bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low- Versus High-Dose Methylprednisolone in Adult Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: Less Is More
Authors: Joshi Seema , Smith Zachary , Soman Sana , Jain Saniya , Yako Atheel , Hojeij Marwa , Massoud Louis , Alsaadi Ayman , Williams Jonathan , Kenney Rachel , Miller Joseph , Alangaden George , Ramesh Mayur
Published: December 2021

Background

Corticosteroids use in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) improves survival; however, the optimal dose is not established. We aim to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19 receiving high-dose corticosteroids (HDC) versus low-dose corticosteroids (LDC).

Methods

This was a quasi-experimental study conducted at a large, quaternary care center in Michigan. A corticosteroid dose change was implemented in the standardized institutional treatment protocol on November 17, 2020. All patients admitted with severe COVID-19 that received corticosteroids were included. Consecutive patients in the HDC group (September 1 to November 15, 2020) were compared to the LDC group (November 30, 2020 to January 20, 2021). High-dose corticosteroids was defined as 80 mg of methylprednisolone daily in 2 divided doses, and LDC was defined as 32–40 mg of methylprednisolone daily in 2 divided doses. The primary outcome was all-cause 28-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included progression to mechanical ventilation, hospital length of stay (LOS), discharge on supplemental oxygen, and corticosteroid-associated adverse events.

Results

Four-hundred seventy patients were included: 218 (46%) and 252 (54%) in the HDC and LDC groups, respectively. No difference was observed in 28-day mortality (14.5% vs 13.5%, P = .712). This finding remained intact when controlling for additional variables (odds ratio, 0.947; confidence interval, 0.515–1.742; P = .861). Median hospital LOS was 6 and 5 days in the HDC and LDC groups, respectively (P < .001). No differences were noted in any of the other secondary outcomes.

Conclusions

Low-dose methylprednisolone had comparable outcomes including mortality to high-dose methylprednisolone for the treatment of severe COVID-19.
“Es Como Que no los Conociera”: Reunification of Unaccompanied Migrant Youth with Their U.S. Families
Authors: Barros-Lane Liza , Brabeck Kalina , Berger Cardoso Jodi Arden
Published: December 2021

Family reunification following migration-related separations is often challenging for immigrant youth as they adjust to their new environment and reacquaint with their caregiver. Scant research has explored the experiences of family reunification specifically for unaccompanied immigrant youth. This study was a secondary analysis to explore the complexities of family reunification through the lens of attachment theory and family systems. Data were collected from 30 youth, six parents, and four school administrators via focus groups and semistructured interviews. Unaccompanied immigrant youth had arrived to the United States in the previous three years from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, or Mexico. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that the youth struggled to reconnect with their parents due to prolonged separations, which contributed to loneliness and feelings of loss. Parent–child attachment disruptions contributed to problems related to relationships among family members, traditional family roles and hierarchies, and new family constellations (e.g., blended families). Results point to the importance of developing interventions to increase trust, empathy, and communication between unaccompanied immigrant youth and their parents.
Analysis and Guidelines for Revisional Malarplasty; Most Common Facial Skeletal Contouring Surgery
Authors: Choi Bong-Kyoon , Seo Jung Yeol , Seo Hyung Joon , Choi Soo Jong , Lee Jae Woo , Kim Min Wook , Nam Su Bong , Bae Yong Chan
Published: December 2021

Background:

Revisional malarplasty is the most frequently performed and difficult to perform revision surgery among facial contouring surgeries. The incidence of postoperative complications and need for revision surgery is increasing because of indiscriminate malar reduction through a narrow surgical space. The authors analyzed cases of revisional malarplasty secondary to complications.

Methods:

The authors analyzed the time required and technique used in 172 patients who underwent revisional malarplasty in the past 3 years. The incision made for the approach and the graft material used for reconstruction were also investigated.

Results:

Of 172 patients, 35 (20.3%) underwent emergency revision. Furthermore, 71 (41.2%) required an intraoral incision, and 101 (58.8%) required a coronal incision. A total of 81(47.1%) patients required artificial or autogenous bone grafts.

Conclusions:

Patients with failed malarplasty should receive immediate intervention to prevent functional and cosmetic problems. When bone resorption occurs due to unfavorable union or nonunion, reconstruction using appropriate autologous tissue can prevent functional impairment and long-term cosmetic problems.
Baseball-Related Craniofacial Injury Among the Youth: A National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Database Study
Authors: Kaplan Nate , Kim Minji , Slavin Benjamin , Kaplan Lee , Thaller Seth R.
Published: December 2021

Background:

Baseball is 1 of the most played sports among adolescents in the United States. Yet, youth baseball players experience the greatest numberoforal and facial injuries, compared to other athletes involved in other sports.

Methods:

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was analyzed for all hospital admissions for youth baseball athletes (5–19-year-old) experiencing a baseball-related craniofacial injury. These included concussions, head contusions, head lacerations, facial contusions, facial fractures, facial hematomas, face lacerations, eye contusions, mouth lacerations, dental injuries, and neck contusions. Descriptive statistics were performed, and injury incidence was described by sport, injury type, and age group.

Results:

Nearly half of the injuries (45.0%) occurred among 10- to 14-year-old patients, followed by 5- to 9-year-olds and 15- to 19-year-olds. Of all age groups, the most common type of injury was facial contusions, compromising one fourth of the injuries. Other frequent injuries included facial lacerations (19.9%), facial fractures (19.7%), and concussions (13.4%).

Conclusions:

Overall, this analysis underscores the need for increased implementation of protective equipment, such as faceguards and safety balls. Although facial fractures are less common amongst the pediatric population, physicians and coaches need to be better educated about the most frequent injury patterns and management. Further prospective studies are warranted to better characterize these findings and to prevent injuries.
Molecular interaction and partitioning in α-keratin using
1
H NMR spin-lattice (
T
1
) relaxation times
Authors: Molisso Susannah , Williams Daryl R. , Ces Oscar , Rowlands Lucy J. , Marsh Jennifer M. , Law Robert V.
Published: December 2021

The interactions between small molecules and keratins are poorly understood. In this paper, a nuclear magnetic resonance method is presented to measure changes in the
1
H
T
1
relaxation times of small molecules in human hair keratin to quantify their interaction with the fibre. Two populations of small-molecule compounds were identified with distinct relaxation times, demonstrating the partitioning of the compounds into different keratin environments. The changes in relaxation time for solvent in hair compared with bulk solvent were shown to be related to the molecular weight (MW) and the partition coefficient, LogP, of the solvent investigated. Compounds with low MWs and high hydrophilicities had greater reductions in their
T
1
relaxation times and therefore experienced increased interactions with the hair fibre. The relative population sizes were also calculated. This is a significant step towards modelling the behaviour of small molecules in keratinous materials and other large insoluble fibrous proteins.
Effect of long-term ageing on graphene oxide: structure and thermal decomposition
Authors: Li Chen , Lu Yanling , Yan Jun , Yu Weibo , Zhao Ran , Du Shiguo , Niu Ke
Published: December 2021

After long-term ageing, the structure of graphene oxide prepared by the modified Hummers method changed. Because of the desorption of oxygen-containing functional groups, the C/O ratio of graphene oxide increased from 1.96 to 2.76. However, the average interlayer distance decreased from 0.660 to 0.567 nm. The content of -CH- and -CH
2
- decreased; however, the type of oxygen-containing functional groups did not change. Moreover,
I
D
/
I
G
increased from 0.87 to 0.92, indicating that the defect density decreased because of desorbing oxygen functional groups after ageing. When the temperature exceeded 60°C, CO
2
produced by decomposing graphene oxide was detected. The thermal decomposition changed after ageing. The decomposition peak temperature decreased from 216°C to 195°C. The CO
2
amount produced remained almost unchanged; however, the amount of CO, SO
2
and H
2
O decreased. After ageing, the apparent activation energy of graphene oxide decreased from 150 to 134 kJ mol
−1
.
Wave-breaking phenomena and global existence for the weakly dissipative generalized Novikov equation
Authors: Ji Shuguan , Zhou Yonghui
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we mainly study several problems on the weakly dissipative generalized Novikov equation. We first establish the local well-posedness of solutions. We then give the precise blow-up scenarios for the generalized Novikov equation provided the momentum density associated with their initial data changes sign, and obtain the blow-up rate of blow-up solutions. Finally, we prove that the equation has a global solution provided the momentum density associated with their initial data do not change sign.
USP: an independence test that improves on Pearson’s chi-squared and the
G
-test
Authors: Berrett Thomas B. , Samworth Richard J.
Published: December 2021

We present the

U

-statistic permutation (USP) test of independence in the context of discrete data displayed in a contingency table. Either Pearson’s

χ
2

-test of independence, or the

G

-test, are typically used for this task, but we argue that these tests have serious deficiencies, both in terms of their inability to control the size of the test, and their power properties. By contrast, the USP test is guaranteed to control the size of the test at the nominal level for all sample sizes, has no issues with small (or zero) cell counts, and is able to detect distributions that violate independence in only a minimal way. The test statistic is derived from a

U

-statistic estimator of a natural population measure of dependence, and we prove that this is the unique minimum variance unbiased estimator of this population quantity. The practical utility of the USP test is demonstrated on both simulated data, where its power can be dramatically greater than those of Pearson’s test, the

G

-test and Fisher’s exact test, and on real data. The USP test is implemented in the
R
package
USP
.
Lorentz resonance in the homogenization of plasmonic crystals
Authors: Li W. , Lipton R. , Maier M.
Published: December 2021

We explain the Lorentz resonances in plasmonic crystals that consist of two-dimensional nano-dielectric inclusions as the interaction between resonant material properties and geometric resonances of electrostatic nature. One example of such plasmonic crystals are graphene nanosheets that are periodically arranged within a non-magnetic bulk dielectric. We identify local geometric resonances on the length scale of the small-scale period. From a materials perspective, the graphene surface exhibits a dispersive surface conductance captured by the Drude model. Together these phenomena conspire to generate Lorentz resonances at frequencies controlled by the surface geometry and the surface conductance. The Lorentz resonances found in the frequency response of the effective dielectric tensor of the bulk metamaterial are shown to be given by an explicit formula, in which material properties and geometric resonances are decoupled. This formula is rigorous and obtained directly from corrector fields describing local electrostatic fields inside the heterogeneous structure. Our analytical findings can serve as an efficient computational tool to describe the general frequency dependence of periodic optical devices. As a concrete example, we investigate two prototypical geometries composed of nanotubes and nanoribbons.
Does global change increase the risk of maladaptation of Atlantic salmon migration through joint modifications of river temperature and discharge?
Authors: Arevalo Elorri , Maire Anthony , Tétard Stéphane , Prévost Etienne , Lange Frédéric , Marchand Frédéric , Josset Quentin , Drouineau Hilaire
Published: December 2021

In freshwater ecosystems, water temperature and discharge are two intrinsically associated triggers of key events in the life cycle of aquatic organisms such as the migration of diadromous fishes. However, global changes have already profoundly altered the thermal and hydrological regimes of rivers, affecting the timing of fish migration as well as the environmental conditions under which it occurs. In this study, we focused on Atlantic salmon (
Salmo salar
), an iconic diadromous species whose individuals migrate between marine nursery areas and continental spawning grounds. An innovative multivariate method was developed to analyse long-term datasets of daily water temperature, discharge and both salmon juvenile downstream and adult upstream migrations in three French rivers (the Bresle, Oir and Nivelle rivers). While all three rivers have gradually warmed over the last 35 years, changes in discharge have been very heterogeneous. Juveniles more frequently used warmer temperatures to migrate. Adults migrating a few weeks before spawning more frequently used warm temperatures associated with high discharges. This has already led to modifications in preferential niches of both life stages and suggests a potential mismatch between these populations' ecological preference and changes in their local environment due to global change.
Better baboon break-ups: collective decision theory of complex social network fissions
Authors: Lerch Brian A. , Abbott Karen C. , Archie Elizabeth A. , Alberts Susan C.
Published: December 2021

Many social groups are made up of complex social networks in which each individual associates with a distinct subset of its groupmates. If social groups become larger over time, competition often leads to a permanent group fission. During such fissions, complex social networks present a collective decision problem and a multidimensional optimization problem: it is advantageous for each individual to remain with their closest allies after a fission, but impossible for every individual to do so. Here, we develop computational algorithms designed to simulate group fissions in a network-theoretic framework. We focus on three fission algorithms (democracy, community and despotism) that fall on a spectrum from a democratic to a dictatorial collective decision. We parameterize our social networks with data from wild baboons (
Papio cynocephalus
) and compare our simulated fissions with actual baboon fission events. We find that the democracy and community algorithms (egalitarian decisions where each individual influences the outcome) better maintain social networks during simulated fissions than despotic decisions (driven primarily by a single individual). We also find that egalitarian decisions are better at predicting the observed individual-level outcomes of observed fissions, although the observed fissions often disturbed their social networks more than the simulated egalitarian fissions.
Aliidiomarina indica sp. nov., isolated from deep seawater
Authors: Song Lei , Liu Hongcan , Huang Ying , Dai Xin , Zhou Yuguang
Published: December 2021

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated SW123T, was isolated from a deep-sea water sample collected from the Indian Ocean. Strain SW123T was strictly aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and summed feature 9 (comprising C16 : 0-methyl or iso-C17 : 1
ω9c). Ubiquinone-8 was the sole respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The genomic DNA G+C content was 49.4 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SW123T was closely related to

Aliidiomarina shirensis

AIST (96.7 % sequence similarity),

Aliidiomarina iranensis

GBPy7T (96.3%),

Aliidiomarina haloalkalitolerans

AK5T (96.0%) and

Aliidiomarina celeris

F3105T (95.9%). Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SW123T represented a novel member of the genus

Aliidiomarina

, forming a distinct cluster with

A. celeris

F3105T. On the basis of phylogenetic inference and phenotypic characteristics, we propose that strain SW123T represents a novel species of the genus

Aliidiomarina

, with the name Aliidiomarina indica sp. nov. The type strain is SW123T (=CGMCC1.16169T=KCTC 82234T).
Ottowia caeni sp. nov., a novel phenylacetic acid degrading bacterium isolated from sludge
Authors: Pang Fa-Hu , Yang Hui-Ying , Sun Jie , Yu Xing , Zhang Hao
Published: December 2021

A novel bacterium, designated BD-1T, was isolated from a sludge sample. Cells of the novel Gram-stain-negative strain were identified to be facultative anaerobic, non-motile and short rod-shaped. Growth occurred at 15–37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.0–10.0 (pH 7.0) and in 0–4.0  % NaCl (2.0 %, w/v). The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain BD-1T showed the highest sequence similarity to

Ottowia thiooxydans

DSM 14619T (97.0 %), followed by

Ottowia pentelensis

DSM 21699T (96.3 %) and less than 96 % to other related strains. The phylogenetic trees revealed that strain BD-1T clustered within the genus

Ottowia

. Summed feature 3 (C16 : 1
 ω7c and/or C16 : 1
 ω6c, 48.2 %), C16 : 0 (23.2 %) and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1
 ω7c and/or C18 : 1
 ω6c, 8.6 %) were the major fatty acids (>5 %), and ubiquinone-8 was the respiratory quinone. Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol were identified as the major polar lipids. Meanwhile, the G+C content of the DNA was 63.6 mol% based on the draft genome analysis. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain BD-1T and DSM 14619T were 74.5 and 21.4  %, respectively. In addition, the novel strain completely degraded 500 mg l−1 phenylacetic acid within 72 h under the condition of 3 % NaCl. Given the results of genomic, phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain BD-1T was considered to represent a novel species of the genus

Ottowia

, for which the name Ottowia caeni sp. nov. is proposed. The strain is a potential resource for the bioremediation of phenylacetic acid contaminated water. The type strain is BD-1T (=CGMCC 1.18541T=KCTC 82183T).
Chikungunya virus produced by a persistently infected mosquito cell line comprises a shorter genome and is non-infectious to mammalian cells
Authors: de Oliveira Athos S. , Vasconcellos Anna Fernanda , Rodrigues Bruno M. P. , da Silva Leonardo A. , Resende Renato O. , Ribeiro Bergmann M.
Published: December 2021

Although RNA viruses have high mutation rates, host cells and organisms work as selective environments, maintaining the viability of virus populations by eliminating deleterious genotypes. In serial passages of RNA viruses in a single cell line, most of these selective bottlenecks are absent, with no virus circulation and replication in different tissues or host alternation. In this work, Aedes aegypti Aag-2 cells were accidentally infected with Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV). After numerous passages to achieve infection persistency, the infectivity of these viruses was evaluated in Ae. albopictus C6/36 cells, African green monkey Vero cells and primary-cultured human fibroblasts. While these CHIKV and MAYV isolates were still infectious to mosquito cells, they lost their ability to infect mammalian cells. After genome sequencing, it was observed that CHIKV accumulated many nonsynonymous mutations and a significant deletion in the coding sequence of the hypervariable domain in the nsP3 gene. Since MAYV showed very low titres, it was not sequenced successfully. Persistently infected Aag-2 cells also accumulated high loads of short and recombinant CHIKV RNAs, which seemed to have been originated from virus-derived DNAs. In conclusion, the genome of this CHIKV isolate could guide mutagenesis strategies for the production of attenuated or non-infectious (to mammals) CHIKV vaccine candidates. Our results also reinforce that a paradox is expected during passages of cells persistently infected by RNA viruses: more loosening for the development of more diverse virus genotypes and more pressure for virus specialization to this constant cellular environment.
A pentaplex real-time PCR assay for rapid identification of major beta-lactamase genes KPC, NDM, CTX, CMY, and OXA-48 directly from bacteria in blood
Authors: Hoj Taalin R. , McNeely Bradley , Webber Kylie , Welling Evelyn , Pitt William G. , Ford Larry C. , Robison Richard A.
Published: December 2021

Introduction. Antibiotic resistance, particularly in cases of sepsis, has emerged as a growing global public health concern and economic burden. Current methods of blood culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of agents involved in sepsis can take as long as 3–5 days. It is vital to rapidly identify which antimicrobials can be used to effectively treat sepsis cases on an individual basis. Here, we present a pentaplex, real-time PCR-based assay that can quickly identify the most common beta-lactamase genes (

Klebsiella pneumoniae

carbapenemase (KPC); New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM); cefotaximase-Munich (CTX-M); cephamycin AmpC beta-lactamases (CMY); and Oxacillinase-48 (OXA-48)) from pathogens derived directly from the blood of patients presenting with bacterial septicemia.

Aim. To develop an assay which can rapidly identify the most common beta-lactamase genes in Carbapenem-resistant

Enterobacteriaceae

bacteria (CREs) from the United States.

Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Septicemia caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria has a death rate of 40–60 %. Rapid diagnosis of antibiotic susceptibility directly from bacteria in blood by identification of beta-lactamase genes will greatly improve survival rates. In this work, we develop an assay capable of concurrently identifying the five most common beta-lactamase and carbapenemase genes.

Methodology. Primers and probes were created which can identify all subtypes of

Klebsiella pneumoniae

carbapenemase (KPC); New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM); cefotaximase-Munich (CTX); cephamycin AmpC beta-lactamase (CMY); and oxacillinase-48 (OXA-48). The assay was validated using 13 isolates containing various PCR targets from the Centre for Disease Control Antimicrobial Resistance Isolate Bank

Enterobacterales

Carbapenemase Diversity Panel. Blood obtained from volunteers was spiked with CREs and bacteria were separated, lysed, and subjected to analysis via the pentaplex assay.

Results. This pentaplex assay successfully identified beta-lactamase genes derived from bacteria separated from blood at concentrations of 4–8 c.f.u. ml−1.

Conclusion. This assay will improve patient outcomes by supplying physicians with critical drug resistance information within 2 h of septicemia onset, allowing them to prescribe effective antimicrobials corresponding to the resistance gene(s) present in the pathogen. In addition, information supplied by this assay will lessen the inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials and prevent the evolution of further antibiotic resistance.
The global population structure and evolutionary history of the acquisition of major virulence factor-encoding genetic elements in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O121:H19
Authors: Nishida Ruriko , Nakamura Keiji , Taniguchi Itsuki , Murase Kazunori , Ooka Tadasuke , Ogura Yoshitoshi , Gotoh Yasuhiro , Itoh Takehiko , Toyoda Atsushi , Mainil Jacques Georges , Piérard Denis , Seto Kazuko , Harada Tetsuya , Isobe Junko , Kimata Keiko , Etoh Yoshiki , Hamasaki Mitsuhiro , Narimatsu Hiroshi , Yatsuyanagi Jun , Kameyama Mitsuhiro , Matsumoto Yuko , Nagai Yuhki , Kawase Jun , Yokoyama Eiji , Ishikawa Kazuhiko , Shiomoto Takayuki , Lee Kenichi , Kang Dongchon , Akashi Koichi , Ohnishi Makoto , Iyoda Sunao , Hayashi Tetsuya
Published: December 2021

Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing

Escherichia coli

(STEC) are foodborne pathogens causing serious diseases, such as haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Although O157:H7 STEC strains have been the most prevalent, incidences of STEC infections by several other serotypes have recently increased. O121:H19 STEC is one of these major non-O157 STECs, but systematic whole genome sequence (WGS) analyses have not yet been conducted on this STEC. Here, we performed a global WGS analysis of 638 O121:H19 strains, including 143 sequenced in this study, and a detailed comparison of 11 complete genomes, including four obtained in this study. By serotype-wide WGS analysis, we found that O121:H19 strains were divided into four lineages, including major and second major lineages (named L1 and L3, respectively), and that the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) encoding a type III secretion system (T3SS) was acquired by the common ancestor of O121:H19. Analyses of 11 complete genomes belonging to L1 or L3 revealed remarkable interlineage differences in the prophage pool and prophage-encoded T3SS effector repertoire, independent acquisition of virulence plasmids by the two lineages, and high conservation in the prophage repertoire, including that for Stx2a phages in lineage L1. Further sequence determination of complete Stx2a phage genomes of 49 strains confirmed that Stx2a phages in lineage L1 are highly conserved short-tailed phages, while those in lineage L3 are long-tailed lambda-like phages with notable genomic diversity, suggesting that an Stx2a phage was acquired by the common ancestor of L1 and has been stably maintained. Consistent with these genomic features of Stx2a phages, most lineage L1 strains produced much higher levels of Stx2a than lineage L3 strains. Altogether, this study provides a global phylogenetic overview of O121:H19 STEC and shows the interlineage genomic differences and the highly conserved genomic features of the major lineage within this serotype of STEC.
The Potential Role of Exercise Training and Mechanical Loading on Bone-Associated Skeletal Nerves
Authors: Negri Stefano , Samuel T. Jake , Lee Seungyong
Published: December 2021

The spatial distribution, innervation, and functional role of the bone-associated skeletal nerves have been previously reported in detail. However, studies examining exercise-induced associations between skeletal nerves and bone metabolism are limited. This review introduces a potential relationship between exercise and the skeletal nerves and discusses how it can contribute to exercise-induced bone anabolism. First, the background and current understanding of nerve fiber types and their functions in the skeleton are provided. Next, the influence of exercise and mechanical loading on the skeletal nervous system is elaborated. Effective synthesis of recent studies could serve as an established baseline for the novel discovery of the effects of exercise on skeletal nerve density and bone anabolic activity in the future. Therefore, this review overviews the existing evidence for the neural control of bone metabolism and the potential positive effects of exercise on the peripheral skeletal nervous system. The influence of exercise training models on the relationships of sensory nerve signals with osteoblast-mediated bone formation and the increased bone volume provides the first insight on the potential importance of exercise training in stimulating positive adaptations in the skeletal nerve-bone interaction and its downstream effect on bone metabolism, thereby highlighting its therapeutic potential in a variety of clinical populations.
Intestinal SEC16B modulates obesity by controlling dietary lipid absorption
Authors: Shi Ruicheng , Lu Wei , Tian Ye , Wang Bo
Published: December 2021

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants in SEC16 homolog B (SEC16B) locus to be associated with obesity and body mass index (BMI) in various populations. SEC16B encodes a scaffold protein located at endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites that is implicated to participate in the trafficking of COPII vesicles in mammalian cells. However, the function of SEC16B in vivo, especially in lipid metabolism, has not been investigated. Here we demonstrated that intestinal SEC16B is required for dietary lipid absorption in mice. We showed that Sec16b intestinal knockout (IKO) mice, especially female mice, were protected from HFD-induced obesity. Loss of SEC16B in intestine dramatically reduced postprandial serum triglyceride output upon intragastric lipid load or during overnight fasting and high-fat diet (HFD) refeeding. Further studies showed that intestinal SEC16B deficiency impaired apoB lipidation and chylomicron secretion. These results revealed that SEC16B plays important roles in dietary lipid absorption, which may shed light on the association between variants in SEC16B and obesity in human.
Unique financing strategies among beginning farmers and ranchers: differences among multigenerational and beginning operations
Authors: Thilmany Dawn , Bauman Allison , Hadrich Joleen , Jablonski Becca B.R. , Sullins Martha
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Beginning farmers have unique challenges securing credit because they are less likely to have established sales and collateral for secured loans. This article explores US beginning farmers’ financing strategies relative to those of established operations, with a focus on the source of financing and debt structure (short- vs long-term usage). Agricultural operations commonly use nontraditional financing tools and strategies to start, build and/or sustain their businesses. This article provides a comparative overview of financing strategies comparing established operators to operations with only beginning operators, as well as those multigenerational operations with at least one beginning operator.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses 2013–2016 USDA Agricultural Resource Management Survey data to explore how various financing patterns vary across US beginning farmers and ranchers with a particular focus on understanding differences where (1) all operators are beginning, (2) there is a mix of beginning and established operators and (3) all operators are established.

Findings

This article explores how the nature of beginning farmer status, human capital resources and alternative marketing strategies may influence financial management strategies and lead to differential use of nontraditional financing sources for beginning farmers and ranchers.

Originality/value

Though exploratory, the authors hope that attention to patterns among US beginning farmers and ranchers of reliance on human capital resources including off-farm income and type of beginning farm operation, nontraditional government support programs and alternative marketing strategies can provide important information as to the role of nontraditional credit in the US farm economy.
Exploring sketches as conceptual data: a semiological experiment on moods visualisation among architectural students
Authors: Abd Manan Mohd Shahrudin , Kennedy Blakely
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Sketching is a creative skill that most architects develop over their long period of study and is considered an effective medium for communicating imaginative thinking and conceptual ideas in architecture. As a concept, mood is generally associated with imagining specific ambiance and spatial experience during the schematic phase of the architectural design process. While most architectural research on mood revolves around post-occupancy evaluation, colour effect and lighting comfort, few studies have been conducted to systematically investigate conceptual issues related to mood imagination. Besides, there has been little attempt to appreciate sketches as a reliable conceptual data source for architectural research.

Design/methodology/approach

To bridge this knowledge gap, this paper explores a semiological analysis of mood visualisation using architectural sketches. By framing the experiment within the architecture education context, the paper begins by discussing the relationship between sketching, mood and semiology in architecture. The discussion continues by highlighting methodological issues in the design of our experiment. The experiment comprised architecture students from undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Following the visual and textual data derived from the experiment, two semiological analyses, namely, mood sign analysis and mood signifier analysis, were conducted to understand their imaginative thinking.

Findings

The results revealed significant preferential differences between the students on the use of specific semiotic representation and design language to conceptualise their mood idea.

Originality/value

As a preliminary experiment, this study constitutes an early attempt to further explore potential research related to architectural sketches and the creative imagination that may be beneficial to designers, art psychologists, educators and researchers alike.
Production and characteristic quality of probiotic Labneh cheese supplemented with broccoli florets
Authors: Abd El-Montaleb Hani S. , Abbas Khaled Abd-Elhakam , Mwaheb Mai Ali , Hamdy Shaimaa Mohamed
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop functional probiotic Labneh cheeses supplemented with broccoli florets.

Design/methodology/approach

Probiotic Labneh cheese was produced using broccoli florets paste at four different levels (0, 5, 10 and 15%), with Lactobacillus casei NRRL B-1922 as a probiotic strain, to evaluate its physicochemical, phenols, antioxidant activity, minerals, vitamins, textural, microbiological and sensory characteristics during storage for 15 days.

Findings

The results indicated that Labneh cheese with added broccoli paste exhibited significantly (p = 0.05) higher level of moisture, acidity, soluble nitrogen, phenols, antioxidant activity, minerals and B vitamins, and lower protein, fat, ash and pH values when compared to control Labneh cheese. Textural analysis of Labneh cheese indicated that Labneh with higher level of broccoli (15%) exhibited harder texture than others. Higher viable counts of Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus thermophilus were detected in Labneh with broccoli paste, and the counts (107 cfu/g) were higher than the number should be present to achieve their health benefits. The most acceptable Labneh cheeses were those supplemented with 5 and 10% broccoli paste.

Originality/value

This study revealed broccoli florets could enhance the growth of Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus thermophilus in the Labneh matrix, which resulted in a wider spectrum of health benefits of Labneh cheese to the consumers.
Research on the threshold of symbiosis between finance and real economy – empirical test based on banking panel threshold model
Authors: Fan Conglai , Cai Xinlei , Lin Jian
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Starting from the theoretical mechanism of profit sharing between finance and the real economy, this paper reviews and analyzes the profitability of China's banking industry and makes a horizontal comparison with the banking industry of the United States, Japan, and Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the panel threshold model, it is found that there is a dual-threshold asymmetric effect between banking profit and the growth of real economy. When the net profit rate of the banking industry is lower than 0.491%, the increase in banking profitability will inhibit the growth of real economy due to profit grabbing; when the rate falls within the range of 0.491–0.801%, the increase in bank profitability is conducive to the growth of real economy.

Findings

Finance and the real economy are in the most comfortable symbiotic state; when the rate is higher than 0.801%, the continued increase in bank profitability will weaken the promotion effect of finance on the real economy, but bank profitability and the growth of real economy are still in a symbiotic state of positive promotion.

Originality/value

The promotion effect of China's bank profitability to the growth of real economy has shifted from the suboptimal state to the optimal range as a whole, which is attributed to the strong deleveraging and strict supervision of the Chinese government after 2016, the timely and decisive “stepping on the brakes”, pulling the financial sector back from the “illusion” caused by “self-circulated” profits and preventing it from harming the real economy.
Returns to formal and informal vocational education and training in India
Authors: Bahl Shweta , Bhatt Vasavi , Sharma Ajay
Published: December 2021

Purpose

In the process of school-to-work transition, the role of general education and vocational education and training (VET) remains quite central. Based on the human capital theory, we estimate whether investment in VET brings additional returns for workers across the age cohorts.

Design/methodology/approach

The focus of our study being the labour market in India, the data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2018–19, conducted by the National Statistical Office, has been used for analysis. We have applied the ordinary least square method with sample selection correction, the quasi-experimental technique of propensity score matching and heteroskedasticity based instrumental variable approach to estimate the returns with respect to no VET, formal VET and informal VET.

Findings

Our study shows that workers with formal VET earn higher wages than workers with no VET or informal VET. The study finds that workers with informal VET do not earn higher wages than workers with no VET. Moreover, from the age cohort analysis, we have deduced that wage advantage of workers with formal VET persists across all age cohorts and, in fact, accentuates with an increase in age.

Originality/value

We have estimated that VET being complemented with basic general education fetches higher returns in the labour market, especially when provided through formal channels. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, in the case of developing countries where informal VET is widely provided, this is one of the first studies that captures the return to informal VET. Lastly, complementing the existing studies on the developed countries, we have estimated the returns to VET over the life cycle of the workers.
Testing the organizational trust contents of coast guard organizations in Taiwan
Authors: Kao Jui-Chung , Cho Cheng-Chung , Rui-Hsin Kao
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose is to verify the OTC of Taiwan coast guard organizations and to explore whether the views of coast guard personnel on the trust of supervisors, colleagues and subordinates are consistent based on vertical or horizontal relationship in the organization.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an empirical study conducted with 412 participants from Taiwan coast guard organizations.

Findings

The main finding of this study was that, in Taiwan coast guard organizations, there are differences in the perceptions of organizational trust contents (OTC) in different measuring subjects that are nonexistent in previous studies on other cultures. In particular, the recognition of organizational trust (OT) in subordinates was higher than that in colleagues, while the recognition of OT in colleagues was higher than that in supervisors. Furthermore, measuring the same object with different dimensions, it was found that the OT of colleagues' honest negotiation was significantly higher than those of “not to take excessive advantage (NTEA)” and “keep commitments.” There was no difference in recognition of the three dimensions for subordinates and supervisors.

Originality/value

The result confirms the structure of the Organizational Trust Inventory model of Taiwan coast guard organizations. In addition, Chinese culture evidently influences the weight on each of the contracting behaviors expected of different referents; particularly, trustworthy subordinates are more expected to exhibit good contracting behaviors than supervisors and coworkers. This study contributes to the understanding of how to foster trust in terms of good contracting behaviors in Taiwan coast guard organizations.
Product placement by social media homefluencers during new normal
Authors: Ghosh Mollika
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze how product placement through social media influencers (SMIs) during “new normal” can generate user-generated content (UGC) and determine the manners of product placement by SMIs who have become “homefluencers” by their skills.

Design/methodology/approach

This research applies a qualitative approach of thematic content analysis of a total of 49 micro and nano-homefluencer's contents in beauty fashion, clothing, workout-yoga, food and lifestyle sectors on Instagram.

Findings

The findings of this study identify the main five themes of homefluencers by analyzing UGC in the new normal portraying both positive and negative comments incorporating four manners of product placement as a framework backed by two identified skills: relevance and relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This research pioneers the study on how SMIs as “homefluencers” can adapt product placement skills in crises strengthening UGC by proposing a framework in the existing influencer marketing literature, where research is scarce.

Practical implications

The findings of this research represent a guideline for effective SMI marketing development in the new normal and post-COVID. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided for the brand managers and influencers uplifting UGC blending skill of relevancy and relationship in product placement.

Originality/value

The author has contributed to the body of research by qualitatively analyzing how “homefluencer's” product placement in a crisis period can manage consistency and humanitarian association amplifying UGC and the practical implications in post-COVID.
The transcendent function in Spitteler’s Prometheus and Epimetheus
Authors: Beebe John , Myers Steve
Published: December 2021

In August 2020, John Beebe and Steve Myers met via Zoom to discuss their differing interpretations of psychological typology and the different sources within Jung’s writings that influenced their books: Integrity in Depth: Energies and Patterns in Psychological Type (Beebe), and Myers‐Briggs Typology vs Jungian Individuation (Myers). The discussion centred on Spitteler’s epic poem Prometheus und Epimetheus, which forms the basis of chapter V of Psychological Types. This is both the largest chapter and one of two chapters that Jung highlighted in the Argentine foreword as containing the essence of the book. Jung’s book is primarily about the transformation of personality rather than the categorization of people. Although it contains a critical psychology that deconstructs the nature of consciousness, that is only one half of the book and a stepping‐stone to the other half, which is the reconciliation of opposites with particular emphasis on the relation of consciousness and the unconscious. Jung assumed that readers were already familiar with Prometheus und Epimetheus, an understanding of which sheds light on the nature of the transformation that Jung described – the development of a new attitude towards attitude itself.
Public opinion towards welfare state reform: The role of political trust and government satisfaction
Authors: GARRITZMANN JULIAN L. , NEIMANNS ERIK , BUSEMEYER MARIUS R.
Published: December 2021

The traditional welfare state, which emerged as a response to industrialization, is not well equipped to address the challenges of today's post‐industrial knowledge economies. Experts and policymakers have therefore called for welfare state readjustment towards a ‘social investment’ model (focusing on human skills and capabilities). Under what conditions are citizens willing to accept such future‐oriented reforms? We point at the crucial but hitherto neglected role of citizens’ trust in and satisfaction with government. Trust and satisfaction matter because future‐oriented reforms generate uncertainties, risks and costs, which trust and government satisfaction can attenuate. We offer micro‐level causal evidence using experiments in a representative survey covering eight European countries and confirm these findings with European Social Survey data for 22 countries. We find that trust and government satisfaction increase reform support and moderate the effects of self‐interest and ideological standpoints. These findings have crucial implications not least because they help explain why some countries manage – but others fail – to enact important reforms.
Prognostic death factors in secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis children with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome receiving continuous renal replacement therapy: A multicenter prospective nested case‐control study
Authors: Cui Yun , Shi Jingyi , Lu Guoping , Wang Ying , Zhu Xiaodong , Ren Hong , Zhu Yueniu , Yan Gangfeng , Wang Chunxia , Zhang Yucai
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (SHLH) causes significant mortality. We aimed to identify the predictor factors for death in pediatric patients with SHLH‐associated MODS receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

Methods

This multicentered nested case–control study was conducted from 2016 to 2020. The characteristics were compared between survivors and non‐survivors. Logistic regression was applied to identify the risk factors for death. The cutoff values were assessed by receiver operating characteristics curves.

Results

Fifty two patients were enrolled in this study. Interleukin‐6 level (p = 0.018) and the number of organ dysfunction (p = 0.047) were independent risk factors for death. The cutoff value of 13.12 pg/ml interleukin‐6 and three organs dysfunction at CRRT initiation presented a high sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusion

The number of organ dysfunction and interleukin‐6 at CRRT initiation are independent risk factors for death in pediatric patients with SHLH‐associated MODS.