bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral health in prison: an integrative review
Authors: Evensen Kjersti Berge , Bull Vibeke Hervik
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Prisoners’ oral health is an often overseen, yet important aspect of the general health of prisoners. To develop effective measures to improve the situation, it is important to get an overview of existing research. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyse existing research on oral health of prisoners and provide a thorough understanding of prisoners’ oral health and related factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to relatively few scientific papers on prisoners’ oral health, an integrative review was chosen. Integrative reviews allow for the inclusion of diverse methodologies. A literature search was conducted, followed by an assessment of the quality of the studies by using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the studies.

Findings

The few studies addressing European prisoners’ oral health in the last 21 years differ in design and methodology. The results from this review indicate that prisoners’ oral health is a complex phenomenon and should be understood from both individual and organisational perspectives. More research is needed to bridge the gap in the literature on prisoners’ oral health.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first literature review on European prisoners’ oral health.
The antecedent of event attachment influence on tourism sustainability: the case of Jember Fashion Carnaval, Indonesia
Authors: Kusumawati Andriani , Pangestuti Edriana , Supriono Supriono
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This study aims to highlight the influence of community attachment and community involvement on perceived value and social impact with event attachment, emphasizing the mediating effect on tourism sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach is used in this study to explain the causality relationship based on statistical analysis. The total sample collected in distributing questionnaires to the communities involved in the Jember Fashion Carnaval is 221 from various types of communities. Construct this study’s validity, reliability and hypothesis testing using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to produce SEM.

Findings

The results of this study that show positive and significance are community attachment and community involvement on perceived value, community attachment and community involvement on perceived social impact, perceived social impact on event attachment and event attachment on tourism sustainability. Meanwhile, the effect of the perceived value relationship on event attachment is not significant. This study also presents the mediating role, which has also been described.

Research limitations/implications

The study was only conducted on the most significant event in Jember City, Indonesia, and therefore, the results cannot be generalized for other cities worldwide.

Practical implications

The proposed study model suggests the need to review the current condition of event community members, especially regarding the attachment and closeness they feel to maintain the event’s sustainability.

Social implications

Achieving sustainable tourism in different types of event tourism (cultural, exhibition and culinary) requires specific development models concerning existing community and environmental conditions.

Originality/value

This study emphasizes the sustainability of tourism, as explained in the event tourism literature that the role and involvement of the community greatly contribute to the success of an event’s sustainability. Therefore, the community must also feel the social impact as an essential aspect of increasing the sustainability of participation aimed at improving quality, image and value.
Female labour force participation rate and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa: “a liability or an asset”
Authors: Thaddeus Kesuh Jude , Bih Dimna , Nebong Njimukala Moses , Ngong Chi Aloysius , Mongo Eric Achiri , Akume Akume Daniel , Onwumere Josaphat Uchechukwu Joe
Published: March 2022

Purpose

This paper aimed examining the contribution of female labour force participation rate on economic growth in the sub-Saharan Africa during the period of 1991–2019.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a sample of 42 sub-Sahara African countries using annual data from the World Bank development indicators. The long-run causal effect of female labour force and economic growth was analysed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model and Granger causality test for causality and direction since the variables did not have the same order of integration.

Findings

The estimated results indicate that a long-run causal relationship exists between female labour force and economic growth in sub-Sahara Africa and the direction of causality is unidirectional running from economic growth to female labour force. The results also showed that female labour force participation rate negatively and significantly contributes to economic growth (GDP) is sub-Saharan Africa in the long run with an insignificantly negative contribution in the short run hence a liability.

Research limitations/implications

The author recommends the promotion of women's economic empowerment to encourage female labour force participation to increase economic growth in the entire sub-Saharan region.

Practical implications

This paper adds to existing literature by using more comprehensive and up to econometric analysis and variables. This paper also makes further recommendation on how female labour force participation can boost economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Originality/value

This paper adds to existing literature by using more comprehensive and up to econometric analysis and variables. This paper also makes further recommendation on how female labour force participation can boost economic growth in SSA.
Linking LMX and schedule flexibility with employee innovative work behaviors: mediating role of employee empowerment and response to change
Authors: Rafique Saima , Khan Naveed R. , Soomro Shuaib Ahmed , Masood Fazeelat
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the determinants of workplace innovation behavior of women employees in Pakistan. With a growing share of women's participation in the labor force in developing economies, it is crucial to understand their behavior. The authors looked into various practices that drive women's innovative behavior using social exchange theory (SET) as a theoretical framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is quantitative-based on the positivistic paradigm. Following the survey method technique, responses are collected from 317 female employees in the service industry. The authors used structural equation modeling for the data analysis.

Findings

The results indicate a significant impact of leader-member exchange (LMX) on employee empowerment; schedule flexibility was also a possible predictor of workplace innovation behavior through mediating roles of employee empowerment and response to change. The study findings are consistent with the prior literature and according to the developed hypothesis. Further, women's response to change partially mediates women employees' empowerment and workplace innovation behaviors. In addition, LMX significantly affects women's response to change through women employees' empowerment, leading to workplace innovation behavior.

Practical implications

The implication is that supervisors should be adaptable in working relationships with their women employees to bring positive workplace innovative behaviors. They create such exchanges with employees to make them feel that the organizations value them. The paper identifies the need to develop supportive supervisor-employee exchange relationships to encourage positive, innovative behavior in female employees.

Originality/value

This paper examines the workplace innovation behavior of women employees in Pakistani patriarchal society and a male-dominating workplace environment.
Psychological contract fulfilment and work behaviour nexus: the interactive effects of employee job autonomy and trust
Authors: Noble-Nkrumah Frances , Anyigba Hod , Mensah Henry Kofi
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the interactive effects of employee job autonomy and trust on the relationship between psychological contract fulfilment and work behaviour in international non-governmental organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 279 employees of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) with over 10 years of working experience in the INGO industry in Ghana. A questionnaire comprising 27 items pertaining to the study constructs was administered. The reliability of the instrument was verified through item analyses. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to establish the instrument’s construct validity. The study hypotheses were tested and competing models were compared using multiple hierarchical regression.

Findings

All scales were found to have acceptable reliability estimates. A confirmatory factor analysis established that the manifest variables met the required model fit thresholds and that the latter were empirically distinct. This established the scales' construct validity. The results of the multiple hierarchical regression procedures indicated that a significant number of the study hypotheses could be accepted as statistically significant. A number of moderators were also significant. Specifically, psychological contract fulfilment (PCF) was found to have a positive relationship with organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). The results also showed a positive relationship between job autonomy and in-role employee performance (IRP) and OCB. There was a positive relationship between both the IRP and OCB. Interestingly, employee job autonomy moderated the positive relationship between PCF and OCB.

Originality/value

This research is among the first of its kind to examine the variables of PCF, work behaviour, employee job autonomy and trust towards the organisation among INGO employees in Ghana. Additionally, the study provides a novel lens to understand the underlying interaction mechanisms through which employee job autonomy moderates the positive relationship between PCF and in-role employee performance. To the best of our knowledge, this study will be the first to combine PCF, trust, employee job autonomy, in-role employee performance and organisational citizenship behaviour in one study. This study confirms and extends the work of Turnleyet al.(2003) by including trust and employee job autonomy as key constructs in a social exchange relationship, drawing from the social exchange theory.
Mental health mobile app use to manage psychological difficulties: an umbrella review
Authors: Badesha Kiran , Wilde Sarah , Dawson David L.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

A rapid increase in global smartphone ownership and digital health technologies offers the potential for mobile phone applications (apps) to deliver mental health interventions. The purpose of this paper is to bring together evidence reporting on mental health mobile apps to gain an understanding of the quality of current evidence, the positive and adverse effects of apps and the mechanisms underlying such effects.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic search was carried out across six databases, for any systematic reviews or meta-analyses conducted up to 2020. Review quality was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews.

Findings

Across a total of 24 articles, a variety of clinical outcomes were assessed. Most compelling support was shown for apps targeting anxiety symptoms; some evidence favoured the use of apps for depression symptoms. Less evidence was available for the remaining clinical symptoms such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders and substance use. Overall, there was limited evidence pertaining to adverse effects and change mechanisms and a lack of quality reporting across a large proportion of included reviews. The included reviews demonstrate the need for further robust research before apps are recommended clinically.

Originality/value

This paper makes a valuable contribution to the current status of research and reviews investigating mental health mobile apps. Recommendations are made for improved adherence to review guidelines and to ensure risk of bias is minimised.
Creating antique effects on silk fabric
Authors: Sun Longfei , Le Yingchun , Wu Junling , Lin Long
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to reduce the gloss of the surface of silk fabrics, by treating the fabrics with tea and matting agent, to imitate the aging and retro effects of silk artefacts.

Design/methodology/approach

Silk fabrics were treated with different processing techniques. The aged appearance and surface gloss of the silk fabrics were characterised by sensory analysis, measurement of reflectivity, scanning electron microscopy, measurement of brightness and chroma to identify the influential factors.

Findings

The application of matting agent on silk fabrics could reduce the lustre of silk fabrics. Treated with matting agent and tea pigments, silk fabrics could be “aged” to achieve retro effects within a relatively short period of time. A number of other factors and mechanisms that affect the reflectivity of the silk fabrics were also identified.

Research limitations/implications

There is no definite index to evaluate the antique effect of fabrics.

Practical implications

The method developed through this study provided a simple and practical solution to achieving aging and retro effects on silk fabrics.

Originality/value

The method for reducing the lustre of silk fabrics by treating them with matting agent is novel and the finding of the relationships among reflectivity and brightness and chroma is original.
Mission alignment in the hybrid organization: the role of indirect support activities and an activity ecosystem
Authors: Kurland Nancy
Published: March 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role a full range of activities can play to combat mission drift in a social enterprise. In doing so, it expands understanding of integrated activities to recognize the role of indirect support activities and an activity ecosystem to sustain mission. This paper also provides practical implications about the process for creating such an ecosystem.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper relies on an in-depth qualitative study of a for-profit company that later in life became an employee-owned benefit corporation. Data include interviews, informal and formal company documents and a site visit.

Findings

This paper expands the definition of activity integration to recognize indirect mission support, highlights the role an activity ecosystem plays to ensure the viability of these activities, and identifies a set of rules and a three-step process to create the reinforcing ecosystem.

Originality/value

Commonly, activities are integrated if the company earns revenues through pursuit of its social mission and differentiated if the company earns revenues not related to its social mission. By comparison, this paper argues for a more nuanced definition of activities to recognize indirect mission support and its role in reinforcing a dual mission.
Retrospective study of psoriasis in people living with HIV: Thailand’s experience
Authors: Chaiyabutr Chayada , Jiamton Sukhum , Silpa‐archa Narumol , Wongpraparut Chanisada , Wongdama Supisara , Chularojanamontri Leena
Published: March 2022

Psoriasis in people living with HIV (PLHIV) has been reported as having particular clinical characteristics. However, most of the source data was derived from descriptive studies in Europe and the USA. This study was conducted to compare the characteristics of psoriasis in PLHIV to general psoriasis patients. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 73 cases of psoriasis in PLHIV and of 232 general psoriasis patients who visited a psoriasis clinic in Bangkok, Thailand. Psoriasis in PLHIV predominated in males (78.1%), with an older age of onset, significantly lower rates of nail involvement and psoriatic arthritis, but higher rates of co‐infectious diseases than for general psoriasis patients. A low nadir CD4 T‐cell count (<100 cells/μl) and CD4 T‐cell count at psoriasis diagnosis were associated with a high body surface area (BSA) involvement. The mean BSA involvement in PLHIV was 24. Although 64.4% (47/73) of the PLHIV had moderate‐to‐high psoriasis severity, 29.8% of those (14/47) only received topical treatment. Acitretin was the most common drug used. Other therapies were rarely used, and no biologics were administered. In conclusion, psoriasis in PLHIV has several clinical features that differ from general psoriasis. PLHIV tend to receive substandard care for psoriasis, even in upper‐middle‐income countries.
Modification methods and applications of egg protein gel properties: A review
Authors: Lv Xiaohui , Huang Xi , Ma Bin , Chen Yue , Batool Zahra , Fu Xing , Jin Yongguo
Published: March 2022

Egg protein (EP) has a variety of functional properties, such as gelling, foaming, and emulsifying. The gel characteristics provide a foundation for applications in the food industry and research on EP. The proteins denature and aggregate to form a dense three‐dimensional gel network structure, with a process influenced by protein concentration, pH, ion type, and strength. In addition, the gelation properties of EP can be altered to varying degrees by applying different treatment conditions to EP. Currently, modification methods for proteins include physical modification (heat‐induced denaturation, freeze–thaw modification, high‐pressure modification, and ultrasonic modification), chemical modification (glycosylation modification, phosphorylation modification, acylation modification, ethanol modification, polyphenol modification), and biological modification (enzyme modification). Pidan, salted eggs, egg tofu, and other egg products have unique sensory properties, due to the gel properties of EP. In accessions, EP has also been used as a new ingredient in food packaging and biopharmaceuticals due to its gel properties. This review will further promote EP gel research and provide guidance for its full application in many fields.
Does genetic variation in a bitter taste receptor gene alter early smoking behaviours in adolescents and young adults?
Authors: Alsaafin Alaa , Chenoweth Meghan Jo‐Ann , Sylvestre Marie‐Pierre , O'Loughlin Jennifer , Tyndale Rachel Fynvola
Published: March 2022

Background and aims

Variation in the TAS2R38 taste receptor gene alters the ability to taste bitter compounds. We tested whether TAS2R38 variation influences early smoking behaviours in adolescence, a critical period of acquisition when taste may influence the natural course of tobacco use.

Design and participants

Observational study (Nicotine Dependence in Teens [NDIT]). Cox proportional hazards models were conducted using data from European ancestry adolescent participants who initiated smoking during follow‐up (n = 219, i.e. incident smokers). In young adulthood, cross‐sectional analyses were restricted to European ancestry self‐reported current smokers at age 24 (n = 148).

Setting

Montréal, Canada.

Measurements

In adolescents, the rates of attaining early smoking milestones were estimated for tasters {PAV diplotypes (i.e. PAV/PAV or PAV/AVI)} versus non‐tasters {AVI diplotype (i.e. AVI/AVI)}. In young adults, associations between tasting status and a nicotine intake biomarker (cotinine + 3'hydroxycotinine) and past‐week cigarette consumption were assessed.

Findings

Among incident smokers, similar rates to first whole cigarette were found between the diplotype groups (hazard ratio [HR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75–1.48; P = 0.765). However, smokers with the PAV (vs AVI) diplotypes attained monthly smoking more rapidly (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.04–2.32; P = 0.033) and had faster conversion to three different measures of tobacco dependence (International Classification of Diseases: HR, 2.29; 95% CI, 0.99–5.28; P = 0.052; modified Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire: HR, 3.02, 95% CI, 1.04–8.79; P = 0.043; Hooked on Nicotine Checklist: HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 0.98–3.60; P = 0.059). At age 24, those with PAV (vs AVI) diplotypes had higher mean cotinine + 3'hydroxycotinine (197 vs 143 ng/mL; P = 0.053).

Conclusions

Adolescents with a genetic variation increasing their ability to taste bitter compounds appear to escalate more quickly to monthly smoking and tobacco dependence during adolescence and have higher nicotine intake in young adulthood versus those without that genetic variation.
Composition and structure of woody plant communities as a function of altitude and human degradation in Afromontane moist evergreen forests SW Ethiopia
Authors: Aydagnehum Seyoum Getaneh , Ugo Yonas , Shibru Simon , Honnay Olivier , Muys Bart
Published: March 2022

Tropical moist evergreen forests provide key ecosystem services for human well‐being. However, due to human pressure, Afromontane forests have lost much of their natural species composition and structure. In this study, vegetation surveys were carried out with the aim of investigating woody species composition and structure and their drivers of degradation in SW Ethiopia. Woody plant species were identified, forest structure measured and environmental variables determined in 75 plots across four forest patches along an altitudinal gradient. The result shows that the remaining patches still have 63 woody species from 36 families. Our results showed the presence of three plant communities: a first mid‐elevation degraded mountain forest community, a second mid‐elevation more intact community and a third higher elevation degraded cloud forest community. The Shannon diversity index of the second community was significantly higher than the first and the third community. Exotic tree planting and charcoal production were important determinants of the first community composition. Despite their socioecological importance, the expansion of exotic tree planting showed to be a major threat for natural forest ecosystem. In the study area, intervention is needed to maintain the ecological balance between plantation and natural forest.
Prolonged passive second stage of labor in nulliparous women—Prevalence and risk factors: A historical cohort study
Authors: Bjelke Maria , Thurn Lars , Oscarsson Marie
Published: March 2022

Introduction

This study examined the prevalence of and risk factors for a prolonged passive second stage of labor in nulliparous women.

Material and Methods

This was a historical cohort study of all nulliparous women (n = 1131) at two delivery units in Sweden. Maternal and obstetric data were obtained from electronic medical records during 2019. Duration of the passive second stage was measured as time from retracted cervix to start of pushing. Prolonged passive second stage was defined as ≥2 h. Prevalence was calculated and associations between prolonged passive second stage and maternal, obstetric and neonatal characteristics and potential risk factors were assessed using logistic regression models.

Results

The prevalence of prolonged passive second stage was 37.6%. Factors associated with an increased risk of prolonged passive second stage were epidural analgesia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.90–5.34), malpresentation (aOR 2.26; 95% CI 1.27–4.05), maternal age ≥ 30 years (aOR 2.00; 95% CI 1.50–2.65) and birthweight ≥ 4 kg (aOR 1.50; 95% CI 1.05–2.15). Maternal body mass index ≥30 (aOR 0.52; 95% CI 0.34–0.79) and noncohabiting (aOR 0.51; 95% CI 0.30–0.89) reduced the odds of prolonged passive second stage.

Conclusions

A prolonged passive second stage of labor in nulliparous women is common (n = 425 [38%]). We found epidural analgesia, malpresentation, maternal age ≥ 30 years and birthweight ≥4 kg to be major risk factors associated with an increased risk of a prolonged passive second stage. Birth outcomes for prolonged passive second stage need to be investigated to strengthen evidence for the management of the second stage of labor.
Physicians' adherence to evidence‐based guidelines as a major predictor of anticoagulant‐related medication error incidence and severity
Authors: El‐Bosily Heba M. , Abd El Meguid Khaled R. , Sabri Nagwa A. , Ahmed Marwa Adel
Published: March 2022

Aims

Anticoagulants represent a main source of medication errors (MEs) and complications that have catastrophic implications, posing an obligation on health care providers to assess anticoagulant‐related MEs and factors affecting their occurrence. This study investigates the occurrence and severity of prescribing MEs in patients on anticoagulants and explores their potential predictors.

Methods

This study was a prospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital on 116 patients with a total of 2166 anticoagulant doses.

Results

Forty‐four percent of prescribed anticoagulant doses resulted in MEs with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfractionated heparin (UFH) causing 61% and 34%, respectively, of the total MEs. More than 50% of all MEs were incorrect doses (high and low) shared between heparin and tinzaparin. The highest severity of error was Category D followed by Category F and Category C. A Poisson regression analysis model revealed that female (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–1.54, P < .001), bridging (IRR 1.52; 95% CI 1.10–2.09; P = .011), venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis (IRR 7.65; 95% CI 4.88–12.02; P < .001), physician non‐adherence (IRR 2.71; 95% CI 2.22–3.29; P < .001), and polypharmacy (IRR 1.68; 95% CI 1.26–2.23; P = .036) were predictors of the higher incidence of MEs. Ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that physician non‐adherence (OR 24.67; 95% CI 5.54–207; P < .001) was the main predictor of increased error severity.

Conclusion

The major predictor in increasing both the incidence and severity of MEs is physician adherence to evidence‐based guidelines (EBG). Strict regulations for anticoagulant prescribing through an anticoagulant stewardship program are a necessity.
The Irish perspective on placement opportunities accessed by students on undergraduate Nursing (Intellectual Disability) programmes: A quantitative descriptive study
Authors: Carey Eileen , Foran Sinéad , Burke Geraldine , Ryan Judy
Published: March 2022

Background

Globally there are few countries facilitating undergraduate programmes to train nurses specifically to support people with intellectual disabilities. In Ireland, eight Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in partnership with associated health care providers (AHCPs) facilitate undergraduate Nursing (Intellectual Disability) degree programmes. Practice placements are a core element of these programmes whereby students complete several hours in these learning environments as part fulfilment of their degree requirements. Because people with intellectual disability who traditionally accessed services in congregated settings, are now increasingly accessing mainstream services, new placement types are emerging. This study aimed to describe practice placements, areas of the registered nurse in intellectual disability (RNID) specialist support and other learning opportunities accessed by undergraduate students on Bachelor of Science Nursing (Intellectual Disability) programmes across eight HEIs in Ireland.

Methods

A survey design involving a Placement Opportunities Tool (POT) developed through expert group meetings and consensus was utilised. Following ethical approval, Qualtrics XM software was enlisted to distribute the online survey to eight HEIs in Ireland. Excel and SPSS were engaged to undertake descriptive statistical analysis.

Findings

A total of five fully complete and one partially complete POT were included in the data analysis. Findings demonstrate that majority of placements are accessed in traditional Intellectual Disability services with students having less access to placements either in mainstream services or with RNID specialists.

Conclusions

This study details placement accessed by nursing students (Intellectual Disability) and associated areas of RNID specialist support. There is an urgent need to develop undergraduate student placements which reflect the contemporary lives of people with an intellectual disability. HEIs, AHCPs, nursing regulators, support persons and people with intellectual disabilities need to collaborate to develop practice placements enabling students to access learning experiences embedded in the realities of people living with intellectual disability who are integrating into their communities.
Nuances of the unique and evolving conceptualisation of intellectual disability in India: A study of the changing artistic parlance of representing intellectually disabled people in mainstream Hindi cinema
Authors: Deb Paromita
Published: March 2022

Owing to the different models of disablement in different religions and cultures around the world, social and aesthetic representations of intellectually disabled people are diverse in various societies. Disability is perceived in a different way in India than in the West. There are very few studies on the complex role of  Indian mainstream Hindi cinema in the representation of intellectual and developmental disabilities in India. This paper explores the potential of shifting representations of intellectual and developmental disability in the late twentieth and early twenty‐first century Bollywood films in the context of multiple aesthetic challenges they pose. The shift in screen image of intellectual impairment is strongly related to the shifting and ambiguous sociocultural model of personhood in India. In earlier Indian Hindi films, characters with intellectual disabilities were depicted in terms of good/bad moralistic labels, compromised body image, leading to aesthetic undesirability. In later Hindi films, they were instead represented as enduring human beings. In short, in earlier Hindi films, there was a discriminatory hegemonic bias in the depiction of intellectually disabled characters, in contrast to that in later Hindi films, where they were depicted in richly diverse perspectives. The changing artistic parlance becomes even more interesting in the context of major developments in Indian governmental policies and rights for the disabled in the last two decades. Thus, the paper highlights that contemporary Hindi films urge the audience to consider intellectual and developmental disability as a multilayered issue and rather than merely as a disease.
Refining carbon credits to contribute to large carnivore conservation: The jaguar as a case study
Authors: Hyde Matthew , Boron Valeria , Rincón Samantha , Viana Diego Francis Passos , Larcher Letícia , Reginato Gustavo A. , Payán Esteban
Published: March 2022

Carbon credits through Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) offer a unique opportunity to positively impact habitat and biodiversity conservation. Few financial tools are available to jaguar conservationists to conserve forest habitats; thus carbon credits are of great interest. In order to examine the opportunities and challenges of integrating conservation impact for jaguars and biodiversity into carbon credits, we review 44 REDD+ projects in Latin America certified by Verified Carbon Standard + Climate, Community and Biodiversity located within jaguar distribution, registered between 2011 and 2020. Of the 44, only eleven of those projects have jaguars as conservation targets, and seven of those eleven have a coherent plan for monitoring jaguar populations. While REDD+ projects promote forest cover and biomass conservation, tradeoffs based on limited financial resources at the onset and throughout the project may lead to limited monitoring capabilities and threat reduction, thus rendering co‐benefit reporting deficient or absent. We suggest more rigorous baseline data requirements of fauna populations, greater collaboration between project developers, researchers and local communities to monitor wildlife and address human‐jaguar conflicts, and clear requirements from national level REDD+ initiatives to ensure the conservation of a forest keystone species, the Americas’ largest felid.
Insulin‐like growth factor 2 mRNA‐binding protein 2‐regulated alternative splicing of nuclear factor 1 C‐type causes excessive granulosa cell proliferation in polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Zhao Feiyan , Wu Liang , Wang Qin , Zhao Xuehan , Chen Tong , Yin Chenghong , Yan Long , Yang Xiaokui
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disorder. Insulin‐like growth factor 2 mRNA‐binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) serves as an HMGA2 target gene to promote the proliferation of granulosa cells (GCs). However, it is still unclear whether IGF2BP2 participates in the pathogenesis of PCOS as RNA binding protein (RBP). In this study, we aimed to elucidate IGF2BP2‐interacting transcripts, global transcriptome together with alternative splicing in GCs to eventually uncover potential mechanisms of PCOS pathogenesis.

Materials and Methods

The expression of IGF2BP2 in GCs from PCOS patients was detected using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT‐qPCR) and western blot. We captured IGF2BP2‐interacting transcripts, global transcriptome together with alternative splicing by RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (RIP‐seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq). KGN cells transfected with IGF2BP2 overexpressing plasmids and nuclear factor 1 C‐type (NFIC) siRNAs, were applied to CCK‐8, EdU and TUNEL assays.

Results

IGF2BP2 was highly expressed in GCs from PCOS patients. As an RBP, it preferentially bound to the 3′and 5′UTRs of mRNAs with GGAC motif and a newly found GAAG motif. The overexpression of IGF2BP2 changed the transcriptome profile of KGN cells. IGF2BP2 functioned to regulate alternative splicing events and promote cell proliferation through inhibiting exon skipping events of NFIC.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we demonstrated that IGF2BP2 promotes GC proliferation via regulating alternative splicing of NFIC in PCOS. The findings help to better understand the roles of IGF2BP2 in the pathogenesis of PCOS.
Alpine plants are on the move: Quantifying distribution shifts of Australian alpine plants through time
Authors: Auld Jennifer , Everingham Susan E. , Hemmings Frank A. , Moles Angela T.
Published: March 2022

Aim

Alpine plant species’ distributions are thought to have been shifting to higher elevations in response to climate change. By moving upslope, species can occupy cooler and more suitable environments as climate change warms their current ranges. Despite evidence of upslope migration in the northern hemisphere, there is limited evidence for elevational shifts in southern hemisphere plants. Our study aimed to determine if alpine plants in Australia have migrated upslope in the last 2 to 6 decades.

Location

Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, Australia.

Methods

We collated historic occurrence data for 36 Australian alpine plant species from herbarium specimens and historic field observations and combined these historic data with modern occurrence data collected in the field.

Results

Eleven of the thirty‐six species had shifted upslope in mean elevation and four species showed downslope elevational shifts. The rate of change for upslope shifts varied between 4 and 10 m per year and the rate of change for most downslope shifts was between 4 and 8 m per year, with one species shifting downslope at a high rate of 18 m per year. Additionally, some species showed shifts upward in their upper range edge and/or upward or downward shifts in their lower range edge. Five species also showed range contractions in the difference between their lower and upper range edges over time, while two showed range expansions. We found no significant differences in elevational shifts through time among herbaceous dicotyledons, herbaceous monocotyledons and shrubs.

Main Conclusions

Plant elevational shifts are occurring rapidly in the Australian alpine zone. This may allow species to persist under climate change. However, if current warming trends continue, several species within the Australian alpine zone will likely run out of suitable habitat within a century.
DNA barcoding of Chironomidae from the Lake Skadar region: Reference library and a comparative analysis of the European fauna
Authors: Gadawski Piotr , Montagna Matteo , Rossaro Bruno , Giłka Wojciech , Pešić Vladimir , Grabowski Michał , Magoga Giulia
Published: March 2022

Aims

The main aim of this study was to fill a gap in barcoding data of the European Chironomidae of the Balkan region, developing and testing the efficiency of a reference DNA barcode library for ancient Lake Skadar basin species (Montenegro/Albania), a region of Europe never before subjected to barcoding studies on Chironomidae. Another aim was to test the efficiency of DNA barcoding for the identification of European Chironomidae, including the estimation of optimal identification thresholds, using >12,000 barcodes.

Location

Lake Skadar basin and adjacent area (Montenegro/Albania).

Methods

Through this study, 770 individuals of Chironomidae from the Lake Skadar region were barcoded, both at adult and pre‐imaginal stages. Adults were morphologically identified, while larvae were assigned to species by molecular identification, using different methods, of which the efficiency was tested, for a total of 97 different barcoded species.

Results

The identification efficiency of the reference dataset developed for the Lake Skadar region was 98.6%, a value in line with that obtained when the identification efficiency for European Chironomidae was evaluated (95.8%), which confirms the accuracy of DNA barcoding for the identification of these insects. Moreover, we found that the optimal threshold for the molecular identification of the family is 1.6% nucleotide distance, though more specific thresholds are suggested for the identification of species belonging to Chironomidae subfamilies, since they are related to lower identification errors than to the use of a general threshold. The analysis of inconsistency between molecular and morphological identification shed light on taxonomic issues within European Chironomidae. Previously postulated species synonyms were confirmed, and also further cases requiring deeper investigation were detected.

Main conclusions

Our de novo DNA barcode library was shown to have a high identification efficiency. Taxon‐specific thresholds increase the efficacy of molecular identification. Hypothesized species synonyms could be validated through molecular techniques.
Gender and Psychological Pressure in Competitive Environments: A Laboratory‐based Experiment
Authors: Booth Alison L. , Nolen Patrick
Published: March 2022

Gender differences in paid performance have been found in many laboratory‐based competitive experiments. They have been attributed to men and women responding differently to psychological pressure. To explore this further, we conducted a laboratory experiment comprising 444 subjects, and measured gender differences in performance in four distinct competitive situations: (i) the standard tournament game where the individual competes with three others and the winner takes all; (ii) an anonymized competition in which an individual competes against an imposed production target and is paid only if he or she exceeds it; (iii) a ‘personified’ competition where an individual competes against the previous performance of one anonymized person of unknown gender; (iv) a ‘gendered’ competition where an individual competes against a target based on the previous performance of one anonymized person whose gender is known. Only men responded to pressure differently in each situation; women responded the same to pressure no matter the situation. Moreover, the personified target caused men to increase performance more than under an anonymized target. When the gender of the person associated with the target was revealed, men worked even harder to outperform a woman but strived only to equal the target set by a male.
The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Di Ciaula Agostino , Bonfrate Leonilde , Portincasa Piero
Published: March 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most frequent liver disease worldwide. Gut microbiota can play a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD since dysbiosis is associated with reduced bacterial diversity, altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, a relative abundance of alcohol‐producing bacteria, or other specific genera. Changes can promote disrupted intestinal barrier and hyperpermeability, filtration of bacterial products, activation of the immune system, and pro‐inflammatory changes in the intestine, in the liver, and at a systemic level. Microbiota‐derived molecules can contribute to the steatogenic effects. The link between gut dysbiosis and NAFLD, however, is confused by several factors which include age, BMI, comorbidities, dietary components, and lifestyle. The role of toxic chemicals in food and water requires further studies in both gut dysbiosis and NAFLD. We can anticipate that gut microbiota manipulation will represent a potential therapeutic tool to delay or reverse the progression of NAFLD, paving the way to primary prevention measures.
Serum potassium level, variability and in‑hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Zhang Xuexue , Wang Miaoran , Zhu Zhengchuan , Qu Hua , Gu Jiyu , Ni Tian , Wang Yi , Wang Xujie , Zhang Rui , Li Qiuyan
Published: March 2022

Objective

Clinical guidelines recommend an optimal serum potassium concentration between 4.0 and 5.0 mmol/L in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which was based on lower‐quality evidence from more than 20 years ago. Therefore, it is essential to re‐evaluate the range of optimal potassium levels in patients with AMI in intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

This was a retrospective study based on Philips eICU Collaborative Research Database, which covered 9776 patients with AMI between 2014 and 2015. All patients had more than or equal to 2 serum potassium measurements and were categorized by the mean serum potassium level (<3.5, 3.5–4.5, 4.5–5.5, ≥5.5 mmol/L) and potassium variability (1st, 2nd, and ≥3rd standard deviation (SD)). Binary logistic regression was used to determine the association between mean potassium levels, variability and in‑hospital mortality in AMI.

Results

Of all 9776 AMI patients in ICU, 8731 (89.3%) patients were included. A total of 69847 potassium measurements were performed in these patients. There was a J‐shaped relationship between mean serum potassium level and in‐hospital mortality. The lowest mortality (mortality rate, 7.2%; 95% CI, 6.57%–7.76%) was observed in patients with mean potassium level between 3.5 and 4.5 mmol/L and a low potassium variability within the 1st SD. Logistic regression showed that the risk of in‑hospital mortality is highest when the mean potassium level ≥5.5 mmol/L (57.6%; 95% Cl, 45.02%–70.24%; multivariable adjusted OR, 14.8; 95% CI, 8.4–26.2) compared to the reference group of 3.5–4.5 mmol/L and potassium variability within the 3rd SD (16.5%; 95% Cl, 15.19%–17.88%; multivariable adjusted OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.7–4.1) compared to 1st SD. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed these results.

Conclusion

Among AMI patients in ICU, the minimum risk of in‑hospital mortality was observed in those with mean potassium levels between 3.5 and 4.5 mmol/L or a minimal potassium variability compared to those who had higher or lower values.
Continuous synthesis of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural from biomass in on‐farm biorefinery
Authors: Świątek Katarzyna , Olszewski Maciej P. , Kruse Andrea
Published: March 2022

5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is the object of extensive research in recent times. The challenge in the industrial production of HMF is the choice of cheap, hexose feedstock. This study compares continuous HMF synthesis from hexoses—fructose and glucose, and biomass—Miscanthus × giganteus and chicory roots. The experiments were conducted in technical‐scale biorefinery (TRL 6/7). In the first stage, optimal conditions for the production of HMF from hexoses were selected using sulfuric acid as a catalyst in an aqueous medium. The following conditions were chosen for fructose: temperature of 200°C, the reaction time of 18 min, and pH = 2, and for glucose: 210°C, 18 min, and pH = 3. Under these conditions, the HMF yield was 56.5 mol% (39.6 wt.%) from fructose and 18.1 mol% (12.6 wt.%) from glucose. From the biomass, the HMF yields were 36.7 and 16.2 wt.% for miscanthus and chicory roots, respectively. Some results from the conversion of biomass solutions are unexpected and show a need for further investigations. This work has demonstrated the capacity to produce HMF from biomass as part of an environmentally friendly process in a biorefinery. Further research in this field and process optimization will be a step forward in the sustainable production of bioplastics.
Colonial origins of modern bureaucracy? India and the professionalization of the British civil service
Authors: Cornell Agnes , Svensson Ted
Published: March 2022

This article examines the diffusion of meritocratic practices as a potential instance of policy transfer by scrutinizing the introduction of open and competitive examinations during the mid‐nineteenth century in the British Civil Service. Scholars have argued that British reformers were inspired by meritocratic practices in British‐ruled India. In order to assess this claim, we combine qualitative analysis of archival material documenting the interdepartmental debates on meritocratic reforms in the British Home Civil Service as well as in the Indian Civil Service with quantitative analyses of unique data on the implementation of examinations with open competition in British public offices and the India experience of Heads of Departments. Our qualitative and quantitative analyses largely reject the idea that the Indian Civil Service was a key source of inspiration for British merit reforms. While our quantitative analyses show some, albeit weak, evidence, no such evidence was found in the qualitative analysis.
GW/SW‐MST: A Groundwater/Surface‐Water Method Selection Tool
Authors: Hammett Steven , Day‐Lewis Frederick D. , Trottier Brett , Barlow Paul M. , Briggs Martin A. , Delin Geoffrey , Harvey Judson W. , Johnson Carole D. , Lane John W. , Rosenberry Donald O. , Werkema Dale D.
Published: March 2022

Groundwater/surface‐water (GW/SW) exchange and hyporheic processes are topics receiving increasing attention from the hydrologic community. Hydraulic, chemical, temperature, geophysical, and remote sensing methods are used to achieve various goals (e.g., inference of GW/SW exchange, mapping of bed materials, etc.), but the application of these methods is constrained by site conditions such as water depth, specific conductance, bed material, and other factors. Researchers and environmental professionals working on GW/SW problems come from diverse fields and rarely have expertise in all available field methods; hence there is a need for guidance to design field campaigns and select methods that both contribute to study goals and are likely to work under site‐specific conditions. Here, we present the spreadsheet‐based GW/SW‐Method Selection Tool (GW/SW‐MST) to help practitioners identify methods for use in GW/SW and hyporheic studies. The GW/SW‐MST is a Microsoft Excel‐based decision support tool in which the user selects answers to questions about GW/SW‐related study goals and site parameters and characteristics. Based on user input, the tool indicates which methods from a toolbox of 32 methods could potentially contribute to achieving the specified goals at the site described.