bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taylorism, trade unions and participatory management
Authors: Nyland Chris , Bruce Kyle
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate that in the latter years of his life, Frederick Winslow Taylor embraced union participation in management decision-making and that interwar US Taylor Society members and organized labor extended his support for this endeavor.

Design/methodology/approach

This study engages with primary materials not previously present in the management history literature and secondary works generated by researchers in disciplines commonly ignored by management scholars.

Findings

This study contests the claim that the scientific managers reached out to unions only after Taylor’s death and demonstrates Taylor welcomed union participation in the management of enterprises, held it was necessary to “show” and not merely “tell” unions that scientific management could be “good” for them, that his inner circle and organized labor jointly promoted these propositions within F.D. Roosevelt’s New Deal administration, and that the US union movement was eventually compelled to settle for a form of industrial relations pluralism that limited their participation to bargaining over the conditions of employment and consequently doomed them to a disastrous future.

Practical implications

This study might support trade unionists develop strategies that may dampen employer hostility and thus revitalize the labor movement and assist management studies rediscover insights that once enabled the discipline to evolve beyond the enterprise. The latter is necessary for this study to live in an age when an increasing number of liberal market economies are characterized by austerity and retrenchment.

Originality/value

This study provides new evidence that demonstrates that Frederick Taylor embraced union participation in enterprise management and also that Taylor Society members actually made a significant contribution to Roosevelt’s New Deal labor policies.
Four distinct approaches of effective learning functions
Authors: Tucker Elissa
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of APQC's Current State of Learning and Development survey was to understand how organizations are approaching learning and development (L&D) today.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 300 L&D function leaders responded to the survey. Respondents represent organizations from across the globe and across industries, and of varied sizes in terms of revenue and headcount. The survey asked about attributes that APQC hypothesized would be associated with L&D function effectiveness given current business challenges.

Findings

Analysis of the survey results revealed that the most effective L&D functions, based on these attributes, set themselves apart with their learning cultures, knowledge management practices, use of learning technology and measurement of learning. Further analysis confirmed the hypothesis, showing these approaches are associated with positive learning outcomes such as shorter time to productivity for new hires, improvements in employee performance ratings and more internal transfers/hires.

Originality/value

The survey findings provide insight into four enablers of L&D function effectiveness today. L&D professionals can use these approaches to more effectively meet the latest learning needs within their organizations.
The salient stakeholders of industrial downsizing: the contribution of boundary object and systemic shock
Authors: Ferrary Michel
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The identification of salient stakeholders remains an issue in stakeholder theory (ST). The articulation of ST with the concepts of boundary object and systemic shock contributes to tackle this point. A boundary object is the “stake” that aggregates a stable network of interdependent actors “holding” interest in it. They compromise to satisfy their interests and collectively reach an equilibrium.

Design/methodology/approach

In a deductive approach, to illustrate the conceptual framework, empirical evidence is provided by an in-depth case study based on semi-directive interviews and the secondary data (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 2017) of an industrial downsizing that included massive dismissals and involves a multi-stakeholder network. I use a temporal bracketing methodology (Langley et al., 2013) to analyze the dynamic process of interactions between stakeholders. The evolution of interactions is analyzed before the public announcement, during the implementation of the downsizing, and after the closure. The case is Gamma-Alpha (GA), a large German pharmaceutical company, that decided to cut 1250 positions in its Geneva entity and to close the office.

Findings

This research contributes to the understanding of employment relationships through the lenses of ST. A managerial decision affecting a boundary object involving workers could lead to a systemic shock inducing network change that would require attention from managers in order to successfully implement their decision. It also highlights how and when stakeholders (employees, trade-unions, government, etc.) have more opportunities to influence firm behavior.

Originality/value

Our main contribution comes from enriching the literature on stakeholder theory with the concepts of boundary object and systemic shock, which results in a crucial conceptual advance: stakeholder saliency is not an intrinsic characteristic but depends on the boundary object that connects the stakeholder’s interests with those of the firm. Moreover, defining a systemic shock affecting the boundary object characterizes the event that triggers interactions between stakeholders and the dynamic evolution of the network.
Theme park reviews: how text mining cognitive characteristics and emotions can determine theme park image
Authors: Liu Yufei , Li Yunpeng , Ma Shihan (David) , Li Jingjing
Published: January 2025

Graphical abstract

Purpose

The theme park industry has attracted wide attention and visitors’ perceptions are key to improving theme park management. Applying the cognitive-affective theory, this study aims to explore various cognitive attributes and affective attitudes and how they affect the overall theme park image.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed research method was used to analyze tourists’ cognitive, affective and overall evaluations of theme parks through text mining and logistic regression and to verify their internal relationships.

Findings

Study 1 confirms the impact of six features of theme parks, including food and beverage consumption, merchandising, spatiality, immersive technologies, interactive performances and thematization. Study 2 reveals that finer-grained emotions such as goodness, sadness, disgust, surprise, fear, joy and anger are present in visitor reviews. Study 3 confirms the significant influence of cognitive characteristics and emotions related to theme parks on the overall image through regression analysis. The findings carry meaningful implications for theme park managers, offering guidance on customer needs, perceived negative attributes and how to improve visitor experiences.

Originality/value

This study explores the attribute characteristics of cognitive and affective images of theme parks and their influence on the overall image, thereby enriching the research on the connotations of cognitive-affective theory. In particular, this study introduces and quantitatively analyses the concept of theme parks for the first time through a large-scale data analysis, which empirically reconciles the contradictions of previous reviews of different definitions of theme parks.
Population viability of the orchid Gymnadenia conopsea increases with population size but is not related to genetic diversity
Authors: Söderquist Linus , Dahlgren Johan P. , Sletvold Nina
Published: January 2025

Population size is a main indicator of conservation potential, thought to predict both current and long‐term population viability. However, few studies have directly examined the links between the size and the genetic and demographic properties of populations, using metrics that integrate effects across the whole life cycle.

In this study, we combined 6 years of demographic data with SNP‐based estimates of genetic diversity from 18 Swedish populations of the orchid Gymnadenia conopsea. We assessed whether stochastic growth rate increases with population size and genetic diversity, and used stochastic life table response experiment (SLTRE) analysis to evaluate how underlying vital rates contribute to among‐population variation in growth rate. For each population, we also estimated the probability of quasi‐extinction (shrinking below a threshold size) and of a severe (90%) decline in population size, within the next 30 years.

Estimates of stochastic growth rate indicated that 10 populations are declining, seven increasing and one population is approximately stable. SLTRE decomposition showed that low mean adult survival and growth characterized strongly declining populations, whereas high mean fecundity characterized strongly increasing populations.

Stochastic growth rate increased with population size, mainly due to higher survival in larger populations, but was not related to genetic diversity. One third of the populations were predicted to go extinct and eight populations to undergo a 90% decrease in population size in the coming 30 years. Low survival in small populations most likely reflects a positive association between local environmental conditions and population size.

Synthesis: The association between G. conopsea population size and viability was driven by variation in survival, and there was no sign that ongoing declines are due to genetic erosion. This suggests that large populations occur in favourable habitats that buffer effects of climatic variation. The results also illustrate that demographic metrics can be more informative than genetic metrics, regarding conservation priority.
The effects of community land trusts on neighborhood outcomes
Authors: Ali Omer , Raviola Sarah
Published: January 2025

We examine the spillover effects of community land trusts (CLTs) on nearby house prices and demographic composition. CLTs are nonprofits that promote affordable home‐ownership by holding the land in trust and selling the dwellings to income‐eligible households. We build a new data set of property acquisitions from 15 major CLTs, combined with data on housing transactions, demographics, and migration histories over the period 2000–2016. Results show that acquisitions stabilize or increase nearby home prices, even as broader neighborhood prices decline, with no detectable effect on resident displacement. Our findings suggest that CLTs can play a role in stabilizing neighborhoods with declining property values.
Genetic Mediators of Celiac Disease and Premature Ovarian Failure: Hypothyroidism and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Hou Yuxi , Song Weihong , Wei Guoguo , Mo Yuanhang , Zhang Manna , Chen Xiaohu , Cao Chunge , Yue Chaoyan , Shao Xiaowen
Published: January 2025

Background

Observational studies suggested celiac disease (CD) possibly be a risk factor for premature ovarian failure (POF). However, causality remains unclear. And hypothyroidism and systemic lupus erythematosus may be the mediating factors.

Methods

We performed 2‐sample Mendelian randomization (2SMR) to infer a causal relationship between CD and POF using genome‐wide association study summary data obtained from IEU OpenGWAS database and FinnGen R12 database. Inverse‐variance weighted method was used as the main analysis of MR. Heterogeneity was measured based on Cochran's Q value. We used the Two‐Step MR to analyze whether hypothyroidism and SLE are mediators of the causal relationship between CD and POF. Summary level data of the hypothyroidism and SLE were obtained from IEU OpenGWAS.

Results

Genetically predicted CD may increase the risk of POF by 16% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06–1.26, p = 0.001). Hypothyroidism and SLE could mediate 13.46% and 26.36% of the association between CD and POF, respectively (p = 0.038, p = 0.025).

Conclusions

Our study revealed that CD has a positive contribution effect on POF. CD can elevate the risk of POF by 16%. Besides, hypothyroidism and SLE played a partial mediating role in the causal relationship between the two.
Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy‐Directed Tongue Surgery to Treat Persistent Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Kenneth Sims R. , Leeds Alexander , Johnson Grace , Davide Anna , Camacho Macario
Published: January 2025

Objective

To systematically review the literature for articles evaluating outcomes of drug‐induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) directed tongue surgery in children with prior adenotonsillectomy and persistent or recurrent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to perform a meta‐analysis on the polysomnographic (PSG) data.

Design

Systematic review and metanalysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) statement guidelines.

Outcome Measures

Primary, post‐operative apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest oxygen saturation (LSAT); Secondary, surgical response rate.

Results

Seven studies (283 patients) met criteria and reported PSG outcome data for the systematic review. The mean ± standard deviation surgical response rate was 70.0% ± 17.0% [95% CI 67.6, 71.6]. Six of the seven studies (270 patients) reported specific pre‐ and post‐operative PSG data included in our meta‐analysis. The pre‐ and post‐operative AHI decreased from 9.5 ± 12.1 to 4.2 ± 6.9 events/h (p < 0.04) with a mean difference (MD) of −5.13 [95% CI ‐7.13, −3.13], Z‐score 5.02 (p < 0.00001). LSAT improved from 87.8 ± 5.7 to 90.1% ± 5.1% (p < 0.02) with a MD of 2.71 [95% CI 1.53, 3.89], Z‐score 4.51 (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Existing literature demonstrates DISE‐directed tongue surgery in children with persistent OSA can reduce AHI by approximately 50%, improve LSAT by nearly 3%, and have an overall positive response to surgery rate of 70%. There is collective evidence that DISE‐directed tongue surgery is effective; limitations include heterogeneity in reported outcomes influenced by confounding factors.
Striving for early effective glycaemic and weight management in type 2 diabetes: A narrative review
Authors: Cheng Alice Y. Y. , Heine Robert J. , Del Prato Stefano , Green Jennifer B. , Thieu Vivian Thuyanh , Zeytinoglu Meltem
Published: January 2025

Despite the recognition by key guidelines that achieving early glycaemic control has important benefits in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and that addressing excess adiposity is one of the central components of comprehensive person‐centred T2D care, a substantial proportion of individuals with T2D do not meet their metabolic treatment goals. Prior treatment paradigms were limited by important treatment‐associated risks such as hypoglycaemia and body weight gain. Therefore, a more conservative, sequential approach to treatment was typically utilized. One potential consequence of this approach has been a missed opportunity to achieve a ‘legacy effect’, where early treatment to reach glycaemic targets is associated with enduring long‐term benefits in T2D. Additionally, while previous treatment approaches have addressed core defects in T2D, including insulin resistance and β‐cell function decline, they have been unable to address one of the underlying causal abnormalities—excess adiposity. Here, we review currently available evidence for the beneficial long‐term effects of early glycaemic control and management of body weight in people with T2D and discuss potential next steps.
Evaluation of Right and Left Ventricular Deformation Analysis in İdiopathic Right Bundle Branch Block by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography
Authors: Seçkin Göbüt Özden , Sezenöz Burak , Küçükbardaslı Muhammet , Yamak Betül Ayça , Ünlü Serkan
Published: January 2025

Background

Idiopathic right bundle branch block (RBBB) is often seen as harmless and common. However, many studies show it might be linked to negative health outcomes. So, it is crucial to fully understand how RBBB affects the heart's ventricles.

Objectives

This study aims to examine the right and left ventricular systolic functions in patients with idiopathic RBBB and compare them to those in a healthy control group.

Material and Methods

Echocardiographic images were obtained from patients with idiopathic RBBB and healthy control participants. Conventional echocardiographic parameters were measured. Two‐dimensional (2D) speckle tracking strain analysis was used to assess deformation indices.

Results

Thirty‐nine patients with idiopathic RBBB and 35 healthy participants were included in the study. There were no significant differences in the chamber dimensions of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) between the groups. LV ejection fraction (EF), RV fractional area change (FAC), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) measurements were similar between the groups. LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) (−25.5 ± 5.7% vs. −22.1 ± 4.2%, p < 0.05), RV GLS (−26.9 ± 4.6% vs. −24.0 ± 4.4%, p < 0.05), and interventricular septum longitudinal strain (IVS LS) (−24.3 ± 4.9% vs. −19.1 ± 4.2%, p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in patients with idiopathic RBBB compared to controls, indicating impaired myocardial shortening. Significant differences were also observed in LV (15 [5–30] vs. 30 [20–60], p < 0.05) and RV (18 [7–35] vs. 36 [24–80], p < 0.05) mechanical dispersion, with the differences being more pronounced for the RV between the groups. LV torsion (2.1 ± 0.6 vs. 1.6 ± 0.5, p < 0.05) was also worse in patients with idiopathic RBBB.

Conclusion

Our findings show that idiopathic RBBB significantly affects the longitudinal strain and synchronization of both the LV and RV.
Morphospace disparity and species diversity in Sri Lankan phytophagous scarab beetles—A comparison by forest types, altitude and sites
Authors: Ranasinghe U. G. Sasanka L. , Eberle Jonas , Benjamin Suresh P. , Scherber Christoph , Ahrens Dirk
Published: January 2025

Species diversity and morphological disparity are often linked, especially in lineages with evolutionary success. For invertebrates, their relation is poorly investigated, particularly under various ecochorological scales.

Here, we explore thirteen assemblages of phytophagous scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Sri Lanka and infer patterns of morphospace and species diversity along forest types, elevation zones and sampling sites. Disparity of body size and shape was analysed based on 20 linear measurements, considering separately three major lineages: the entire assemblage and their two sister subclades, Sericini and Pleurosticts excluding Sericini.

Diversity and disparity were investigated in three sets of landscape partitioning, from regional to local scale: forest type, elevation zone and locality.

Results showed divergent patterns of lineages at different geographical scales. Morphospace divergence and occupancy exhibited two distinct patterns. For the entire assemblage and Pleurosticts excluding Sericini, the morphospace volume expressed by median centroid size decreased with increasing altitude. In contrast, Sericini demonstrated a more confined morphospace across different forest types and elevation zones. However, similar patterns were not found for the Shannon diversity. Disparity of morphological shape was significantly correlated with species diversity in all three chorological categories only for the entire assemblage, while in Sericini this correlation was recovered only at locality‐scale. Our results indicate that small changes in diversity are linked to small alterations in disparity, although significant shifts in diversity do not necessarily correspond to substantial disparity change.

Future research exploring the genealogical aspect of morphospace divergence should incorporate a phylogenetic framework, especially when comparing different systematic levels.
A Probabilistic View of Forbidden Links: Their Prevalence and Their Consequences for the Robustness of Plant–Hummingbird Communities
Authors: Duchenne François , Barreto Elisa , Guevara Esteban A. , Beck Holger , Bello Carolina , Bobato Rafaela , Bôlla Daniela , Brenes Emanuel , Büttner Nicole , Caron Ana P. , Chaves‐Elizondo Nelson , Gavilanes María J. , Restrepo‐González Alejandro , Castro Jose Alejandro , Kaehler Miriam , Machado‐de‐Souza Tiago , Machnicki‐Reis Miguel , Marcayata Andrés Sebastián F. , de Menezes Cauã G. , Nieto Andrea , de Oliveira Rafael , de Oliveira Ricardo A. C. , Richter Friederike , Rojas Bryan G. , Romanowski Luciele L. , de Souza Wellinton L. , Veluza Danila S. , Weinstein Ben , Wüest Rafael O. , Zanata Thais B. , Zuniga Krystal , Maglianesi María A. , Santander Tatiana , Varassin Isabela G. , Graham Catherine H.
Published: January 2025

The presence in ecological communities of unfeasible species interactions, termed forbidden links, due to physiological or morphological exploitation barriers has been long debated, but little direct evidence has been found. Forbidden links are likely to make ecological communities less robust to species extinctions, stressing the need to assess their prevalence. Here, we used a dataset of plant–hummingbird interactions, coupled with a Bayesian hierarchical model, to assess the importance of exploitation barriers in determining species interactions. We found evidence for exploitation barriers between flowers and hummingbirds across the 32 studied communities; however, the proportion of forbidden links changed drastically among communities because of changes in trait distributions. The higher the proportion of forbidden links, the more they decreased network robustness because of constraints on interaction rewiring. Our results suggest that exploitation barriers are not rare in plant–hummingbird communities and have the potential to limit the rescue of species experiencing partner extinction.
A Novel Polymersome Nanocarrier Promotes Anti‐Tumour Immunity by Improved Priming of CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Dress Regine J. , Ho William W. , Ho Victor , Lam Jian Hang , Décaillot Fabien M. , Sinsinbar Gaurav , Soo Jenetta , Rengasamy Gowshika , Khan Amit Kumar , Cornell Thomas Andrew , Chia Teck Wan , Venkataraman Shrinivas , Nallani Madhavan , Ginhoux Florent
Published: January 2025

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, in addition to standard immuno‐ or chemotherapy and surgical approaches, have massively improved the outcome for cancer patients. However, these therapies have their limitations and improved strategies, including access to reliable cancer vaccines, are needed. Here, we describe the use of self‐assembling artificial cell membrane (ACM) polymersomes to deliver tumour‐specific peptides to trigger sustainable and efficient anti‐tumour immune responses. We found that ACM polymersomes were highly efficient in targeting and activating mononuclear phagocytes (MNP) including dendritic cells (DC), while providing long‐term reservoirs of antigens for continued immune cell priming. Subcutaneous injection of ACM‐encapsulated tumour‐antigen‐peptides into tumour‐bearing mice resulted in improved priming of CD8+ T cells and increased generation of tumour‐antigen‐peptide specific CD8+ effector T cells. Prophylactic and therapeutic immunisation with ACM‐encapsulated peptides resulted in changes to the MNP composition in the tumour microenvironment, tumour regression and improved survival of immunised mice. Combining anti‐PD‐1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with ACM polymersome peptide delivery further boosted anti‐tumour immunity. Our results show that ACM polymersome nanocarriers efficiently instruct anti‐tumour immune responses offering a promising new approach for vaccination and cancer immunotherapy.

Trial Registration: NCT05385991
Graduate Nurses in Acute Mental Health Settings and Their Viewpoints of Nursing Education to Support Their Transition to Mental Health Nursing: A Q Methodology Study
Authors: Lim Eric , Higham Kezia , Ferraz Kristina , Harban Kathryn , Tate Rebecca , Sewell Amy , Murdock Jane , Delahunty Sharon
Published: January 2025

Graduate nurses are now comprehensively prepared in Australia and have limited mental health knowledge and experiences to work in acute mental health settings. As such, graduate nurses would need the support that they can get from their respective mental health services to progress from novice to advanced beginner. Nursing education is an important support for graduate nurses to develop the knowledge and skills required for them to transition successfully into acute mental health settings. This study explored 12 graduate nurses' experiences with the nursing education of one mental health services in Western Australia. Q methodology was the approach chosen to conduct this study as it is a ‘ready‐to‐use’ mixed method research approach that can enable the researchers to obtain in‐depth and accurate understanding of the researched topic. Data analysis generated four factors which revealed that nursing education needs to: (1) be tailored to the area of speciality for graduate nurses who experience challenges of being accepted by their nursing team; (2) provide advanced specialist mental health training for graduate nurses who have low self‐confidence about their mental health nursing knowledge and skills to practice in acute mental health settings; (3) provide clinical supervision for graduate nurses who experience challenges to apply their mental health knowledge and skills to difficult clinical situations; and (4) change the way mental health education and training are delivered for graduate nurses who feel confident with their mental health knowledge and skills and accepted by their nursing team. The findings of this study highlighted the usefulness of Q methodology in nursing research. The findings of this study can be used by nurse educators to provide more individualised education and training for graduate nurses. Future research will be conducted to test the use of different teaching and learning approaches for the different categories of graduate nurses in acute mental health settings and develop evidence‐based nursing education.
Exploring Students' Perceptions and Experiences of Raising Concerns During Pre‐Registration Training in England: A Systematic Review
Authors: Phillips Charlotte , Smith Hazel Ann , Crisp Elizabeth , Carter Vanda , Donnelly Helene , Ross Al , Bowie Paul , Latham Callum , Jones Sarahjane
Published: January 2025

Aim

To explore the perceptions and experiences of students raising concerns during pre‐registration health and/or social care training in England.

Design

Systematic review.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO and Education Research Complete were systematically searched for studies published between September 2015 and August 2024. Grey literature searches were conducted using Google Scholar and ETHOS British Library. Reference lists from included studies were hand searched.

Methods

Joanna Briggs Institute methodological guidance for the conduct of systematic review informed conduct and the convergent integrated approach. Mixed methods appraisal tool was used for quality appraisal.

Findings

Eleven studies were included. Synthesis of findings generated three themes: (1) conflicting needs of self and others, (2) navigating the professional workspace and, (3) ‘choice to voice’.

Conclusion

Speaking up and raising concerns as a pre‐registration student is a complex, multi‐faceted and non‐linear social phenomenon. Experiences and perceptions are impacted by the novice student position alongside individual, interpersonal and organisational factors. Open cultures within teams and organisations, leadership, support and feedback may enable students overcome barriers to raising concerns.

Impact

Raising concerns may reduce avoidable harm. Pre‐registration students offer a ‘fresh pair of eyes’; however, they face barriers related to their student position. Synthesis of speaking‐up experiences and perceptions of students in English settings can inform the design of learning environments which equip pre‐registration students with the knowledge and skills required to cultivate safety behaviours. These skills contribute positively to safety culture and support learning and improvement in complex systems such as health and social care.

Reporting Method

The review followed PRISMA reporting guidelines.

Patient or Public Contribution

The conceptualisation of this project was informed by engagement events with higher education staff, students and Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
Adaptation and Validation of the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT): A Quantitative Methodological Study
Authors: Huang Yufei , Deng Cunqing , Lin Haiyang , Peng Meifang , Hao Yanping
Published: January 2025

Aims

To translate the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) into Chinese and conduct preliminarily tests of its performance in hospitalized patients with cancer.

Design

A cross‐sectional validation study conducted from January to March 2024.

Methods

SPICT 2022 was translated in both directions, following the Brislin translation model, and the Chinese version culturally debugged through expert consultation and pre‐testing. Content validity was evaluated by expert scoring. Tool internal consistency was evaluated using KR‐20 coefficient, and retest reliability was evaluated using kappa coefficient. The screening performance was evaluated by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV).

Results

Of 388 hospitalized cancer patients included, approximately one‐quarter had potential palliative care needs. Content validity of the Chinese version of SPICT was good, as were internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Accuracy (0.905), sensitivity (0.806), specificity (0.943), PPV (0.845), and NPV (0.926) for the Chinese version of SPICT indicated that it is an acceptable instrument.

Conclusion

The Chinese version of SPICT can be applied for screening of palliative care needs in hospitalized patients with cancer in China.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

The Chinese version of SPICT had been adapted to assist clinicians or nurses in quickly identifying hospitalized patients with cancer who may have palliative care needs. This is conducive to help clinical team to start palliative care consultation, care goal discussion and (or) referral for patients in clinical practice. And it probably helps to advance integration between palliative care assessment and routine oncology care assessment.

Impact

This study provided a screening tool for palliative care, with good validity and reliability, as well as excellent screening performance to facilitate palliative care need screening in clinical practice, promote palliative care referrals and improve patient quality of life.

Reporting Method

This study was reported according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Boswellia Extract Promotes Healing and Resolving Inflammation in Oral Ulcers of Rat
Authors: Zhao Wei , Jia Zhuoqun , Han Jiao , Sun Xiaojun
Published: January 2025

Background

Recurrent aphthous ulcers significantly impact patients' quality of life due to their painful and recurrent nature, necessitating more effective treatments. This study explores the therapeutic potential of Boswellia to treat recurrent aphthous ulcers by its anti‐inflammatory and healing promotion effect in a rat oral ulcer model.

Methods

Network pharmacology techniques were employed to elucidate Boswellia's active components and potential targets. Intersecting targets of Boswellia and oral ulcer‐related genes were screened for protein–protein interaction network analysis and functional enrichment. An oral ulcer model in rats was used and rats were treated with Boswellia extract. The healing process was monitored by measuring the ulcer area and body weight changes. Histological analysis was performed, and the role of Boswellia in macrophage polarization was investigated through gene expression analysis and protein array tests. The underlying mechanism involving PPARγ activation was also explored.

Results

Network pharmacology analysis revealed Boswellia's interaction with key genes and pathways associated with inflammation and lipid metabolism, such as MAPK3, PPARG, and PTGS2. Boswellia extract significantly accelerated oral ulcer healing and recovered weight loss in rats. Histological examinations revealed reduced tissue swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration in treated groups. Furthermore, Boswellia extract decreased infiltration of M1 macrophage presence while increasing M2 macrophage, indicating an inflammation‐resolving effect. In vitro studies showed that Boswellia extract enhanced M2‐related gene expression and decreased pro‐inflammatory cytokines, which is PPARγ dependent.

Conclusion

Boswellia extract promotes oral ulcer healing and resolves inflammation, primarily through the modulation of macrophage polarization via PPARγ activation.
Friends' influence on Adolescents' loss of control eating: The moderating role of self‐esteem, fear of negative evaluation, and body dissatisfaction
Authors: Beckers Desi , Burk William J. , Larsen Junilla K. , Cillessen Antonius H. N.
Published: January 2025

Friends' influence may importantly contribute to the development of adolescent disordered eating behaviors. However, little is known about the influence of friends on loss of control eating. This study investigated whether friend‐reported loss of control eating was associated with changes in adolescents' own loss of control eating 1 year later and tested whether adolescents with lower self‐esteem, higher fear of negative evaluation, and higher body dissatisfaction were more susceptible to friends' influence. Sex differences in these associations were also examined. Participants were 612 adolescents (50.0% female; MT1 Age = 13.50 years, SDT1 Age = 1.01) who were recruited from a school in the Netherlands with predominantly native Dutch students and participated in an ongoing longitudinal research project between 2019 and 2021. Results indicated that adolescents and their friends reported similar levels of loss of control eating but provided no support for friends' influence on loss of control eating, nor for differential susceptibility. The modest degree of similarity between adolescents' and their friends' loss of control eating and the lack of friends' influence on loss of control eating may be due to homophilic selection effects or the restrictions involving the COVID‐19 pandemic, so replication of the results is warranted.
Educational or Behavioural Interventions to Improve Long‐Term Haemodialysis Vascular Access Self‐Management: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wembenyui Colette , Marsh Nicole , Larsen Emily , Bonner Ann
Published: January 2025

Background

Globally, haemodialysis is the most frequent type of kidney replacement therapy and necessitates access to the bloodstream either through a native arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous graft or central venous catheter. Vascular access complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in adults receiving haemodialysis, and effective vascular access self‐management is required.

Objective

To examine the effectiveness of educational or behavioural interventions designed to improve self‐management of long‐term vascular access in adults receiving haemodialysis.

Design

Systematic review.

Method

English language publications from January 2013 to May 2023 retrieved from PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) databases were undertaken. Two independent reviewers identified studies for full‐text review, data extraction and quality assessment. Data synthesis and quality assessment followed the JBI guidelines for quantitative reviews.

Results

Seven studies involving 540 participants were included: two studies were randomised control trials and five were quasiexperimental. All studies involved patient education, predominantly provided by nurses, and employed a variety of teaching resources, such as education booklets, practical demonstrations and videos. Outcomes measured included vascular access self‐management behaviours, self‐efficacy and vascular access knowledge although there was no consistency between studies. Overall, vascular access self‐management significantly improved following education.

Conclusion

Educational interventions led to improvements in self‐management behaviours in adults with long‐term haemodialysis vascular access. However, there was insufficient evidence for the delivery and duration of intervention education. Further research is needed. An evidence‐based nurse‐led codesign intervention could lead to improvements in vascular access self‐management.
Investigating the influence of blood meal sources on the composition of culturable haemolytic gut bacteria of a wild‐caught BTV vector Culicoides oxystoma Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)
Authors: Sarkar Ankita , Banerjee Paramita , Kar Surajit , Pal Arjun , Mazumdar Abhijit
Published: January 2025

Culicoides oxystoma Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) transmits many pathogens, including seven viruses, four protozoa and one nematode. This species has a wide distribution range across northern Afro‐tropical, Palearctic, Australian, Indo‐Malayan realms with a broad host spectrum, including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, pigs, dogs, horses and even humans. The heterogeneous nature of Culicoides' blood‐feeding patterns is well documented, but the influence of various host blood meal sources on gut bacterial composition remains scant. Adult midges were collected during April (2023) by operating UV light traps in cattle, buffalo sheds and poultry farm in Purulia (India). Besides C. oxystoma, eleven Culicoides species were collected across the sheds and farm, seven of which are vectors. Culicoides liui Wirth and Hubert and C. thurmanae Wirth and Hubert are reported from India for the first time. In all the sheds, engorged females of C. oxystoma were ubiquitous. Identification of culturable gut bacteria and the host blood meal of C. oxystoma were done through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based method. Blood meal analysis confirmed the following hosts: cattle, buffaloes and humans. Identification of blood meal of engorged C. oxystoma caught from poultry farm showed positive results for humans but not for birds. Among bacteria, Bacillus cereus was abundant in all of the engorged females. Bacillus paramycoides and Enterococcus faecium were identified from females feeding on cattle and buffaloes' blood, while Alcaligenes faecalis was found in the gut contents of females that fed on cattle and human blood. The gut bacteria Alcaligenes faecalis exhibited alpha haemolytic activity. In contrast, Bacillus sp., B. cereus, B. flexus, B. licheniformis, B. thuringiensis, B. paramycoides, E. faecium, Paenibacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. exhibited beta haemolysis. This is the first report on the composition of gut bacteria, with particular emphasis on the haemolytic bacteria of C. oxystoma with different host blood meals. The pathogenic bacteria B. cereus, B. licheniformis and A. faecalis within the females could potentially impact pathogen acquisition and increase the probability of their zoonotic transmissibility.
A Study on the Effects of Gluteal Muscle Activation on the Electromyography of Lower Limb Muscles in Young Male Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Authors: Yue Wu , Shuang Ren , Hongshi Huang , Yingfang Ao , Bo Gou
Published: January 2025

Objective

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common knee issue, and hip joint function significantly affects knee health. Gluteus activation exercises are a promising treatment for PFPS. This study aims to investigate the impact of gluteal muscle activation exercises on the muscle involvement and movement patterns of young male patients with PFPS.

Methods

Our study was a randomized controlled clinical trial study from June 2020 to December 2021, included 18 young male patients with PFPS, randomly divided into two groups: the gluteus activation group (GAG) and control group (CON), with nine cases in each group. The GAG underwent gluteal muscle activation exercises for 40 min per session, three times per week, for 6 weeks; the CON received no intervention. At baseline and after 6 weeks, the integrated electromyography (IEMG), contribution rates (CRs), and activation times (ATs) of the gluteus maximus (GM), vastus medialis (VM), rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), and semitendinosus (ST) muscles of the affected lower limb during stair‐climbing exercise were assessed. Additionally, the explosive power (EP) of the lower limbs and the visual analog scale (VAS) pain value of the knee joint were evaluated. Paired sample t‐tests and independent sample t‐tests were used to compare the differences within and between groups.

Results

After 6 weeks, the GAG showed a significant increase in the IEMG of GM by 118 ± 67.09 μVs compared to CON (p < 0.05), and an increase in the CR of the GM by 6.75% (p < 0.05). Additionally, the AT of the GM and BF was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), and the lower limb EP increased by 14.66% compared to the CON (p < 0.05). Concurrently, there was a very significant reduction in the knee VAS pain score (p < 0.01). The CON exhibited no significant changes in the EMG indices of the lower limbs, EP, and VAS before and after the 6 weeks (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

A 6‐week gluteal muscle activation training program for patients with PFPS can adjust and optimize the IEMG, CR, and firing order of the lower limb muscle groups, enhance EP, and alleviate pain.
Pediatric Transplant Surgeons' Perspectives on Palliative Care for Children With Chronic Kidney Disease: A National Cross‐Sectional Survey
Authors: House Taylor R. , Wightman Aaron , Smith Jodi , Dick Andre , Bradford Miranda C. , Rosenberg Abby R.
Published: January 2025

Background

Some adult transplant surgeons consider transplant to be contraindicated in patients receiving palliative care (PC). Little is known about pediatric transplant surgeons' attitudes toward PC. We sought to ascertain pediatric kidney transplant surgeons' perspectives regarding the routine integration of PC for children with chronic kidney disease.

Method

We administered a cross‐sectional web‐based survey to members of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons listserv in summer 2021. We adapted the survey from the previously validated Provider Survey about Palliative Care for Children with Heart Disease and pretested it with representative kidney transplant surgeons, nephrologists, and PC physicians; queries related to PC included institutional and personal experience, knowledge, and education. Data were summarized descriptively.

Results

There were 21 participants. Over half of the respondents were white (57%) males (62%), practicing in urban, academic centers (94%). Although 67% of the participants practiced in an institution with a subspecialty PC team, 24% were unsure if such a team existed in their institution. A minority (19%) perceived PC consultation and kidney transplant to be mutually exclusive. Most surgeons (86%) believed that PC should not be restricted to when a child is dying, and 59% reported that PC consultation should happen at diagnosis for life‐threatening conditions. However, surgeons indicated that PC consultation is rarely utilized for pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Transplant surgeons expressed a desire for additional PC‐focused training and willingness to engage in additional education.

Conclusions

Although a minority of pediatric transplant surgeons perceived PC to be contraindicated for kidney transplant, most indicated openness to PC engagement for their patients.
Female‐biased nectar production is associated with the Darwin's inflorescence syndrome
Authors: Strelin M. M. , Gavini S. S. , Aizen M. A.
Published: January 2025

Plant reproduction is influenced not only by individual flower characteristics but also by the arrangement of flowers within inflorescences. In bee‐pollinated plants with protandrous flowers in vertical acropetal inflorescences — where male fertile flower structures mature before female ones and basal flowers open first (i.e., Darwin's inflorescence configuration) — male‐phase flowers are positioned above female‐phase flowers. This arrangement benefits from the upward foraging motion of bees, reducing pollen transfer between flowers of the same plant and increasing pollen export. Additionally, female‐biased nectar production in these species could reinforce upward bee movement, further reducing self‐pollen transfer.

We conducted a comparative study of 112 hermaphrodite angiosperm species with temporal separation of male and female reproductive functions (i.e., dichogamy) to explore whether female‐biased nectar production is common among bee‐pollinated species with Darwin's inflorescence configuration.

Our results revealed female‐biased nectar production in bee‐pollinated species with Darwin's inflorescence configuration. In the absence of bee pollination, species with this type of inflorescence exhibit male‐biased nectar production. Gender‐biased nectar production is absent in species lacking this inflorescence type.

Female‐biased nectar production in vertical acropetal inflorescences with protandrous flowers likely evolved independently in different bee‐pollinated species to enhance pollen export. Our study emphasizes the need for microevolutionary research on how nectar production patterns adapt to bee pollination in species with Darwin's inflorescence configuration. It also calls for investigation into the developmental biases influencing nectar production in plants with dichogamous flowers.
MoCloro: an extension of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii modular cloning toolkit for microalgal chloroplast engineering
Authors: Melero‐Cobo Xavier , Gallemí Marçal , Carnicer Marc , Monte Elena , Planas Antoni , Leivar Pablo
Published: January 2025

Photosynthetic microalgae are promising green cell factories for the sustainable production of high‐value chemicals and biopharmaceuticals. The chloroplast organelle is being developed as a chassis for synthetic biology as it contains its own genome (the plastome) and some interesting advantages, such as high recombinant protein titers and a diverse and dynamic metabolism. However, chloroplast engineering is currently hampered by the lack of standardized cloning tools and Design‐Build‐Test‐Learn workflows to ease genomic and metabolic engineering. The MoClo (Modular Cloning) toolkit based on Golden Gate assembly was recently developed in the model eukaryotic green microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to facilitate nuclear transformation and engineering. Here, we present MoCloro as an extension of the MoClo that allows chloroplast genome engineering. Briefly, a Golden Gate‐compatible chloroplast transformation vector (pWF.K.4) was constructed, which contains homologous arms for integration at the petA site in the plastome. A collection of standardized parts (promoters, terminators, reporter and selection marker genes) was created following the MoClo syntax to enable easy combinatorial assembly of multi‐cassettes in the destination pWF.K.4 vector. The functionality of the biobricks was assayed by constructing and assessing the expression of several multigenic constructs. Finally, a generic vector pK4 was constructed for easy Golden Gate cloning of 5′ and 3′ homologous arms, allowing targeting at alternative plastome integration sites. This work represents a significant advancement in technology aimed at facilitating more efficient and rapid chloroplast transformation and engineering of green microalgae.