bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of performance drivers in online food delivery platforms: a dynamic performance management perspective
Authors: Bivona Enzo
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate that the Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) framework, integrating performance management with system dynamics modelling, enables decision-makers to identify sustainable strategies in online food delivery platforms, thereby avoiding company failure.

Design/methodology/approach

This study undertakes a multistep methodological approach. After the literature review, a retrospective case study approach was used. To build the DPM framework and the system dynamics simulation model, primary and secondary data were collected and analysed.

Findings

This study by adopting the DPM perspective highlights the critical role performance drivers play to assess the viability of alternative growth strategies in food delivery digital platforms. As such, the findings complement extant studies which highlighted the need for adopting a dynamic perspective in Performance Measurement and Management (PMM), particularly in complex and turbulent environments. Findings also highlight that in food delivery platforms, network effects may result insufficient to reach a critical volume of users and factors such as key drivers impacting platform attractiveness must be considered to design effective PMM.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies may apply the DPM framework here suggested to multiple digital platforms, to validate this study's findings.

Practical implications

This paper offers a guidance to practitioners and scholars to design effective PMM in food delivery digital platforms.

Originality/value

This study offers an innovative perspective to analyse the interdependences among main mechanisms underpinning the performance of food delivery platforms. As such, it contributes to enrich prior PMM literature and addresses the call for more empirical and theoretical PMM contributions in fast-changing and turbulent environments.
The role of privacy and emotion in ARBS continuing use intention
Authors: Yin Ya , Hsu Carol
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Today, contactless businesses are becoming part of the “new normal” in daily life. Augmented reality-based services (ARBS) thus provide a mechanism for contactless commerce, offering customers access to sensory experiences, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, privacy can be a key concern when consumers decide whether to continue using ARBS. Thus, drawing on the Appraisal Tendency Framework (ATF), the study aims to examine how augmentation quality (Aug-Q), discrete emotions (joy and frustration) and privacy perceptions influence users' ARBS continuing use intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey methodology with a well-designed online questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using a structural equation model with Amos v. 22.0 software.

Findings

This study demonstrated that Aug-Q had a significant positive impact on joy and a significant negative impact on frustration. Additionally, joy was positively associated with the perception of privacy benefits and ARBS continuing use intention, while frustration was negatively associated with the perception of privacy benefits and ARBS continuing use intention. The results also indicate that (perceived privacy risks) PPR–benefits predict the likelihood of ARBS continuing use intention.

Originality/value

This study enhances understanding of users' ARBS continuing use intention from an integrative perspective based on the ATF, thus identifying the Aug-Q-induced emotions that subsequently influence privacy trade-offs and predict users' ARBS continuing use intention. The results provide evidence that privacy and emotions can be key determinants when consumers decide whether to continue using ARBS. The findings of this research may be beneficial for commercial companies in preventing the loss of ARBS users.
R&D intensity and firms dividend policy: evidence from BRICS countries
Authors: Hasan Fakhrul , Shafique Sujana , Das Bijoy Chandra , Shome Rajib
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Given the importance of both research and development (R&D) investments and dividend policy in the growth of firms, this paper examines the moderating effects of investor protection and other country-level governance mechanisms on the relationship between R&D investments and dividend payments in the firms from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS countries).

Design/methodology/approach

This empirical study uses a sample of 22,073 firm year observations from the BRICS countries over a period of 2008–2020 and employs both ordinary least squared (OLS) and system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation methods. The GMM estimation controls for unobservable heterogeneity and endogeneity and reduces estimation bias.

Findings

The findings indicate that although R&D intensity is negatively related with the cash dividend payments, with the interaction of investor protection and other country-level mechanisms the relationship between R&D intensity and dividend payments becomes positive. The results further show that investor protection has stronger impact on the relationship between R&D intensity and firm cash dividend payments than other selected country-level governance factors.

Practical implications

The research findings should encourage the policy makers in BRICS countries to strengthen investor protection and enhance quality of their institutions to make a right balance between retaining their growth potential and maintaining the value of the firms.

Originality/value

This is the first study to provide evidence of the moderating effects of investor protection and other country-level governance mechanisms on the relationship between R&D investments and dividend payments using the data from BRICS countries.
Identifying the influential factors on the effectiveness of industrial parks and using an MCDM method to rank them: case study of Iran
Authors: Moghimi Farshad , Baradaran Vahid , Hosseinian Amir Hossein
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to detect the influential factors and their respective variables that affect the effectiveness or demand-driven level of the industrial parks in Iran. A hybrid procedure is sought to be developed, which embraces both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to identify the aforementioned factors and variables.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is incorporated with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. To implement the qualitative approach, the researchers used focus groups and the related literature. The quantitative methodology has been carried out via a reliable questionnaire that obtained the viewpoints of 700 experts. The reliability of the designed questionnaire has been investigated through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. By conducting several one-sample t-tests, it was confirmed that the identified factors and variables are significantly influential on the effectiveness of Iran’s industrial parks. The Kruskal–Wallis statistical test was used to determine the priorities of the factors. This research also used a multi-criteria decision-making method, namely, the weighted aggregates sum product assessment (WASPAS) to rank 15 industrial parks of Khorasan province in Iran according to the identified factors.

Findings

Comprehensive analyses have been conducted on the identified factors. Results indicate that the infrastructural facilities factor has the highest priority when it comes to affecting the effectiveness of the industrial parks. After that, industrial land and internal factors take the second and the third positions in terms of importance. A total of 15 industrial parks of the aforementioned province have been ranked by the WASPAS. The ranking offered by the WASPAS has been approved by the experts.

Originality/value

Based on the literature investigations, the authors were convinced that there is a scarcity of studies investigating the influential factors that affect the effectiveness or demand-driven level of industrial parks (especially in Iran). Hence, this research has been conducted to propose a procedure equipped with quantitative and qualitative techniques that detect these important factors and their subordinate variables. By means of the developed procedure of this research, it is possible to locate future industrial parks, plan for establishment of future industrial areas and plan for development of current industrial parks.
Librarian’s perception on data librarianship core concepts: a survey of motivational factors, challenges, skills and appropriate trainings platforms
Authors: Ashiq Murtaza , Warraich Nosheen Fatima
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Data librarianship, or data-driven librarianship, is the combination of information science, data science and e-science fields and is gaining gradual importance in the library and information science (LIS) profession. Hence, this study investigates the data librarianship core concepts (motivational factors, challenges, skills and appropriate training platforms) to learn and successfully launch data librarianship services.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method was used and the data were collected through online questionnaire. Purposive sampling method was applied and 132 responses were received with 76 respondents from the public and 56 from the private sector universities of Pakistan. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 25) was used, and descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyzed the data.

Findings

LIS professionals understand the importance of data-driven library services and perceive that such services are helpful in evolving the image of the library, helping with the establishment of institutional data repositories/data banks, developing data resources and services for library patrons and especially researchers, and receiving appreciation and acknowledgment from the higher authorities. The major challenges that emerged from the data were: missing data policies, limited training opportunities for data librarianship roles, no additional financial benefits, lack of infrastructure and systems, lack of organizational support for the initiation of data-driven services, and lack of skills, knowledge and expertise. Data librarianship is in its early stages in Pakistan, and consequently, the LIS professionals are lacking basic, advanced and technical data-driven skills.

Research limitations/implications

The policy, theoretical and practical implications describe an immediate need for framing data policies. Such policies will help the libraries or any other relevant entities to store the data and assign metadata and documentation in such a way that it is easy to retrieve and reusable for others.

Originality/value

This is the first study in Pakistan to investigate the perceptions of LIS professionals about data librarianship core concepts: motivational factors, challenges, skills and appropriate training platforms to grasp data-driven skills and successfully launch library services.
Work from home during COVID-19: the role of perceived hope, intrinsic spirituality and perceived supervisor support on job involvement
Authors: Ullah Muhammad Shariat , Islam Muhaiminul , Ukil Minhajul Islam
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the influence of perceived hope, intrinsic spirituality and supervisor support on job involvement at the time of work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample included 263 employees working from home (WFH) for the first time in their careers due to COVID-19. The authors applied structural equation model and multigroup analysis (MGA) in SmartPLS3 to examine the hypothesized relationships, and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis to determine the relative influence of the antecedents.

Findings

Results indicate that both personal (such as perceived hope and intrinsic spirituality) and job (supervisor support) resources determine job involvement during remote working, with a moderating impact of age on the relationship between intrinsic spirituality and job involvement. The ANN analysis shows that perceived hope is the most influential determinant of job involvement when employees work from home.

Practical implications

This study suggests that when employees work remotely, organizations can generate higher job involvement by conveying a higher perception of hope and spirituality and providing supervisor support through planned hope interventions, promoting prosocial behavior and making changes in leadership style (check on instead of check-in).

Originality/value

This study extends the job demands-resources (JD-R) model with new insights into the impact of personal and job resources on job involvement during the new normal remote working era.
How AI affects the future relationship between corporate governance and financial markets: a note on impact capitalism
Authors: McBride Russ , Dastan Alireza , Mehrabinia Poorya
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The authors discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can facilitate and incentivize reform in corporate social responsibility (CSR), i.e. governance with regard to pledge for socially responsible investments (SRIs).

Design/methodology/approach

The current essay examines the impacts of AI systems on the dynamics between corporate governance and financial markets in terms of promoting sustainability. Based on a qualitative review of over 100 pieces of literature, we offer an outlook into the mentioned dynamics through the lens of complex systems. Legal and ethical provisions for safe and robust AI systems are briefly discussed and integrated.

Findings

In a closed system, there is a reinforcing feedback loop between SRI and CSR. AI is a moderator to increase SRI and a mediator to incentivize CSR. If the legal and ethical provisions are involved in the AI systems, they could act as catalyst for corporate governance reform towards sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are based on a solely qualitative assessment of the prior literature in corporate governance, corporate law, AI and data governance, asset pricing, and asset allocation. The scopes and specifics of the relationship are yet to be found through quanatitative or quantitative/qualitative hybrid methods.

Originality/value

This is to certify that to the best of our knowledge, the content of this thesis is our own work. This paper has not been submitted for any degree or other purposes. The authors certify that the intellectual content of this research is the product of the authors’ own work and that all the assistance received in preparing this paper and sources have been acknowledged. Russ McBride Alireza Dastan Poorya Mehrabinia
Hyperoxia combined with the B‐cell antagonist rituximab led to intestinal dysbiosis in neonatal mice
Authors: Yang Kun , Xu Ya‐Ji , He Yan , Duan Cheng‐Xin , Wang Huai‐Fu , Ding Wei‐Jun
Published: May 2022

The adverse factors impacting the intestinal microbiota of newborns remain to be elucidated. We put forward a hypothesis that hyperoxia in combination with rituximab exhibits a synergistic effect that interferes with neonatal intestinal microbiota. Six C57BL/6J mice, aged 12 weeks and pregnant 18 days, were purchased. Their pups were breastfed and raised under a 75% oxygen or conventional environment. Low‐ (20 mg/kg) and high‐dose (40 mg/kg) rituximab were intraperitoneally administered. Fecal genomic DNA was extracted and sequenced by a 16S rRNA platform. Severe intestinal dysbiosis in newborns were observed, whereas mild dysbiosis was caused by inducing hyperoxia alone, confirming the synergistic interference of the combination of hyperoxia and B‐cell antagonist (rituximab) in neonatal intestinal microbiota disruption. Slight dysbiosis was observed in the intestinal microbiota of dams, indicating their much robust ability to confront hyperoxic conditions. The abundance ofAkkermansia muciniphilawas significantly and extensively altered in both pups and dams after being subjecting them to hyperoxic conditions with or without rituximab administration. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that the synergistic effect of hyperoxia and rituximab led to severe intestinal dysbiosis in newborns. More studies are recommended to explore the precise regulatory mode between hyperoxia and rituximab in intestinal microbiota.
Forest loss and treeless matrices cause the functional impoverishment of sapling communities in old‐growth forest patches across tropical regions
Authors: Arasa‐Gisbert Ricard , Arroyo‐Rodríguez Víctor , Meave Jorge A. , Martínez‐Ramos Miguel , Lohbeck Madelon
Published: May 2022

Landscape‐level disturbances, such as forest loss, can profoundly alter the functional composition and diversity of biotic assemblages. In fact, the landscape‐moderated functional trait selection (LMFTS) hypothesis states that landscape‐level disturbances may act as environmental filters that select a set of species with disturbance‐adapted attributes while causing the loss of species with disturbance‐sensitive attributes, ultimately compromising ecosystem functioning. However, the impact of landscape patterns on the functional composition and diversity of tropical regenerating trees (saplings) is unknown.

Using a multiscale approach to identify the best spatial scale (i.e. the scale of effect), we tested the effect of forest cover, matrix openness and forest patch density (fragmentation) on functional composition and functional diversity of tree saplings in old‐growth forest patches (n = 59) in three Mexican rainforest regions with different degree of deforestation. For 368 species and ~23,000 individuals, we compiled information from global and national databases on six functional traits related to seed dispersal and plant establishment and calculated their community abundance‐weighted mean (CWM) and three complementary functional diversity indices.

Forest loss and matrix openness reduced functional richness and evenness, but only in the two most deforested regions. Overall, fragmentation had contrasting effects on functional diversity and composition, but correlated negatively with some functional traits in the most deforested region. Importantly, in the regions with high‐to‐intermediate degree of deforestation, functional composition experienced major changes: maximum height, seed mass, fruit size and wood density decreased, and SLA increased, in forest patches surrounded by open matrices in highly deforested and fragmented landscapes. This caused a shift of community traits towards more disturbed‐adapted attributes.

Synthesis and applications. In agreement with the LMFTS hypothesis, our results confirm that landscape modifications in regions undergoing high and long‐lasting deforestation greatly impoverish the functional composition and diversity of sapling communities. The shift from communities composed mainly by conservative attributes towards communities with a higher prevalence of disturbance‐adapted attributes disrupts the future community structure and jeopardizes critical ecosystem functions. Management practices focused on preventing deforestation, increasing forest cover and promoting treed matrices are necessary to preserve the functionality of these species rich but increasingly threatened rainforests.
In vitro activity of rifabutin against Mycobacterium abscessus, clinical isolates
Authors: Chen Jianhui , Zhang Haonan , Guo Qi , He Siyuan , Xu Liyun , Zhang Zhemin , Ma Jian , Chu Haiqing
Published: May 2022

The antibiotic options available for Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) infection are limited and no definitive therapeutic strategies have been formulated. The recent discovery that rifabutin is active against M. abscessus has raised interest in using rifabutin to treat this intractable disease. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro activity of rifabutin against 194 M. abscessus clinical isolates collected during 2012 January to 2017 December. As expected, rifabutin demonstrated considerably lower MICs against M. abscessus, with an MIC50 of 2 μg/mL and MIC90 of 4 μg/mL, respectively. Notably, the anti‐M.abscessus activity was even stronger among clarithromycin‐insusceptible strains. In addition, M. abscessus isolates with a rough morphotype were more sensitive to rifabutin compared with those forming smooth colonies when considered as a whole or in separate subspecies. Results from synergistic experiments revealed that the in vitro activity of rifabutin was significantly enhanced by the addition of amikacin, suggesting a promising strategy for M. abscessus infection combination treatment. Finally, five and three mutation patterns in rpoB and arr, respectively, were identified among the 194 strains through whole genome sequencing. However, none of them conferred rifabutin resistance. Our study is among the first to report the susceptibility of M. abscessus to rifabutin in vitro with a large amount of clinical isolates, suggesting that rifabutin is active, both alone and in combination, against M. abscessus and is worth considering as part of a combination treatment regimen for M. abscessus infections.
Female Directors' Foreign Experience and Environmental and Sustainable Performance*
Authors: Ullah Farid , Jiang Ping , Ntim Collins G. , Shahab Yasir , Jiang Xianling
Published: May 2022

We examine the impact of female directors' foreign experience on environmental and sustainable (ES) performance in Chinese listed firms from 2010 to 2016. We find that female directors' foreign experience, especially work experience, significantly positively impacts firms' ES performance. The results are robust, and self‐selection concerns are addressed using the Heckman two‐step model and propensity score matching. Also, female directors' foreign experience impacts ES performance more significantly when female directors gain foreign experience from a Scandinavian law country or a civil law country. Overall, our results reveal that female directors with foreign experience transmit ES knowledge and practices to Chinese firms.
Effectiveness of alternative prenatal genetic counselling methods in a cohort of pregnant women from a low socio‐economic population
Authors: Battese Ellis Katie
Published: May 2022

Background

There are concerns about the capacity of healthcare providers to adequately counsel women on the implications of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). Studies suggest that more resource‐efficient counselling methods are needed for broad adoption.

Aims

We prospectively examined the effectiveness of alternative methods of prenatal counselling on a patient's knowledge and understanding of prenatal testing choices, with a focus on NIPS. We also evaluated prenatal test choice and emotional well‐being after making this decision.

Methods

Women from a low socio‐economic population were offered NIPS at no additional cost along with typical prenatal screening and diagnosis. Study participants underwent prenatal counselling via a web‐based video consultation or a telephone consultation with a genetic counsellor. Participants were asked to complete pre‐counselling and post‐counselling questionnaires.

Results

Of 1000 women enrolled, 600 completed both surveys in full and were included in the analysis. Of these, 354 (59%) underwent counselling via a telephone consultation and 246 (41%) via the web‐based video consultation. Both counselling methods led to a significant increase in patient knowledge (P < 0.01). NIPS uptake was equivalent between groups. Patients expressed a high level (90%) of satisfaction with their prenatal screen choice, with no significant difference (P > 0.10) between telephone and web participants.

Conclusions

Alternative methods of counselling such as a web‐based education portal can be highly effective and should be considered to enable informed decision‐making prior to undergoing prenatal screening such as NIPS. Further, web‐based education tools could be beneficial for those in rural areas with limited access to healthcare providers and non‐native speakers.
Human pharmacokinetics of XBD173 and etifoxine distinguish their potential for pharmacodynamic effects mediated by translocator protein
Authors: Owen David R. , Phillips Alexandra , O’Connor Desmond , Grey Gabrielle , Aimola Lina , Nicholas Richard , Matthews Paul M.
Published: May 2022

XBD173 and etifoxine are translocator protein (TSPO) ligands that modulate inflammatory responses in preclinical models. Limited human pharmacokinetic data is available for either molecule, and the binding affinity of etifoxine for human TSPO is unknown. To allow for design of human challenge experiments, we derived pharmacokinetic data for orally administered etifoxine (50 mg 3 times daily) and XBD173 (90 mg once daily) and determined the binding affinity of etifoxine for TSPO. For XBD173, maximum plasma concentration and free fraction measurements predicted a maximal free concentration of 1.0 nM, which is similar to XBD173 binding affinity. For etifoxine, maximum plasma concentration and free fraction measurements predicted a maximal free concentration of 0.31 nM, substantially lower than the Ki for etifoxine in human brain derived here (7.8 μM, 95% CI 4.5–14.6 μM). We conclude that oral XBD173 dosing at 90 mg once daily will achieve pharmacologically relevant TSPO occupancy. However, the occupancy is too low for TSPO mediated effects after oral dosing of etifoxine at 50 mg 3 times daily.
Effect of dexmedetomidine on oxytocin‐induced uterine contraction during optimal caesarean section anaesthesia
Authors: Zhang Quanyun , Zhen Jin , Hui Zhang , Meng Xiangxue , Guan Jinping , Zhang Hongjin , Zhang Junlong
Published: May 2022

Numerous drugs are used during caesarean sections to provide regional and general anaesthesia. Dexmedetomidine has been used in some recent obstetric trials, but there are concerns about postpartum changes in uterine contractions. This study evaluated the effect of dexmedetomidine on oxytocin‐induced uterine contractions in women undergoing caesarean section. Sixty women undergoing caesarean section in Lianyungang Second People's Hospital were randomly assigned to dexmedetomidine (group D, n = 30) or saline (group C, n = 30) groups. Equal volumes of saline or dexmedetomidine were administered intravenously (IV). During the intraoperative delivery of the foetus and placenta, oxytocin was administered to promote contractions. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were compared. The Ramsay scale was used to assess sedation, while the Tsai and Chu methods assessed shivering. Adverse intraoperative events were observed. All variables fluctuated significantly after anaesthesia onset in both groups but were most pronounced in group D. The VAS, Ramsay and shivering scores were significantly lower in group D compared to group C. During rapid IV infusion of oxytocin after foetal delivery, the incidence of nausea, vomiting, chest tightness and hypotension was significantly lower in group D than in group C.
Correspondence in parents' and children's concepts of god: Investigating the role of parental values, religious practices and executive functioning
Authors: Saide Anondah , Richert Rebekah
Published: May 2022

This study examined the extent to which children's concepts of God correspond with their parents' concepts of God. It also examined how parent‐context factors and children's executive functioning relate to parent–child conceptual similarity. Parent–child dyads from varied religious and racial backgrounds participated. Dyads had the greatest conceptual similarity concerning God's mind‐dependent functions. Though correspondence between parents and children was lowest concerning God's body‐dependent functions, dyads were more similar about those functions when parents engaged in more frequent religious practices with their child and thought God was important. Children's concepts of God were unrelated to religious practices, and parent–child conceptual similarity was unrelated to children's age and executive functioning. Simply put, variation among parents' anthropomorphic concepts of God drove variation in parent–child conceptual similarity. Overall, these findings suggest that embodied concepts of God may be most sensitive to cultural input and that socialization practices provide greater insight into parents' anthropomorphic concepts.
Oncogenic LINC00857 recruits TFAP2C to elevate FAT1 expression in gastric cancer
Authors: Zhang Wenqing , Ji Kaiyue , Min Congcong , Zhang Cuiping , Yang Lin , Zhang Qi , Tian Zibin , Zhang Mengyuan , Wang Xinyu , Li Xiaoyu
Published: May 2022

FAT atypical cadherin 1 (FAT1) is a mutant gene frequently found in human cancers and mainly accumulates at the plasma membrane of cancer cells. Emerging evidence has implicated FAT1 in the progression of gastric cancer (GC). This study intended to identify a regulatory network related to FAT1 in GC development. Upregulated expression of FAT1 was confirmed in GC tissues, and silencing FAT1 was observed to result in suppression of GC cell oncogenic phenotypes. Mechanistic investigation results demonstrated that FAT1 upregulated AP‐1 expression by phosphorylating c‐JUN and c‐FOS, whereas LINC00857 elevated the expression of FAT1 by recruiting a transcription factor TFAP2C. Functional experiments further suggested that LINC00857 enhanced the malignant biological characteristics of GC cells through TFAP2C‐mediated promotion of FAT1. More importantly, LINC00857 silencing delayed the tumor growth and blocked epithelial–mesenchymal transition in tumor‐bearing mice, which was associated with downregulated expression of TFAP2C/FAT1. To conclude, LINC00857 plays an oncogenic role in GC through regulating the TFAP2C/FAT1/AP‐1 axis. Therefore, this study contributes to extended the understanding of gastric carcinogenesis and LINC00857 may serve as a therapeutic target for GC.
Efficacy of an oral CRTH2 antagonist (AZD1981) in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in adults: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Price Caroline P. E. , Guo Amina , Stevens Whitney W. , Cousens Leslie , Vu Thanh‐Huyen T. , Suh Lydia A. , Erickson Kristin A. , Conley David , Grammer Leslie C. , Kern Robert C. , Tan Bruce K. , Kato Atsushi , Schleimer Robert P. , Smith Stephanie S. , Welch Kevin C. , Peters Anju T.
Published: May 2022

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a type 2 inflammatory disease of the upper airways. AZD1981 is a selective antagonist of chemoattractant receptor‐homologous molecule expressed on T helper type 2 and other type 2 cells, including innate lymphoid cells type 2, eosinophils, and basophils.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of AZD1981 in reducing nasal polyp size when added to intranasal corticosteroids in adult patients with CRSwNP.

Methods

Eighty‐one subjects (18–70 years of age) with CRSwNP were recruited and screened for trial eligibility from allergy and otolaryngology clinics from a single tertiary care site between June 2016 and August 2019. Eligible patients were randomized in a double‐blind fashion to receive either AZD1981 (n = 22) or placebo (n = 21) orally three times a day for 12 weeks, added to intranasal corticosteroids. The primary endpoint was a change in nasal polyp score (NPS) at 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints included improvement in sinus computed tomography using Lund Mackay scoring, symptoms using visual analog scale, quality of life using Sino Nasal Outcome Test‐22, and the Brief Smell Identification Test.

Results

Forty‐three patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled. At 12 weeks, there was no difference in NPS change in the AZD1981 arm (mean 0, standard error 0.34, n = 15) compared with placebo (mean 0.20, standard error 0.36, n = 17); mean difference −0.20 (95% confidence interval: −1.21, 0.81; p = .69). No significant differences were observed for Lund Mackay score, symptoms, quality of life, or smell test. AZD1981 was well tolerated except for one case of hypersensitivity reaction.

Conclusion

In patients with CRSwNP, the addition of AZD1981 to intranasal corticosteroids did not change nasal polyp size, radiographic scores, symptoms, or disease‐specific quality of life.
Care with allergen immunotherapy for allergic respiratory diseases in Germany—Predictors and deficits
Authors: Valbert Frederik , Neusser Silke , Pfaar Oliver , Klimek Ludger , Sperl Annette , Werfel Thomas , Hamelmann Eckard , Riederer Cordula , Wobbe‐Ribinski Stefanie , Hillerich Vivienne , Neumann Anja , Wasem Jürgen , Biermann‐Stallwitz Janine
Published: May 2022

Background

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) represents the only possibility of causal therapy for allergic respiratory diseases. Although the prevailing high prevalence of allergic diseases and restrictions in the daily lives of patients, AIT is offered to a suboptimal number of patients in Germany.

Methods

Insured patients with documented allergic respiratory disease of one of the largest statutory health insurances in Germany, ‘DAK‐Gesundheit’, were contacted by postal mail and asked to participate in the study. In case of written consent, primary and secondary data of patients were collected and analysed. Patient characteristics, predictors of being offered AIT, predictors of performing AIT and guideline‐compliant care were analysed.

Results

2505 subjects were included in the VerSITA study. Allergy to tree pollen and native speaking were identified as predictors, which increase the probability of being offered AIT. The probability was significantly decreased by the characteristics allergic rhinitis only, allergic asthma only, age in years, non‐German citizenship, no graduation and lower secondary qualification. Significant positive predictors for an AIT to be actually performed were: Allergy to tree pollen and male sex. Predictors that decrease the likelihood that AIT is performed were: only allergic asthma, current smoker, former smoker, age and non‐German citizenship. Furthermore, it was possible to identify characteristics in which guideline‐compliant patients differed significantly from the rest of the study population.

Conclusions

Based on statutory health insurance data and patient survey data, the VerSITA study provides a broad and in‐depth overview of the care situation with regard to AIT in Germany and identifies deficits.
Atrans‐Europeanperspective on how artists can support teachers, parents and carers to engage with young people in the creative arts
Authors: Dobson Tom , Stephenson Lisa
Published: May 2022

Whilst the link between young people's well‐being and the creative arts is strengthening, there is a lack of research which focuses on the roles that artists play to help teachers and parents engage young people in the creative arts. This paper explores the benefits of and barriers to artists working in education in six European countries (England, Iceland, Germany, Greece, Italy and Austria). Using the ‘5A's model of creativity’ and a view of professional development taking place within ‘landscapes of practice’, the data were analysed in order to explain how creativity is operationalised in the different contexts. Our study highlights the need for policy at a national and transnational level to value the creative arts in order to help teachers cross boundaries and utilise the full potential of the creative arts in schools. Our study also highlights that further research is needed into how artists shape teaching and curriculum and how schools engage parents in the creative arts in order to build an evidence‐base relating to young people's positive mental health that can affect policy at these levels.
Iron homeostasis in heart transplant recipients randomized to ferric derisomaltose or placebo
Authors: Brautaset Englund Kristine V. , Østby Charlotte M. , Broch Kaspar , Ueland Thor , Aukrust Pål , Gude Einar , Andreassen Arne K. , Gullestad Lars
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The randomized IronIC trial evaluated the effect of intravenous ferric derisomaltose on physical capacity in iron‐deficient, maintenance heart transplant (HTx) recipients. Iron deficiency was defined as in heart failure with high cut‐points for ferritin to compensate for inflammation. However, intravenous iron did not improve physical capacity except in patients with ferritin <30 μg/L. We aimed to explore determinants of iron status in the 102 IronIC participants to better define iron deficiency in the HTx population.

Methods

We assessed key governors of iron homeostasis, such as hepcidin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). We also measured growth factors and inflammatory markers with relevance for iron metabolism. The results were compared to those of 21 healthy controls.

Results

Hepcidin did not differ between HTx recipients and controls, even though markers of inflammation were modestly elevated. However, HTx recipients with ferritin <30 μg/L or sTfR above the reference range had significantly reduced hepcidin levels suggestive of true iron deficiency. In these patients, intravenous iron improved peak oxygen uptake. Hepcidin correlated positively with ferritin and negatively with sTfR.

Conclusion

HTx recipients with iron deficiency as defined in heart failure do not have elevated hepcidin levels, although inflammatory markers are modestly increased. The high ferritin cut‐offs used in heart failure may not be suitable to define iron deficiency in the HTx population. We suggest that hepcidin and sTfR should be measured to identify patients with true iron deficiency, who might benefit from treatment with intravenous iron.
Functional group‐dependent responses of forest bird communities to invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation
Authors: Morgan Shaun , Binks Nigel A. , Didham Raphael K. , Barnes Andrew D.
Published: May 2022

Aim

Mounting global pressure on bird populations from invasive predators and habitat loss has driven a rapid growth in restoration and conservation action around the world, yet the efficacy of such actions is still not well understood. We investigated the relative and interactive effects of invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation on the abundance of native birds and invasive mammalian predators in native forest fragments.

Location

Waikato region, New Zealand.

Methods

We sampled invasive mammalian predator and native bird abundances using camera traps and bird counts at 26 sites in 15 forest fragments across New Zealand's Waikato region. Fragment area, shape complexity and surrounding land cover of exotic and native forest were determined in ArcMap. We further created two composite gradients reflecting predator control intensity and temporal distribution of control based on seven quantitative variables recorded in each of the 5 years preceding data collection. Finally, we estimated the relative influence of these drivers on invasive mammals and functional groups of native birds using model averaging.

Results

Both the intensity and temporal distribution of invasive predator control significantly affected invasive predator abundance. Landscape and fragment structure were often equally important drivers of invasive predator abundances, but responses varied among invasive mammal species. Both invasive predator control intensity and fragment structure were similarly important drivers of native bird abundance, though bird community responses varied markedly between functional groups.

Main conclusions

Our findings suggest that spatial extent of invasive predator control and fragment area constrain invasive predator numbers and enhance bird abundance, especially for small insectivorous species, whilst other aspects of habitat fragmentation are less important for invasive mammals but at least as important for native bird communities. Consequently, both drivers should be given strong consideration when undertaking landscape‐scale conservation and restoration of bird communities in human‐altered landscapes threatened by invasive predators.
Bumetanide for neonatal seizures: No light in the pharmacokinetic/dynamic tunnel
Authors: Kaila Kai , Löscher Wolfgang
Published: May 2022

In his editorial, Kevin Staley criticizes our recent work demonstrating the lack of effect of bumetanide in a novel model of neonatal seizures. The main points in our response are that (1) our work is on an asphyxia model, not one on "hypercarbia only"; (2) clinically relevant parenteral doses of bumetanide applied in vivo lead to concentrations in the brain parenchyma that are at least an order of magnitude lower than what would be sufficient to exert any direct effect—even a transient one—on neuronal functions, including neonatal seizures; and (3) moreover, bumetanide's molecular target in the brain is the Na‐K‐2Cl cotransporter NKCC1, which has vital functions in neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes as well as microglia. This would make it impossible even for highly brain‐permeant NKCC1 blockers to specifically target depolarizing and excitatory actions of γ‐aminobutyric acid in principal neurons of the brain, which is postulated as the rationale of clinical trials on neonatal seizures.
Dysregulated behaviour of hair follicle stem cells triggers alopecia and provides potential therapeutic targets
Authors: Liu Yuanhong , Yang Shengbo , Zeng Yilan , Tang Ziting , Zong Xiule , Li Xuemei , Yang Caifeng , Liu Lulu , Tong Xiaoliang , Zhou Lu , Wang Dan
Published: May 2022

Due to a steady increase in the number of individuals suffering from alopecia, this condition has recently received increasing attention. Alopecia can be caused by various pathological, environmental or psychological factors, eventually resulting in abnormalities in hair follicle (HF) structures or HF regeneration disorders, especially dysregulated hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) behaviour. HFSC behaviour includes activation, proliferation and differentiation. Appropriate HFSC behaviour sustains a persistent hair cycle (HC). HFSC behaviour is mainly influenced by HFSC metabolism, ageing and the microenvironment. In this review, we summarize recent findings on how HFSC metabolism, ageing and the microenvironment give rise to hair growth disorders, as well as related genes and signalling pathways. Recent research on the application of stem cell‐based hair tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to treat alopecia is also summarized. Determining how dysregulated HFSC behaviour underlies alopecia would be helpful in identifying potential therapeutic targets.
Glibenclamide promoted functional recovery following sciatic nerve injury in male Wistar rats
Authors: Ferdowsi Sevin , Abdolmaleki Arash , Asadi Asadollah , Zahri Saber
Published: May 2022

The impact of peripheral nerve damage on a patient's quality of life is severe. The most frequent peripheral nerve crush damage is a sciatic nerve injury. Previous research has shown that glibenclamide (GB) has neuroprotective properties in a variety of oxidative stress‐related disorders, including Alzheimer and Parkinson. The goal of this study was to see how GB affected nerve regeneration and improved function of the sciatic nerve in a rat model following a crush injury. We evaluated motor function, sensory recovery, gene expression, and histomorphometry following damage at different time points. Additionally, we assessed atrophy in the gastrocnemius muscle using histology and mass ratio analyses. Our results suggest that 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks following glibenclamide therapy, promotes the recovery of motor and sensory function in the injured site. Following glibenclamid injection, the mRNA levels of neurotrophic factors (NGF and BDNF) are raised. According to histomorphometry assessment, glibenclamide injection also increased the number of myelinated fibers while decreasing their thickness. These results showed that glibenclamide therapy by decreasing the proinflammatory and oxidant factors may enhance the nerve regeneration. It is clear that more research is needed to confirm these findings.
Phenotypic architecture of sociality and its associated genetic polymorphisms in zebrafish
Authors: Gonçalves Claúdia , Kareklas Kyriacos , Teles Magda C. , Varela Susana A. M. , Costa João , Leite Ricardo B. , Paixão Tiago , Oliveira Rui F.
Published: May 2022

Sociality relies on motivational and cognitive components that may have evolved independently, or may have been linked by phenotypic correlations driven by a shared selective pressure for increased social competence. Furthermore, these components may be domain‐specific or of general‐domain across social and non‐social contexts. Here, we used zebrafish to test if the motivational and cognitive components of social behavior are phenotypically linked and if they are domain specific or of general domain. The behavioral phenotyping of zebrafish in social and equivalent non‐social tests shows that the motivational (preference) and cognitive (memory) components of sociality: (1) are independent from each other, hence not supporting the occurrence of a sociality syndrome; and (2) are phenotypically linked to non‐social traits, forming two general behavioral modules, suggesting that sociality traits have been co‐opted from general‐domain motivational and cognitive traits. Moreover, the study of the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and each behavioral module further supports this view, since several SNPs from a list of candidate “social” genes, are statistically associated with the motivational, but not with the cognitive, behavioral module. Together, these results support the occurrence of general‐domain motivational and cognitive behavioral modules in zebrafish, which have been co‐opted for the social domain.
Beyond stakeholder engagement in the coastal zone: Toward a systems integration approach to support just transformation of the blue economy
Authors: Kelly Miriah M. Russo
Published: May 2022

Transformation has become a prevailing and desirable concept in blue economy literature. In parallel, researchers have been considering ways to effectively engage stakeholders to support just transformational agendas. Globally, coastal communities are already being affected by the inevitable impacts of climate change and changes to the blue economy. These pressures present complex contexts for coastal zone stakeholder engagement. In this paper, I argue that taking a systems integration approach to interacting with stakeholders is needed to support just transformational change. Assessing stakeholder systems and their relationship to coastal resources is imperative for understanding dynamics that may promote or hinder just transformation. Taking an adaptive management approach to working alongside stakeholders through transitional processes, thus building capacity, is needed to generate momentum toward just transformational change. Lastly, I explain how applications of the subsidiarity principle in integrating stakeholder systems can support a just transformational process and can inform more durable transformational outcomes.
A Review of Low‐Impact Development Factors Affecting Managed Aquifer Recharge
Authors: Job Charles
Published: May 2022

Low‐impact development (LID) technology for stormwater control has a number of forms, some of which relate to managed aquifer recharge to provide adequate safe water to communities. Stormwater collected through LID for managed aquifer recharge shifts water quantity and quality effects from surface waters to groundwater. Factors affecting quantity and quality of recharge influence and are influenced by state/local land development policy, state/local groundwater policy, regulation and codes and climate change effects, as well as pretreatment requirements. Groundwater quality effects of untreated stormwater infiltration by LID in a range of hydrogeologic settings are not well understood. Site selection for LID will include hydrogeologic considerations, onsite footprint and construction factors. Cost of the technology has a wide range of typically low‐cost options. Lessons learned include: matching technology to hydrogeologic setting; state/local policy should serve to avoid hydraulic and pollutant effects, particularly high water impacts; representative groundwater monitoring adds safeguard to water supply; and LID systems designs should consider life cycle costing including vulnerable geology, not just low installation cost.