bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interdependencies between knowledge management and academic performance in higher educational institutions
Authors: Paudel Krishna Prasad , Bhattarai Prakash C. , Chalise Mahanand
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interdependent relationship between knowledge management and the academic performance of faculty members in higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Nepal.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied survey research to identify the interdependencies between knowledge management and academic performance in the context of HEIs. The data were collected from the 445-academic staff of four different universities of Nepal by using the self-constructed questionnaire, using Delphi methods. Factor analysis was applied to identify the dimensions of knowledge management and academic performance and canonical correlation analysis was applied to examine the interdependent relationship between dimensions of knowledge management and academic performance.

Findings

The factor analysis explored the following seven dimensions of knowledge management: knowledge utilization, acquisition, generation, dissemination, transfer, creation and presentation and four dimensions of academic performance as research and publication, innovation, interactive learning and capacity building. The analysis of canonical correlation showed the interdependent relationship between knowledge utilization, acquisition, generation and dissemination with research, publication and capacity building; knowledge creation with innovation; and knowledge transfer and presentation with interactive learning.

Practical implications

This study was carried out based on the day-to-day practices and perceptions of the faculty members of four different universities in Nepal. The changing context of global practices in academia, organizational structure and thoughts of faculty members are changing rapidly. It demands the practical aspects of transferring tacit knowledge to explicit one to enhance intellectual capital of individual.

Originality/value

In a country such as Nepal, the concept of knowledge management is in an emerging stage and has been applied to some financial institutions so far. In this context, this paper presents a study that was carried out to explore the interdependence of knowledge management practices in HEIs to enhance academic activities and discourses. The knowledge management further strengthen the intellectual capital of individual and institution and impacts on overall development of knowledge economy of nation.
Enhancing innovative work behaviour in higher institutions of learning: the role of hope
Authors: Namono Rehema , Kemboi Ambrose , Chepkwony Joel
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Despite the current dynamism in the education sector that was manifested in new approaches to work that require innovative workforce, little empirical studies have been conducted on how to influence innovativeness in higher education institutions. Moreover, though studies have established a link between hope and innovative work behaviour, no study has established how hope and its two components of agency and pathways influence innovative work behaviour. The purpose of this study is to establish the influence of hope and its two components of agency and pathways on innovative work behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative cross-sectional research design was adopted in this study. The study employed hierarchical regression to test the hypothesised relationship between hope and its components of agency and pathways on innovative work behaviour using a sample drawn from public universities in Uganda in the two categories of academic and administrative staff.

Findings

The findings reveal that pathways and agency influence innovative work behaviour. The Findings also revealed that hope significantly influences innovative work behaviour over and above its individual components of agency and pathways.

Research limitations/implications

The study was cross-sectional in nature and the findings may not portray a true picture of the relationship between the study variables over time as behaviour is ever changing. Further studies could carry out a longitudinal study to establish the effect established in this study at different time intervals. The results provide a more complex understanding of how hope and its two components of agency and pathways enhance innovative work behaviour.

Practical implications

The findings of the study provide insightful direction to managers in public universities in Uganda to consider different avenues of increasing employee hope so as to enhance innovative work behaviour. This can be done through targeted interventions like involving employees in goal setting and setting alternative means to achieve goals.

Originality/value

The value of this study is both empirical and theoretical. Empirically, this study is the first to establish the influence of hope and its two components of agency and pathways on innovative work behaviour in Uganda’s university setting. Theoretically, the study extends veracity of the conservation of resources theory (COR) by clarifying those employees who possess the psychological characteristics of hope exhibit innovative work behaviour. The study also extends on the theory of hope by revealing that agency and pathways influence innovative work behaviour.
Long‐term changes in a small mammal community in a temperate zone meadow subject to seasonal floods and habitat transformation
Authors: BALČIAUSKAS Linas , BALČIAUSKIENĖ Laima
Published: July 2021

We tested small mammal (SM) community response to the influence of seasonal floods and habitat transformation in a temporal zone meadow (west Lithuania). The habitat transitioned from a natural flooded meadow in 2008–2012 to a mowed and pastured area in 2020. SM were trapped in late summer to autumn using lines of 25 traps (145 in total), the number of trapping sessions being one or several per year. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) any reaction to the multiple disturbances is species‐specific, that is, the relative abundance of SM species and their proportion in the community differs with respect to the flood magnitude and habitat transformation, and (2) at the guild level, disturbances favor habitat generalists, thereby changing the characteristics of SM community. The average relative density of SM was 20.25 individuals per 100 trap nights (range 7.56–40.67), with 4‐year‐long cyclical changes of density observed. In separate years, we recorded from 4 to 9 species; Shannon's diversity index varied from 0.46 to 2.19, with expressed change of the dominant species. Habitat generalist species were favored, while habitat specialists were disadvantaged. As the meadow transformation progressed, unfavored states in the SM community prevailed, with excessive numbers of granivore and herbivore species present. Our study suggests that multiple disturbances may lead to an increase in relative abundance, species richness, and diversity within the SM assemblages.
Genetic basis of chicken plumage color in artificial population of complex epistasis
Authors: Hua Guoying , Chen Jianfei , Wang Jiankui , Li Junying , Deng Xuemei
Published: July 2021

Chicken plumage color, the genetic basis of which is often affected by epistasis, has long interested scientists. In the current study, a population of complex epistasis was constructed by crossing dominant White Leghorn chickens with recessive white feather chickens. Through a genome‐wide association study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms and genes significantly associated with white and colored plumage in hens at different developmental stages. Interestingly, white plumage in adulthood was associated with the recessive white feather gene (TYR), whereas white feathers at birth stage were associated with the dominant white feather gene (PMEL), indicating age‐related roles for these genes. TYR was shown to exert an epistatic effect on PMEL in adult hens. Additionally, TYR had an epistatic effect on barred plumage, while barred plumage had an epistatic effect on black plumage. TYR had no epistatic effect on the yellow plumage. We confirmed that the barred plumage gene is CDKN2A, as reported in previous studies. Golgb1 and REEP3, which play important roles in the Golgi network and affect the formation of feather pigments, are important candidate genes for yellow plumage. The candidate genes for black plumage are CAMKK1 and IFT22. Further research is warranted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these traits.
Optimizing genomic prediction using low‐density marker panels for streptococcosis resistance in red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)
Authors: Sukhavachana S. , Tongyoo P. , Luengnaruemitchai A. , Poompuang S.
Published: July 2021

Streptococcosis is a major disease that causes huge economic losses to tilapia farming in Thailand. Breeding for Streptococcosis agalactiae resistant strains using the pedigree BLUP method has proven an effective approach to control the disease in red tilapia, but the accuracy of selection is relatively low. Genomic selection, which is based on genome‐wide markers to predict genomic breeding values of selection candidates, provides a powerful approach for accelerating genetic progress and producing permanent gains in the population. We evaluated the implementation of four genomic prediction models, GBLUP, ssGBLUP, BayesB and BayesC, using 19 sets of SNP markers (ranging from 500 to 24 582 SNPs) in 886 fish challenged with S. agalactiae. The accuracy of prediction was estimated using a five‐fold cross‐validation approach, with 708 and 178 individuals sampled for the training and validation sets respectively. Prediction of the accuracy of each of the models was improved substantially compared with PBLUP (10%) using 1000 informative SNPs. The GBLUP model (65%), which required less computing time, outperformed the remaining models – ssGBLUP (53%), BayesB (47%) and BayesC (42%).
Clinical course of patients with renal cell carcinoma or urothelial carcinoma who had stable disease as an initial response to a PD‐1 or PD‐L1 inhibitor
Authors: Hwang Inhwan , Park Inkeun , Yoon Shin‐Kyo , Lee Jae Lyun
Published: July 2021

Background

About 17%–34% of patients with non‐prostatic genitourinary (GU) cancer had stable disease (SD) as their best response to programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐1/PD‐L1) inhibitors. However, most efficacy studies of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors are focused on the response and its durability. Little is known about patients' clinical outcomes with SD as their initial response to PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (n = 102) and urothelial carcinoma (UC) (n = 101) treated with PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors. The duration of SD (DoSD) was calculated for patients who had SD as their best response and was defined from the time of SD to radiologically confirmed progressive disease (PD) or death.

Results

Fifty‐five patients (27.1%) had SD as the initial response. Among them, 10 patients (18.2%) achieved a response on subsequent assessments. With a median follow‐up duration of 15.2 months, the median DoSD was 8.5 months (range: 3.2–13.8), which was significantly different according to the disease; 9.4 months in RCC and 2.3 months in UC (p = 0.03). If the disease did not progress in 4 months (long SD subgroup), the DoSD (11.0 months) was comparable to the duration of response (12.9 months) in patients who achieved a complete or partial response to PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors. In addition to the cancer type, the clinical factors associated with short DoSD were liver metastases (p = 0.003), neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) > 4.0 (p = 0.001), and platelet‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) > 194 (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

For RCC patients with SD to PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors, if there are no liver metastases and NLR/PLR is below the certain level, they would have similar duration of disease control and survival benefit as those who achieve the response.
Liposome‐encapsulated hemoglobin (HbV) transfusion rescues rats undergoing progressive lethal 85% hemorrhage as a result of an anti‐arrhythmogenic effect on the myocardium
Authors: Takase Bonpei , Higashimura Yuko , Asahina Haruka , Ishihara Masayuki , Sakai Hiromi
Published: July 2021

Liposome‐encapsulated hemoglobin vesicles (HbV) can serve as a blood substitute with oxygen‐carrying capacity comparable to that of human blood and lethal hemorrhage is associated with lethal arrhythmias. To investigate the resuscitation effect of HbV on lethal hemorrhage and anti‐arrhythmogenesis, we performed optical mapping analysis (OMP) and electrophysiological study (EPS) in graded blood exchange (85% blood loss) in the rat model. We also measured cardiac autonomic activity, as assessed by heart rate variability (HRV), and changes in plasma norepinephrine and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiography. Pathological study on Connexin43 was performed. A 5% albumin (ALB group), washed rat erythrocytes (wRBC group), and HbV (HbV group) were used as a resuscitation fluid. The survival effects over 24 hours were examined. All rats died in the ALB group, whereas almost all survived for 24‐hours period in wRBC and HbV groups. OMP showed impaired action potential duration dispersion (APDd) in the ALB group, whereas normal APDs in HbV and wRBC groups. Lethal arrhythmias were induced by EPS in the ALB group, but not in wRBC and HbV groups. HRV indices, LVEF, Connexin43 were preserved in HbV and wRBC groups. Lethal hemorrhage causes lethal arrhythmias in the presence of impaired APDd. HbV acutely rescues lethal hemorrhage by preventing lethal arrhythmias and preserving arrhythmogenic factors.
Customized 3D printed bioreactors for decellularization—High efficiency and quality on a budget
Authors: Grab Maximilian , Stieglmeier Felix , Emrich Jessica , Grefen Linda , Leone Ariane , König Fabian , Hagl Christian , Thierfelder Nikolaus
Published: July 2021

Decellularization (DC) of biomaterials with bioreactors is widely used to produce scaffolds for tissue engineering. This study uses 3D printing to develop efficient but low‐cost DC bioreactors. Two bioreactors were developed to decellularize pericardial patches and vascular grafts. Flow profiles and pressure distribution inside the bioreactors were optimized by steady‐state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Printing materials were evaluated by cytotoxicity assessment. Following evaluation, all parts of the bioreactors were 3D printed in a commercial fused deposition modeling printer. Samples of bovine pericardia and porcine aortae were decellularized using established protocols. An immersion and agitation setup was used as a control. With histological assessment, DNA quantification and biomechanical testing treatment effects were evaluated. CFD analysis of the pericardial bioreactor revealed even flow and pressure distribution in between all pericardia. The CFD analysis of the vessel bioreactor showed increased intraluminal flow rate and pressure compared to the vessel's outside. Cytotoxicity assessment of the used printing material revealed no adverse effect on the tissue. Complete DC was achieved for all samples using the 3D printed bioreactors while DAPI staining revealed residual cells in aortic vessels of the control group. Histological analysis showed no structural changes in the decellularized samples. Additionally, biomechanical properties exhibited no significant change compared to native samples. This study presents a novel approach to manufacturing highly efficient and low budget 3D printed bioreactors for the DC of biomaterials. When compared to standard protocols, the bioreactors offer a cost effective, fast, and reproducible approach, which vastly improves the DC results.
An observational study of switching infliximab biosimilar: no adverse impact on inflammatory bowel disease control or drug levels with first or second switch
Authors: Luber Raphael P. , O'Neill Rhona , Singh Sukhpreet , Sharma Esha , Cunningham Georgina , Honap Sailish , Meade Susanna , Ray Shuvra , Anderson Simon H. , Mawdsley Joel , Sanderson Jeremy D. , Samaan Mark A. , Arkir Zehra , Irving Peter M.
Published: July 2021

Background

Biologics account for a significant cost in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management; however, switching from infliximab originator to its biosimilars has enabled cost saving without compromising disease control. The effects on IBD activity and infliximab trough levels of a second switch to another biosimilar are, however, uncertain.

Aims

To assess the effects on disease activity and infliximab trough levels associated with switching from infliximab biosimilar CT‐P13 to another biosimilar SB2 and compare outcomes in those switching for the first and second time.

Methods

IBD patients on CT‐P13, including some previously switched from originator, were prospectively followed during a switch to SB2. C‐reactive protein (CRP), trough infliximab level and clinical disease activity indices were collected at baseline, Infusion 3 or 4 (‘early’ after switch), and 1 year.

Results

One hundred eighty‐six patients (n = 99 second switch) on stable infliximab dosing underwent switching. Compared with baseline, there was no significant change in CRP, clinical disease activity scores or median trough infliximab level at the early time point among first‐switch (baseline vs early: 5.7 vs 6.6 µg/mL, P = 0.05) and second‐switch (4.3 vs 4.9 µg/mL, P = 0.07) patients nor at 1 year (median infliximab trough levels, baseline vs 1 year, in first‐switch [5.7 vs 5.7 µg/mL, P = 0.37] and second‐switch [4.3 vs 4.7 µg/mL, P = 0.06] patients). The proportion of patients in clinical remission did not significantly change at the early (92% vs 91% at baseline, P = 0.75) or 1 year (95% vs 91% at baseline, P = 0.16) time points. There was no significant difference in time to loss of response between patients switching for the first or second time (P = 0.69).

Conclusions

Switching from one infliximab biosimilar to another had no adverse impact on infliximab trough levels, and clinical and biochemical disease activity, regardless of whether switching for the first or second time.
The structure of the rostral epidural rete mirabile in selected representatives of the Cervidae and Bovidae families
Authors: Graczyk Szymon , Zdun Maciej
Published: July 2021

The rostral epidural rete mirabile appears in many studies on cerebral vascularisation; however, its exact characteristics are poorly understood. Its structure and location have a mechanism of selective cooling of the brain, protecting the animal from hyperthermia and affecting the body water balance. The aim of this study was to analyse the structure of the rostral epidural rete mirabile along with its tributaries. The study material consisted of a total of 61 specimens from the deer family belonging to the European roe deer, red deer and fallow deer species and those belonging to the beef family: domestic cattle, European bison, domestic sheep and domestic goat. The rostral epidural rete mirabile in the families of this study is well developed. It is formed of many small arteries anastomosing with each other and its main tributary is the maxillary artery, which is an extension of the external carotid artery. Additionally, in cervids, blood is supplied by the condylar artery. Within the families analysed, there was considerable similarity in the plan of construction within the rostral epidural rete mirabile, with minor differences among individual taxa.
Connecting locally: The role of adult siblings in supporting the social inclusion in neighbourhoods of adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Boland Geraldine , Guerin Suzanne
Published: July 2021

Accessible summary

Getting involved in your neighbourhood is important, but going places and meeting new people is not always easy.

Using services locally and knowing what is on that you might join in with can sometimes be hard.

Brothers and sisters told us what they think about this and how they may be able to help.

People with intellectual disability told us how they feel about their brother or sister being involved in their lives.

Background

With an international policy trend to close residential institutions, adults with intellectual disabilities are more likely to live in ordinary localities. However, this does not always equate with engagement, leading to forming new relationships and having a sense of connection to place. Social inclusion in neighbourhoods involves a complex interplay of facilitators and barriers. The role of nondisabled adult siblings as connectors for their sister/brother's social inclusion in their locality has received little research attention. This study explores the experiences of nondisabled siblings of offering support for local engagement and siblings with intellectual disability of being supported by their brothers/sisters.

Methods

A multiple dyad case study methodology examined the experiences of 16 participants, made up of eight sibling pairs. Adults with moderate intellectual disability living in a range of neighbourhood types and their nominated sibling formed a self‐selecting sample. Each dyad took part in a series of three (individual and joint) interviews. Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis in a four‐stage process that included individual, dyad and cross‐case analysis.

Findings

Five themes were interpreted to explicate wide‐ranging experiences of the role of nondisabled siblings in supporting their brother/sister to be socially included in their locality, including the sibling role as shaped by the family context: the influence of push and pull factors and the influence of service providers on sibling engagement. Themes also reveal siblings’ intentional and unintentional support for social inclusion and a range of factors that foster or hinder local engagement.

Conclusions

The role of adult siblings in supporting engagement and as local connectors has potential as a resource that will contribute to the social inclusion in neighbourhoods of adults with intellectual disabilities. However, a range of factors exist that influence the nature of their involvement. Implications for practice and further research are considered.
Use of historical and contemporary distribution of mammals in China to inform conservation
Authors: Huang Kang , Zhang He , Wang Chengliang , Hou Rong , Zhang Pei , He Gang , Guo Songtao , Tang Shiyi , Li Baoguo , Oxnard Charles , Pan Ruliang
Published: July 2021

A systematic understanding of dynamic animal extinction trajectories for different regions in a nation like China is critically important to developing practical conservation strategies. We explored historical and contemporary changes in terrestrial mammalian diversity to determine how diversity in each of the 5 regions in China has changed over time and to examine the conservation potential of these regions. We used records from databases on Pleistocene mammalian fossils and historical distribution records (1175–2020) for Primates (as a case study) to reconstruct evolutionary and historical distribution trajectories of the 11 orders of terrestrial mammals and to predict their prospective survival based on the national conservation strategy applied. The results indicated that since the Pleistocene, 4–5 mammalian orders have been lost in the northeast, 3 in central China, 2 along the coast, and 1 in the northwest. In the southwest, all 11 orders were maintained. Contemporarily, the coast and southwest had the highest and second‐highest species densities. The southwest region and southeastern sections of the northwest region were the most historically and contemporarily diverse areas, which suggests that they should be the first priority for protected area (PA) designation. The central and coastal areas should be secondarily prioritized. In these 2 regions, conservation should focus on human coexistence with nature. Less attention should be paid to the PA in the northeast and western northwest because in these areas ecosystems are depauperate and the climate is harsh. Conservation in these areas should focus principally on avoiding further human encroachment on natural areas.

Article impact statement: Historical and contemporary patterns of extinction can be a basis for mammalian conservation strategies.
Pilot study assessing 3D‐printed teeth as a caries removal teaching tool
Authors: Sinha Ambika , Osnes Cecilie , Keeling Andrew J.
Published: July 2021

Introduction

In UK universities, caries removal teaching utilises plastic teeth. This format does not enable students to learn how to distinguish between tooth layers and caries via tactile feedback. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of a novel, 3D‐printed carious tooth within caries removal teaching.

Materials and methods

Single‐material 3D‐printed teeth containing simulated tactile caries were developed and 14 final‐year undergraduates were briefed to remove caries and minimise damage to healthy tissue within the tooth. Students completed evaluation questionnaires for their opinion of 3D‐printed teeth in comparison to plastic teeth and perceived confidence to subsequently treat patients. Cavity preparation perimeters were measured, using photographs with a standard protocol. Heat map analysis illustrated variation in location and extent of cavity preparations produced by the cohort.

Results

Student feedback indicated the 3D‐printed caries exercise was positively received, 71.4% agreed 3D‐printed teeth would have better prepared students for patient treatment; 78.6% rated their preclinical stress/anxiety as ‘very high’ or ‘high’ and 57.1% agreed that if preclinical teaching incorporated 3D‐printed teeth, their stress/anxiety when treating their first caries patient would have been reduced. The average perimeter of cavity preparation indicated relative variation, with a maximum perimeter of 19.6 mm and a minimum of 10.7 mm, and a range of 8.9 mm.

Discussion

Introducing 3D‐printed teeth into preclinical teaching would allow students to gain confidence in clinically relevant experience in tactile aspects of caries treatment earlier in their training than currently possible.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates student acceptance of an alternative caries removal teaching method, with potential to increase aptitude in caries removal in a clinically relevant manner.
COVID‐19 and ischemic stroke
Authors: Sagris Dimitrios , Papanikolaou Aikaterini , Kvernland Alexandra , Korompoki Eleni , Frontera Jennifer A. , Troxel Andrea B. , Gavriatopoulou Maria , Milionis Haralampos , Lip Gregory Y. H. , Michel Patrik , Yaghi Shadi , Ntaios George
Published: July 2021

Since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic, a substantial proportion of COVID‐19 patients had documented thrombotic complications and ischemic stroke. Several mechanisms related to immune‐mediated thrombosis, the renin angiotensin system and the effect of SARS‐CoV‐2 in cardiac and brain tissue may contribute to the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke in patients with COVID‐19. Simultaneously, significant strains on global healthcare delivery, including ischemic stroke management, have made treatment of stroke in the setting of COVID‐19 particularly challenging. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on epidemiology, clinical manifestation, and pathophysiology of ischemic stroke in patients with COVID‐19 to bridge the gap from bench to bedside and clinical practice during the most challenging global health crisis of the last decades.
Clinical usefulness of noninvasive fibrosis indices for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma in treatment‐naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B following entecavir therapy
Authors: Jeong Joonho , Shin Jung Woo , Jung Seok Won , Lee Seung Bum , Park Eun Ji , Park Neung Hwa
Published: July 2021

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis‐4 (FIB‐4), and modified FIB‐4 (mFIB‐4) indices in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients receiving entecavir (ETV) treatment.

Methods

Among 1955 patients treated with ETV, a total of 857 treatment‐naive chronic hepatitis B patients (424 with liver cirrhosis [LC], 433 without cirrhosis) treated with ETV for more than 1 year were analyzed.

Results

Of the 857 patients, 85 (9.9%) patients (77 in the LC group and 8 in the non‐LC group) developed HCC during the follow‐up period. The median observation period was 6.9 years. Multivariate regression analysis of HCC incidence revealed that the initial mFIB‐4 index (hazard ratio [HR] 1.058; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.007–1.112; p = 0.027) and improvement in the FIB‐4 index after 1 year of ETV treatment (HR 0.531; 95% CI, 0.339–0.831; p = 0.006) were independent prognostic factors in the entire cohort. In the LC group, the improvement of the FIB‐4 index following ETV treatment (HR 0.491; 95% CI, 0.280–0.861; p = 0.013) was negatively correlated with incidence of HCC. However, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of specific cut‐off values of the FIB‐4 index at baseline and 1 year after ETV treatment were 0.572 (95% CI, 0.504–0.640) and 0.615 (95% CI, 0.546–0.684), respectively. In the non‐LC group, none of the invasive fibrosis indices could predict HCC incidence.

Conclusions

The specific cut‐off value of the FIB‐4 index was not suitable for predicting HCC. However, the improvement in the FIB‐4 index after 1 year of ETV therapy could be a predictor of HCC development in cirrhotic patients.
How is leadership cultivated between principal investigators and research team members? Evidence from funded research projects in the UK
Authors: Abou Hamdan Omar , Meschitti Viviana , Burhan Muhammad
Published: July 2021

This paper investigates leadership dynamics in research teams. It studies how principal investigators (PIs) and team members cultivate their relationship through the lens of leader‐member exchange theory (LMX). Thirty‐one in‐depth interviews with both PIs and team members across 15 externally funded teams in the UK are analysed. The findings show that these relationships can be characterised along four influential dimensions: positional layer; informal layer; and the newly identified political layer and life domain. These layers show how PIs balance between formal and informal power structures, and, more broadly, how leadership dynamics go beyond the specific context in which a team is situated and members work. The notion constructing working relationships is proposed to stress on the need for both PIs and members to engage in a process of balancing potential tensions. Thus, the paper provides PIs with insights into the nature of leadership within a research team and recommendations regarding team design.
Why is the business case for social compliance in global value chains unpersuasive? Rethinking costs, prices and profits
Authors: ANTOLIN Ana , BABBITT Laura , BROWN Drusilla
Published: July 2021

Stakeholders in global value chains (GVCs) commonly argue that factory managers will choose humane working conditions if they can be persuaded that social compliance improves firm performance. Yet, despite evidence that humane conditions increase productivity, product quality and on‐time delivery, inhumane conditions in GVCs persist. Evidence from a sample of factories in the Better Work programme in Indonesia, Jordan and Viet Nam indicates that achieving social compliance may be costly, offsetting productivity benefits. A positive impact on profits depends on international buyer sourcing practices, including higher output prices. The COVID‐19 pandemic has confirmed the key role played by buyers in determining working conditions.
CD44 v5 domain inhibition represses the polarization of Th2 cells by interfering with the IL‐4/IL‐4R signaling pathway
Authors: Yang Chun , Lin Jianhong , Liang Hongyan , Xue Li , Kwart Ariel , Jiang Meng , Zhao Jianjun , Ren Huan , Jiang Xiaofeng , Munshi Nikhil C
Published: July 2021

The balance between T helper type 1 (Th1) and T helper type 2 (Th2) cells is critical for both innate and acquired immune reactions. However, the precise mechanisms of T helper‐cell differentiation remain unclear. As an important T‐cell activation molecule, CD44 participates in the differentiation of Th1 and Th2 cells. We demonstrated that CD44 variant exon v5 (CD44 v5) is highly expressed by induced human Th2 cells. To investigate the role of the CD44 v5 domain in Th2 cell differentiation, we treated human CD4+ T cells with anti‐CD44v5 antibody and observed that the levels of phosphorylated STAT6 and GATA3 and the secretion of interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) were significantly decreased after the treatment. We also further found that the inhibition of Th2 differentiation was caused by the degradation of the alpha chain of IL‐4 receptor (IL‐4Rα), the CD44 v5 domain colocalized with IL‐4Rα on cell surface and the degradation of IL‐4Rα increased after CD44 v5 domain blocking or ablating. Our results indicated that CD44v5 antibody treatment interrupted the interaction between CD44 v5 domain and IL‐4Rα, but the CD44 v5 domain blockage would not spoil the colocalization between IL‐4R expression and T‐cell receptor and the immunological synapse formation; similar results were also found in CD44v5‐deficient CD4+ T cells. In conclusion, we revealed the function of the CD44 v5 domain in Th2 cell differentiation; blocking or ablating the CD44 v5 domain could accelerate IL‐4Rα degradation and then induce the Th2 cell inhibition.
Characteristics and health outcomes of patients hospitalised with hypomagnesaemia: a retrospective study from a single centre in the Northern Territory of Australia
Authors: Al Alawi Abdullah M. , Berhane Thomas , Majoni Sandawana W. , Falhammar Henrik
Published: July 2021

Background

Magnesium is an essential cation in the human body involved in many processes in the human body. Hypomagnesium has been linked to many poor health outcomes.

Aims

To study the clinical and biochemical characteristics and health outcomes of patients admitted and found to have hypomagnesaemia in an Australian hospital with a high proportion of Indigenous Australians.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients with hypomagnesaemia hospitalised between 1 August 2008 and 31 December 2014 at Royal Darwin Hospital. All relevant demographic, clinical and biochemical data were collected from patients' medical records. The hospital database was reviewed in January 2018 for mortality of all included patients.

Results

A total of 876 patients had been admitted with a confirmed diagnosis of hypomagnesaemia during the study period, with mean follow‐up period of 4.0 ± 2.7 years. The mean age at admission was 52.4 ± 19.1 years, 52.2% were females and 56.5% were Indigenous Australians. Chronic kidney disease (99.7%), excessive alcohol consumption (45.7%), hypertension (43.9%) and respiratory diseases (15.0%) were the most common conditions in these patients. Hypomagnesaemia was associated with prolonged length of hospital stay. Most patients did not receive treatment for hypomagnesaemia during admission. During the follow‐up period, 38.6% of patients died, and the most common causes of death were malignancies (29.9%).

Conclusion

Hypomagnesaemia was a common and undertreated condition in hospitalised patients and was associated with poor health outcomes. Therefore, hospitals should develop guidelines for replacing and monitoring magnesium levels during hospitalisation, achieving better outcomes.
Expectations, unemployment and inflation: An empirical investigation
Authors: Galstyan Vahagn
Published: July 2021

This paper analyses the empirical relation between inflation and unemployment over the past 25 years by using a panel state‐space model. After controlling for the global factor, I find that the domestic rate of unemployment explains 11% in the variation of headline inflation, suggesting a significant power that domestic slack has in influencing medium‐term core inflation. The global factor, in turn, is well explained by global oil and food prices as well as global trade integration. The contribution of the global slack in explaining the global component of inflation is negligible. Additionally, using a set of threshold regressions, I identify breakpoints that split inflation dynamics into various regimes. In particular, I find a higher sensitivity of inflation to unemployment in high‐inflation and/or low‐unemployment regimes. This finding is consistent with less frequent price adjustments of firms in low‐inflation and high‐unemployment environments.
Anxiety, OCD, delusions, and religiosity among the general public during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Abdullah Iqra , Parveen Shazia , Shahid Khan Nauman , Abdullah Danyal
Published: July 2021

The COVID‐19 outbreak has not only affected the physical health of the public but also resulted in severe psychological outcomes. This study aims to investigate the psychological effects of the COVID‐19 outbreak on Pakistan's general public. In order to identify the main psychological factors that have emerged due to the current pandemic, extensive literature and opinion pieces of psychologists were reviewed. After a thorough study of the existing scholarship, four main psychological factors were investigated: stress and anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), delusions of getting infected from the disease, and religiosity. A research survey was circulated among the sample population online. A total 356 valid responses were received in the period of two to three weeks. Findings showed that the respondents reported a moderate level of anxiety, occasional symptoms of OCD, and delusions. However, respondents showed a high inclination toward religion during the current pandemic situation. Furthermore, respondents highlighted a few other psychological factors, such as financial strain and loneliness, in the survey. The primary sources of COVID‐19‐related information were social media and television among the general public of Pakistan. Finally, guidelines and tips from the reviewed psychologists and psychiatrists on overcoming the highlighted psychological problems that have arisen due to the COVID‐19 outbreak were summarised.
Plastic deformation of ZnO thin films through edge and screw dislocation movements
Authors: Chen Wei‐Hao , Chou Chia‐Yueh , Li Bao‐Jhen , Cheng Shao‐Liang , Liu Cheng‐Yi
Published: July 2021

Columnar wurtzite grains were formed in sputtered ZnO thin films deposited on a plastic polyethylene terephthalate substrate. Selected‐area diffraction patterns reveal that the columnar grains in the sputtered films present two preferred growth planes, namely, the basal (0002) and prismatic (100) growth planes. The diffraction patterns obtained also confirm that the microstructure of sputtered indium tin oxide thin films is amorphous in nature. Tensile tests indicate that the fracture strain of the ZnO thin film occurs between 1.73% and 2.14%, while the fracture strain of the indium tin oxide thin film occurs between 0.24% and 0.67%. Thus, the fracture toughness of the sputtered ZnO thin film is greater than that of the sputtered indium tin oxide thin film. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopic images demonstrate that edge and screw dislocations could be identified in the sputtered ZnO thin films. Moreover, edge and screw dislocation movements may, respectively, be observed in the basal‐ and prismatic‐oriented ZnO columnar grains of the sputtered ZnO thin films. Our results indicate that movements of the edge and screw dislocations in the basal‐ and prismatic‐oriented ZnO columnar grains account for the plastic deformation of the investigated ZnO thin films under tensile stress.
Electrochemotherapy with bleomycin for basal cell carcinomas: a systematic review
Authors: Hendel K. , Jemec G. B. E. , Haedersdal M. , Wiegell S. R.
Published: July 2021

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of cancer and an increasing incidence stimulates the interest in new treatments such as electrochemotherapy (ECT) with bleomycin. This systematic review focuses on literature from the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Bleomycin‐ECT studies (n = 32) were sorted by the level of evidence adjusted for their BCC data only. The studies included a single randomised controlled trial (RCT), 15 uncontrolled clinical trials, three registry studies, six prospective case series and seven retrospective case series. A Cochrane risk‐of‐bias assessment of the RCT identified some minor concerns but no predicted risk of bias. The studies were also grouped by bleomycin administration routes: intravenous (n = 14), intralesional (n = 9) and mixed reporting/usage (n = 9). A meta‐analysis was not conducted due to the lack of RCTs and the heterogeneity of the included studies. The results of the RCT generally reflected the findings of the other included studies and showed a 92% complete response in 65 bleomycin‐ECT–treated BCCs after 2 months, improving to 100% after re‐treatment, with a low risk of recurrence. Based on the RCT results and overall data, future studies on BCC treatment with bleomycin‐ECT should include large RCTs that compare bleomycin‐ECT with standard of care, cost analyses, and clinical feasibility.
Do exit options increase the value for money of public–private partnerships?
Authors: Buso Marco , Dosi Cesare , Moretto Michele
Published: July 2021

We study the effects of granting an exit option allowing the private party to terminate a Public–Private Partnerships contract early if it turns out to be loss‐making. In a continuous‐time setting with hidden information about the private returns on investment, we show that an exit option, acting as a risk‐sharing device, can soften agency problems and, in so doing, spur investment and increase the government's expected payoff, even while taking into account the costs that the public sector will have to meet in the future to resume the project.
Stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in dairy products
Authors: Norouzbeigi Sahar , Yekta Reza , Vahid‐Dastjerdi Leily , Keyvani Hossein , Ranjbar Mohammad Mehdi , Shadnoush Mahdi , Khorshidian Nasim , Yousefi Mojtaba , Sohrabvandi Sara , Mortazavian Amir M.
Published: July 2021

The present investigation was performed to determine the stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) under several industrial processing situations in dairies, including pasteurization, freezing, and storage in acidic conditions. Ten treatments were selected, including high‐temperature short‐time (HTST)‐pasteurized low‐fat milk, low‐temperature long‐time‐pasteurized low‐fat milk, extended shelf life (ESL)‐pasteurized low‐fat milk, HTST‐pasteurized full‐fat milk, LTLT‐pasteurized full‐fat milk, ESL‐pasteurized full‐fat milk, pasteurized cream, ice cream frozen and stored at −20 or −80°C, and Doogh (as a fermented milk drink with initial pH < 3.5) refrigerated for 28 days. The viral particles were quantified by RT‐PCR methodology. Besides, the virus infectivity was assessed through fifty‐percent tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) assay. These products were seeded with a viral load of 5.65 log TCID50/mL as a simulated cross‐contamination condition. Pasteurization techniques were sufficient for complete inactivation of the SARS‐CoV‐2 in the most dairy products, and 1.85 log TCID50/mL virus reduction in full‐fat milk (fat content = 3.22%). Freezing (either −20°C or −80°C) did not result in a virally safe product within 60 days of storage. Storage at high acidic conditions (initial pH < 3.5) completely hampered the viral load at the end of 28 days of refrigerated storage. This research represents an important practical achievement that the routine HTST pasteurization in dairies was inadequate to completely inactivate the viral load in full‐fat milk, probably due to the protective effect of fat content. Furthermore, freezing retain the virus infectivity in food products, and therefore, relevant contaminated foods may act as carriers for SARS‐CoV‐2.
Family dynamics and the transition toend‐of‐lifecaregiving: A brief review and conceptual framework
Authors: Fox Aimee L. , Sharp Julia L. , Fruhauf Christine A.
Published: July 2021

Family members are an integral part of providing care and comfort at the end‐of‐life (EOL). Yet, individuals providing EOL care for a family member are vulnerable to emotional and psychological stress, and often indicate they do not have the knowledge or skills needed for providing this type of care. In addition, family dynamics across the life course may influence family communication and support during the transition to EOL care. Despite these findings, few studies examine family caregiving in the context of the family system during this transition. This study presents a brief review of extant literature and a conceptual framework designed to foster research in family caregiving systems, specifically how family dynamics influence preparedness for the transition to EOL caregiving. The complexity of individual and family aging experiences should be recognized in future research to advance the study of family caregiving and promote family caregivers' health and well‐being.
Older adults' access to primary care: Gender, racial, and ethnic disparities in telemedicine
Authors: Ryskina Kira L. , Shultz Kaitlyn , Zhou Yi , Lautenbach Gillian , Brown Rebecca T.
Published: July 2021

Background

In 2020, primary care practices adopted telemedicine as an alternative to in‐person visits. Little is known about whether access to telemedicine was equitable, especially among older patients. Our objectives were to (1) examine older adults' use of telemedicine versus in‐person primary care visits and (2) compare hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) between the groups.

Methods

In this retrospective cross‐sectional study of 17,103 patients aged ≥65 years seen at 32 clinics in the Mid‐Atlantic, primary care patients were classified into two groups—telemedicine versus in person—based on the first visit between March and May 2020 and followed up for 14 days. Using multivariable logistic regression, we measured the odds of being seen via telemedicine versus in person as a function of patient demographics, comorbidities, and week of study period. We then measured the odds of ACSC hospitalization by visit modality.

Results

Mean age was 75.1 years (SD, 7.5), 60.6% of patients were female, 64.6% white, 28.1% black, and 2.0% Hispanic. Overall, 60.3% of patients accessed primary care via telemedicine. Black (vs. white) patients had higher odds of using telemedicine (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.14–1.47) and Hispanic (vs. not Hispanic) patients had lower odds (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42–0.92). Compared with the in‐person group, patients in the telemedicine group had lower odds of ACSC hospitalization (aOR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.61–1.00). Among patients who used telemedicine, black patients had 1.43 higher odds of ACSC hospitalization (95% CI, 1.02–2.01) compared with white patients. Patients aged 85 or older seen via telemedicine had higher odds of an ACSC hospitalization (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.03–2.47) compared with patients aged 65–74.

Conclusions

These findings support the use of telemedicine for primary care access for older adults. However, the observed disparities highlight the need to improve care quality and equity regardless of visit modality.
Quantitative order‐parameter measurement in lattice‐mismatched AlInP using precession electron diffraction
Authors: Pasala Xavier , Pokharel Nikhil , Ahrenkiel Phil , Alberi Kirstin , Forghani Kamran , Stender Chris
Published: July 2021

Precession electron diffraction (PED) was used to measure the long‐range order parameter in lattice‐mismatched AlInP epitaxial films under investigation for solid‐state‐lighting applications. Both double‐ and single‐variant films grown at 620, 650 and 680 °C were analysed in TEM cross‐section. PED patterns were acquired in selected‐area‐diffraction mode through external microscope control using serial acquisition, which allows inline image processing. The integrated peak intensities from experimental patterns were fit using dynamical simulations of diffraction from the ordered domain structures. Included in the structure‐factor calculations were mean atomic displacements of the anions (P) due to ordering, which were found by valence‐force‐field calculations to have a nearly linear dependence on order parameter. A maximum order parameter of S = 0.36 was measured for a double‐variant specimen grown at 650 °C.