dominance of Scorpaena maderensis among scorpaenids of littoral rocky reefs in Corsica (NW Mediterranean): Further evidence of Mediterranean Sea warming
Authors: Astruch Patrick , Belloni Bruno , Rouanet Elodie , Schohn Thomas , Harmelin‐Vivien Mireille , Harmelin Jean‐Georges , Boudouresque Charles‐François
Published: December 2021

The population of Scorpaenidae was investigated in the Nature Reserve of Scàndula (Corsica, France, NW Mediterranean). While absent from Corsica a few decades ago, the Madeira rockfish Scorpaena maderensis is now the most abundant scorpaenid species in shallow rocky reef areas, far outnumbering Scorpaena notata and Scorpaena porcus. Considered as a subtropical species of Atlantic origin, the northward progression of the thermophilic S. maderensis and its dominance in Corsican waters is further evidence of the ongoing warming of the Mediterranean Sea.
Religion, Politics, and Public Funding for Abortion
Authors: Braunstein Ruth , Whitehead Andrew L. , Burge Ryan P.
Published: December 2021

An abundance of research examines Americans’ attitudes toward abortion legality and morality with particular attention to polarization around this issue and the influence of social movements, religious organizations, the media, and political leaders. There is a relative dearth, however, of research focusing on attitudes toward the public funding of abortion services. Using three national, random samples of American adults, we address this gap in the literature. We find that the oft‐cited “bipartisan consensus” around opposition to public funding of abortion is a myth. In fact, there is more bipartisan consensus around abortion legality than abortion funding, across religious traditions. As national debates about abortion funding intensify, these findings underscore the importance of future surveys consistently measuring Americans’ attitudes toward public funding of abortion, above and beyond abortion legality or morality.
Berberine regulates bone metabolism in apical periodontitis by remodelling the extracellular matrix
Authors: Cui Yujia , Xie Jing , Cai Linyi , Zhang Demao , Sun Jianxun , Zhou Xuedong
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to explore the role and related mechanism of berberine in repairing bone destruction in apical periodontics (AP).

Materials and Methods

AP was established in 14 of 21 male Wistar rats (four weeks of age; 70–80 g) for 3 weeks. The canals were cleaned and administered berberine (2 mg/ml; n = 7) or calcium hydroxide (100 mg/ml; control; n = 7), followed by glass ionomer cement sealing. After 3 weeks, specimen collection followed by micro‐computed tomography (μ‐CT) and histological staining was performed, including haematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase staining, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence histochemistry.

Results

μ‐CT showed that AP lesion volume reduced in the berberine group. Histopathology showed that berberine decreased the activity and number of osteoclasts but increased the expression of proteins related to osteoblast differentiation, including alkaline phosphatase and osterix. The immune cell, T cell, dendritic cell and macrophage counts were significantly decreased in the berberine group. In the berberine group, the expression of extracellular matrix‐degraded proteases, metalloproteinases, was decreased; however, that of extracellular matrix‐stable proteases, lysyl oxidases, was increased.

Conclusions

Berberine controlled the inflammatory response and regulated bone metabolism in AP by reducing metalloproteinase expression and increasing lysyl oxidases expression.
Lead extractions: dissecting adhesions up to the lead‐tip of the right ventricle: safety and success‐rates
Authors: Witte Olivier A. , Delnoy Peter Paul HM , Ghani Abdul , Smit Jaap Jan J. , Ramdat Misier Anand R. , Elvan Arif , Adiyaman Ahmet
Published: December 2021

Aims

Goal of Transvenous Lead Extraction (TLE) is complete removal of all targeted leads, without complications. Despite counter traction manoeuvres, efficacy rates are often hampered by broken right ventricle lead (RV‐lead) tips. Mechanically powered lead extraction (Evolution sheath) is effective, however safety of dissection up to the lead tip is unclear. Therefore, we examined the feasibility and safety of RV‐lead extraction requiring dissection up to the myocardium.

Methods and results

From 2009 to 2018, all TLE in the Isala Heart Centre (Zwolle, The Netherlands) requiring the hand‐powered mechanical Evolution system to extract RV‐leads (n = 185) were examined from a prospective registry. We assessed 4 groups: TLE with the first generation Evolution (n = 43) with (A1,n = 18) and without (A2,n = 25) adhesions up to the myocardium and TLE with the Novel R/L type (n = 142) of sheath with (B1, n = 59) and without (B2, n = 83) adhesions up to the myocardium. Complete success rate in Group B was significantly higher than group A (96.5 vs 76.7%, p = 0.0354). When comparing the patients with adhesions up to the myocardium, total complete success is higher in the R/L group (61.1% vs 90.5%, p = 0.0067). There were no deaths. Overall major complication rates were low (2/185; 1.1%) and there was no statistically significant difference in major and minor complications between the two groups.

Conclusion

Extraction strategy with the bidirectional Evolution R/L sheath for right ventricular leads with adhesions up to the myocardium is safe and feasible.
Rethinking the premises underlying the right to development in African human rights jurisprudence
Authors: Boshoff Elsabé
Published: December 2021

The current rate of planetary destruction, which is grounded in an understanding of development as economic growth based on environmental exploitation, has catastrophic consequences for organized human existence. The African human rights system, through the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter), is one of the few international legal systems which provides for an enforceable right to development and to a healthy environment. This article argues that the dichotomy set up between the right to development and the right to a healthy environment is ultimately false, because an understanding of development which does not take account of the environmental aspects is untenable in the long run. It is argued that the African Charter and its interpretation by the African Commission and the African Court have resulted in the establishment of important principles towards a revised understanding of development, not based on economic considerations, but rather as human well‐being (physical, mental, emotional and social considerations) within a healthy environment. It is further argued that important principles in African environmental ethics should be recognized in interpreting the right to development, which require that development takes place with the necessary regard and reverence for the environment.
Epidemiology of 4963 deaths associated with COVID‐19 during three pandemic waves in a Latin American city with a high mortality rate, 2020–2021
Authors: Viana‐Cárdenas Erika , Triana Abel , Mendoza Humberto , Buendia Emiro , Viasus Diego
Published: December 2021

Objective

To describe the characteristics of COVID‐19‐associated deaths in Barranquilla, Colombia, a city with a high mortality rate, and their changes between pandemic waves.

Methods

The local Health Department obtained information on all laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 deaths reported from March 2020 to May 2021. Data were collected using national surveillance reports and death certificates.

Results

Four thousand nine hundred and sixty‐three COVID‐19‐associated deaths were documented for a mortality rate of 389.4 deaths per 100,000 population. Sixty‐two percent of all deaths occurred in people aged ≥65 years and 58% in males. Only 7 COVID‐19‐associated deaths in children were reported. Comorbidities were found in 47.9% of cases. The number of deaths among people aged 50–64 years increased significantly during the pandemic waves (from 25% to 29%). Conversely, the frequency of male sex (from 64.6% to 53.9%) and deaths with comorbidities (from 60.9% to 39.6%) decreased significantly between the waves of pandemic. Early mortality, defined as death within 48 h after hospital admission, was higher during the first pandemic wave than in the others (29.5%, 9.7% and 10.5%), and time from hospital admission to death increased during waves (from 9 to 14 days).

Conclusions

The COVID‐19‐associated mortality rate was high and mainly affects older people, with comorbidities and male sex. Early mortality was higher during the first wave. Women and healthy people without comorbidities died more frequently after the first pandemic wave.
An Experimental Study on Cryogenic Spray Quenching of a Circular Metal Disk II—Chilldown Efficiency and Effects of Coating and Flow Pulsing
Authors: Dong Jun , Wang Hao , Darr S. R. , Hartwig J. W. , Chung J. N.
Published: December 2021

This is the second part of a two-paper series that presents the results of liquid nitrogen spray quenching of a stainless steel (SS) disk plate. The first paper focuses on the heat transfer characteristics of the liquid nitrogen spray quenching, whereas the second paper emphasizes the overall chilldown performance and efficiency. Serving as the baseline information for evaluating the effects of disk surface coating and pulse flow, the results of continuous-flow spray chilldown of a bare surface SS disk are summarized first. We found that for continuous-flow spray chilldown of a bare surface disk, the chilldown efficiency is mainly a function of the average spray mass flow rate with the trend of decreasing efficiency with increasing average mass flow rate. Additional experiments were performed to evaluate the enhancement of cryogenic spray quenching by three techniques: (1) using intermittent pulse sprays on SS bare surface, (2) coating the SS surface with a layer of low thermal conductivity Teflon film, and (3) spraying liquid nitrogen intermittently on the coated SS surface. In general, the results indicate that all three methods effectively produced higher spray efficiencies. However, it was also found that the Teflon coating was more effective than the flow pulsing. The coating produced a quick transition from film boiling to transition boiling. This quick transition shortens the poor heat transfer film boiling period and thus facilitates the switch to much higher heat transfer transition boiling and nucleate boiling periods earlier to expedite the chilldown process and enhance the heat transfer.
Evening Whey Protein Intake, Rich in Tryptophan, and Sleep in Elite Male Australian Rules Football Players on Training and Nontraining Days
Authors: Ferguson Cassandra , Aisbett Brad , Lastella Michele , Roberts Spencer , Condo Dominique
Published: December 2021

Objectives: To investigate the effect of evening whey protein supplementation, rich in tryptophan, on sleep in elite male Australian Rules Football players. Design: Double-blinded, counterbalanced, randomized, cross-over study. Methods: Sleep was assessed using wrist activity monitors and sleep diaries in 15 elite male Australian Football League players on two training and nontraining days following evening consumption of an isocaloric whey protein supplement or placebo in preseason. A 5-day preintervention period was implemented to determine habitual dietary intake and baseline sleep measures. These habitual data were used to inform the daily dietary intake and timing of ingestion of the evening whey protein supplement or placebo on the intervention days. The whey protein supplement or placebo was consumed 3 hr prior to habitual bedtime. Results: Separate one-way repeated-measures analyses of covariance revealed no differences between the whey protein supplement and the placebo on sleep duration, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, or wake after sleep onset on either training or nontraining days. Conclusions: Evening whey protein supplementation, rich in tryptophan, does not improve acute sleep duration or quality in elite male Australian Football League players. However, elite athletes may be able to ingest a high protein/energy intake close to bedtime without impairing sleep, which is important for athlete recovery. Future research should investigate the effect of evening protein intake, high in tryptophan, on sleep duration and quality, including sleep staging during periods of restricted sleep and in poor-sleeping athletes.
The Hyperhydration Potential of Sodium Bicarbonate and Sodium Citrate
Authors: Siegler Jason C. , Carr Amelia J. , Jardine William T. , Convit Lilia , Cross Rebecca , Chapman Dale , Burke Louise M. , Ross Megan
Published: December 2021

Buffering agents have not been comprehensively profiled in terms of their capacity to influence water retention prior to exercise. The purpose of this investigation was to profile the fluid retention characteristics of sodium bicarbonate (BIC) and sodium citrate (CIT) to determine the efficacy of these buffering mediums as hyperhydrating agents. Nineteen volunteers (13 males and six females; age = 28.3 ± 4.9 years) completed three trials (randomized and cross-over design). For each trial, a baseline measurement of body mass, capillary blood, and urine was collected prior to ingestion of their respective condition (control condition [CON] = 25 ml/kg artificially sweetened water; BIC condition = CON + 7.5 g/L of sodium in the form of BIC; CIT condition = CON + 7.5 g/L of sodium in the form of CIT). The fluid loads were consumed in four equal aliquots (0, 20, 40 and 60 min; fluid intake was 1.972 ± 361 ml [CON]; 1.977 ± 360 ml [BIC]; 1.953 ± 352 ml [CIT]). Samples were recorded at 20 (body mass and urine) and 60 min (blood) intervals for 180 min. Blood buffering capacity (HCO3−) was elevated (p < .001) in both BIC (32.1 ± 2.2 mmol/L) and CIT (28.9 ± 3.8 mmol/L) at 180 min compared with CON (25.1 ± 1.8 mmol/L). Plasma volume expansion was greater (p < .001) in both BIC (8.1 ± 1.3%) and CIT (5.9 ± 1.8%) compared with CON (−1.1 ± 1.4%); whereas, total urine production was lower in BIC and CIT at 180 min (BIC vs. CON, mean difference of 370 ± 85 ml; p < .001; CIT vs. CON, mean difference of 239 ± 102 ml; p = .05). There were no increases observed in body mass (p = .9). Under resting conditions, these data suggest BIC and CIT induce a greater plasma hypervolemic response as compared with water alone.
Combinatorial Viral Vector-Based and Live Attenuated Vaccines without an Adjuvant to Generate Broader Immune Responses to Effectively Combat Pneumonic Plague
Authors: Kilgore Paul B. , Sha Jian , Hendrix Emily K. , Motin Vladimir L. , Chopra Ashok K.
Published: December 2021

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a Tier-1 select agent and a reemerging human pathogen. A 2017 outbreak in Madagascar with >75% of cases being pneumonic and 8.6% causalities emphasized the importance of the disease.