bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using cryptocurrencies and transactions in medical tourism
Authors: Çapar Haşim 
Published: December 2020

PurposeThis study aims to examine the use of cryptocurrencies and transactions in medical tourism and to discuss how this use provides advantages to healthcare institutions and states that provide medical tourism services.Design/methodology/approachThis study is a descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational and methodological quantitative research. Data were collected through a questionnaire with 555 potential medical tourists. Data were analyzed with Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression using STATA.FindingsThe correlation results showed a statistically significant high and positive correlation between the use of cryptocurrencies and transactions in medical tourism and the medical tourist's intention. The variables that contributed to the medical tourist's intention were monetary risk minimization, access-security and malpractice-civil trial in the highest order of contribution. Accordingly, the monetary risk minimization was the most contributing to the medical tourist's intention.Originality/valueThis study provides a piece of initial empirical evidence on the contribution of using cryptocurrencies and transactions in medical tourism.
Factors affecting COVID-19 mortality: an exploratory study
Authors: Upadhyaya Ashish , Koirala Sushant , Ressler Rand , Upadhyaya Kamal 
Published: December 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the factors affecting COVID-19 mortality.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical model is developed in which the mortality rate per million is the dependent variable, and life expectancy at birth, physician density, education, obesity, proportion of population over the age of 65, urbanization (population density) and per capita income are explanatory variables. Crosscountry data from 184 countries are used to estimate the quantile regression that is employed.FindingsThe estimated results suggest that obesity, the proportion of the population over the age of 65 and urbanization have a positive and statistically significant effect on COVID-19 mortality. Not surprisingly, per capita income has a negative and statistically significant effect on COVID-19 death rate.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on the COVID-19 mortality data from June 2020, which have constantly being changed. What data reveal today may be different after two or three months. Despite this limitation, it is expected that this study will serve as the basis for future research in this area.Practical implicationsSince the findings suggest that obesity, population over the age of 65 and density are the primary factors affecting COVID-19 death, the policy-makers should pay particular attention to these factors.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is first attempt to estimate the factors affecting the COVID-19 mortality rate. Its novelty also lies in the use of quantile regressions, which is more efficient in estimating empirical models with heterogeneous data.
Modeling the wasted value of data in maintenance investments
Authors: Marttonen-Arola Salla , Baglee David , Ylä-Kujala Antti , Sinkkonen Tiina , Kärri Timo 
Published: December 2020

PurposeBig data and related technologies are expected to drastically change the way industrial maintenance is managed. However, at the moment, many companies are collecting large amounts of data without knowing how to systematically exploit it. It is therefore important to find new ways of evaluating and quantifying the value of data. This paper addresses the value of data-based profitability of maintenance investments.Design/methodology/approachAn analytical wasted value of data model (WVD-model) is presented to quantify how the value of data can be increased through eliminating waste. The use of the model is demonstrated with a case example of a maintenance investment appraisal of an automotive parts manufacturer.FindingsThe presented model contributes to the gap between the academic research and the solutions implemented in practice in the area of value optimization. The model provides a systematic way of evaluating if the benefits of investing in maintenance data exceed the additional costs incurred. Applying the model to a case study revealed that even though the case company would need to spend more time in analyzing and processing the increased data, the investment would be profitable if even a modest share of the current asset failures could be prevented through improved data analysis.Originality/valueThe model is designed and developed on the principle of eliminating waste to increase value, which has not been previously extensively discussed in the context of data management.
Corporate social responsibility and earnings management in the EU: a panel data analysis approach
Authors: Dimitropoulos Panagiotis E. 
Published: December 2020

Purpose
Over the past decades, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been considered as a significant corporate strategy and also has been documented as a main information dissemination mechanism of corporations to shareholders, creditors and other external stakeholders. This fact makes the CSR activities and CSR performance interconnected with the quality of firms’ financial reporting. The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of CSR performance on the earnings management (EM) behaviour using a sample from 24 European Union (EU) countries summing up to 121,154 firm-year observations over the period 2003–2018.

Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a multi-country data set with various dimensions of CSR performance including indexes regarding workforce, community relations, product responsibility and human rights protection. The empirical analysis is conducted with panel data regressions.

Findings
Evidence supports the negative association between CSR and EM indicating that high CSR performing firms are associated with less income smoothing and discretionary accruals, thus with higher financial reporting quality.

Practical implications
Regulatory agencies in the EU could use the findings of the study for the improvement of the accounting framework via enhancing the use and publications of social and environmental responsibility information and reports.

Social implications
Also, the current paper could be of interest not only to academic researchers but also to potential and existing investors in European corporations. The negative association between CSR performance and EM could be used by investors in assessing the risk of firms and the quality and reliability of their financial information.

Originality/value
This is the first study within the EU, which considers the multi-facet characteristics of CSR on the quality of accounting earnings and offers useful policy implications for regulators and investors.
When, Where, and How to Intervene? Tradeoffs Between Time and Costs in Coastal Nutrient Management
Authors: Merrill Nathaniel H. , Piscopo Amy N. , Balogh Stephen , Furey Ryan P. , Mulvaney Kate K. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractPolicies and regulations designed to address nutrient pollution in coastal waters are often complicated by delays in environmental and social systems. Social and political inertia may delay the implementation of cleanup projects, and even after the best nutrient pollution management practices are developed and implemented, long groundwater travel times may delay the impact of inland or upstream interventions. These delays and the varying costs of nutrient removal alternatives used to meet water quality goals combine to create a complex dynamic decision problem with tradeoffs about when, where, and how to intervene. We use multi‐objective optimization to quantify the tradeoffs between costs and minimizing the time to meet in‐bay nutrient reduction goals represented as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). We calculate the impact of using in‐bay (in situ) nutrient removal through shellfish aquaculture relative to waiting for traditional source control to be implemented. We apply these methods to the Three Bays Watershed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In gross benefit terms, not accounting for any social costs, this equates to an average value of 37¢ (2035 TMDL target date) and 11¢ (2060 TMDL target date) per animal harvested over the plan implementation period. Our results encourage the consideration of alternative and in situ approaches to tackle coastal pollution while traditional source control is implemented and its effects realized over time.
Small cell lung cancer with thyroid gland oligometastasis: A case report
Authors: Tsutsui Toshiharu , Yamaki Haruna , Kumagai Takashi , Omori Chisa , Kobayashi Hiroaki , Kakizaki Yumiko , Miyashita Yoshihiro 
Published: December 2020

Extensive disease small cell lung cancer (ED‐SCLC) is a systemic disease characterized by diffuse metastases and a poor prognosis. Oligometastatic cases in ED‐SCLC are rare. This study reports the case of a 72‐year‐old Japanese male. A mass lesion was identified on chest computed tomography (CT). Fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG‐PET/CT) revealed a solitary thyroid gland lesion with high FDG uptake as an extrapulmonary finding, suggesting thyroid cancer or a goiter. Upon confirmation of diagnosis, treatment of SCLC was prioritized, and chemoradiotherapy for limited disease SCLC was initiated without further examination of the thyroid gland. The thyroid nodule disappeared after treatment. Two years later, the disease recurred, and a thyroid nodule was found to have reappeared. Upon fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid, small cell carcinoma was detected. Therefore, in cases of SCLC, it is necessary to carefully investigate the thyroid for solitary lesions to consider the possibility of oligometastasis.Key pointsSignificant findings of the studyManifesting as a solitary lesion, oligometastasis, particularly in the thyroid, is rare in cases of ED‐SCLC.What this study addsIn SCLC cases, it is necessary to carefully investigate the thyroid for solitary lesions to consider the possibility of oligometastasis.
Use of Telemedicine for the Physical Examination of Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Authors: del Campo Miguel , Beach Deanna , Wells Alan , Jones Kenneth Lyons 
Published: December 2020

BackgroundThe fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are among the most prevalent causes of neurodevelopmental disorders. The diagnosis is based on assessment of prenatal alcohol exposure, specific physical features identified with a dysmorphology examination, and neurobehavioral assessment. Prompt diagnosis of affected children is necessary to provide early intervention services in a timely manner; however, the availability of diagnostic expertise is limited. We propose telemedicine (TM) as a valid and reliable mode by which the physical phenotype of FASD can be accurately assessed.MethodsWe compared face‐to‐face (F2F) physical examinations of the 3 key facial features and the resulting physical phenotype of the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and partial FAS (pFAS), as well as 12 additional physical features seen more frequently in children with FAS than in the general population in 61 individuals with 2 different TM methods. These included a Transportable Examination Station system using a precision camera and a laptop and a Zoom secure connection system (ZOOM), using a smart phone and a tablet. We measured the percentages of agreement and the Cohen’s K coefficient for each comparison.ResultsAgreements for most physical features and for the physical phenotype of FAS and pFAS were in the “almost perfect” range with some exceptions in the “substantial” range. Imprecision in measurement and subjectivity underlie lower agreement for some features, both F2F and using TM. We identified the optimal conditions for the F2F examinations in order to assure reliability using TM.ConclusionsTM is a valid and reliable method for the examination of the physical features of FAS that may contribute to greater access to an early diagnosis of FASD in children prenatally exposed to alcohol and/or with characteristic neurobehavioral deficits.
Surgeon case volume and continence recovery following radical prostatectomy: a systematic review
Authors: Trieu Danny , Ju Irene E. , Chang Simon B. , Mungovan Sean F. , Patel Manish I. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundUrinary incontinence (UI) is a common complication following radical prostatectomy (RP). Prolonged UI has a substantial impact on quality of life and psychosocial well‐being. As the RP technique is complex, it is reasonable to propose that surgeon experience could affect post‐operative continence recovery outcomes. This study aimed to systematically evaluate evidence regarding a surgeon's experience and continence recovery after RP.MethodsA comprehensive search of the literature was performed in April 2020 using the Medline, Embase, CINAHL and psychINFO electronic databases according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis guidelines. All English language studies investigating UI following RP, stratified by surgeon experience, were included. Surgeon experience was defined as average annual case load or volume.ResultsThirteen studies published between 2003 and 2020 met the inclusion criteria and were included in our systematic review. Three prospective and 10 retrospective cohort studies included a total of 47 316 patients undergoing RP via open, laparoscopic or robotic‐assisted procedures. Heterogeneity in the definition of surgeon experience and UI did not allow a meta‐analysis. The majority of studies reported that surgeons with higher surgical volumes achieved better continence recovery rates at the early (6‐week), 3‐month, 6‐month and later (≥12‐month) time points. Most studies where a high surgical volume was defined as >50 cases/year demonstrated a significant difference in continence outcomes.ConclusionBetter urinary continence recovery results can be expected by patients who undergo RP performed by a surgeon with greater experience. An annual surgical case load of >50 cases/year results in improved continence recovery outcomes following RP.
Hemispheric, Relational, and Intersectional Political Ecologies of Race: Centring Land‐Body Entanglements in the Americas
Authors: Mollett Sharlene 
Published: December 2020

AbstractIn this Afterword, I reflect on the themes of race and coloniality in political ecology highlighted by this Symposium. I draw upon and place in conversation scholarly work on Latin America to demonstrate how, notwithstanding disparate social‐historical contexts, Indigenous and Black communities encounter strikingly similar struggles for land and territorial control across the Americas. I build my comments from a fusion of postcolonial, decolonial and black feminist thinking to bolster the importance of intimate and inseparable entanglements between people’s lands and their bodies within political ecological analyses. In the following, I shape this commentary into three co‐constitutive discussions: first, that political ecologies of race are hemispheric; second, that race and coloniality condition the lives of IndigenousandBlack peoples relationally in the Americas; and third, that these multiple and mutually constituted ideologies, namely intersectional forms of power, shaping land and land control are profoundly material and embodied.
A Value Theory of Inclusion: Informal Labour, the Homeworker, and the Social Reproduction of Value
Authors: Mezzadri Alessandra 
Published: December 2020

AbstractCritically engaging with Marxist‐Feminist debates, this article argues that only interpretations of social reproduction as value‐producing capture the features of contemporary informalised labour relations. Building on early social reproduction analyses and informed by debates in political economy of development and feminist geography, the article sketches a “value theory of inclusion” premised on the centrality of all labour to value‐generation; accounting for different forms of exploitation; and stressing the dynamic interpenetration of production and reproduction in processes of labour‐surplus extraction. By re‐centring the geographical focus on the global South, the article illustrates this interpenetration by identifying three reproductive mechanisms of value‐generation, based on: industrial housing arrangements; spatial processes of externalisation of reproductive costs across urban–rural divides; and processes of formal subsumption of labour, analysed with special reference to women homeworkers in India. An inclusive theorisation of value‐generation is crucial for the development of inclusive politics, recognising exploitation in its varied manifestations.
Microbiota‐derived extracellular vesicles and metabolic syndrome
Authors: Villard Alexandre , Boursier Jérôme , Andriantsitohaina Ramaroson 
Published: December 2020

AbstractAimMetabolic syndrome is a major health problem concerning approximately 25% of worldwide population. Metabolic syndrome regroups a cluster of five metabolic abnormalities predisposing to Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Dysbiotic gut microbiota is accompanied by an increase of both intestinal permeability and pathogen‐associated molecular patterns translocation into blood circulation to induce metabolic endotoxemia responsible for the low‐grade systemic inflammation and insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome. Among pathogen‐associated molecular patterns, bacterial extracellular vesicles are gaining growing attention. The latter are produced by eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and are vectors of communication between gut microbiota and its host The present review brings evidence to the importance of the control of the balance between the different subsets of gut microbiota in the development of metabolic diseases including metabolic syndrome.ResultsThe ability of bacteria, including gut bacteria, to release extracellular vesicles implicated in host metabolic homeostasis is highlighted with their plethora of actions on intestinal barrier, inflammation and insulin resistance.ConclusionBacterial extracellular vesicles can be considered as key players in the pathophysiological of metabolic diseases and may represent an interesting strategy for specific manipulations of microbiome for promoting host health.
EGCG inhibits pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy via the PSMB5/Nmnat2/SIRT6‐dependent signalling pathways
Authors: Cai Yi , Yu Shan Shan , He Yang , Bi Xue Ying , Gao Si , Yan Ting Dong , Zheng Guo Dong , Chen Ting Ting , Ye Jian Tao , Liu Pei Qing 
Published: December 2020

AbstractAimEpigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol found in green tea, exerts multiple protective effects against cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its anti‐hypertrophic effect has not been clarified. This study revealed that EGCG could inhibit pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy by regulating the PSMB5/Nmnat2/SIRT6‐dependent signalling pathway.MethodsQuantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to determine the expression of mRNA and protein respectively. A fluorometric assay kit was used to determine the activity of SIRT6, a histone deacetylase. Luciferase reporter gene assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay were employed to measure transcriptional activity and DNA binding activity respectively.ResultsEGCG could significantly increase Nmnat2 protein expression and enzyme activity in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes stimulated with angiotensin II (Ang II) and heart tissues from rats subjected to abdominal aortic constriction. Nmnat2 knockdown by RNA interference attenuated the inhibitory effect of EGCG on cardiac hypertrophy. EGCG blocked NF‐κB DNA binding activity induced by Ang II, which was dependent on Nmnat2 and the subsequent SIRT6 activation. Moreover the activation of PSMB5 (20S proteasome subunit β‐5, chymotrypsin‐like) was required for EGCG‐induced Nmnat2 protein expression. Additionally, we demonstrated that EGCG might interact with PSMB5 and inhibit the activation of the proteasome.ConclusionsThese findings serve as the first evidence that the effect of EGCG against cardiac hypertrophy may be, at least partially, attributed to the modulation of the PSMB5/Nmnat2‐dependent signalling pathway, suggesting the therapeutic potential of EGCG in the prevention and treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.
Schema therapy with exposure and response prevention for the treatment of chronic anxiety with comorbid personality disorder
Authors: Peeters Nancy , Stappenbelt Sylvie , Burk William J. , van Passel Boris , Krans Julie 
Published: December 2020

Background and objectivesA considerable group of patients with anxiety disorders do not respond to guideline CBT treatment, possibly due to comorbid personality disorder (PD) traits. Schema therapy (ST) is an integrative treatment for personality disorders, and preliminary evidence suggests that it also affects anxiety. The present study examined the effects of a combination treatment (‘SCHerp’: ST + exposure and response prevention) in a non‐responsive outpatient group suffering from chronic anxiety and comorbid cluster C personality disorder.MethodsPsychological malfunction (n = 42), and adaptive and maladaptive schema modes (n = 49) were assessed pre‐ and post‐treatment.ResultsPatients showed statistically significant decreases in psychological malfunction and maladaptive modes, and significant increases in adaptive modes from pre‐ to post‐treatment. Changes in modes were correlated with changes in psychological malfunction.LimitationsNo control group or follow‐up measurements were included.ConclusionsThe combination of ST and exposure with response prevention may be a viable avenue for research and treatment for this subpopulation. However, further research is needed to confirm and enhance effectiveness and identify working mechanisms of SCHerp.Practitioner points

The SCHerp programme combines schema therapy with exposure and response prevention to tackle chronic anxiety in patients with comorbid personality disorder

SCHerp significantly reduced psychological malfunction and maladaptive modes, and increased adaptive modes

Changes in schema modes correlated with changes in psychological malfunction, suggesting that schema modes are an appropriate treatment target in this population

No active control group was included so no therapy‐specific factors can be determined at this stage
IgG subclasses as biomarkers for persistence of factor VIII inhibitors in previously untreated patients with severe haemophilia A
Authors: Peyvandi Flora , Miri Syna , Bucciarelli Paolo , Valsecchi Carla , Schiavone Lucia , Boscarino Marco , Palla Roberta , Mannucci Pier Mannuccio , Rosendaal Frits Richard ,   the SIPPET group
Published: December 2020

SummaryWe investigated longitudinally the behaviour of anti‐factor VIII (anti‐FVIII) IgG subclasses for 6 months from inhibitor development in 43 patients from the Survey of Inhibitors in Plasma‐Products Exposed Toddlers (SIPPET) trial who developed persistent or transient inhibitors. We first analysed 43 patients within 60 days post inhibitor detection. Then, 14 of these 43 patients were studied at five time points over 6 months. Our study showed that during the first 60 days, the risk of inhibitor persistence increased with the concomitant presence of an increasing number of IgG subclasses. Over the 6‐month period post inhibitor detection, only the IgG2 subclass could be considered a hallmark of inhibitor persistence.