bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in Opioid Prescribing Patterns
Authors: Ovadia Steven A. , Garcia Onelio , Thaller Seth R.
Published: March 2020

Introduction

With thousands of people in the United States dying of opioid overdose each month, the opioid epidemic has become a serious public health concern. Legislators have attempted to address this problem at various levels of the government. Evaluation of outcomes of these measures is a necessary part of resolving the epidemic. Our survey was designed to evaluate the impact of measures enacted in Florida State in 2018 upon prescribing practices of plastic surgeons.

Methods

The survey was prepared electronically using the online Qualtrics platform. Survey questions were multiple choice and inquired regarding changes in prescribing practices after enactment of mandatory query of the prescription drug monitoring program database and prescribing limits in Florida. The survey was distributed by e-mail 1 year after these laws took effect. Two survey reminder e-mails were sent at 2-week intervals after the initial message. Results were collected for an additional 3 weeks after the final correspondence.

Results

Thirty-two survey responses were received after distribution to the 156 members of the Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons, for a response rate of 20.5%. Twenty-two respondents reported changing their prescribing practices. The most common change reported was decreased number of tablets prescribed. Most respondents reported they believe that mandatory prescription drug monitoring program query and prescribing limits will be effective. This included 17 (53.1%) and 18 (56.3%) respondents, respectively.

Conclusions

Results from our survey indicate that Florida plastic surgeons have adjusted their prescribing practices in response to recently enacted legislation. Most plastic surgeons reported decreased number of tablets of opioids prescribed. Many also reported incorporating nonopioid analgesics. Further study will be necessary to determine the impact of these changes on rates of opioid overdose.
Evaluation of the Accuracy of Three-Dimensional Virtual Surgical Planning for Reconstruction of Mandibular Defects Using Free Fibular Flap
Authors: Elsharabasy Ibrahim Mohamed , Elhafez Heba Abd Elwahed Abd , Ahmed Salah Abd Elfattah , Ayad Wael Mohamed
Published: March 2020

Background:

Mandibular reconstruction is considered one of the most complex reconstructive surgeries in the field of craniomaxillofacial surgery. With the introduction of microvascular reconstructive surgery, free fibula flap become the gold standard for reconstruction of mandibular defects. For optimum restoration of the patient's esthetics and function, the free fibular flap should be recontoured to follow the natural premorbid state of the mandible. Virtual surgical planning using preoperative computed tomographic (CT) data can be rendered into 3-dimensional (3D) model for digitalized simulation of the bony resection and reconstruction with reported high accuracy.

Methods:

Ten patients were included in the study for delayed mandibular reconstruction using free fibular flap. For all the patients, preoperative CT scan for the skull and lower limbs were obtained and integrated into the software for virtual planning and guides fabrications. Postoperative CT was obtained and rendered 3D model to be superimposed on the preoperative record for assessment of the virtual planning accuracy by different linear and angular measurements.

Results:

No statistically significant difference was found between virtual group and postoperative group where P = 0.067, regarding average of linear measurements of all patients. Statistically significant difference was found between virtual group and postoperative group in measurements from axial plane where P = 0.004. No statistically significant difference was found between virtual group and postoperative group where P = 0.723, regarding angles between fibular segments.

Conclusion:

Virtual surgical planning for mandibular reconstruction offers high reproducibility and precision, reducing the side errors, besides its time saving advantage for both the operator and the patient.
Selection of Guiding Plate Combined With Surgical Navigation for Microsurgical Mandibular Reconstruction
Authors: Yu Yao , Zhang Wen-Bo , Liu Xiao-Jing , Guo Chuan-Bin , Yu Guang-Yan , Peng Xin
Published: March 2020

Purpose:

The present study summarized selection of guiding plate combined with surgical navigation for microsurgical mandibular reconstruction.

Methods:

Data from preoperative maxillofacial enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans were imported to ProPlan CMF. The authors performed virtual mandibulectomy and superimposed 3-dimensional (3D) iliac images on mandibular defects. Guiding plates including mandibular fixation device, reconstruction plate, guiding model, and occlusal splint for various mandibular hemimandibular central lateral (HCL) defects were fabricated to fix bilateral residual mandible. The model was scanned, and data were imported into ProPlan CMF and the intraoperative navigation system. Through landmark points upon the guiding plate, position of the residual mandible was determined during surgical navigation. Intraoperative navigation was used to implement the virtual plan. Sagittal, coronal, axial, and 3D reconstruction images displayed by the navigation system were used to accurately determine osteotomy sites and osteotomy trajectory during surgery. Surgical probe guidance was used to mark the osteotomy line and transfer the virtual procedure to real-time surgery. Accuracy was evaluated using chromatographic analysis.

Results:

Different guiding plates combined with surgical navigation could be used for various mandibular defects, including mandibular fixation devices for LCL defects, reconstruction plates for LC/L/C defects, and guiding models and occlusal splints for H/L/LC defects (including mandibular ramus). In our study, average and largest shift of the mandible and osteotomy site was <5 mm.

Conclusion:

The authors summarized different ways of combining guiding plates with surgical navigation for reconstruction of various mandibular defects, which could improve clinical outcomes of this procedure with high accuracy.
Findings, Phenotypes, Diagnostic Accuracy, and Treatment in Freeman-Burian Syndrome
Authors: Poling Mikaela I. , Dufresne Craig R. , Chamberlain Robert L.
Published: March 2020

Freeman-Burian syndrome (FBS) is a rare congenital myopathic craniofacial syndrome. Since publication of the genotype-correlated clinical diagnostic criteria, no complete survey of the literature has been accomplished. As part of the clinical practice guideline development, we evaluate diagnostic accuracy for FBS from 1938 to 2019 and range of findings, complications, treatments, and outcomes. Published manuscripts in PubMed, Google Scholar, and OMIM describing cases with a reported diagnosis of FBS, Sheldon-Hall syndrome, and distal arthrogryposes type 1 and 3 are initially included. Articles with sufficient case-level data for diagnosis verification are analyzed further. Of 724 unique papers considered, 188 papers describing 304 unique patients are included; 101 papers and 119 patients reflect an FBS diagnosis, with 80 patients meeting the full diagnostic criteria. Most cases are re-screened as distal arthrogryposis type 1. Among all cases re-screened as FBS, the presence of FBS pathognomonic craniofacial findings is not correlated with other physical findings. There are no significant differences between patients meeting the full diagnostic criteria and those not, but both are distinct from other diagnoses. Plastic surgery demonstrates the highest cumulative diagnostic accuracy for FBS overall (86.66%), while orthopedic surgery shows the lowest (44.83%). No statistically usable treatment-related or psychosocial data are available. Quality of case reports and patient data vary widely, reducing the statistical strength and significance. Major knowledge gaps exist in treatment, psychosocial, and longitudinal outcomes. At this point, it is impossible to derive clinical practice guidelines exclusively from the literature.
Malignant Lymphoma Mimicking Medial Fat Pad Prolapse: A Pitfall for Upper Eyelid Rejuvenation
Authors: Vaidya Aric , Kakizaki Hirohiko , Takahashi Yasuhiro
Published: March 2020

Two patients with malignant lymphoma in the medial area of the upper eyelid mimicking medial fat pad prolapse have been reported. Both of them did not notice any eyelid/orbital mass before presentation to us. They were managed with a complete excisional biopsy of the mass, respectively. In both the patients, pathologic results were compatible with extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Neither any other lesion was detected nor any recurrence was seen, without the need of further treatment in either of them. Although the medial fat pad prolapse can be easily diagnosed by inspection only, the results of our study elucidate the importance of palpation for its definite diagnosis.
2019 Guideline for Management of Wounds in Patients With Lower-Extremity Venous Disease (LEVD)
Authors: Kelechi Teresa J. , Brunette Glenda , Bonham Phyllis A. , Crestodina Lea , Droste Linda R. , Ratliff Catherine R. , Varnado Myra F.
Published: March 2020

This article provides an executive summary of the 2019 Guideline for Management of Wounds in Patients with Lower-Extremity Venous Disease (LEVD) published by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN). The executive summary presents an overview of the systematic process used to update and develop the guideline. It also lists the specific recommendations from the guideline for assessment, prevention, and management of LEVD and venous leg ulcers (VLUs). In addition, the guideline includes a new section regarding implementation of clinical practice guidelines. The LEVD guideline is a resource for WOC nurse specialists and other nurses, physicians, therapists, and health care professionals who work with adults who have or who are at risk for VLU.
Predictive validity of a DNA methylation-based screening panel for postpartum depression
Authors: Lapato Dana M. , Roberson-Nay Roxann , Kinser Patricia A. , York Timothy P.
Published: March 2020

Abstract

Prenatal maternal depression increases the risk of negative maternal-infant health outcomes but often goes unrecognized. As a result, biomarker screening tests capable of identifying women at risk for depression are highly desirable. This study tested how demographic and clinical factors affect the predictive validity of a DNA methylation-based screening test for postpartum major depression (MD) using data from a longitudinal study of birth outcomes. Lifetime history of MD and current levels of postpartum depressive symptoms were assessed using an extended self-report version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), respectively. Predictive validity of the test was estimated in the PREG cohort using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of self-reported race, age, and pre-pregnancy history of MD. Data for N=103 pregnant participants (African-American=49; European-American=54) were available. The prediction model identified women who would develop high levels of postpartum depressive symptoms better within the subset of women with previous histories of MD (AUC = 0.94, 95% CI 0.79-1.00) compared to the full pregnant cohort (AUC = 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.79). This observation prompted secondary analyses to test the model specificity for postpartum depression. The model predicted lifetime history of MD moderately well in never-pregnant, mixed-sex cohort of adolescents (N=150; ages 15-20; AUC = 0.75, 95% CI 0.57-0.92) and performed slightly better in males versus females. Additional sensitivity analyses are needed to determine the extent of the model’s specificity for MD subtypes and if demographic or clinical factors influence the predictive validity of this model.
Does The Reformed Cancer Drug Fund Generate Evidence On Effectiveness? A Cross-sectional Analysis On Publicly Accessible Documentation
Authors: Macdonald Helen , Goldacre Ben
Published: March 2020

Introduction

The Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) was reformed in 2016 with an ambition to generate new evidence on effectiveness, and to review existing drugs in the fund. We set out to evaluate: whether drugs transitioning from the old CDF were re-reviewed as planned; whether new drugs have a “data collection arrangement” (DCA) as planned; and whether evidence generated under the DCA using routine data from the “Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment” (SACT) database was of high quality.

Methods

We accessed documents from NHS England, Public Health England and NICE at August 2018. We calculated the proportion of old CDF drugs re-reviewed, and of new drugs and indications with a DCA. We described key features of the DCAs. For all SACT studies we set out to obtain a protocol in order to analyse the quality of the planned methods.

Results

47 old drugs and indications transitioned to the new CDF. For 14 there was no evidence of a re-review; 9 of these remain under CDF at August 2019 (all off-label uses). 33 had marketing authorisations: 22 of these had a review completed by September 2017 as planned (67%). 20 new drugs and indications entered the CDF by August 2018: 19 had a DCA; one (off-label) had no DCA or equivalent. All DCAs identify uncertainty about overall survival; all express an intent to conduct observational analysis using SACT data; SACT data was central to decision-making for 6 (32%). We were able to find 0 protocols of the 19 planned SACT studies (0). Following Freedom of Information requests we were told these protocols are prepared after the data are collected, and posted with the reappraisal: however we could not locate any protocol for either of the two published re-appraisals. We were therefore unable to assess the quality of the methods in any of the proposed SACT studies.

Conclusions

The revised CDF has not been implemented as planned. Reporting of observational analyses in SACT data fall substantially short of best practice, and the full methods used cannot be established. There is very little information in the public domain around evaluation of off-label uses. Lastly, SACT data itself does not appear to be able to support clinical decision-making in the manner suggested by the CDF policy documents. NHS England should review the conduct of the fund, but also the planning, as unrealistic commitments may have been made.
The Evaluation of Sleep Disturbances for Chinese Frontline Medical Workers under the Outbreak of COVID-19
Authors: Qi Jing , Xu Jing , Li Bozhi , Huang Jinsha , Yang Yuan , Zhang Zhentao , Yao Dongai , Liu Qunhui , Jia Min , Gong Daokai , Ni Xiaohong , Zhang Qimei , Shang Furong , Xiong Nian , Zhu Chunli , Wang Tao , Zhang Xi
Published: March 2020

Background

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 in China remains to be a serious challenge for frontline medical workers (fMW). They are under high risk of being infected and high mental stress, which may lead to sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate sleep disturbances of fMW and made a comparison with non-fMW. The medical workers from multiple hospitals in Hubei Province, China, were volunteered to participate. An online questionnaire, including Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), was used to evaluate sleep disturbances and mental status of fMW. Sleep disturbances were defined as PSQI>7 points or/and AIS>6 points. We compared the scores of PSQI, AIS, anxiety and depression VAS, and prevalence of sleep disturbances between fMW and non-fMW. Subgroup analysis for different gender in fMW was conducted.

Findings

A total of 1306 subjects (including 801 fMW and 505 non-fMW) were enrolled. Compared to non-fMW, fMW had significantly higher scores of PSQI (p< 0.0001), AIS (p<0.0001), anxiety (p<0.0001) and depression (p=0.0010), and higher prevalence of sleep disturbances with PSQI > 7 points (p<0.0001) and AIS > 6 points (p<0.0001). In subgroup analysis, compared to male fMW, female fMW had significantly higher scores of PSQI (p=0.022) and higher prevalence of sleep disturbances with PSQI > 7 points (p<0.0001).

Interpretation

fMW had higher prevalence of sleep disturbances and worse sleep quality than non-fMW. Female fMW were more vulnerable to having sleep disturbances than male fMW.

Funding

None.
Global chemical modifications comparison of human plasma proteomes from two different age groups
Authors: Liu Yongtao , Zhao Mindi , Pan Xuanzhen , Gao Youhe
Published: March 2020

The chemical modification of proteins refers to the covalent group reaction involved in their amino acid residues or chain ends which, in turn, change the molecular structure and function of the proteins. There are many types of molecular modifications in the human plasma proteome, such as phosphorylation, methylation, and acetylation. In this study, two groups of human plasma proteome at different age groups (old and young) were used to perform a comparison of global chemical modifications, as determined by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) combined with non-limiting modification identification algorithms. The sulfhydryl in the cysteine A total of 4 molecular modifications were found to have significant differences: the succinylation and phosphorylation modification of cysteine (Cys, C) and the modification of lysine (Lys, K) with threonine (Thr, T) were significantly higher in the old group than in the young group, while the carbamylation of lysine was lower in the young group. Cysteine residue is an important group for forming disulphide bonds and maintaining the structure of the protein. Differential cysteine-related sulfydryl modifications may cause structural and functional changes. Lysine is a basic amino acid, and the modification of its amino group will change the charge state of the protein, which may affect the structure and function of the protein. In summary, four types of protein chemical modifications and substitutes were found to be significantly different in the plasma proteome in different age groups and their probabilities of random generation are lower by passing random grouping test. We speculate that there is an increase in certain modified proteins in the blood of the old people which, in turn, changes the function of those proteins. This change may be one of the reasons why the old people are more likely than the young people to be at risk for age-related diseases, such as metabolic diseases, cerebral and cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
Light-responsive monobodies for dynamic control of customizable protein binding
Authors: Carrasco-López César , Zhao Evan M. , Gil Agnieszka A. , Alam Nathan , Toettcher Jared E. , Avalos José L.
Published: March 2020

Customizable, high affinity protein-protein interactions, such as those mediated by antibodies and antibody-like molecules, are invaluable to basic and applied research and have become pillars for modern therapeutics. The ability to reversibly control the binding activity of these proteins to their targets on demand would significantly expand their applications in biotechnology, medicine, and research. Here we present, as proof-of-principle, a light-controlled monobody (OptoMB) that worksin vitroandin vivo, whose affinity for its SH2-domain target exhibits a 300-fold shift in binding affinity upon illumination. We demonstrate that our αSH2-OptoMB can be used to purify SH2-tagged proteins directly from crudeE. coliextract, achieving 99.8% purity and over 40% yield in a single purification step. This OptoMB belongs to a new class of light-sensitive protein binders we call OptoBinders (OptoBNDRs) which, by virtue of their ability to be designed to bind any protein of interest, have the potential to find new powerful applications as light-switchable binders of untagged proteins with high affinity and selectivity, and with the temporal and spatial precision afforded by light.
Distant homologies and domain conservation of the Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia protein SPG11/ALS5/spatacsin
Authors: Patto Alexander L , O’Kane Cahir J
Published: March 2020

Loss-of-function mutations in SPG11 protein (spatacsin) are a common cause of autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia with thin corpus callosum. To identify regions of the protein that may have functions that are disrupted in disease, we carried out bioinformatic analyses of its conserved regions. An N-terminal region of around 650 amino-acid residues, present in SPG11 across a wide range of metazoan animals, was missing from many insect lineages. Evolutionary loss of this domain correlated with loss of its binding partner, the AP-5 adaptor complex, suggesting that its main function is interaction with AP-5 in intracellular trafficking, and that the remainder of SPG11 carries out AP-5-independent functions. At the C-terminus of SPG11, a spatacsin_C domain showed sequence similarity and predicted structural homology to the Vps16_C domain of the HOPS complex protein Vps16. It localized to acidic compartments, consistent with a role in endolysosomal or autolysosomal transport, like Vps16. Mass spectrometry analysis of binding partners of this domain identified membrane trafficking proteins, some SM proteins, and several aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Since mutations affecting SPG11 or aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases can both cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMT) type 2, we suggest autolysosomal trafficking as a target process in CMT type 2.
Universal nature of drug treatment responses in drug-tissue-wide model-animal experiments using tensor decomposition-based unsupervised feature extraction
Authors: Taguchi Y-h. , Turki Turki
Published: March 2020

Gene expression profiles of tissues treated with drugs have recently been used to infer clinical outcomes. Although this method is often successful from the application point of view, gene expression altered by drugs is rarely analyzed in detail, because of the extremely large number of genes involved. Here, we applied tensor decomposition (TD)-based unsupervised feature extraction (FE) to the gene expression profiles of 24 mouse tissues treated with 15 drugs. TD-based unsupervised FE enabled identification of the common effects of 15 drugs including an interesting universal feature: these drugs affect genes in a gene-group-wide manner and were dependent on three tissue types (neuronal, muscular, and gastroenterological). For each tissue group, TD-based unsupervised FE enabled identification of a few tens to a few hundreds of genes affected by the drug treatment. These genes are distinctly expressed between drug treatments and controls as well as between tissues in individual tissue groups and other tissues. We also validated the assignment of genes to individual tissue groups using multiple enrichment analyses. We conclude that TD-based unsupervised FE is a promising method for integrated analysis of gene expression profiles from multiple tissues treated with multiple drugs in a completely unsupervised manner.
Arctic humanitarianism for post-disaster settlement and shelter
Authors: Kelman Ilan
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper explores Arctic post-disaster situations by focusing on settlement and shelter in Arctic humanitarian contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

Principles of post-disaster settlement and shelter are examined for the Arctic and then for the case study of Svalbard, Norway.

Findings

Established principles apply in the Arctic, but are not easy to implement. Limited practical experience exists, and some Arctic humanitarian situations require much more investigation to understand how to deal with the post-disaster settlement and shelter process.

Originality/value

Setting an agenda for aspects of the principles and practices of Arctic humanitarianism.
Interfirm networks and search-transfer problem: the role of geographic proximity
Authors: Wu Dong , Wu Xiaobo , Zhou Haojun , Kang Mingu
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This paper represents an empirical study of how geographic proximity influences the search advantage and the transfer problem of interfirm networks.

Design/methodology/approach

By using the data collected from 226 Chinese manufacturing firms, this study examines the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The authors’ findings suggest that (1) geographic proximity is an important antecedent for promoting knowledge transfer, whereas it lowers the degree of knowledge novelty; and (2) geographic proximity also moderates the effects of interfirm networks on knowledge novelty and knowledge transfer.

Originality/value

This study contributes the literature of interfirm network and provides practical implications by addressing the ways in which manufacturing firms can promote knowledge transfer and acquire novel knowledge.
The values of public libraries: a systematic review of empirical studies of stakeholder perceptions
Authors: Sørensen Kristian Møhler
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Public libraries' relevance and raison d'être towards society is an often discussed subject within public, politics and research. The objective of this systematic literature review is to provide a synthesis of empirical studies of stakeholders' perceived values of public libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

The review is based on a structured literature search that was conducted in seven databases. Two independent participants carried out a two-step screening of the identified studies. Firstly, the studies were screened on basis of title and abstract. Secondly, studies that were included in the title–abstract screening were full-text screened. Conflicting studies were discussed, and consensus between the reviewers was reached. Citation searches of each included study were conducted along with scrutinising cited literature. The included studies were subject to a risk of bias assessment on basis of a developed risk of the bias tool, and qualitative analysis was provided.

Findings

Of all, 4,086 studies were screened and 19 were retained for the review. The studies consisted of both quantitative and qualitative investigations of different stakeholders in a variety of countries. The reported values varied across the studies and stakeholders.

Originality/value

This is the first study that systematically reviews empirical literature that explores stakeholders' perceived values of public libraries. The paper suggests further recommendations for empirical research of values connected to public libraries.
Relationships between the middle school concept and student demographics
Authors: Woods Scott Christopher , Cromley Jennifer Grace , Hackmann Donald Gene
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This study explored implementation of the middle school concept (MSC) in Illinois middle-level schools, examining relationships between MSC implementation and schools' relative wealth, racial/ethnic composition, and achievement levels.

Design/methodology/approach

This quantitative study utilized a sample of 137 Illinois middle-level schools, defined as containing any combination of grades 5–9, including at least two consecutive grade levels and grade 7. Principals completed an online survey, identifying levels of implementation of advisory, teaming with common planning time (CPT), and a composite of both advisory and teaming with CPT.

Findings

Schools with high advisory implementation had significantly higher rates of Latinx enrollments. Schools with lower operating expenditures per pupil were significantly less likely to implement advisory or advisory and teaming. Teaming had a significant relationship with composite PARCC test scores, but there was no significant effect for advisory and no significant interaction of advisory and teaming together.

Practical implications

MSC is more expensive to implement, and affluent districts may have the financial means to absorb these costs. Although teaming facilitated improved state test scores, advisory programming did not result in significantly improved scores.

Social implications

Lack of access to MSC programming in less affluent communities presents an equity issue for low-income students and students of color.

Originality/value

This study contributes to research examining underlying issues of race and poverty and their effects on academic achievement and the effectiveness of the MSC.
Analyzing industry stakeholders using open-source competitive intelligence – a case study in the automotive supply industry
Authors: Lutz Corinna Juliane , Bodendorf Freimut
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Continually evolving market structures characterized by high competition and simultaneous coopetition raise the need for the awareness of strategic actions of industry stakeholders and therefore the field of competitive intelligence (CI). Hence, this paper aims to provide a case-based method to enrich and automate the entire CI cycle using open-source data to analyze the industry environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The research method is based on design science research and accompanied by a three-year continuous in-depth case study in the automotive supply industry using unstructured, qualitative data to examine the activities of 25 industry stakeholders.

Findings

This paper provides a new holistic method for gaining valuable insights for decision-makers presented through a multiple-layer perspective of the industry development including structural transformation and strategic alignments in functional and cross-sectional areas of the stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications

The development of a holistic approach using open-source data combines the knowledge-based view and industry economics and allows easy transferability to any other industry.

Practical implications

The proposed method shows an increase in knowledge for managers to support daily work as well as strategic decision-making. Furthermore, it is proven that even unexperienced CI analysts are empowered to deliver high-quality results.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature and practice of CI by using an approach, which uses unstructured, qualitative data to enrich the entire CI cycle in a business-to-business environment. The case description confirms performance and time improvements of the method and shows the potential of the created insights.
Accounting for corruption within Islamic countries
Authors: Hudaib Mohammad
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Despite the growing literature on corruption, little is known about what is happening in most Islamic countries. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to argue that focussing on the adopted politico-economical ideology such as neoliberalism contributes in understanding the root of corruption.

Design/methodology/approach

Critical realism of the state of corruption in Muslim countries and secondary sources available in the literature review help account for corruption within the local settings.

Findings

Corruption takes on various forms and functions in different contexts, and it can occur at the international and national arenas and at various layers of the state. The paper argues that the adopted neoliberal politico-economical strategy in Muslim countries is the main source of corruption.

Research limitations/implications

Corruption ranges from an act of payment that contradicts the law to an endemic malfunction of a political and economic system that may be attributed to individual moral or political or a combination of both. Hence, given the differences among Islamic countries, economic and political milieu case studies help explore the kind of corrupted leaderships in the particular country and how corruption is combated.

Originality/value

Corruption is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. Accounting for corruption using neo-political lens is relatively new to the literature. Hence, this paper calls on accounting for evidence on how aspired autocratic leaderships in Muslim countries managed to personalise power and weaken the infrastructural apparatus that provide the necessary check and balance, thus facilitating the production of corruption on both the demand and supply sides.
The study of customer involved service innovation under the crowdsourcing
Authors: Cui Lixin , Liang Yibao , Li Yiling
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Service innovation is a key source of competence for service enterprises. Along with the emergence of crowdsourcing platforms, consumers are frequently involved in the process of service innovation. In this paper, the authors describe the crowdsourcing ideation website—MyStarbucksIdea.com—and find the motivations of customer-involved service innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a rich data set obtained from the website MyStarbucksIdea.com, a dynamic structural model is proposed to illuminate the learning process of consumers.

Findings

The results indicate that initially individuals tend to underestimate the costs of the firm for implementing their ideas but overestimate the value of their ideas. By observing peer votes and feedbacks, individuals gradually learn about the true value of ideas, as well as the cost structure of the firm. Overall, the authors find that the cumulative feedback rate and the average potential of ideas will first increase and then decline.

Originality/value

First, the previous researches concerning the crowdsourcing show that the creative implementation rate is low and the number of creative ideas decreases, and few scholars have studied the causes behind the problems. Second, the data used in this paper are true and valid, and it is difficult to obtain now. These data can provide strong empirical support for the model proposed in this paper. Third, it is relatively novel to combine the customer learning mechanism and heterogeneity theory to explain the phenomenon of reduced creativity and low implementation rate in crowdsourcing platform, and the research results can provide a reasonable reference for the construction of this industry.
Transformational leadership and employee creativity across cultures
Authors: Kasımoğlu Murat , Ammari Djihane
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The study compares the impact of four components of transformational leadership (TL), namely, idealized influence (II), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation (IS), and individualized consideration (IC) on employee creativity (EC) at the workplace between Turkey and Algeria, taking into account the mediating effect of employee's creative role identity (CRI).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 688 managers working for conglomerate companies in both countries and the analysis was performed using a two-stage structural equation modeling (SEM) for model and hypothesis testing.

Findings

The findings highlighted that managers from both countries have divergent stances toward TL’s impact on EC; Algerian managers recognized the impact relationship between CRI and EC. Meanwhile, Turkish managers believed in the efficiency of every component independently.

Research limitations/implications

When generalizing the research results, a debate might arise in regards to both the data collection instrument and the data being collected from two companies only. Therefore, upcoming research might opt for using further data collection methods and expand the data collection sources to cover larger targets.

Practical implications

The study's findings help in assisting managers and decision-makers in both countries into strategically adjusting their managerial approaches accordingly and appropriately stimulating EC at the workplace.

Social implications

The findings provided insights into elevating and strengthening a mere formal leader–member relationship to a personally satisfying and mutually beneficial social bond.

Originality/value

Throughout literature, the light was shed on the fundamental, yet, infrequently discussed link between TL components and employee CRI. The comparative nature and findings of our study could be considered building blocks for further academic research about leadership in both countries.
Entrepreneurial failure in agribusiness: evidence from an emerging economy
Authors: Adobor Henry
Published: March 2020

Purpose

This article extends the literature on agricultural entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial failure in Ghana, a country in sub-Saharan Africa by exploring failure in a cohort of firms. As engines of economic growth, the performance of micro, small, and medium-sized firms is important. Agro-based enterprises, in particular, are vital because entrepreneurial failure in agribusiness affects food security, and is disruptive to social and economic stability.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative data from interviews, we identified reasons for the failure of a group of entrepreneurs associated with a novel agribusiness activity in an otherwise economically attractive market in an emerging economy. The data for the study came from 69 respondents who started and exited aquaculture, a form of agribusiness within a period.

Findings

The results of this study show that there can be negative effects of social structure on entrepreneurial behavior and outcomes. The strong social ties that emerged among the farmer-entrepreneurs led to excessive peer-to-peer copying and knowledge sharing, leading to premature closure of the search for nonredundant ideas. One consequence of that was the narrowing of the pool of available knowledge, which if broadened, may have improved the chances of success of these businesses. Also, the results demonstrate that a lack of institutional support in the form of training in the appropriate management of a new technology adversely affected the farmer-entrepreneurs and their businesses. It is important for governments that introduce a new economic activity to provide the scaffolding, including an understanding of the value chain, to enhance the chances of the economic success of ventures. Entrepreneurs for their part need to broaden their search for new ideas outside their peer groups to increase their chances of accessing non-redundant knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size is small, limiting the generalization of findings and the recollection of events may fade with the passage of time, especially since most of the farmers did not keep written records.

Practical implications

First, entrepreneurship and economic development, long held as a panacea for moving developing countries out of poverty, may require consistent government support. Second, entrepreneurs venturing into business need to understand the particular challenges associated with a novel activity. Finally, entrepreneurs need to recognize that interconnectedness should not necessarily lead to the convergence of ideas and behavior.

Originality/value

The study extends and contextualizes the literature on agricultural entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial failure. Besides, the study focuses on entrepreneurial failure in Sub-Saharan Africa, an under-researched setting.
Operational risk modeling for cold chain logistics system: a Bayesian network approach
Authors: Zheng Chaoyu , Peng Benhong , Wei Guo
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The operational management of cold chain logistics has an important impact on the quality of cold chain products, but the service delivery process is subject to a series of potential problems such as product loss and cold storage temperature in the actual operation.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the whole cold chain logistics system and risk events are analyzed. A Bayesian network is used for modeling and simulation to identify the main influencing factors and to conduct a sensitivity analysis of the main factors.

Findings

It is found that the operation of cold chain logistics systems can be divided into four links according to the degree of influence as follows: transportation and distribution, processing and packaging, information processing and warehousing. Transportation and distribution is the most influential factor of system failure, and extreme weather is the most risky event. At the same time, the four risk events that have the greatest impact on the operation of the cold chain system are in descending order: transportation equipment failure, extreme weather, unqualified pre-cooling and violation operation.

Originality/value

Therefore, enterprises should develop appropriate interventions for securing the transportation services, design strategies to deal with extreme weather conditions prior to and in the early stage of product delivery, and prepare additional effective measures for managing emergency events.
The future of carbon accounting research: “we’ve pissed mother nature off, big time”
Authors: Gibassier Delphine , Michelon Giovanna , Cartel Mélodie
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the contributions of the special issue papers while presenting four broad research avenues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a review of current literature on climate change and carbon accounting.

Findings

The authors propose four broad avenues for research: climate change as a systemic and social issue, the multi-layered transition apparatus for climate change, climate vulnerability and the future of carbon accounting.

Practical implications

The authors connect this study with the requested institutional changes for climate breakdown, making the paper relevant for practice and policy. The authors notably point to education and professions as institutions that will request bold and urgent makeovers.

Social implications

The authors urge academics to reconsider climate change as a social issue, requiring to use new theoretical lenses such as emotions, eco-feminism, material politics and “dispositifs” to tackle this grand challenge.

Originality/value

This paper switches the authors’ viewpoint on carbon accounting to look at it from a more systemic and social lens.
Exendin‐4 protects the hearts of rats from ischaemia/reperfusion injury by boosting antioxidant levels and inhibition of JNK/p66Shc/NADPH axis
Authors: Eid Refaat A. , Zaki Mohamed Samir Ahmed , Alaa Eldeen Muhammad , Alshehri Majed M. , Shati Ayed A. , El‐kott Attalla Farag
Published: March 2020

Exendin‐4, a glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist, was shown to protect against cardiac ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by suppressing oxidative stress. p66Shc, a pro‐oxidant and an apoptotic protein, is activated in the infarcted left ventricles (LVs) after induction of I/R. This study investigated if the cardiac protective effect of Exendin‐4 against I/R injury in rats involves inhibition of p66Shc and to determine the underlying mechanisms behind this. Adult male rats (n = 12/group) were divided into four groups as a sham, a sham + Exendin‐4, an I/R, and an I/R + Exendin‐4. Exendin‐4 was administered to rats 7 days before the induction of I/R. Ischaemia was induced by ligating the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery for 40 minutes followed by reperfusion for 10 minutes. The infarct myocardium was used for further analysis. Exendin‐4 significantly reduced infarct area (by 62%), preserved LV function and lowered serum levels of LDH and CK‐MB in I/R‐induced rats. Also, it significantly reduced LV levels of ROS and MDA and protein levels of cytochrome‐c and cleaved caspase‐3 but significantly increased levels of glutathione (GSH) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in LVs of I/R rats indicating antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic effects. Furthermore, it inhibited JNK and p66Shc activation and downregulated protein levels of p66Shc and NADPH oxidase with no effect on protein levels/activity of p53 and PKCβII. Of note, Exendin‐4 also increased GSH and MnSOD in LVs of control rats. In conclusion, Exendin‐4 cardioprotective effect in I/R hearts is mediated mainly by antioxidant effect and inhibition of JNK/P66Shc/NADPH oxidase.
Reduced store‐operated Ca2+ entry impairs mesenteric artery function in response to high external glucose in type 2 diabetic ZDF rats
Authors: Schach Christian , Wester Michael , Leibl Florian , Redel Andreas , Gruber Michael , Maier Lars S. , Endemann Dierk , Wagner Stefan
Published: March 2020

Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, affecting both endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Store‐operated Ca2+ channels (SOCCs) have been implicated in many diabetic complications. Vascular dysfunction is common in patients with diabetes, but the role of SOCCs in diabetic vasculopathy is still unclear. Our research aimed to investigate the effects of high glucose (HG) on store‐operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in small arteries. Small mesenteric arteries from type 2 diabetic Zucker fatty rats (ZDF) versus their non‐diabetic controls (Zucker lean, ZL) were examined in a pressurized myograph. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were isolated and intracellular Ca2+ was measured (Fura 2‐AM). A specific protocol to deplete intracellular Ca2+ stores and thereby open SOCCs, as well as pharmacological SOCE inhibitors (SKF‐96365, BTP‐2), were used to artificially activate and inhibit SOCE, respectively. High glucose (40 mmol/L) relaxed arteries in a SKF‐sensitive manner. Diabetic arteries exhibited reduced HG‐induced relaxation, as well as reduced contraction after Ca2+ replenishment. Further, the rise in intracellular Ca2+ on account of SOCE is diminished in diabetic versus non‐diabetic VSMCs and was insensitive to HG in diabetic VSMCs. The expression of SOCC proteins was measured, detecting a downregulation of Orai1 in diabetes. In conclusion, diabetes leads to a reduction of SOCE and SOCE‐induced contraction, which is unresponsive to HG‐mediated inhibition. The reduced expression of Orai1 in diabetic arteries could account for the observed reduction in SOCE.
Successful futures for all? Additional learning needs in Wales in the light of curriculum reform
Authors: Conn Carmel , Hutt Matt
Published: March 2020

Wales is undergoing a major programme of educational reform, including the development of a new curriculum and transformation of the system for supporting learners with additional learning needs (ALN). This article reports on a research project investigating how these two elements are being brought together, drawing on interviews with policy leads and school‐based practitioners. Findings indicate that the new curriculum is perceived as broader, more focused on the quality of teaching and more relevant to all learners. Tensions were apparent, however, in the core belief systems of interviewees. For those with a school‐based and/or curriculum‐focused role, what is in the best interests of specific learners is a core belief that subsumes the idea of inclusivity and necessitates the continuation of arrangements for ALN in their current form. It is argued that clearer articulation of teachers as agents of change is required if educational transformation is to be achieved.