bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Dynamic Linkages between CO2 Emissions, Energy Consumption and Economic Factors in ASEAN Countries
Authors: Azmin N A M , Ahmad Z , Mahmood R , Zahari A S M , Hendar H
Published: December 2022

Over the past several decades, there has been tremendous expansion in both the global economy and population, with Asia leading the way. In accordance with this, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region has been on path to achieve a variety of development goals. Some of the challenges resulted a steady performance by 2015 compared to 2000, however, many other challenges are needed to overcome such as persistent hunger, inequality, cities’ pollution, and deforestation. ASEAN has joined the rest of the world in combatting climate change. Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in the region have been escalating in conjunction with the region’s industrialisation based on fossil-fuel generation and associated land-use change. Therefore, this paper is conducted to examine the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, economic growth, foreign direct investment (FDI), energy consumption, and economic crisis in the long run equilibrium. Panel cointegration test is used for six (6) ASEAN countries spanning from 1970 to 2020. Dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) is applied to test the relationship of the model in the long run. Finding revealed that the whole variables are cointegrated in the long run equilibrium. Energy consumption and economic growth are found to be significant in overall result. FDI and economic crisis did not reveal to be significant in affecting the emission CO2. However, mixed results are found when tested in each of the six countries in ASEAN. Considering the development of economic and the increase of energy consumption in ASEAN countries with severity of risks, including the economic crisis and pandemic, policymakers should develop effective and enforceable processes that lead to decisive solutions to control CO2 emission.
Quantification of Green Space Landscape Structure for Sustainable Land Use Planning in Pasir Mas, Kelantan
Authors: Nor A N M , Akkir A Z M , Aziz H A , Nawawi S A , Jamil R M , Hassin N H , Abas M A , Hambali K A , Amir A , Karim M F A , Amaludin N A , Yusoff A H , Ibrahim N , Rafaai N
Published: December 2022

Globally, the amount of green space in urban areas has significantly decreased because of fast urban expansion. Urbanization may modify the spatial structure of a landscape and have an impact on its ecological function. The research aims to quantify the landscape structure changes of green space in the years 1994, 2004, and 2014 in Pasir Mas using remote sensing, GIS and landscape ecology approach. Three satellite images were classified into five land use land cover (LULC) which are forest, agriculture area, cleared land, water bodies and built-up area. The results show that the highest percentage of area in year 1994 is forest followed by agriculture, built up area and water bodies. However, in year 2014 the percentage of land use are vice versa. In the period from 1994 to 2004, 1.92% of forest was converted into built up areas in Pasir Mas district. However, in the period of year 2004 to 2014, the percentage of forest area that has been converted into built up area is increase about 4.32%. Forest shows significance increase in the transition into agriculture area by 49.63% in the year of 1994 and 2004. For the period of year 2004 and 2014, the conversion of forest area into agriculture area also in high percentage which is 17.66%. Landscape structure changes analysis show that there are significant changes of Euclidean nearest neighbour distance (MNN) indicating that there is fragmentation and isolation between patches. Similarly, the size and shape of forest patches also decreased indicating by percentage of area (PAREA) and landscape shape index (LSI). Therefore, using remote sensing, GIS, and landscape ecology, this project will help understand the spatial structure of green space and the impact of urban expansion in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, in order to give the knowledge necessary for sustainable land use planning.
Conservation of indigenous knowledge on the consumption of medicinal Zingiberaceae by locals in Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Appalasamy Suganthi , Zamri Nor Syahaiza Ahmad , Arumugam Nivaarani , Nor Maryana Mohamad , Zakaria Suhana , Subramaniam Sreeramanan
Published: December 2022

The locals in Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia have been taking certain Zingiberaceae plants with medicinal value as daily dietary intake primarily for common health purposes and these traditional uses has not been explored and documented well. The objective is to recognize and list out both plants and plant parts that have been utilized by Kelantan people and the traditional uses. Ethnobotanical field surveys were conducted by doing a verbal interview with 20 old folks of the selected village and ethnomedicinal data were collected regarding the uses of Zingiberaceae medicinal plants. The identification process was done by collecting Zingiberaceae plants under guidance from the old folks. Further information from plants identification was assembled through literature reviewed on their recorded medicinal values. The study yielded 10 medicinal plants focused on family Zingiberaceae. Regarding the utilization of medicinal plant, rhizomes were used predominantly followed by leaves and fruits. Decoction of plant parts is used for oral and application on skin. The studied plants list aids to preserve the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants used by locals in Kelantan.
Assessing conservation efforts of mangrove forest in Delta Tumpat Kelantan
Authors: Jemali N J N , Rahim A A , Majid S , Muhammad M , Susanti S , Abong N N D , Nordin S M , Yusof M
Published: December 2022

Mangrove forest hosts a variety of biodiversity and offers a great coastal ecosystem function. Despite the importance of mangrove ecosystems, they are being destroyed more quickly than all other types of forests around the world for development as predicted in many studies. The loss of mangrove areas due to aquaculture activities, rural settlements, and sediment accretion had caused the Delta Tumpat Mangrove Forest (DTMF), Kelantan in a dangerous state. Due to this alarming situation, many conservation efforts have been taken by both government and private agencies. This paper explores the impact of mangrove conservation efforts of DTMF from 2000 to 2019. Based on evaluation on the two decades data, more than 100,000 mangrove trees were planted within 31 officially recorded programs with a planting average of 3861 trees per program. Rhizophora apiculata and Rhizophora mucronata are the main species planted in the 42 ha of the area including small islands at DTMF. The conservation initiative and tree planting program have mainly gauged the Kelantan Forestry Department’s work in partnership with other agencies as well as the involvement of the communities. Further research on human socioeconomic concerns on conservation priorities can help to ensure the long-term sustainability of mangrove forests in the future.
Potential of Shewanella Oneidensis as bioleaching agent in reducing Fe (III) to Fe (II) for gold extraction
Authors: Husain N A , Yusoff A H , Wee S K , Azmi N
Published: December 2022

Conventional method for gold extraction using cyanide is not environmentally friendly and harmful to the environment. Thus, we investigate the potential of Shewanella oneidensis as bioleaching agent for gold extraction to replace the cyanide leaching process. The concentration of Fe (II) was determined via Ferrozine Assay method using Spectrophotometer, while the concentration of gold (Au) was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Some minerals such as pyrite, arsenopyrite, hematite, magnetite, and quartz were detected in the ore samples using XRD. The results show, S. oneidensis MR-1 was able to reduce Fe (III) to Fe (II) that can increase gold concentration. Gold concentrations were increased from 19 ppb to 28.5 ppb with 50% of percentage yield increased. In addition, the result shows hematite and magnetite in the samples was also reduced after bioleaching which might lead to the increasing amount of gold concentration. As a conclusion, S. oneidensis MR-1 was shown to be effective for bioleaching to improve gold extraction process.
Assessing Land Use and Land Cover Change Analysis Using Remote Sensing In Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Authors: Norzin A F , Daliman S
Published: December 2022

This study focuses on the analysis of land use change patterns in Kota Bharu as a tool for land planning and development. By doing spatial analysis with Geographical Information System (GIS) and obtaining satellite pictures through remote sensing, a pattern of land use change can be determined. Geometric correction is the initial step in the processing of satellite imagery, followed by subsetting, cloud masking, and supervised classification. Land use maps derived from supervised classification of satellite images and existing land use maps are then converted into shapefile format in ArcGIS software and the accuracy evaluation was performed. In this study, the land use change and urban land expansion index are selected using an algorithm. The overall Kappa Coefficient accuracy evaluation ranges from 80.33% to 87.31%, whilst Cohen Kappa ranges between 0.598 and 0.749. This analysis reveals a decline in forest acreage, an increase in agricultural land, and urbanisation. As a result of the growth and enhancement of infrastructure and utilities in Kota Bharu and the use of these natural resources, the amount of virgin forest and vegetation has shrunk drastically. In year 2005 was the greatest decline in forest area, with a fall of 25.29% from the previous year. According to Pearson Association research, there is a substantial negative correlation between forest and agricultural areas, which indicates that as agricultural land expands, forest reserves diminish. From year 2000 to year 2020, the urban expansion index of Kota Bharu had increased. The study revealed that progressive development in Kota Bharu encourages the sustainable use of forest land when efforts are made to rehabilitate and restore nature, hence creating a land use category in which forest and agriculture coexist.
Measuring Sustainable Performance of Islamic Banks: Integrating the principles of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Maqasid Shari’ah
Authors: Muhamad Siti Fariha , Zain Fahru Azwa Mohd , Samad Nur Syafiqah A. , Ab. Rahman Azira Hanani , Yasoa’ Mohd Rushdan
Published: December 2022

To fulfil the Maqasid Shari’ah of Islamic banks in promoting the welfare of society, Islamic banks are expected to consciously align their performance measurement according to the principles of Islamic banks that are derived from Islamic economic philosophy. In the meantime, in light of the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030, the principle of environment, social and governance (ESG) has become part of the sustainability reporting and become a central concern of the investors. The tenets of ESG and Islamic finance basically intersect and share similar principles of responsibility, accountability, and stewardship in providing protection and benefits to the environment and humankind as a whole which is in line with the principle of Maslahah in the Maqasid Shari’ah. Hence, there is ample room for the ESG element to be harmonized with the Maqasid Shari’ah elements in a holistic performance measurement index of Islamic banks. Therefore, the performance of Islamic banks can be measured in a more holistic approach by combining financial and non-financial performance with the ultimate objective of Islamic banks being sought as the primary reference, and the sustainability issue can be well addressed. This paper reviews the previous literature on the performance of Islamic banks, ESG principles in the context of Islamic banks and the Maqasid Shari’ah performance index that has been developed by previous researchers. Fulfilling Maqasid Shari’ah and sustainability agenda in the performance measurement index would further strengthen the performance of Islamic banks in the effort to maintain Malaysia as the leader in the regional and world Islamic financial hub.
Analysis of River Channel Change Using Remote Sensing Images at Kelantan River Basin
Authors: Jaafar E N , Daliman S
Published: December 2022

This study presents the utilities of remote sensing technique for analysis of river channel change using remote sensing images at Kelantan River Basin. Understanding river channel change is a key component in developing ecologically friendly and long-term fluvial projects, as well as a way to reduce maintenance costs. The project's study and conclusions will aid in determining how to recognise probable morphological change in river channels. Remote sensing is one of the effective methods for water quality monitoring through image analysis of study area. These tools provide valid means of studying river channel changes. In this study, river channel changes are monitored and quantified by using remote sensing and GIS in Kelantan River. This study focus on four interval years between year 1988 until year 2021 by using Landsat satellite images of 30 m spatial resolution. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) 5 images of three different years which are 1988, 1999 and 2010, and Landsat 8 of OLI/TIRS year 2021 were compared. The quantity of accretion and erosion was assessed using parcel-based geoprocessing in a GIS system. The locations are labelled with the year they were created. The area of each year is changing by study period of time for all four interval years 1988, 1999, 2010, and 2021 for research area 1 and 2. The results prove that the river channel in Kelantan is altering, where between 1988 and 2021, the Kelantan River's course has changed significantly. The years 2010 to 2021 are the most severely affected by erosion as a result of the flood in 2014 on the Kelantan River.
Waiting for Europe: Utopia, Narratives of the Imaginary West and the Materiality of Police Culture in Ukraine
Authors: Shmatko Ivan
Published: December 2022

Despite the long-held interest of researchers in the police culture(s), police imaginaries have barely received attention. This article is concerned with the imaginaries of the West produced by Ukrainian police officers. Based on the 5-month ethnography in two Ukrainian cities, I argue that Ukrainian police officers construct the idealized non-place of the Imaginary West to cope with the pressures of their work and criticize their working conditions, perceived lack of support from the state, gaps in infrastructure and lack of authority in encounters with the public. I discuss the implications of research on imaginary non-places for the field of police studies, arguing for the need to account for the materiality of culture.
Formalizing Attack Trees To Support Economic Analysis
Authors: Simpson Andrew , Dellago Matthias , Woods Daniel
Published: December 2022

Attack trees and attack graphs are both examples of what one might term attack modelling techniques. The primary purpose of such techniques is to help establish and enumerate the ways in which a system could be compromised; as such, they play a key role in the (security) risk analysis process. Given their role and the consequent need to ensure that they are correct, there are good reasons for capturing such artefacts in a formal manner. We describe such a formal approach, which has been motivated by a desire to model attacks from the perspectives of attackers, to support economic analysis. As an illustration, we consider exploitation cost.
Intermittent complete atrioventricular block in a 20-year-old woman with cardiac sarcoidosis: a case report
Authors: Park Innu , Atug Elvin , Hoffmann Boris A , Goldmann Britta U
Published: December 2022

Background

Atrioventricular conduction disturbance may rarely be caused by cardiac involvement of sarcoidosis.

Case summary

A 20-year-old Caucasian female with exertional dyspnoea was admitted to the hospital. Electrocardiogram revealed intermittent complete atrioventricular block with ventricular escape rhythm. Laboratory findings indicated no obvious cause for the complete heart block, and echocardiography showed no abnormalities with normal systolic left ventricular function. However, in gadolinium-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, a mass at the basal septum with high intensity of T2-weighted signal was found, and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed severe enhancement in this area and in the mediastinal lymph nodes. The diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis was established by the detection of non-caseating epithelioid granulomas in the endobronchial lymph node biopsy. Corticosteroid therapy with oral administration of 30 mg prednisolone was initiated, and complete recovery of atrioventricular block was observed within several weeks, obviating the need for permanent pacemaker implantation.

Discussion

Cardiac sarcoidosis can cause complete atrioventricular block and should always be considered, especially in younger patients. Early diagnosis and initiation of corticosteroid therapy may lead to complete recovery of conduction system without the need for permanent pacemaker implantation.
Primary and subsequent secondary aorto-enteric fistulae in the setting of chronic Q fever
Authors: Tabbara Dana , Frankel Adam , Thomson Iain
Published: December 2022

We report the case of an 80-year-old male with stage three kidney disease, who survived a primary aorto-enteric fistula (AEF) in the setting of chronic Q fever after presenting with melena and syncope. His initial surgical treatment included endovascular aortic repair. Type 2 endoleak was present post-operatively. Six months later, he was diagnosed with a secondary AEF after syncope and large volume hematemesis. He was definitively treated with an open explant of his stent, repair of the duodenum and bilateral axillofemoral bypass. Two years later, he remains active and independent on life-long antibiotics.
Queer for Art: Tennyson’s Poetic Autonomy as Female Same-Sex Desire
Authors: Speer Margaret
Published: December 2022

This article argues that in ‘The Lady of Shalott’, and later, to lesser degree, in In Memoriam, Alfred Tennyson expresses artistic autonomy by a Renaissance poetic trope of female same-sex desire. He does so to do away with the aesthetic closure and separation from the world implied by lesbianism in the Renaissance poetic imaginary. Via readings of these two poems, as well as historical and biographical examination of Tennyson’s writings and contemporaries’ writings about Tennyson – including later sexological writings – this article suggests that Tennyson’s choice of early modern aestheticized lesbianism as figure over the Hellenistic, intellectualized, male homoeroticism newly available in his Oxbridge milieu was personally as well as poetically motivated. Tennyson’s letters and biographies show that the poet was steeped in the tradition of erotic similitude. His poetry suggests that he anticipated the negative association between aestheticism and male homosexuality that would mark the end of his own century, so he portrayed solipsistic artistic production as linked to a female homoeroticism verging on autoeroticism. This article then offers a history of the strategic revival of a specific cultural-imaginary arrangement of female same-sex desire, and re-evaluates Tennyson’s place in the history of nineteenth-century homosexuality. Finally, in tracing erotic similitude’s relationship to autoeroticism, this article articulates the poetic and political stakes of historical morphologies of male homosexuality constructed as social, productive, and active, versus persistent constructions of female homosexuality as sterile, heretical, and anachronistic.
Microwave-absorbing materials for stealth application: a holistic overview
Authors: Sahoo Priyambada , Saini Lokesh , Dixit Ambesh
Published: December 2022

Implementation of stealth features on advanced airborne platforms (aircrafts, unmanned air vehicles, missiles, etc.) has become a compulsion for each country, for denial/delay detection of these objects from enemy radars, during tactical missions. Apart from the shaping of the airframe, implementation of microwave-absorbing materials (MAMs) on identified locations of airborne vehicles is the only viable solution to reduce their radar cross-section (RCS) and eventually attain stealth capabilities. Numerous dielectric and magnetic class materials have been developed over the last few decades to fulfil the requirement for RCS reduction against various radars operating in different frequency ranges. In this review, a detailed representation of almost the entire range of materials used as MAMs has been provided along with their possible microwave (MW) loss mechanism to fill the gap that existed for a systematic insight on MAMs till now. The current limitations and future aspects are also discussed for the development of future stealth materials.
NEURIM PHARMACEUTICALS (1991) LTD v GENERICS UK LTD (T/A MYLAN) (No. 2)
Authors:   Patents Court
Published: December 2022

H1 Patents — European patents — Pharmaceuticals — Insomnia treatments — Melatonin — Validity — Concurrent appeal in opposition proceedings before EPO — European Patent (UK) found invalid by the Patents Court — Consequentials order — “Sunset” provision included in respect of injunctive relief but not otherwise — Consequentials order made but not formally drawn up — Appeal to EPO Technical Board of Appeal withdrawn by patentee two days after consequentials order hearing — Patent treated as invalid ab initio — Jurisdiction to re-visit terms of consequentials order — Jurisdiction to vary or revoke under CPR r.3.1(7) — Barrell jurisdiction — Exercise of discretion — Grant of permission to appeal — Costs of the action — Case management
Dissolution testing of ursodeoxycholic acid suspension using SPE as sample preparation
Authors: Boscolo Oriana , Flor Sabrina , Dobrecky Cecilia , Tripodi Valeria , Lucangioli Silvia
Published: December 2022

Objectives

To develop and validate an analytical method by HPLC–UV (High Performance Liquid Chromatography–Ultraviolet) for the quantification of ursodeoxycholic acid suspension in a dissolution test followed by a solid phase extraction (SPE) to circumvent the interference of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) present in the dissolution medium.

Methods

United States Pharmacopeia (USP) apparatus 2. The dissolution medium was 900 ml of an aqueous solution of 0.05 M phosphate buffer (pH 8.4) with 2% SLS. The samples were filtered and cleaned by SPE with 500 mg/3ml C18 cartridges. The analytical method was validated for specificity, linearity, LOD (limit of detection), LOQ (limit of quantification) accuracy and precision. Chromatographic conditions, Symmetry-C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, id; 5 µm particle size), 40°C, 100 µl injection volume and UV detection at 200 nm. The flow rate was 1 ml/min using acetonitrile–phosphoric acid (pH 3.0, 0.15 mM) (48:52).

Key findings

SPE provided an efficient and selective extraction of ursodeoxycholic acid from the dissolution medium. On the other hand, the SPE washing step allowed the elimination of SLS. The ursodeoxycholic acid method optimisation and validation were accomplished with no less than 80% in 30 min.

Conclusion

The developed analytical method was simple and adequate for the analysis of ursodeoxycholic acid suspension samples that met the USP specifications for dissolution test.
Assessment of United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service Humane Handling Enforcement Actions: 2018–2020
Authors: Anderson Karly N , Kirk Ashlynn A , Vogel Kurt D
Published: December 2022

Federally inspected slaughter establishments in the United States must adhere to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and regulations that enforce it. Failure to comply with this law results in a Humane Handling Enforcement Action (HHEA) issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA FSIS). The objective of this study was to systematically analyze and describe HHEAs issued between 2018 and 2020. Enforcement action notification letters were accessed from the USDA FSIS website and date, location, regulatory action, reason for noncompliance, species, and follow up action for each HHEA was recorded. Summary statistics (proportions and percentages) were calculated for the entire population dataset. Between 2018 and 2020, FSIS issued 293 HHEAs; 109 in 2018, 85 in 2019, and 99 in 2020. The majority of HHEAs (64.16%; 188 of 293) were related to the mechanical stunning of bovine (39.93%; 117 of 293) and porcine (24.23%; 71 of 293) species. The majority (50.23%; 107 of 213) of causative reasons for mechanical stun failure across all species were not clearly described; however, of those that were, most (39.12%; 68 of 213) were related to the placement of mechanical stuns. Addressing these issues through improved training and research would help to reduce the total number of HHEAs. Additional detail in reporting the events that result in HHEAs from USDA FSIS would aid in guiding corrective actions on an industry-wide scale.
Impact of Time From Diagnosis to Treatment Start on the Outcomes of Patients With Nonmetastatic Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Abdel-Rahman Omar , Ghosh Sunita
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To assess the impact of time from diagnosis to treatment on the survival outcomes of patients with nonmetastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma, controlling for other clinicopathological features.

Methods:

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results research plus database was accessed, and patients with nonmetastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma were reviewed. Factors associated with longer time to treatment were evaluated through multivariable logistic regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were used to examine survival differences according to time to treatment (≤2 vs. >2 mo), and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with worse overall and cancer-specific survival.

Results:

A total of 13,032 patients were considered eligible and they were included in this study. The following factors were associated with longer time to treatment (>2 mo): male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.503; 95% CI, 1.292 to 1.749), and non-White race (OR for Black vs. White patients: 1.846; 95% CI, 1.488 to 2.290; OR for American Indian vs. White patients: 2.414; 95% CI, 1.197 to 4.872; OR for Asian-Pacific Islanders vs. White patients: 2.182; 95% CI, 1.440 to 3.309). Using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, longer time to treatment was associated with worse overall survival (median OS for >2 mo=109 mo; for ≤2 mo=164 mo P<0.0001). Using multivariable Cox regression analysis, the following factors were associated with worse overall survival: older age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.037; 95% CI, 1.034 to 1.039), male sex (HR: 1.650; 95% CI, 1.548 to 1.758), Black race (HR: 1.341; 95% CI, 1.210 to 1.487), advanced stage (HR for regional vs. localized stage: 1.596; 95% CI, 1.500 to 1.698), and longer time to treatment (HR: 1.385; 95% CI, 1.222 to 1.571).

Conclusions:

Time from diagnosis to treatment longer than 2 months is associated with worse survival outcomes among patients with nonmetastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma.
Causal Mediation Analysis with Multiple Time-varying Mediators
Authors: Tai An-Shun , Lin Sheng-Hsuan , Chu Yu-Cheng , Yu Tsung , Puhan Milo A. , VanderWeele Tyler
Published: December 2022

In longitudinal studies with time-varying exposures and mediators, the mediational g-formula is an important method for the assessment of direct and indirect effects. However, current methodologies based on the mediational g-formula can deal with only one mediator. This limitation makes these methodologies inapplicable to many scenarios. Hence, we develop a novel methodology by extending the mediational g-formula to cover cases with multiple time-varying mediators. We formulate two variants of our approach that are each suited to a distinct set of assumptions and effect definitions and present nonparametric identification results of each variant. We further show how complex causal mechanisms (whose complexity derives from the presence of multiple time-varying mediators) can be untangled. We implemented a parametric method, along with a user-friendly algorithm, in R software. We illustrate our method by investigating the complex causal mechanism underlying the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We found that the effects of lung function impairment mediated by dyspnea symptoms accounted for 14.6% of the total effect and that mediated by physical activity accounted for 11.9%. Our analyses thus illustrate the power of this approach, providing evidence for the mediating role of dyspnea and physical activity on the causal pathway from lung function impairment to health status. See video abstract at, http://links.lww.com/EDE/B988.
Serum uric acid / serum creatinine ratio as a predictor of cardiovascular events. Detection of prognostic cardiovascular cut-off values
Authors: Casiglia Edoardo , Tikhonoff Valérie , Virdis Agostino , Grassi Guido , Angeli Fabio , Barbagallo Carlo M. , Bombelli Michele , Cicero Arrigo F.G. , Cirillo Massimo , Cirillo Pietro , Dell’Oro Raffaella , D’elia Lanfranco , Desideri Giovambattista , Ferri Claudio , Galletti Ferruccio , Gesualdo Loreto , Giannattasio Cristina , Iaccarino Guido , Lippa Luciano , Mallamaci Francesca , Masi Stefano , Maloberti Alessandro , Masulli Maria , Mazza Alberto , Mengozzi Alessandro , Muiesan Maria Lorenza , Nazzaro Pietro , Palatini Paolo , Parati Gianfranco , Pontremoli Roberto , Quarti-Trevano Fosca , Rattazzi Marcello , Reboldi Gianpaolo , Rivasi Giulia , Salvetti Massimo , Tocci Giuliano , Ungar Andrea , Verdecchia Paolo , Viazzi Francesca , Volpe Massimo , Borghi Claudio
Published: December 2022

Objective:

In the frame of the Uric Acid Right for Heart Health (URRAH) study, a nationwide multicenter study involving adult participants recruited on a regional community basis from all the territory of Italy under the patronage of the Working Group on Uric Acid and Cardiovascular Risk of the Italian Society of Hypertension, we searched for the cut-off values of the ratio between serum uric acid (SUA) and serum creatinine (sCr) able to predict cardiovascular (CV) events.

Methods:

Among 20 724 participants followed-up for 126 ± 64 months, after detecting cut-off by the receiver operating characteristic curves, we calculated by Cox models adjusted for confounders having CV events as dependent variable the hazard ratio (HR) of SUA/sCr > cut-off. We also verified if the role of cut-off varied with increasing SUA/sCr.

Results:

A plausible prognostic cut-off of SUA/sCr was found and was the same in the whole database, in men and in women (>5.35). The HR of SUA/sCr > cut-off was 1.159 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.092–1.131, P < 0.03) in all, 1.161 (95% CI 1.021–1.335, P < 0.02) in men, and 1.444 (95% CI 1.012–1.113, P < 0.03) in women. In increasing quintiles of SUA/sCr the cut-offs were >3.08, >4.87, >5.35, >6.22 and >7.58, respectively. The HRs significantly increased from the 3rd to the 5th quintile (1.21, 95% CI 1.032–1.467, P = 0.018; 1.294, 95% CI 1.101–1.521, P = 0.002; and 1.642, 95% CI 1.405–1.919, P < 0.0001; respectively), that is, over 5.35, whereas the 2nd quintile was not significantly different from the 1st (reference).

Conclusion:

Having SUA/sCr >5.35 is an independent CV risk indicator both in men and women. The cut-off is dynamic and significantly increases with increasing SUA/sCr.
Intense Pulse Light Combined With Low-Level Light Therapy in Dry Eye Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ballesteros-Sánchez Antonio , Gargallo-Martínez Beatriz , Sánchez-González María Carmen , Sánchez-González José-María
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

To evaluate the improvement in symptoms and signs associated with intense pulse light (IPL) combined with low-level light therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of dry eye disease (DED).

Methods:

A systematic review of full-length original studies reporting the effects of IPL combined with LLLT for DED in two databases, PubMed and Scopus, was performed according to the PRISMA statement. The quality assessment tool for case series studies from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute was used to analyze the quality of the studies selected.

Results:

The search provided a total of 393 articles, of which six were included. Significant decreases in the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) score, MGD grade, and meiboscore and increases in tear film stability, lipid layer thickness, and loss area of the meibomian gland have been reported. Concerning tear volume, tear meniscus height, and Schirmer test remained unchanged. In relation to tear osmolarity and corneal fluorescein staining, contradictory outcomes were found.

Conclusions:

Intense pulse light combined with LLLT for the treatment of dry eye improves OSDI, tear film stability, and meibomian gland function; thus, this treatment may be recommended for DED patients due to MGD.
Tecovirimat Use in Ambulatory and Hospitalized Patients With Monkeypox Virus Infection
Authors: Wu En-Ling , Osborn Rebecca L. , Bertram Christie M. , Moore W. Justin , Galvin Shannon R. , Bolon Maureen K. , Masters Mary Clare , Krueger Karen M.
Published: December 2022

In this case series of 20 ambulatory and hospitalized adult patients treated for monkeypox virus at a large academic medical center in Chicago, Illinois, tecovirimat use was reserved for those with or at high risk of severe disease, delayed because of logistical and clinical factors, but well tolerated.
Assessing Changes in Insurance Status and Access to Care Among Patients Attending Chicago Sexually Transmitted Infection Specialty Clinics From 2013 to 2019
Authors: Korban Colin , Tabidze Irina , Broussard Dawn , Cruz Yvonne , Kern David , Mehta Supriya D.
Published: December 2022

Background

Public sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics are safety net providers for uninsured and underinsured individuals but are at risk for closure due to declining budgets and shifting priorities. This study sought to assess changes in insurance status and access to preventive care among public STI clinic patients after immediate and long-term implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Methods

Patients receiving care in STI clinics administered by Chicago Department of Public Health were asked to complete an anonymous survey in 2013, 2014, and 2019. We estimated the prevalence rate ratio (PRR) of (1) being insured and (2) having access to preventive care over time, adjusted for age, race, and gender/sexual orientation, and employment status.

Results

Among 1711 respondents, compared with 2013 patients, patients were 1.41 (adjusted PRR [aPRR]) times more likely to report being insured in 2014 (95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.77) and 1.24 (aPRR) times more likely to report being insured in 2019 (95% confidence interval, 0.99–1.55). After adjusting for other significant variables (age, sex and orientation, and insurance status), reported access to preventive care increased by 34% among respondents in 2019 as compared with 2013 (aPRR, 1.34). Unsurprisingly, being insured was associated with increased preventive care access (aPRR, 1.78).

Conclusions

Even after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, a survey of public STI clinic patients in Chicago found a sizeable proportion of individuals without insurance, and many lacked access to preventive care, highlighting the continued need for these safety net clinics to provide STI care.
Microbe Profile: Alteromonas macleodii − a widespread, fast-responding, ‘interactive’ marine bacterium
Authors: Wietz Matthias , López-Pérez Mario , Sher Daniel , Biller Steven J. , Rodriguez-Valera Francisco
Published: December 2022

Alteromonas macleodii

is a marine heterotrophic bacterium with widespread distribution − from temperate to tropical oceans, and from surface to deep waters. Strains of

A. macleodii

exhibit considerable genomic and metabolic variability, and can grow rapidly on diverse organic compounds.

A. macleodii

is a model organism for the study of population genomics, physiological adaptations and microbial interactions, with individual genomes encoding diverse phenotypic traits influenced by recombination and horizontal gene transfer.
Environmental exposures are important risk factors for advanced liver fibrosis in African American adults: NHANES 1999-2018
Authors: Ma Ning , Yip Rowena , Lewis Sara , Dinani Amreen , Wyatt Christina , Crane Michael , Jirapatnakul Artit , Li Li , Aloman Costica , Bansal Meena B. , Dieterich Douglas , Wyatt Brooke , Yankelevitz David , Henschke Claudia , Branch Andrea D.
Published: December 2022

Background and aims

The prevalence and etiology of liver fibrosis vary over time and impact racial/ethnic groups unevenly. This study measured time-trends and identified factors associated with advanced liver fibrosis in the U.S.

Methods

Standardized methods were used to analyze data on 47,422 participants (≥ 20 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2018). Advanced liver fibrosis was defined as Fibrosis-4 ≥2.67 and/or Forns Index ≥6.9 and elevated ALT.

Results

The estimated number of people with advanced liver fibrosis increased from 1.3 million (95% CI, 0.8-1.9) to 3.5 million (95% CI, 2.8-4.2), a nearly 3-fold increase. Prevalence was higher in non-Hispanic Black and Mexican American persons than in non-Hispanic White persons. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, cadmium was an independent risk factor in all racial/ethnic groups. Smoking and current excessive alcohol use were risk factors in most. Importantly, non-Hispanic Black persons had a distinctive set of risk factors compared to non-Hispanic White persons that included poverty (OR = 2.09; 95%CI, 1.44-3.03), and susceptibility to lead exposure (OR = 3.25; 95%CI, 1.95-5.43), but did not include diabetes (OR = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.61-1.27, P =0.52). Non-Hispanic Black persons were more likely to have high exposure to lead, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls, and poverty than Non-Hispanic White persons.

Conclusions

The number of people with advanced liver fibrosis has increased, creating a need to expand the liver care workforce. The risk factors for advanced fibrosis varied by racial/ethnicity. These variations provide useful information for the design of screening programs. Poverty and toxic exposures were associated with the high prevalence of advanced liver fibrosis in non-Hispanic Black persons and need to be addressed.

Lay summary

Because liver disease often produces few warning signs, simple and inexpensive screening tests that can be performed by non-specialists are needed to allow timely detection and linkage to care. This study shows that non-Hispanic Black persons have a distinctive set of risk factors that need to be taken into account when designing liver disease screening tests. Exposure to exogenous toxins may be especially important risk factors for advanced liver fibrosis in non-Hispanic Black persons.
Non-redundant dimethyl sulfoxide reductases influenceSalmonella entericaserotype Typhimurium anaerobic growth and virulence
Authors: Cruz E , Haeberle AL , Westerman TL , Durham ME , Suyemoto MM , Knodler LA , Elfenbein JR
Published: December 2022

Facultative anaerobic enteric pathogens can utilize a diverse array of alternate electron acceptors to support anaerobic metabolism and thrive in the hypoxic conditions within the mammalian gut. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is produced by methionine catabolism and can act as an alternate electron acceptor to support anaerobic respiration. The DMSO reductase complex consists of three subunits, DmsA, DmsB, and DmsC, and allows bacteria to grow anaerobically with DMSO as an electron acceptor. The genomes of non-typhoidalS. entericaencode three putativedmsABCoperons, but the impact of the apparent genetic redundancy in DMSO reduction on fitness of non-typhoidalS. entericaduring infection remains unknown. We hypothesized that DMSO reduction would be needed forS. entericaserotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) to colonize the mammalian gut. We demonstrate aS.Typhimurium mutant with loss of function in all three putative DMSO reductases (ΔdmsA3) poorly colonizes the mammalian intestine when the microbiota are intact and when inflammation is absent. DMSO reduction enhances anaerobic growth through non-redundant contributions of two of the DMSO reductases. Furthermore, DMSO reduction influences the expression of the type-3 secretion systems needed for virulence. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the DMSO reductases ofS.Typhimurium are functionally non-redundant and suggest DMSO is a physiologically relevant electron acceptor that supportsS. entericafitness in the gut.
Toward SME digital transformation in the supply chain context: the role of structural social and human capital
Authors: Lang Le Dang , Behl Abhishek , Phuong Nguyen Ngoc Duy , Gaur Jighyasu , Dzung Nguyen Tien
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Digital transformation (DT) and supply chain resilience have received increasing attention. Structural social capital (SSC) and human capital (HC) have recently been identified as strategic resources for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While the significant role of entrepreneurial competencies (ECs), SME innovativeness (SMI) and technology adoption (TA) in driving business performance have been partially researched, no studies have simultaneously examined the effect of these resources and capabilities on SME business performance growth (BPG) under the lenses of a resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities (DCs) as well as in the context of DT. This study aims to clarify these unclear relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts established theoretical lenses, a mixed-methods approach and structural equation modeling (SEM) using a sample of 371 respondents who are top and middle SME managers in Vietnam.

Findings

The study discovers the significant and insignificant relationships between HC, SSC, ECs, SMI, TA and BPG besides providing a new measurement and reconciling existing measurements for the DT context. Some implications for driving SMEs' DT are also suggested.

Originality/value

This study is the first to thoroughly examine the effect of HC and SSC on SMEs' BPG through the mediating role of ECs, SMI and TA under RBV and DCs lenses in the DT context. The investigation is conducted in an emerging market, where DT implementation is in the process of being learned and experimented upon.
Management psychological characteristics and earnings management
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Ahmed Jabbar Mohammed , Orfizadeh Saleh
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study investigates the relationship between management's psychological characteristics (managers' narcissism, overconfidence and managers' myopia) and earnings management in the pre-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and post-ISIS eras.

Design/methodology/approach

A multivariate regression model was used to test the hypotheses. The research hypotheses were tested using a sample of all companies listed on the Iraqi Stock Exchange from 2014 to 2020.

Findings

Findings indicate a positive and significant relationship between managers' narcissism, overconfidence and myopia with accrual and real earnings management. According to the results, the ISIS weakens the relationship between managers' narcissism, managers' overconfidence and managers' myopia with accrual and real earnings management.

Originality/value

Because no study has addressed this issue in Iraq so far, the results of this research can provide helpful information for its users and improve the knowledge and science in this area.
On the safe-haven and hedging properties of Bitcoin: new evidence from COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Abdelmalek Wafa , Benlagha Noureddine
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the safe-haven and hedging properties of Bitcoin against a wide variety of conventional assets before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a smooth transition regression (STR) to jointly test the hedging properties of Bitcoin in normal conditions and Bitcoin's safe-haven properties in extreme stock market conditions.

Findings

Highlighting the results, the authors show that Bitcoin is able to provide safe-haven feature during the COVID-19 pandemic period while Bitcoin serves as a hedge tool in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period. The findings also show that the prowess of the safe-haven/hedge nature is sensitive to the type of the asset market and the time horizon when switching from daily to weekly frequency data.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies that conduct a combined analysis of the safe-haven and hedging capabilities of Bitcoin against several asset classes using an STR method. This study uses the longest sample period to yet, allowing researchers to examine Bitcoin's safe-haven and hedging features both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The impact of strategic emphasis on the readability of narrative information in annual reports
Authors: Noh Minyoung , Park Jimi
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine how a firm’s strategic emphasis on value appropriation over value creation is associated with the readability of narrative disclosures in annual reports.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the effect of the strategic emphasis on annual report readability based on a total of 45,273 US firm-year (5,754 unique firms) observations for the period from 1994 to 2018. Strategic emphasis is measured as advertising expenses minus research and development expenses, scaled by sales and Bog index and various measures, such as the FOG, KINCAID and FLESCH index, are used to measure the annual report readability.

Findings

The authors find that the strategic emphasis on value appropriation over value creation is positively related to firms’ annual report readability. In addition, the positive effect of the strategic emphasis on value appropriation over value creation on annual report readability is more pronounced with high managerial ability.

Practical implications

With the continual effort of Securities and Exchange Commission regulation and IFRS updates to improve narrative disclosures, it is meaningful to provide evidence showing how managers shape narratives in annual reports by highlighting good news with easy-to-understand words, but also may establish a barrier to understanding by choosing to use long and complex words depending on their strategic emphasis.

Originality/value

The evidence suggests that a strategic emphasis between value appropriation and value creation and managerial ability is an important factor in shaping the readability of annual reports, which contributes to the management, accounting and finance literature that investigates the relationship between resource deployment (i.e. strategic emphasis) and textual properties of corporate financial disclosures (i.e. readability).