bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of reinsurance treaties on the cedent loss reserving
Authors: Payandeh Najafabadi Amir T. , Atatalab Fatemeh
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The usual, simple and computationally expensive recovery payment method for a given reinsurance treaty, besides the total run-off triangle, builds a new run-off triangle, say recovery run-off triangle, for the reinsurer’s contribution and predicts the reinsurer’s contribution to the total loss reserves. This paper, without building a recovery run-off triangle, uses the available prior knowledge about a reinsurance treaty to predict the cedent’s loss reserve under five reinsurance treaties.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a new solution to the problem of how to consider reserving issues when there is a reinsurance treaty for a portfolio of general insurance policies. Considering this when determining pricing or making capital decisions is very important.

Findings

In particular, it considers the quota share (QS) treaty, surplus (SPL) treaty, excess-of-loss (XL) treaty, largest claims reinsurance (LCR) treaty and excédent du coût moyen relatif (ECOMOR) treaty. Then, it develops a theoretical foundation for predicting the cedent’s loss reserve and evaluating such prediction using the mean square error of prediction (MSEP). The impact of such reinsurance treaties on the variability of the cedent’s loss reserve has been investigated through a simulation study.

Originality/value

This paper, without building a recovery run-off triangle, uses the available prior knowledge about a reinsurance treaty to predict the cedent’s loss reserve under five reinsurance treaties. In particular, it considers the QS treaty, SPL treaty, XL treaty, LCR treaty and ECOMOR treaty. Then, it develops a theoretical foundation for predicting the cedent’s loss reserve and evaluating such prediction using the MSEP. The impact of such reinsurance treaties on the variability of the cedent’s loss reserve has been investigated through a simulation study.
Exploring the privacy concerns of smartphone app users: a qualitative approach
Authors: Maseeh Haroon Iqbal , Nahar Shamsun , Jebarajakirthy Charles , Ross Mitchell , Arli Denni , Das Manish , Rehman Mehak , Ashraf Hafiz Ahmad
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore and identify the privacy concerns of smartphone app users pertinent to app usage.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a qualitative phenomenological approach, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with app users to explore the app users' privacy concerns.

Findings

Credibility concerns, unauthorised secondary use and vulnerability concerns are the three major privacy concerns of app users, under which these concerns have sub-concerns, i.e. popularity, privacy policy, stalking, data sharing, hacking and personal harm.

Practical implications

The findings are useful to app marketers, app developers and app stores. App marketers, app developers and app stores can use the findings to understand and properly address app users' privacy concerns, thereby increasing the apps usage.

Originality/value

By exploring the privacy concerns of app users, the authors' study extends the literature and provides a theoretical development of individuals' privacy concerns in the context of a widely used technology, i.e. smartphone applications. Accordingly, this study contributes to the consumer privacy literature.
Prioritization and deployment of design for additive manufacturing strategies to an automotive component
Authors: R. Sakthivel Murugan , S. Vinodh
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a new framework on prioritizing and deployment of design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) strategies to an industrial component using Fuzzy TOPSIS multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques. The proposed framework is then applied to an automotive component, and the results are discussed and compared with existing design.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight DfAM design alternatives associated with eight design criteria have been identified for framing new DfAM strategies. The prioritization order of the design alternatives is identified by Fuzzy TOPSIS MCDM technique through its closeness coefficient. Based on Fuzzy TOPSIS MCDM output, each of the design alternatives is applied sequentially to an automobile component as a case study. Redesign is carried out at each stage of DfAM implementation without affecting the functionality.

Findings

On successful implementation of proposed framework to an automotive component, the mass is reduced by 43.84%, from 0.429 kg to 0.241 kg. The redesign is validated by finite element analysis, where von Mises stress is less than the yield stress of the material.

Practical implications

The proposed DfAM framework and strategies will be useful to designers, R&D engineers, industrial practitioners, experts and consultants for implementing DfAM strategies on any industrial component without impacting its functionality.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the idea of prioritization and implementation of DfAM strategies to an automotive component is the original contribution.
Evaluation of the mechanical properties of polyamide 12 regarding different percentages of reused material in the selective laser sintering process
Authors: da Silva Rafael Couto , Dicati Gabriela Wessling Oening , Gubaua José Eduardo , Radovanovic Eduardo , Favaro Sílvia Luciana
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Additive manufacturing (AM) has been one of the most highlighted processes of the last few years. AM prints complex parts and items from 3D files regarding different materials, such as polymers. Moreover, there are different AM techniques available for polymers, such as selective laser sintering. In the SLS technology, polyamides 11 and 12 lead 88% of the market. These materials are high-cost and use an average of 50% of virgin material at each printing. It is possible to use lower rates of virgin material, but at least 30% is recommended. Low rates of virgin material decrease mechanical properties.

Design/methodology/approach

This study aims to evaluate the influence on the mechanical properties of the percentage of reused PA12 in parts manufactured by the SLS process. The specimens of PA12 were manufactured with a percentage of virgin/reused polymer of 50/50, 40/60, 30/70, 20/80 and 10/90. We considered three distinct printing directions to compare the mechanical properties of the specimens: horizontal, perpendicular and vertical.

Findings

The results showed that when the percentage of reused material increases, the tensile strength limit (TSL), flexural strength limit and Shore D hardness decrease. Another aspect visualized was the fragile behavior presented in the vertical specimens. In addition, DSC analysis indicated a 2% reduction of crystallinity. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed spherical voids and unfused particles of PA12 at the fracture of tensile test specimens. The material thermal history and unfused particles could decrease the material properties.

Originality/value

We observed that the mechanical properties, such as the TSL, flexural strength limit and hardness, decrease as the percentage of reused material increases. In addition, the process presented a printing-direction dependence, where the vertical direction presented as the more brittle between the ones used.
Warming‐induced functional shifts in the decomposer community interact with plant community compositional shifts to impact litter decomposition
Authors: Dawson‐Glass Emma , Hewins Charlotte R. , Burke David J. , Souza Lara , Stuble Katharine L.
Published: August 2023

Climate warming is altering plant and soil microbial communities, with important implications for ecosystem processes like litter decomposition. As warming alters plant community composition, the quality of litter will change. Further, shifts in microbial community activity and/or composition will alter microbial function. However, it is not yet completely understood how these shifts will interact to drive decomposition.

We explored how changes in plant and microbial communities interact to influence litter decomposition using a 15‐year‐old grassland warming experiment. Previous studies within this system have shown that warming shifted the microbial community in ways that accelerate litter decomposition while simultaneously shifting the plant community in ways that may slow decomposition. Specifically, warming increased abundance ofSorghastrum nutans, while decreasing abundance of the previously dominantSchizachyrium scoparium. Using a series of lab‐based microcosm experiments, we examined the rate at which eight common grasses and, separately, varying abundances ofS. nutansandS. scopariumdecomposed. Using litter and soil from the warming experiment, we then incubated soils from warmed or control plots with different abundances ofS. nutansandS. scopariumin a reciprocal design.

We foundS. nutansto be the slowest‐decomposing grass in our system. Further, decomposition slowed asS. nutansincreased andS. scopariumdecreased. When examining the interaction of plant and microbial communities, decomposition was generally greater early in our experiment as the relative abundance ofS. scopariumincreased. However, soil microbial community origin and litter composition interacted significantly. Specifically, decomposition increased with greater relative abundance ofS. scopariumon soils derived from control plots, while litter composition did not shape rates of decomposition on soils from warmed plots. The influence of litter species on decomposition waned in the later stages of the experiment when decomposition was driven by microbial community origin.

These results suggest that warming‐induced changes in microbial community function may interact with changes in plant litter composition to mitigate the impacts of warming on rates of decomposition. This emphasizes the importance of considering concurrent warming‐induced changes in both plant and microbial communities on ecosystem processes like decomposition.

Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.
Wild bee surveys across 60 years reveal remarkable reduction of bee abundance in urban green areas in northern Japan
Authors: Nagamitsu Teruyoshi , Inari Naoki , Matsumura Takeshi , Nakamura Shoko , Taki Hisatomo
Published: August 2023

Long‐term monitoring of wild bee communities at fixed locations using a consistent sampling procedure has been rare, although declines in their diversity and abundance due to anthropogenic impacts are a major concern. At two sites in urban green areas in Sapporo city, northern Japan, where wild bee surveys were conducted in 1959, 1979, 1989, 2018, and 2019, the number of individuals of bee genera was recorded. Patterns of seasonal changes in bee abundance collected at weekly censuses differed between 1979–1989 and 2018–2019. The total bee abundance collected in annual surveys consisting of standardized censuses demonstrated 50% and 41% declines at the two sites from 1959–1989 to 2018–2019. Among the 16 genera found in the surveys, 3 abundant genera, Andrena, Lasioglossum, and Ceratina, always exhibited lower abundance in 2018–2019 than in 1959–1989 at both sites. The remarkable declines in wild bee abundance should be examined in relation to various possible factors of anthropogenic impacts.
Interlocked: kinship, intimate precarity, and plantation labour in India
Authors: Raj Jayaseelan
Published: August 2023

This article examines the employment of kinship relations in sustaining the plantation economy and in perpetuating the precariousness of child labourers who later became temporary workers in the tea plantations of Kerala, South India. Kinship ties locked diverse workers into a moral obligation of care that could easily be manipulated by plantation management as a form of labour control. Plantation capitalism, therefore, sustained itself not only through overt forms of violence but also through manipulating the precarity of employment in relation to intimate forms of love, care, and obligation that were bound up with kinship ties. Kinship networks of different kinds need to be understood as integral to the plantation society and as occupying a fundamental place within the capitalist order of plantations. I observe that the entangled relationship between workers’ precarity and plantation capitalism can be understood only if we pay attention to what I call the intimate precarity produced by the employment of kinship networks within plantation capitalism.
Uncovering Urban Advantages: Evidence from Australian Firm‐Level Data *
Authors: Bellofatto Antonio Andrés , Domínguez Begoña , Dwyer Elyse C.
Published: August 2023

This paper quantifies the productivity advantages of urban firms in Australia. Following Combes et al. (Econometrica 2012, 80, 2543), we decompose the source of urban advantages into agglomeration and selection effects using the most exhaustive data source on Australian businesses: the Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE). We find that urban advantages increase the productivity of the average firm by nearly 6 per cent, and that most of such advantages are attributed to agglomeration effects rather than selection. Urban advantages differ substantially across sectors and by firm age. In particular, they are larger in services than in manufacturing and relatively benefit mature firms. We also perform a state‐level analysis, which largely confirms our main findings at the country level.
Market intelligence for guiding crop improvement: A systematic review of stakeholder preference studies in the rice sector in the Global South and beyond
Authors: Custodio Marie Claire , Demont Matty , De Steur Hans
Published: August 2023

Improvement of crop varieties can be a powerful strategy for addressing food, nutrition, and climate challenges in the Global South if it is guided by market intelligence. We conducted a systematic literature review of stakeholder preference studies that aim at guiding crop improvement in rice, the Global South's most important staple food. We review behavioral indicators such as purchase intention, willingness to pay, acceptance, probability of adoption, and preference. Results from 106 studies reveal important gaps in terms of geographical and stakeholder representation: (1) Southcentral Asia is underrepresented and (2) studies focused either on upstream (farmers) or downstream (consumers) stakeholders along the value chain, while missing out on midstream actors (processors, traders). From the consumer studies, urban consumption zones are adequately represented as sources of end‐market opportunities for farmers to tap into demand. Evidence suggests that consumer preferences for intrinsic attributes revolve around eating and cooking quality attributes (i.e., aroma, texture, swelling capacity, taste) and physical traits (i.e., whiteness, size and shape, proportion of broken grains). Evidence from farmer studies reveals that (1) preferences for agronomic attributes dominate and focus on yield, maturity, plant height, lodging tolerance, and tillering ability; (2) yield and early maturity were generally considered priority attributes and were often jointly considered as such; and (3) preferences for abiotic stress tolerance revolve around drought, submergence, and salinity. These insights can help refocus market intelligence research to aid crop improvement in addressing food, nutrition, and climate challenges in the Global South, which may be expanded globally.
Spatiotemporal dynamics in butterfly hybrid zones
Authors: Martins Ananda R. Pereira , Warren Natalie B. , McMillan W. Owen , Barrett Rowan D. H.
Published: August 2023

Evaluating whether hybrid zones are stable or mobile can provide novel insights for evolution and conservation biology. Butterflies exhibit high sensitivity to environmental changes and represent an important model system for the study of hybrid zone origins and maintenance. Here, we review the literature exploring butterfly hybrid zones, with a special focus on their spatiotemporal dynamics and the potential mechanisms that could lead to their movement or stability. We then compare different lines of evidence used to investigate hybrid zone dynamics and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Our goal with this review is to reveal general conditions associated with the stability or mobility of butterfly hybrid zones by synthesizing evidence obtained using different types of data sampled across multiple regions and spatial scales. Finally, we discuss spatiotemporal dynamics in the context of a speciation/divergence continuum, the relevance of hybrid zones for conservation biology, and recommend key topics for future investigation.
Short term‐efficacy and tolerability of Rheocarna, a novel direct hemoperfusion adsorptive column, for chronic limb‐threatening ischemia in dialysis patients: A single‐center case series
Authors: Imai Eri , Kaneko Shuzo , Hoshimoto Ainori , Hisada Rina , Harano Makiko , Anno Emi , Hagiwara So , Ozaki Shunsuke , Torii Hiroko , Tsukamoto Yusuke
Published: August 2023

Introduction

With population aging and lifestyle changes, the number of patients with chronic limb‐threatening ischemia (CLTI) is increasing, and refractory or recurrent lesions are more common, especially in chronic dialysis patients. In March 2021, a new type of adsorptive cellulose bead column immobilized with dextran sulfate and L‐tryptophan for direct hemoperfusion (DHP) was approved by Japan's medical insurance system as a treatment for CLTI.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 17 cases of CLTI in dialysis patients treated with DHP using the novel column (Rheocarna) (DHP‐R) at our hospital from May 2021 to October 2022. The short‐term of efficacy of DHP‐R was judged qualitatively by the foot care team every 2 weeks based on the assessment of skin color, warmth, ulcer epithelialization or shrinkage of the ulcer area, and foot pain. The final judgment of efficacy was made after the final DHP‐R session.

Results

The median age of patients was 66 years, the median dialysis duration was 10 years, 15 cases (88%) were male, and 15 cases (88%) had diabetes. The median total number of sessions was eight. In comparing the groups in which DHP‐R was effective and ineffective, there was no significant difference in any factors including patient background data (i.e., age, diabetes, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, hemoglobin, dialysis duration, etc.), type of anticoagulants, and presence of episodes of blood pressure drop or circuit clotting during session. Three cases with symptomatic hypotension during the session and two cases with circuit clotting that did not improve with increased heparin dose all resolved immediately after changing the anticoagulant from heparin to nafamostat mesylate (NM).

Conclusion

Identification of patients' characteristics in which DHP‐R is favorable and some reliable index that allow a rapid decision to continue DHP‐R are needed. In addition, validating whether the use of NM as anticoagulant affects the efficacy of DHP‐R for CTLI treatment remains a challenge to resolve.
Experience with pre‐diluted plasma exchange therapy for hyperviscosity syndrome
Authors: Igarashi Shigeyuki , Kamikawa Yasutaka , Ono Syuji , Maekawa Gakuya , Kishigami Hiroyuki , Kawamura Kazuki , Oonogi Takumi , Nagano Toshihiko
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Plasma exchange therapy (PE) is useful for patients with primary macroglobulinemia and multiple myeloma who present with hyperviscosity syndrome. However, hyperviscous blood may coagulate in the circuit during treatment, and in that case necessitate discontinuation of the treatment. This time, we report that we were able to prevent coagulation in the circuit by adding some ideas during the membrane separation method.

Methods

Physiological saline is injected in front of the plasma separation membrane to pre‐dilute the blood, followed by filtration through the plasma separation membrane.

Results

As a result of pre‐diluting with physiological saline to reduce the viscosity entering the separation membrane, it was possible to process the planned target amount.

Conclusion

In patients with hyperviscosity syndrome who showed intracircuit coagulation during plasma exchange therapy, devising a predilution method should be considered as one of the ways to continue treatment.
Creating, curating and evaluating a mitogenomic reference database to improve regional species identification using environmental DNA
Authors: Dziedzic Emily , Sidlauskas Brian , Cronn Richard , Anthony James , Cornwell Trevan , Friesen Thomas A. , Konstantinidis Peter , Penaluna Brooke E. , Stein Staci , Levi Taal
Published: August 2023

Species detection using eDNA is revolutionizing global capacity to monitor biodiversity. However, the lack of regional, vouchered, genomic sequence information—especially sequence information that includes intraspecific variation—creates a bottleneck for management agencies wanting to harness the complete power of eDNA to monitor taxa and implement eDNA analyses. eDNA studies depend upon regional databases of mitogenomic sequence information to evaluate the effectiveness of such data to detect and identify taxa. We created the Oregon Biodiversity Genome Project to create a database of complete, nearly error‐free mitogenomic sequences for all of Oregon's fishes. We have successfully assembled the complete mitogenomes of 313 specimens of freshwater, anadromous and estuarine fishes representing 24 families, 55 genera and 129 species and lineages. Comparative analyses of these sequences illustrate that many regions of the mitogenome are taxonomically informative, that the short (~150 bp) mitochondrial ‘barcode’ regions typically used for eDNA assays do not consistently diagnose for species and that complete single or multiple genes of the mitogenome are preferable for identifying Oregon's fishes. This project provides a blueprint for other researchers to follow as they build regional databases, illustrates the taxonomic value and limits of complete mitogenomic sequences and offers clues as to how current eDNA assays and environmental genomics methods of the future can best leverage this information.
A Comparison Study on the δD Value of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Hydrous Pyrolysate of Herbaceous Peat with Different Water Medium
Authors: DUAN Yi , WU Yingzhong , XING Lantian , WU Yingqin , ZHAO Yang , LI Zhongping , MA Lanhua , DUAN Mingchen
Published: August 2023

To investigate the influence of diagenetic water media on the hydrogen isotopes of individual sedimentary aromatic compounds, a series of hydrous pyrolyses were conducted on herbaceous peat. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in hydrous pyrolysed samples and their hydrogen isotopic composition characteristics were studied. The aqueous medium demonstrated a significant influence on the hydrogen isotopic composition of the individual PAHs generated during pyrolysis. The results showed that the PAHs formed after pyrolysis in the presence of a saltwater medium with high δD value from a salt lake had a heavy hydrogen isotopic composition. The PAHs formed after pyrolysis in the presence of a fresh water medium with low δD value from a swamp had a light hydrogen isotopic composition. The difference in the average PAH δD value between the two hydrous experiments varied from –174‰ to –109‰, suggesting that the hydrogen isotopic composition of individual sedimentary PAHs can reflect the source of the diagenetic water medium. In addition, a comparative study found that the hydrogen isotopes of PAHs were superior to those of n‐alkanes in the same sample for diagenetic water indications. The results indicated that the exchange of water‐derived inorganic hydrogen and organic hydrogen was more intensive in freshwater experiments than in saltwater experiments. With an increase in the simulation temperature, the average δD value of PAHs generated in the hydrous simulation experiments showed an increasing trend, reflecting that the δD value of sedimentary PAHs formed with the participation of diagenetic water media was still closely related to the thermal maturity of organic matter. Comparative studies showed that the δD values of different types of organic compounds produced by hydrous pyrolysis of peat were in the order, PAHs > n‐alkanes > methane.
Sensitivity Analysis of Multi‐phase Seepage Parameters Affecting the Clayey Silt Hydrate Reservoir Productivity in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea
Authors: LI Yaobin , XU Tianfu , XIN Xin , ZANG Yingqi , ZHU Huixing , YUAN Yilong
Published: August 2023

Natural gas hydrate (NGH) is an important future resource for the 21st century and a strategic resource with potential for commercial development in the third energy transition. It is of great significance to accurately predict the productivity of hydrate‐bearing sediments (HBS). The multi‐phase seepage parameters of HBS include permeability, porosity, which is closely related to permeability, and hydrate saturation, which has a direct impact on hydrate content. Existing research has shown that these multi‐phase seepage parameters have a great impact on HBS productivity. Permeability directly affects the transmission of pressure‐drop and discharge of methane gas, porosity and initial hydrate saturation affect the amount of hydrate decomposition and transmission process of pressure‐drop, and also indirectly affect temperature variation of the reservoir. Considering the spatial heterogeneity of multi‐phase seepage parameters, a depressurization production model with layered heterogeneity is established based on the clayey silt hydrate reservoir at W11 station in the Shenhu Sea area of the South China Sea. Tough + Hydrate software was used to calculate the production model; the process of gas production and seepage parameter evolution under different multi‐phase seepage conditions were obtained. A sensitivity analysis of the parameters affecting the reservoir productivity was conducted so that: (a) a HBS model with layered heterogeneity can better describe the transmission process of pressure and thermal compensation mechanism of hydrate reservoir; (b) considering the multi‐phase seepage parameter heterogeneity, the influence degrees of the parameters on HBS productivity were permeability, porosity and initial hydrate saturation, in order from large to small, and the influence of permeability was significantly greater than that of other parameters; (c) the production potential of the clayey silt reservoir should not only be determined by hydrate content or seepage capacity, but also by the comprehensive effect of the two; and (d) time scales need to be considered when studying the effects of changes in multi‐phase seepage parameters on HBS productivity.
Application of NANDA‐I nursing diagnoses, nursing interventions classification, and nursing outcomes classification in research and practice of cardiac rehabilitation nursing: A scoping review
Authors: Duan Xinyu , Ding Yongxia , Ning Yan , Luo Mingyue
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To describe the current application status of NANDA‐I nursing diagnoses, Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), and Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) in cardiac rehabilitation nursing and identify useful NANDA‐I, NIC, and NOC (NNN) linkages for clinical nursing practitioners.

Methods

This scoping review was performed in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institut guidelines. We systematically searched eight databases, and the literature search took place between June and July 2023. The characteristics and results of the studies were synthesized and analyzed in a narrative way.

Findings

The application of NANDA‐I nursing diagnosis, NIC and NOC in cardiac rehabilitation nursing can be divided into three topics: the content, value and effect of NANDA‐I nursing diagnosis, NIC and NOC.

Conclusion

The application of NANDA‐I, NIC, and NOC in the field of cardiac rehabilitation nursing shows positive effects on the whole, which can provide more standardized theoretical guidance, improve nursing outcomes in clinical settings, and enhance nursing quality.

Implications for nursing practice

This experience report will guide nurses to use NANDA‐I, NIC, and NOC for better cardiac rehabilitation care.
Twelve years of the ‘Arabian Seashores’ project: How the extensive investigation of coastal Oman changed the paradigm of the Arabian Neolithic
Authors: Charpentier Vincent , Maiorano Maria Pia , Marchand Gregor , Vosges Jérémie , Borgi Federico
Published: August 2023

For over a decade, the French mission ‘Archaeology of the Arabian Seashores’ has been exploring the evolution of the Omani coastline, from hunter–gatherers to the rise of complex societies during the crucial passages from the culmination of the Pleistocene to the Early Bronze Age, passing through the Neolithic. The team extensively surveyed the land spreading from the eastern head of Arabia, Ra's al‐Hadd and Ra's al‐Jinz, to the last villages of Dhofar, including Masirah Island and the Hallaniyyat archipelago, covering 1000 km. Most Final Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Early Bronze Age sites were tested or excavated. A multidisciplinary approach that involves the joint work of archaeologists and geologists was chosen to include the contribution of environmental factors to modifying the equilibriums between the natural environment and human communities through the study of climatic and eustatic fluctuations. The project provided a substantive perspective on the evolution of maritime communities between 10,000 and 2000 bce. Moreover, an interdisciplinary and multiscalar approach for describing and analysing the change in the material culture of this region made it possible to transcend the traditional typology and examine the role of human communities’ interaction.
CFO facial beauty and bank loan contracting
Authors: Hrazdil Karel , Li Jiyuan , Lobo Gerald , Zhang Ray
Published: August 2023

We examine whether the facial attractiveness of borrower firms' chief financial officers (CFOs) influences bank loan contracting terms. Using a machine learning‐based algorithm to measure facial attractiveness, we document that firms led by CFOs with greater facial attractiveness receive more favourable loan contracts from their banks. We further show that the relation between CFO facial attractiveness and bank loan contracting terms is significantly influenced by the characteristics of both the borrower and the lender. Collectively, our results suggest that loan contracting is not an entirely rational process, as the ‘beauty premium’ is at least partly driven by taste‐based discrimination.
The disciplinary role of unsuccessful takeovers and changes in corporate governance
Authors: Bugeja Martin , Shan Yaowen , Zu Yanglan
Published: August 2023

This study examines if unsuccessful takeovers trigger the replacement of directors and changes in other governance attributes and result in improvements in target firm performance. Using an Australian sample this study finds that following failed bids, target firms are more likely to remove directors and experience an increase in director ownership, board independence, and block ownership. In contrast, target firm director expertise and prestige decrease following failed bids. We also find that post‐bid accounting and stock performance of targets are largely unrelated to changes in governance attributes after the unsuccessful takeover.
A laboratory investigation on the effect of biguanide‐ and pyridine‐derived antiseptics on the adhesion of resin composites to dentin
Authors: Uçar Arzu Yağmur , Kölüş Türkay , Bozkurt D. Alperen , Neelakantan Prasanna , Ali Islam A. A. , Belli Sema
Published: August 2023

Optimal bonding of adhesive restorations to dentin is crucial to prevent microleakage and enhance the survival of root‐filled teeth. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chlorhexidine (CHX), alexidine (ALX) and octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) on the bond strength of resin composites to coronal dentin. Human coronal dentin specimens were treated with 2% CHX, 0.1% ALX, 0.1% OCT or saline then restored with traditional or bulk‐fill resin composites. The adhesion strength between the resin and dentin was measured using the microtensile bond strength and failure mode was determined using a stereomicroscope. Treatment with ALX and OCT resulted in significantly greater μTBS compared with CHX and saline, irrespective of the resin composite used. Alexidine treatment predominantly resulted in mixed failure, while adhesive failures were frequently observed in CHX and saline‐treated dentin. In conclusion, final irrigation with ALX or OCT improved the bonding of resin composites to dentin.
Urogenital development and sexual differentiation in males of the species Dasyprocta fuliginosa
Authors: Freire Elisa Carla Barra , Branco Érika , Giese Elane Guerreiro , Monteiro Frederico Ozanan Barros , Mayor Pedro , de Lima Ana Rita
Published: August 2023

Thirteen black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa) male fetuses, acquired in two areas of the Amazon Forest, were used for the purpose of morphologically describing the fetal male urogenital organs with a focus on addressing histological and macroscopic aspects. The organs of interest were dissected and photographed in situ and ex situ. Fragments were collected and subjected to routine histological processing for inclusion in paraffin, which was cut and stained by haematoxylin and eosin and Gomori's Trichrome methods and subsequently analysed in a light microscope. The results showed that the urinary tract is like that of domestic animals and is composed of smooth unilobed kidneys covered by a dense capsule of connective tissue and divided into two well‐defined regions, cortical and medullary. Ureters, urethra and urinary bladder also showed macroscopic and microscopic characteristics similar to those of domestic animals. The penis of these animals has fibroelastic characteristics, with numerous keratinized structures at its apex. In the middle third of the penis, a “U” shaped penile flexure was seen; the glans penis is covered by a keratinized epidermis containing horny spicules. The presence of a penile bone in an endochondral ossification process was observed, being more developed in gestational ages greater than 76 days. The annex glands were not observed, probably because they were fetuses; only the ampulla of the ductus deferens was identified.
Plasma levels of arginines at term pregnancy in relation to mode of onset of labor and mode of childbirth
Authors: Akhter Tansim , Hedeland Mikael , Bergquist Jonas , Ubhayasekera Kumari , Larsson Anders , Kullinger Merit , Skalkidou Alkistis
Published: August 2023

Problem

The exact biochemical mechanisms that initiate labor are not yet fully understood. Nitric oxide is a potent relaxant of uterine smooth muscles until labor starts, and its precursor is L‐arginine. Asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethylarginines, are potent NO‐inhibitors. However, arginines (dimethylarginines and L‐arginine) are scarcely studied in relation to labor and childbirth. We aimed to investigate arginines in women with spontaneous (SLVB) and induced (ILVB) term labor with vaginal birth and in women undergoing elective caesarean section (ECS).

Method of Study

Women at gestational week 16–18 were recruited to the population‐based prospective cohort study BASIC at the Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. Plasma samples taken at start of labor were analyzed for arginines, from SLVB (n = 45), ILVB (n = 45), and ECS (n = 45), using Ultra‐High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Between‐group differences were assessed using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U‐test.

Results

Women with SLVB and ILVB had higher levels of ADMA (p < .0001), SDMA (p < .05) and lower L‐arginines (p < .01), L‐arginine/ADMA (p < .0001), and L‐arginine/SDMA (p < .01, respectively <.001) compared to ECS. However, ILVB had higher ADMA (p < .0001) and lower L‐arginine (p < .01), L‐arginine/ADMA (p < .0001), and L‐arginine/SDMA (p < .01) compared to SLVB. Results are adjusted for gestational length at birth and cervical dilatation at sampling.

Conclusion

Our novel findings of higher levels of dimethylarginines in term vaginal births compared to ECS give insights into the biochemical mechanisms of labor. These findings might also serve as a basis for further studies of arginines in complicated pregnancies and labor.
Impact of continuous‐flow mechanical circulatory support on cerebrospinal fluid motility
Authors: Rose William , Throckmorton Amy L. , Heintzelman Briana , Tchantchaleishvili Vakhtang
Published: August 2023

Background

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS), including ventricular assist devices (VADs), have emerged as promising therapeutic alternatives for end‐stage congestive heart failure (CHF). The latest generation of these devices are continuous flow (CF) blood pumps. While there have been demonstrated benefits to patient outcomes due to CF‐MCS, there continue to be significant clinical challenges. Research to‐date has concentrated on mitigating thromboembolic risk (stroke), while the downstream impact of CF‐MCS on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow has not been well investigated. Disturbances in the CSF pressure and flow patterns are known to be associated with neurologic impairment and diseased states. Thus, here we seek to develop an understanding of the pathophysiologic consequences of CF‐MCS on CSF dynamics.

Methods

We built and validated a computational framework using lumped parameter modeling of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular physics, CSF dynamics, and autoregulation. A sensitivity analysis was performed to confirm robustness of the modeling framework. Then, we characterized the impact of CF‐MCS on the CSF and investigated cardiovascular conditions of healthy and end‐stage heart failure.

Results

Modeling results demonstrated appropriate hemodynamics and indicated that CSF pressure depends on blood flow pulsatility more than CSF flow. An acute equilibrium between CSF production and absorption was observed in the CF‐MCS case, characterized by CSF pressure remaining elevated, and CSF flow rates remaining below healthy, but higher than CHF states.

Conclusion

This research has advanced our understanding of the impact of CF‐MCS on CSF dynamics and cerebral hemodynamics.
Increased R‐spondin 3 contributes to aerobic exercise‐induced protection against renal vascular endothelial hyperpermeability and acute kidney injury
Authors: Xu Qing‐Feng , Zhang Hui , Zhao Ying , Liu Di , Wei Juan , Jiang Lai , Liu Yu‐Jian , Zhu Xiao‐Yan
Published: August 2023

Aim

Exercise training exerts protective effects against sepsis‐associated multiple organ dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate whether aerobic exercise protected against sepsis‐associated acute kidney injury (AKI) via modulating R‐spondin 3 (RSPO3) expression.

Methods

To investigate the effects of aerobic exercise on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced AKI, LPS (20 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected after six weeks of treadmill training. To investigate the role of RSPO3 in LPS‐induced AKI, wild‐type (WT) or inducible endothelial cell‐specific RSPO3 knockout (RSPO3EC−/−) mice were intraperitoneally injected with 12 mg/kg LPS. RSPO3 was intraperitoneally injected 30 min before LPS treatment.

Results

Aerobic exercise‐trained mice were more resistant to LPS‐induced body weight loss and hypothermia and had a significant higher survival rate than sedentary mice exposed to LPS. Exercise training restored the LPS‐induced decreases in serum and renal RSPO3 levels. Exercise or RSPO3 attenuated, whereas inducible endothelial cell‐specific RSPO3 knockout exacerbated LPS‐induced renal glycocalyx loss, endothelial hyperpermeability, inflammation, and AKI. Bioinformatics analysis results revealed significant increases in the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in kidney tissues of mice exposed to sepsis or endotoxaemia, which was validated in renal tissue from LPS‐exposed mice and LPS‐treated human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs). Both RSPO3 and MMPs inhibitor restored LPS‐induced downregulation of tight junction protein, adherens junction protein, and glycocalyx components, thus ameliorating LPS‐induced endothelial leakage. Exercise or RSPO3 reversed LPS‐induced upregulation of MMPs in renal tissues.

Conclusion

Increased renal expression of RSPO3 contributes to aerobic exercise‐induced protection against LPS‐induced renal endothelial hyperpermeability and AKI by suppressing MMPs‐mediated disruption of glycocalyx and tight and adherens junctions.
Is your pain my pain? A study exploring the relation between pain sensitivity, pain thresholds and empathy for somatic and psychological pain
Authors: Flasbeck Vera , Matthiessen Annegret , Alabowitz Anne , Rusu Adina Carmen , Brüne Martin
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Research has shown that empathy for both somatic and psychological pain recruits affective components of the so‐called pain matrix, a set of brain regions that is activated during the perception of somatic pain. In addition, the subjective evaluation of experimentally induced somatic pain is related to empathy for somatic pain. In contrast, it is unclear whether or not the subjective sensitivity to somatic pain impacts on empathy for psychological pain.

Methods

In the present study, 55 healthy participants conducted a pain‐pressure‐test (PPT) and a cold‐pressor test (CPT) in order to assess pain thresholds, pain tolerance and evaluation of pain during the task. They further conducted the social interaction empathy task (SIET), which investigates empathy for somatic as well as psychological pain. All participants completed the interpersonal‐reactivity index (IRI) and the pain‐sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ).

Results

Participants who are in general more sensitive to somatic pain, as indicated by high‐PSQ scores, showed higher empathy, that is, higher pain ratings, for both somatic and psychological painful situations observed in others as compared to those with low‐PSQ scores. High‐PSQ scores and high pain and unpleasantness ratings during the CPT were correlated with empathy for pain (both pain conditions), whereas pain thresholds (PPT) and pain tolerance thresholds (CPT) did not correlate with empathy. The IRI subscore ‘personal distress’ correlated with psychological pain ratings.

Conclusions

Thus, empathy for both somatic and psychological pain were related to the subjective evaluation of somatic pain and general pain sensitivity.
Molecular insights into orphan G protein‐coupled receptors relevant to schizophrenia
Authors: Lu Yao , Hatzipantelis Cassandra J. , Langmead Christopher J. , Stewart Gregory D.
Published: August 2023

Schizophrenia remains a sizable socio‐economic burden that continues to be treated with therapeutics based on 70‐year old science. All currently approved therapeutics primarily target the dopamine D2 receptor to achieve their efficacy. Whilst dopaminergic dysregulation is a key feature in this disorder, the targeting of dopaminergic machinery has yielded limited efficacy and an appreciable side effect burden. Over the recent decades, numerous drugs that engage non‐dopaminergic G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) have yielded a promise of efficacy without the deleterious side effect profile, yet none have successfully completed clinical studies and progressed to the market. More recently, there has been increased attention around non‐dopaminergic GPCR‐targeting drugs, which demonstrated efficacy in some schizophrenia symptom domains. This provides renewed hope that effective schizophrenia treatment may lie outside of the dopaminergic space. Despite the potential for muscarinic receptor‐ (and other well‐characterised GPCR families) targeting drugs to treat schizophrenia, they are often plagued with complications such as lack of receptor subtype selectivity and peripheral on‐target side effects. Orphan GPCR studies have opened a new avenue of exploration with many demonstrating schizophrenia‐relevant mechanisms and a favourable expression profile, thus offering potential for novel drug development. This review discusses centrally expressed orphan GPCRs: GPR3, GPR6, GPR12, GPR52, GPR85, GPR88 and GPR139 and their relationship to schizophrenia. We review their expression, signalling mechanisms and cellular function, in conjunction with small molecule development and structural insights. We seek to provide a snapshot of the growing evidence and development potential of new classes of schizophrenia therapeutics.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue Therapeutic Targeting of G Protein‐Coupled Receptors: hot topics from the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v181.14/issuetoc
Attitudes toward cancer screening in regional Japan during the COVID‐19 pandemic: An anonymous survey
Authors: Inoue Daisuke , Orisaka Makoto , Hirose Hiroaki , Miyashita Hirofumi , Yamada Shizuka , Tsuyoshi Hideaki , Shinagawa Akiko , Kurokawa Tetsuji , Yoshida Yoshio
Published: August 2023

The coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic has raised concerns about the impact of delayed health check‐ups and cancer screenings on cancer diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to investigate the awareness of cancer patients on future screening measures during the pandemic in rural Japan. An anonymized open‐data survey was undertaken in Fukui Prefecture, a rural region of Japan, in 2021. Participants were asked about their cancer screening history, screening frequency during the pandemic, and reasons for not undergoing screening. Among the 1262 respondents, the proportion of patients who underwent cancer screening in 2020 during the pandemic was similar to the proportion who underwent regular (annual or biannual) screening in 2019 before the pandemic. Of those who underwent regular screening, 82% still underwent screening in 2020, while only 21% of those who had irregular screenings. The number of respondents who believed they were healthy and did not require screening increased over time, possibly due to restrictions on going out and refraining from activities during the pandemic. This study in rural Japan found that regular cancer screening prior to the pandemic was associated with a more positive attitude toward screening during the pandemic. Raising awareness about the importance of cancer screening and encouraging participation is crucial for promoting positive attitudes in the future. The findings highlight the need for continued efforts to ensure access to screening services during the pandemic and future public health emergencies.
Syringic acid suppresses ferroptosis of skeletal muscle cells to alleviate lower limb ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice via the HMGB1 pathway
Authors: Wang Fengdan , Qi Yanqing , Gao Yakun , Wang Zhifang , Shen Xiaowei , Wu Hongyu
Published: August 2023

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) of skeletal muscle in the lower limbs is an important factor affecting the outcome of lower limbs ischemia patients, with no effective preventive or therapeutic approaches available. The study was to investigate the effect of syringic acid (SA) on I/R skeletal muscle in the lower limbs injury. Mice femoral artery I/R models and C2C12 cell hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) models was establish, tissue damage, inflammatory status, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) pathway were evaluated using histological analysis, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and western blotting. Further, the study detected the effect of SA on cell apoptosis, lipid peroxidation, Fe2+ level, and ferroptosis‐related proteins expression. Finally, the effect of HMGB1 expression on SA in H/R stimulation was studied. SA alleviated pathological damage and reduced levels of IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α in muscle tissues from femoral artery I/R mouse models. SA upregulated Bcl‐2 and SOD as well as downregulated Bax, MDA, TBARS content, and Fe2+ level in H/R‐induced cells. SA inhibited HMGB1 expression and promoted Nrf2, HO‐1, GPX4, and SLC7A11 expressions in the injured tissues and cells. Such effects of SA on H/R‐induced cells were rescued by HMGB1 overexpression. SA suppressed ferroptosis of skeletal muscle cells to alleviate lower limb I/R injury in mice by blocking the HMGB1 pathway, providing new insights for the treatment of lower limb ischemia–reperfusion injury.