Board characteristics and sustainability in higher education institutions: The case of the United Kingdom

We explored the relationship between board characteristics and sustainability of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK). We analysed 153 UK universities using data for the year 2019. Our analysis revealed that board size, the number of students on the board, and the number of academic members on the board were found to have significant and positive relationships with sustain-ability. Also, the composition of the sustainability commit-tee was shown to have a significant and positive impact on sustainability score. However, the relationships between board gender diversity, the number of external members on the board, and the number of board meetings held during the year with sustainability score were not significant. The results provide guidance to universities for developing their sustainability practices

Isolation, characterization, and ELISA applications of alkaline phosphatase and acetylcholinesterase from Moniezia expansa

Moniezia expansa worms are a significant source of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymes. The current study presents a simple and reproducible ALP and AChE purification method from Moniezia expansa helminthes by precipitating the proteins with ammonium sulfate and chromatography on the Sephacryl S-300 column. The M. expansa ALP purified at 1070.8 U/mg, displaying 6.0 purification folds and 53.6% yield, while M. expansa AChE is at 5250 U/mg, displaying 2.0 purification folds and 43% yield. The M. expansa ALP isoenzyme displayed its optimum activity at pH 9.6, while the M. expansa AChE isoenzyme displayed its optimum activity at pH 8.0. The affinity of M. expansa ALP for several substrates revealed that p-nitrophenyl phosphate preferentially cleaved with a Km value of 4.4 mM. M. expansa AChE preferentially cleaved acetylthiocholine iodide with a Km value of 0.9 mM. M. expansa ALP is strongly stimulated with Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, and Mg2+and reduced with Zn2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, EDTA and DTT. On the other hand, M. expansa AChE is significantly induced with Co2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+and inhibited with Mg2+, Ca2+, EDTA, 1,10-phenanthroline and eserine. The antisera of the purified M. expansa ALP and AChE found effective for determining the two enzymes in different unknown sera from different animal species, including humans, sheep and fish. These results may provide a possible future application of such enzymes in producing ALP and AChE-coated ELISA plates for research purposes

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

The impact of healthcare board characteristics on NHS trust performance

This study seeks to explore the impact of board characteristics of England’s National Health Services (NHS) on their financial and non-financial performance. Based on publicly available annual reports, we found that profitability and effectiveness of public hospitals are influenced by their board structure. Findings showed that board stability (with minimal directors’ turnover), clinical representation on the board, percentage of board meetings attendance, number of Non-executive directors on the board, and CEO length of service are notably positive performance indicators

How organisational board compositions lead to a higher job satisfaction: an empirical analysis of US and UK companies

The relationship between board characteristics and micro-level organizational factors is an area that has been significantly under-researched, and there is a lack of understanding of how these two elements interact with each other. Hence, we aim to explore how board characteristics could potentially have an impact on individual-level job satisfaction. The dataset used for this study encompasses a total of 4020 observations gathered from 804 companies listed in the FTSE 350 and S&P 500 indices, and it covers the period spanning from 2016 to 2021. The results of the adopted multiple regression analysis showed significant positive relationships between board gender diversity, diversity of specific skills, board independence, board meeting attendance, board size, and average board tenure and employees’ job satisfaction of the companies under analysis. However, cultural diversity was not found to have a significant impact on employees’ satisfaction. We draw out the theoretical implications of these findings and provide practical recommendations regarding companies’ boards composition and structure that help them to enhance the level of their employees’ job satisfaction

Characterization, antimicrobial and antitumor activity of superoxide dismutase extracted from Egyptian honeybee venom (Apis mellifera lamarckii)

Abstract Background Superoxide dismutase is an important antioxidative stress enzyme which is found in honeybee venom and has a wide pharmaceutical and medical applications. Results We reported the purification and characterization of venom SOD from Egyptian honeybee Apis mellifera lamarckii and termed BVSOD. It was purified to homogeneity from the Egyptian honeybee venom. The purification procedures included crude extraction, DEAE-cellulose anion exchange column chromatography, and Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration column chromatography. The purified BVSOD is found to be homogeneous as investigated by native PAGE. It exhibited homodimeric structure with a molecular weight of native form of 32 kDa and subunits of 16.0 kDa. It displayed the maximum activity at pH 7.4. CuCl2, ZnCl2, and MgCl2 and elevated the activity of BVSOD, while CoCl2, FeCl2, and NiCl2 inhibited BVSOD activity. Potassium cyanide and hydrogen peroxide were most potent inhibitors for BVSOD activity suggesting that it is a Cu/Zn-SOD type. Conclusions The purified BVSOD is found to have antimicrobial and antitumor activities which can be used for various medical and clinical applications

Deciphering the putative bioactive metabolites and the underlying mechanism of Juniperus horizontalis Moench (Creeping juniper) in the treatment of inflammation using network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Objectives To investigate the chemical composition of the alcoholic extract from creeping juniper leaves using HPLC-MS/MS and to elucidate its potential anti-inflammatory mechanism through network-based pharmacology analysis to collectively enable a systematic exploration of the chemical composition, mechanism of action, and therapeutic potential of the alcoholic extract from creeping juniper leaves, providing valuable insights into its suitability as an anti-inflammatory agent.Methods Chemical profiling of the alcoholic extract of creeping juniper leaves using HPLC-MS/MS and revealing its anti-inflammatory mechanism using network-based pharmacology. Further, isolation of some of the identified biomarkers, assessment of their ex-vivo anti-inflammatory activity, and determination of their binding to pro-inflammatory cytokines using molecular docking and dynamics.Key findings Thirty-seven compounds were annotated and forwarded to network pharmacology analysis which revealed that the highest interactions were exhibited by quercetin, cosmosiin, myricetin, amentoflavone, hyperoside, isorhamnetin, and quercitrin whereas the most enriched inflammatory targets were IL-2, PGF, VEGFA, and TNFs. PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, arachidonic acid metabolism, and MAPK signaling pathway were found to be the most enriched ones. Six hit compounds were isolated and identified as hyperoside, quercetrin, cupressuflavone, hinokiflavone, amentoflavone, and quercetin. The isolated compounds showed strong anti-inflammatory activity against TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1 beta, and molecular docking and dynamics simulation showed that quercetin, quercitrin, and hyperoside had the least binding energy with TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1B, respectively.Conclusions Creeping juniper may reduce inflammation based on the suggested multi-compounds and multi-pathways, and that provided the basis for creeping juniper use as a potential anti-inflammatory drug

Biochemical Isolation and Characterization of Hyaluronidase Enzyme from Venom of Egyptian Honey Bee Apis Mellifera Lamarckii

The hyaluronidase enzyme has been used in many such fields of medicine as ophthalmology, orthopaedia, internal medicine, gynecology, surgery, oncology and dermatology. In this study, the hyaluronidase enzyme was purified and characterized for the first time from Egyptian bee venom homogeneously using DEAE-cellulose and Sephacryl S-300 columns. Bee venom hyaluronidase specific activity was 411.7 units/mg protein with 49.9% yield and 3.23-fold purification. The molecular weight of the purified bee venom hyaluronidase native form was 37 kDa. The purified enzyme was found homogeneous on native PAGE and SDS-PAGE, with two congruent subunits of 18.4 kDa and isoelectric point (pI) of 8.6–8.8. The enzyme was found to be stable over a wide range of temperature (20–60°C) and pH (4.5–6.5), and its optimum activity at 37°C, pH 5.4 and 0.15 M NaCl. Km for bee venom hyaluronidase was 0.029 mg/ml hyaluronic acid and its activity was elevated in presence of MgCl2 and ZnCl2 and lowered in presence of FeCl2. Heparin inhibited the hyaluronidase enzyme noncompetitively with a Ki value of 2.9 units heparin and one binding site on the enzyme molecule