bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness on export performance in a developing country: evidence of qualitative study
Authors: Hossain Kamal , Soon Lee Kenny Cheah , Abdul Ghani Azmi Ilhaamie Binti , Idris Aida Binti , Alam Mohammad Nurul , Rahman Md. Adnan , Mohd Ali Norinah
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explain the effect of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) dimensions on firms’ export performance. The study has considered three dimensions of EO: innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking. Export performance has been measured through multifaceted determinants: financial, strategic and satisfaction levels of exporting firms.

Design/methodology/approach

To explain the association between such determinants, qualitative face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with the respondents from the apparel manufacturing companies of Bangladesh. The study has also applied a content analysis technique to explore and triangulate the descriptions of EO dimensions on performance.

Findings

The research results reveal that EO has a meaningful explanation of export performance from the lived experience of the respondents. The study has also found frequent explanations and indicators about the association of innovativeness and proactiveness on export performance, but the risk-taking dimension has revealed no effects.

Research limitations/implications

The research has different implications on theoretical, managerial and policy-making aspects of EO and export performance. Nevertheless, the findings are based on the opinions of a small sample of entrepreneurs and high-level managers. Thus, it is important to test the generalizability of these findings in future research using a larger sample.

Originality/value

This study indicated product, process and market creation innovativeness. Risks related to product innovation, new market entry and politics are considered for risk-taking measures, while proactive innovation, technology and new market searching are used for measuring proactiveness. Additionally, multifaceted performance determinants have been applied to evaluate export performance. Hence, this study is a unique qualitative analysis with important theoretical, practical and methodological implications.
In-situ adaptive thermal simulation method for predicting and avoiding hotspots in material extrusion processes
Authors: Driezen Jorne , Herrmann Axel S.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to design a novel strategy to avoid thermal defects in three-dimensional (3D) printing processes. A combination of subroutines and utility routines allows for in situ variations of the key process parameters (KPP) in the thermal simulation and produces by post-processing the output an updated machine code for enhanced quality of the printed part in a single iteration.

Design/methodology/approach

The input data for the thermal simulation were obtained by characterising an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene filament and calibrating an Ultimaker S5 printer. Abaqus subroutines were used to accurately simulate the continuous deposition of molten material. A utility routine extracted the nodal temperatures during simulation and detected regions that were prone to overheating. We developed a method, enabling the introduction of variable process parameters in the thermal simulation and validated it by printing several test geometries.

Findings

The results of the thermal simulation indicate that decreasing the print speed enhances the amount of heat dissipated to the environment. Therefore, it is an efficient way to avoid overheating of the printed geometry. The validation geometries showed improvements when adapting the print speed.

Originality/value

This approach is the first to demonstrate the potential of variable process parameters using implemented routines in the thermal process simulation. Here, the focus is on predicting and avoiding thermal hotspots. However, more potential can be obtained by enabling the prediction and adaptation of KPP to ensure mechanical performance. This would be an alternative way to tackle the cost- and time-inefficient post-processing of 3D-printed parts.
The role of social media in the political involvement of millennials
Authors: Hamid Rahmad Solling , Abror Abror , Anwar Suhardi M. , Hartati Andi
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship of information quality of social media, social media reputation, social media political marketing activities, trust and political involvement of millennials.

Methodology

The empirical analysis was conducted using a sample of 309 millennials. This study used online survey for the data collection. After passing reliability and validity tests, the data were analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results show that information quality of social media has positive and significant direct influence on reputation and trust. Information quality of social media also has a significant indirect influence on trust through social media reputation. However, there is no significant relationship between information quality and political involvement. Social media political marketing activities also have a direct and indirect significant effect on political involvement through trust. Finally, trust also has a positive and significant impact on political involvement.

Practical implications

This research may contribute to the political marketing experts and politicians in increasing the quality and credibility of advertisements on social media, which will affect trust and political involvement of millennial generation. Moreover, politicians and political marketing experts who have an online-based community should optimize their marketing activities in social media to encourage positive behavior and trust from social media users.

Value

This study has shown a more comprehensive model of the relationship between information quality of social media and political involvement. This study also reveals the significant indirect effect of the trust on the relationship between information quality on social media, social media political marketing activities and political involvement.
Lower efficacy of omalizumab in older adults with chronic spontaneous urticaria
Authors: Kitao Rikuma , Oda Yoshiko , Washio Ken , Tai Yukimasa , Ono Ryusuke , Nishigori Chikako , Fukunaga Atsushi
Published: March 2022

Omalizumab is known to be effective in treating chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) with an inadequate response to H1‐antihistamine. Although many reports have described pre‐treatment biomarkers to predict the efficacy of omalizumab in CSU, there are few reports that examined the relationship between age and the therapeutic effectiveness of omalizumab. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between response to omalizumab and age. This retrospective study comprised 52 CSU patients receiving three consecutive omalizumab courses during the period from April 2017 to March 2021. Participants were categorized as responders or non/partial responders using the urticaria control test to evaluate clinical variables on week 12. The female rate tended to be higher, and the mean age and the median disease duration tended to be lower with no significance in responders compared with in non/partial responders. In addition, they exhibited no significant differences regarding serum immunoglobulin E levels, basophil counts, eosinophil counts, d‐dimer, and autologous serum skin test results reported as predictor in the past between two groups. Interestingly, when patients were categorized as age <65 years or ≥65 years, those in the ≥65 years group had a significantly lower response to omalizumab than those aged <65 years. These findings suggest that physicians should keep in mind that the age of their CSU patients may be a predictor of the therapeutic efficacy of omalizumab.
Responses of a tidal freshwater marsh plant community to chronic and pulsed saline intrusion
Authors: Li Fan , Angelini Christine , Byers James E. , Craft Christopher , Pennings Steven C.
Published: March 2022

Climate change causes both chronic and pulsed environmental changes to ecosystems. In estuaries, tidal freshwater marshes experience both extended and episodic periods of elevated salinities due to sea level rise, reduced river discharge during drought and storm surge, but most research has focused on extended (press) perturbations.

Over a 4‐year period, we added diluted seawater to replicated plots in a tidal freshwater marsh in Georgia, USA to raise porewater salinities from freshwater to oligohaline. We assessed the ecosystem effects of press (continuous) and pulse (2 months per year) changes in salinity by measuring the responses of dominant angiosperms, benthic microalgae and dominant macro‐invertebrates (fiddler crabs). We transplanted angiosperms typical of oligohaline and mesohaline conditions into plots as bioindicators (phytometers) to assess potential for vegetation changes over longer time periods.

In the press treatment, the cover of all common plant species decreased. Ludwigia repens almost disappeared within the first month; Polygonum hydropiperoides nearly disappeared within the first growing season; Pontederia cordata and Zizaniopsis miliacea declined over the 4 years but did not completely disappear. The decline in the four most dominant plant species decreased total above‐ground plant biomass, leading to an increase in light penetration and increased densities of benthic diatoms and cyanobacteria. The density of fiddler crab burrows was not significantly affected by the treatments, but was positively related to above‐ground plant biomass across all replicates. Transplant experiments indicated that plants typical of higher salinity conditions (e.g. Schoenoplectus sp.) performed well under conditions prevalent in the press plots.

In the pulse treatment, only L. repens declined, and there was no effect on community‐level above‐ground biomass or other community variables.

Synthesis. Our results indicate that tidal freshwater marsh plant and animal communities are vulnerable to extended periods of salinization but resilient to short saline pulses. Although saline pulses did not impair most ecosystem functions, the decline in a single species (L. repens) in the pulse treatment was associated with reduced marsh accretion and no elevation gain—factors which must be positive for wetland survival in an era of rising seas. Thus, periodic salinization may threaten the long‐term persistence of freshwater wetlands even before dramatic changes in community structure occurs.
Experiential expertise in the co‐development of social and health‐care services: Self‐promotion and self‐dismissal as interactional strategies
Authors: Weiste Elina , Stevanovic Melisa , Uusitalo Lise‐Lotte
Published: March 2022

Increasing client involvement in the development of social and health‐care services has resulted in clients being invited to present their experiential knowledge in service co‐development groups. Nevertheless, research has shown that their opportunities to really contribute to actual decision‐making are limited. This article investigates how client representatives initiate turns‐at‐talk in the decision‐making context and the way in which professionals respond to them. Using conversation analysis, we analyzed 15 h of recorded interactions in five co‐development workshops. Our data exhibited a systematic pattern that linked client representatives’ self‐promoting and self‐dismissive turns‐at‐talk to specific types of responses from professionals. When the client representatives highlighted the relevance of their experiential knowledge for making decisions, the professionals disregarded their contributions. However, if instead, the client representatives cast their experiential knowledge as irrelevant to the decision‐making activity at hand, the professionals subsequently appreciated this knowledge. Thus, paradoxically, in order to establish the relevance of their views, client representatives diminished their positions as experiential experts.
Domain Selection and Familywise Error Rate for Functional Data: A Unified Framework
Authors: Abramowicz Konrad , Pini Alessia , Schelin Lina , Sjöstedt de Luna Sara , Stamm Aymeric , Vantini Simone
Published: March 2022

Functional data are smooth, often continuous, random curves, which can be seen as an extreme case of multivariate data with infinite dimensionality. Just as componentwise inference for multivariate data naturally performs feature selection, subsetwise inference for functional data performs domain selection. In this paper, we present a unified testing framework for domain selection on populations of functional data. In detail, p-values of hypothesis tests performed on pointwise evaluations of functional data are suitably adjusted for providing control of the familywise error rate (FWER) over a family of subsets of the domain. We show that several state-of-the-art domain selection methods fit within this framework and differ from each other by the choice of the family over which the control of the FWER is provided. In the existing literature, these families are always defined a priori. In this work, we also propose a novel approach, coined thresholdwise testing, in which the family of subsets is instead built in a data-driven fashion. The method seamlessly generalizes to multidimensional domains in contrast to methods based on a priori defined families. We provide theoretical results with respect to consistency and control of the FWER for the methods within the unified framework. We illustrate the performance of the methods within the unified framework on simulated and real data examples and compare their performance with other existing methods.
You can’t change the past: Children’s recognition of the causal asymmetry between past and future events
Authors: Tillman Katharine A. , Walker Caren M.
Published: March 2022

This study explored children's causal reasoning about the past and future. U.S. adults (n = 60) and 3‐to‐6‐year‐olds (n = 228) from an urban, middle‐class population (49% female; ~45% white) participated between 2017 and 2019. Participants were told three‐step causal stories and asked about the effects of a change to the second event. Given direct interventions on the second event, children of all ages judged that the past event still occurred, suggesting even preschoolers understand time is irreversible. However, children reasoned differently when told that the second event did not occur, with no specific cause. In this case, 6‐year‐olds and adults inferred that the past event also did not occur. In both conditions, inferences that future events would change emerged gradually between 4 and 6.
Who uses digital drugs? An international survey of ‘binaural beat’ consumers
Authors: Barratt Monica J. , Maddox Alexia , Smith Naomi , Davis Jenny L. , Goold Lachlan , Winstock Adam R. , Ferris Jason A.
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Digital drugs, or binaural beats claimed to elicit specific cognitive or emotional states, are a phenomenon about which little is known. In this brief report, we describe demographic and drug use correlates of binaural beat use, patterns of use, reasons for use and methods of access.

Methods

The Global Drug Survey 2021 was translated into 11 languages; 30 896 responses were gathered from 22 countries.

Results

The use of binaural beats to experience altered states was reported by 5.3% of the sample (median age 27; 60.5% male), with the highest rates from the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom. Controlling for all variables, age and non‐male gender predicted binaural beat use, as did the recent use of cannabis, psychedelics and novel/new drugs. Respondents most commonly used binaural beats ‘to relax or fall asleep’ (72.2%) and ‘to change my mood’ (34.7%), while 11.7% reported trying ‘to get a similar effect to that of other drugs’. This latter motivation was more commonly reported among those who used classic psychedelics (16.5% vs. 7.9%; P < 0.001). The majority sought to connect with themselves (53.1%) or ‘something bigger than themselves’ (22.5%) through the experience. Binaural beats were accessed primarily through video streaming sites via mobile phones.

Discussion and Conclusions

This paper establishes the existence of the phenomenon of listening to binaural beats to elicit changes in embodied and psychological states. Future research directions include the cultural context for consumption and proximate experiences, including co‐use with ingestible drugs and other auditory phenomena.
Wives, concubines, or slaves? Peter Damian and clerics’ women
Authors: Griffiths Fiona
Published: March 2022

From the mid‐eleventh century, the reformed papacy launched a campaign against clerical marriage that, within a hundred years or so, would largely succeed in establishing the priesthood as a celibate (if not always chaste) caste. According to the reforming monk Peter Damian, women who associated with priests formed a particular target of papal discipline: Peter reports that Pope Leo IX ruled in 1049 that such women should be made slaves of the Roman church. This paper revisits sources concerning the reported enslavement of clerics’ women, arguing that it was Peter (and not the pope) who promoted enslavement and, moreover, that Peter’s ideas were never broadly adopted.
Dual‐contrast micro‐CT enables cartilage lesion detection and tissue condition evaluation ex vivo
Authors: Honkanen Miitu K. M. , Mohammadi Ali , te Moller Nikae C. R. , Ebrahimi Mohammadhossein , Xu Wujun , Plomp Saskia , Pouran Behdad , Lehto Vesa‐Pekka , Brommer Harold , van Weeren P. René , Korhonen Rami K. , Töyräs Juha , Mäkelä Janne T. A.
Published: March 2022

Background

Post‐traumatic osteoarthritis is a frequent joint disease in the horse. Currently, equine medicine lacks effective methods to diagnose the severity of chondral defects after an injury.

Objectives

To investigate the capability of dual‐contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (dual‐CECT) for detection of chondral lesions and evaluation of the severity of articular cartilage degeneration in the equine carpus ex vivo.

Study design

Pre‐clinical experimental study.

Methods

In nine Shetland ponies, blunt and sharp grooves were randomly created (in vivo) in the cartilage of radiocarpal and middle carpal joints. The contralateral joint served as control. The ponies were subjected to an 8‐week exercise protocol and euthanised 39 weeks after surgery. CECT scanning (ex vivo) of the joints was performed using a micro‐CT scanner 1 hour after an intra‐articular injection of a dual‐contrast agent. The dual‐contrast agent consisted of ioxaglate (negatively charged, q = −1) and bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs, q = 0, diameter ≈ 0.2 µm). CECT results were compared to histological cartilage proteoglycan content maps acquired using digital densitometry.

Results

BiNPs enabled prolonged visual detection of both groove types as they are too large to diffuse into the cartilage. Furthermore, proportional ioxaglate diffusion inside the tissue allowed differentiation between the lesion and ungrooved articular cartilage (3 mm from the lesion and contralateral joint). The mean ioxaglate partition in the lesion was 19 percentage points higher (P < 0.001) when compared with the contralateral joint. The digital densitometry and the dual‐contrast CECT findings showed good subjective visual agreement.

Main limitations

Ex vivo study protocol and a low number of investigated joints.

Conclusions

The dual‐CECT methodology, used in this study for the first time to image whole equine joints, is capable of effective lesion detection and simultaneous evaluation of the condition of the articular cartilage.
A 64‐channel scheme for autism detection via scaled conjugate gradient‐based neural network classification of electroencephalogram ripples' complexity
Authors: Abdulhay Enas , Alafeef Maha , Hadoush Hikmat , Arunkumar N.
Published: March 2022

The description of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes typically the alterations in social skills and attitude as well as problems of communication. At present, the most promising approaches suggested for ASD automatic diagnosis are the machine learning (ML)‐based procedures that begin by the identification and extraction of the most discriminant features. One of the proposed discriminant features of ASD is electroencephalogram (EEG) entropy that reflects the level of complexity or randomness of brain dynamics. The two main techniques currently used to describe the entropy in ASD are multi‐scale entropy (MSE) and spectral entropy (SE). However, MSE is unable to track the exact frequency content on the different time scales that suffer—themselves—from mismatching. In addition, the outcomes of SE approaches in literature are contradictory and confusing about the altered band, direction of change as well as about the affected brain region. The common point in those SE approaches is the examination of one or more of the well‐known frequency bands: Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta and low Gamma. Hence, the range of high Gamma ripples (>80 Hz) is barely examined in ASD literature due to the needed high carefulness in its technical acquisition, detection and processing as well as to the common acceptance of the idea that it is rather related to pathological seizure activity; which is a misconception recently refuted. Further, the study of automatic ASD diagnosis based on ripples is almost inexistent in literature. The present work suggests an accurate automatic technique to classify ASD and neuro‐typical EEG entropy based on the whole range of ripples (75–250 Hz): (1) EEG signals are collected (120 ASD and neuro‐typical children) by an efficient 64‐channel system highly suitable in noisy environment with movement artefacts. (2) All signal disturbances are automatically removed. (3) The power spectra of all EEG channels are computed. (4) Shannon entropy values are calculated for the range of ripples without filtering. (5) Scaled Conjugate Gradient‐based Neural Network (NN) classification, k‐fold cross validation and T‐test are applied to entropy values. (6) Statistical assessment is conducted. The best testing and the overall accuracies were found to be 98.9% and 95.0% respectively.
Baking injera in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Women's invisible labor in the teff value chain
Authors: Smith Diede , de Regt Marina , Tekalign Addis Alem
Published: March 2022

Women play an important role in food value chain development, but their labor is often invisible in related policies. Female injera bakers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have suffered a similar fate: their labor has been neglected in policies on improving the teff value chain. Teff is a cereal grown in Ethiopia which is used to make the countries' biggest food staple: injera. In this article we describe and analyze the labor of female injera bakers in Addis Ababa in the teff value chain, and the differences in their visibility along the lines of various identity markers. Based on mixed method research, we found that the effect of the changes in the teff value chain on female injera bakers' labor (in)visibility were most negative where certain identity markers intersect. The negative effects run along the lines of the formality of the labor, gender, class, age and health. We conclude that the Ethiopian government's neglect of female stakeholders in the teff value chain has led to the increase of existing inequalities and further marginalization of the most vulnerable women.
APPROXIMATE BAYESIAN INFERENCE AND FORECASTING IN HUGE‐DIMENSIONAL MULTICOUNTRY VARs
Authors: Feldkircher Martin , Huber Florian , Koop Gary , Pfarrhofer Michael
Published: March 2022

Panel vector autoregressions (PVARs) are a popular tool for analyzing multicountry data sets. However, the number of estimated parameters can be enormous, leading to computational and statistical issues. In this article, we develop fast Bayesian methods for estimating PVARs using integrated rotated Gaussian approximations. We exploit the fact that domestic information is often more important than international information and group the coefficients accordingly. Fast approximations are used to estimate the latter whereas the former are estimated with precision using Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques. We illustrate, using a huge model of the world economy, that it produces competitive forecasts quickly.
The TARGET Nurses' health cohort study protocol: Towards a revolution in getting nurses' health ticked
Authors: Lv Xiaoyan , Cao Yingjuan , Li Yuxin , Liu Yunhong , Li Rong , Guan Xiangyun , Li Li , Li Junli , Si Shucheng , Xue Fuzhong , Ji Xiaokang , Zhao Junqiang , Soh Kim Lam , Davidson Patricia M.
Published: March 2022

Aim

To evaluate the health status of nurses in China and explore the impact of work‐related stress, work environment and lifestyle factors on their health outcomes.

Design

The Chinese Nurses' Health Study is a multicentred, prospective cohort study.

Methods

We plan to recruit approximately 80,000 registered nurses aged between 18 and 65 years. Eligible nurses will be introduced to complete a series of web‐based questionnaires after obtaining their informed consent. Follow‐up questionnaires will be completed at 2‐year interval to continuously track subsequent exposures. Health‐related indicators will be obtained through self‐reporting by nurses and the provincial and national registry platforms such as National Central Cancer Registry. The funding was approved in July 2020 and Research Ethics Committee approval was granted in February 2021.

Discussion

The study is the first multicentred prospective cohort study that aims to assess the impact of work‐related stress, work environment and lifestyle factors on the health of Chinese nurses. The results of the Chinese Nurses' Health Cohort Study will potentially draw a picture of the current situation of general health and well‐being among nurses in China and their health risks. This will be critical in recommending locally tailored strategic preventive measures and policies to reduce health and well‐being threats for nurses and potentially general public, thereby promoting the quality of healthcare in China and globally.

Impact

This study will help to understand the health status and working environment characteristics of Chinese nurses, and provide valuable epidemiological evidence for improving working environment and promoting well‐being. The results of this study are potentially of great significance for formulating targeted nursing strategies to promote the nurses' health, nursing quality and patient safety in China and even around the world.

Clinical Trial Registration Number and name of trial register

ChiCTR.org (ID:ChiCTR2100043202), The Nurses' Health Cohort Study of Shandong.
Evaluation of Factors Affecting the Performance of the S−X2$S-X^{2}$ Item‐Fit Index
Authors: Kim Hyung Jin , Lee Won‐Chan
Published: March 2022

Orlando and Thissen (2000) introduced the item‐fit index for testing goodness‐of‐fit with dichotomous item response theory (IRT) models. This study considers and evaluates an alternative approach for computing values and other factors associated with collapsing tables of observed and expected numbers (OE tables), which can affect flagging items. Results suggest that collapsing OE tables requires careful consideration of a trade‐off between power and empirical type I error rate. Concurrent collapsing of score categories would be preferred over separate collapsing for its procedural simplicity, minimal effect of choice of a minimum cell value on empirical type I error rates, and reasonable type I error rates even for the most sparse condition in the study. For separate collapsing, a smaller minimum cell value is recommended as OE tables possess more sparseness (e.g., longer test lengths and smaller sample sizes) if inflated type I error rates are more of a concern in detecting items for misfit based on the index. If it is more important to identify misfit items, the study results recommend using a larger minimum cell value for collapsing.
The association between clinical symptoms and later subjective quality of life in individuals with ultra‐high risk for psychosis and recent‐onset psychotic disorder: A longitudinal investigation
Authors: Usui Kaori , Kirihara Kenji , Tada Mariko , Fujioka Mao , Koshiyama Daisuke , Tani Motoko , Tsuchiya Maiko , Morita Susumu , Kawakami Shintaro , Kanehara Akiko , Morita Kentaro , Satomura Yoshihiro , Koike Shinsuke , Suga Motomu , Araki Tsuyoshi , Kasai Kiyoto
Published: March 2022

Aim

Subjective quality of life is a clinically relevant outcome that is strongly associated with the severity of clinical symptoms in individuals with ultra‐high risk for psychosis and patients with recent‐onset psychotic disorder. Our objective was to examine whether longitudinal changes in clinical symptoms are associated with quality of life in ultra‐high risk individuals and patients with recent‐onset psychotic disorder.

Methods

Individuals with ultra‐high risk and patients with recent‐onset psychosis disorder were recruited in the same clinical settings at baseline and were followed up with more than 6 months and less than 5 years later. We assessed five factors of clinical symptoms using the positive and negative syndrome scale, and quality of life using the World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire‐short form. We used multiple regression to examine the relationships between clinical symptoms and quality of life while controlling for diagnosis, follow‐up period, age, and sex.

Results

Data were collected from 22 individuals with ultra‐high risk and 27 patients with recent‐onset psychosis disorder. The multiple regression analysis results indicated that the more severe anxiety/depression was at baseline, the poorer the quality of life at follow‐up. Further, improvement of anxiety/depression and disorganized thoughts were associated with improvement in quality of life. The difference in diagnosis did not affect the association between clinical symptoms and quality of life.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the improvement of anxiety/depression and disorganized thoughts is important in the early stages of psychosis before it becomes severe, affecting the quality of life.
Interpersonal behavior in assessment center role‐play exercises: Investigating structure, consistency, and effectiveness
Authors: Breil Simon M. , Lievens Filip , Forthmann Boris , Back Mitja D.
Published: March 2022

Although the behaviors displayed by assessees are the currency of assessment centers (ACs), they have remained largely unexplored. This is surprising because a better understanding of assessees’ behaviors may provide the missing link between research on the determinants of assessee performance and research on the validity of performance ratings. Therefore, this study draws on behavioral personality science to scrutinize the behaviors that assessees express in interpersonal AC exercises. Our goals were to investigate (a) the structure of interpersonal behaviors, (b) the consistency of these behaviors across AC exercises, and (c) their effectiveness. We obtained videotaped performances of 203 assessees who took part in AC role‐plays in a high‐stakes context. Apart from assessors’ performance ratings, trained experts also independently coded assessees on over 40 specific behavioral cues in these role‐plays (e.g., clear statements, upright posture, freezing). Results were threefold: First, the structure underlying behavioral differences in interpersonal AC exercises was represented by four broad behavioral constructs: agency, communion, interpersonal calmness, and intellectual competence. Second, assessees’ behaviors showed more consistency across exercises than performance ratings did. Third, the behaviors were related to role‐play performance and predicted future interpersonal performance. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this study's granular, behavior‐driven perspective.
Prescribing engagement in environmental risk assessment for gene drive technology
Authors: Hartley Sarah , Kokotovich Adam , McCalman Caroline
Published: March 2022

Gene drive technology is a nascent biotechnology with the potential to purposefully alter or eliminate a species. There have been broad calls for engagement to inform gene drive governance. Over the past seven years, the gene drive community has been developing risk assessment guidelines to determine what form future gene drive risk assessments take, including whether and how they involve engagement. To explore who is developing these guidelines and how engagement in risk assessment is being prescribed, we conduct a document analysis of gene drive risk assessment guideline documents from 2014 to 2020. We found that a narrow set of organizations have developed 10 key guideline documents and that with only one exception the documents prescribe a narrow, vague, or completely absent role for engagement in gene drive risk assessment. Without substantively prescribed engagement in guidelines, the relevance, rigor, and trustworthiness of gene drive risk assessment and governance will suffer.
Temporal analysis of desertification vulnerability in Northeast Brazil using Google Earth Engine
Authors: Moura Marks Melo , Walter Letícia Siqueira , Lins Tarcila Rosa da Silva , Araujo Emmanoella Costa Guaraná , da Cunha Neto Ernandes Macedo , Santana Gabriel Mendes , Brasil Iací Dandara Santos , Silva Thiago Cardoso
Published: March 2022

Intensive agricultural production has negative environmental impacts, increasing predisposition to desertification in areas with inadequate soil management. To evaluate the effects of agriculture, we aimed to perform a temporal analysis and analyze the development of desertification in Northeast Brazil. Initially, the region was separated into four climatic zones, grouping the locations with similar characteristics of air temperature and rainfall. In the analyses, images of the northeast region acquired from the Landsat 5 (1989, 1999, and 2009) and Landsat 8 (2019) satellites were processed using the Google Earth Engine platform. The periods were separated into dry and rainy periods, according to the climatic zones. The evaluation of vegetation index, characterization of the remaining vegetation cover, landscape pattern, and meteorological conditions were performed, respectively, through the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Modified Soil‐Adjusted Vegetation Index, and albedo of the terrestrial surface. The desertification index showed an increase in susceptible areas when comparing the interval from 1989 to 2019. In general, our results showed that there is less predisposition for desertification to occur during the rainy season. Also, when the results of our study were compared to official data released by the National Program of Action to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of Drought, there was disagreement regarding the classification of areas.
Structure of S1PR2–heterotrimeric G
13
signaling complex
Authors: Chen Hongwen , Chen Kevin , Huang Weijiao , Staudt Louis M. , Cyster Jason G. , Li Xiaochun
Published: March 2022

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) regulates immune cell trafficking, angiogenesis, and vascular function via its five receptors. Inherited mutations in S1P receptor 2 (S1PR2) occur in individuals with hearing loss, and acquired mutations in S1PR2 and G
α13
occur in a malignant lymphoma. Here, we present the cryo–electron microscopy structure of S1P-bound S1PR2 coupled to the heterotrimeric G
13
. Interaction between S1PR2 intracellular loop 2 (ICL2) and transmembrane helix 4 confines ICL2 to engage the α5 helix of G
α13
. Transforming growth factor–α shedding assays and cell migration assays support the key roles of the residues in S1PR2-G
α13
complex assembly. The structure illuminates the mechanism of receptor disruption by disease-associated mutations. Unexpectedly, we showed that FTY720-P, an agonist of the other four S1PRs, can trigger G
13
activation via S1PR2. S1PR2
F274I
variant can increase the activity of G
13
considerably with FTY720-P and S1P, thus revealing a basis for S1PR drug selectivity.
HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478 preserves pancreatic β cell function in diabetes
Authors: Ilegems Erwin , Bryzgalova Galyna , Correia Jorge , Yesildag Burcak , Berra Edurne , Ruas Jorge L. , Pereira Teresa S. , Berggren Per-Olof
Published: March 2022

During progression of type 2 diabetes, pancreatic β cells are subjected to sustained metabolic overload. We postulated that this state mediates a hypoxic phenotype driven by hypoxia-inducible factor–1α (HIF-1α) and that treatment with the HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478 would improve β cell function. Our studies showed that the HIF-1α protein was present in pancreatic β cells of diabetic mouse models. In mouse islets with high glucose metabolism, the emergence of intracellular Ca
2+
oscillations at low glucose concentration and the abnormally high basal release of insulin were suppressed by treatment with the HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478, indicating improvement of β cell function. Treatment of db/db mice with PX-478 prevented the rise of glycemia and diabetes progression by maintenance of elevated plasma insulin concentration. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, PX-478 improved the recovery of glucose homeostasis. Islets isolated from these mice showed hallmarks of improved β cell function including elevation of insulin content, increased expression of genes involved in β cell function and maturity, inhibition of dedifferentiation markers, and formation of mature insulin granules. In response to PX-478 treatment, human islet organoids chronically exposed to high glucose presented improved stimulation index of glucose-induced insulin secretion. These results suggest that the HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478 has the potential to act as an antidiabetic therapeutic agent that preserves β cell function under metabolic overload.
Proinflammatory CD20
+
T cells contribute to CNS-directed autoimmunity
Authors: Ochs Jasmin , Nissimov Nitzan , Torke Sebastian , Freier Marie , Grondey Katja , Koch Julian , Klein Matthias , Feldmann Linda , Gudd Cathrin , Bopp Tobias , Häusser-Kinzel Silke , Weber Martin S.
Published: March 2022

The origin and function of CD20
+
T cells are poorly understood. Here, we characterized CD20
+
T cells in mice and humans and investigated how they are affected by anti-CD20 antibody treatment. We report that murine CD20
+
T cells are unable to endogenously express the B cell lineage marker CD20; the development of CD20
+
T cells in rodents requires the presence of CD20-expressing B cells. Our results demonstrated that both murine and human T cells acquire CD20 from B cells via trogocytosis while being activated by an antigen-presenting B cell. In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), expression of CD20 on T cells is associated with an up-regulation of activation markers, proinflammatory cytokines, and adhesion molecules, suggesting high pathogenic potential. Supporting this hypothesis, CD20
+
T cells expand during active EAE in rodents; furthermore, adoptive transfer of CD20
+
T cells into EAE-diseased mice worsened histological and clinical severity. Of direct therapeutic relevance, we demonstrate that the exclusive therapeutic elimination of CD20
+
T cells effectively ameliorates EAE, independent of B cells. The results support the hypothesis that CD20
+
T cells arise upon B cell–T cell interaction and that depletion of CD20
+
T cells might contribute to the success of anti-CD20 antibody therapies in MS and other inflammatory disorders.
Fosfomycin Susceptibility Testing Using Commercial Agar Dilution Test
Authors: Croughs Peter D. , Konijnendijk-de Regt Michelle , Yusuf Erlangga
Published: March 2022

Fosfomycin is increasingly needed to treat infection due to multidrug resistant microorganisms. Yet, the antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) of fosfomycin is fraught with difficulties or often laborious to perform. An easy-to-use AST method for fosfomycin is thus needed. In this study, we showed that the ready-to-use commercially available agar dilution kit, in comparison to the reference standard, showed excellent performance.
Simplified regimen for the management of hypertension with telemedicine and blood pressure self-monitoring (SIMPLE): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Li Yao , Maimaitiaili Rusitanmujiang , Zhang Yi , Feng Tienan , Xu Yawei , Yang Haotian , Zhang Ji , Shi Jia , Wang Mingliang , Zhao Fang , Gao Junqing , Hu Jun , Jiang Chenghua , Zhao Yifan
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Telemedicine and blood pressure (BP) self-monitoring conduces to management of hypertension. Recent hypertension guidelines highly recommended single pill combination (SPC) for the initial treatment of essential hypertension. Based on this fact, an SPC-based telemedicine titration regimen with BP self-monitoring could be a better way in managing hypertension. This trial aims to elucidate whether telemedicine combined with BP self-monitoring is superior to self-monitoring alone during hypertension management.

Methods and analysis

This study will be a multicentred, open-labelled, randomised controlled trial. A minimum sample of 358 hypertensive patients with uncontrolled BP from four centres will be included. The intervention group will include BP self-monitoring and tele-monitoring plus a free SPC-based telemedicine titration therapy for 6 months, they will be recommended to take BP measurements at least once every 7 days, in the meantime, researchers will call to give a consultation on lifestyle or titration advice once a fortnight. The control group will be required to self-monitor BP at the same time interval as intervention group, without any therapy change. Primary outcome of the trial will be the difference in systolic blood pressure at 6-month follow-up between intervention and control group, adjusted for baseline variables. Secondary outcomes such as BP control rate, major adverse cardiovascular events, medication adherence, quality of life will be investigated.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was granted by Ethical Committee of Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital (SHSY-IEC-4.1/20-194/01). The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed literature, and to policy-makers and healthcare partners.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR2000037217.
Analysis on the willingness and influencing factors of choosing primary healthcare institutions among patients with chronic conditions in China: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Teng Li , Li Yueping
Published: March 2022

Objective

To assess the willingness and factors influencing the choice of primary healthcare (PHC) institutions among patients with chronic conditions in China.

Design

A nationwide population-based study with binary logistic regression was conducted and used to estimate the ORs of the influencing factors of health-seeking at PHC institutions using the Anderson model as a theoretical framework.

Setting

The China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database.

Participants

The study sample included 7967 patients with chronic conditions identified from the 2016 and 2018 CFPS databases.

Results

From 2016 to 2018, the rate of choosing PHC institutions for patients with chronic conditions dropped from 51.0% to 47.7%. The logistic regression results showed that patients with low family income (OR value of >60 000 group was 0.57, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.74), low education level (OR value of bachelor degree or above was 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.83;), older age (OR value of >65 group was 1.31, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.60;), hypertension and diabetes (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.41), living in rural areas (OR value of urban was 0.47, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.60), immigrating from rural to urban areas (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.13), reporting good health (OR value of very good was 1.33, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.68) and those from areas with a high proportion of PHC institutions (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.07) were more inclined to choose PHC institutions. Conversely, patients with urban employee health insurance (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.80) and more than one chronic disease (OR 0,83, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.92) preferred choosing a hospital.

Conclusions

The patients’ willingness to choose PHC institutions was low. The health-seeking preference of patients with chronic conditions is derived from medical needs and is influenced by the predisposing factors and tendencies of enabling resources. Measures should be taken to improve the capacity of PHC institutions.
Pregnancy Outcomes: Effects of Metformin (POEM) study: a protocol for a long-term, multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial in gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: van Hoorn Eline G M , van Dijk Peter R , Prins Jelmer R , Lutgers Helen L , Hoogenberg Klaas , Erwich Jan Jaap H M , Kooy Adriaan
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common disorder of pregnancy with health risks for mother and child during pregnancy, delivery and further lifetime, possibly leading to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Current treatment is focused on reducing hyperglycaemia, by dietary and lifestyle intervention and, if glycaemic targets are not reached, insulin. Metformin is an oral blood glucose lowering drug and considered safe during pregnancy. It improves insulin sensitivity and has shown advantages, specifically regarding pregnancy-related outcomes and patient satisfaction, compared with insulin therapy. However, the role of metformin in addition to usual care is inconclusive and long-term outcome of metformin exposure in utero are lacking. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the early addition of metformin on pregnancy and long-term outcomes in GDM.

Methods and analysis

The Pregnancy Outcomes: Effects of Metformin study is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled trial. Participants include women with GDM, between 16 and 32 weeks of gestation, who are randomised to either usual care or metformin added to usual care, with insulin rescue in both groups. Metformin is given up to 1 year after delivery. The study consists of three phases (A–C): A—until 6 weeks after delivery; B—until 1 year after delivery; C—observational study until 20 years after delivery. During phase A, the primary outcome is a composite score consisting of: (1) pregnancy-related hypertension, (2) large for gestational age neonate, (3) preterm delivery, (4) instrumental delivery, (5) caesarean delivery, (6) birth trauma, (7) neonatal hypoglycaemia, (8) neonatal intensive care admission. During phase B and C the primary outcome is the incidence of T2DM and (weight) development in mother and child.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects in the Netherlands. Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT02947503.