bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ulceration in Congenital Hemangiomas
Authors: Cordisco María Rosa , Fernández Faith Esteban , Lanoel Agustina , Manunza Francesca , Stefano Paola , Castro Carla , Durán-McKinster Carola , Velasquez Felipe , Henostroza Katia , Harfmann Katya , Baselga Torres Eulàlia
Published: November 2023

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to describe the clinical features, treatment course, and complications of patients with congenital hemangiomas (CH) with ulceration.

Methods:

Multicenter retrospective study of patients with CH who developed ulceration as a complication.

Results:

Data for 20 subjects with ulcerated CH was analyzed. CH were more commonly located on the extremities (60%), followed by the head and neck (35%) and trunk (5%). Three clinical morphological variants were recognized, most patients presented with an exophytic vascular tumor (70%). Among patients with available information to determine the postnatal course, 62.5% represented partially involuting CH, while 37.5% were rapidly involuting CH. Secondary complications occurred in 35% of patients including thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, bleeding, sepsis, including one fatal case.

Conclusion:

Ulceration is an important complication of involuting CH. Bleeding, coagulopathy, sepsis, and death are potential secondary complications. Care for these patients requires a multidisciplinary approach, ensuring close follow up and education for parents and caregivers.
Protein status in relation to linear growth faltering and environmental enteropathy
Authors: Shivakumar Nirupama , Kelly Paul
Published: November 2023

Purpose of review

Children with linear growth faltering refractory to nutritional management show evidence of environmental enteropathy, which may compromise nutrient availability. Protein could be particularly affected, due to the possibility of sub-optimal digestibility and/or increase in requirement for immune response. This increase in protein requirement along with poor intake could potentially lead to increased breakdown of body protein sources and in turn a depleted protein state. The present review focuses on protein status in children at risk of linear growth faltering and environmental enteropathy. One pig study is also presented.

Recent findings

There is consistent evidence of low circulating essential and conditionally essential amino acids, in children. One study showed no difference in protein synthesis/breakdown, and fat free mass (FFM) in children at risk of linear growth faltering and environmental enteropathy. Weanling pigs exposed to nutrient deprivation showed a decrease in plasma albumin, with a slower rate of weight and length accretion, and a lower FFM.

These findings emphasize the need for improving intake of high-quality protein in children living in regions with a high prevalence of environmental enteropathy, with careful studies of the effect on growth rate and protein status.
Nutritional therapy in chronic wound management for older adults
Authors: Cereda Emanuele , Veronese Nicola , Caccialanza Riccardo
Published: November 2023

Purpose of review

We provided an updated overview of recent data on the value of nutritional therapy in the management of chronic wounds in older adults.

Recent findings

In the last years, advances in this area were limited, but new data suggest considering nutritional care (screening and assessment of malnutrition and nutritional interventions) also in patients with chronic wounds other than pressure ulcers, namely venous leg and diabetic foot ulcers, as in these patients, nutritional derangements can be present despite overweight/obesity and their management is beneficial.

Chronic wounds are wounds in which the process of repair does not progress normally due to a disruption in one or more of the healing phases. Nutritional therapy is aimed at recovering the process of repair. General principles of nutritional care in geriatrics apply to these patients but disease-specific recommendations are available, particularly for pressure ulcers. Interventions should address nutritional status, comorbidities, hydration and should provide key nutrients playing an active role in the healing process (arginine, zinc, and antioxidants) but always within the context of an individual care plan addressing patients requirements, particularly protein needs. Further evidence of efficacy in vascular and diabetic foot ulcers is warranted.
Dietary protein intake and plant-dominant diets to mitigate risk of allograft dysfunction progression in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Tantisattamo Ekamol , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar
Published: November 2023

Purpose of review

There are limited studies on the benefits of low dietary protein intake (DPI) and plant-dominant diets to delay kidney allograft dysfunction. We evaluate evidence regarding the association or effects of the amount and type of DPI on allograft function.

Recent findings

There is conflicting evidence regarding the benefits of low DPI and plant-dominant diet including PLADO and PLAFOND on kidney allograft function. Taking the strength of evidence including study design, sample size, and time to follow-up, the proposed amount of DPI to slow the progression of allograft dysfunction, avoid negative nitrogen balance, and skeletal muscle mass loss is 1.0–1.3 g/kg/day during an immediate posttransplant period or when high protein catabolic rate exists. The DPI may be 0.8–1.0 g/kg/day in patients with stable allograft function. Patients with chronic allograft rejection or estimated glomerular filtration rate <25 ml/min may benefit from the DPI of 0.55–0.60 g/kg/day, while those with failed allograft requiring transition to dialysis including incremental (twice-weekly) hemodialysis should consider increasing DPI to 1.0–1.2 g/kg/day.

While there is a lack of strong evidence, individualized approaches based on the patient's comorbidities, net state of immunosuppression, and periods posttransplant may guide the appropriate amount and type of DPI to slow allograft dysfunction.
Fibroepithelial Stromal Polyp of the Vulvovaginal Region as Part of the RB1 Family of Tumors: Friend or Foe?
Authors: Cordier Fleur , Van Roy Nadine , Matthys Bart , De Paepe Pascale , Van de Vijver Koen , Van Dorpe Jo , Creytens David
Published: November 2023

Fibroepithelial stromal polyps (FSPs) are benign mesenchymal lesions occurring in the vulvovaginal region. Following the identification of loss of Retinoblastoma 1 (RB1) on immunohistochemical staining in routine practice, we stained a series of FSPs and performed additional fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and copy number variation (CNV) sequencing to detect losses/deletions in the Retinoblastoma transcriptional corepressor 1 (RB1) gene. Fifteen FSP cases were stained for RB1, and subsequently, 9 cases were examined by FISH to detect a loss of RB1 (13q). Next, CNV sequencing was performed to assess genomic alterations. The mean age of the patients was 50 years. Loss of RB1 expression on immunohistochemistry was seen in 13 cases, and heterogeneous RB1 staining in the remaining 2 cases. FISH showed deletion of RB1 in all of the cases. CNV sequencing failed in almost all cases due to a low tumor content. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that FSPs are part of a spectrum of genetically related lesions, namely the 13q/RB1 family of tumors (which includes pleomorphic fibromas and spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomas). Due to the clinical, morphologic, and molecular overlap, we suggest that FSPs are pleomorphic fibromas occurring in the specialized stroma of the genital region.
Meal Effects on Gastric Bioelectrical Activity Utilizing Body Surface Gastric Mapping in Healthy Subjects
Authors: Huang I-Hsuan , Calder Stefan , Gharibans Armen A. , Schamberg Gabriel , Varghese Chris , Andrews Christopher N. , Tack Jan , O’Grady Greg
Published: November 2023

Background

Gastric sensorimotor disorders are prevalent. While gastric emptying measurements are commonly used, they may not fully capture the underlying pathophysiology. Body surface gastric mapping (BSGM) recently emerged to assess gastric sensorimotor dysfunction. This study assessed varying meal size on BSGM responses to inform test use in a wider variety of contexts.

Methods

Data from multiple healthy cohorts receiving BSGM were pooled, using four different test meals. A standard BSGM protocol was employed: 30-min fasting, 4-hr post-prandial, using Gastric Alimetry® (Alimetry, New Zealand). Meals comprised: i) nutrient drink + oatmeal bar (482 kcal; ’standard meal’); ii) oatmeal bar alone; egg and toast meal, and pancake (all ∼250 kcal). Gastric Alimetry metrics included BMI-adjusted Amplitude, Principal Gastric Frequency, Gastric Alimetry Rhythm Index (GA-RI) and Fed:Fasted Amplitude Ratio (ff-AR).

Key Results

238 participants (59.2% female) were included. All meals significantly increased amplitude and frequency during the first post-prandial hour (p<0.05). There were no differences in postprandial frequency across meals (p>0.05). The amplitude and GA-RI of the standard meal (n=110) were significantly higher than the energy bar alone (n=45) and egg meal (n=65) (all p<0.05). All BSGM metrics were comparable across the 3 smaller meals (p>0.05). A higher symptom burden was found in the oatmeal bar group vs the standard meal and pancake meal (p=0.01, 0.003, respectively).

Conclusions & Inferences

The consumption of lower calorie meals elicited different post-prandial responses, when compared to the standard Gastric Alimetry meal. These data will guide interpretations of BSGM when applied with lower calorie meals.
IDO-1 inhibition improves outcome after fluid percussion injury in adult male rats
Authors: Sadek Marawan , Stover Kurt R , Liu Xiaojing , Reed Mark A , Weaver Donald F , Reid Aylin Y
Published: November 2023

The enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the kynurenine pathway (KP) which produces both neuroprotective and neurotoxic metabolites. Neuroinflammatory signals produced as a result of pathological conditions can increase production of IDO1 and boost its enzymatic capacity. IDO1 and the KP have been implicated in behavioral recovery after human traumatic brain injury (TBI), but their roles in experimental models of TBI are for the most part unknown. We hypothesized there is an increase in KP activity in the fluid percussion injury (FPI) model of TBI, and that administration of an IDO1 inhibitor will improve neurological recovery. In this study adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to FPI or sham injury and received twice-daily oral administration of the IDO1 inhibitor PF-06840003 (100 mg/kg) or vehicle control. FPI resulted in a significant increase in KP activity, as demonstrated by an increased ratio of kynurenine:tryptophan, in the perilesional neocortex and ipsilateral hippocampus three days post-injury (DPI), which normalized by seven DPI. The increase in KP activity was prevented by PF-06840003. IDO1 inhibition also improved memory performance as assessed in the Barnes maze and anxiety behaviors as assessed in open field testing in the first 28 DPI. These results suggest increased KP activity after FPI may mediate neurological dysfunction, and IDO1 inhibition should be further investigated as a potential therapeutic target to improve recovery.

Significance Statement

The kynurenine pathway and its rate-limiting enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) have been implicated in a variety of neurological disorders, including traumatic brain injury. We have demonstrated increased IDO1 activity in male rats after fluid percussion injury, a widely used model of traumatic brain injury. Pharmacological IDO1 inhibition after fluid percussion injury improved performance on tests of memory and anxiety-like behaviors, demonstrating a role for IDO1 in traumatic brain injury outcomes and supporting further investigation into its potential as a therapeutic target.
Psychosocial vulnerabilities in newly arrived asylum seekers to the Greek island of Lesvos: a retrospective cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Kavarnos Gregory , Bressaglia Miriam , Hargreaves Sally , Norredam Marie , Veizis Apostolos
Published: November 2023

Background

Kara Tepe Registration and Identification Camp on Lesvos Island in Greece is a controlled access facility with people in various stages of the asylum procedure housed in tents, rub halls and containers in poor living conditions for prolonged periods of time. However, data are lacking on psychosocial vulnerabilities and experiences of these populations, particularly the growing number of single women residing in these settings.We aimed to explore psychosocial needs among this incamped population.

Methods

We did a retrospective cross-sectional chart review of sociodemographic and psychosocial vulnerabilities of all migrants (>18 years of age) who were detained in Kara Tepe between 1st February 2021 and 31st January 2023. Data were extracted from the Knack Online Database used by INTERSOS HELLAS.

Results

701 individuals were referred to the clinic for psychosocial work-up over a 2 year follow-up period, of which 165 subsequently received psychological support after initial health assessments. The majority (92.0%) of the cohort were women who were single, most from Afghanistan, Somalia, Congo, and Syria, with a range of medical and social vulnerabilities. 19.8% of the population had been subjected to gender-based violence including in their country of origin, during the migration route to Lesvos, or while on the island of Lesvos. The most common GBV incident reported was rape (48.9%) followed by physical assault (23.7%) and non-penetrative sexual assault (21.5%). 7% of the population presented with suicidal, or self-harming, behaviour, of which 26.2% had attempted suicide.

Conclusion

This study highlights for the first time the stark range of vulnerabilities experienced by predominantly single women in camp settings in Greece.
An Explainable Machine Learning Framework for Predicting the Risk of Buprenorphine Treatment Discontinuation for Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Faysal Jabed Al , Noor-E-Alam Md. , Young Gary J. , Lo-Ciganic Wei-Hsuan , Goodin Amie J. , Huang James L. , Wilson Debbie L. , Park Tae Woo , Hasan Md Mahmudul
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Buprenorphine is an effective evidence-based medication for opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet premature discontinuation undermines treatment effectiveness, increasing risk of mortality and overdose. We developed and evaluated a machine learning (ML) framework for predicting buprenorphine care discontinuity within 1-year following treatment initiation.

Methods

This retrospective study used United States 2018-2021 MarketScan commercial claims data of insured individuals aged 18-64 who initiated buprenorphine between July 2018 and December 2020 with no buprenorphine prescriptions in the previous six months. We measured buprenorphine prescription discontinuation gaps of ≥30 days within the first year of initiating treatment. We developed predictive models employing logistic regression, decision tree classifier, random forest, XGBoost, Adaboost, and random forest-XGBoost ensemble. We applied recursive feature elimination with cross-validation to reduce dimensionality and identify the most predictive features while maintaining model robustness. We focused on two distinct treatment stages: at the time of treatment initiation and one and three months after treatment initiation. We employed SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis that helped us explain the contributions of different features in predicting buprenorphine discontinuation. We stratified patients into risk subgroups based on their predicted likelihood of treatment discontinuation, dividing them into decile subgroups. Additionally, we used a calibration plot to analyze the reliability of the models.

Results

A total of 30,373 patients initiated buprenorphine and 14.98% (4,551) discontinued treatment. C-statistic varied between 0.56 and 0.76 for the first-stage models including patient-level demographic and clinical variables. Inclusion of proportion of days covered (PDC) measured at one-month and three-month following treatment initiation significantly increased the models’ discriminative power (C-statistics: 0.60 to 0.82). Random forest (C-statistics: 0.76, 0.79 and 0.82 with baseline predictors, one-month PDC and three-month PDC, respectively) outperformed other ML models in discriminative performance in all stages (C-statistics: 0.56 to 0.77). Most influential risk factors of discontinuation included early stage medication adherence, age, and initial days of supply.

Conclusion

ML algorithms demonstrated a good discriminative power in identifying patients at higher risk of buprenorphine care discontinuity. The proposed framework may help healthcare providers optimize treatment strategies and deliver targeted interventions to improve buprenorphine care continuity.
Applications of Behavioral Economics to HIV Programs in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Scoping Review Using the EAST Framework
Authors: Long Elizabeth , Devine Jacqueline
Published: November 2023

Despite significant gains and successes in many areas, progress in HIV prevention and treatment is uneven, highlighted in the 2022 UNAIDS reportIn Danger, and certain populations are being left behind. In particular, men and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are among the groups in danger of not reaching epidemic control targets. Among other calls for utilizing scientific innovations, PEPFAR’s Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy recently highlighted the need to expand the use of innovative methods from behavioral science in HIV programs. One of these innovative, but underused, approaches is behavioral economics (BE), which leverages our predictable cognitive biases and mental shortcuts to both diagnose behavioral factors and positively influence behavior. The tools used by BE to change behavior are frequently called nudges, which tend to be low-cost and easy-to-implement interventions. This scoping review identified nudges applied to select client and provider behaviors along the HIV prevention, testing, and care and treatment continuum. It maps them to the commonly used EAST Framework, a simplified way to classify nudges for program design and highlights those that shifted behavior. The EAST Framework groups nudges into Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely categories. This scoping review identified that Easy nudges were commonly applied as changes to the structure of HIV programs, influencing individual behavior through program changes. Nudges that directly targeted individuals most commonly fell into the Attractive and Social categories. Many of the individual-focused nudges in the Attractive and Social categories changed behavior, along with Easy nudges. Additionally, the mapping highlighted the dearth of nudges applied to provider behavior in the Low and Middle Income (LMIC) HIV space. Further integration of nudges into HIV programs and their evaluation using implementation science may help move the needle to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
Cue predictiveness and uncertainty determine cue representation during visual statistical learning
Authors: Zhang Puyuan , Chen Hui , Tong Shelley Xiuli
Published: November 2023

This study investigated how humans process probabilistic-associated information when encountering varying levels of uncertainty during implicit visual statistical learning. A novel probabilistic cueing validation paradigm was developed to probe the representation of cues with high (75% probability), medium (50%), low (25%), or zero levels of predictiveness in response to preceding targets that appeared with high (75%), medium (50%), or low (25%) transitional probabilities (TPs). Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated a significant negative association between cue probe identification accuracy and cue predictiveness when these cues appeared after high-TP but not medium-TP or low-TP targets, establishing exploration-like cue processing triggered by lower-uncertainty rather than high-uncertainty inputs. Experiment 3 ruled out the confounding factor of probe repetition and extended this finding by demonstrating (1) enhanced representation of low-predictive and zero-predictive but not high-predictive cues across blocks after high-TP targets and (2) enhanced representation of high-predictive but not low-predictive and zero-predictive cues across blocks after low-TP targets for learners who exhibited above-chance awareness of cue–target transition. These results suggest that during implicit statistical learning, input characteristics alter cue-processing mechanisms, such that exploration-like and exploitation-like mechanisms are triggered by lower-uncertainty and higher-uncertainty cue–target sequences, respectively.
A critical review of quantity surveying education in an offsite construction perspective: strategies for up-skilling
Authors: Ginigaddara Buddhini , Gajendran Thayaparan , Beard Cameron
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Offsite construction (OSC) is a modern method of construction (MMC) that involves manufacturing and assembly of buildings. Industry 4.0-driven technological advancements have accelerated OSC uptake causing many skilled construction workers requiring re-skilling or up-skilling. Quantity surveyors currently play an important role throughout a construction project life cycle, and hence, their knowledge on OSC projects is vital for the continuity of quantity surveying (QS) profession. The purpose of this paper is to critically review QS education in an OSC perspective and to propose strategies for up-skilling.

Design/methodology/approach

This research includes a detailed literature review of QS and OSC to evaluate how OSC affects the QS profession. Publicly available information on the university websites on accredited QS and construction management degrees was reviewed to identify OSC and MMC references, specifically the content listing and learning outcomes.

Findings

Out of the 315 degrees offered by 157 universities, only 69 degrees in 32 universities refer to OSC or MMC. OSC concept is explicitly referred in subjects related to construction technology, production management, lean construction, digital construction and MMC. As such, the research suggests including lean production principles, OSC techniques and design philosophies such as design for manufacture and assembly be added to the QS curricula.

Research limitations/implications

This research is a comprehensive desktop study that does not involve empirical data-based evaluation. Research findings inform strategies to improve QS education and professional competencies.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind that evaluates accredited QS degrees and learning requirements in an OSC perspective.
The power of the public: air environmental concern and corporate ESG performance
Authors: Yi Lingxue , Jiang Yichi , Liu Heng
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether and how public air environmental concern (PAEC) affects corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

This study measured PAEC using the Baidu index search keyword “雾霾 (PM2.5)” and assessed its impact on corporate ESG among Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2020 through regression analysis.

Findings

The empirical results indicate a positive relationship between PAEC and corporate ESG. Moreover, PAEC facilitates enhanced corporate ESG performance by mediating through corporate reputation and government environmental regulations. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the promotion effect of PAEC on ESG is more pronounced in the subgroups of companies with an excellent green image, low perceived uncertainty, strong management political connections, low short-termism, high industry technological levels and low pollution levels.

Practical implications

The practical implications of this study underscore the importance for policymakers, investors and companies to prioritize PAEC and its influence on corporate ESG performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to ESG literature by highlighting the positive impact of external oversight, such as PAEC.
Numerical simulation of the extrusion process of viscoplastic materials using a radial point interpolation method
Authors: Rodrigues Daniel E.S. , Belinha Jorge , Natal Jorge Renato
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is an extrusion-based manufacturing process using fused thermoplastics. Despite its low cost, the FFF is not extensively used in high-value industrial sectors mainly due to parts' anisotropy (related to the deposition strategy) and residual stresses (caused by successive heating cycles). Thus, this study aims to investigate the process improvement and the optimization of the printed parts.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, a meshless technique – the Radial Point Interpolation Method (RPIM) – is used to numerically simulate the viscoplastic extrusion process – the initial phase of the FFF. Unlike the FEM, in meshless methods, there is no pre-established relationship between the nodes so the nodal mesh will not face mesh distortions and the discretization can easily be modified by adding or removing nodes from the initial nodal mesh. The accuracy of the obtained results highlights the importance of using meshless techniques in this field.

Findings

Meshless methods show particular relevance in this topic since the nodes can be distributed to match the layer-by-layer growing condition of the printing process.

Originality/value

Using the flow formulation combined with the heat transfer formulation presented here for the first time within an in-house RPIM code, an algorithm is proposed, implemented and validated for benchmark examples.
Comparisons between direct interpolation and reciprocity techniques of the boundary element method for solving two-dimensional Helmholtz problems
Authors: Balista Thiago Galdino , Loeffler Carlos Friedrich , Lara Luciano , Mansur Webe João
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This work compares the performance of the three boundary element techniques for solving Helmholtz problems: dual reciprocity, multiple reciprocity and direct interpolation. All techniques transform domain integrals into boundary integrals, despite using different principles to reach this purpose.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparisons here performed include the solution of eigenvalue and response by frequency scanning, analyzing many features that are not comprehensively discussed in the literature, as follows: the type of boundary conditions, suitable number of degrees of freedom, modal content, number of primitives in the multiple reciprocity method (MRM) and the requirement of internal interpolation points in techniques that use radial basis functions as dual reciprocity and direct interpolation.

Findings

Among the other aspects, this work can conclude that the solution of the eigenvalue and response problems confirmed the reasonable accuracy of the dual reciprocity boundary element method (DRBEM) only for the calculation of the first natural frequencies. Concerning the direct interpolation boundary element method (DIBEM), its interpolation characteristic allows more accessibility for solving more elaborate problems. Despite requiring a greater number of interpolating internal points, the DIBEM has presented higher-quality results for the eigenvalue and response problems. The MRM results were satisfactory in terms of accuracy just for the low range of frequencies; however, the neglected higher-order primitives impact the accuracy of the dynamic response as a whole.

Originality/value

There are safe alternatives for solving engineering stationary dynamic problems using the boundary element method (BEM), but there are no suitable comparisons between these different techniques. This paper presents the particularities and detailed comparisons approaching the accuracy of the three important BEM techniques, aiming at response and frequency evaluation, which are not found in the specialized literature.
Efficient iterative schemes based on Newton's method and fixed-point iteration for solving nonlinear matrix equation Xp = Q±A(X−1+B)−1AT
Authors: Erfanifar Raziyeh , Hajarian Masoud
Published: November 2023

Purpose

In this paper, the authors study the nonlinear matrix equation Xp=Q±A(X-1+B)-1AT, that occurs in many applications such as in filtering, network systems, optimal control and control theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present some theoretical results for the existence of the solution of this nonlinear matrix equation. Then the authors propose two iterative schemes without inversion to find the solution to the nonlinear matrix equation based on Newton's method and fixed-point iteration. Also the authors show that the proposed iterative schemes converge to the solution of the nonlinear matrix equation, under situations.

Findings

The efficiency indices of the proposed schemes are presented, and since the initial guesses of the proposed iterative schemes have a high cost, the authors reduce their cost by changing them. Therefore, compared to the previous scheme, the proposed schemes have superior efficiency indices.

Originality/value

Finally, the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed schemes in comparison to an existing scheme are demonstrated by various numerical examples. Moreover, as an application, by using the proposed schemes, the authors can get the optimal controller state feedback of $x(t+1) = A x(t) + C v(t)$.
Job (dis-)satisfaction in pay-for-performance health care contexts: a meta-synthesis of qualitative literature
Authors: Briganti Paola , de Gennaro Davide , Buonocore Filomena , Varriale Luisa
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Drawing on the pay-for-performance (P4P) and job satisfaction literatures through an analysis of qualitative studies published on the topic, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a P4P-based system on job satisfaction and dissatisfaction among health care workers.

Design/methodology/approach

A meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature was conducted to investigate health care workers' opinions, perceptions and behaviors and fully understand what processes generate job satisfaction or dissatisfaction under P4P systems.

Findings

The findings suggest that P4P systems impact the job (dis-)satisfaction of health care workers based on the institutional, organizational, geographic and cultural context of reference. Specifically, job satisfaction – and thus motivation, occupational well-being and work engagement – can occur when the context is supportive, whereas job dissatisfaction – and thus work stress and pressure, burnout and work-life balance issues and distraction – is generated in the case of unsupportive contexts. Moreover, the findings suggest a virtuous/vicious circle whereby job satisfaction leads to positive performance and further fuels job satisfaction, while conversely job dissatisfaction generates worse performance, and this further worsens worker satisfaction.

Originality/value

There is a lack of studies comparing and analyzing current evidence on the job (dis-)satisfaction of health care workers operating in different contexts based on the reward system. This is the first research to analyze a significant number of studies with reference to the relation between P4P and job (dis-)satisfaction, which are topics in need of further study and investigation in health care settings around the world.
New approaches to dealing with performance management: getting rid of performance appraisals is not the answer
Authors: Murphy Kevin , DeNisi Angelo
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to review the challenges of performance appraisal in organizations and argue that these challenges can and must be overcome.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review research on performance appraisal in organizations and on claims that organizations are abandoning performance appraisal.

Findings

Structured performance appraisals are still the norm in organizations around the world. There are clear and practical strategies for improving appraisals. These include improving feedback and removing unnecessary complexity, clarifying the goals of appraisal systems, focusing appraisal on behaviors and outcomes under the employee's control and increasing the fairness of appraisal systems.

Research limitations/implications

Research is needed on the effects of changing the ways performance appraisals are conducted in organizations.

Practical implications

Practical strategies for improving performance appraisal are outlined.

Social implications

Better performance appraisals will benefit organizations and their members.

Originality/value

This paper refutes the growing claim that organizations are abandoning performance appraisal and illustrates practical strategies for improving performance appraisal.
For the organization is for oneself: impact of platform leadership on harmonious innovation passion of new-generation employees
Authors: Ding Tianwei , Qi Ziru , Yang Jiaoping
Published: November 2023

Purpose

In today's digitalized world, platform leadership is a novel leadership style that facilitates employee innovation. However, the impact mechanism of platform leadership on employee innovation passion has not been explored.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, based on the theory of a self-organizing objective system, 591 new-generation employees were surveyed to explore the impact of platform leadership on the harmonious innovation passion of new-generation employees.

Findings

The results showed that platform leadership stimulates the harmonious innovation passion of employees by promoting the integration of organizational and employee objectives. This mechanism was found to be weakened by the internal integrated organizational culture and strengthened by the external adaptive organizational culture.

Originality/value

This study explores the mechanism by which platform leadership style influences the harmonious innovation passion of new-generation employees and provides theoretical guidance and practical insight into ways to improve the innovation capability of new-generation employees.
Language and drawing development after a combined intervention: A single‐subject case study
Authors: Servi Ceyhun
Published: November 2023

Language and drawing each have their own sets of symbols that they use to convey messages. It is still unclear whether the development of these two expression mechanisms is similar or distinct. There are various approaches to supporting language and communication skills, including structured and naturalistic methods. The goal of this in‐depth case study is to find out how a combined intervention affects the language and drawing abilities of a three‐year‐old girl with developmental delay. Structured implementations and milieu teaching strategies were used in the same session, but not simultaneously. The participant's language and communication skills improved at the end of the programme. Interestingly, even though there was no drawing‐related goal, her drawings evolved too. Even though this is a single‐subject case study, it suggests that if a child's cognitive and language skills develop, his/her drawing skills do as well.
A classification of combined homicide–suicide: An update—Part II: Intrafamilial homicide–suicide
Authors: Felthous Alan R. , Angly Mary , Kahlon Chanchal , Safari Delavar , Masood Yasir , Rodgers Emily , Chennu Navreet
Published: November 2023

This Part II of the three‐part presentation of the updated classification of combined‐homicide published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences addresses intrafamilial homicide–suicides (H–Ss). Intrafamilial H–Ss in this classification includes all close relationships including dating and intimate partners, not just traditional family relationships, in contrast to extrafamilial H–Ss where the victim(s) of homicide are either strangers or in a more formal but nonintimate relationship with the actor. Intrafamilial H–Ss are further divided and classified as intimate partner, filicide, familicide, parricide, and siblicide H–Ss, respectively, and are typically so grouped in the literature.
A classification of combined homicide‐suicide: An update—Part I: Introduction and psychopathology
Authors: Felthous Alan R. , Masood Yasir , Kahlon Chanchal , Safari Delavar , Rodgers Emily , Chennu Navreet , Angly Mary
Published: November 2023

A 1995 classification of combined homicide‐suicide was based on the psychopathology of the perpetrator and the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim(s). A three‐part model was proposed for the study and potential understanding of individual homicide‐suicide acts. This triarchic model consisted of the concepts of ego weakness, stress, and vector, the vector representing the ideational component. Today, approaching a quarter of a century after this initial classification based on a review of the literature available then, a considerable volume of experience and investigative knowledge has been published advancing our knowledge of homicide‐suicide. The present review updates and revises the original classification, retains the two‐part, psychopathological and relational classification, and adds several categories. Because this updated classification is more expansive than the original, it is presented in three parts. Part I, the present article, provides the introduction to this classification and the classification of mental conditions that may attend homicide‐suicide. Parts II and III will address intrafamilial and extrafamilial homicide‐suicide, respectively, the two major divisions of the classification based on the relationship between the actor and the homicide victim(s). All three parts are integral to this classification and belong together.
Efficient DIPA‐CRISPR‐mediated knockout of an eye pigment gene in the white‐backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera
Authors: Zhang Meng‐Qi , Gong Lang‐Lang , Zhao Ya‐Qin , Ma Yun‐Feng , Long Gui‐Jun , Guo Huan , Liu Xuan‐Zheng , Hull J. Joe , Dewer Youssef , Yang Chao , Zhang Ning‐Ning , He Ming , He Peng
Published: November 2023

Although CRISPR/Cas9 has been widely used in insect gene editing, the need for the microinjection of preblastoderm embryos can preclude the technique being used in insect species with eggs that are small, have hard shells, and/or are difficult to collect and maintain outside of their normal environment. Such is the case with Sogatella furcifera, the white‐backed planthopper (WBPH), a significant pest of Oryza sativa (rice) that oviposits inside rice stems. Egg extraction from the stem runs the risk of mechanical damage and hatching is heavily influenced by the micro‐environment of the rice stem. To bypass these issues, we targeted embryos prior to oviposition via direct parental (DIPA)‐CRISPR, in which Cas9 and single‐guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for the WBPH eye pigment gene tryptophan 2,3‐dioxygenase were injected into the hemocoel of adult females. Females at varying numbers of days posteclosion were evaluated to determine at what stage their oocyte might be most capable of taking up the gene‐editing components. An evaluation of the offspring indicated that the highest G0 gene‐edited efficacy (56.7%) occurred in females injected 2 d posteclosion, and that those mutations were heritably transmitted to the G1 generation. This study demonstrates the potential utility of DIPA‐CRISPR for future gene‐editing studies in non‐model insect species and can facilitate the development of novel pest management applications.
Autonomy: A study of social exchange in a carceral setting
Authors: Walker Michael L.
Published: November 2023

Marshaling ethnographic data from a county jail, this study introduces “autonomy”—a novel concept and measurement of the degree to which an actor's exchange initiations are regulated by other exchange relations. This study rearticulates mutual dependence arguments about the social order of penological living in terms of social exchange theory and offers several innovations: 1) the structural forms of exchange relations in a penal housing unit stratify “carceral autonomy” across members of a social order; 2) diminished carceral autonomy contributes to the buildup of “exchange frustration”—the mixture of discontent and sadness experienced when goals cannot be achieved due the structure of an exchange network; 3) deprivations, inefficacies, and imported cultural standards contribute to what is exchanged and with whom in a penological setting; 4) caretaking in penological housing units is as much about maintaining social order through a form of generalized exchange as it is about network members helping each other; and 5) the emotional landscape of penological living can be mapped, in part, by examining the distribution of carceral autonomy and exchange frustration.
PoolParty2: An integrated pipeline for analysing pooled or indexed low‐coverage whole‐genome sequencing data to discover the genetic basis of diversity
Authors: Willis Stuart , Micheletti Steven , Andrews Kimberly R. , Narum Shawn
Published: November 2023

Whole‐genome sequencing data allow survey of variation from across the genome, reducing the constraint of balancing genome sub‐sampling with estimating recombination rates and linkage between sampled markers and target loci. As sequencing costs decrease, low‐coverage whole‐genome sequencing of pooled or indexed‐individual samples is commonly utilized to identify loci associated with phenotypes or environmental axes in non‐model organisms. There are, however, relatively few publicly available bioinformatic pipelines designed explicitly to analyse these types of data, and fewer still that process the raw sequencing data, provide useful metrics of quality control and then execute analyses. Here, we present an updated version of a bioinformatics pipeline called PoolParty2 that can effectively handle either pooled or indexed DNA samples and includes new features to improve computational efficiency. Using simulated data, we demonstrate the ability of our pipeline to recover segregating variants, estimate their allele frequencies accurately, and identify genomic regions harbouring loci under selection. Based on the simulated data set, we benchmark the efficacy of our pipeline with another bioinformatic suite, angsd, and illustrate the compatibility and complementarity of these suites using angsd to generate genotype likelihoods as input for identifying linkage outlier regions using alignment files and variants provided by PoolParty2. Finally, we apply our updated pipeline to an empirical dataset of low‐coverage whole genomic data from population samples of Columbia River steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), results from which demonstrate the genomic impacts of decades of artificial selection in a prominent hatchery stock. Thus, we not only demonstrate the utility of PoolParty2 for genomic studies that combine sequencing data from multiple individuals, but also illustrate how it compliments other bioinformatics resources such as angsd.
Decreased CD56+CD16‐CD94+uNK cells in the mid‐luteal phase in women with recurrent implantation failure are associated with IL‐15 deficiency
Authors: Zhang Xin‐Xian , Wu Xiao‐Hua
Published: November 2023

Problem

Whether the abnormal development of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells contributes to women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) remains unclear.

Method of study

We characterized the development of uNK cells and peripheral blood NK cells (pbNK) in the mid‐luteal phase in women with RIF (n = 31) and controls (n = 14) by flow cytometry. Endometrial IL‐15 mRNA expression was studied by quantitative reverse transcription‐PCR. The GSE58144 dataset was used to validate the correlation results.

Results

We found decreased proportions of stage 4 CD56+CD16‐CD94+ uNK cells (median: 9.56% vs. 17.78%, P .014) and increased proportions of stage 6 CD56+CD16+CD57+ uNK cells (median: 1.54% vs. 0.74%, P = .020) in the mid‐luteal endometrium of women with RIF compared to fertile women. We also found that there was no quantitative correlation between uNK cells and the corresponding pbNK cell subpopulations (P > .05). In addition, IL‐15 mRNA levels in the mid‐luteal endometrium were positively correlated with the proportion of CD56+ uNK cells (r = .392, P = .008), especially with stage 4 uNK cell populations (r = .408, P = .005).

Conclusions

We showed that the proportion of stage 4 uNK cells decreased in the RIF group compared to controls, and the decrease in stage 4 uNK cells correlated positively with low IL‐15 mRNA expression. We suggest that the reduced stage 4 uNK cells in women with RIF are associated with IL‐15 deficiency.
On the empirical validity of “Gendered reactions to terrorist attacks can cause slumps not bumps” (Holman et al. 2022)
Authors: Jetter Michael , Stockley Kieran
Published: November 2023

M. R. Holman, J. L. Merolla and A. Zechmeister (2022) propose women (compared to men) political leaders experience significant drops in public approval ratings after a transnational terrorist attack. After documenting how survey‐based evaluations of then‐Prime Minister Theresa May suffered after the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, Holman et al. (2022) assemble a country–quarter level panel database to explore the generality of their hypothesis. They report evidence suggesting women (compared to men) leaders systematically experience decreased public approval rates after major transnational terrorist attacks (‐value of 0.020). We find that result disappears once any of the following adjustments is implemented: (i) excluding election quarter covariates (), (ii) correcting objective coding errors in the election quarter covariates (), (iii) excluding the May–Manchester observation () or (iv) clustering standard errors at the country level (). Exploring all combinations of the five control groups Holman et al. (2022) incorporate in their specification, none of them clears the 5% threshold of statistical significance once the corrected election quarter variables are employed. We conclude that the empirical evidence does not provide sufficient support for Holman et al.'s (2022) abstract claim that “conventional theory on rally events requires revision: women leaders cannot count on rallies following major terrorist attacks.”
ZFP541 and KCTD19 regulate chromatin organization and transcription programs for male meiotic progression
Authors: Zhou Xu , Fang Kailun , Liu Yanlei , Li Weidong , Tan Yingjin , Zhang Jiaming , Yu Xiaoxia , Wang Guoqiang , Zhang Yanan , Shang Yongliang , Zhang Liangran , Chen Charlie Degui , Wang Shunxin
Published: November 2023

The successful progression of meiosis prophase I requires integrating information from the structural and molecular levels. In this study, we show that ZFP541 and KCTD19 work in the same genetic pathway to regulate the progression of male meiosis and thus fertility. The Zfp541 and/or Kctd19 knockout male mice show various structural and recombination defects including detached chromosome ends, aberrant localization of chromosome axis components and recombination proteins, and globally altered histone modifications. Further analyses on RNA‐seq, ChIP‐seq, and ATAC‐seq data provide molecular evidence for the above defects and reveal that ZFP541/KCTD19 activates the expression of many genes by repressing several major transcription repressors. More importantly, we reveal an unexpected role of ZFP541/KCTD19 in directly modulating chromatin organization. These results suggest that ZFP541/KCTD19 simultaneously regulates the transcription cascade and chromatin organization to ensure the coordinated progression of multiple events at chromosome structural and biochemical levels during meiosis prophase I.