bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does online investor sentiment explain analyst recommendation changes? Evidence from an emerging market
Authors: Nyakurukwa Kingstone , Seetharam Yudhvir
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The authors examine how financial analysts respond to online investor sentiment when updating recommendations for specific stocks in South Africa. The aim is to establish whether online sentiment contains significant information that can influence analyst recommendations. The authors follow up the above by examining when online investor sentiment is most associated with analyst recommendation changes.

Design/methodology/approach

For online investor sentiment proxies, the authors make use of the social media sentiment and news media sentiment scores provided by Bloomberg Inc. The sample size includes all companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange All Share Index. The study uses traditional ordinary least squares to examine the relation at the mean and quantile regression to identify the scope of the relationship across the distribution of the dependent variable.

Findings

The authors find evidence that pre-event news sentiment significantly influences analyst recommendation changes while no significant relationship is found with the Twitter sentiment. Further analysis shows that news sentiment is more influential when the recommendation changes are moderate (in the middle of the conditional distribution of the recommendation changes).

Originality/value

The study is the one of the first to examine the association between online sentiment and analyst recommendation changes in an emerging market using high frequency data. The authors also make a direct comparison between social media sentiment and news media sentiment, some of the most used contemporary investor sentiment proxies.
“We do care”: the effects of perceived CSR on employee identification - empirical findings from a developing country
Authors: Roy Taposh
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Although employees are considered key stakeholders, they receive limited attention in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature compared to other stakeholders such as customers. This study aims to address this gap, investigating how different factors, including CSR communication, may affect employee perceptions, and to what extent they can influence or be influenced by CSR activity.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from three multinationals (MNCs) operating in Bangladesh. Mid- and entry-level employees from different departments, namely, marketing, logistics, human resources, IT and finance, were approached for data collection. It is important to note that all the study participants were Bangladeshi.

Findings

This study demonstrates how CSR perceptions, shaped by the level of employee awareness, personal beliefs about CSR and perceived motivation for adopting CSR, strengthen psychological ties between employees and their organisation. One-way CSR communication adopted by these MNCs disseminates positive information about an organisation’s contribution to society and creates an aspirational and ideational image, which enhances identification, evokes positive in-group biases and encourages employees to defend their organisation against criticism. This study further demonstrates that employee CSR engagement can galvanise their experience of organisational identity, enhance their pride and reinforce their organisational identification.

Originality/value

Drawing on social identity theory and the CSR communication model proposed by Morsing and Schultz (2006), this study aims to understand employees’ CSR perceptions and the possible impact of this on their behaviour. Previous studies largely focus on customers’ perceptions of these activities, which means the link between CSR perception and employee behaviour remains unclear. The current study suggests that employees working in Bangladesh will not withdraw support from their organisations if CSR is used to build reputation or public image. The findings extend the literature by arguing that some employees in developing countries not only seek to improve their status by working in a reputed organisation but also tend to engage with CSR activities undertaken by their organisation.
Forum Introduction: Challenging Orthodoxies: Religion, Secularism and Feminism Among English‐Canadian Women, 1960s–1980s
Authors: Ambrose Linda M. , Block Tina , Marks Lynne
Published: June 2022

While historians have explored the links between first‐wave feminism and religion, particularly Christianity, in considerable detail in both Canada and the United States, the nature of the relationship between religion, irreligion and second‐wave feminism has received little scholarly attention. This forum explores the complex and troubled intersections between second‐wave feminism, religion and irreligion among Jewish women, both feminist and non‐feminist, a Christian Pentecostal female politician and nonbelieving women.
Nonthermal turbulent flow ultraviolet‐C (UV‐C) radiation processing for cheese whey‐brines purification
Authors: Neokleous Ioanna , Tarapata Justyna , Papademas Photis
Published: June 2022

The effect of ultraviolet C (UV‐C) light technology on whey‐brine inoculated with five different pathogens (or surrogates) was examined: Listeria innocua (NCTC 11288), Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 6571), Bacillus cereus (NCTC 7464), Escherichia coli (NCTC 9001) and Salmonella enteritidis (NCTC6676). The most resistant microorganism was L. innocua, requiring a UV‐C dosage of 320 J/L. The inactivation for the rest of the bacteria occurred at equal or less than 200 J/L dosage. The results from this study indicate that a continuous (UV‐C) turbulent flow photo‐purification processing system is a promising nonthermal processing method for the reduction of foodborne pathogens in turbid fluids (i.e. whey).
Public support and advocacy success across the legislative process
Authors: WILLEMS EVELIEN , BEYERS JAN
Published: June 2022

This paper examines how public support affects interest groups’ advocacy success across three distinct stages in the legislative process. We hypothesize that public support is vital for advocacy success when coalition agreements are negotiated, and it has a weaker effect when legislation is introduced in parliament by the governing majority but becomes stronger again when legislation is adopted. We assess these expectations for 55 Belgian policy issues. We combine evidence on legislative outcomes with public opinion data and a mapping of interest groups’ positions in the news. The results indicate that public support is key for advocacy success in the coalition agreement. However, the positive effect of public support weakens when legislation is introduced in parliament – the effect only materializes for initiatives by the opposition – and public support has no significant effect on advocacy success in adopted legislation. Instead, aligning with other groups and political parties becomes more consequential for advocacy success in later legislative stages. Still, on average, interest groups attaining their preferences in adopted legislation enjoy considerable public support. Our results thus underscore the relevance of distinguishing between legislative stages when analyzing interest groups’ advocacy success.
The Power of Numbers: Base‐Ten Threshold Effects in Reported Revenue*
Authors: Stice Derrald , Stice Earl K. , Stice Han , Stice‐Lawrence Lorien
Published: June 2022

We show that managers have a propensity to disproportionately report total revenues just above base‐ten thresholds (e.g., 10 million, 30 million, 1 billion) and examine motives for and consequences of this behavior. Focusing on base‐ten thresholds in revenues is important because, despite being unusually prevalent in revenue targets set in executive compensation contracts, analyst forecasts, and management forecasts, they have not been previously explored. We also show that pressure to beat these targets provides one explanation for the base‐ten bias in reported revenues. However, these incentive effects do not offer a complete explanation because base‐ten threshold‐beating is observed even in the absence of these explicit targets. We further find that when firms beat a base‐ten threshold for the first time, they experience increases in news coverage, institutional ownership, liquidity, and analyst following, even after controlling for whether they have beaten other common benchmarks. These results suggest that managers also beat base‐ten thresholds in order to increase their firms' overall visibility. Overall, we show that a preference for base‐ten numbers, which have no inherent economic meaning, has a measurable effect on the actions of market participants. These results open the door to a new range of managerial targets previously unexplored.
Regulation and roles of RNA modifications in aging‐related diseases
Authors: Jiapaer Zeyidan , Su Dingwen , Hua Lingyang , Lehmann Helge Immo , Gokulnath Priyanka , Vulugundam Gururaja , Song Shannan , Zhang Lingying , Gong Ye , Li Guoping
Published: June 2022

With the aging of the global population, accumulating interest is focused on manipulating the fundamental aging‐related signaling pathways to delay the physiological aging process and eventually slow or prevent the appearance or severity of multiple aging‐related diseases. Recently, emerging evidence has shown that RNA modifications, which were historically considered infrastructural features of cellular RNAs, are dynamically regulated across most of the RNA species in cells and thereby critically involved in major biological processes, including cellular senescence and aging. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about RNA modifications and provide a catalog of RNA modifications on different RNA species, including mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNA, tRNAs, and rRNAs. Most importantly, we focus on the regulation and roles of these RNA modifications in aging‐related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, osteoporosis, and fertility decline. This would be an important step toward a better understanding of fundamental aging mechanisms and thereby facilitating the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics for aging‐related diseases.
Effects of prenatal alcohol and delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol exposure via electronic cigarettes on motor development
Authors: Breit Kristen R. , Rodriguez Cristina G. , Lei Annie , Hussain Samirah , Thomas Jennifer D.
Published: June 2022

Background

Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to a wide range of neurological and behavioral deficits, including alterations in motor domains. However, much less is known about the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on motor development, despite cannabis being the most consumed illicit drug among women. Cannabis use among pregnant women has become increasingly popular given the widespread perception that consumption is safe during pregnancy. Moreover, alcohol and cannabis are commonly used together, even among pregnant women. Yet few studies have explored the potential consequences of combined prenatal exposure on behavioral domains.

Methods

Using our previously established model, during gestational days 5 to 20, four groups of pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to vaporized alcohol, delta‐9‐Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) via electronic (e‐) cigarettes, the combination of alcohol and THC, or a vehicle. Following birth, offspring were tested on early sensorimotor development, adolescent motor coordination, and adolescent activity levels.

Results

Prenatal THC e‐cigarette exposure delayed sensorimotor development early in life and impaired motor coordination later in early adolescence; combined prenatal alcohol and THC exposure did not have additive effects on sensorimotor development. However, combined prenatal exposure produced hyperactivity among male offspring.

Conclusions

Prenatal cannabis exposure may lead to impaired motor skills throughout early development and combined exposure with alcohol during gestation may lead to hyperactivity in early adolescence. These findings have important implications for informing pregnant women of the risks to the fetus associated with prenatal cannabis exposure, with and without alcohol, and could influence public policy.
Upper thermal tolerances and vulnerability to global warming in a Brazilian Caatinga fishAstyanax bimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1758) population
Authors: Egea‐Serrano Andrés , Alves Maiara C. , Solé Mirco , Tejedo Miguel
Published: June 2022

Global warming is predicted to increase both average temperatures and the frequency and duration of heat waves. Tropical ectotherms, particularly those living in warm environments are more prone to receive heat impacts. Then, it is crucial to identify those populations already exposed to high temperatures that may be at risk of decimation by ongoing warming. We assessed heating risk in a population of the fish species Astyanax bimaculatus, inhabiting hot pools in intermittent streams in the Brazilian Caatinga ecoregion. We experimentally examined the upper thermal tolerance (CTmax), and provided estimates of warming tolerance (WT), as the difference between CTmax and micro‐environmental peak temperatures (Tmax). Two CTmax estimates ranged between 37.6 and 40.6°C, whereas pond Tmax ranged between 34.6 and 41.3°C. This determines very narrow, even negative WTs, for these extreme heated A. bimaculatus populations, which ultimately may determine their local extinction in the coming decades.

Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
Attitudes of Australian breast cancer patients toward the secondary use of administrative and clinical trial data
Authors: Hutchings Elizabeth , Butcher Belinda E. , Butow Phyllis , Boyle Frances M.
Published: June 2022

Aim

Little is known about the attitudes of Australian patients with a history of breast cancer toward the reuse of administrative health data and clinical trial data. Issues of consent, privacy, and information security are key to the discussion. Cancer care and research provides an opportune setting to develop an understanding of attitudes toward data sharing and reuse in individuals with a history of breast cancer.

Methods

An anonymous, online questionnaire for individuals with a history or diagnosis of breast cancer was distributed by two peak bodies (Breast Cancer Trials [BCT] and Breast Cancer Network of Australia [BCNA]) to their memberships between July 14, 2020 and October 17, 2020. Results were captured in RedCap; data analysis was undertaken using Stata, and a thematic analysis of free text responses was undertaken using NVivo.

Results

One hundred and thirty‐two complete responses were received. Twenty‐three percent of respondents had participated in a clinical trial, and 12% were currently receiving treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or endocrine). Respondents were supportive of the secondary use of de‐identified administrative health data and clinical trial data, but showed concern about data security and privacy. Respondents emphasized that the reuse of data should be for improved societal health outcomes, not profit. Many assumed secondary analysis was already undertaken on de‐identified administrative health data and clinical trial data.

Conclusions

Respondents were supportive of the secondary use of de‐identified administrative health and clinal trial data within the established bounds of good clinical practice and ethical oversight.
Preoperative leukocytosis is an independent risk factor for morbidity and survival after resection of colorectal liver metastases
Authors: Schnitzler Laura Julie , Oldhafer Felix , Kulik Ulf , Klempnauer Jürgen , Reese Tim , Oldhafer Karl J. , Beetz Oliver
Published: June 2022

Background

Although surgical resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) remains to be the only option for long term survival, traditional surgical concepts have been challenged by the introduction of the liver first approach or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in resectable CRLM and interventional therapies. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors for postoperative morbidity and survival and to externally evaluate the recently introduced resection severity index (RSI), in order to optimize patient selection and treatment strategies.

Methods

This is a retrospective single centre analysis of 213 patients undergoing surgery for CRLM in curative intent between January 2010 and December 2018.

Results

Median follow up after liver resection was 28.56 (0.01–111.46) months. Severe postoperative complications (Clavien‐Dindo ≥ IIIa) were observed in 46 (21.6%) cases. Preoperative leukocytosis (OR: 3.114, CI‐95%: 1.089–8.901; p = 0.034) and operation time in minutes (OR: 1.007, CI‐95%: 1.002–1.011; p = 0.002) were determined as independent risk factors.

Overall survival (OS) was 46.68 months with a 5‐year survival rate of 40.5%. Independent prognostic factors were preoperative leukocytosis (HR: 2.358, CI‐95%: 1.170–4.752; p = 0.016), major hepatectomy (HR: 1.741, CI‐95%: 1.098–2.759; p = 0.018) and low grading of the primary intestinal tumour (HR: 0.392, CI‐95%: 0.231–0.667; p < 0.001). The RSI (ASAT (U/l) divided by Quick (%) multiplied by the extent of liver resection in points) was identified as independent risk factor for OS only in patients without neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Detection of leukocytosis in patients prior resection of CRLM was associated with increased postoperative morbidity and decreased OS and could therefore prove valuable for perioperative risk stratification.
Acute limb ischemia after femoro‐femoral extracorporeal life support implantation: A comparison of surgical, percutaneous, or combined vascular access in 402 patients
Authors: Wilhelm Markus J. , Inderbitzin Devdas Thomas , Malorgio Amos , Aser Raed , Gülmez Gökhan , Aigner Tobias , Vogt Paul Robert , Reser Diana
Published: June 2022

Background

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a salvage treatment for acute circulatory failure. Our high‐volume tertiary centre performs more than 100 implants annually and provides ECLS‐transports. With this study, we aimed to analyze the incidence and risk factors of limb ischemia depending on the vascular access.

Methods

Between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2018, 937 patients received an ECLS. Preoperative, intraoperative, in‐hospital and up to 5 years follow‐up data were collected. Outcome measures were limb ischemia and survival.

Results

In total, 402 femoro‐femoral veno‐arterial ECLS patients were identified. Mean age was 56 ± 16.7 years, 26.9% were female, 7.9% had a history of peripheral vascular disease. Cannulation was performed percutaneously in 82.1% (n = 330), surgically in 5.7% (n = 23) and combined in 12.2% (n = 49). Mortality was not significantly different between the groups (51.1% percutaneous, 43.5% surgical, 44.9% combined [p = 0.89]). There was no significant difference in limb ischemia either, but a trend toward an increased frequency in the percutaneous group (p = 0.0501). No amputation was necessary. Limb ischemia slightly increased in‐hospital mortality (54.6%) but did not affect long‐term survival beyond 30 days. Univariate analysis adjusted for cannulation methods revealed younger age and female gender as risk factors of limb ischemia and younger age for limb ischemia after percutaneous cannulation.

Conclusions

Our study shows that percutaneous, surgical, and combined vascular access techniques for ECLS implantation are associated with comparable and low incidence of limb ischemia which slightly increases in‐hospital mortality. Special precaution has to be taken in young and female patients.
Qualitative interviewing in the field of work and organisational psychology: Benefits, challenges and guidelines for researchers and reviewers
Authors: Dunwoodie Karen , Macaulay Luke , Newman Alexander
Published: June 2022

Empirical research in the field of work and organisational psychology has typically adopted quantitative methods such as surveys or experiments. Comparatively less research has adopted qualitative methods such as interviewing. The aim and purpose of this article is to provide a practical guide for work and organisational psychology researchers, especially those more familiar with quantitative methods, to get started with qualitative interview approaches. The authors decided to focus on qualitative interviews as they are the most common method adopted in qualitative work and are often combined with other qualitative techniques such as participant observation or quantitative techniques such as surveys or experiments. This article looks at the strengths of adopting a qualitative interview design when conducting empirical research in the fields of work and organisational psychology, and the challenges faced in publishing such research. Finally, the article provides researchers and reviewers with guidelines for effectively executing, publishing and evaluating research adopting a qualitative interview design, and highlights exemplary articles in top journals that adopt qualitative interview designs.
Hippo pathway monomerizes STAT3 to regulate prostate cancer growth
Authors: Tang Qingfeng , Fang Jing , Lai Weiqi , Hu Yu , Liu Chengwan , Hu Xiaobo , Song Caiyong , Cheng Tianmu , Liu Rui , Huang Xiaoke
Published: June 2022

Prostate cancer ranks among the most commonly diagnosed malignancies for men and has become a non‐negligible threat for public health. Interplay between inflammatory factors and cancer cells renders inflammatory tissue environment as a predisposing condition for cancer development. The Hippo pathway is a conserved signaling pathway across multiple species during evolution that regulates tissue homeostasis and organ development. Nevertheless, whether Hippo pathway regulates cancer‐related inflammatory factors remains elusive. Here, we show that high cell density–mediated activation of the Hippo pathway blunts STAT3 activity in prostate cancer cells. Hippo pathway component MST2 kinase phosphorylates STAT3 at T622, which is located in the SH2 domain of STAT3. This phosphorylation blocks the SH2 domain in one STAT3 molecule to bind with the phosphorylated Y705 site in another STAT3 molecule, which further counteracts IL6‐induced STAT3 dimerization and activation. Expression of a nonphosphorylatable STAT3 T622A mutant enhances STAT3 activity and IL6 expression at high cell density and promotes tumor growth in a mice xenograft model. Our findings demonstrate that STAT3 is a novel phosphorylation substrate for MST2 and thereby highlight a regulatory cascade underlying the crosstalk between inflammation and the Hippo pathway in prostate cancer cells.
Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression and immunotherapy efficacy in non–small cell lung cancer
Authors: Nakahama Kenji , Kaneda Hiroyasu , Osawa Masahiko , Fukui Mitsuru , Izumi Motohiro , Yoshimoto Naoki , Sugimoto Akira , Nagamine Hiroaki , Ogawa Koichi , Matsumoto Yoshiya , Sawa Kenji , Tani Yoko , Mitsuoka Shigeki , Watanabe Tetsuya , Asai Kazuhisa , Kawaguchi Tomoya
Published: June 2022

It is unclear whether tumor vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression affects the therapeutic efficacy of immune‐checkpoint inhibitors and antiangiogenic agents. This retrospective, multicenter study included patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer who were treated with immune‐checkpoint inhibitors. We constructed tissue microarrays and performed immunohistochemistry with an anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody. We analyzed immune and tumor cell staining separately in order to determine their correlation with the objective response rate, progression‐free survival, and overall survival in patients receiving immune‐checkpoint inhibitors. Of 364 patients, 37 (10%) expressed vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in immune cells and 165 (45%) in tumor cells. The objective response rate, progression‐free survival, and overall survival were significantly worse in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy who expressed vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in immune cells than those who did not (10% vs 30%, p = 0.028; median = 2.2 vs 3.6 months, p = 0.012; median = 7.9 vs 17.0 months, p = 0.049, respectively), while there was no significant difference based on tumor cell expression (24% vs 30%, p = 0.33; median = 3.1 vs 3.5 months, p = 0.55; median = 13.6 vs 16.8 months, p = 0.31). There was no significant difference in overall survival between patients treated with and without antiangiogenic agents in any treatment period based on vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression. Immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy was limited in patients expressing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in immune cells.
The proliferative and multipotent epidermal progenitor cells for human skin reconstruction in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Lim Jung Hwa , Kim Dae Hun , Noh Kyung Hee , Jung Cho‐Rok , Kang Hyun Mi
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The skin exhibits tremendous regenerative potential, as different types of progenitor and stem cells regulate skin homeostasis and damage. However, in vitro primary keratinocytes present with several drawbacks, such as high donor variability, short lifespan, and limited donor tissue availability. Therefore, more stable primary keratinocytes are needed to generate multiple uniform in vitro and in vivo skin models.

Results

We identified epidermal progenitor cells from primary keratinocytes using Integrin beta 1 (ITGB1) an epidermal stem cell marker markedly decreased after senescence in vitro. Epidermal progenitor cells exhibited unlimited proliferation and the potential for multipotent differentiation capacity. Moreover, they could completely differentiate to form an organotypic skin model including conversed mesenchymal cells in the dermis and could mimic the morphologic and biochemical processes of human epidermis. We also discovered that proliferation and the multipotent differentiation capacity of these cells relied on ITGB1 expression. Eventually, we examined the in vitro and in vivo wound healing capacity of these epidermal progenitor cells.

Conclusions

Overall, the findings suggest that these stable and reproducible cells can differentiate into multiple lineages, including human skin models. They are a potentially powerful tool for studying skin regeneration, skin diseases, and are an alternative for in vivo experiments.
The enablers of entrepreneurship in the tourism sector of Saudi Arabia: An interpretative structured modeling approach
Authors: Alnemer Hashem A.
Published: June 2022

This study aims to model the set of enablers that promote entrepreneurship in the tourism sector of Saudi Arabia using interpretative structural modeling (ISM), a qualitative expert opinion‐based method that helps describe the interrelationship among variables. A review of the literature identified seven major enablers. Drivers and dependence power from the ISM model reveal that collaboration and relaxing visa norms are the primary enablers of entrepreneurship in the tourism sectors of Saudi Arabia, followed by cutting taxes, public–private partnership, and ease of getting tourism business licenses on the second level of the ISM model. Furthermore, the ISM digraph shows that start‐up in the tourism business and entrepreneurship education is highly dependent on the other enablers. To encourage entrepreneurship in the Saudi tourism sector, the government should promote and focus on primary‐ and secondary‐level enablers. This study provides an in‐depth insight into the enablers of entrepreneurship in the tourism sectors of Saudi Arabia, which can help in developing a proper policy framework.
Colors and Orientalism as associations: Exploring the semiotic (re)presentation of Saudi women in British and Saudi newspapers
Authors: Elyas Tariq , Aljabri Abdulrahman , Al‐Harbi Nesreen , A‐Jahani Areej
Published: June 2022

Media representations can have significant influence in shaping opinions and influence public response to certain communities or gender and ethnic representations around the world. Investigating semiotic representation in linguistic discourse as vehicles for meaning in culture has been a fruitful area of research over the past decades. This study explores how stereotypes of women feed into the representations of Saudi women in contemporary press in Britain and Saudi Arabia. The focus is on the newspaper genre. Data for this study have been gleaned from a particular set of British and Saudi newspapers. Using the Color Image Scale (CIS) as a research tool, this study yielded a number of findings, the main one of which is the discrepancy in Saudi women's representation in the journalistic discourse under study. In addition, variances in color choice and usage between the newspapers in the present study were apparent. The study provides an important opportunity to advance our understanding of Saudi women's representation in British versus Saudi newspapers. The present study also makes a major contribution to research on critical discourse analysis by demonstrating how power as well as orientalism impact Saudi women's representation. The findings of this study are important for scholars of gender, religion, media, and cultural diversity.
Prognostic implication of lipidomics in patients with coronary total occlusion undergoing PCI
Authors: Zhou You , Chen Jinxiang , Li Su , Chen Ao , Dai Chunfeng , Liu Muyin , Lu Danbo , Chen Zhangwei , Wang Xiangdong , Qian Juying , Ge Junbo
Published: June 2022

Background

Predictors of prognosis in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have remained lacking. Lipidomic profiling enables researchers to associate lipid species with disease progression and may improve the prediction of cardiovascular events.

Methods

In the present study, 781 lipids were measured by targeted lipidomic profiling in 350 individuals (50 healthy controls, 50 patients with coronary artery disease and 250 patients with CTO). L1‐regularized logistic regression was used to identify lipid species associated with adverse cardiovascular events and create predicting models, which were verified by 10‐fold cross‐validation (200 repeats). Comparisons were made between a traditional model constructed with clinical characteristics alone and a combined model built with both lipidomic data and traditional factors.

Results

Twenty‐four lipid species were dysregulated exclusively in patients with CTO, most of which belonged to sphingomyelin (SM) and triacylglycerol (TAG). Compared with traditional risk factors, new model combining lipids and traditional factors had significantly improved performance in predicting adverse cardiovascular events in CTO patients after PCI (area under the curve, 0.870 vs. 0.726, p < .05; Akaike information criterion, 129 versus 156; net reclassification improvement, 0.312, p < .001; integrated discrimination improvement, 0.244, p < .001). Nomogram was built based on the incorporated model and proved efficient by Kaplan–Meier method.

Conclusions

Lipidomic profiling revealed lipid species which may participate in the formation of CTO and could contribute to the risk stratification in CTO patients undergoing PCI.
Impact of research and development (R&D) and information, and communication technology (ICT) on innovation and productivity evidence from Tunisian manufacturing firms
Authors: Ben Khalifa Adel
Published: June 2022

This study aims to examine the ability of Tunisian manufacturing firms to invest in innovation activities and to transform these investments on innovation outputs and if these outputs have contributed to productivity improvements. It explores the relationship between research and development (R&D), information, and communication technology (ICT) use, product and process innovations and productivity. The study presents an application of the augmented Crépon‐Duguet‐Mairesse (CDM) model for 238 manufacturing firms in Tunisia. Results show that R&D is an important predictor for product innovation, but not for process innovation. The use of ICT has a positive impact on both innovation types, but this impact is more important for the case of process innovation. Furthermore, the study shows the possible existence of a complementary relationship between R&D and ICT. The firms that combine R&D with ICT use increase their probability to introduce product and process innovation. R&D and ICT are also an important indirect driver of firm productivity through innovation activities. Thus, the results show a positive impact of product innovation on firm‐level productivity. However, process innovation has a significant impact only if it is combined with product innovation. The study also identifies guidelines for development actors to better transform ICT and R&D into innovation and productivity in Tunisian economy.
Hexanal combined with decanal mediate host location by the bamboo powderpost beetle, Dinoderus minutus
Authors: Rainho Hugo L. , Silva Weliton D. , Gonçalves Felipe G. , Savaris Marcoandre , Bento José Maurício S.
Published: June 2022

The bamboo powderpost beetle, Dinoderus minutus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), is the major post‐harvest pest of several bamboo species worldwide. Conspecific adults colonize injured bamboo stems, primarily those with low moisture content. Here, the volatiles from dry cut stems of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl (Poaceae) were identified and field‐tested for attraction of adults of D. minutus. Analyses of headspace volatile extracts from these stems revealed 22 compounds, of which hexanal was the most abundant, followed by heptanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal, and 2‐pentylfuran. Together, these six compounds comprised >94% of the total abundance of airborne volatiles from dry cut bamboo stems. The biological activity of these compounds was tested in three consecutive field‐trapping trials in Brazil. Broadly speaking, the binary blend of hexanal and decanal was the optimal attractant for both male and female D. minutus adults, whereas hexanal alone was not attractive and the presence of heptanal, octanal, nonanal, and 2‐pentylfuran in some tested blends proved to be redundant or disruptive in attracting conspecific beetles. Traps baited with hexanal and decanal could be used for surveillance and monitoring of D. minutus at countries' points‐of‐entry and for integrated pest management (IPM) at storage facilities of post‐harvest bamboo stems and related products.
The combined foraging of a parasitoid and a predatory bug enhances mortality of Plutella xylostella larvae
Authors: Lankin‐Vega Gabriela , San‐Blas Ernesto , Hogendoorn Katja , Keller Michael
Published: June 2022

Interactions between biocontrol agents of crop pests can lead to neutral, detrimental, or improved outcomes for pest control. We investigated the existence and the nature of the additive interactions between a parasitoid, Diadegma semiclausum (Hellén) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and two hemipteran predators, Oechalia schellenbergii Guérin‐Méneville (Pentatomidae) and Nabis kinbergii Reuter (Nabidae), of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), under laboratory conditions. In the presence of the parasitoid, both O. schellenbergii and N. kinbergii increased predation by 56 and 66%, respectively. The escape response of the prey to avoid being parasitized (moving backwards and sometimes spinning down from the leaf on a silk thread, becoming less cryptic to the predators), may be at the basis of the enhanced predation by these predatory bugs; however, further studies are necessary to test this hypothesis. As the predators did not preferentially consume either parasitised or unparasitised larvae, coincidental intraguild predation should not affect this positive outcome in relation to DBM suppression. The findings highlight the potential utility of combining these natural enemies and may have important implications for the management of DBM in brassica crops in Australia and other multi‐species systems.
Prioritisation tool for targeting the monitoring of veterinary pharmaceuticals in soils at a national level: The case of Spain
Authors: Rodríguez Antonio , Iglesias Irene , de la Torre Ana
Published: June 2022

Antibiotics used in animal production are a major source of environmental contamination since most of them are excreted in manure. However, studies on the impact of antimicrobial effects have focused on humans and livestock, neglecting the environment. The European Union (EU) adopted a strategy to prioritise environmental monitoring and develop tools to make it cost‐effective. Our aim was to build a prioritisation tool at a national level to identify hotspot locations for highly occurring antibiotics in soils. Spain was selected as an example, due to its importance for biodiversity, agriculture, antibiotic use and livestock populations in the EU. We built soil vulnerability maps including information about antibiotic use, livestock census, rearing type (intensively reared or pasture animals), and scenario (crop land or pasture). This allowed the identification of sampling sites and antibiotic classes that may require more attention during the early stages of monitoring. The most vulnerable areas were located in the northeast of Spain (crop lands) and in a lesser extent in the west (pasture). A small proportion was located in “High Value Nature” farmlands, highlighting the need for prioritising sampling efforts in those areas because of their importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services. As major antibiotics, tetracyclines and beta‐lactams contributed more to soil vulnerability than less commonly used antibiotics. Intensively reared pigs led to higher vulnerability than the other livestock types. We developed a Shiny dashboard to visualise our results in detail and an R script to execute the model for any antibiotic and country for which data on antibiotic use, livestock census, and raising type are available.

Highlights

How to orientate monitoring efforts of antibiotics in soils at early stages according to the PiE?

A prototype is offered here tool to prioritize sampling sites and antibiotics for soil monitoring.

Antibiotic consumption at intensively reared livestock in crop lands were the main contributors.

Intensively reared animals and antibiotic use were the main contributions to soil vulnerability.

This tool allows to execute the model on any antibiotic and EU country for which data is available.
Association of diabetes mellitus and admission glucose levels with outcome after endovascular therapy in acute ischaemic stroke in anterior circulation
Authors: Genceviciute Kotryna , Göldlin Martina B. , Kurmann Christoph C. , Mujanovic Adnan , Meinel Thomas R. , Kaesmacher Johannes , Seiffge David J. , Jung Simon , Mordasini Pasquale , Fischer Urs , Gralla Jan , Sarikaya Hakan , Goeggel Simonetti Barbara , Antonenko Kateryna , Umarova Roza M. , Bally Lia , Arnold Marcel , Heldner Mirjam R.
Published: June 2022

Background and purpose

We aimed to assess the association of diabetes mellitus (DM) and admission hyperglycaemia (AH), respectively, and outcome in patients with acute ischaemic stroke with large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation treated with endovascular therapy (EVT) in daily clinical practice.

Methods

Consecutive EVT patients admitted to our stroke centre between February 2015 and April 2020 were included in this observational cohort study. Patients with versus without DM and with versus without AH (glucose ≥ 7.8 mmol/L) were compared.

Results

We included 1020 patients (48.9% women, median age = 73.1 years); 282 (27.6%) had DM, and 226 (22.2%) had AH. Patients with versus without DM less often showed successful reperfusion (odds ratio [OR]adjusted = 0.61, p = 0.023) and worse 3‐month functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] = 0–2: 31.3% vs. 48%, ORadjusted = 0.59, p = 0.004; death: 38.9% vs. 24.1%, ORadjusted = 1.75, p = 0.002; mRS shift: padjusted < 0.0001; if moderate/good collaterals and mismatch, mRS = 0–2: ORadjusted = 0.52, p = 0.005; death: ORadjusted = 1.95, p = 0.005). If analysis was additionally adjusted for AH, only mRS shift was still significantly worse in patients with DM (padjusted = 0.012). Patients with versus without AH showed similar successful reperfusion rates and worse 3‐month functional outcome (mRS = 0–2: 28.3% vs. 50.4%, ORadjusted = 0.52, p < 0.0001; death: 40.4% vs. 22.4%, ORadjusted = 1.80, p = 0.001; mRS shift: padjusted < 0.0001; if moderate/good collaterals and mismatch, mRS = 0–2: ORadjusted = 0.38, p < 0.0001; death: ORadjusted = 2.39, p < 0.0001). If analysis was additionally adjusted for DM, 3‐month functional outcome remained significantly worse in patients with AH (mRS = 0–2: ORadjusted = 0.58, p = 0.004; death: ORadjusted = 1.57, p = 0.014; mRS shift: padjusted = 0.004). DM independently predicted recurrent/progressive in‐hospital ischaemic stroke (OR = 1.71, p = 0.043) together with admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (OR = 0.95, p = 0.005), and AH independently predicted in‐hospital symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (OR = 2.21, p = 0.001). The association of admission continuous glucose levels and most outcome variables was (inversely) J‐shaped.

Conclusions

Hyperglycaemia more than DM was associated with worse 3‐month outcome in the patients studied, more likely so in the case of moderate/good collaterals and mismatch in admission imaging.
The Linguistic Embodiment of Emotions. A Study of the Australian Continent
Authors: Ponsonnet Maïa
Published: June 2022

This article describes how particular emotions map figuratively onto body parts in Australian Indigenous languages. While most languages use expressions involving body parts to talk about emotions—as in “broken‐hearted,” for instance—Australian Indigenous languages do it to a remarkable extent. After identifying the figurative tropes—metaphors and metonymies—that recur most frequently in such expressions across the continent, the article discusses specific body‐part associations and figurative patterns for several salient emotional categories. This includes generic emotions (feel good/bad); “empathetic” emotions (affection and derived emotions); anger and sulkiness; social attitudes around agreeableness and compliance; shame; love, desire, and jealousy; and fear and surprise. Far from being randomly distributed, the figurative properties of each category exhibit regular patterns. Some of these patterns reflect somatic and behavioral responses to emotions or cognitive properties of emotions, while others remain unexplained. [Australian languages, emotions, figurative language, embodiment]

Résumé Cet article décrit et analyse les correspondances entre catégories émotionnelles et parties du corps dans les expressions figuratives des langues aborigènes australiennes. La majorité des langues du monde utilisent des collocations incluant des parties du corps pour décrire des émotions—comme dans l'expression « cœur brisé » par exemple— mais celles‐ci sont particulièrement nombreuses dans les langues australiennes. Après avoir identifié les tropes—métaphores and métonymies—qui reviennent le plus souvent dans ces expressions à travers le continent, l'article analyse les associations spécifiques entre certaines parties du corps, certains tropes, et certaines catégories émotionnelles. Ces catégories incluent les émotions génériques (se sentir bien/mal) ; les émotions dites « empathétiques » (affection et émotions dérivées) ; la colère et la bouderie ; les tempéramments relationnels comme l'amabilité ou un caractère conciliant ; la honte ; l'amour, le désir et la jalousie ; ainsi que la peur et la surprise. Chacune de ces émotions présente des associations préferentielles avec certaines parties du corps, et des propriétés figuratives récurrentes. Certaines de ces préférences et récurrences renvoient à des réactions somatiques ou comportementales aux émotions en question, d'autres à leurs dimensions cognitives ; et d'autres encore restent inexpliquées.
Cryptic diversity and spatial genetic variation in the coral Acropora tenuis and its endosymbionts across the Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Matias Ambrocio Melvin A. , Popovic Iva , Thia Joshua A. , Cooke Ira R. , Torda Gergely , Lukoschek Vimoksalehi , Bay Line K. , Kim Sun W. , Riginos Cynthia
Published: June 2022

Genomic studies are uncovering extensive cryptic diversity within reef‐building corals, suggesting that evolutionarily and ecologically relevant diversity is highly underestimated in the very organisms that structure coral reefs. Furthermore, endosymbiotic algae within coral host species can confer adaptive responses to environmental stress and may represent additional axes of coral genetic variation that are not constrained by taxonomic divergence of the cnidarian host. Here, we examine genetic variation in a common and widespread, reef‐building coral, Acropora tenuis, and its associated endosymbiotic algae along the entire expanse of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). We use SNPs derived from genome‐wide sequencing to characterize the cnidarian coral host and organelles from zooxanthellate endosymbionts (genus Cladocopium). We discover three distinct and sympatric genetic clusters of coral hosts, whose distributions appear associated with latitude and inshore–offshore reef position. Demographic modelling suggests that the divergence history of the three distinct host taxa ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 million years ago, preceding the GBR's formation, and has been characterized by low‐to‐moderate ongoing inter‐taxon gene flow, consistent with occasional hybridization and introgression typifying coral evolution. Despite this differentiation in the cnidarian host, A. tenuis taxa share a common symbiont pool, dominated by the genus Cladocopium (Clade C). Cladocopium plastid diversity is not strongly associated with host identity but varies with reef location relative to shore: inshore colonies contain lower symbiont diversity on average but have greater differences between colonies as compared with symbiont communities from offshore colonies. Spatial genetic patterns of symbiont communities could reflect local selective pressures maintaining coral holobiont differentiation across an inshore–offshore environmental gradient. The strong influence of environment (but not host identity) on symbiont community composition supports the notion that symbiont community composition responds to habitat and may assist in the adaptation of corals to future environmental change.
Computed tomographic diagnosis of a fracture of the floor of the pelvis in a Thoroughbred foal
Authors: Scilimati Nicola , Schiavo Stefano , Lauteri Eleonora , Beccati Francesca , Angeli Giovanni , Di Meo Antonio , Pepe Marco
Published: June 2022

This case report describes the clinical and diagnostic imaging findings, treatment and outcomes of a 15‐day‐old Thoroughbred foal referred for the evaluation of severe left hindlimb lameness of 8 days' duration. Radiographic examination of the left hindlimb and transcutaneous ultrasonographic examination of the pelvis were unremarkable. A computed tomographic (CT) examination was performed to investigate the proximal aspect of the limb and the pelvis; CT scans of the thorax were also acquired. In this case, CT images allowed detection of a closed, slightly displaced, oblique wedge‐like fracture of the left caudal ramus of the pubis and medial ramus of the ischium, allowing an accurate diagnosis to guide appropriate treatment and prognostication. The foal was treated with anti‐inflammatory drugs and box‐rest. A follow‐up by telephone interview with the trainer 3 years later revealed that the horse is in full athletic activity without any residual gait alteration related to the pelvic fracture.