bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Why is the business case for social compliance in global value chains unpersuasive? Rethinking costs, prices and profits
Authors: ANTOLIN Ana , BABBITT Laura , BROWN Drusilla 
Published: July 2021

AbstractStakeholders in global value chains (GVCs) commonly argue that factory managers will choose humane working conditions if they can be persuaded that social compliance improves firm performance. Yet, despite evidence that humane conditions increase productivity, product quality and on‐time delivery, inhumane conditions in GVCs persist. Evidence from a sample of factories in the Better Work programme in Indonesia, Jordan and Viet Nam indicates that achieving social compliance may be costly, offsetting productivity benefits. A positive impact on profits depends on international buyer sourcing practices, including higher output prices. The COVID‐19 pandemic has confirmed the key role played by buyers in determining working conditions.
CD44 v5 domain inhibition represses the polarization of Th2 cells by interfering with the IL‐4/IL‐4R signaling pathway
Authors: Yang Chun , Lin Jianhong , Liang Hongyan , Xue Li , Kwart Ariel , Jiang Meng , Zhao Jianjun , Ren Huan , Jiang Xiaofeng , Munshi Nikhil C 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe balance between T helper type 1 (Th1) and T helper type 2 (Th2) cells is critical for both innate and acquired immune reactions. However, the precise mechanisms of T helper‐cell differentiation remain unclear. As an important T‐cell activation molecule, CD44 participates in the differentiation of Th1 and Th2 cells. We demonstrated that CD44 variant exon v5 (CD44 v5) is highly expressed by induced human Th2 cells. To investigate the role of the CD44 v5 domain in Th2 cell differentiation, we treated human CD4+ T cells with anti‐CD44v5 antibody and observed that the levels of phosphorylated STAT6 and GATA3 and the secretion of interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) were significantly decreased after the treatment. We also further found that the inhibition of Th2 differentiation was caused by the degradation of the alpha chain of IL‐4 receptor (IL‐4Rα), the CD44 v5 domain colocalized with IL‐4Rα on cell surface and the degradation of IL‐4Rα increased after CD44 v5 domain blocking or ablating. Our results indicated that CD44v5 antibody treatment interrupted the interaction between CD44 v5 domain and IL‐4Rα, but the CD44 v5 domain blockage would not spoil the colocalization between IL‐4R expression and T‐cell receptor and the immunological synapse formation; similar results were also found in CD44v5‐deficient CD4+ T cells. In conclusion, we revealed the function of the CD44 v5 domain in Th2 cell differentiation; blocking or ablating the CD44 v5 domain could accelerate IL‐4Rα degradation and then induce the Th2 cell inhibition.
Characteristics and health outcomes of patients hospitalised with hypomagnesaemia: a retrospective study from a single centre in the Northern Territory of Australia
Authors: Al Alawi Abdullah M. , Berhane Thomas , Majoni Sandawana W. , Falhammar Henrik 
Published: July 2021

AbstractBackgroundMagnesium is an essential cation in the human body involved in many processes in the human body. Hypomagnesium has been linked to many poor health outcomes.AimsTo study the clinical and biochemical characteristics and health outcomes of patients admitted and found to have hypomagnesaemia in an Australian hospital with a high proportion of Indigenous Australians.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients with hypomagnesaemia hospitalised between 1 August 2008 and 31 December 2014 at Royal Darwin Hospital. All relevant demographic, clinical and biochemical data were collected from patients' medical records. The hospital database was reviewed in January 2018 for mortality of all included patients.ResultsA total of 876 patients had been admitted with a confirmed diagnosis of hypomagnesaemia during the study period, with mean follow‐up period of 4.0 ± 2.7 years. The mean age at admission was 52.4 ± 19.1 years, 52.2% were females and 56.5% were Indigenous Australians. Chronic kidney disease (99.7%), excessive alcohol consumption (45.7%), hypertension (43.9%) and respiratory diseases (15.0%) were the most common conditions in these patients. Hypomagnesaemia was associated with prolonged length of hospital stay. Most patients did not receive treatment for hypomagnesaemia during admission. During the follow‐up period, 38.6% of patients died, and the most common causes of death were malignancies (29.9%).ConclusionHypomagnesaemia was a common and undertreated condition in hospitalised patients and was associated with poor health outcomes. Therefore, hospitals should develop guidelines for replacing and monitoring magnesium levels during hospitalisation, achieving better outcomes.
Expectations, unemployment and inflation: An empirical investigation
Authors: Galstyan Vahagn 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis paper analyses the empirical relation between inflation and unemployment over the past 25 years by using a panel state‐space model. After controlling for the global factor, I find that the domestic rate of unemployment explains 11% in the variation of headline inflation, suggesting a significant power that domestic slack has in influencing medium‐term core inflation. The global factor, in turn, is well explained by global oil and food prices as well as global trade integration. The contribution of the global slack in explaining the global component of inflation is negligible. Additionally, using a set of threshold regressions, I identify breakpoints that split inflation dynamics into various regimes. In particular, I find a higher sensitivity of inflation to unemployment in high‐inflation and/or low‐unemployment regimes. This finding is consistent with less frequent price adjustments of firms in low‐inflation and high‐unemployment environments.
Anxiety, OCD, delusions, and religiosity among the general public during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Abdullah Iqra , Parveen Shazia , Shahid Khan Nauman , Abdullah Danyal 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe COVID‐19 outbreak has not only affected the physical health of the public but also resulted in severe psychological outcomes. This study aims to investigate the psychological effects of the COVID‐19 outbreak on Pakistan's general public. In order to identify the main psychological factors that have emerged due to the current pandemic, extensive literature and opinion pieces of psychologists were reviewed. After a thorough study of the existing scholarship, four main psychological factors were investigated: stress and anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), delusions of getting infected from the disease, and religiosity. A research survey was circulated among the sample population online. A total 356 valid responses were received in the period of two to three weeks. Findings showed that the respondents reported a moderate level of anxiety, occasional symptoms of OCD, and delusions. However, respondents showed a high inclination toward religion during the current pandemic situation. Furthermore, respondents highlighted a few other psychological factors, such as financial strain and loneliness, in the survey. The primary sources of COVID‐19‐related information were social media and television among the general public of Pakistan. Finally, guidelines and tips from the reviewed psychologists and psychiatrists on overcoming the highlighted psychological problems that have arisen due to the COVID‐19 outbreak were summarised.
Plastic deformation of ZnO thin films through edge and screw dislocation movements
Authors: Chen Wei‐Hao , Chou Chia‐Yueh , Li Bao‐Jhen , Cheng Shao‐Liang , Liu Cheng‐Yi 
Published: July 2021

AbstractColumnar wurtzite grains were formed in sputtered ZnO thin films deposited on a plastic polyethylene terephthalate substrate. Selected‐area diffraction patterns reveal that the columnar grains in the sputtered films present two preferred growth planes, namely, the basal (0002) and prismatic (100) growth planes. The diffraction patterns obtained also confirm that the microstructure of sputtered indium tin oxide thin films is amorphous in nature. Tensile tests indicate that the fracture strain of the ZnO thin film occurs between 1.73% and 2.14%, while the fracture strain of the indium tin oxide thin film occurs between 0.24% and 0.67%. Thus, the fracture toughness of the sputtered ZnO thin film is greater than that of the sputtered indium tin oxide thin film. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopic images demonstrate that edge and screw dislocations could be identified in the sputtered ZnO thin films. Moreover, edge and screw dislocation movements may, respectively, be observed in the basal‐ and prismatic‐oriented ZnO columnar grains of the sputtered ZnO thin films. Our results indicate that movements of the edge and screw dislocations in the basal‐ and prismatic‐oriented ZnO columnar grains account for the plastic deformation of the investigated ZnO thin films under tensile stress.
Electrochemotherapy with bleomycin for basal cell carcinomas: a systematic review
Authors: Hendel K. , Jemec G. B. E. , Haedersdal M. , Wiegell S. R. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractBasal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of cancer and an increasing incidence stimulates the interest in new treatments such as electrochemotherapy (ECT) with bleomycin. This systematic review focuses on literature from the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Bleomycin‐ECT studies (n = 32) were sorted by the level of evidence adjusted for their BCC data only. The studies included a single randomised controlled trial (RCT), 15 uncontrolled clinical trials, three registry studies, six prospective case series and seven retrospective case series. A Cochrane risk‐of‐bias assessment of the RCT identified some minor concerns but no predicted risk of bias. The studies were also grouped by bleomycin administration routes: intravenous (n = 14), intralesional (n = 9) and mixed reporting/usage (n = 9). A meta‐analysis was not conducted due to the lack of RCTs and the heterogeneity of the included studies. The results of the RCT generally reflected the findings of the other included studies and showed a 92% complete response in 65 bleomycin‐ECT–treated BCCs after 2 months, improving to 100% after re‐treatment, with a low risk of recurrence. Based on the RCT results and overall data, future studies on BCC treatment with bleomycin‐ECT should include large RCTs that compare bleomycin‐ECT with standard of care, cost analyses, and clinical feasibility.
Do exit options increase the value for money of public–private partnerships?
Authors: Buso Marco , Dosi Cesare , Moretto Michele 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe study the effects of granting an exit option allowing the private party to terminate a Public–Private Partnerships contract early if it turns out to be loss‐making. In a continuous‐time setting with hidden information about the private returns on investment, we show that an exit option, acting as a risk‐sharing device, can soften agency problems and, in so doing, spur investment and increase the government's expected payoff, even while taking into account the costs that the public sector will have to meet in the future to resume the project.
Stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in dairy products
Authors: Norouzbeigi Sahar , Yekta Reza , Vahid‐Dastjerdi Leily , Keyvani Hossein , Ranjbar Mohammad Mehdi , Shadnoush Mahdi , Khorshidian Nasim , Yousefi Mojtaba , Sohrabvandi Sara , Mortazavian Amir M. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe present investigation was performed to determine the stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) under several industrial processing situations in dairies, including pasteurization, freezing, and storage in acidic conditions. Ten treatments were selected, including high‐temperature short‐time (HTST)‐pasteurized low‐fat milk, low‐temperature long‐time‐pasteurized low‐fat milk, extended shelf life (ESL)‐pasteurized low‐fat milk, HTST‐pasteurized full‐fat milk, LTLT‐pasteurized full‐fat milk, ESL‐pasteurized full‐fat milk, pasteurized cream, ice cream frozen and stored at −20 or −80°C, and Doogh (as a fermented milk drink with initial pH < 3.5) refrigerated for 28 days. The viral particles were quantified by RT‐PCR methodology. Besides, the virus infectivity was assessed through fifty‐percent tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) assay. These products were seeded with a viral load of 5.65 log TCID50/mL as a simulated cross‐contamination condition. Pasteurization techniques were sufficient for complete inactivation of the SARS‐CoV‐2 in the most dairy products, and 1.85 log TCID50/mL virus reduction in full‐fat milk (fat content = 3.22%). Freezing (either −20°C or −80°C) did not result in a virally safe product within 60 days of storage. Storage at high acidic conditions (initial pH < 3.5) completely hampered the viral load at the end of 28 days of refrigerated storage. This research represents an important practical achievement that the routine HTST pasteurization in dairies was inadequate to completely inactivate the viral load in full‐fat milk, probably due to the protective effect of fat content. Furthermore, freezing retain the virus infectivity in food products, and therefore, relevant contaminated foods may act as carriers for SARS‐CoV‐2.
Family dynamics and the transition toend‐of‐lifecaregiving: A brief review and conceptual framework
Authors: Fox Aimee L. , Sharp Julia L. , Fruhauf Christine A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractFamily members are an integral part of providing care and comfort at the end‐of‐life (EOL). Yet, individuals providing EOL care for a family member are vulnerable to emotional and psychological stress, and often indicate they do not have the knowledge or skills needed for providing this type of care. In addition, family dynamics across the life course may influence family communication and support during the transition to EOL care. Despite these findings, few studies examine family caregiving in the context of the family system during this transition. This study presents a brief review of extant literature and a conceptual framework designed to foster research in family caregiving systems, specifically how family dynamics influence preparedness for the transition to EOL caregiving. The complexity of individual and family aging experiences should be recognized in future research to advance the study of family caregiving and promote family caregivers' health and well‐being.
Older adults' access to primary care: Gender, racial, and ethnic disparities in telemedicine
Authors: Ryskina Kira L. , Shultz Kaitlyn , Zhou Yi , Lautenbach Gillian , Brown Rebecca T. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractBackgroundIn 2020, primary care practices adopted telemedicine as an alternative to in‐person visits. Little is known about whether access to telemedicine was equitable, especially among older patients. Our objectives were to (1) examine older adults' use of telemedicine versus in‐person primary care visits and (2) compare hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) between the groups.MethodsIn this retrospective cross‐sectional study of 17,103 patients aged ≥65 years seen at 32 clinics in the Mid‐Atlantic, primary care patients were classified into two groups—telemedicine versus in person—based on the first visit between March and May 2020 and followed up for 14 days. Using multivariable logistic regression, we measured the odds of being seen via telemedicine versus in person as a function of patient demographics, comorbidities, and week of study period. We then measured the odds of ACSC hospitalization by visit modality.ResultsMean age was 75.1 years (SD, 7.5), 60.6% of patients were female, 64.6% white, 28.1% black, and 2.0% Hispanic. Overall, 60.3% of patients accessed primary care via telemedicine. Black (vs. white) patients had higher odds of using telemedicine (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.14–1.47) and Hispanic (vs. not Hispanic) patients had lower odds (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42–0.92). Compared with the in‐person group, patients in the telemedicine group had lower odds of ACSC hospitalization (aOR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.61–1.00). Among patients who used telemedicine, black patients had 1.43 higher odds of ACSC hospitalization (95% CI, 1.02–2.01) compared with white patients. Patients aged 85 or older seen via telemedicine had higher odds of an ACSC hospitalization (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.03–2.47) compared with patients aged 65–74.ConclusionsThese findings support the use of telemedicine for primary care access for older adults. However, the observed disparities highlight the need to improve care quality and equity regardless of visit modality.
Quantitative order‐parameter measurement in lattice‐mismatched AlInP using precession electron diffraction
Authors: Pasala Xavier , Pokharel Nikhil , Ahrenkiel Phil , Alberi Kirstin , Forghani Kamran , Stender Chris 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPrecession electron diffraction (PED) was used to measure the long‐range order parameter in lattice‐mismatched AlInP epitaxial films under investigation for solid‐state‐lighting applications. Both double‐ and single‐variant films grown at 620, 650 and 680 °C were analysed in TEM cross‐section. PED patterns were acquired in selected‐area‐diffraction mode through external microscope control using serial acquisition, which allows inline image processing. The integrated peak intensities from experimental patterns were fit using dynamical simulations of diffraction from the ordered domain structures. Included in the structure‐factor calculations were mean atomic displacements of the anions (P) due to ordering, which were found by valence‐force‐field calculations to have a nearly linear dependence on order parameter. A maximum order parameter of S = 0.36 was measured for a double‐variant specimen grown at 650 °C.
Effects of a blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses on nursing research competence and critical thinking (Part 2): A quasi‐experimental study
Authors: Chen Qirong , Tang Siyuan , Liu Dan , Zhou Chuyi , Castro Aimee R. , Jiang Shan , Huang Chongmei , Chen Jiarui 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAims and objectivesTo evaluate the effects of a blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses on research competence and critical thinking.BackgroundWith the development of the nursing discipline and evidence‐based nursing practice, nursing research competence is increasingly important for clinical nurses. Current nursing research training programmes cannot meet the needs of clinical nurses.DesignA quasi‐experimental study.MethodsA total of 104 clinical nurses from two tertiary hospitals participated in this study. The intervention group received a blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses, and the control group received no intervention. Nursing research competence and critical thinking were measured at baseline, after the intervention and three months after the intervention. The satisfaction with the training of clinical nurses in the intervention group was also measured after the intervention. Generalised linear mixed models were used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on outcome variables. Qualitative data were analysed by two researchers using the content analysis method. Our reporting complies with the TREND checklist.ResultsThe blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses finally showed positive effects on nursing research competence and critical thinking. The effects lasted until three months after the training programme. ‘Learner‐centred Training’, ‘Skilled Trainers’, ‘Encouraging Training Environment’ and ‘Positive Outcomes’ are the main categories generated from the qualitative data.ConclusionThe blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses could be used for clinical nurses’ research education to improve their nursing research competence and critical thinking.Relevance to clinical practiceThe blended emergent teaching method could be considered as an effective method to provide an encouraging learning environment and promote learner‐centred teaching for clinical nurses. The blended emergent research training programme could be used to improve nursing research competence and critical thinking of clinical nurses which are important for evidence‐based nursing practice.
Redistribution under general decision rules
Authors: Parameswaran Giri , Rendleman Hunter 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe study the political economy of redistribution over a broad class of decision rules. We suggest a simple and elegant procedure to select a robust equilibrium from the multiplicity in the core. Equilibrium policy depends on the full income profile, and, importantly, the preferences of two decisive voters. We show that the effect of increasing inequality depends on the decision rule and the shape of the income distribution; redistribution will increase if both decisive voters are “relatively poor,” and decrease if at least one is sufficiently “rich.” Additionally, redistribution decreases as the polity adopts increasingly stringent super‐majority rules.
Tolerance and Pharmacokinetics of Galliprant™ Administered Orally to Collies Homozygous for MDR1‐1Δ
Authors: Heit Mark C. , Mealey Katrina L. , King Stephen B. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe objectives of the study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tolerance of grapiprant, a substrate of the human P‐gp transporter, in collies homozygous for MDR1‐1Δ when administered at the labeled dosage of 2 mg/kg once daily for 28 days. Twelve collie dogs with homozygous for MDR1‐1Δ genotype from a commercial colony were used in the study, eight in the treated group and four as placebo‐treated controls. The only treatment‐related clinical sign was self‐limiting vomiting (in 2/8 treated animals) and the only treatment‐related clinical pathological changes seen were a slight decrease in serum albumin in one dog (2.6 g/dL; reference 2.7 to 3.9 g/dL) and total protein (5.1 g/dL; reference 5.5 to 7.7 g/dL). Absorption of grapiprant was rapid with a median Tmax of 1 h, Cmax of 5.2 μg/mL, AUC0‐24 of 17.3 ± 7.1 h*μg/mL and median terminal t½ of 4.3 h after the first dose. To determine whether MDR1‐1Δ animals handle grapiprant differently from normal dogs, a population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed utilizing data from the collies and historical beagle data. Volume of the peripheral compartment of collies was estimated to be 45% that of beagles, and clearance from the central compartment was 71% less in collies than in beagles. Self‐liming vomiting events occurred at a numerically higher rate (2/8; 25%) in this group of P‐gp‐deficient dogs than seen in a clinical study (17%) composed of various dog breeds but limited numbers in this PK study make comparisons difficult. Grapiprant was otherwise well tolerated in collies homozygous for MDR1‐1Δ despite increased drug exposure compared to dogs without this mutation.