Reclaiming the child left behind: the case for corporate cultural responsibility

Although a reasonable understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) exists, one dimension remains largely ignored. That is, the cultural impacts of corporations, or the bearing, at various levels of their business models, activities, and outcomes on the value systems and enduring beliefs of affected people. We introduce the notion of corporate cultural responsibility (CCR). The way corporations address CCR concerns can be reflected according to three stances: cultural destructiveness, cultural carelessness, and cultural prowess. Taken sequentially, they reflect a growing comprehension and increasingly active consideration of CCR concerns by corporations. In turn, we explicitly address issues related to the complex question of determining the cultural responsibilities of corporate actors; specify key CCR-related conceptualizations; and lay a foundation for discussions, debates, and research efforts centered on CCR concerns and rationales

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Predictors of Mortality in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock despite Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump: Opportunities for Advanced Mechanical Circulatory Support in Asia

Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) mortality remains high despite revascularization and the use of the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Advanced mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, such as catheter-based ventricular assist devices (cVAD), may impact mortality. We aim to identify predictors of mortality in AMI-CS implanted with IABP and the proportion eligible for advanced MCS in an Asian population. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (SCAI) stage C and above AMI-CS patients with IABP implanted from 2017–2019. We excluded patients who had IABP implanted for indications other than AMI-CS. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for patient characteristics. Results: Over the 3-year period, 242 patients (mean age 64.1 ± 12.4 years, 88% males) with AMI-CS had IABP implanted. 30-day mortality was 55%. On univariate analysis, cardiac arrest (p p = 0.004) was more common in non-survivors. Non-survivors were less likely to be smokers (p = 0.001), had lower ejection fraction, higher creatinine/ lactate and lower pH (all p Conclusions: Early mortality in AMI-CS remains high despite IABP. Many patients would have qualified for higher degrees of MCS

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Outcomes in Rheumatic Diseases: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE: The relative risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease severity among people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) compared to those without RMDs is unclear. This study was undertaken to quantify the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in those with RMDs and describe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in these patients. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review using 14 databases from January 1, 2019 to February 13, 2021. We included observational studies and experimental trials in RMD patients that described comparative rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization, oxygen supplementation/intensive care unit (ICU) admission/mechanical ventilation, or death attributed to COVID-19. Methodologic quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools or the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Risk ratios (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated, as applicable for each outcome, using the Mantel-Haenszel formula with random effects models. RESULTS: Of the 5,799 abstracts screened, 100 studies met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review, and 54 of 100 had a low risk of bias. Among the studies included in the meta-analyses, we identified an increased prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with an RMD (RR 1.53 [95% CI 1.16-2.01]) compared to the general population. The odds of hospitalization, ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation were similar in patients with and those without an RMD, whereas the mortality rate was increased in patients with RMDs (OR 1.74 [95% CI 1.08-2.80]). In a smaller number of studies, the adjusted risk of outcomes related to COVID-19 was assessed, and the results varied; some studies demonstrated an increased risk while other studies showed no difference in risk in patients with an RMD compared to those without an RMD. CONCLUSION: Patients with RMDs have higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and an increased mortality rate

Chemistry of desiccant properties of carbohydrate polymers as studied by near-infrared spectroscopy

The combination frequency of water molecule in near-infrared spectroscopy is very useful for studying water molecular adsorption on solid surfaces. The absorption is purely from water molecules, and the variation in the absorption bands reflects the change in the environment of the water molecules on a surface. This variation, in turn, reflects the nature of the functional groups on the surface. Recently, Christy used this information in combination with second-derivative techniques to probe the surface of hydrothermally treated silica gel samples (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.2011, 50, 5543). In this work, a similar approach was used in studying the surface OH groups in carbohydrate polymers and their behavior toward water molecular adsorption. Not only second-derivative profiles but also fourth-derivative profiles of the near-infrared spectra were used in revealing the adsorption behavior of the OH groups on the polymer surface. Carbohydrate polymers such as amylose amylopectin, cellulose, and starch samples were used in this study. After being heated and evacuated at 120 °C, the samples were exposed to air, and the evolving changes on the surfaces of the samples were followed by near-infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the samples in adsorbing water molecules was followed by monitoring the mass of water adsorbed. These investigations formed the basis for understanding how the OH groups on the carbohydrate polymers adsorb water molecules. The results clearly reveal that carbohydrate polymers such as amylose, amylopectin, and cellulose have three OH groups of different polarities and that the OH groups attached to C2 and C3 positions in the monomer glucose units adsorb water molecules faster than the C6-OH group. Furthermore, the adsorption of water molecules in amylose and amylopectin follows the same pattern during the first hour, irrespective of the variation in their structure