bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On-boarding new employees: a three-component perspective of welcoming
Authors: Cesário Francisco , Chambel Maria José
Published: March 2023

Purpose

No component of the human capital management has been more overlooked by companies than the process of welcoming new recruited employees – the on-boarding phase. This paper aims to present a three-component perspective of on-boarding and a contribution to measuring the employees’ perceptions based on three dimensions of welcoming: structured corporate welcome, manager welcome and coworkers welcome.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study based on a self-reported survey was conducted to test the model and an on-boarding employees’ perceptions proposed scale. The authors hypothesized that the three on-boarding components relate positively to some critical work outcomes (e.g. work engagement and affective organizational commitment). Analyses using a sample of 347 workers from Portuguese firms showed that the three-component on-boarding scale had adequate validity and all three components of on-boarding were positively related to the work outcomes included in this study.

Findings

Findings suggest that an effective onboarding process, based on the three-component perspective (corporate welcome, manager welcome and coworkers welcome), is a significant contribution to promote organizational affective commitment and work engagement of new employees.

Originality/value

The paper addresses the need for organizations to design on-boarding programs based on an integrated perspective, not only formal corporate activities but also preparing managers and coworkers to host effectively new employees. Strong association with work outcomes enables a better understanding on how onboard can contribute to an engaged and retained workforce.
University–industry collaboration in the technology development and technology commercialization stage: a systematic literature review
Authors: Pujotomo Darminto , Syed Hassan Syed Ahmad Helmi , Ma'aram Azanizawati , Sutopo Wahyudi
Published: March 2023

Purpose

As university–industry collaboration (UIC) is associated to transfer of knowledge and technology, this collaboration is an extremely important field of study for the world's economies that helps industries become more competitive. UIC will assist universities in fine-tuning universities' educational programs to match with the industrial demand. This study, thus, presents a systematic literature review related to UIC in technology development process and technology commercialization.

Design/methodology/approach

The Scopus database is used to extract the relevant articles. First, in presenting the articles, four scientometric analyses are used to visualize the bibliometric clusters, namely articles and journals co-citation analysis, countries collaboration analysis and keywords co-occurrence analysis. Next, a qualitative approach is used to classify the articles according to the methodology used and type of research. Finally, a research trend and keywords' evolution based on keywords are also provided.

Findings

Results of this study reveal that majority of the articles used qualitative approach and descriptive analysis to explain the knowledge flow between industries and universities. According to the research trend analysis, researchers in this field were moving from the knowledge-based economy topic (from 2010–2013) to product development (2014–2015), technology commercialization (2016–2017), open innovation (2018–2019) and then currently are focusing on the green entrepreneurship topic.

Practical implications

This study is expected to facilitate scholars to uncover gaps in the literature of UIC.

Originality/value

This study extends the use of scientometric analysis. The combination of “bibliometrix” R-package tool and VOSViewer software to perform the analysis is expected to give a new insight of doing the systematic literature review.
Impacts of rural roads on household welfare in Vietnam: evidence from a replication study
Authors: Nguyen Cuong Viet
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Recently, there has been a call for replication research to validate empirical findings, especially findings that are important for development policies. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to replicate the estimation results from Mu and van de Walle (2011).

Design/methodology/approach

The author used raw data sets provided by Mu Ren and Dominique van de Walle and the same methods of Mu and van de Walle (2011). In addition to the pure replication, the author conducted the two extensions: sensitivity analysis of covariates and bandwidth selection and analysis of the effect of the road project on additional outcome variables.

Findings

Overall, the author ables to replicate most estimates from Mu and van de Walle (2011). The author find a positive effect of rural roads on local market development. The impact estimates of the road project are not sensitive to the selection of the bandwidth in kernel propensity score (PS) matching. There are no significant effects of road projects on additional outcomes, including access to credit and migration.

Practical implications

The study confirms a positive effect of rural roads on local market development. Thus, the government can provide investment in rural roads to improve the local market and its welfare.

Originality/value

This study tried to replicate and verify an important study on the impact of the rural road in Vietnam.
Identification and analysis of critical barriers for achieving sustainable development in India
Authors: Parida Ratri , Katiyar Rajesh , Rajhans Kirti
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Achieving sustainable development in terms of people, prosperity and partnership is the main aspect in any country’s plan for development. This sustainable development has to be achieved in three major dimensions, that is, economic, social and environmental in an integrated, balanced and systematic way. The same is highlighted in the United Nations’ (UN) vision for sustainable development by 2030. The purpose of this study is to identify the critical barriers of urban sustainability and gender equality with reference to Indian context, to suggest the strategies to achieve sustainable development in the referred area and to evaluate the relationship between them.

Design/methodology/approach

The major contribution of this study lies in the development of a contextual relationship model from the various identified critical barriers in Indian context, using interpretive structural modeling with MICMAC analysis.

Findings

Of the 17 goals given by UN, considering the Indian context, the goals of building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation; promoting sustained and inclusive economic growth along with full and productive employment and decent work for all; and gender equality and empowering women at all levels seem to be the major challenges and the same are selected in this study for further analysis. To understand the major challenges in these areas and also to find the way forward, the study has set following three major objectives: to identify the critical barriers of urban sustainability and gender equality with reference to Indian context; to suggest the strategies to achieve sustainable development in the referred area; and to evaluate the relationship between them.

Originality/value

Considering the highly volatile and complex demand requirements, this approach may help to enable the government to tackle issues/challenges related to both urban sustainability and gender inequality on priority basis and in a holistic manner to achieve the goals of sustainable development, thereby improving the quality of life.
Contingency factors and budget actors' behaviour during COVID-19: the case of Uganda
Authors: Nkundabanyanga Stephen Korutaro , Jayasinghe Kelum , Abaho Ernest , Mugambe Kenneth
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the viewpoints and experiences of multiple budget actors to understand their particular budget related behaviours contingent upon the COVID-19 (C19) pandemic of a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses Uganda as a case study and employs semi-structured interview method for the data collection. In trying to generate themes and patterns, data are analysed through three levels of coding: open, axial and selective coding. The contingency theory is used to interpret the data.

Findings

The task of budgeting formulation, implementation and control in times of C19 lead to varied actual behaviours of budget actors because of the environmental uncertainty, inappropriate structural and technological conditions and manipulative organisational cultures contingent upon the Ugandan C19 budget context.

Research limitations/implications

The insights generated from the study can be useful for the national governments of emerging economies, e.g. African countries, to understand the conditions that influence the budget actors' behaviour and together, develop long-term financial resilience strategies to face future emergencies.

Originality/value

This study contributes to accounting and public budgeting theory by showing that contingency theory is a relevant framework for understanding budget actors' behaviour in emergency situations. The study potentially strengthens the contingency theory framework through its incorporation of organisational culture perspective into the “people” element.
Energy-based time equivalent approach to determine the fire resistance ratings of light gauge steel frame walls exposed to realistic design fire curves
Authors: Ariyanayagam Anthony Deloge , Mahendran Mahen
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to present the details of a study undertaken to develop an energy-based time equivalent approach to obtain the fire resistance ratings (FRRs) of light gauge steel frame (LSF) walls exposed to realistic design fire curves.

Design/methodology/approach

The energy-based time equivalent method was developed based on the performance of a structural member exposed to a realistic design fire curve in comparison to that of the standard fire time – temperature curve. The FRR predicted by the energy-based method for LSF wall configurations exposed to both rapid and prolonged fires were compared with those from fire design rules and finite element analyses (FEA).

Findings

The proposed energy method can be used to obtain the FRR of LSF walls in case of prolonged fires and cannot be used for rapid fires as the computed FRRs were higher than the results from FEA and fire design rules due to the influence of thermal bowing and its magnification effects at a high temperature gradient across the studs for rapid fires.

Originality/value

The energy-based time equivalent method was developed based on equal fire severity principles. Three different wall configurations were considered and exposed to both rapid and prolonged fires. The FRR obtained from the energy-based method were compared with fire design rules and FEA results to assess the use of the energy-based method to predict the FRR of LSF walls.
Configurations of innovation performance in foreign owned subsidiaries: focusing on organizational agility and digitalization
Authors: Dahms Sven , Cabrilo Sladjana , Kingkaew Suthikorn
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The authors investigate conditions that drive innovation performance in foreign-owned subsidiaries. The authors study five variables affecting innovation performance: organizational agility and digital capabilities as the main drivers and competencies and embeddedness in internal and external networks as complementary antecedents of innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on the neo-configurational perspective and apply fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to empirically test survey data from subsidiaries located in the emerging economies of Thailand and Vietnam.

Findings

While the authors find no single condition on its own determining innovation performance, the authors do find that in concert they form four configurations of high innovation performance. The results indicate that all configurations contain competencies, as well as that subsidiaries should prioritize between internal and external networks to complement agility, digital capabilities, to achieve high innovation performance. The authors also reveal intriguing contextual differences in the innovation performance configurations between the two host countries.

Originality/value

By incorporating causal complexity as well as substitutability and complementarity of innovation drivers, the authors extend the current understanding of subsidiary innovation performance outcomes.
Assessing citizen perceptions of body-worn cameras after encounters with police
Authors: White Michael D. , Todak Natalie , Gaub Janne E.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess perceptions of body-worn cameras (BWCs) among citizens who had BWC-recorded police encounters, and to explore the potential for a civilizing effect on citizen behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

From June to November 2015, the authors conducted telephone interviews with 249 citizens in Spokane (WA) who had a recent BWC-recorded police encounter.

Findings

Respondents were satisfied with how they were treated during the police encounter and, overall, had positive attitudes about BWCs. However, only 28 percent of respondents were actually aware of the BWC during their own encounter. The authors also found little evidence of a civilizing effect but did document a significant, positive connection between awareness of the BWC and enhanced perceptions of procedural justice.

Research limitations/implications

Authors only interviewed citizens who had encounters with officers wearing BWCs. However, variation in BWC awareness among citizens allowed the authors to construct a proxy “non-BWC condition” for comparison.

Practical implications

The pre-conditions necessary to produce a civilizing effect among citizens are complex and difficult to achieve. The intriguing relationship between BWC awareness and procedural justice suggests the technology may have the potential to improve police legitimacy.

Originality/value

The study is among the first to explore attitudes about BWCs among those who have their police encounters recorded, and results demonstrate high levels of support among this population. Findings bode well for continued adoption of BWCs in policing.
The loosely coupled factors of organizational stress in police forces
Authors: Domingues Ivo Pontes , Machado José Cunha
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the recursive perspective that emphasizes bureaucracy as a source of officers’ stress, explain officers’ stress as a loosely coupled effect, examine the positive effects of loose coupling and legitimize the necessity of improving context management as a stress-reduction factor.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology uses a quantitative perspective; the members of two police forces constituted the universe; the sampling technique was not random and accidental; and an exploratory factor analysis and an invariance measure were performed.

Findings

The stress phenomenon is common and similar in both police forces, which means that it is indifferent to their organizational differences and has common causes. Loose coupling is present in both police work settings and entails significant stress; and the search for an explanation of the stress caused by loosely coupled elements should focus on both the value chain and the processes.

Practical implications

Addressing this phenomenon should entail a twofold improvement strategy: the correction of loosely coupled organizational factors by revising the management processes that cause stress and the prevention of loosely coupled effects by using professional training to enhance adaptive behavior within specific contexts.

Originality/value

Police organizations are addressed as loosely coupled (anarchic organized) systems instead of tightly coupled (bureaucratic) systems. The loosely coupled factors that emerge inside bureaucratic organizations cause significant stress among officers and complementary research is necessary to analyze the fallacious nature of the recursive attribution of police stress to bureaucratic characteristics.
Affordability of low-cost land allocation: a perspective of non-economic criteria
Authors: Agbato Samson Efuwape , Aluko Tajudeen Bioye , Oladokun Timothy Tunde , Adegoke Ayodele Samuel
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Beyond the economic determinants, non-economic criteria of land affordability are also of great importance. From the context of emerging economies, this study investigated the affordability of low-cost land allocation through the lens of non-economic criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

Given that the non-economic criteria considered are those related to religion and politics, data were elicited from the owners of residential plots at Redemption City and Ikosi Residential Scheme respectively in Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using statistical methods of analysis: mean and standard deviation.

Findings

The result showed that safety and comfort, quality management, proximity to market, proximity to public transportation and proximity to health facilities were the significant non-economic criteria at Redemption City. On the other hand, the non-economic criteria found to be significant at Ikosi Residential Scheme were proximity to public transport, safety and comfort, low presence of environmental problems and income ratio.

Practical implications

This study informs the promotion of private and public partnerships towards reducing the housing deficit in emerging economies. Also, it would help in the formulation and review of land policies, which would benefit not only their members.

Originality/value

This study is among the few that have looked at the non-economic criteria of land affordability, especially in emerging economies.
Speaking to and theorizing about the dead in a postmodern world: an autoethnographic possibility?
Authors: Paxton Blake
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper to start a conversation on the possibility of future research on afterlife communication in the communication field.

Design/methodology/approach

The author utilizes autoethnography, a method that blends ethnographic observation with the writing of personal narrative.

Findings

The author proposes a research agenda for communication scholars to explore the complexity of family stories about postdeath contact.

Originality/value

The author discusses how utilizing interpersonal communication theories to study relationships with the dead can help researchers understand impact how, when, and if stories of postdeath contact are told.
Toward a critical grounded theory
Authors: Hense Cherry , McFerran Katrina Skewes
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Research literature presents lively debate about whether research approaches traditionally belonging to distinct paradigms can be combined (Creswell, 2011). While much of this discourse has focussed on mixed methods studies that combine quantitative and qualitative data (Morgan, 2007), there has been less discussion of the implications and benefits of combining different approaches from two “alternative” paradigms. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the confluence of constructivist grounded theory as detailed by Charmaz (2006, 2011, 2014) with participatory research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors discuss points of tension and convergence between the constructivist and participatory paradigms that underpin these approaches, and consider how the differences might be reconciled through a notion such as critical grounded theory. The authors illustrate these points through examples from the research practice in youth mental health.

Findings

The authors propose that incorporating some of the critical aspects of participatory philosophy into constructivist grounded theory offers a useful strategy for generating local theory in mental health research informed by social action agendas.

Originality/value

This paper extends thinking in the field of participatory and grounded theory research and offers new concept for researchers engaging in critical inquiry.
Pedagogical portraits: re-negotiating the first year preservice teacher experience
Authors: Cacciattolo Marcelle , Gilmore Gwen
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate those teaching and learning factors that either hindered or encouraged preservice teacher participants to succeed in their first year of study. The impact of administrative support alongside pedagogical styles that facilitated a sense of engagement for first year preservice teachers is also discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

This research builds on the work of Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot’s use of “portraiture” to “capture the complexity and aesthetic of human experience” (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Hoffmann Davis, 1997, p. 4). The use of portraits as a tool for creating a first year student narrative, rich in its canvas of human emotions, is central to the work that follows. Qualitative data that were gathered in this research project are presented.

Findings

The portraiture methodology in this paper enabled the researchers to capture a sense of belonging for first year university students that involved more than procedural matters, orientation events and attendance at information sessions.

Practical implications

These portraits draw wider attention to transition and retention matters beyond considerations of “who our students are” and illustrate how engagement and belonging are enhanced by how these students are engaged by skilful and knowledgeable tutors and group work and collegial approaches to the course.

Originality/value

Portraiture methodology enabled a more nuanced form of viewing “belonging” and “engagement” of these preservice teachers through more personalised forms of engagement with tutors, the development of groups and the practicum placement.
Effects of fragmentation, cadmium, and nutrients on the growth of a wetland invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides
Authors: Zhang Rui , Chen Zhi‐Huan , Lyu Wen‐Yue , Hu Yu‐Fei , Yang Jia‐Xin , Xin Jun‐Cai , Wang Xiao‐Gai , Si Chao
Published: March 2023

Fragmentation caused by disturbance is frequent in wetlands and usually co‐occurs with increases in cadmium and nutrient availability. However, whether fragmentation can interact with nutrients and heavy metals to affect wetland invasive plants has been little studied. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to test the effects of fragmentation (initial fragment was non‐severed, was severed into two fragments, and three fragments), cadmium (low, medium, and high), and nutrient availability level (high and low) on the growth of a widespread, invasive clonal plant Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. Clonal fragmentation reduced the total mass, stolon mass, root mass, and total stolon length of A. philoxeroides and altered the biomass allocation. Increases in cadmium adversely affected the growth of A. philoxeroides. The high level of cadmium increased leaf mass ratio but decreased stolon mass ratio. Response of leaf mass ratio to fragmentation varied at different cadmium or nutrient availability levels. Fragmentation, cadmium, and nutrients had a significant interaction on leaf mass ratio. Our results suggest that fragmentation can adversely affect the growth of A. philoxeroides. The adverse effect of fragmentation was greater at high nutrient levels and high cadmium levels (0.4 and 2 mg L−1).
‘ALL EYES ON ME’: The (In)Formal Barriers to Market Trade in Europe
Authors: Jónsson Gunvor , Lindmäe Maria , Menet Joanna , Van Eck Emil
Published: March 2023

Studies of marketplaces in the global North have often conceptualized markets as important public spaces of social encounter and conviviality where visitors, regardless of race, age, class or gender, feel they have an equal right to be. Yet comparatively little has been written about how inclusive European marketplaces are for the traders who (want to) work there. In this article we argue that the common conception of marketplaces as accessible to everyone, and as vehicles of socioeconomic mobility, is oversimplistic and romanticized. We draw on empirical data from marketplaces in four European countries to focus on the more or less informal ways in which markets are regulated by managers and traders themselves, and on the exclusionary and inclusionary effects of this process that may ultimately determine traders’ access to and success in these markets. This article not only challenges dominant conceptions of marketplaces as accessible and inclusive, but also addresses prevalent stereotypes about economic practices in the global North and assumptions about the ways in which these differ from practices in the global South.
Enhanced insulin‐regulated phagocytic activities support extreme health span and longevity in multiple populations
Authors: Wu Deng , Bi Xiaoman , Li Peihu , Xu Dahua , Qiu Jianmin , Li Kongning , Zheng Shaojiang , Chow Kim Hei‐Man
Published: March 2023

The immune system plays a central role in many processes of age‐related disorders and it remains unclear if the innate immune system may play roles in shaping extreme longevity. By an integrated analysis with multiple bulk and single cell transcriptomic, so as DNA methylomic datasets of white blood cells, a previously unappreciated yet commonly activated status of the innate monocyte phagocytic activities is identified. Detailed analyses revealed that the life cycle of these monocytes is enhanced and primed to a M2‐like macrophage phenotype. Functional characterization unexpectedly revealed an insulin‐driven immunometabolic network which supports multiple aspects of phagocytosis. Such reprogramming is associated to a skewed trend of DNA demethylation at the promoter regions of multiple phagocytic genes, so as a direct transcriptional effect induced by nuclear‐localized insulin receptor. Together, these highlighted that preservation of insulin sensitivity is a key to healthy lifespan and extended longevity, via boosting the function of innate immune system in advanced ages.
Oxidative stress impairs the Nur77‐Sirt1 axis resulting in a decline in organism homeostasis during aging
Authors: Yu Yang , Song Xiaoyu , Wang Xiaoxun , Zheng Lixia , Ma Guojing , Liu Weiwei , Su Han , Liu Xiyan , Liu Tingting , Cao Liu , Wang Difei
Published: March 2023

Sirt1 is an NAD+‐dependent deacetylase that protects against premature aging and cell senescence. Aging accompanied by oxidative stress leads to a decrease in Sirt1 levels and activity, but the regulatory mechanism that connects these events remains unclear. Here, we reported that Nur77, which shares similar biological pathways with Sirt1, was also decreased with age in multiple organs. Our in vivo and in vitro results revealed that Nur77 and Sirt1 decreased during aging and oxidative stress‐induced cell senescence. Deletion of Nr4a1 shortened the lifespan and accelerated the aging process in multiple mouse tissues. Overexpression of Nr4a1 protected the Sirt1 protein from proteasomal degradation through negative transcriptional regulation of the E3 ligase MDM2. Our results showed that Nur77 deficiency markedly aggravated aging‐related nephropathy and elucidated a key role for Nur77 in the stabilization of Sirt1 homeostasis during renal aging. We proposed a model wherein a reduction of Nur77 in response to oxidative stress promotes Sirt1 protein degradation through MDM2, which triggers cell senescence. This creates additional oxidative stress and provides positive feedback for premature aging by further decreasing Nur77 expression. Our findings reveal the mechanism by which oxidative stress reduces Sirt1 expression during aging and offers an attractive therapeutic strategy for targeting aging and homeostasis in organisms.
Comparison of four ballistic and thrusting target materials: An experimental and Bayesian approach using static testing of stone and steel arrow tips
Authors: Mullen Damon , Sitton Jase , Story Brett , Buchanan Briggs , Walker Robert S. , Eren Metin I. , Bebber Michelle R.
Published: March 2023

Researchers use a variety of target materials, and sometimes combinations of materials, in their archaeological experiments to examine thrust‐spear or projectile penetration, impact angle, durability, and other issues involving prehistoric hunting weaponry. This variety of target materials is beneficial to archaeological science in several ways, but it may also hinder the comparison of results because many of these target materials do not necessarily share similar physical properties. Here, we assess the penetration properties of four different target materials—store‐bought meat, clay, and two types of gelatin—via static penetration tests of a modern broadhead‐tipped arrow and a stone‐tipped projectile attached to an Instron Universal Materials Tester. Our analyses of load‐deflection curves, peak load, and work energy demonstrate how the four target materials are similar in some ways but different in others, which suggests that researchers may strategically employ one or several depending on the question asked or hypothesis tested.
Regional and sectorial impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Sergipe, Brazil
Authors: Ribeiro Luiz Carlos De Santana , Laudenor Morais Correia De Melo Assunção , Gama Luiz Carlos Day , Ferreira Neto Amir B.
Published: March 2023

This paper aims at estimating the regional and sectoral impacts of the Covid‐19 pandemic in the state of Sergipe, Brazil in 2020. We use an input‐output model with partial hypothetical extraction. The main results suggest a significant reduction in economic activity in the state, particularly in the Transport and Industry sectors. On the other hand, the Real estate and Food and Accommodation sectors have a greater capacity for recovery with the introduction of an emergency aid program. The municipalities with the largest absolute impact on gross domestic product are Aracaju, Canindé de São Francisco and Nossa Senhora do Socorro, two of them located in the metropolitan area of Aracaju.
Physicochemical properties, antigenicity and allergenicity of yoghurt fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AHQ‐14 combined with starter
Authors: Song Ying , Li Siyi , Zhang Rui , Tuo Yanfeng , Li Xinling , Mu Guangqing , Jiang Shujuan
Published: March 2023

Cow milk proteins is one of the major food allergens, and some probiotics can abate allergenicity to some extent. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AHQ‐14 isolated from the traditional dairy products in Xinjiang Province, China, has good ability to reduce the allergenicity of β‐lactoglobulin (LG) and good probiotic properties. In the presented study, L. plantarum AHQ‐14 was used to replace half of the commercial yoghurt starter to ferment yoghurt, and the effects of L. plantarum AHQ‐14 fortification on microstructure, textural and rheological attributes of yoghurt were investigated. In addition, milk protein hydrolysis, antigenicity and allergenicity of yoghurts during 28 days of cold storage were detected. The results indicated that AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 fermentation could enhance the texture and rheological properties of yoghurt by reducing the syneresis (37%) and firmness (14%) and improving the cohesiveness by 50%. In addition, AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 fermentation can shorten the fermentation time by about 30 min, SDS‐PAGE displayed that AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 fermentation had stronger hydrolysis of whey protein compared with YC‐X11 yoghurt. Additionally, the fermentation by L. plantarum AHQ‐14 and YC‐X11 could significantly reduce the antigenicity and IgE‐binding ability of skim milk by 82% and 94%, respectively, thus reducing milk‐allergic reactions in patients significantly.
Students' expectations of Learning Analytics across Europe
Authors: Wollny Sebastian , Di Mitri Daniele , Jivet Ioana , Muñoz‐Merino Pedro , Scheffel Maren , Schneider Jan , Tsai Yi‐Shan , Whitelock‐Wainwright Alexander , Gašević Dragan , Drachsler Hendrik
Published: March 2023

Background

Learning Analytics (LA) is an emerging field concerned with measuring, collecting, and analysing data about learners and their contexts to gain insights into learning processes. As the technology of Learning Analytics is evolving, many systems are being implemented. In this context, it is essential to understand stakeholders' expectations of LA across Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for large‐scale implementations that take their needs into account.

Objectives

This study aims to contribute to knowledge about individual LA expectations of European higher education students. It may facilitate the strategy of stakeholder buy‐in, the transfer of LA insights across HEIs, and the development of international best practices and guidelines.

Methods

To this end, the study employs a ‘Student Expectations of Learning Analytics Questionnaire’ (SELAQ) survey of 417 students at the Goethe University Frankfurt (Germany) Based on this data, Multiple Linear Regressions are applied to determine how these students position themselves compared to students from Madrid (Spain), Edinburgh (United Kingdom) and the Netherlands, where SELAQ had already been implemented at HEIs.

Results and Conclusions

The results show that students' expectations at Goethe University Frankfurt are rather homogeneous regarding ‘LA Ethics and Privacy’ and ‘LA Service Features’. Furthermore, we found that European students generally show a consistent pattern of expectations of LA with a high degree of similarity across the HEIs examined. European HEIs face challenges more similar than anticipated. The HEI experience with implementing LA can be more easily transferred to other HEIs, suggesting standardized LA rather than tailor‐made solutions designed from scratch.
Vonoprazan poses no additional risk of developing Clostridioides difficile infection compared to proton pump inhibitors
Authors: Saruta Yohei , Watanabe Kenta , Tsuji Tsuyotoshi , Takahashi Yasutaka , Matsuzawa Hisanori , Yoshida Tatsuki , Takahashi So , Shimodaira Yosuke , Matsuhashi Tamotsu , Iijima Katsunori
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim

The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has been repeatedly reported as a trigger of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), a leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea. However, only a few studies have reported on the association between vonoprazan, a novel potassium‐competitive acid blocker providing potent acid suppression, and CDI, with no studies having been conducted in a clinical setting. We therefore evaluated the association between various classes of acid suppressants and CDI with special attention paid to differences in the magnitudes of association between PPIs and vonoprazan.

Methods

A retrospective hospital‐based cohort from a secondary‐care hospital in Japan (n = 25 821) was collected, wherein eligible CDI cases were defined as hospital‐onset cases (n = 91). A multivariable adjusted logistic regression analysis for the entire cohort and propensity analyses for subgroups consisting of PPI and/or vonoprazan users at various doses (n = 10 306) were performed.

Results

The overall CDI incidence rate was 1.42/10 000 patient‐days, which was comparable with previous reports. A multivariable analysis showed that both PPIs and vonoprazan were positively associated with CDI (odds ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 3.15 [1.67–5.96] and 2.63 [1.01–6.88], respectively). In addition, matched subgroup analyses showed that PPIs and vonoprazan had equivalent magnitudes of association with CDI.

Conclusions

We found that both PPIs and vonoprazan were associated with CDI, and the magnitude of the association was comparable. Because vonoprazan is widely available in Asian countries, further studies on the association of its usage with CDI are warranted.
A nationwide study of liver disease hospitalizations during the coronavirus pandemic in the United States
Authors: Sedarous Mary , Youssef Michael , Adekunle Ayooluwatomiwa Deborah , Babajide Oyedotun , Mahmud Muftah , Rubens Muni , Okafor Philip N.
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim

The impact of the Coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on patients with liver disease is not well described at the population level in the United States. We used the largest, nationwide inpatient dataset to describe inpatient liver disease outcomes in the United States during the first year of the pandemic (2020) using 2018 and 2019 as comparator years.

Methods

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2018–2020), we explored year‐to‐year and 2020 month‐to‐month trends in hospitalizations, length of stay, and inpatient mortality for liver‐related complications including cirrhosis, alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD) and alcoholic hepatitis using regression modeling. We reported relative change (RC) in the study period.

Results

Decompensated cirrhosis hospitalizations decreased in 2020 compared with 2019 (RC: −2.7%, P < 0.001) while all‐cause mortality increased by 15.5% (P < 0.001). Hospitalizations for ALD increased compared with pre‐pandemic years (RC: 9.2%, P < 0.001) with a corresponding increase in mortality in 2020 (RC 25.2%, P = 0.002). We observed an increase in liver transplant surgery mortality during the peak months of the pandemic. Importantly, mortality from COVID‐19 was higher among patients with decompensated cirrhosis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.53–1.94]), Native Americans (OR 1.76, 95% CI [1.53–2.02]), and patients from lower socioeconomic groups.

Conclusions

Cirrhosis hospitalizations decreased in 2020 compared with pre‐pandemic years but were associated with higher all‐cause mortality rates particularly in the peak months of the COVID‐19 pandemic. In‐hospital COVID‐19 mortality was higher among Native Americans, patients with decompensated cirrhosis, chronic illnesses, and those from lower socioeconomic groups.
Functional status and therapy for older adults with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma in nursing homes: A population‐based study
Authors: Di Mengyang , Keeney Tamra , Belanger Emmanuelle , Huntington Scott F. , Olszewski Adam J. , Panagiotou Orestis A.
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To characterize the prevalence of functional and cognitive impairments, and associations between impairments and treatment among older patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving nursing home (NH) care.

Methods

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results‐Medicare database to identify beneficiaries diagnosed with DLBCL 2011–2015 who received care in a NH within −120 ~ +30 days of diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare receipt of chemoimmunotherapy (including multi‐agent, anthracycline‐containing regimens), 30‐day mortality, and hospitalization between NH and community‐dwelling patients, estimating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). We also examined overall survival (OS). Among NH patients, we examined receipt of chemoimmunotherapy based on functional and cognitive impairment.

Results

Of the eligible 649 NH patients (median age: 82 years), 45% received chemoimmunotherapy; among the recipients, 47% received multi‐agent, anthracycline‐containing regimens. Compared with community‐dwelling patients, those in a NH were less likely to receive chemoimmunotherapy (OR: 0.34, 95%CI: 0.29–0.41), had higher 30‐day mortality (OR: 2.00, 95%CI: 1.43–2.78) and hospitalization (OR: 1.51, 95%CI: 1.18–1.93), and poorer OS (hazard ratio: 1.36, 95%CI: 1.11–1.65). NH patients with severe functional (61%) or any cognitive impairment (48%) were less likely to receive chemoimmunotherapy.

Conclusions

High rates of functional and cognitive impairment and low rates of chemoimmunotherapy were observed among NH residents diagnosed with DLBCL. Further research is needed to better understand the potential role of novel and alternative treatment strategies and patient preferences for treatment to optimize clinical care and outcomes in this high‐risk population.
Data‐driven classification of health status of older adults with diabetes: The diabetes and aging study
Authors: Huang Elbert S. , Liu Jennifer Y. , Lipska Kasia J. , Grant Richard W. , Laiteerapong Neda , Moffet Howard H. , Schumm L. Philip , Karter Andrew J.
Published: March 2023

Background

We set out to identify empirically‐derived health status classes of older adults with diabetes based on clusters of comorbid conditions which are associated with future complications.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study among 105,786 older (≥65 years of age) adults with type 2 diabetes enrolled in an integrated healthcare delivery system. We used latent class analysis of 19 baseline comorbidities to derive health status classes and then compared incident complication rates (events per 100 person‐years) by health status class during 5 years of follow‐up. Complications included infections, hyperglycemic events, hypoglycemic events, microvascular events, cardiovascular events, and all‐cause mortality.

Results

Three health status classes were identified: Class 1 (58% of the cohort) had the lowest prevalence of most baseline comorbidities, Class 2 (22%) had the highest prevalence of obesity, arthritis, and depression, and Class 3 (20%) had the highest prevalence of cardiovascular conditions. The risk for incident complications was highest for Class 3, intermediate for Class 2 and lowest for Class 1. For example, the age, sex and race‐adjusted rates for cardiovascular events (per 100 person‐years) for Class 3, Class 2 and Class 1 were 6.5, 2.3, and 1.6, respectively; 2.1, 1.2, 0.7 for hypoglycemia; and 8.0, 3.8, and 2.3 for mortality.

Conclusions

Three health status classes of older adults with diabetes were identified based on prevalent comorbidities and were associated with marked differences in risk of complications. These health status classes can inform population health management and guide the individualization of diabetes care.
Racial/ethnic disparities in preventive dental services use and dental caries among children
Authors: Luo Huabin , Moss Mark E. , Wright Wanda , Webb Michael , Pardi Vanessa , Lazorick Suzanne
Published: March 2023

Objective

To assess disparities in preventive dental service use in four major racial/ethnic groups and assess whether racial/ethnic and income‐related disparities among children were reduced from 2016 to 2020.

Methods

Data were from the 2016 and 2020 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). The outcomes of interest were having dental sealants, fluoride treatment, and dental caries in the past 12 months. Racial/ethnic groups included non‐Hispanic (NH) whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and others. Family income level was categorized as below or above the 200% federal poverty level (low‐income vs. high‐income). Children ages 2–17 were included (N = 161,539). All data were self‐reported by parents/guardians. We estimated the trends of racial/ethnic disparities in having fluoride treatment, dental sealants, and dental caries from 2016 to 2020 and tested two 2‐way interactions (i.e., year by race/ethnicity, year by income) and one 3‐way interaction (year by income by race/ethnicity) to assess the change in disparities from 2016 to 2020.

Results

Overall, no significant trends in receipt of fluoride treatment, dental sealants, or having dental caries were found from 2016 to 2020 among the racial/ethnic groups, except for a decreasing trend in dental sealants for Asian American children (p = 0.03). Overall, NH white children were more likely to have received preventive dental services than children from minority groups (all p < 0.05); Asian American children (AOR = 1.31) were more likely to have dental caries than NH white children.

Conclusion

Disparities in receipt of evidence‐based preventive services by children persisted. Continuous efforts are needed to promote the use of preventive dental services among children of minority populations.
Context‐aware trajectory prediction for autonomous driving in heterogeneous environments
Authors: Li Zhenning , Chen Zhiwei , Li Yunjian , Xu Chengzhong
Published: March 2023

The prediction of surrounding agent trajectories in heterogeneous traffic environments remains a challenging task for autonomous driving due to several critical issues, such as understanding social interactions among agents and the environment, handling multiclass traffic movements, and generating feasible trajectories in accordance with real‐world rules, all of which hinder prediction accuracy. To address these issues, a new multimodal trajectory prediction framework based on the transformer network is presented in this study. A hierarchical‐structured context‐aware module, inspired by human perceptual logic, is proposed to capture contextual information within the scene. An efficient linear global attention mechanism is also proposed to reduce the computation and memory load of the transformer framework. Additionally, this study introduces a novel auxiliary loss to penalize infeasible off‐road predictions. Empirical results on the Lyft l5kit data set demonstrate the state‐of‐the‐art performance of the proposed model, which substantially enhances the accuracy and feasibility of prediction outcomes. The proposed model also possesses a unique feature, effectively dealing with missing input observations. This study underscores the importance of comprehending social interactions among agents and the environment, handling multiclass traffic movements, and generating feasible trajectories adhering to real‐world rules in autonomous driving.
Clinical features and outcomes of calciphylaxis in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Jiao Yongyi , Sun Li , Xie Xiaotong , Liu Hong , Zhao Yu , Ni Haifeng , Zhang Xiaoliang
Published: March 2023

Aim

Calciphylaxis is a rare disease, predominantly in chronic kidney disease (CKD), characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Data from the Chinese population have been an invaluable resource for a better understanding of natural history, optimal treatments and outcomes of calciphylaxis.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted in 51 Chinese patients diagnosed with calciphylaxis at Zhong Da Hospital affiliated to Southeast University from December 2015 to September 2020.

Results

Between 2015 and 2020, 51 cases of calciphylaxis were registered in The China Calciphylaxis Registry (http://www.calciphylaxis.com.cn), which was developed by Zhong Da Hospital. The mean age of the cohort was 52.02 ± 14.09 years, and 37.3% were female. Forty‐three patients (84.3%) were on haemodialysis, with a median dialysis vintage of 88 months. Eighteen patients (35.3%) had a resolution of calciphylaxis and 20 patients (39.2%) died. Patients in later stages had higher overall mortality than those in earlier stages. Delay from skin lesions onset to diagnosis and calciphylaxis‐related infections were risk factors in both early and overall mortality. Additionally, dialysis vintage and infections were significant risk factors in calciphylaxis‐specific mortality. Among therapeutic strategies, only the use of sodium thiosulfate (STS) ≥3 courses (14 injections) was significantly associated with decreased hazard of death in both early and overall mortality.

Conclusion

For Chinese patients with calciphylaxis, delay from skin lesions onset to diagnosis and infections secondary to wounds are risk factors for the prognosis of patients with calciphylaxis. Additionally, patients in earlier stages have better survival and early continuous use of STS is highly suggested.