bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconstruction of the thermal properties in a wave-type model of bio-heat transfer
Authors: Alosaimi Moataz , Lesnic Daniel , Niesen Jitse
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to at numerically retrieve five constant dimensional thermo-physical properties of a biological tissue from dimensionless boundary temperature measurements.

Design/methodology/approach

The thermal-wave model of bio-heat transfer is used as an appropriate model because of its realism in situations in which the heat flux is extremely high or low and imposed over a short duration of time. For the numerical discretization, an unconditionally stable finite difference scheme used as a direct solver is developed. The sensitivity coefficients of the dimensionless boundary temperature measurements with respect to five constant dimensionless parameters appearing in a non-dimensionalised version of the governing hyperbolic model are computed. The retrieval of those dimensionless parameters, from both exact and noisy measurements, is successfully achieved by using a minimization procedure based on the MATLAB optimization toolbox routine lsqnonlin. The values of the five-dimensional parameters are recovered by inverting a nonlinear system of algebraic equations connecting those parameters to the dimensionless parameters whose values have already been recovered.

Findings

Accurate and stable numerical solutions for the unknown thermo-physical properties of a biological tissue from dimensionless boundary temperature measurements are obtained using the proposed numerical procedure.

Research limitations/implications

The current investigation is limited to the retrieval of constant physical properties, but future work will investigate the reconstruction of the space-dependent blood perfusion coefficient.

Practical implications

As noise inherently present in practical measurements is inverted, the paper is of practical significance and models a real-world situation.

Social implications

The findings of the present paper are of considerable significance and interest to practitioners in the biomedical engineering and medical physics sectors.

Originality/value

In comparison to Alkhwaji et al. (2012), the novelty and contribution of this work are as follows: considering the more general and realistic thermal-wave model of bio-heat transfer, accounting for a relaxation time; allowing for the tissue to have a finite size; and reconstructing five thermally significant dimensional parameters.
Thermal investigation of fully wet longitudinal porous fin of functionally graded material
Authors: Sowmya G. , B.J. Gireesha , Khan Muhammad Ijaz , Momani Shaher , Hayat Tasawar
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to conduct a numerical computation to analyse the thermal attribute and heat transfer phenomenon of a fully wetted porous fin of a longitudinal profile. The fin considered is that of a functionally graded material (FGM). Based on the spatial dependency of thermal conductivity, three cases such as linear, quadratic and exponential FGMs are analysed.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations are nondimensionalised and solved by applying Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg fourth-fifth order technique.

Findings

The parametric investigation is executed to access the significance of the pertinent parameters on the thermal feature of the fin and heat transmit rate. The outcomes are portrayed in a graphical form.

Originality/value

No such study has yet been published in the literature.
IFRS adoption/reporting and auditor fees: the conditional effect of audit firm size and tenure
Authors: El Guindy Medhat N. , Trabelsi Nadia Sbei
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on audit and non-audit fees in the UK setting. The study investigates whether UK firms adopting IFRS for the first time or reporting under IFRS, in general, are being charged higher audit and non-audit fees and whether this impact is conditional on audit firm size and tenure.

Design/methodology/approach

Using empirical data for UK listed firms from 2003-2007, the paper uses a regression model that explains audit and non-audit fees by independent variables measuring auditors’ and auditees’ characteristics including IFRS adoption and reporting. Additional regressions with interaction terms were performed to test the hypothetical conditional impact of auditor size and audit firm tenure on the above-mentioned association.

Findings

Audit and non-audit fees increase significantly for companies adopting IFRS for the first time and this increase is persistent during later years. In addition, results suggest that both Big four and non-Big four auditors charge higher audit and non-audit fees to their clients adopting or reporting under IFRS in a similar manner. Furthermore, findings indicate that audit firms increase audit and non-audit fees for old and new clients using IFRS which suggests no low-balling effect is detected.

Research limitations/implications

Results reported in this study provide insights to regulators in jurisdictions similar to the UK regarding the cost of IFRS adoption which includes higher audit and non-audit fees imposed by both Big four and non-Big four audit firms. In addition, this study argues, to some extent, against the notion that auditors may charge lower fees in the early years of the audit engagement to win new audit clients.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge, the findings are unique at two levels. First, the paper provides evidence on the cost of using IFRS in the UK jurisdiction which was not explored by previous research. Second, the paper investigates the potential conditional effect of auditor size and audit tenure on the association between IFRS adoption and auditors’ fees.
Study on the influence of atmospheric environment on the morphology and conductivity of nanoscale copper films sputtered on polyester substrates
Authors: Meng Lingling , Huang Xinmin , Wei Qufu , Ji Dandan , Wang Qianwen
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The paper aims to evaluate the influence of atmospheric environment on the conductivity of nanoscale copper films sputtered on polyester substrates; process parameters of optimal conductivity were firstly analyzed by orthogonal test scheme design, and then the surface morphology, crystal structures and conductivity of samples were performed after samples were placed in the atmospheric conditions for some time according to the optimization of process parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

Nanoscale copper films was prepared by RF (radio frequency) magnetron sputtering and low-temperature plasma technology with polyester fabrics as substrates and metal copper as targets under the conditions of low temperature and high vacuum.

Findings

The experimental results showed that copper films were broken and the continuity of samples was destroyed after 60 days, while exposed in atmospheric environment for 90 days, cracks of copper films gradually expanded, there was no change in the atomic species for samples placed in the atmospheric conditions. However, the conductivity of the samples hardly had changed with the ambient temperature, humidity and degree of water washing, which is mainly decided by the internal structures of substrates.

Originality/value

This paper has some theoretical and applicable value to the functional textile.
Integration between real estate and stock markets: new evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Yousaf Imran , Ali Shoaib
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to empirically examine the relationship between real estate and stock market of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

The data of two real estate indices (house price index and plot price index) are taken for the Pakistan and its four big cities, i.e. Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It estimates the integration between series by applying the Johansen cointegration test. Moreover, the vector error correction model is applied to examine the short and long-run causal relationships between series.

Findings

The findings show that the real estate markets are cointegrated with the stock market. They imply that the real estate and stock markets are good substitutes in investment allocation, but investors cannot get the benefit of diversification by making a portfolio of real estate and stock markets in Pakistan. Moreover, the long-run causality is observed from majority house markets to the stock market, whereas short-run causality is evident from majority plot markets to the stock market. Hence, the real estate market leads the stock market in the short run and long run, suggesting the credit-price effect in the majority of real estate markets in Pakistan. These causality results are helpful for investors in the forecasting of real estate and stock markets in Pakistan.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of the study is the lower number of observations (107), because house and land prices are only available in monthly frequency from January 2011 in Pakistan.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no researcher has investigated the real estate and stock market nexus in Pakistan. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the relationship between the real estate and stock market of Pakistan. The link between real estate and stock markets will provide useful insights to the portfolio managers, real estate companies, property agents, stockbrokers and investors.
Offline programming method and implementation of industrial robot grinding based on VTK
Authors: Hong Lei , Wang Baosheng , Yang XiaoLan , Wang Yuguo , Lin Zhong
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a robotic off-line programming method for freeform surface grinding based on visualization toolkit (VTK). Nowadays, manual grinding and traditional robot on-line programming are difficult to ensure the surface grinding accuracy, thus off-line programming is gradually used in grinding, however, several problems are needed to be resolved which include: off-programming environment depends on the third-party CAD software, leads to insufficient self-development flexibility; single support for robot type or workpiece model format contributes to lack of versatility; grinding point data depends on external data calculation and import process, causes human-computer interaction deterioration.

Design/methodology/approach

In this method, the visualization pipeline and observer/command mode of VTK are used to display the 3D model of the robot grinding system and pick up the workpiece surfaces to be grinded respectively. Two groups of cutter planes with equidistant spacing are created to form the grinding nodes on the surface, and the extraction method for the position and posture of the nodes is proposed. Furthermore, the position and posture of discretized points along the grinding curve are obtained by B-spline curve interpolation and quaternion spherical linear interpolation respectively. Finally, the motion simulation is realized by robot inverse kinematics.

Findings

Through a watch case grinding experiment, the results show that the proposed method based on VTK can achieving high precision grinding effect, which is obviously better than traditional method.

Originality/value

The proposed method is universal which does not depend on the specific forms of surface, and all calculations in simulation are completed within the system, avoiding tedious external data calculation and import process. The grinding trajectory can be generated only by the mouse picking operation without relying on the other third-party CAD software.
Boardroom female participation, intellectual capital efficiency and firm performance in developing countries
Authors: Isola Wakeel Atanda , Adeleye Bosede Ngozi , Olohunlana Aminat Olayinka
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the implications of female participation in the board on the management of intellectual capital for improved firm performance, particularly in the Nigerian-banking sector. It uses the resource dependency theory to ascertain the link between female board participation, intellectual capital and performances.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopted longitudinal panel analysis to analyze data obtained from the annual reports of selected listed commercial banks in Nigeria. The random effect regression was adopted as the method of analysis. The decision was informed by conducting the Hausman test.

Findings

The results revealed that female board participation has insignificant influence on bank performances, whereas intellectual capital efficiencies positively contribute to bank performances. However, significant influences were exhibited upon the interactions of female board participation and components of intellectual capital efficiency on bank performances.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the focus of the research work, which is centered on the banking sector of the Nigerian economy, the findings of the research may not be sufficiently suitable for other sectors of the country. This, however, leaves the coast for other researchers to extend research on intellectual capital and gender participation to other non-financial sectors and other countries.

Practical implications

The outcome implies that there is a need for increased female participation in the boardroom to harness optimal intellectual capital efficiencies for firm performance. It further confirmed that intellectual capital unlocks the hidden treasure of firms.

Originality/value

The paper identifies and fulfills a niche on the need to extend the frontier of knowledge on intellectual capital and gender equity.
ICT ethics-related cognition among undergraduate students
Authors: Al-Nuaimi Maryam Nasser , Bouazza AbdelMajid , Abu-Hilal Maher M.
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Moor (1985) designated two major problem sources typifying the social and ethical implications of computer technologies, namely, “policy vacuum” and “conceptual muddles.” Motivated by Moor’s seminal definition and Floridi’s (2013) conceptualization of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as re-ontologizing technologies, this study aims to explore Omani undergraduates’ cognition regarding ICT ethics.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a grounded theory approach for the constant comparative thematic analysis, the constituents of ICT ethics-related cognition among undergraduates and influencing factors were scrutinized. Qualitative data were gathered via focus group discussions with undergraduates and interviews with academics and information systems professionals at Sultan Qaboos University.

Findings

In total, 10 thematic categories revolving around a core category, constructing conceptual perceptions of and attitudes toward the realms constituting ICT ethics using an ontological, object-oriented approach, emerged from the comparative analysis. Undergraduates were found to adopt an applied approach when defining professional ICT ethics codes and policies, with a particular focus on information privacy and integrity.

Research limitations/implications

This qualitative study was conducted at a single research site. This may restrict the generalizability of the findings. Postgraduates were not considered when designing this qualitative inquiry.

Originality/value

The findings of the study hold theoretical and methodological significance with regard to ICT ethics-related cognition in the era following the fourth industrial revolution by sustaining feminist ethics in this research. Ultimately, the study developed a substantive theory scrutinizing the constitutive elements of ICT ethics-related cognition among Generation Z.
The link between transformational leadership and work-related performance: moderated-mediating roles of meaningfulness and job characteristics
Authors: Han Seung-Hyun , Oh Eunjung Grace , Kang Sung “Pil”
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Based on the job characteristics theory (Oldham and Hackman, 2010), the authors highlighted the mediating role of job meaningfulness as a critical psychological state. Employees' positive perception of job meaningfulness could maximize organizational positive outcomes based on task orientation and trustful relationship-based satisfying behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the structural relations among transformational leadership, job characteristics, job meaningfulness and task-related job performance. The conceptual model of this paper is developed based on the theoretical foundations for assessing mediating and moderating path relations among the exogenous and endogenous variables.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the research questions with literature review, the research framework was developed to show the moderated mediating mechanism of the link between transformational leadership and in-role performance. Data analyses for hypothesis testing were conducted by Hayes' PROCESS macro-based hierarchical regression.

Findings

Understanding how organizations can optimally design a job based on job characteristics and helping employees maintain psychological states having meaningfulness and responsibility for outcomes are critical. This paper calls attention to how job characteristics and an individual's meaningfulness of work embedded in a given job play a role in influencing job performance.

Originality/value

This study provides a snapshot for examining the job characteristic model on the link between leadership and job performance. By using process analysis (Hayes, 2013), this study examined the moderating role of job characteristics and mediating role of meaningfulness at work in the link of leadership–performance.
Board composition and gender sensitivity approach in Italian universities
Authors: Mazzotta Romilda , Nardo Maria Teresa , Pastore Patrizia , Vingelli Giovanna
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the gender composition of the board of directors affects the sensitivity to gender issues in defining university strategies and therefore strategic plans.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an ordinary least square regression to test the relationship between gender sensitivity approach and board composition in Italian state universities (ISUs). The authors measured the gender sensitivity approach of each university by an index (gender sensitivity approach index) determined based on content analysis. Gender board composition is, instead, analyzed by heterogeneity (homogeneity) index (Herfindahl–Hirschman Index) of the board.

Findings

The finding suggests that, if the board has a certain level of heterogeneity, then university strategic plan (USP) is a more gender-sensitive approach.

Research limitations/implications

The study analyses only the 2018 USPs of ISUs and considers the presence of women within the board, and not their actual role and their position in the university hierarchy.

Practical implications

The practical implication of this study is that if universities want to guarantee gender equality, they should open their boards more widely to women.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that analyzes the relationships between board composition and sensitivity to gender issues within the USPs. The paper therefore contributes to the literature on governance in the public sector, particularly in universities. Moreover, it stimulates the accounting debate on gender issue and highlights that gender issues cannot be taken up by decision-making bodies that are not heterogeneous enough.
Food packaging design and consumer perception of the product quality, safety, healthiness and preference
Authors: Bou-Mitri Christelle , Abdessater Marilyn , Zgheib Hani , Akiki Zeina
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of the packaging design on consumers’ perception of the food quality, safety, healthiness and preference to buy.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study recruited a convenience sample of 547 Lebanese adults with a median age of 30 years old and 54% being females, between November and December 2016, using an interviewer-based questionnaire.

Findings

As identified by the participants, packaging should “protect the food” (54.9%) and be safe (52%). Most participants especially those who reported that protecting the food is the most important packaging functionality tended to select the vacuum package [OR (95% CI) = 2.19 (1.32; 3.66); p = 0.002] for having the highest quality, being the healthiest and the more frequently bought (24.3, 30.2 and 29.1% respectively). Regarding the juice, most of the participants thought that the glass bottles have the highest quality, were the safest, the healthiest and the most frequently bought (64.9, 37.4, 68.4 and 52.9%, respectively). Those who reported that safety is the most important characteristic for food packaging, have selected transparent as the most attractive color to use [OR (95% CI) = 2.10 (1.25; 3.55); p-value = 0.005]. Among the consumers, 87% considered that nutrition and health claims were among the most important informative cues. Around 73.1% (n = 399) were willing to pay more for a better packaging with 59.4% willing to pay 3% more.

Originality/value

This market research identifies the packaging characteristics and features which have positive effects on consumer attitudes. Therefore, it will help manufacturers track consumers’ trends and interests, and accordingly impact their business decisions in responding adequately in their package design. The social behavior will increase the product sale and its market success leading to direct economic implications.
No-show at the reference desk: perceptions of appointments
Authors: Clarke Maggie , Caffrey Carolyn
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to explore the prevalence and librarian perceptions of no-show research appointments in academic libraries. These findings are examined in light of the literature within academic libraries and other industries (health, hospitality) with appointment models.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses an exploratory survey of reference librarians across a stratified sample of academic libraries in the USA. The findings are considered through the lens of critical theory in academic libraries.

Findings

Academic libraries lack consistent understanding and language used to describe appointment-based reference models. Librarians do not gather much reliable data on the percentage of no-show appointments and further research is needed on this topic.

Research limitations/implications

Study results are limited to academic librarians in the sample who responded to the survey and indicated the availability of research appointments at their institution. The implications of this paper suggest ideas for gathering appointment statistics and evaluating the rhetoric used to advertise appointments to college students.

Originality/value

This research is unique in that it is the first exploratory study on the prevalence and perception of missed appointments in academic library reference models.
Examining the influence of internal green supply chain practices, green human resource management and supply chain environmental cooperation on firm performance
Authors: Agyabeng-Mensah Yaw , Ahenkorah Esther , Afum Ebenezer , Nana Agyemang Adu , Agnikpe Carin , Rogers Foday
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the direct impact of internal green supply chain practices (IGSCP) on green human resource management (GHRM), supply chain environmental cooperation (SCEC) and firm performance (FP). The mediating influences of GHRM and SCEC on the influence of IGSCP on FP are also examined. The study further examines the mediating influence of SCEC on the link between GHRM and FP.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a quantitative method where data is gathered from human resource and supply chain managers of 139 manufacturing firms (food, beverage and alcohol, textiles, agrochemical and plastics), using customized questionnaires. The data is analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling software (SmartPLS 3.2.8).

Findings

The results suggest that the adoption of only IGSCP may negatively affect the market and financial performances of firms. However, the implementation of GHRM and SCEC may catalyze IGSCP to improve FP.

Originality/value

The study develops a comprehensive empirical model that tests the joint influence of internal green supply chain, GHRM and SCEC on FP. The findings indicate that IGSCP, GHRM and SCEC help firms to advance FP.
Unravelling the dispersal dynamics and ecological drivers of the African swine fever outbreak in Belgium
Authors: Dellicour Simon , Desmecht Daniel , Paternostre Julien , Malengreaux Céline , Licoppe Alain , Gilbert Marius , Linden Annick
Published: April 2020

African swine fever is a devastating disease of domestic pigs and wild boars caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). ASFV originates from sub‐Saharan African countries. In the last 10 years, the virus left its endemic range to spread to eastern Europe and Russia. On September 2018, Belgian authorities reported that ASFV had been detected in two wild boars in a southern area of the country. One year later, no domestic pig has been infected, with the last ASFV‐positive wild boar being confirmed in mid‐August 2019, suggesting that the outbreak is now controlled. However, the dispersal dynamics as well as the specific impact of ecological factors and intervention measures on the outbreak remain unknown.

In total, 827 positive cases have been reported in wild boar populations. In this study, we exploit the resulting spatio‐temporal distribution of occurrence data to investigate the wavefront progression. We first present the application of recently developed methods to quantify the local wavefront velocity of an invading epidemic. Second, we develop and apply a novel analytical framework that uses occurrence data to investigate the impact of ecological factors on the dispersal dynamics of a wavefront progression.

Our analyses highlighted that the network of barriers, involving installed fences, had an impact on both the effective dispersal and the wavefront dispersal velocity. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that the wavefront progression was slower outside forest areas. Together, these results have concrete implications for potential future ASFV epidemics in similar regions.

Synthesis and applications. We describe a novel analytical approach that exploits occurrence data to investigate the impact of ecological factors on the wavefront velocity and actual wavefront progression. This methodology has the potential to be quickly applied to outbreak datasets solely made of occurrence data, with key benefits for the epidemiological investigations of external spatial factors impacting pathogen dispersal across non‐endemic areas. Our analytical workflow could also be further applied to investigate the impact of ecological factors on any kind of biological dispersions (pathogen spreads, invasive species).
Framing the MERS information crisis: An analysis on online news media's rumour coverage
Authors: Yang Jeongwon , Lee Sunhee
Published: April 2020

Purpose

This paper explores the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in South Korea in 2015 in order to examine social implications of news media's roles during rumour propagation. There was an alarming level of public fear during the disease outbreak due toan information crisis, resulted by the government's holdback of vital information and the widespread MERS rumours on social media. By paying attention to news coverage patterns of rumours and comparing them across the outbreak period, the paper examines the following research questions: (a) Under what media frames were the MERS rumours reported by the online news? (b) Which media frame did the online news use most frequently? (c) How did the media frames change during and after the information vacuum?

Methods

Content analysis of news articles that covered MERS rumours during the outbreak has been conducted. Inductive open coding has been performed to investigate what reactions and media frames the news coverages have demonstrated to report the rumour propagation.

Sample

The article samples were retrieved for big data analysis from the Big Kinds or the Korea Integrated News Database System (www.bigkinds.or.kr), by using the search terms, “MERS” and “SNS (Social Network Services).” A total of 142 articles have been sampled.

Results

The paper found 7 reaction variables and categorized them into 2 risk‐reporting media frames: risk‐alarming frame(Anxiety, Criticisms and Damage) and risk‐mitigating frame (Government, Correction, Remedies and Causes). The paper discovered that anxiety was the most frequently observed reaction variable across all phases. The paper also concluded that there has been a decrease in risk‐alarming media frames and an increase in attempts to analyze causes for the rumour propagation (Causes), as the outbreak proceeds to the second phase, when the information vacuum finally ended.

Conclusion

By exploring a disease outbreak in which ineffective risk management and absence of official information caused significant problems, the paper underlines the need for systematic risk communication measures, endorsed by effective collaboration among political leadership, media and the public.
Ultraviolet 365 as an Alternative Light Source for Detection of Blood Serum
Authors: Kearse Kelly P.
Published: April 2020

The use of alternative light sources (ALS) in bloodstain analysis has focused on dried (whole) blood, while information on detection of blood serum is lacking. Serum detection by ALS could provide valuable information at a crime scene, as serum may become separated from blood during clotting and cast off, especially in cases where the victim is moved. Additionally, a perpetrator may concentrate on the removal/scouring of dried blood with small amounts of serum going unnoticed, as it dries relatively clear on certain objects. In this report, the detection of human blood serum was evaluated using ultraviolet (UV) light at two different wavelengths. These results show that ultraviolet (UV) at 365 nm (UV365) was effective in the detection of even small amounts of blood plasma and serum, compared with UV at 395 nm, which was not. UV365 was also found to be useful in distinguishing blood imprints from clotting blood which had been transferred to material versus blood that had been added directly. Taken together, these results demonstrate that UV365 may be utilized as a simple, nondestructive method for blood serum detection.
The Role of Relationship Changes in College Students’ Heavy Episodic Drinking
Authors: Corbin William R. , Hartman Jessica D. , Curlee Alexandria S. , Zalewski Suzanne , Fromme Kim
Published: April 2020

Objective

The beginning of college is a period in which increased alcohol use often coincides with greater involvement in romantic relationships. Existing literature yields inconsistent findings regarding the influence of relationship types on drinking behavior, perhaps because these studies have not accounted for recent changes in the way college students engage in dating/sexual relationships.

Methods

The present study sought to address this issue using a longitudinal study design by examining the effects of both relationship type and sexual activity on heavy episodic drinking (HED) among 1,847 college students over the course of the first 3 semesters of college.

Results

Results indicated that the effects of relationship type depended on whether an individual was sexually active. Nondating but sexually active students reported rates of HED comparable to students who defined themselves as casual daters. Conversely, nondating students who were not sexually active reported drinking behavior similar to those involved in exclusive relationships. Further, transitions between low‐ and high‐risk relationship/sexual activity types were associated with corresponding changes in HED. Transitioning into a high‐risk relationship was associated with significant increases in levels of HED, whereas transitioning into a low‐risk relationship was associated with significant decreases in HED.

Conclusions

Together, results indicate that engaging in nonexclusive dating or casual sexual relationships may play an important role in the development of problematic patterns of alcohol use during the early college years. These findings have potentially important implications both for future research and for prevention and intervention efforts targeting high‐risk college drinkers.
Long‐term outcomes of patients treated with rituximab as second‐line treatment for adult immune thrombocytopenia – Follow‐up of the RITP study
Authors: Tjønnfjord Eirik , Holme Pål André , Darne Bernadette , Khelif Abderrahim , Waage Anders , Michel Marc , Ben Romdhan Neila , Ghanima Waleed
Published: April 2020

RITP was a double‐blind randomized, 78‐week follow‐up trial in which 109 adults with immune thrombocytopenias (ITP) who failed to achieve adequate response to steroids, were randomized to receive rituximab or placebo. Here, we provide the duration of response, splenectomy and mortality rates based on extended follow‐up after completion of the RITP study. Extended follow‐up data were retrospectively collected for 72 (83%) patients out of the 84 patients who were not splenectomized during the initial RITP study. For the present analysis, median [interquartile range] duration of follow‐up after randomization was 72 [62–82] months. Median duration of response among patients who achieved an initial response was significantly longer in patients who received rituximab (8·2 [5·5–16·7] months) as compared to placebo (1·8 [1·3–3·6] months), P = 0·036. Overall, 35 patients underwent splenectomy (13 in the rituximab, and 22 in the placebo arm, P = 0·12). Eleven patients (10%) died during the study: five in the rituximab and six in the placebo arms, including four deaths from severe bleeding. Although most rituximab‐treated patients eventually relapsed, a longer duration of response and a trend towards lower splenectomy rate were observed in rituximab‐treated patients.
Combination of CD47 and signal‐regulatory protein‐α constituting the “don’t eat me signal” is a prognostic factor in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Kazama Ryo , Miyoshi Hiroaki , Takeuchi Mai , Miyawaki Kohta , Nakashima Kazutaka , Yoshida Noriaki , Kawamoto Keisuke , Yanagida Eriko , Yamada Kyohei , Umeno Takeshi , Suzuki Takaharu , Kato Koji , Takizawa Jun , Seto Masao , Akashi Koichi , Ohshima Koichi
Published: April 2020

The interaction between CD47 and signal‐regulatory protein‐α (SIRPα) inhibits phagocytosis, thus affecting the clinical outcomes of neoplastic diseases. Although CD47 upregulation is associated with poor prognosis in several malignancies, the effect of SIRPα expression and its coexpression with CD47 remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathologic effect of CD47 and SIRPα expression in diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Immunostaining of 120 biopsy samples showed that CD47 is primarily expressed in tumor cells, whereas SIRPα is expressed in nonneoplastic stromal cells, mostly macrophages. CD47high cases showed higher MYC protein expression and lower MYC translocation. The SIRPαhigh cases presented significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) than SIRPαlow cases in the activated B‐cell (ABC) subtype of DLBCL (P = .04 and P = .02, respectively). Both CD47high and SIRPαhigh presented significantly shorter OS and PFS than other cases among all DLBCL patients (P = .01 and P = .004, respectively), and the ABC type (P = .04 and P = .008, respectively) but not the germinal center B‐cell type. Both CD47high and SIRPαhigh yielded a constant independent prognostic value for OS and PFS in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR], 2.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20‐7.43; P = .02; and HR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.42‐5.85; P = .003, respectively). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report that combinatorial CD47 and SIRPα expression is a potential independent prognostic factor for DLBCL. Evaluation of CD47 and SIRPα expression could be useful before CD47 blockade therapy.
We have a steak in it: Eliciting interventions to reduce beef consumption and its impact on biodiversity
Authors: Selinske Matthew J. , Fidler Fiona , Gordon Ascelin , Garrard Georgia E. , Kusmanoff Alexander M. , Bekessy Sarah A.
Published: April 2020

Beef production is a major driver of biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions globally, and multiple studies recommend reducing beef production and consumption. Although there have been significant efforts from the biodiversity conservation sector toward reducing beef‐production impacts, there has been comparatively much less engagement in reducing beef consumption. As a first step to address this gap and identify leverage points, we conducted a policy Delphi expert elicitation. We asked 16 multidisciplinary experts from research and practitioner backgrounds to propose interventions for reducing beef consumption in the United States. Experts generated and critiqued 20 interventions, creating a qualitative dataset that was thematically analyzed to allow the interventions to be prioritized. Effective, feasible interventions included changing perceived social norms, targeting food providers, and increasing the availability and quality of beef alternatives. This work introduces a conservation research agenda for reducing beef consumption and explores a structured process for prioritizing behavioral interventions.
Assessment of micronuclei counts as tumour marker in cervical carcinogenesis: A follow‐up study
Authors: Srivastava Anand Narain , Misra Jata Shanker , Ahmad Rumana
Published: April 2020

Objective

Micronuclei counts were performed in cervical smears with low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix (LSIL) to assess its potentiality as tumour marker in cervical carcinogenesis.

Methods

The cases studied were from the ongoing rural cervical cancer screening in west Lucknow, India. Micronuclei counts were performed in the cervical smears of 100 LSIL cases, and the number of cells with micronuclei was defined as micronucleated cells (MNC) and the number of micronuclei per 1000 cells as MNC score. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing was also done in 100 LSIL cases by GeneNav qPCR test.

Results

A high MNC score was found in 20 of the 100 LSIL cases while the counts were low in the remaining 80. Persistence of LSIL was seen in 19 of the 20 LSIL cases with high MNC score while only six cases of the 80 cases with low MNC score showed persistence. The persistence of LSIL was very high in cases with high MNC score. The multiple high‐risk HPV types such as 18, 31, 33 and 35 were seen in 12 of the 100 LSIL cases and a high positivity rate was seen in women with high MNC score. The persistence of LSIL was also higher with HPV positivity.

Conclusion

The study revealed correlation between high MNC score, persistence of LSIL and HPV positivity. Hence, MNC score can prove to be very useful in discriminating high‐risk LSIL cases that are less likely to regress and possibly may progress to high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or carcinoma.
Coordinating non‐established disaster relief groups: a case study of Hurricane Irma in Florida, United States
Authors: Kapucu Naim , Hu Qian , Harmon Mitchel , Toro Parker
Published: April 2020

This study examines the role of non‐established relief groups (NERGs) and their involvement in the response to Hurricane Irma after it struck the state of Florida, United States, in September 2017. Its principal goal is to discover more about the engagement of NERGs in disaster response, as well as their motivations and their coordination with other emergency management agencies. The findings of a review of after‐action reports and the outcomes of interviews with NERGs and other established organisations suggest that these groups often work with previously established networks. Many of the emergent type of NERGs have not worked with any established organisations prior to a disaster; frequently, therefore, they reach out to other emergent groups to acquire information and coordinate relief efforts. Given that emergent actors tend to lack a strict hierarchical structure for decision‐making and coordination, there is a need to enhance communication between NERGs and established response bodies.
Course Design Process to Create a Coordinated, Experiential, Integrated Core Operations Management Course for Business Majors
Authors: Hoefle Scott , Ott Willard B. , Scherpereel Christopher M. , Williams Susan K.
Published: April 2020

We describe our process for transforming a traditional, core operations management/supply chain management (OM/SCM) course into an experiential, integrated, and coordinated course. We developed a vison to create a course that all business majors would find engaging and relevant and that faculty would teach consistently and at the same level of rigor. A primary result was three new learning outcomes that focused on concept integration across operations, the supply chain, and the business. We specifically focused on decision trade‐offs and the effects of OM/SCM decisions on other parts of operations, the supply chain, and the business. The redesigned course has been implemented for three semesters. Our experiences offer new insights for redesigning and coordinating an OM/SCM core course and a process that can be implemented in other redesign efforts.
Putting Science and Reasoning Back Into the “Parental Alienation” Discussion: Reply to Bernet, Robb, Lorandos, and Garber
Authors: Milchman Madelyn S. , Geffner Robert , Meier Joan S.
Published: April 2020

This article presents our Reply to the Responses that Lorandos, Garber, Bernet, and Robb wrote to our Critique article in the Family Court Review Special Issue. Our Reply focuses on the repetition of the rhetoric that some of these authors used to distract from the issues we raised. The principal concern in our Critique article was the lack of adequate research methodology to support claims that parental alienation is a diagnosis, a condition, or a phenomenon that is directly observable rather than an inference that requires detailed behavioral descriptions, factual analysis, logical and scientific reasoning. In our Reply, we show how this concern was not properly addressed in the Responses, which does not facilitate meaningful dialog. However, we also recognize that some of the Responses facilitate improved dialog between the parental alienation and child abuse/domestic violence communities and we welcome that.
Manipulation and Domestic Abuse in Contested Contact – Threats to Children's Participation Rights
Authors: Morrison Fiona , Tisdall E. Kay M. , Callaghan Jane E. M.
Published: April 2020

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has catalysed numerous jurisdictions to introduce new legal provisions to support children's participation rights when child contact is contested. Despite this, children's participation is frequently limited in practice, especially in contexts where children are perceived as vulnerable to a parent's manipulation, even if there are allegations of domestic abuse. While “resist and refusal dynamics” have yet to become mainstream terms in Scottish family law, “manipulation” has become a common concern in cases of contested contact. Drawing on a Scottish empirical study on contested child contact in circumstances of domestic abuse, we interrogate the implications that the concept of manipulation has for children's participation rights. The study involved separate in‐depth interviews with 18 children and their 16 mothers. Findings point to concerns about upholding children's participation rights, particularly in cases where children were depicted as “influenced” or “manipulated.” Through our analysis, we disentangle the problems professionals have when concerns about child manipulation and domestic abuse intersect. We argue that, when combined, allegations of manipulation and domestic abuse present a significant and serious risk to children's participation rights. We find the legal construction of the child's views as separate from the parental dispute to have unintended and serious consequences for children's participation rights. We offer ways in which law and practice may evolve to ensure children's participation rights in these contexts are both implemented and upheld.

Practitioner's Key Points

The combination of allegations of manipulation and domestic abuse present a significant and serious risk to children's participation rights in contested child contact

A legal construction of the child's views as separate to the parental dispute to have unintended and serious consequences for children's participation rights

Radical reform in family law and practice is necessary to make disputes about child contact centered around the child, rather than on parental responsibilities and rights.
Innovative Programs in Israel for Prevention & Responding to Parental Alienation: Education, Early Identification and Timely, Effective Intervention
Authors: Marcus Philip
Published: April 2020

There is substantial research and documentation showing that behavior of a parent which alienates a child against the other parent (PA) and other family members may cause serious, and sometimes permanent, damage to the child. Building on the work that defines maladaptive parental gatekeeping (MG) and PA, and on identifying typologies of behavior, and their effects on the alienated child, the need for prevention of children in these cases is well established. This paper describes programs and responses in Israel, some already in place and others under development, almost all of which require multidisciplinary collaboration between professionals. The programs include: primary prevention; early identification, so as to allow prompt secondary intervention by advice and treatment of parents and child; and immediate tertiary intervention when alienation has led to contact failure or is about to do so. Prevention and early intervention can reduce the need for the massive investment of resources needed for attempts to restore contact, and also for treatment of those affected by PA.
Let's Make a Brand New Start of it in Old New York: Using Mediation to Resolve Open Adoption Disputes
Authors: Irrera Christina M.
Published: April 2020

There is no general consensus of how to handle disputes arising from open adoption agreements. Some states have statutes mandating mediation, but New York does not. This Note proposes that New York enact a statute that mandates adoptive and birth parents use mediation for disputes arising from open adoption agreements. The proposed statute provides a comprehensive approach to mediation by setting forth when mediation is appropriate and when it is not. The statute will also provide when the child's preference can be taken into consideration, and who will pay for mediation.