bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Hydroxyurea Treatment on the Inflammatory Markers Among Children With Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Zahran Asmaa M. , Nafady Asmaa , Saad Khaled , Hetta Helal F. , Abdallah Alam-Eldin M. , Abdel-Aziz Safwat M. , Embaby Mostafa M. , Abo Elgheet Amir M. , Darwish Sanaa F. , Abo-Elela Mohamed Gamil M. , Elhoufey Amira , Elsayh Khalid I.
Published: January 2020

Background:

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was introduced as a potential inflammatory marker in sickle cell disease (SCD). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of hydroxyurea (HU) treatment on the value of NLR and some inflammatory mediators in SCD.

Methods:

The hematological parameters and clinical events were analyzed in 35 children with SCD under HU treatment and followed up for 1 year and in 20 healthy controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed for the evaluation of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α).

Results:

Hydroxyurea significantly improves most of the hematological parameters in children with SCD. The percentages of hemoglobin fraction S, serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly decreased when compared to baseline value but did not reach the value of the healthy control. The HU treatment led to a significant decrease in NLR compared to the baseline values and reached healthy control values. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was positively correlated with hs-CRP, TNF-α, and IL-8 serum levels and negatively correlated with percentage of fetal hemoglobin and hematocrit values. The cutoff value of NLR to expect a response to HU among SCD was 3.0, with 76% specificity and 85% sensitivity (area under the curve: 0.85, P < .0001). In conclusion, hydroxyurea induced a decrease in NLR and inflammatory cytokines, which represent a biomarker of inflammation in SCD. The calculation of NLR is a straightforward and cheap method for SCD outcome prediction in young children.
Blood Group Types O and Non-O Are Associated With Coronary Collateral Circulation Development
Authors: Celebi Savas , Celebi Ozlem Ozcan , Berkalp Berkten , Aydogdu Sinan , Amasyali Basri
Published: January 2020

Blood group types are associated with coronary artery disease. However, data are scarce about the impact of blood group types on coronary collateral circulation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the blood group types and coronary collateral circulation. Two hundred and twelve patients who underwent coronary angiography in our department and had a stenosis of ≥ 90% in at least one major epicardial vessel were included in our study. Collateral degree was graded according to Rentrop-Cohen classification. After grading, patients were divided into poor coronary collateral circulation (Rentrop grade 0 and 1) and good coronary collateral circulation (Rentrop 2 and 3) groups. The ABO blood type of all participants was determined. The incidence rates of O blood group type were significantly higher in the good coronary collateral group compared to the poor collateral group (37.9% vs 17.1%, P < .001). The O type blood group was an independent predictor of good coronary collateral circulation (odds ratio = 1.83, 95% confidence interval = 1.56-6.18, P = .015). Coronary collateral circulation is associated with blood group types. The O blood group predicts good coronary collateral development among patients with coronary artery disease.
High-frequency robust position control of a nonlinear piezoelectric bending actuator
Authors: Shahabi Pouyan , Ghafarirad Hamed , Taghvaeipour Afshin
Published: January 2020

Piezoelectric bending actuators have been widely used in a variety of micro- and nano-applications, including atomic force microscopy, micro assembly, cell manipulation, and in general, micro electromechanical systems. However, their control algorithms at low frequencies suffer from nonlinearities such as hysteresis in high voltages and creep in long-time static applications. Also, in high-frequency applications, especially near the actuator natural frequencies, the actuator dynamic is greatly affected by the material nonlinearity. Therefore, the control approaches based on the linear dynamic modeling cannot be effective at high frequencies. Thus, the position control of the foregoing actuators become challenging, and it has been of researchers’ interests in the last decade. In this article, the robust position control of a bimorph piezoelectric bending actuators is investigated. In this regard, based on the nonlinear constitutive equations and the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, a nonlinear dynamic model is presented. Then, to track a desired motion trajectory, an observer-based robust position control algorithm is proposed. The proposed control methodology is able to accommodate parametric uncertainties and other un-modeled dynamics. Also, it ensures the elimination of the position tracking error in the presence of the estimated states. Finally, the tracking ability of the controller is demonstrated in an experimental study. The experimental results show that the identification of the system is properly conducted with the average error of 5.5%. Also, the efficiency of the robust controller is proved with the error of 3.7% and 4.9% in the position tracking of the actuator inside and outside of the identified region, respectively.
Microscopic definition of internal force, moment, and associated stiffnesses in one-dimensional nanostructures at finite temperature
Authors: Smriti  , Kumar Ajeet
Published: January 2020

We present a one-dimensional variant of the Irving–Kirkwood–Noll procedure to derive microscopic expressions of internal contact force and moment in one-dimensional nanostructures. We show that these expressions must contain both the potential and kinetic parts: just the potential part does not yield meaningful continuum results. We further specialize these expressions for helically repeating one-dimensional nanostructures for their extension, torsion, and bending deformation. As the Irving–Kirkwood–Noll procedure does not yield expressions of stiffnesses, we resort to a thermodynamic equilibrium approach to first obtain the Helmholtz free energy of the supercell of helically repeating nanostructures. We then obtain expressions of axial force, twisting moment, bending moment, and the associated stiffnesses by taking the first and second derivatives of the Helmholtz free energy with respect to conjugate strain measures. The derived expressions are used in finite-temperature molecular dynamics simulation to study extension, torsion, and bending of single-walled carbon nanotubes and their buckling.
Life Cycle Work: A Process Study of the Emergence and Performance of Life Cycle Practice
Authors: Nilsson-Lindén Hanna , Diedrich Andreas , Baumann Henrikke
Published: January 2020

Life cycle management (LCM) is a concept that goes beyond traditional corporate environmental management, due to its focus on a product’s entire life cycle. The spread of such concepts is usually understood in terms of processes of “diffusion,” whereby ideas spread over time by some inexplicable force. However, diffusion has proven less adequate to describe how ideas spreads in practice. Here, we address this oversight by studying the emergence and performance of what we refer to as life cycle practices. Drawing on an analysis of the development of a sustainability portfolio within a globally operating manufacturing company, we illustrate the kinds of life cycle work involved in dealing with local activities and interests, connecting activities and interests into action nets, performing life cycle practices, and spreading the life cycle idea. Finally, we discuss implications of life cycle work for research in the field of organization and management studies and for LCM research.
Why the Neolithic is (r)evolutionary
Authors: Catapoti Despina , Relaki Maria
Published: January 2020

In this article, the authors use the question of whether the Neolithic should be maintained as an analytic category to argue that such a paradigmatic view of history is possible and useful only when we drastically redefine the role that technics play in archaeological narratives of the past. Using Simondon’s and Leroi-Gourhan’s theories of technology, they argue that analysis should move away from categorizations based on concrete objects and instead frame itself through the exploration of technical ensembles. They suggest that the operational solidarity of pottery-, bread- and mudbrick-making constructs the Neolithic as a technical interface in which a complex network of synergies and radial properties is played out, allowing the mapping of the Neolithic, not by object appearances and/or densities, but by points of convergence between technical regimes that redefine the modes of being in the world by providing the conditions under which new ‘objects’ become possible.
Experimental study and modeling of bond of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer grids to polymer mortar at room and elevated temperatures
Authors: Liu Zongquan , Yue Qingrui , Li Rong , Chen Xiaobing
Published: January 2020

Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer grids encased with polymer mortar have received much attention lately as an effective technology for strengthening concrete structures. The objective of this study was to investigate the bond-slip behavior of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer grids to polymer mortar at room and elevated temperatures. First, 20 pull-out specimens were tested at room temperature of 20°C, and the investigated parameters included the type of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer grids, the embedment length of longitudinal bar, and the transverse bar length. Based on the experimental results, a two-branch bond-slip model at room temperature was proposed, with the characteristic bond stress and the corresponding slip determined by the regression analysis of test data. Second, 24 pull-out specimens were tested at elevated temperatures over a range of 20°C–300°C, and the investigated parameters included the type of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer grids and the testing temperature. Based on the experimental results, a bond-slip model at elevated temperatures was further proposed by modeling the temperature-dependent reduction factors. The two proposed bond-slip models will be particularly useful in the theoretical analysis of structures with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer grids and polymer mortar strengthening system under both room and elevated temperatures.
Rethinking How We View Gang Members: An Examination into Affective, Behavioral, and Mental Health Predictors of UK Gang-Involved Youth
Authors: Frisby-Osman Sarah , Wood Jane L.
Published: January 2020

Mental health difficulties, conduct problems, and emotional maladjustment predict a range of negative outcomes, and this may include gang involvement. However, few studies have examined how behavioral, mental health, socio-cognitive, and emotional factors all relate to adolescent gang involvement. This study examined 91 adolescents to compare non-gang with gang-involved youth on their conduct problems, emotional distress, guilt-proneness, anxiety and depression, and use of moral disengagement and rumination. Analyses revealed that gang-involved youth had higher levels of anxiety, depression, moral disengagement, and rumination. Gang-involved youth also had higher levels of conduct disorder and exposure to violence, but they did not differ from non-gang youth on levels of emotional distress and guilt-proneness. Discriminant function analysis further showed that conduct problems, moral disengagement, and rumination were the most important predictors of gang involvement. Discussion focuses on how intervention and prevention efforts to tackle gang involvement need to consider the mental health and behavioral needs of gang-involved youth. Further research is also needed to build an evidence base that identifies the cause/effect relationship between mental health and gang involvement to inform the best practice when tackling gang membership.
Small versus Statewide Parties: How Subnational Contestation and Decentralisation Influence Presidential Elections in Europe and Latin America
Authors: Spoon Jae-Jae , West Karleen Jones
Published: January 2020

Shugart and Carey were among the first scholars to recognise that there is a relationship between regional and local – or subnational – electoral forces and the presidential race. Yet because of a lack of subnational electoral data, this relationship has largely remained unexplored. We elaborate on Shugart and Carey’s theory to argue that the effects of decentralisation are conditional on a party’s presence in subnational elections for determining when and why parties enter the presidential race. Using an original dataset of subnational electoral results and presidential strategies in 17 countries in Europe and Latin America from 1990 to 2013, we find that parties with a small presence in subnational elections are more likely to compete for the presidency under more extensive decentralisation. Statewide parties, however, contest presidential elections regardless of level of decentralisation. These findings have important implications for understanding Shugart and Carey’s expectation that subnational contestation influences national party systems, presidential elections and democratic representation more generally.
Fiber, Fingers, and Code: Manufacturing Software and Seamlessness in the Garment Industry
Authors: Pasek Anne , Starosielski Nicole
Published: January 2020

This article describes how software is imagined and used to disrupt garment industry practices. Drawing from interviews, fieldwork, and discourse analysis of marketing from two companies, Stoll and Resonance, we argue that software is integral to the creation of a new kind of designer, a “digital craftsman,” that directly interfaces with a new kind of supply chain. This interaction is defined by its “seamlessness”—what we describe as both an emergent technical design element and an imaginary of software-enabled manufacturing free from friction between sites of concept development and its material execution. Counter to this imaginary, we mobilize the “tactile grammar” of seams to foreground the role of embodied communication and labor practices in shaping software-defined industrial futures. Studying the connections between fiber, fingers, and code, this article opens up new lines of inquiry into industrial software and into the links between media production and larger spheres of commodity production.
Transnational Fandom: Creating Alternative Values and New Identities through Digital Labor
Authors: Baruch Felicitas
Published: January 2020

This article examines the collaboration of audiences with a commercial enterprise to translate non-English TV shows. The aim is to explore the ways in which people engage in the circulation of international media products through privately owned digital platforms while shedding light into new and complex forms of collaboration between audiences and media industries. Drawing on notions of labor value, affect, and re-subjectivation by Gibson-Graham, the purpose is to understand the motivations and values that people find in their digital volunteering, and how they reconcile their positions as both fans and co-producers of content. I argue that the recognition and social connections that people obtain through their online practices provide satisfactions that positively impact their offline activities and daily lives. This is how they turn their collaboration into a worthy exchange, challenging positions that underestimate people’s digital engagement as a form of alternative economic activity producing nonmonetary gains.
Latino Continual Demographic Growth: Implications for Educational Practices and Policy
Authors: Sáenz Rogelio
Published: January 2020

Demographic shifts have transformed the racial and ethnic composition of the U.S. undergraduate population. Data from the American Community Survey are used to analyze Latino undergraduate enrollment as well as factors that contribute to the matriculation of undocumented Latino young adults. The article concludes with an overview of the implications of the growth of the Latino population and the experience of undocumented students on educational practices and policies.
Feasibility and Efficiency of Sutureless End Enterostomy by Means of a 3D-Printed Device in a Porcine Model
Authors: Sejor Eric , Debs Tarek , Petrucciani Niccolo , Brige Pauline , Chopinet Sophie , Seux Mylène , Piche Marjorie , Myx-Staccini Aline , Ben Amor Imed , Frey Sebastien , Prate Frederic , Zenerino Arnaud , Gugenheim Jean
Published: January 2020

Objective. The aim of this study is to present a 3-dimensional (3D)-printed device to simply perform abdominal enterostomy and colostomy. Summary Background Data. Enterostomy and colostomy are frequently performed during abdominal surgery. 3D-printed devices may permit the creation of enterostomy easily. Methods. The device was designed by means of a CAD (computer-aided design) software, Rhinoceros 6 by MC Neel, and manufactured using 3D printers, Factory 2.0 by Omni 3D and Raise 3D N2 Dual Plus by Raise 3D. Colostomy was scheduled on a human cadaver and on 6 Pietrain pigs to test the device and the surgical technique. Results. The test on the cadaver showed that the application of the device was easy. Test on porcine models confirmed that the application of the device was also easy on the living model. The average duration of the surgical procedure was 32 minutes (25-40 minutes). For the female pigs, return to full oral diet and recovery of a normal bowel function was observed at postoperative day 2. The device fell by itself on average on the third day. Until day 10, when euthanasia was practiced, the stoma mucosa had a good coloration indicating a perfect viability of tissues. No complications were observed. Conclusions. This is the first study that describes the use of a 3D-printed device in abdominal surgery. End-type colostomy using a 3D-printed device can be safely and easily performed in an experimental porcine model, without postoperative complications. Further studies are needed to evaluate its utility in the clinical setting.
Long-term Effects of Skin Tearing on Outcomes After Collagenase Treatment of Dupuytren Contractures
Authors: Zhang Dafang , Blazar Philip , Benavent Kyra A. , Earp Brandon E.
Published: January 2020

Background: The objective of this study was to compare the rates of recurrence, additional treatment, patient satisfaction, and willingness to undergo Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) treatment again for Dupuytren disease in patients with and without skin tearing at minimum 5-year follow-up. Methods: We identified 199 digits in 142 patients who underwent CCH treatments for Dupuytren disease from April 2010 to December 2013 with minimum 5-year follow-up. Patients were contacted by telephone to collect our response variables: perceived recurrence of contracture, additional treatment, satisfaction, and willingness to undergo CCH treatment again. Medical records were reviewed for skin tearing at manipulation and patient-related and disease-specific variables. Results: At the time of manipulation, 16 out of 142 patients (11%) and 22 out of 199 digits (11%) had skin tearing. Older age was associated with skin tearing. At an average 7.2-year follow-up, the mean satisfaction was 7.1 ± 2.6 on a 1 to 10 Likert scale for patients with skin tearing and 6.5 ± 3.4 for patients without skin tearing. Eighty-one percent of patients with skin tearing expressed willingness to undergo CCH treatment again, compared with 68% of patients without skin tearing. Perceived recurrence of contracture occurred in 82% of digits with skin tearing and 80% of digits without skin tearing. Additional treatment was performed in 45% of digits with skin tearing and 54% of digits without skin tearing. No difference was statistically significant. Conclusions: Although skin tearing at CCH manipulation complicates the short-term course following CCH treatment, it does not affect long-term perceived contracture recurrence or patient satisfaction.
Análisis de la capacidad de respuesta comunitaria para desarrollar iniciativas de promoción de la salud
Authors: Villanueva-Borbolla María Ángeles , Cervantes-Ortega Eugenia , Campos-Rivera Marisol
Published: January 2020

Objetivo:

analizar la capacidad de respuesta comunitaria (CR) hacia la obesidad, diabetes e hipertensión (ODH) para el desarrollo de iniciativas de promoción de la salud en una comunidad de origen náhuatl en México.

Material y métodos:

estudio basado en el Modelo de Capacidad de Respuesta Comunitaria (MCRC) con abordaje cualitativo. Entrevistamos ocho informantes clave. Realizamos la asignación de valores por dimensión utilizando la escala del MCRC y el análisis de contenido para comprender los factores involucrados en la CR.

Resultados:

la etapa de CR identificada fue de “concientización vaga” (valor 3). Se reconocieron los elementos que dificultan el involucramiento de la comunidad.

Discusión:

valorar la CR es imprescindible para generar estrategias apropiadas. El MCRC resultó útil para profundizar en la ODH como fenómeno social en un contexto como el de Xoxocotla. El análisis cualitativo fue indispensable para comprender la CR y las consideraciones necesarias para generar iniciativas efectivas.
Violence and Reconciliation in Colombia: The Personal and the Contextual
Authors: Meernik James
Published: January 2020

In the aftermath of war and large-scale violence, how can nations function as societies? How can people learn to live together again? Or, have the foundations of trust, civility, and predictability upon which fully functioning societies depend been irrevocably damaged? If we want to understand why reconciliation does or does not take root, we must begin by understanding the perspectives and interests of individuals. In this article, I develop such a model of individual attitudes towards reconciliation. In particular, I analyse the determinants of individual beliefs about reconciliation, with a particular emphasis on the impact of violence in Colombia. I combine survey data from the Latin American Public Opinion Project survey on individual attitudes regarding reconciliation with data on political violence to measure the extent to which individuals live in environments characterised by violence and how this shapes their opinions about reconciliation.
Feasibility of a New Approach to Initiate Insulin in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Aradóttir Tinna B. , Bengtsson Henrik , Jensen Morten L. , Poulsen Niels K. , Boiroux Dimitri , Jensen Lea L. , Schmidt Signe , Nørgaard Kirsten
Published: January 2020

Background:

Treatment inertia and prescription complexity are among reasons that people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) do not reach glycemic targets. This study investigated feasibility of a new approach to basal insulin initiation, where the dose needed to reach a glycemic target is estimated from two weeks of insulin and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data.

Methods:

This was an exploratory single arm study with a maximum length of 84 days. Eight insulin naïve people with T2D, planning to initiate basal insulin, wore a CGM throughout the study period. A predetermined regime was followed for the first two weeks after which the end dose was estimated. The clinician decided whether to follow this advice and continued the titration until target was reached using a twice weekly stepwise titration algorithm. The primary outcome was the comparison between the estimated and the actual end doses.

Results:

Median age of participants was 57 years (range: 50-77 years), duration of diabetes was 16 years (range: 5-29 years), and Bodi Mass Index (BMI) was 30.2 kg/m2 (range: 22.0-36.0 kg/m2). The median study end dose was 37 U (range: 20-123 U). The estimated end dose was smaller than or equal to the study end dose in all cases, with median error of 26.7% (range: 0.0%-75.8% underestimation). No self-monitoring of blood glucose values were below 70 mg/dL and no severe hypoglycemia occurred.

Conclusion:

While accuracy may be improved, it was found safe to predict the study end dose of insulin degludec from two weeks of data.
Scaffolds for Knee Chondral and Osteochondral Defects: Indications for Different Clinical Scenarios. A Consensus Statement
Authors: Filardo Giuseppe , Andriolo Luca , Angele Peter , Berruto Massimo , Brittberg Mats , Condello Vincenzo , Chubinskaya Susan , de Girolamo Laura , Di Martino Alessandro , Di Matteo Berardo , Gille Justus , Gobbi Alberto , Lattermann Christian , Nakamura Norimasa , Nehrer Stefan , Peretti Giuseppe M. , Shabshin Nogah , Verdonk Peter , Zaslav Kenneth , Kon Elizaveta
Published: January 2020

Objective

To develop patient-focused consensus guidelines on the indications for the use of scaffolds to address chondral and osteochondral femoral condyle lesions.

Design

The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method (RAM) was used to develop patient-specific recommendations by combining the best available scientific evidence with the collective judgement of a panel of experts guided by a core panel and multidisciplinary discussers. A list of specific clinical scenarios was produced regarding adult patients with symptomatic lesions without instability, malalignment, or meniscal deficiency. Each scenario underwent discussion and a 2-round vote on a 9-point Likert-type scale (range 1-3 “inappropriate,” 4-6 “uncertain,” 7-9 “appropriate”). Scores were pooled to generate expert recommendations.

Results

Scaffold (chondral vs. osteochondral), patient characteristics (age and sport activity level), and lesion characteristics (etiology, size, and the presence of osteoarthritis [OA]) were considered to define 144 scenarios. The use of scaffold-based procedures was considered appropriate in all cases of chondral or osteochondral lesions when joints are not affected by OA, while OA joints presented more controversial results. The analysis of the evaluated factors showed a different weight in influencing treatment appropriateness: the presence of OA influenced 58.3% of the indications, while etiology, size, and age were discriminating factors in 54.2%, 29.2%, and 16.7% of recommendations, respectively.

Conclusions

The consensus identified indications still requiring investigation, but also the convergence of the experts in several scenarios defined appropriate or inappropriate, which could support decision making in the daily clinical practice, guiding the use of scaffold-based procedures for the treatment of chondral and osteochondral knee defects.
Menopause – Understanding the impact on women and their partners
Authors: Currie Heather , Moger Sara J
Published: January 2020

Objective

To provide a greater understanding of the expectations, symptoms and impact of the menopause among women and their partners.

Study design

Three online surveys were conducted among women aged ≥45 years with menopause symptoms (currently or within previous 10 years). Two questionnaires focussed on symptoms and treatments and were conducted before (Survey 1, 2015; n = 1000) and after (Survey 2, 2016, n = 1000) publication of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) menopause guidelines. Survey 3 (2017) focussed on the psychosocial impact of the menopause and was also conducted among partners (women n = 650; partners n = 350).

Results

Women experienced an average of seven symptoms; 42% reported them to be worse than expected. Approximately one-fifth of women were not expecting common symptoms, such as sleep disturbance and cognitive problems, and were uncertain how long symptoms could last. A significant proportion of women reported negative effects on work and relationships. There was a reluctance to talk openly about the menopause or consult a healthcare professional (HCP). Partners expressed a desire to provide support but were unsure how to do so. Often women felt isolated and 41% considered the information and support available to them was insufficient. Only 3% of women were aware of the NICE guidelines but the majority (66%) were interested in learning more.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the knowledge gaps and lack of support for women impacted by the menopause. Improved HCP training and education is required to ensure that high-quality menopause support can be accessed as standard.
Fear and Hope, Bitter and Sweet: Emotion Sharing of Cancer Community on Twitter
Authors: Wang Jinping , Wei Lewen
Published: January 2020

Emotions are non-negligible parts of the experience among the cancer-affected population to be reckoned with. With the increasing usage of social media platforms as venues for emotional disclosure, we ask the question, what and how are the emotions of the cancer community being shared there? Using a deep learning model and social network analysis, we investigated emotions expressed in a large collection of cancer-related tweets. The results showed that joy was the most commonly shared emotion, followed by sadness and fear, with anger, hope, and bittersweet being less shared. In addition, both the gatekeepers and influencers were more likely to post content with positive emotions, while gatekeepers refrained themselves from posting negative emotions to a greater extent. Last, cancer-related tweets with joy, sadness, and hope received more likes, whereas tweets with joy and anger were more retweeted. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of social media health communities.
Telecommunication ties and gender ideologies in the age of globalization: International telephone networks and gender attitudes in 47 countries
Authors: Shu Xiaoling , Barnett George , Faris Robert
Published: January 2020

Scholars have posed different hypotheses on the impact of global telecommunications on value orientations. We analyze and characterize the global telecommunication network and test a series of hypotheses on the relationship between gender values and three types of telephone connections: ties with the global society, ties with Western nations, and ties within groups of nations sharing similar cultural, religious, political, or geographical traits. We use multilevel models and data on two levels, between-country telecommunications network data from TeleGeography, and individual-level data ( N = 70,225) on people living in 47 countries from the World Value Survey, waves III and IV. Countries with high degrees of communication insulation, measured as a high percentage of within-group ties of all global telephone links, hold less egalitarian attitudes toward gender equality. This negative effect of group insulation depresses the egalitarian effects of younger birth cohort, college education, and higher income. Embeddedness in a localized information diffusion network and isolated from global communication is associated with less egalitarian attitude toward gender equality. But neither global ties nor ties with Western countries are linked with gender attitudes.
How do political elements affect agricultural technological change?—A case study from China
Authors: Qiang Ge
Published: January 2020

As the main achievement of Tibetan modernization in the 1970s, the promotion of winter wheat enabled wheat, which had rarely been planted in Tibet, to become the second-largest crop in the region. Surprisingly, Tibetan peasants, who at first had strongly resisted winter wheat, became active participants in just two or three years. During this process, how did the state change peasants’ attitudes? How did the national government negate their resistance? Based on documents and oral history materials, this research study shows that political movement played a crucial role. First, the class struggle consisted of a crackdown on the resistance to new technologies and also promoting rural community differentiation so that mutual supervision among peasants neutralized ‘weapons of the weak’. Second, the function of political movement in remolding belief and arousing affection inspired people’s enthusiasm for growing wheat and their sense of political identity by portraying wheat as a symbol of emancipation. However, this movement also had certain side effects on production, and the whole project in the late 1970s was driven astray by blind political worship and neglect of realities.
Costing Methodology and Key Drivers of Health Care Costs Within Economic Analyses in Musculoskeletal Community and Primary Care Services: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Burgess Roanna , Hall James , Bishop Annette , Lewis Martyn , Hill Jonathan
Published: January 2020

Background: Identifying variation in musculoskeletal service costs requires the use of specific standardized metrics. There has been a large focus on costing, efficiency, and standardized metrics within the acute musculoskeletal setting, but far less attention in primary care and community settings. Objectives: To ( a) assess the quality of costing methods used within musculoskeletal economic analyses based primarily in primary and community settings and ( b) identify which cost variables are the key drivers of musculoskeletal health care costs within these settings. Methods: Medline, AMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, HMIC, BNI, and HBE electronic databases were searched for eligible studies. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed quality of costing methods using an established checklist. Results: Twenty-two studies met the review inclusion criteria. The majority of studies demonstrated moderate- to high-quality costing methods. Costing issues included studies failing to fully justify the economic perspective, and not distinguishing between short- and long-run costs. Highest unit costs were hospital admissions, outpatient visits, and imaging. Highest mean utilization were the following: general practitioner (GP) visits, outpatient visits, and physiotherapy visits. Highest mean costs per patient were GP visits, outpatient visits, and physiotherapy visits. Conclusion: This review identified a number of key resource use variables that are driving musculoskeletal health care costs in the community/primary care setting. High utilization of these resources (rather than high unit cost) appears to be the predominant factor increasing mean health care costs. There is, however, need for greater detail with capturing these key cost drivers, to further improve the accuracy of costing information.
Supervisor Variance in Psychotherapy Outcome in Routine Practice: A Replication
Authors: Whipple Jason , Hoyt Tyler , Rousmaniere Tony , Swift Joshua , Pedersen Tyler , Worthen Vaughn
Published: January 2020

This study is a replication of Rousmaniere et al., in which no differences in client outcome between supervisors were found and few differences in client outcome due to either degree level or experience as a supervisor were found. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine variance estimates in client outcome accounted for by supervisors. The longitudinal archival data set consisted of 3,030 clients, 80 therapists, and 39 supervisors at a University Counseling Center in the Rocky Mountains. Therapists practiced psychodynamic, strategic, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused, and family systems approaches. Average improvement of clients was 7.91 points across supervisors using the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ-45.2). Consistent with Rousmaniere et al., the amount of variance in client outcome attributable to clinical supervision was less than 1%. Implications indicate supervision may be enhanced by increased focus on aiding professional development of supervisees and emphasized future clarification surrounding the role of improvement of client welfare by supervisors.
Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility Related to CEO Attributes: An Empirical Study
Authors: Malik Fizzah , Wang Fangjun , Naseem Muhammad Akram , Ikram Amir , Ali Shahid
Published: January 2020

The purpose is to explore whether the CEO’s personal and professional attributes affect corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure or not in particular context of Pakistan. This article attempts to bridge this gap using the data set of 1,790 firm-year observations comprising of firms listed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange. For this purpose, the logistic regression technique is employed while taking CEO personal and professional attributes as explanatory variables and CSR disclosure as the dependent variable. Results indicate that firm size and CSR disclosure has a positive relationship. The outcomes based on binary logistic regression demonstrate that CEO ownership has a negative impact, whereas CEO tenure, CEO education, CEO age, and CEO compensation are the variables that have a positive impact on CSR disclosure. In addition, duality, ownership, and gender of the CEO are found to be insignificant. Evidence on CEO demographics and their impact on disclosure choice might be helpful for policymakers and regulators. This study lacks generalization due to the unique setting of Pakistan. Our research contributes to the body of knowledge containing upper echelons theory in several ways. First, it answers the call for an extension of research toward social responsibility disclosures and individual’s traits impact on it. Second, our study adds to the scarce literature available on CSR research and practices in developing countries. Third, it is one of the first quantitative studies in the specific context of Pakistan as data for these variables is not available in organized form publicly.
Is this Transnational Entrepreneurship? Five Cases in Which It Is Hard to Say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
Authors: Harima Aki , Baron Thomas
Published: January 2020

Scholars have lately started using the notion of ‘transnational entrepreneurship’. However, transnational entrepreneurship has not achieved the status of an independent research field in literature yet. Scholars and policymakers do not seem to have managed to address the clear-cut, distinctive nature of transnational entrepreneurship due to its conceptual ambiguity. This challenge calls for thoughtful consideration of the scope and range of the transnational entrepreneurship concept. Consequently, this study aims at critically reviewing the recent literature on transnational entrepreneurship in contrast to migrants’ entrepreneurial activities and international entrepreneurship to identify the current scholars’ underlying assumptions about this phenomenon and challenges them by demonstrating its heterogeneity with the presentation of five empirical cases. In these five cases, entrepreneurs conduct business in which transnationalism plays a certain role, yet differently. We contrast the presented cases with the four assumptions about transnational entrepreneurs identified from literature: (a) frequent travels between home and host countries, (b) simultaneous entrepreneurial engagement in two countries, (c) deep dual embeddedness in home and host institutional environments and (d) highly educated migrants. Based on the discussion, we develop a set of research propositions regarding the characteristics of transnational entrepreneurs, which are not fully considered in literature. By demonstrating the heterogeneity of transnational entrepreneurship and by showing future research orientations, we contribute to the literature on transnational entrepreneurship.
The dynamic relationship between laissez-faire leadership and day-level stress: A role theory perspective
Authors: Diebig Mathias , Bormann Kai C
Published: January 2020

Previous research on laissez-faire leadership and stress has focused on between-person differences by looking at general ratings of leader behaviours. Yet, researchers have demonstrated a high situational contingency of leadership behaviours that call for a more detailed analysis of within-person differences. We adopt a role theory perspective to explain why daily laissez-faire leadership is linked to daily stress of followers. Also drawing on role theory, we further explain fluctuations of supervisors’ laissez-faire leadership behaviour over time in relation to follower perceptions of day-specific stress. Finally, we also take followers’ level of neuroticism into perspective to describe when followers are particularly vulnerable to laissez-faire leadership. We conducted a diary study spanning over 5 days within 1 working week to test whether daily laissez-faire leadership and its variability were positively related to followers’ daily stress and whether these relations were moderated by follower neuroticism. A total of 201 participants completed the diary surveys ( M = 4.79 days × 201 participants = 963 data points) and provided information in an initial survey. Results gave support for most of our hypotheses and showed a positive relationship between daily laissez-faire leadership and daily stress as well as a positive relationship between laissez-faire leadership variability and daily stress. Neuroticism moderated the positive relationship between laissez-faire leadership variability and daily stress in the way that the relationship between laissez-faire leadership variability and daily stress was stronger for individuals with high neuroticism.
Hepatitis B vaccine knowledge and self-reported vaccination status among healthcare workers in a conflict region in northeastern Nigeria
Authors: Dayyab Farouq Muhammad , Iliyasu Garba , Ahmad Bashir Garba , Bako Abdulaziz Tijjani , Ngamariju Sepu Saraya , Habib Abdulrazaq Garba
Published: January 2020

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly endemic in Nigeria. The primary objective of this study is to describe the knowledge, self-reported vaccination status, and intention of healthcare workers to receive hepatitis B vaccine at a tertiary referral center in conflict-ravaged northeastern Nigeria.

Methods

This was cross-sectional analytical study among medical practitioners, nurses, laboratory workers, health attendants, pharmacists, and radiographers working at Federal Medical Center Nguru, Yobe State. Written informed consent was obtained from all study participants. Data were obtained using questionnaires and entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, cleaned and analyzed using JMP Pro software.

Results

Of the 182 participants, we found that 151 (82.97%), 81 (44.51%), 85 (46.70%), and 33 (18.13%) had good knowledge of HBV, good knowledge of hepatitis B vaccine, were vaccinated against HBV by the least dose, and had a complete hepatitis B vaccination status, respectively. The lack of availability of the vaccine was the main reason for not receiving the vaccine among the unvaccinated 36/91 (39.56%), followed by not knowing where to access the vaccine 19/91 (20.88%).

Conclusion

The study highlights the need for strategies to ensure the availability of hepatitis B vaccine in conflict settings and need for vaccinology training given the suboptimal level of awareness and uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine among the healthcare workers.
Neither Colony Nor Enclave: Calling for dialogical contextualism in management and organization studies
Authors: Hamann Ralph , Luiz John , Ramaboa Kutlwano , Khan Farzad , Dhlamini Xolisa , Nilsson Warren
Published: January 2020

We express our unease with one-sided invitations into the Northern mainstream, as well as with Southern critics’ retreat into indigenous enclaves of organizational scholarship. We use this dichotomy to theorize the role of context in organizational theorizing by linking scholarly conversations on context, analogical reasoning, and problematizing assumptions. This creates the opportunity to more carefully consider how not just our theoretical backgrounds but also our contextual life-worlds provide the assumptions and analogies we bring into our theorizing. We use this platform to consider in more detail systematic biases in both the Northern mainstream (erasing and imposing biases) and the Southern critique (scapegoating and valorizing biases). These biases have in common that they essentialize context. To address this risk and to facilitate contextual reflexivity, we propose a form of dialogical scholarly engagement to generate complementary spaces to fruitfully question our contextually embedded assumptions.
Virus-specific T-cell therapies for patients with primary immune deficiency
Authors: Keller Michael D. , Bollard Catherine M.
Published: January 2020

Viral infections are common and are potentially life-threatening in patients with moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency disorders. Because T-cell immunity contributes to the control of many viral pathogens, adoptive immunotherapy with virus-specific T cells (VSTs) has been a logical and effective way of combating severe viral disease in immunocompromised patients in multiple phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Common viral targets include cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and adenovirus, though recent published studies have successfully targeted additional pathogens, including HHV6, BK virus, and JC virus. Though most studies have used VSTs derived from allogenic stem cell donors, the use of banked VSTs derived from partially HLA-matched donors has shown efficacy in multicenter settings. Hence, this approach could shorten the time for patients to receive VST therapy thus improving accessibility. In this review, we discuss the usage of VSTs for patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders in clinical trials, as well as future potential targets and methods to broaden the applicability of virus-directed T-cell immunotherapy for this vulnerable patient population.
A research-driven approach to the identification of novel natural killer cell deficiencies affecting cytotoxic function
Authors: Lam Michael T. , Mace Emily M. , Orange Jordan S.
Published: January 2020

Natural killer cell deficiencies (NKDs) are an emerging phenotypic subtype of primary immune deficiency. NK cells provide a defense against virally infected cells using a variety of cytotoxic mechanisms, and patients who have defective NK cell development or function can present with atypical, recurrent, or severe herpesviral infections. The current pipeline for investigating NKDs involves the acquisition and clinical assessment of patients with a suspected NKD followed by subsequent in silico, in vitro, and in vivo laboratory research. Evaluation involves initially quantifying NK cells and measuring NK cell cytotoxicity and expression of certain NK cell receptors involved in NK cell development and function. Subsequent studies using genomic methods to identify the potential causative variant are conducted along with variant impact testing to make genotype-phenotype connections. Identification of novel genes contributing to the NKD phenotype can also be facilitated by applying the expanding knowledge of NK cell biology. In this review, we discuss how NKDs that affect NK cell cytotoxicity can be approached in the clinic and laboratory for the discovery of novel gene variants.