bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2030 is tomorrow: transformative change for a mistreated mother Earth
Authors: Richardson Jacques G. , Erdelen Walter R.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aims to assess progress toward achieving international (United Nations’) goals and targets for attaining sustainable development and discuss the risks of worldwide failure.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors highlight the relationship between global goals/targets and governance, relate this to the concept of sustainable development, outline and compare Millennium Development Goals and their successors, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and lastly view SDG implementation from two major spaces i.e. the governance and science space, respectively.

Findings

Governance and culture as new components of sustainable development may be sine qua non for humanity’s transformative action toward global and just sustainable development. Through fostering informed decision and policymaking, modern science, as sketched in this contribution, should provide the framework for realizing Agenda 2030. Earth System Science and its innovative notions such as the Anthropocene, planetary boundaries, tipping points and tipping elements will be key in the process of “designing” blank a sustainable future of and for Homo sapiens.

Originality/value

This essay proposes developing holistic approaches to cooperate at all levels in urgent efforts to meet goals projected for 2030 and 2050. The complexity and functioning of the governance space, comprising a system of governance systems, is illustrated not only in the diversity of the institutional landscape but in particular through the blurring of all scales – local to global.
A review of the current status of microfiber pollution research in textiles
Authors: Rathinamoorthy R. , Raja Balasaraswathi S.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Microfiber is one of the major sources of microplastic emission into the environment. In recent times, research on microfiber has gained momentum, and research across different disciplines was performed. However, no complete study was performed from the viewpoint of textiles to analyse the microfiber shedding behaviour by relating the properties textiles. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the microfiber shedding behaviour in textiles.

Design/methodology/approach

Articles on the microfiber shedding across different disciplines were collected and analysed systematically to identify the influencing factor. The influence of laundry parameters is found to be majorly discussed section, yet very few research data is found on the effect of yarn and fabric properties on the microfiber shedding.

Findings

Most of the articles listed laundry detergent addition, higher temperature, use of softeners, type of washing machines used and amount of liquid used as the major factors influencing the fiber shedding. Concerning the fiber and yarn characteristics, yarn twist, fiber type (staple/filament), method of production, fabric structure and specific density are reported as influencing factors. Some articles highlighted the influence of ageing of textiles on the fiber shedding.

Originality/value

The review identified the research gap in the textile sector and reports that so far, no research performed on microfiber shedding with the textile parameters. The review further urges the importance of research works to be performed in the textile by considering the fabric and yarn properties.
Narratives of everyday resilience: lessons from an urbankampungcommunity in Surabaya, Indonesia
Authors: Shirleyana  , Hawken Scott , Sunindijo Riza Yosia , Sanderson David
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss what people perceive as risks and resilience factors, and how they build everyday resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The study focuses on Kampung (literally “village”) Plampitan, a neighbourhood in the inner-city part of Surabaya. The research used field observation, in-depth interviews and workshops during community meetings to collect data.

Findings

The results show how people respond to daily risks and find the support necessary to survive. The problems and risks revealed in the study include crime and economic difficulties, such as unemployment and insufficient income. Coping strategies identified are classified into place-based adaption, people-based network and political network. These strategies can serve as a starting point for local communities to assess their resilience and assist them in enhancing “everyday” resilience.

Originality/value

The paper argues that the concept of resilience must go beyond top-down approaches to disaster risk management and integrate bottom-up understanding from the perspective of local people, especially among marginal and disadvantaged communities. The paper develops the emerging and overlooked concept of “everyday resilience” and suggests that it is essential in surviving both “everyday” or small-scale chronic risks and large-scale disasters.
Unjust pains: the impact of COVID-19 on children in prison
Authors: Bateman Tim
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the treatment of children in penal custody.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a viewpoint piece that analyses the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for children in custody, drawing on published information where available.

Findings

This paper argues that imprisoned children are an extremely vulnerable group, whose experience of incarceration exacerbates that vulnerability at the best of times. Responses to COVID-19 are particularly painful for children in those settings, and the consequences are manifestly unjust.

Originality/value

This paper provides an early attempt to consider the impact of COVID-19 on children in prison.
Public health and research: an overview
Authors: Plianbangchang Samlee
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper was to describe the overview of public health research.

Design/methodology/approach

It is a commentary piece of work from own long experience in working with the World Health Organization.

Findings

This study has innovative ideas in approaching priority areas in public health research.

Originality/value

This study opens up new thought in public health research.
Intellectual capital: the missing link in the corporate social responsibility–financial performance relationship
Authors: Nirino Niccolò , Ferraris Alberto , Miglietta Nicola , Invernizzi Anna Chiara
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically test intellectual capital (IC) as a mediator in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance (FP) relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical research was conducted on 345 European firms listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index. To evaluate the mediating effect of IC, we applied the four-step Baron and Kenny model, tested through an ordinary least squares regression analysis.

Findings

The findings highlighted a partial mediation of IC on the CSR–FP relationship, suggesting that the implementation of CSR strategies has a positive effect on the development of firms' IC, which in turn enhances firms' competitive advantage and superior long-term FPs.

Originality/value

We found a new mediator in the CSR–FP relationship and we contribute to a new line of research that aims to study environmental and sustainability aspects strictly interrelated with IC and performances (sustainable intellectual capital).
Supply chain learning and organizational performance: evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms
Authors: Haq Muhammad Zia Ul
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Despite the significance, no study examines the relationship between supply chain (SC) learning components and focal firm performance. This study aims to investigate different types of SC learning (supplier, customer and internal learning) and their influence on the focal firm’s operational and financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in knowledge-based view and absorptive capacity theory, this study applies structural equation modeling to test the conceptual model based on data collected from 213 manufacturing firms in China.

Findings

The findings indicate that supplier and customer learning improve internal learning. Customer and internal learning have direct influence on operational performance, whereas internal learning mediates the relationship between supplier learning and operational performance. Moreover, all three dimensions of SC learning do not affect financial performance directly but operational performance plays the mediating role in their relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This study only investigates SC learning outcomes without exploring its antecedents. In addition, SC learning and their impacts on firm performance are tested empirically with cross-sectional data collected only from manufacturing firms in China.

Practical implications

The findings furnish managers to seek for competitive advantages through different types of SC learning.

Originality/value

This study offers new insights concerning the performance implications of SC learning. It divides SC learning into dimensions and shows the distinctive impacts of these dimensions on focal firm’s performance using an empirical method.
Multinationality of UK firms – a longitudinal study based on sales and subsidiaries data
Authors: Chadha Pearlean , Berrill Jenny
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the regionalisation–globalisation debate in international business (IB) by providing a longitudinal analysis of firm-level multinationality. The analysis uses a unique hand-collected data set of both accounting (sales) and non-accounting (subsidiaries) data. The percentage of foreign sales is also used as an additional measure of multinationality.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper categorises constituent firms of the Financial Times Stock Exchange 350 index over an 18-year time period from 1998 to 2015. Firms are categorised using the multinationality classification system developed by Aggarwal et al. (2011). The paper also conducts an industrial analysis across ten industries.

Findings

The evidence shows increasing multinationality over time that suggests a “trans-regional” operational strategy rather than a global or regional one. The results also show that UK firms are more multinational based on subsidiaries than sales. This contradicts the traditional stages theory of internationalisation where firms first expand sales, then subsidiaries. While some support for triad regions is found, there is also evidence of firm-level operations expanding beyond the triad regions of North America, Asia and Europe to non-triad regions such as Africa, Oceania and South America. The industrial analysis shows that non-service firms are more multinational than service firms.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to provide an in-depth longitudinal analysis of the geographical dispersion using both sales and subsidiaries data for UK firms. This paper provides a unique perspective on the regionalisation–globalisation debate in IB and presents evidence contrary to traditional stages theories of firm-level internationalisation.
CEO power and integrated reporting
Authors: Garcia-Sanchez Isabel-Maria , Raimo Nicola , Vitolla Filippo
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aims to analyse the role that the chief executive officer (CEO) has on integrated reporting (IR) adoption and whether this role is moderated by incentives to promote corporate transparency, including information asymmetry problems and financial constraints. IR represents the last frontier of corporate disclosure and aims to represent, through the annual integrated report, the ability of an organization to create value over time.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on 10,819 observations (an unbalanced data panel of 1,588 firms for the period 2009–2017). A logistic regression model is used to examine the association between CEO power and disclosure of an integrated report.

Findings

The results show that CEOs with greater power oppose the disclosure of integrated information, and this behaviour is not modified by firms’ incentives. Furthermore, greater growth opportunities increase CEO opposition to disclosing integrated information on the creation of value, perhaps as a consequence of the possible use of it by competitors.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature. First, it expands the scientific debate on the topic of IR. Second, it extends the application field of agency theory, which is seldom used to explain the phenomena related to IR.
Effect of the model eye gaze direction on consumer information processing: a consideration of gender differences
Authors: Wang Qiuzhen , Ma Lan , Huang Liqiang , Wang Lei
Published: October 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper aims to investigate the effect of a model's eye gaze direction on the information processing behavior of consumers varying based on their gender.

Design/methodology/approach

An eye-tracking experiment and a memory test are conducted to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Compared to an averted gaze, a model with a direct gaze attracts more attention to the model's face among male consumers, leading to deeper processing. However, the findings show that when a model displays a direct gaze rather than an averted gaze, female consumers pay more attention to the brand name, thus leading to deeper processing.

Originality/value

This study contributes to not only the existing eye gaze direction literature by integrating the facilitative effect of direct gaze and considering the moderating role of consumer gender on consumer information processing but also the literature concerning the selectivity hypothesis by providing evidence of gender differences in information processing. Moreover, this study offers practical insights to practitioners regarding how to design appealing webpages to satisfy consumers of different genders.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-01-2020-0025
Accountability via social and financial performance of the hospitality sector: the role of market orientation
Authors: Kazemian Soheil , Djajadikerta Hadrian Geri , Mat Roni Saiydi , Trireksani Terri , Mohd-Sanusi Zuraidah
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the three dimensions of market orientation, namely, customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-function coordination, which influence the accountability in the financial and social performance of tourism operators in large touristic cities.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 95 usable questionnaires as the required data were collected from the top managers of four- and five-star hotels in Iran.

Findings

Partial least squares (PLS) results confirm that customer orientation and inter-function coordination influence both the financial and social performance of the hospitality sector yet reveal that competitor orientation has no significant relationship with social performance.

Research limitations/implications

These findings not only highlight the compatibility of PLS with various forms of statistical analyzes but also furthers the current understanding of hospitality networks in megacity economies, where literature are scarce.

Practical implications

The findings of this study can help policymakers, tourism associations and practitioners enhance the accountability and sustainable financial and social performance of the hospitality industry in megacities. This study proposes some unique measurements for the social and financial performance of the hospitality sectors.

Originality/value

The paper states some new measurements for the social performance of the hospitality sectors. In addition, measuring the impacts of market orientation on the financial and social aspects of hotels is totally unique.
Evaluation of social impact measurement tools and techniques: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Kah Sally , Akenroye Temidayo
Published: October 2020

Purpose

In spite of the availability of metrics for measuring social impact (SI), it can be difficult for organisations to select tools that fit their precise needs. To address this challenge, this study conducts a systematic literature review by using legitimacy theory as a point of departure. It examines tools that capture three dimensions of sustainability – social, economic and environmental (SEE) – and firm size.

Design/methodology/approach

Top four journal databases in the social sciences from the FT50 review were searched to identify articles published in peer-reviewed journals in the 2009-2019 period, using keywords to conceptualise the construct. For comprehensive assessment, this study adopted a method that requires the logic synthesis of concepts and evidence emerging from the literature to address the research aim.

Findings

The results show that most of the articles developed tools or frameworks to measure SI based on the triple bottom line of sustainability – SEE – and firm size. However, there is insufficient evidence of their integration into practice.

Research limitations/implications

This work contributes to the legitimisation of social enterprises (SEs) by using validated tools and frameworks to develop practical suggestions for SI measurement (SIM).

Originality/value

As legitimacy is an important rationale for SIM, this study adds value through the development of a suitability framework. The framework enables SEs to identify the most appropriate tool for their purpose and size to establish legitimacy through impact measurement and reporting.
Developing a customer loyalty model for guest houses in China: a congruity-based perspective
Authors: Wang Sha , Hung Kam , Li Minglong , Qiu Hailian
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Although the number of guest houses in China is increasing rapidly, many of them are not performing well in developing customer loyalty. Self-congruity and functional congruity represent two cost-effective but inadequately researched ways for guest houses to maintain customers. In view of the lack of empirical research explaining the post-purchase behavior of guest house customers, the purpose of this study is to develop a congruity-based customer loyalty model for this specialized type of accommodation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a review of relevant literature, a robust conceptual framework of customer loyalty comprising satisfaction, self-congruity, functional congruity, perceived value and attractiveness of alternates was constructed. By means of an online panel survey, 828 valid questionnaires were obtained from customers who had stayed in a Chinese guest house within the previous year. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the conceptual model and the hypothesized relationships among the constructs.

Findings

Significant relationships were found between the two congruity constructs in guest houses, which both led to positive customer post-purchase behaviors. The authors found that self-congruity, functional congruity and the attractiveness of alternates did not affect customer loyalty directly; rather, they influenced loyalty indirectly through customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

This study developed a unique, congruity-based model of customer loyalty in the context of guest houses. It enhances the body of knowledge regarding congruity in the field of tourism and hospitality, and it discusses relevant implications of the findings for tourism marketing researchers and for owner-managers of guest houses.
Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus among pulmonary tuberculosis patients: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Moglad Ehssan H. O. , Ahmed Dalia A. O. , Awad AL‐Kareem Samah M. M. , Elgoraish Amanda G. , Ali Hatim T. O. , Altayb Hisham N.
Published: October 2020

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is an endemic disease in Sudan, where it has rapidly become the major complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of HIV among TB patients and evaluate the co‐infection rate. The association of HIV prevalence with gender, age, and duration of treatment as risk factors was also determined. A descriptive cross‐sectional study was performed in Omdurman Abu Anga Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, from October 2018 to March 2019. A total of 281 blood samples were obtained randomly from pulmonary TB patients. The plasma was examined for the presence of HIV antibodies using sandwich ELISA. A structured questionnaire was used during data collection. A noticeable marker for HIV immunoglobulin M/immunoglobulin G was found in 12 patients (4.3%), of which five patients (41.7%) were diagnosed as new TB cases. Moreover, the relationship between age, sex, and duration of TB treatment and the prevalence of HIV was not significantly different (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of HIV antibodies among TB pulmonary patients is high. Therefore, all TB patients should be examined for HIV risk factors and advised to undergo HIV testing. Further studies are essential to provide more insights into the epidemiology of the co‐infection to better report the double burden of HIV and TB among TB patients in Sudan.
Spatial, genetic and biotic factors shape within‐crown leaf trait variation and herbivore performance in a foundation tree species
Authors: Eisenring Michael , Unsicker Sybille B. , Lindroth Richard L.
Published: October 2020

Functional trait variation within individual plants is predicted to have important ecological consequences. However, our understanding of the sources contributing to subindividual trait heterogeneity, and the ramifications thereof, is poor.

In a common garden, we sampled multiple genotypes of mature trembling aspen Populus tremuloides at different vertical crown levels and quantified the contributions of genetic, spatial and biotic (herbivory) factors to subindividual morphological and chemical leaf trait variance. Bioassays using gypsy moth Lymantria dispar L. caterpillars were conducted to study the impacts of spatial and genotypic factors on insect performance.

Crown position was the primary source of subindividual variation in leaf morphology and explained more of the variance in morphological traits than tree genotype. Effects of spatial, genetic and biotic factors on within‐crown chemistry were highly compound specific. For many compounds, changes in within‐crown concentrations differed among genotypes, revealing that genotypic variation not only contributes to phytochemical diversity among individuals of the same population, but also affects subindividual chemical trait heterogeneity. For many defence‐related compounds, total within‐crown variance itself differed among genotypes and was in many cases a heritable trait. Bioassays revealed that effects of crown position on caterpillar performance varied among tree genotypes and caterpillar sexes.

We demonstrate that even relatively small trees can express subtle but distinct levels of within‐crown leaf trait variation. In aspen, this variation is shaped not only by spatial factors, but also by genetics and to a lesser degree by herbivory. Within‐crown variation in defence chemistry might itself provide a defensive phenotype against herbivores and contribute to the biological diversity of canopy insect communities.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
A mechanistic framework to inform the spatial management of conflicting fisheries and top predators
Authors: Hentati‐Sundberg Jonas , Olin Agnes B. , Evans Tom J. , Isaksson Natalie , Berglund Per‐Arvid , Olsson Olof
Published: October 2020

Conflicts of interest between resource extraction and conservation are widespread, and negotiating such conflicts, or trade‐offs, is a key issue for ecosystem managers. One such trade‐off is resource competition between fisheries and marine top predators. Managing this trade‐off has so far been difficult due to a lack of knowledge regarding the amount and distribution of prey required by top predators.

Here, we develop a framework that can be used to address this gap: a bio‐energetic model linking top predator breeding biology and foraging ecology with forage fish ecology and fisheries management.

We apply the framework to a Baltic Sea colony of common guillemots Uria aalge and razorbills Alca torda, two seabird species sensitive to local prey depletion, and show that densities of forage fish (sprat Sprattus sprattus and herring Clupea harengus) corresponding to the current fisheries management target BMSY are sufficient for successful breeding. A previously proposed fisheries management target for conserving seabirds, 1/3 of historical maximum prey biomass (B1/3), was also sufficient.

However, the results highlight the importance of maintaining sufficient prey densities in the vicinity of the colony, suggesting that fine‐scale spatial fisheries management is necessary to maintain high seabird breeding success.

Despite foraging on the same prey, razorbills could breed successfully at lower prey densities than guillemots but needed higher densities for self‐maintenance, emphasizing the importance of considering species‐specific traits when determining sustainable forage fish densities for top predators.

Synthesis and applications. Our bio‐energetic modelling framework provides spatially explicit top predator conservation targets that can be readily integrated with current fisheries management. The framework can be combined with existing management approaches such as dynamic ocean management, marine spatial planning and management strategy evaluation to inform ecosystem‐based management of marine resources.
Homeric ‐phi(n)is an oblique case marker1
Authors: Goldstein D. M.
Published: October 2020

The synchronic distribution and diachronic trajectory of Homeric ‐phi(n)have been the source of long‐standing debate, with the result that scholarly opinion has yet to settle on a consensus regarding the morphosyntax of forms realized by this marker. Some maintain that forms in ‐phi(n)are adverbs, while others contend that they are nominals (i.e., nouns or adjectives). Evidence from agreement and prepositional phrases shows that the latter analysis is correct. Homeric ‐phi(n)is therefore a case exponent. More specifically, it is an oblique case marker that realizes genitive or dative case in the singular, dual, or plural across all three grammatical genders. Since other case markers exist in the language for realizing genitive and dative case, forms in ‐phi(n)are an example of morphologicaloverabundance, the realization of a paradigm cell by more than one word form. This synchronic analysis has diachronic consequences, in as much as it now becomes clearer that ‐phi(n)continues the instrumental plural case marker */‐bɦis/ and not the adverbial suffix */‐bɦi/.
When a Woman Hates Her Husband: Love, Sex and Fruitful Marriages in Early Modern England
Authors: Astbury Leah
Published: October 2020

If spouses’ ‘hearts be not united in love’, their seed could not ‘unite to cause Conception’, the seventeenth‐century astrologer‐physician, Nicholas Culpeper noted. The authors of early modern medical and conduct texts argued that marital compatibility and harmony were necessary for a union to be fruitful. But where historians of sexuality have assumed that such exhortations spoke to the centrality of sexual pleasure, male and female, to conception, this article contends that having a happy and procreative marriage required far more than achieving a certain measure of enjoyment in sex. Working out whether a prospective spouse would be suitable was a complex process that took into account social, financial, emotional, bodily, religious and astrological similarities. Drawing on conduct manuals, childbearing guides, medical casebooks and the accounts of two unhappy wives, Anne Dormer and Sarah Cowper, this article shows that while the frameworks of compatibility and incompatibility in medical and conduct literature seemed to offer a way for talking about unavoidable and conscionable disagreements and childlessness, there was considerable pressure on women, rather than men, to overcome unhappiness and ensure fruitfulness.
Guilt Beyond Guilt: From Political Theory to Metaphysics with Herbert Morris
Authors: Wilson Amanda
Published: October 2020

As it is presently conceptualised and applied in criminal law, moral guilt is bound by a narrow, legalistic framework that is rooted in a liberal political philosophy. In this paper, drawing on the work of Herbert Morris, I seek to open up and deepen the concept of moral guilt. I do this through the development of a four‐fold typology of guilt that charts Morris's journey from political theory to metaphysics that includes the following forms: moral‐legal guilt; moral‐psychological guilt; quantum guilt; and metaphysical guilt. In deepening our understanding of moral guilt, the typology compels us to consider alternative conceptions of guilt that would take into account a person who feels guilt not only towards others, but also towards themselves and the world. I argue that Morris's journey has important implications for how we think about the critical relationship between theory and law as well as restorative justice.
Do Risk Disclosures Matter When It Counts? Evidence from the Swiss Franc Shock
Authors: HAIL LUZI , MUHN MAXIMILIAN , OESCH DAVID
Published: October 2020

We examine the relation between disclosure quality and information asymmetry among market participants following an exogenous shock to macroeconomic risk. In 2015, the Swiss National Bank abruptly announced that it would abandon the longstanding minimum euro‐Swiss franc exchange rate. We find evidence suggesting that firms with more transparent disclosures regarding their foreign exchange risk exposure ex ante exhibit significantly lower information asymmetry ex post. The information gap in bid‐ask spreads appears within 30 minutes of the announcement and persists for two weeks, during which new information gradually substitutes for past disclosures. We validate the information dynamics of past risk disclosures with three field surveys: (1) Sell‐side analysts emphasize the importance of existing (risk) disclosures in evaluating the translational and transactional effects of the currency shock. (2) Lending banks’ credit officers rely on past disclosures as the primary information source available for smaller (unlisted) firms in the immediate aftermath of the shock. (3) Investor‐relations managers use existing financial filings as a key resource when communicating with external stakeholders. The results suggest that historical disclosures help investors attenuate information asymmetry in light of unexpected news.
External validation of the Canadian Syncope Risk Score for patients presenting with undifferentiated syncope to the emergency department
Authors: Chan Jason , Ballard Emma , Brain David , Hocking Julia , Yan Alan , Morel Douglas , Hunter Jonathan
Published: October 2020

Objective

To validate the accuracy and safety of the Canadian Syncope Risk Score (CSRS) for patients presenting with syncope.

Methods

Single centre prospective observational study in Brisbane, Australia. Adults presenting to the ED with syncope within the last 24 h were recruited after applying exclusion criteria. Study was conducted over 1 year, from March 2018 to March 2019. Thirty‐day serious adverse events (SAE) were reported based on the original derivation study and standardised outcome reporting for syncope. Individual patient CSRS was calculated and correlated with 30‐day SAE and disposition status from ED.

Results

Two hundred and eighty‐three patients were recruited to the study. Average age was 55.6 years (SD 22.7 years), 37.1% being male with a 39.9% admission rate. Thirty‐day SAE occurred in seven patients (2.5%) and no recorded deaths. The CSRS performed with a sensitivity of 71.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.3–94.9%), specificity 72.8% (95% CI 67.1–77.9%) for a threshold score of 1 or higher.

Conclusion

Syncope patients in our study were predominantly very low to low risk (72%). The prevalence of 30‐day SAE was low, majority occurring following hospital discharge. Sensitivity estimates for CSRS was lower than the derivation study but lacked robustness with wide CIs because of a small sample size and number of events observed. However, the CSRS did not miss any clinically relevant outcomes in low risk patients making it potentially useful in aiding their disposition. Larger validation studies in Australia are encouraged to further test the diagnostic accuracy of the CSRS.
Optimization of roasting conditions in hydroSOStainable almonds using volatile and descriptive sensory profiles and consumer acceptance
Authors: Lipan Leontina , Cano‐Lamadrid Marina , Vázquez‐Araújo Laura , Łyczko Jacek , Moriana Alfonso , Hernández Francisca , García‐García Elena , Carbonell‐Barrachina Ángel A.
Published: October 2020

HydroSOStainable almonds are harvested from trees cultivated under controlled water stress by using a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategy. The aim of this study was to investigate consumers’ perception to select the best roasting temperature for the hydroSOStainable almonds and its correlation with volatile compounds, descriptive sensory attributes, instrumental color, and texture. Thirty‐five volatile compounds were identified and the key compounds for the roasting process were 2,5‐dimethylpyrazine, furfural, and trimethyl pyrazine. Pyrazines, furans and, in general, volatiles were higher in hydroSOStainable almonds than in control. Instrumental color and trained panel showed that almonds roasted at 190 °C presented intense color and burnt notes in both irrigation treatments, while almonds roasted at 150 °C were under‐roasted. Principal component analysis (PCA) grouped together the samples of the same irrigation treatment, but separated samples roasted at different temperatures. Partial least square regression (PLS) results indicated that consumers overall liking was positively linked to specific volatiles (alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, and furans) and sensory attributes (sweetness, roasted, almond ID, nutty, hardness, and crispiness), but, negatively correlated with pyrazines, bitterness, astringency, woody, and burnt flavor notes. Penalty analysis showed that almonds roasted at 150 and 190 °C were penalized due to low roasted aroma and soft almonds, and over‐roasted samples with too intense color and burn notes, respectively. While no penalization being found for almonds roasted at 170 °C. Overall, roasting at 170 °C for 10 min in a convective oven were the optimum conditions for roasting Vairo almonds.

Practical Application

This research describes the link between physicochemical and sensory analysis of roasted almonds giving evidence about possible sensory quality markers. Besides, it provides valuable information for the food industry to produce roasted almonds that meet consumer demands and for the agricultural sector by encouraging reduction of irrigation water consumption by almond trees.
Injecting drug use, the skin and vasculature
Authors: Robertson Roy , Broers Barbara , Harris Magdalena
Published: October 2020

Damage to the skin, subcutaneous tissues and blood vessels are among the most common health harms related to injecting drug use. From a limited range of early reports of injecting‐related skin and soft tissue damage there is now an increasing literature relating to new drugs, new contaminants and problems associated with unsafe injection practices. Clinical issues range from ubiquitous problems associated with repeated minor localised injection trauma to skin and soft tissue and infections around injection sites, to systemic blood infections and chronic vascular disease. The interplay of limited availability and access to sterile injecting equipment, poor injecting technique, compromised drug purity, drug toxicity and difficult personal and environmental conditions give rise to injection‐related health harms. This review of injecting‐related skin, soft tissue and vascular damage focuses on epidemiology and causation, clinical examination and investigation, treatment and prevention.
The scope of practice of the modern Endodontist in Western Australia
Authors: Girgis Daniel , van Dort Nathan , Ye Johnson , Abbott Paul V.
Published: October 2020

There are limited data regarding the scope of practice of Endodontists in Australia. The aim of this study was to investigate the scope of practice of Endodontists and Endodontic Registrars in Western Australia. The study comprised a three‐part survey relating to demographics, clinical factors and materials and equipment. The response rate was 70.6%. Compared to the public sector, clinicians in the private sector treated on average twice as many patients per day, twice as many trauma cases per year and, as a proportion of all cases, four and a half times as many apical surgical procedures. These aspects were all statistically significantly different. Other aspects were similar to previous studies within Australia and from other countries.
Radium‐223 in Asian patients with castration‐resistant prostate cancer with symptomatic bone metastases: A single‐arm phase 3 study
Authors: Zhou Tie , Zhou Fangjian , Guo Jianming , Shi Hongcheng , Yao Xudong , Guo Hongqian , Yuan Jian , Tian Ye , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Shuxia , Jiang Yongguang , Zou Qing , Zhou Daqing , Li Hanzhong , Li Fang , Lee Jae Lyun , Chen Chung‐Hsin , Park Se Hoon , Ng Quan Sing , Ma Jianhui , Zheng Rong , Ding Qiang , Liu Xingdang , Li Rui , Krissel Heiko , Wagner Volker J. , Sun Yinghao
Published: October 2020

Aim

Radium‐223, a targeted alpha therapy, is approved widely for the treatment of patients with metastatic castrate‐resistant prostate cancer, based on a pivotal phase 3 study in predominantly white patients. We investigated the efficacy and safety of radium‐223 in Asian patients with castrate‐resistant prostate cancer and metastatic bone disease.

Methods

This multicenter, prospective, single‐arm, open‐label phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of the standard radium‐223 regimen (55 kBq/kg every 4 weeks for six cycles) in patients from Asian countries. The primary endpoints were the safety and overall survival.

Results

A total of 226 patients were enrolled and received at least one dose of radium‐223. Median overall survival was 14.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.2–17.4). Median time to total alkaline phosphatase and prostate‐specific antigen progression were 7.5 (95% CI, 6.8–7.7) and 3.6 (95% CI, 3.1–3.7) months, respectively. Median skeletal‐related event‐free survival was 26.0 months (95% CI, 12.6–not reached). Grade ≥3 treatment‐emergent adverse events were reported in 103 (46%) of 226 patients, with anemia being the most common event (34 [15%] patients). Grade ≥3 drug‐related treatment‐emergent adverse events occurred in 39 (17%) of 226 patients. Serious treatment‐emergent adverse events were reported in 65 (29%) of 226 patients. Seven (3%) patients had an adverse event leading to death; none were considered to be related to radium‐223.

Conclusion

The results of this study support the use of the standard radium‐223 regimen for the treatment of Asian patients with castrate‐resistant prostate cancer and symptomatic bone metastases.
Carboplatin and hypomagnesemia: Is it really a problem?
Authors: Gaughran Gregory , Qayyum Kiran , Smyth Lillian , Davis Alison
Published: October 2020

Background

Carboplatin has largely replaced cisplatin in ovarian/peritoneal/tubal cancer (OC) due to comparable activity and reduced toxicity, particularly nephrotoxicity and hypomagnesemia. Anecdotally hypomagnesemia occurs commonly with carboplatin, however there are limited data available regarding frequency or severity.

Aims

To quantify incidence and severity of hypomagnesemia in patients receiving carboplatin‐based chemotherapy for OC; to explore a dose‐response relationship with carboplatin and assess potential confounding variables.

Methods

A retrospective single‐center review of all OC patients receiving carboplatin‐based chemotherapy as first/subsequent line between 2012 and 2018 was performed. Data on patient/disease characteristics, potential confounders (gastrointestinal/renal impairment, premorbid hypomagnesemia and concomitant medications), dose, electrolytes, and magnesium replacement were collected.

Results

One hundred four of 144 (72%) patients had at least one hypomagnesemia event, 11 of 104 (11%) grade 2, and 11 of 104 (11%) grade 3/4 in severity. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association between hypomagnesemia and treatment duration (P < .001). Premorbid hypomagnesemia was associated with a significantly longer duration and higher grade of hypomagnesemia (P = .021 and P < .001, respectively). Vomiting, diarrhea, and confounding medications were associated with hypomagnesemia (P = .019 and P = .028, respectively). Fourteen percent of hypomagnesemia events never resolved suggesting a significant cohort post‐carboplatin are at risk of long‐term renal toxicity. The effect of magnesium replacement could not be accurately assessed due to limited documentation of replacement.

Conclusion

Hypomagnesemia is common in patients receiving carboplatin‐based chemotherapy for OC, and although generally mild, a significant minority were severe. Several high‐risk groups were identified including patients with premorbid hypomagnesemia, vomiting, diarrhea, or taking certain medications. Further research is warranted to understand when hypomagnesemia is clinically relevant and determine the impact of interventions.
Undocumented Immigrant Activism and the Political: Disrupting the Order or Reproducing the Status Quo?
Authors: Swerts Thomas , Nicholls Walter
Published: October 2020

Scholarly interest in undocumented migrants’ struggles over citizenship has surged in recent years. Critical, theoretically inspired scholarship on the political has embraced these struggles as evidence that the current order can be disrupted. However, empirical studies of undocumented activism in the United States and Europe have revealed that pressures to conform to dominant norms and discourses, representational oligarchies and categorical fragmentation can lead activists to reproduce rather than disrupt the order. The papers in this symposium aim to advance this discussion by comparing the findings of case studies of undocumented immigrant struggles around the world. In this introduction to the symposium, we argue that disruption and reproduction constitute two logics of collective action that continually express themselves in immigrant rights mobilisations. We present a framework that outlines how undocumented activists navigate both logics in their ongoing quest to construct subjects, acts and spaces capable of disrupting the status quo.
Gender‐related differences in treatment and outcome of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation‐patients
Authors: Gaisendrees Christopher , Djordjevic Ilija , Sabashnikov Anton , Adler Christoph , Eghbalzadeh Kaveh , Ivanov Borko , Walter Sebastian G. , Braumann Simon , Wörmann Jonas , Suhr Laura , Gerfer Stephen , Baldus Stephan , Mader Navid , Wahlers Thorsten
Published: October 2020

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) is a rapidly growing treatment strategy due to significant improvement in selected patients' survival rates. Gender‐related differences might impact the outcome of therapeutic measures. Therefore, we sought to investigate patients with eCPR at our interdisciplinary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center regarding sex‐related differences with the view to potentially adjusting current selection criteria. From January 2016 to December 2019, 71 patients underwent eCPR at our institution. Data before eCPR and early outcome parameters were analyzed comparing male and female patients. The cohort analyzed consisted of 60 male (84%) and 11 female (15%) patients. Comparing both groups, male patients significantly more frequently suffered out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (68% male vs. 36% female, P = .04), whereas female patients were associated with more in‐hospital cardiac arrest (32% male vs. 64% female, P = .04). Creatinine levels differed significantly (1.5 (1.1;2.1) mg/dL in male vs. 1.0 (0.7;1.5) mg/dL in female patients, P = .03). Also, several hepatic parameters showed a significant difference between the groups: aspartate aminotransferase 423 (249;804) U/L in male vs. 115 (61;408) U/L in female patients, P = .01; alanine aminotransferase 174 (102;446) U/L in male vs. 86 (36;118) U/L in female patients, P = .01). Renal failure requiring hemodialysis occurred more frequently in men than in women (P < .01). There is a significant effect of male sex regarding renal failure with subsequent continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVH) (R2 = 0.11, ANOVA P = .01, 95% CI = −0.79‐−0.079). However, in‐hospital mortality was comparable between the groups (78% in male vs. 72% in female patients, P = .68). Our retrospective study showed several gender‐related differences associated with different cardiac arrest scenarios. Male sex was associated with a significantly higher risk for renal failure requiring CVVH. Survival rates were comparable between the groups. Further investigations should include gender in the evaluation of risk stratification for eCPR‐related complications to further improve selection criteria for this demanding therapy.
Adherence to the Physical Distancing Measures during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A HAPA‐Based Perspective
Authors: Beeckman Melanie , De Paepe Annick , Van Alboom Maité , Maes Sarah , Wauters Aline , Baert Fleur , Kissi Ama , Veirman Elke , Van Ryckeghem Dimitri M.L. , Poppe Louise
Published: October 2020

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic requires massive and rapid behavior change. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) describes personal determinants that play a key role in behavior change. This study investigated whether these determinants are associated with adherence to physical distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID‐19 (i.e. keeping 1.5 m physical distance and staying at home). Decreased psychosocial well‐being and lack of social support were explored as barriers to adherence.

Methods

Two cross‐sectional surveys were conducted among adults in Belgium. The first survey (N = 2,379; March 2020) focused on adherence to physical distancing measures. The second survey (N = 805; April 2020) focused on difficulty with, and perseverance in, adhering to these measures. Linear regression models were fitted to examine associations with HAPA determinants, psychosocial well‐being, and social support.

Results

Self‐efficacy, outcome expectancies, intention, action planning, and coping planning were related to adhering to, difficulty with, and perseverance in, adhering to physical distancing measures. Decreased psychosocial well‐being and lack of social support were related to more difficulties with adhering to physical distancing and lower perseverance.

Conclusions

Health action process approach determinants are associated with adherence to physical distancing measures. Future work could design HAPA‐based interventions to support people in adhering to these measures.