bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mazovia brand awareness among corporate customers: implications for local authorities
Authors: Młotkowska Katarzyna , Kowalik Izabela
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The aim of the study was to determine the region brand’s strength by measuring the awareness of the regional brand elements, associations and the perception of the region’s promotional activity in the corporate customers’ group.

Design/methodology/approach

To obtain the necessary data, this study conducted computer-assisted web interviewing on a sample of 151 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) registered in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship and engaged in furniture production and food and beverage production. Statistical data analysis included Pearson and Spearman’s rank correlation and chi-square tests.

Findings

The survey showed a high number of brand associations with the region of Mazovia, but the level of brand recognition was low. The awareness of the region’s logo among SMEs shows the strongest correlation with the belief that promotional activities increased the scope of company operations. Moreover, this evidences the perceived utility of the brand among those customers.

Practical implications

The regional authorities should invest more in the frequency of promoting the region among certain strongly engaged user groups to increase their brand awareness level. Furthermore, local authorities should try establishing an umbrella brand that would cover several sub-brands promoting separate industries in the region.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in Poland that focused on regional branding effects among entrepreneurs and using a quantitative method. The relationship between the studied entrepreneurs’ willingness to use the Mazovia brand and their range of operations indicates that some enterprises already enjoy greater trust thanks to the brand, which increases their loyalty toward the region.
Transportation infrastructure network optimisation based on computer simulation using Sichuan Province, China as an example
Authors: Guo Jeen , Xiang Pengcheng , Liu Qiqi , Luo Yun
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method that can calculate the transportation infrastructure network service capacity enhancement given by planned transportation infrastructure projects construction. Managers can sequence projects more rationally to maximize the construction effectiveness of infrastructure investments.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper designed a computational network simulation software to generate topological networks based on established rules. Based on the topological networks, the software simulated the movement path of users and calculated the average travel time. This software allows the adjustment of parameters to suit different research objectives. The average travel time is used as an evaluation index to determine the most appropriate construction sequence.

Findings

In this paper, the transportation infrastructure network of Sichuan Province in China was used to demonstrate this software. The average travel time of the existing transportation network in Sichuan Province was calculated as 211 min using this software. The high-speed railways from Leshan to Xichang and from Xichang to Yibin had the greatest influence on shortening the average travel time. This paper also measured the changes in the average travel time under two strategies: shortening the maximum and minimum priorities. All the transportation network optimisation plans for Sichuan Province will be somewhere between these two strategies.

Originality/value

The contribution of this research are three aspects: First, a complex network analysis method that can take into account the differences of node elements is proposed. Second, it provides an effective tool for decision makers to plan transportation infrastructure construction. Third, the construction sequence of transportation infrastructure development plan can effect the infrastructure investment effectiveness.
The influence of technology affordance on addictive use in MMOGs: from the perspective of virtual-domain perfectionism
Authors: Xun Yijing , Zheng Xiabing , Lee Matthew , Yang Feng
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The rise and popularity of digitalization have made the addictive use in the virtual world more common, which has aroused wide attention from academia and public. Uncovering the underlying mechanism of addictive use is essential to address this serious issue.

Design/methodology/approach

By utilizing the context of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), this study developed virtual-domain perfectionism of seeking excellence and avoiding failure from the dual process model of perfectionism and identified four affordances in MMOGs from the perspective of technology affordance. The authors surveyed 302 valid samples in MMOGs to empirically test the research model.

Findings

The results demonstrate that two processes of virtual-domain perfectionism influence addictive use positively in MMOGs. Technology affordances perform as the antecedents of virtual-domain perfectionism and conduct distinct impacts in MMOGs. Specifically, affordances of interaction and identity are positively related to virtual-domain perfectionism, while achievement affordance is unrelated to virtual-domain perfectionism. Immersion affordance is positively related to virtual-domain perfectionism of seeking excellence and negatively associated with virtual-domain perfectionism of avoiding failure.

Originality/value

This study identified virtual-domain perfectionism and specific MMOGs affordances. The research model provides insights into addictive use in MMOGs by leveraging context and combining lenses. Research findings help elucidate the role of virtual-domain perfectionism on the addictive use from MMOGs affordances with the corresponding technical features.
Paint repair appraisal for heritage buildings: the adoption of green maintenance model in Banda Aceh and Melaka
Authors: Sari Laina Hilma , Kayan Brit Anak , Zahriah Zahriah , Taqiuddin Zulfikar , Nursaniah Cut , Mohd Konar Siti Norbaya
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This paper is an appraisal using the life cycle assessment (LCA) of paint repair for heritage buildings based on the green maintenance model.

Design/methodology/approach

Calculation procedures of green maintenance model within cradle-to-site boundaries of LCA approach were undertaken. The calculations evaluate embodied carbon expended from paint repair of Gunongan, Banda Aceh and Melaka Stamp Museum, Melaka.

Findings

The findings show that the type and number of coats applied will determine the lifespan of the paint. The lifespan of paint influences the frequency of its repair, thus affecting environmental maintenance impact (EMI).

Practical implications

Green maintenance model is not confined to heritage buildings and can be applied to any repair types, materials used and building forms. The model supports and stimulates research dedicated to the sustainable development of cultural heritage. This results in the attainment of environmentally focused conservation, promoting sustainable repair approach and inculcating sustainable development of the historic environment.

Social implications

Green maintenance model highlights the efficiency of repair options that may be adopted for heritage buildings, thus cultivating skills and knowledge in cultural heritage and sustainable development.

Originality/value

The paint repair appraisal of heritage buildings in different countries and localities, which share similar tropical climate, can be undertaken. It demonstrates how different approaches by relevant agencies to the paint repair of heritage buildings impact on embodied carbon expenditure.
Is dc:subject enough? A landscape on iconography and iconology statements of knowledge graphs in the semantic web
Authors: Baroncini Sofia , Sartini Bruno , Van Erp Marieke , Tomasi Francesca , Gangemi Aldo
Published: April 2023

Purpose

In the last few years, the size of Linked Open Data (LOD) describing artworks, in general or domain-specific Knowledge Graphs (KGs), is gradually increasing. This provides (art-)historians and Cultural Heritage professionals with a wealth of information to explore. Specifically, structured data about iconographical and iconological (icon) aspects, i.e. information about the subjects, concepts and meanings of artworks, are extremely valuable for the state-of-the-art of computational tools, e.g. content recognition through computer vision. Nevertheless, a data quality evaluation for art domains, fundamental for data reuse, is still missing. The purpose of this study is filling this gap with an overview of art-historical data quality in current KGs with a focus on the icon aspects.

Design/methodology/approach

This study’s analyses are based on established KG evaluation methodologies, adapted to the domain by addressing requirements from art historians’ theories. The authors first select several KGs according to Semantic Web principles. Then, the authors evaluate (1) their structures’ suitability to describe icon information through quantitative and qualitative assessment and (2) their content, qualitatively assessed in terms of correctness and completeness.

Findings

This study’s results reveal several issues on the current expression of icon information in KGs. The content evaluation shows that these domain-specific statements are generally correct but often not complete. The incompleteness is confirmed by the structure evaluation, which highlights the unsuitability of the KG schemas to describe icon information with the required granularity.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this work is an overview of the actual landscape of the icon information expressed in LOD. Therefore, it is valuable to cultural institutions by providing them a first domain-specific data quality evaluation. Since this study’s results suggest that the selected domain information is underrepresented in Semantic Web datasets, the authors highlight the need for the creation and fostering of such information to provide a more thorough art-historical dimension to LOD.
Exploring the determinants of continuous intention in TikTok from the perspective of social influence: a mixed approach of SEM and fsQCA
Authors: Jia Qingdan , Xu Xiaoyu , Zhou Minhong , Liu Haodong , Chang Fangkai
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study embraces the call for exploring the determinants of continuous intention in TikTok. Taking the perspective of social influence, this study not only tries to explore the contextual sources of two types of social influence but also aims to unveil the influence mechanism of how social influence affects TikTok viewers’ continuous intention.

Design/methodology/approach

This study empirically analyzes how TikToker attractiveness, co-viewer participation, platform reputation and content appeal affect informative and normative social influence and then lead to the continuous intention of TikTok. Based on 547 valid survey data, this study adopts a mixed analytical approach for data analysis by integrating structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).

Findings

SEM results unveil that content appeal is the most critical antecedent of informational social influence, while the TikToker attractiveness and platform reputation have no effect on it. Differently, all four external sources positively lead to normative social influence. Among them, content appeal and co-viewer participation influence the most. The influences of both two types of social influence on continuous intention are demonstrated. FsQCA results reveal seven alternative configurations that are sufficient for influencing continuance intention and further complement and reinforce the SEM findings.

Originality/value

Addressing the critical contextual elements of TikTok, this study explores and confirms the sources which may engender social influence. The authors also demonstrate the critical role of social influence in affecting TikTok viewers’ continuous intentions by the hybrid analytical approach, which contributes to existing academic literature and practitioners.
The effect of perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy on generation Z restaurant customers’ food waste reduction intentions
Authors: Ding Li , Jiang Caifen
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study aims to (1) test the effects of Generation Z (Gen Z) customers’ perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy toward food waste reduction on their food waste reduction intentions in restaurants, (2) examine the mediating role of customers’ self-efficacy in conveying their perceived collective efficacy for food waste reduction intentions and (3) explore the moderating roles of Gen Z restaurant customers’ interdependent self-construal and independent self-construal.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from an online survey distributed to Gen Z restaurant customers in China in April and May of 2022. The snowball sampling approach was used to collect the data, and the final sample included 214 participants. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to examine the hypotheses.

Findings

The study found that Gen Z restaurant customers’ perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy toward food waste reduction were positively related to their food waste reduction intentions. Self-efficacy also played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived collective efficacy and food waste reduction intentions. Moreover, Gen Z restaurant customers’ interdependent self-construal negatively moderated the relationship between perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on social cognitive theory, self-construal theory and customers’ ethical decision-making processes. It integrates Gen Z restaurant customers’ perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy toward food waste reduction into the ethical decision-making process and investigates how the two types of efficacy determine food waste reduction intentions.
Configuring green intellectual capital to achieve ambidextrous environmental strategy: based on resource orchestration theory
Authors: Xi Mengjie , Fang Wei , Feng Taiwen , Liu Yang
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Since a single environmental strategy is not sufficient to deal with the various institutional forces that firms are facing, this study proposes ambidextrous environmental strategy and aims to explore its drivers. Based on the awareness-motivation-capability (AMC) framework and resource orchestration theory, the authors investigate the configurational effects of perceived institutional force, green intellectual capital (GIC) and paradox cognition on achieving ambidextrous environmental strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore these configurational effects, this study uses two-waved survey data from 317 Chinese manufacturing firms and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method.

Findings

There are three equivalent configurational paths leading to ambidextrous environmental strategy. The findings suggest that firms with paradox cognition can better orchestrate GIC to achieve ambidextrous environmental strategy under different perceived institutional force. This study also finds three substitution effects between distinct conditions.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature by introducing the concept of ambidexterity into the field of environmental strategy and using the AMC framework to explore the configurational paths driving ambidextrous environmental strategy.
Unfair rewards, poorly performing organizations and perceptions of deservingness as explanations of diminished job performance
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Haq Inam Ul , Azeem Muhammad Umer
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study aims to detail how employees’ experience of distributive injustice may compromise their job performance, with specific attention to how this detrimental process may be explained in part by their beliefs about organization-level underperformance and moderated by their own psychological entitlement.

Design/methodology/approach

The research hypotheses were tested with three-round, time-lagged data collected among employees and their supervisors.

Findings

A critical channel through which employees’ perceptions that their organization’s reward system is unfair translates into thwarted job performance is a conviction that their organization does not meet its own performance targets. As a mediator, such organizational underperformance beliefs have particularly salient effects on employees who believe they are more deserving than others.

Practical implications

This study gives HR managers insights into how they can reduce the danger that unfair reward practices escalate into a reduced propensity by employees to complete their job tasks diligently. HR managers should make employees aware of their possible entitlement and discourage them from expecting that things always must go their way.

Originality/value

This research unpacks the connection between distributive injustice and job performance, by delineating the unique roles of two pertinent factors (organizational underperformance beliefs and psychological entitlement) in this connection.
Agile software development and software practitioners’ productivity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review
Authors: Anthony Jnr Bokolo
Published: April 2023

Purpose

As the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) impacts the world, software practitioners are collaboratively working remotely from home. The pandemic has disrupted software practitioners’ productivity forcing changes to agile methodology adopted by software practitioners in software organizations. Therefore, this study aims to provide implication on the issues and recommendations for improving software practitioners’ productivity and also examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agile software development.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a narrative literature review to provide early assessment based on secondary data from the literature and available document reports from studies published from 2019 to 2022 to explore software practitioners’ productivity and agile software development during the working from home directive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 60 sources which met the inclusion criteria were used to provide preliminary evidence grounded on secondary data from the literature. Descriptive analysis was used to provide qualitative findings from the literature.

Findings

Findings from this study present the significance of working from home directive on agile software development and software practitioners’ productivity. More importantly, findings from the secondary data shed light on software practitioners’ productivity adopting agile software development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the findings present virtual collaborative platforms used by software practitioners, technical and social barriers of agile software development during the pandemic and recommendations for remote agile software development.

Originality/value

This study explores the significance of working from home directive on software practitioners’ productivity during COVID-19 pandemic and further investigates how are software practitioners’ productivity adopting agile software development practices amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, this study discusses the challenges software practitioners currently face and offers some strategies to bridge the gaps in agile software development to help software practitioners, system developers, software managers and software organizations adapt to the changes caused by the pandemic.
Training via learning oriented assessment: an investigation of knowledge acquisition, skill application and job effectiveness
Authors: Lu Chunyan , Minneyfield Aarren , Jia Min , Lu Jun , Zheng Yan , Huo Jingying , Wang Ningyi , Wu Yihua , Brantley Jennifer
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore more agile and effective learning processes that help identify potentially high-performing staff during workplace training.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the efficacy of the learning-oriented assessment (LOA) process in workplace training, a pharmaceutical sales organization implemented an online training over three months that was modeled with the LOA process. During work hours, employees within the organization took two tests (one before and after training) as well as participated in training with essential work-related content, where they were given problem sets and scenarios to complete that would vary based on their responses. Their assessment scores, formative learning behaviors and quarterly revenue were recorded to determine the effects of the training.

Findings

The outcome of this study supported the theory that the LOA model would facilitate the acquisition and application of knowledge differentially between employees of the organization, and this knowledge would serve to improve the performance of the employees to the extent that it increased revenue.

Research limitations/implications

This study was a field experiment that did not allow for the control of possible confounds. However, the real-world real people outcomes provide novel insights on best practices in workplace training.

Practical implications

The findings of this study showed the short-term effectiveness of the LOA process in professional knowledge acquisition and application in relevant skills that increase organizational revenue.

Originality/value

This study provides an applied understanding on the applicability of the LOA process in workplace learning and training which has not been previously investigated.
Voice search behavior under human–vehicle interaction context: an exploratory study
Authors: Liang Shaobo , Yu Linfeng
Published: April 2023

Purpose

As voice search has progressively become a new way of information acquisition and human–computer interaction, this paper aims to explore the users' voice search behavior in human–vehicle interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed mixed research methods, including questionnaires and interviews. A total of 151 Amazon MTurk volunteers were recruited to complete a questionnaire based on their most recent and impressive voice search experience. After the questionnaire, this paper conducted an online interview with the participants.

Findings

This paper studied users' voice search behavior characteristics in the context of the human–vehicle interaction and analyzed the voice search content, search need, search motivation and user satisfaction. In addition, this paper studied the barriers and suggestions for voice search in human–vehicle interaction through a content analysis of the interviews.

Practical implications

This paper's analysis of users' barriers and suggestions has a specific reference value for optimizing the voice search interaction system and improving the service.

Originality/value

This study is exploratory research that seeks to identify users' voice search needs and tasks and investigate voice search satisfaction in human–vehicle interaction context.
Enabling social entrepreneurship: examining the impact of state, market and religious factors
Authors: Amini Sedeh Amirmahmood , Caiazza Rosa , Moayed Negar , Moeini Gharagozloo Mohammad Mahdi
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The study examines how the interactions among three prominent institutional logics—state, market and religion—fundamentally shape the patterns of individuals’ engagement in social entrepreneurship (SE).

Design/methodology/approach

The study develops a configurational theoretical framework and uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to test the hypotheses by gathering data on social ventures from 35 countries from the World Values Survey and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

Findings

The results show that the prevalence of social entrepreneurial ventures is enabled by different combinations of logics of action, governance mechanisms, strength of religious beliefs and religious pluralism.

Originality/value

This research reveals that the relationship between institutional logic profiles and SE is contingent on the coherence between different institutional logics.
The neurophysiological basis of leadership: a machine learning approach
Authors: Parra Vargas Elena , Philip Jestine , Carrasco-Ribelles Lucia A. , Alice Chicchi Giglioli Irene , Valenza Gaetano , Marín-Morales Javier , Alcañiz Raya Mariano
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This research employed two neurophysiological techniques (electroencephalograms (EEG) and galvanic skin response (GSR)) and machine learning algorithms to capture and analyze relationship-oriented leadership (ROL) and task-oriented leadership (TOL). By grounding the study in the theoretical perspectives of transformational leadership and embodied leadership, the study draws connections to the human body's role in activating ROL and TOL styles.

Design/methodology/approach

EEG and GSR signals were recorded during resting state and event-related brain activity for 52 study participants. Both leadership styles were assessed independently using a standard questionnaire, and brain activity was captured by presenting subjects with emotional stimuli.

Findings

ROL revealed differences in EEG baseline over the frontal lobes during emotional stimuli, but no differences were found in GSR signals. TOL style, on the other hand, did not present significant differences in either EEG or GSR responses, as no biomarkers showed differences. Hence, it was concluded that EEG measures were better at recognizing brain activity associated with ROL than TOL. EEG signals were also strongest when individuals were presented with stimuli containing positive (specifically, happy) emotional content. A subsequent machine learning model developed using EEG and GSR data to recognize high/low levels of ROL and TOL predicted ROL with 81% accuracy.

Originality/value

The current research integrates psychophysiological techniques like EEG with machine learning to capture and analyze study variables. In doing so, the study addresses biases associated with self-reported surveys that are conventionally used in management research. This rigorous and interdisciplinary research advances leadership literature by striking a balance between neurological data and the theoretical underpinnings of transformational and embodied leadership.
Drivers and outcomes of corporate sustainability in the Indian hospitality industry
Authors: Fatima Tahniyath , Elbanna Saïd
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine corporate sustainability in the hospitality industry as it caters to multiple stakeholders such as society and environment. Further, the researchers have attempted to portray a comprehensive outlook of corporate sustainability by examining the organizational-level and environmental-level drivers and assessing the impact of corporate sustainability on an overarching measure of hotel performance: sustainability balanced scorecard (SBSC).

Design/methodology/approach

A three-staged mixed-methods research design was implemented comprising interviews, surveys and a post-hoc analysis to test the comprehensive framework of corporate sustainability.

Findings

The authors observed that corporate sustainability positively impacted hotel performance. The results further indicated that in competing environments and presence of slack resources, sampled firms could develop their sustainability strategy to improve performance. Surprisingly, environmental munificence did not significantly influence corporate sustainability but directly increased hotel performance. Interestingly, hotel performance also improved upon having managerial commitment toward sustainability.

Practical implications

The study highlights the crucial role of top management in hotels, where their commitment to sustainability can positively impact not just hotel's engagement in corporate sustainability but can also directly enhance hotel's overall performance. Hotel managers can utilize the SBSC developed in this study to comprehensively measure hotel performance which is found to be positively impacted by hotel's engagement toward corporate sustainability.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the sustainability literature by examining drivers of corporate sustainability in the Indian hospitality industry from two perspectives: environmental and organizational. With the escalating ambiguity of sustainability–performance relationship, the authors employed a novel technique for operationalizing hotel performance: SBSC.
Cognitive biases in resource cognition: evidence from action research
Authors: Leemann Niklaus , Kanbach Dominik K.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Resource cognition – identifying valuable resources and capabilities and assessing their potential for redeployment – is a pivotal management capability for strategic renewal. This study explores how managerial cognition in this activity may be biased, leading to erroneous results.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs an action research approach: A full resource cognition project was conducted together with the top management of a case firm, including the CEO and members of the supervisory board.

Findings

Resource cognition may be distorted by four cognitive biases: The insulation bias – tending to keep one's perspective insularly to the current business; the novelty bias – tending to exclusively focus on innovation and recent achievements; the status quo bias – tending to view opportunities from the current situation and structural set-up; and the scaffolding bias – tending to adopt concepts and examples indiscriminately to the firm.

Originality/value

Active participation in a resource cognition project provided first-hand and insightful practice-based evidence on resource cognition. Aware practitioners can take preventive steps to avoid cognitive biases. This study sheds light on the under researched issue of resource cognition.
Synthesis of forty years of brand crisis literature
Authors: Chandrasekar Kalpana , Rehman Varisha
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The brand crisis literature remains unilateral and scattered, necessitating academic effort to comprehend the extant body of knowledge. This study aims to provide the required comprehensive overview of the domain, by outlining its significance, progression and future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the PRISMA approach, journal articles for review are selected. The study uses a hybrid (structured and bibliometric) review, to provide a systematic insight and graphical visualization of the existing literature. It applies VOSviewer software to analyse bibliographic data through citation and co-occurrence analysis.

Findings

The hybrid review outlines most-cited articles, authors, frequently used theories, methodologies and data analysis techniques in this domain. Findings are further presented as integrative framework that distinctly highlights prior studies from a dichotomous perspective and across three stages of crisis. Finally, research opportunities and directions for future research are presented.

Research limitations/implications

The study is useful for scholars and practitioners to understand the brand crisis literature and to cognize the inferences drawn by distinct researchers. It provides contemporary research agendas using the theory, context and method (TCM) framework, to augment future investigations through interdisciplinary approach.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge this is the first study that synthesizes the academic work of brand crisis using a hybrid method. Also, the novelty of the work lies in presenting the future research direction in the form of multiple (macro, meso and micro) levels with inter-disciplinary theoretical underpinnings.
Contraceptive access reform and abortion: Evidence from Delaware
Authors: Kim Taehyun , Marthey Daniel , Boudreaux Michel
Published: April 2023

Objective

To examine the effects of a comprehensive contraceptive access reform, Delaware Contraceptive Access Now, on abortion—one of the most common outcomes of unintended pregnancy.

Data Source

We used abortion data by state of residence from the Abortion Surveillance System, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our data covers 5 years prior to (2010–2014) and 5 years after the intervention (2015–2019).

Study Design

We used synthetic control methods to estimate program effects. Our design compares Delaware to a weighted average of 45 control states (“synthetic Delaware”), where the quality of the comparison is assessed by its similarity to Delaware in pre‐period outcome levels and trends.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Not applicable. We relied on secondary sources.

Principal Findings

We did not find statistically significant evidence that the program reduced abortion rates (0.61 fewer abortions per 1000 women, p‐value = 0.74) on average, during the intervention period. The treatment effects were slightly larger in 2016 and 2017 (1.97 fewer abortions per 1000 women but not statistically significant) and attenuated in 2018 and 2019. This does not rule out program benefits in easing barriers to contraceptive methods or in reducing unplanned births. However, findings do suggest that increasing contraceptive access might not be an adequate substitute for restricted abortion access resulting from Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that comprehensive efforts to improve contraceptive access may not reduce the need for accessible and affordable abortion care.
Pacemaker in patients undergoing mammography: A limitation for breast cancer diagnosis?
Authors: Nissan Noam , Moss Massasa Efi Efraim , Bauer Ethan , Abu‐Much Arsalan , Samoocha David , Yagil Yael , Faermann Renata , Halshtok‐Neiman Osnat , Shalmon Anat , Gotlieb Michael , Sklair‐Levy Miri
Published: April 2023

Introduction

A pacemaker may affect the utility of a mammogram in several ways. The aim of this study is to summarize our institution's experience with mammograms among patients with a cardiac pacemaker, focusing on the diagnostic workup among patients with a newly diagnosed ipsilateral breast cancer.

Methods

A retrospective search of all mammography reports between January 2011 and April 2021 was conducted for identifying cases of patients with a pacemaker. Demographic and clinical characteristics as well as mammography‐derived quality parameters and findings were categorized and statistically compared.

Results

The incidence of pacemaker concurrence in mammographic examination, although apparently slightly under‐documented, accounted for 0.33% of cases. Population mean age was 71.7 years, and most patients (79%) had a left‐sided pacemaker. The pacemaker was much more likely to be projected on the medio‐lateral‐oblique (96%) than on the cranio‐caudal view (10%), on the axilla rather than the breast, and on the retro‐pectoral rather than the pre‐pectoral region (P < 0.001 for all). Compression force decreased by up to 23.0% (P < 0.001) and breast thickness increased by up to 9.5% (P < 0.001) for the ipsilateral vs. the contralateral side. Among 11 patients with newly diagnosed ipsilateral breast cancer, the pacemaker partially projected on the tumour region in two cases, and significantly obscured the tumour in another two.

Conclusion

Although rare, the coexistence of a pacemaker in patients undergoing mammography is associated with reduced image quality due to suboptimal breast visualization and reduced compression, and as a result, this may eventually lead to decreased diagnostic efficacy.
Everolimus in combination with octreotide LAR in thymic atypical carcinoid
Authors: Sakane Tadashi , Nakano Tomoharu , Hagui Emi , Haneda Hiroshi , Okuda Katsuhiro
Published: April 2023

Thymic atypical carcinoids are extremely rare tumors and have a poor prognosis owing to their aggressive clinical course. The efficacy of treatments other than complete surgical resection is unclear. We herein report a postoperative recurrent case of thymic atypical carcinoid treated with everolimus and octreotide long‐acting repeatable (LAR). A 75‐year‐old woman was admitted to our department because a nodule was detected in the right lobe of thymus by annual computed tomography. The patient underwent thymothymectomy, and a diagnosis of thymic atypical carcinoid was made. One year and seven months after surgery, she developed multiple metastases in the lung, hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, liver, and bone. Everolimus 10 mg/day was administered; however, the dose had to be reduced to 5 mg/day due to grade 3 hyperglycemia and grade 3 interstitial lung disease. Metastatic lesions other than liver metastasis markedly responded to everolimus, although the liver metastases gradually progressed. Three years and six months after surgery, she was administered octreotide LAR 30 mg per month in combination with everolimus. She has maintained stable disease for 8 months after the application of this combination therapy.
Cavitary lung metastases of mixed metaplastic breast cancer mimicking aspergilloma
Authors: So Clara , Ushigusa Takeshi , Jinta Torahiko
Published: April 2023

We report a case of a 57‐year‐old woman with pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer presenting with a characteristic cavitary shadow resembling aspergilloma. The primary tumor and metastases showed multiple histopathologic components, including squamous cell carcinoma. Although a fungal ball‐like shadow may indicate the presence of a pulmonary aspergilloma, a comprehensive examination, including bronchoscopy, should be considered.
Developing a multivariate prediction model of falls among older community‐dwelling adults using measures of neuromuscular control and proprioceptive acuity: A pilot study
Authors: Antcliff Susan R. , Witchalls Jeremy B. , Wallwork Sarah B. , Welvaert Marijke , Waddington Gordon S.
Published: April 2023

Objective

To examine whether measures of neuromuscular control and proprioceptive acuity were predictive of falls in an older community‐dwelling population and to develop a multivariate prediction model.

Methods

Fifty‐eight adults aged above 60 living independently in the community were recruited for a prospective falls study. On entry, they undertook a Sensory Organisation Test (SOT) and an Active Movement Extent Discrimination Assessment (AMEDA) and completed a short fall risk questionnaire. Participants were monitored for falls over the subsequent 12 months. Prior to analysis, falls were classified into three categories based on the difficulty of the activity being undertaken and the demands of the environment in which the fall occurred. Logistic regression was used to predict the probability of a fall.

Results

For falls occurring under the least challenging circumstances, the model fitted using the AMEDA score and two of the questions from the fall risk questionnaire, related to balance and confidence, achieved a specificity of 87% and sensitivity of 83%. Falls occurring in more challenging circumstances could not be predicted with any accuracy based on the variables recorded at inception.

Conclusions

This study highlights the importance of considering the heterogeneous nature of falls. Poorer proprioceptive acuity appears to play a role in falls occurring where neither the environment nor the activity is challenging, but not in falls occurring in other circumstances. Falls in the least‐challenging circumstances affected 15% of participants, but this group was considerably more likely to have multiple falls, increasing their vulnerability to adverse consequences.
Administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors at rural towns using the Teleoncology model of care—A North Queensland perspective
Authors: Kang Sebastian , Fletcher James , Htut Saw , Brown Amy , Lyle Megan , Sabesan Sabe , Joshi Abhishek
Published: April 2023

Objective

This study aimed at evaluating the safety of administering immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and monitoring for immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) using the Teleoncology model of care.

Design

A retrospective cohort study comparing two patient groups.

Setting

The North Queensland Teleoncology Network (NQTN) operated by the Townsville (THHS) and Cairns Hospital Health Services (CHHS) with the Townsville Cancer Centre (TCC) acting as the control group setting.

Participants

Patients who received ICI treatment via the NQTN between January 2015 and April 2019. Patients who received ICI at the TCC over the same time period were used for comparison.

Main Outcome Measures

Rates of high‐grade irAEs and irAE‐related deaths.

Results

Fifty‐two patients received a total of 822 cycles of ICIs via the Teleoncology model through NQTN. Over the same time period, 142 patients received a total of 1521 cycles at the TCC. There were no significant differences in all demographic characteristics between either group, including tumour profile and Indigenous status. There were no statistically significant differences between the rates of high‐grade irAE across multiple body organ systems (p = 0.151) and rate of hospital admissions (13.5% (NQTN) vs 5.6% (TCC), p = 0.702). There were no irAE‐related deaths in either group.

Conclusions

The results suggest that with adequate governance and clinical resources, ICIs can be administered safely using Teleoncology models to rural and remote towns.
Endotoxin activity trend and multi‐organ dysfunction in critically ill patients with septic shock, who received Polymyxin‐B hemadsorption: A multicenter, prospective, observational study
Authors: Cutuli Salvatore Lucio , De Rosa Silvia , Ferrer Ricard , Ruiz‐Rodriguez Juan Carlos , Forfori Francesco , Ronco Claudio , Antonelli Massimo ,   the EUPHAS2‐G50 Collaborative Study Group
Published: April 2023

Background

The baseline endotoxin activity (EAT0) may predict the outcome of critically ill septic patients who receive Polymyxin‐B hemadsorption (PMX‐HA), however, the clinical implications of specific EA trends remain unknown.

Methods

Subgroup analysis of the prospective, multicenter, observational study EUPHAS2. We included 50 critically ill patients with septic shock and EAT0 ≥ 0.6, who received PMX‐HA. The primary outcome of the study was the EA and SOFA score progression from T0 to 120 h afterwards (T120). Secondary outcomes included the EA and SOFA score progression in whom had EA at 48 h (EAT48) < 0.6 (EA responders, EA‐R) versus who had not (EA non‐responders, EA‐NR).

Results

Septic shock was mainly caused by 27 abdominal (54%) and 17 pulmonary (34%) infections, predominantly due to Gram negative bacteria (39 patients, 78%). The SAPS II score was 67.5 [52.8–82.3] and predicted a mortality rate of 75%. Between T0 and T120, the EA decreased (p < 0.001), while the SOFA score and the Inotropic Score (IS) improved (p < 0.001). In comparison with EA‐NR (18 patients, 47%), the EA‐R group (23 patients, 53%) showed faster IS improvement and lower requirement of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) during the ICU stay. Overall hospital mortality occurred in 18 patients (36%).

Conclusions

In critically ill patients with septic shock and EAT0 ≥ 0.6 who received PMX‐HA, EA decreased and SOFA score improved over 120 h. In whom high EA resolved within 48 h, IS improvement was faster and CRRT requirement was lower compared with patients with EAT48 ≥ 0.6.
Incidence and risk factors of late right heart failure in chronic mechanical circulatory support
Authors: Felix Susanne E. A. , Numan Lieke , Oerlemans Marish I. F. , Aarts E. , Ramjankhan Faiz Z. , Gianoli Monica , Asselbergs Folkert W. , De Jonge Nicolaas , Van Laake Linda W.
Published: April 2023

Background

Late right heart failure (LRHF) is a common complication during long‐term left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. We aimed to identify risk factors for LRHF after LVAD implantation.

Methods

Patients undergoing primary LVAD implantation between 2006 and 2019 and surviving the perioperative period were included for this study (n = 261). Univariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the association of clinical covariates and LRHF, stratified for device type. Variables with p < 0.10 entered the multivariable model. In a subset of patients with complete echocardiography or right catheterization data, this multivariable model was extended. Postoperative cardiopulmonary exercise test data were compared in patients with and without LRHF.

Results

Nineteen percentage of patients suffered from LRHF after a median of 12 months, of which 67% required hospitalization. A history of atrial fibrillation (AF) (HR: 2.06 [1.08–3.93], p = 0.029), a higher preoperative body mass index (BMI) (HR: 1.07 [1.01–1.13], p = 0.023), and intensive care unit (ICU) duration (HR: 1.03 [1.00–1.06], p = 0.025) were independent predictors of LHRF in the multivariable model. A significant relation between the severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and LRHF (HR: 1.91 [1.13–3.21], p = 0.016) was found in patients with echocardiographic data. Patients with LRHF demonstrated a lower maximal workload and peak VO2 at 6 months postoperatively.

Conclusion

A history of AF, BMI, and longer ICU stay may help identify patients at high risk for LRHF. Severity of TR was significantly related to LRHF in a subset of patients
Transplantation of insulin‐producing cells derived from human MSCs to treat diabetes in a non‐human primate model
Authors: Zhoujun Zhu , Bingzheng Feng , Yuwei Yang , Yingying Zhang , Zhiran Xu , Chunhua He , Jing Leng , Haibo Tang , Wanli Li , Ting Zhang , Fujun Li , Jibing Chen , Hongjun Gao
Published: April 2023

Background

Islet cell transplantation is an emerging therapy in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Differentiation of islet cells from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a potential solution to the challenge of insufficient donor sources. This study investigated whether human umbilical cord‐derived MSCs could effectively differentiate into insulin‐producing cells (IPCs) and evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of IPCs in treating diabetes.

Methods

IPCs were induced from MSCs by a two‐step protocol. IPC expression products were evaluated by western blot and real‐time PCR. IPC insulin secretion was evaluated by ELISA. The viability of IPCs was measured by FDA/PI and dithizone staining. The non‐human primate tree shrew was used as a diabetes model. After a single STZ induction into a diabetes model, a single intraportal transplantation of IPCs, MSCs, or normal saline was performed (n = 6 per group). Blood glucose was monitored for 3 weeks, then the animals were euthanized and the distribution of IPCs in the liver was examined pathologically.

Results

After about 3 weeks of in vitro induction, IPCs formed microspheres of 100–200 μm, with >95% viable cells that were dithizone stain positive. IPCs expressed islet‐related genes and proteins and secreted high levels of insulin whether stimulated by low or high levels of glucose. After transplantation of IPCs into diabetic tree shrews, blood glucose levels decreased rapidly to near normal and were significantly lower than the MSC or saline groups for 3 weeks thereafter.

Conclusion

We present the novel discovery that IPCs derived from human umbilical cord MSCs exert a therapeutic effect in a non‐human primate model of diabetes. This study provides a preliminary experimental basis for the use of autologous MSC‐derived IPCs in the treatment of human diabetes.