bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A real asset management approach for Islamic investment in containerships
Authors: Abdullah Adam , Hassan Rusni , Kassim Salina
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a real asset management investment appraisal of the performance of containerships as a primary segment within international shipping, to facilitate Islamic equity investment through a shipping fund. The objectives are to evaluate the risks and returns of shipping under the framework of Islamic equity finance, and to analyze the performance of investing in containerships over the long term, to appeal to retail and institutional clients of Malaysian asset management institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Accordingly, the methodology adopts an investment analysis of a full population of historical data over a period of 20 years, to evaluate performance involving a maritime return on investment (MROI), internal rate of return (IRR), net yield and standard deviation measures of risk and return.

Findings

The findings reveal that while earnings are volatile in comparison to capital market expectations, unlevered, tax-free returns on containership investments outperform financial and other real assets.

Research limitations/implications

Shipping is a strong growth industry with about 84 per cent of global trade carried out by the international shipping industry. The problem is that many Islamic asset management institutions and investors have essentially no exposure to Islamic investment in international shipping.

Practical implications

However, shipping is a highly capital-intensive industry, and currently 75 per cent of ship lending has been conducted by European banks and financed on a conventional basis. Post-financial crisis, ship owners, ship lenders and shipyards have all been exposed to the impact of over-levered balance sheets and debt finance. There is a demand for alternative sources of finance.

Social implications

By communicating risk and reward more effectively, retail and institutional investors, as well as Islamic finance institutions, will realize that the social benefit of equity finance on the basis of profit sharing is more efficient at allocating investible resources than debt finance at interest, thereby increasing investment and economic growth.

Originality/value

The significance is that Islamic equity finance, rather than debt at the time-value of money, should enhance the development of international shipping.
Ethical values and bank performance: evidence from financial institutions in Malaysia
Authors: Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Azma Fatiema , Hashim Hafiza Aishah , Mohamad Ariff Akmalia
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between ethical values and performance in the context of the banking sector in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the philanthropic model, this study posits that firms undertakingzakatand charity are ethical firms. Zakat disclosure index (ZDI) and charity disclosure index (CDI) were constructed to measure ethical values. This study hypothesises that ethical values are positively associated with bank performance. Ethical values (i.e. CDI and ZDI) and financial performance data (i.e. return on assets) were collected from the disclosures made in the annual reports of 50 banks for a period of five years (2010-2014).

Findings

A positive association was found betweenzakatdisclosure and bank performance. The results indicate that higherzakatdisclosure is associated with greater bank performance. However, no relationship was found between charity disclosure and bank performance.

Research limitations/implications

Considering the limitation of the index used in this study, other dimensions such as corporate governance, sustainability, products and environment can be considered in the development of index to measure ethical values in future studies.

Originality/value

This study offers additional explanation on the relationship between ethical values and performance by examining the role ofzakatdisclosures that characterize the unique aspects of Malaysian companies.
Examining the impact of institutional pressures and green supply chain management practices on firm performance
Authors: Ahmed Waqar , Najmi Arsalan , Khan Farhana
Published: January 2020

Purpose

With the challenge of ecological business sustainability, concepts like green design, eco-friendly products, sustainable technologies and efficient processes have compelled the organizations to adopt change. The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding the impact of green supply chain (GSC) management practices and institutional pressures on economic and environmental performances of organizations in an unstable developing economy.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from the supply chain specialists working in manufacturing firms through a questionnaire. Valid data of 101 respondents were used for analyzing the relationship among the constructs with the help of structural equation modeling.

Findings

The result of this study reveals that internal GSC practices and institutional pressure have a negative insignificant impact on economic performance, whereas all the constructs are the significant contributors toward improving environmental performance.

Practical implications

This study will help the supply chain decision makers to make a strategy that is beneficial for improving both economic and environmental dimensions of the performance of a firm.

Originality/value

An environmental management study under a rapidly changing scenario is always helpful to understand the behavior and its impact. This study is very useful and need of a time in the context of any developing country facing an economic and environmental crisis.
It is not an investment if it is destroying the planet
Authors: Mehta Pooja , Singh Manjit , Mittal Manju
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the existing literature on sustainable investments and propose an integrated conceptual framework for measuring socially responsible investment intention of investors.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the theory of planned behaviour, the study discusses an integrated conceptual framework by thoroughly analysing the empirical studies of last 18 years, from 2001 to 2018. Some of the important measures of these studies have been reviewed, such as country of study, research methodology applied, sample size and respondents selected, model/theory applied, variables selected and significant findings of the study.

Findings

The study posits that collectivism, knowledge about sustainable investment, pro-environmental attitude and perceived risk will have a positive impact on attitude (ATT) towards SRI. Moreover, attitude (ATT) and subjective norms (SN) will be positively related to intention (INT) along with the mediating effect of social investing efficacy (SIE) and moderating effects of religiosity beliefs.

Practical implications

Besides implications for financial managers, various government bodies, prospective investors and other stakeholders, the study will provide impetus to companies for designing more sustainable funds that can promulgate the values and beliefs of investors.

Originality/value

The study incrementally contributes to the literature by way of suggesting a conceptual framework that can be empirically tested by future researchers.
Mechanical properties of porous structure 3D printed with Vero White photosensitive resin
Authors: Yu Tianbiao , Zhao Yu , Bi Xiaoxi , Song Boxue , Chen Ying
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of the porous structure on the maximum stress and modulus of elasticity of the specimens which are fabricated by rapid prototypes. According to the experimental results, modify the theoretical formula of elastic modulus.

Design/methodology/approach

The Objet Eden 250 was used to prepare the Vero White photosensitive resin samples with different porosity (ranges from 25 to 65 per cent) and different pore structures. The mechanical properties of different samples were numerically simulated and the formulas of the modulus of elasticity were established. Through the compression test, the performance of the specimen is compared and analyzed, and the theoretical elastic modulus formula is optimized.

Findings

With the increase of porosity, the maximum stress of honeycomb structure specimens decreases. The maximum stress of the honeycomb structure specimen with circular pore shape is higher than the hexagon cross-section while the hexahedron and octahedron structure are the arms (wall thickness between pores) with a square cross-section. The error comparison between the modulus of elasticity before and after the structure models regression analysis shows that after the regression analysis, the error of theoretical value and the actual value is between 0 and 14 per cent which is lower than the value before the regression analysis which was between 5 and 27 per cent.

Originality/value

The paper obtains rules of the influence of different porous structures which were fabricated by the Vero White photosensitive resin material on mechanical properties and higher prediction accuracy formula of elastic modulus. The conclusions provide a theoretical basis for Northeastern University, China, to reduce mass and mechanical properties prediction of load-bearing parts.
Using machine learning to aid in the parameter optimisation process for metal-based additive manufacturing
Authors: Silbernagel Cassidy , Aremu Adedeji , Ashcroft Ian
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Metal-based additive manufacturing is a relatively new technology used to fabricate metal objects within an entirely digital workflow. However, only a small number of different metals are proven for this process. This is partly due to the need to find a new set of parameters which can be used to successfully build an object for every new alloy investigated. There are dozens of variables which contribute to a successful set of parameters and process parameter optimisation is currently a manual process which relies on human judgement.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, the authors demonstrate the application of machine learning as an alternative method to determine this set of process parameters, the subject of this test is the processing of pure copper in a laser powder bed fusion printer. Data in the form of optical images were collected over the course of traditional parameter optimisation. These images were segmented and fed into a convolutional autoencoder and then clustered to find the clusters which best represented a high-quality result. The clusters were manually scored according to their quality and the results applied to the original set of parameters.

Findings

It was found that the machine-learned clustering and subsequent scoring reflected many of the observations which were found in the traditional parameter optimisation process.

Originality/value

This exercise, as well as demonstrating the effectiveness of the ML approach, indicates an opportunity to fully automate the approach to process optimisation by applying labels to the data, hence, an approach that could also potentially be suited for on-the-fly process optimisation.

Graphical abstract
Stiffness prediction of 3D printed fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites
Authors: Choi Jin Young , Kortschot Mark Timothy
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to confirm that the stiffness of fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensionally (3D) printed fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (FRP) materials can be predicted using classical laminate theory (CLT), and to subsequently use the model to demonstrate its potential to improve the mechanical properties of FFF 3D printed parts intended for load-bearing applications.

Design/methodology/approach

The porosity and the fiber orientation in specimens printed with carbon fiber reinforced filament were calculated from micro-computed tomography (µCT) images. The infill portion of the sample was modeled using CLT, while the perimeter contour portion was modeled with a rule of mixtures (ROM) approach.

Findings

The µCT scan images showed that a low porosity of 0.7 ± 0.1% was achieved, and the fibers were highly oriented in the filament extrusion direction. CLT and ROM were effective analytical models to predict the elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio of FFF 3D printed FRP laminates.

Research limitations/implications

In this study, the CLT model was only used to predict the properties of flat plates. Once the in-plane properties are known, however, they can be used in a finite element analysis to predict the behavior of plate and shell structures.

Practical implications

By controlling the raster orientation, the mechanical properties of a FFF part can be optimized for the intended application.

Originality/value

Before this study, CLT had not been validated for FFF 3D printed FRPs. CLT can be used to help designers tailor the raster pattern of each layer for specific stiffness requirements.
Characteristics of cutaneous adverse drug reactions caused by triple‐combination drug therapy used for Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: Kikuchi Sota , Nobeyama Yoshimasa , Saeki Hidehisa , Asahina Akihiko
Published: January 2020

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADR) should be appropriately managed in drug administration. LANSAP®, Rabecure® and VONOSAP® are currently used for Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. Here, we examined the characteristics of cADR caused by these drugs using data from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). Periods subject to analyses were set according to the year of release of these drugs: (i) from 2008 to 2017 for LANSAP; (ii) from 2014 to 2017 for Rabecure; and (iii) 2017 for VONOSAP. Among all cADR reported to the PMDA, those attributed to LANSAP, Rabecure and VONOSAP accounted for 2.3%, 1.0% and 3.6% of cases, respectively. cADR occurred in patients aged in their 20s or older, with the oldest patients aged in their 60s. Numbers of male and female patients were 28 and 70 for LANSAP, eight and 14 for Rabecure and three and 16 for VONOSAP, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed significant sex differences for LANSAP (P = 0.022) and VONOSAP (P = 0.012), but not for Rabecure (P = 0.729). LANSAP, Rabecure or VONOSAP caused erythema multiforme in the largest population of patients and Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) in three patients. Ratios of SJS/TEN were 0.0–5.3% for LANSAP, Rabecure or VONOSAP, but 11.5–44.8% for the corresponding single constituent drugs other than vonoprazan. In conclusion, female sex appears to represent a risk factor for cADR attributed to H. pylori eradication therapy using LANSAP or VONOSAP, although H. pylori eradication therapy without these drugs rarely causes severe cADR.
Effects of skin care education for care staff at elderly care facilities on skin conditions of the residents
Authors: Tsunemi Yuichiro , Nakagami Gojiro , Takehara Kimie , Tamai Nao , Kitamura Aya , Mugita Yuko , Oe Makoto , Kishida Momoyo , Sanada Hiromi
Published: January 2020

Asteatosis is common in elderly people due to a decrease in the moisture content of the epidermal stratum corneum through a loss of skin barrier function caused by aging. Because itching often accompanies asteatosis, this condition may cause a decrease in quality of life. Care staff in elderly care facilities have many opportunities to provide care for residents. In this study, we examined how educational training on skin care changed the thoughts and actions of care staff in these facilities and how these changes impacted the skin conditions of residents. The subjects for the training were all care staff in facilities because these staff work most closely with facility residents. We performed skin care training for the subjects and investigated changes in the skin conditions of the residents before and after the training. The training promoted the understanding of skin care among the care staff and improved the skin symptoms of residents with asteatosis. However, there were no changes in the severity of itchiness based on a verbal rating scale and in interviews of residents. This study showed that skin care training for the care staff in facilities is effective to improve skin conditions of residents. In addition, it was suggested that a full grasp of the residents’ skin symptoms based upon an interview on itching alone was difficult, and thus there is a need to observe skin conditions directly.
Establishing an effective offset‐dependent velocity model by ray tracing and its application in Kirchhoff time migration
Authors: Chen Guiting , Wang Zhenli , Rotimi Oluwatosin John , Zhang Suyang
Published: January 2020

Conventional Kirchhoff prestack time migration based on the hyperbolic moveout can cause ambiguity in laterally inhomogeneous media, because the root mean square velocity corresponds to a one‐dimensional model under the horizontal layer assumption; it does not include the lateral variations. The shot/receiver configuration with different offsets and azimuths should adopt different migration velocities as they contribute to a single image point. Therefore, we propose to use an offset‐vector to describe the lateral variations through an offset‐dependent velocity corresponding to the difference in offset from surface points to the image point. The offset‐vector is decomposed into orthogonal directions along the in‐line and cross‐line directions so that the single velocity can be expressed as a series of actual velocities. We use a simple Snell's law‐based ray tracing to calculate the travel time recorded at the image point and convert the travel time to an equivalent velocity corresponding to a pseudo‐straight ray. The double‐square‐root equation using such an equivalent velocity in the offset‐vector domain is non‐hyperbolic and asymmetrical, which improves the accuracy of the migration. Numerical examples using the Marmousi model and a wide azimuth field data show that the proposed method can achieve reasonable accuracy and significantly enhances the imaging of complex structures.
Pollinator‐mediated facilitation is associated with floral abundance, trait similarity and enhanced community‐level fitness
Authors: Bergamo Pedro Joaquim , Streher Nathália Susin , Wolowski Marina , Sazima Marlies
Published: January 2020

Pollinator‐mediated processes (biotic filtering, facilitation or competition) are often inferred by patterns of plant reproductive trait diversity (clustering or evenness of reproductive traits within the community). However, one single pattern can be generated by distinct processes, making difficult to predict the main process of community assembly. Incorporating fitness estimates should improve the link between pattern and process.

We investigated patterns of flowering phenology and reproductive traits (floral colour, floral size and anther height) along the season of a pollinator‐depauperated and generalized community. We used data on fitness (pollen receipt and number of pollen tubes) to provide a functional link between trait patterns and assembly mechanisms. We also investigated whether the degree of co‐flowering depended on the floral abundance and pollination functional group (fly‐, bee‐, hummingbird‐pollinated and generalist species) of the plant species.

High floral abundance in the flowering season was associated with low trait diversity in the community. Both features increased fitness at the community level. This indicates that similar species are benefited at periods of high floral abundance, probably due to the joint attraction of generalist pollinators in this pollinator‐depauperated community. In general, rare species flowered more synchronously with the community than abundant ones, although distinct patterns emerged depending on the floral trait and pollination functional group. Furthermore, species highly synchronous and possessing similar floral colour in relation to the community had higher fitness indicating that facilitative mechanisms act favouring flowering synchrony and trait similarity.

Synthesis.Patterns of flowering synchrony and floral trait similarity indicate pollination facilitation in the studied community. Plants benefited from co‐flowering with species possessing similar floral colour via shared pollinator attraction. Thus, we empirically demonstrated some of the predictions of community assembly theory.
Bogotá's Left Turn: Counter‐Neoliberalization in Colombia
Authors: Eaton Kent
Published: January 2020

For the political left, decentralization has increased both the appeal and the importance of governing the city, and yet sharp constraints limit the left's transformative potential when it controls that level of government alone. Bogotá is an important case in point under the recent mayoral administration of Gustavo Petro (2012–15), a demobilized guerrilla leader who sought to implement a series of urban policy reforms that together represent one of the most substantively radical and intellectually coherent attempts to challenge neoliberalism in all of Latin America. Focusing on the four policy arenas through which Petro hoped to transform the city (environment, housing, transport, and trash collection), the article documents the veto power of the firms whose privileges he threatened, as well as the tools through which they derailed reform. In contrast to the failure of his political economy agenda, Petro was indeed able to enact a number of progressive social policy reforms precisely because they did not threaten the profitability of the city's entrenched growth machine.
Waiting like a girl? The temporal constitution of femininity as a factor in gender inequality
Authors: Pickard Susan
Published: January 2020

This paper explores temporal constituents of the female self in terms of their role in underpinning ongoing gender inequality. Drawing on the work of Simone de Beauvoir and Iris Marion Young, together with sociological approaches to ambivalence, I suggest that these temporal subjectivities are embodied, arise from the split subjectivity associated with woman as simultaneously subject and object, and counterpose the neoliberal emphasis on “choice” and agency with a more traditional gendered “expectation,” or “waiting” style. The dialectic between both temporalities, in which neither is hegemonic, results in a chronic state of ambivalence which impedes women's ability to fully project themselves into the future, a skill significant to planning and career ambition and the absence of which suspends women instead in an extended present. The paper aims to do two things in particular. In conceptual terms it aims to explore aspects of the configuration of the gendered self that underlie the stalling and slowing down of the gender revolution and which can be seen to provide a “missing link” between structures, institutions, and micro‐cultures. In empirical terms, it suggests a future research agenda, of which this paper constitutes a beginning, through which such gendered temporalities can be explored in greater detail via ethnographies of women's lived experience of time throughout the life course.
Intimate partner violence and perinatal health: a systematic review
Authors: Pastor‐Moreno G , Ruiz‐Pérez I , Henares‐Montiel J , Escribà‐Agüir V , Higueras‐Callejón C , Ricci‐Cabello I
Published: January 2020

Background

Physical, psychological and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) has been described in the literature as different types of IPV experienced by women during pregnancy all over the world.

Objectives

To review and summarise systematically the empirical evidence on the links between IPV during pregnancy and the perinatal health of mothers and fetuses/neonates.

Search strategy

MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL, Embase, Nursing@ovid (Ovid) and LILACS were searched (2008–2018).

Selection criteria

Observational studies that examined perinatal health outcomes (i.e. pre‐term birth, low birthweight, miscarriage, perinatal death and premature rupture of membranes) in pregnant women exposed to IPV.

Data collection and analysis

Information on study characteristics, type of IPV measured, study design, methodological quality and outcome variable extracted.

Results

Fifty studies were included. Twenty‐nine analysed undifferentiated IPV (n = 25 489), 34 included physical IPV (n = 7333), 22 analysed psychological IPV (n = 7833) and 18 examined sexual IPV (n = 2388). Fifteen studies were from Asia, 12 from North America and Oceania, and 12 from Central and South America. The studies examined the association between IPV and 39 different perinatal health outcomes. The most frequent outcomes reported were pre‐term birth (50%), low birthweight (46%), miscarriage (30%), perinatal death (20%) and premature rupture of membranes (20%). A significant association with perinatal health outcomes was reported by 12 of the studies analysing undifferentiated IPV, 18 physical IPV, six psychological IPV and two sexual IPV.

Conclusions

The relation between IPV and perinatal health outcomes can be seen in different epidemiological designs and countries. In all, 39 different outcomes were identified and 29 were associated with IPV.

Tweetable abstract

A variety of poor perinatal health outcomes are associated with psychological, physical and sexual IPV.
Early childhood anaemia more than doubles the risk of developmental vulnerability at school‐age among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children of remote Far North Queensland: Findings of a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Leonard Dympna , Buettner Petra , Thompson Fintan , Makrides Maria , McDermott Robyn
Published: January 2020

Aims

Early childhood anaemia, usually attributed to iron deficiency, is associated with persistent detrimental effects on child development. This study investigates the association of anaemia between age six and 23 months with indicators of childhood development at school‐age among children of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Far North Queensland.

Methods

The triennial Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) encompasses five domains of early childhood development—physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills (school‐based), communication skills and general knowledge. AEDC 2012 and 2015 assessments were linked with health information for children and their mothers from remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Far North Queensland.

Results

AEDC assessments were available for 250 children who had measurements of haemoglobin recorded at age 6 to 23 months. More children who had had early childhood anaemia (n = 66/143, 46.2%, [37.9%, 54.4%]) were developmentally vulnerable on two or more domains compared to those who had not been anaemic (n = 25/107, 23.4% [15.2%, 31.5%],P < .001). Multivariable analysis confirmed that early childhood anaemia more than doubled the risk of developmental vulnerability (OR 2.2 [1.1, 4.3]P= .020) at school age.

Conclusions

Early childhood anaemia is a risk factor for developmental vulnerability at school‐age in this setting. Interventions combining nutrition promotion and multi‐micronutrient food fortification, are effective in prevention of early childhood anaemia. Such interventions could also improve early childhood development and subsequent educational achievement.
How do small birds evolve in response to climate change? Data from the long‐term record at La Brea tar pits
Authors: LONG Katherine L. , PROTHERO Donald R. , SYVERSON Valerie J. P.
Published: January 2020

Biology textbooks describe the small changes in the beaks of the Galápagos finches as exemplars of how birds evolve in response to environmental changes. However, recent studies of the abundant fossil birds at Rancho La Brea find no evidence of evolutionary responses to the dramatic climate changes of the glacial–interglacial cycle over the past 35 000 years: none of the large birds exhibit any change in body size or limb proportions, even during the last glacial maximum approximately 18 000–20 000 years ago, when the southern California chaparral was replaced by snowy coniferous forests. However, these are all large birds with large ranges and broad habitat preferences, capable of living in many different environments. Perhaps the smaller birds at La Brea, which have smaller home ranges and narrower habitats, might respond to climate more like Galápagos finches. The only 3 common small birds at La Brea are the western meadowlark, the yellow‐billed magpie and the raven. In this study, we demonstrate that these birds also show complete stasis over the last glacial–interglacial cycle, with no statistically significant changes between dated pits. Recent research suggests that the small‐scale changes over short timescales seen in the Galápagos finches are merely fluctuations around a stable morphology, and rarely lead to long‐term accumulation of changes or speciation. Instead, the prevalence of stasis supports the view that long‐term directional changes in morphology are quite rare. While directional changes in morphology occur frequently over short (<1 ka) timescales, in the long term such changes only rarely remain stable for long enough to appear in the fossil record.
Complex spatial patterns delay the discovery and location of food by rodents
Authors: ZHANG Shiqiang , ZHU Meilin , ZHANG Huixia , YAO Nannan , WANG Yingying , ZHANG Yifeng , WANG Zhenlong
Published: January 2020

Spatial patterns in heterogeneity are generally deemed a central causal factor influencing the physiology and behavior of animals in ecological systems. However, knowledge remains limited about how such patterns influence food discovery by animals. We inferred that spatial heterogeneity plays a key role in animal food discovery and location. To prove this inference, we tested food locating parameters by 2 rodent species, Apodemus agrarius and Lasiopodomys brandtii, in different heterogeneous environments. Our results showed that spatial heterogeneity significantly influenced the food locating time of rodents, with food locating time increasing with increasing spatial heterogeneity. Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity significantly influenced invalid excavations (digging in the wrong place). Finally, spatial heterogeneity significantly influenced the frequency that heterogeneous objects were explored. Supporting our inference, our results indicate that spatial heterogeneity significantly influences the foraging behavior of animals. Consequently, increased spatial heterogeneity will impair the food locating success of rodents. We believe that this work will broaden our understanding of plant–animal interactions.
Role of phenotypic plasticity in morphological differentiation between watersnake populations
Authors: CLIFTON Ian T. , CHAMBERLAIN Jeremy D. , GIFFORD Matthew E.
Published: January 2020

An individual's morphology is shaped by the environmental pressures it experiences, and the resulting morphological response is the culmination of both genetic factors and environmental (non‐genetic) conditions experienced early in its life (i.e. phenotypic plasticity). The role that phenotypic plasticity plays in shaping phenotypes is important, but evidence for its influence is often mixed. We exposed female neonate diamond‐backed watersnakes (Nerodia rhombifer) from populations experiencing different prey‐size regimes to different feeding treatments to test the influence of phenotypic plasticity in shaping trophic morphology. We found that snakes in a large‐prey treatment from a population frequently encountering large prey exhibited a higher growth rate in body size than individuals in a small‐prey treatment from the same population. This pattern was not observed in snakes from a population that regularly encounters small prey. We also found that regardless of treatment, snakes from the small‐prey population were smaller at birth than snakes from the large‐prey population and remained so throughout the study. These results suggest that the ability to plastically respond to environmental pressures may be population‐specific. These results also indicate a genetic predisposition towards larger body sizes in a population where large prey items are more common.
Lake Water Levels and Associated Hydrologic Characteristics in the Conterminous U.S.
Authors: Fergus C. Emi , Brooks J. Renée , Kaufmann Philip R. , Herlihy Alan T. , Pollard Amina I. , Weber Marc H. , Paulsen Steven G.
Published: January 2020

Establishing baseline hydrologic characteristics for lakes in the United States (U.S.) is critical to evaluate changes to lake hydrology. We used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Lakes Assessment 2007 and 2012 surveys to assess hydrologic characteristics of a population of ~45,000 lakes in the conterminous U.S. based on probability samples of ~1,000 lakes/yr distributed across nine ecoregions. Lake hydrologic study variables include water‐level drawdown (i.e., vertical decline and horizontal littoral exposure) and two water stable isotope‐derived parameters: evaporation‐to‐inflow (E:I) and water residence time. We present (1) national and regional distributions of the study variables for both natural and man‐made lakes and (2) differences in these characteristics between 2007 and 2012. In 2007, 59% of the population of U.S. lakes had Greater than normal or Excessive drawdown relative to water levels in ecoregional reference lakes with minimal human disturbances; whereas in 2012, only 20% of lakes were significantly drawn down beyond normal ranges. Water isotope‐derived variables did not differ significantly between survey years in contrast to drawdown. Median E:I was 20% indicating that flow‐through processes dominated lake water regimes. For 75% of U.S. lakes, water residence time was less than one year and was longer in natural vs. man‐made lakes. Our study provides baseline ranges to assess local and regional lake hydrologic status and inform management decisions in changing environmental conditions.
Mitigating Impact of Devils Lake Flooding on the Sheyenne River Sulfate Concentration
Authors: Shabani Afshin , Zhang Xiaodong , Chu Xuefeng , Dodd Timothy P. , Zheng Haochi
Published: January 2020

Devils Lake is a terminal lake located in northeast North Dakota. Because of its glacial origin and accumulated salts from evaporation, the lake has a high concentration of sulfate compared to the surrounding water bodies. From 1993 to 2011, Devils Lake water levels rose by ~10 m, which flooded surrounding communities and increased the chance of an overspill to the Sheyenne River. To control the flooding, the State of North Dakota constructed two outlets to pump the lake water to the river. However, the pumped water has raised concerns about of water quality degradation and potential flooding risk of the Sheyenne River. To investigate these perceived impacts, a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was developed for the Sheyenne River and it was linked to a coupled SWAT and CE‐QUAL‐W2 model that was developed for Devils Lake in a previous study. While the current outlet schedule has attempted to maintain the total river discharge within the confines of a two‐year flood (36 m3/s), our simulation from 2012 to 2018 revealed that the diversion increased the Sheyenne River sulfate concentration from an average of 125 to >750 mg/L. Furthermore, a conceptual optimization model was developed with a goal of better preserving the water quality of the Sheyenne River while effectively mitigating the flooding of Devils Lake. The optimal solution provides a “win–win” outlet management that maintains the efficiency of the outlets while reducing the Sheyenne River sulfate concentration to ≤600 mg/L.
Spatiotemporal Variability of Modeled Watershed Scale Surface‐Depression Storage and Runoff for the Conterminous United States
Authors: Driscoll Jessica M. , Hay Lauren E. , Vanderhoof Melanie K. , Viger Roland J.
Published: January 2020

This study explores the viability of using simulated monthly runoff as a proxy for landscape‐scale surface‐depression storage processes simulated by the United States Geological Survey’s National Hydrologic Model (NHM) infrastructure across the conterminous United States (CONUS). Two different temporal resolution model codes (daily and monthly) were run in the NHM with the same spatial discretization. Simulated values of daily surface‐depression storage (treated as a decimal fraction of maximum volume) as computed by the daily Precipitation‐Runoff Modeling System (NHM‐PRMS) and normalized runoff (0 to 1) as computed by the Monthly Water Balance Model (NHM‐MWBM) were aggregated to monthly and annual values for each hydrologic response unit (HRU) in the CONUS geospatial fabric (HRU; n = 109,951) and analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation test. Correlations between simulated runoff and surface‐depression storage aggregated to monthly and annual values were compared to identify where which time scale had relatively higher correlation values across the CONUS. Results show Spearman’s rank values >0.75 (highly correlated) for the monthly time scale in 28,279 HRUs (53.35%) compared to the annual time scale in 41,655 HRUs (78.58%). The geographic distribution of HRUs with highly correlated monthly values show areas where surface‐depression storage features are known to be common (e.g., Prairie Pothole Region, Florida).
Transcriptional regulation of autophagy‐lysosomal pathway in cancer
Authors: Chang Xinzhong , Dong Ruihua
Published: January 2020

The transcriptional regulation of autophagy‐lysosomal pathway adapts to cellular stress and enables advanced cancer cells survive. This pathway plays an oncopromoting or oncosuppressing role, depending on context‐dependent stresses and treatment resistance. It remains controversial whether this pathway represents a target for drugs, although autophagy‐lysosomal inducers and inhibitors have been tested in clinical trials for cancer treatment. Therefore, identifying the transcriptional regulators of autophagy‐lysosomal pathway may lead to the development of effective cancer treatment and the improvement of the existing targeted cancer therapies. In this review, we summarize findings from several published studies on transcriptional regulation of autophagy‐lysosomal pathway in cancer biology, and evaluate its functional role as a therapeutic target.
Using Death Certificates to Explore Changes in Alcohol‐Related Mortality in the United States, 1999 to 2017
Authors: White Aaron M. , Castle I‐Jen P. , Hingson Ralph W. , Powell Patricia A.
Published: January 2020

Background

Alcohol consumption, alcohol‐related emergency department visits, and hospitalizations have all increased in the last 2 decades, particularly among women and people middle‐aged and older. The purpose of this study was to explore data from death certificates to assess whether parallel changes in alcohol‐related mortality occurred in the United States in recent years.

Methods

U.S. mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics were analyzed to estimate the annual number and rate of alcohol‐related deaths by age, sex, race, and ethnicity between 1999 and 2017 among people aged 16+. Mortality data contained details from all death certificates filed nationally. For each death, an underlying cause and up to 20 multiple or contributing causes were indicated. Deaths were identified as alcohol‐related if an alcohol‐induced cause was listed as either an underlying or multiple cause. Joinpoint analyses were performed to assess temporal trends.

Results

The number of alcohol‐related deaths per year among people aged 16+ doubled from 35,914 to 72,558, and the rate increased 50.9% from 16.9 to 25.5 per 100,000. Nearly 1 million alcohol‐related deaths (944,880) were recorded between 1999 and 2017. In 2017, 2.6% of roughly 2.8 million deaths in the United States involved alcohol. Nearly half of alcohol‐related deaths resulted from liver disease (30.7%; 22,245) or overdoses on alcohol alone or with other drugs (17.9%; 12,954). Rates of alcohol‐related deaths were highest among males, people in age‐groups spanning 45 to 74 years, and among non‐Hispanic (NH) American Indians or Alaska Natives. Rates increased for all age‐groups except 16 to 20 and 75+ and for all racial and ethnic groups except for initial decreases among Hispanic males and NH Blacks followed by increases. The largest annual increase occurred among NH White females. Rates of acute alcohol‐related deaths increased more for people aged 55 to 64, but rates of chronic alcohol‐related deaths, which accounted for the majority of alcohol‐related deaths, increased more for younger adults aged 25 to 34.

Conclusions

Death certificates suggest that alcohol‐related mortality increased in the United States between 1999 and 2017. Given previous reports that death certificates often fail to indicate the contribution of alcohol, the scope of alcohol‐related mortality in the United States is likely higher than suggested from death certificates alone. Findings confirm an increasing burden of alcohol on public health and support the need for improving surveillance of alcohol‐involved mortality.
Industry regulation, fund characteristics, and the efficiency of Australian private health insurers
Authors: Nguyen Lan , Worthington Andrew C.
Published: January 2020

We examine the technical and scale efficiency of 30 Australian private health insurers during the period 2010–2017 using data envelopment analysis (DEA). We calculate industry pure technical efficiency of 91.6 percent and scale efficiency of 95.1 percent. We also employ a two‐stage DEA truncated bootstrapped regression to model efficiency on fund and policy factors. The results show that premium restrictions and risk equalisation policies, and fund characteristics like size, but not for‐profit/not‐for‐profit status, market share and leverage, exert significant effects. The findings suggest substantial scope for regulatory reform and structural change in the Australian private health insurance industry as a means of improving its efficiency.
Capital regulation and bank risk‐taking – new global evidence
Authors: Dias Roshanthi
Published: January 2020

This study investigates the link between capital regulation and bank risk‐taking. Using a sample of over 1,800 banks in 135 countries, I find that the relationship between capital regulation and bank risk‐taking (measured by z‐score) is an inverse ‘U’ shape. That is, as capital ratios increase, a bank will take less risk initially, then more risk. These results are robust to numerous additional tests, including estimation methods. I also find that more stringent regulations mitigate the effect of higher capital on lowering bank risk‐taking. Increased capital requirements, even when risk‐based, induce risk‐taking at higher levels, irrespective of whether banks are well‐ or under‐capitalised.
Changes in smoker characteristics in England between 2008 and 2017
Authors: Garnett Claire , Tombor Ildiko , Beard Emma , Jackson Sarah E. , West Robert , Brown Jamie
Published: January 2020

Aims

At a time of declining smoking prevalence in England, it is useful to document any changes in the characteristics of smokers. This has implications for targeting tobacco control policies and interventions. This study compared the characteristics of smokers from 2008 to 2017 to assess changes in smoking and quitting patterns and socio‐demographic profile.

Design and setting

Analysis of annual trends in results from repeated cross‐sectional surveys of representative samples of the population in England from 2008 to 2017.

Participants

The study included 208 813 adults aged 16+.

Measurements

Information was gathered on age, sex, social grade and region, cigarette consumption, cigarette dependence as measured by time to first cigarette of the day, daily smoking, smoking roll‐your‐own cigarettes, attempts to cut down, use of an e‐cigarette or nicotine replacement therapy, attempts to cut down or quit, use of support in quit attempts and whether the quit attempt was abrupt.

Findings

During the period, mean daily cigarette consumption [B = –0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = –0.33 to −0.27] and the time to first cigarette score decreased (B = –0.03, 95% CI = –0.03 to −0.02). The proportion of smokers attempting to cut down or quit decreased (odds ratio (OR) range = 0.96–0.97, 95% CI range = 0.95–0.97). Use of behavioural support [odds ratio (OR) = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.86–0.92] or no support decreased (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.96–0.99), while use of pharmacological support, including e‐cigarettes, increased (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02–1.05). There was no significant change in the difference in social grade between smokers and non‐smokers comparing 2008 with 2017. Changes in smoking and quitting behaviour were independent of changes in socio‐demographic characteristics.

Conclusions

Between 2008 and 2017 in England, smokers appear to have become less dependent on cigarettes but less likely to try to quit or cut down. Of those who tried to quit, fewer used behavioural support and more used pharmacological support. The proportion from more disadvantaged backgrounds did not change significantly.
Cardiac failure in patients treated with azacitidine, a pyrimidine analogue: Case reports and disproportionality analyses in Vigibase
Authors: Perino Justine , Mottal Nathan , Bohbot Yohann , Servant Vincent , Berroneau Aude , Poustis Pierre , Fenaux Pierre , Laribi Kamel , Charbonnier Aude , Bilion Emilien , Calmettes Claire , Bégaud Bernard , Pigneux Arnaud , Milpied Noël , Miremont‐Salamé Ghada , Théophile Hélène , Dimicoli‐Salazar Sophie
Published: January 2020

Aims

Azacitidine (AZA), a pyrimidine analogue, is validated for high‐risk myelodysplastic syndrome or low‐blast acute myeloid leukaemia in unfit patients for more intensive treatment. This study assessed the putative link between cardiac failure (CF) and AZA exposure.

Methods

Cases of CF in patients treated with AZA were retrospectively collected and described from several centres of the Groupe Francophone des Myélodysplasies. A description analysis and a disproportionality analysis using Vigibase, the WHO Global Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) database, were conducted on ICSRs by the Standardized MedDRA Queries (SMQ broad) cardiac failure and by preferred terms cardiac failure and cardiac failure acute. The reported odds ratio (ROR) and its 95% 2‐sided confidence interval was computed by comparing the proportion of CF reports with the suspected drug (AZA) and the proportion of reports of the same adverse drug reaction with all other suspected drugs in the database during the same period.

Results

In the 4 case reports, all patients presented a cardiovascular history. In 1 patient, CF recurred after AZA re‐challenge. The pharmacovigilance analysis in Vigibase retrieved 307 ICSRs of CF (SMQ) with AZA. Significant disproportionality signals associated with AZA were identified by using the SMQ cardiac failure (ROR 1.3) and the preferred terms cardiac failure (ROR 5.1) and cardiac failure acute (ROR 23.2).

Conclusion

This study points to the potential role of AZA in the occurrence of CF. Cardiac evaluation before AZA initiation and regular monitoring of cardiac function during AZA treatment should be performed in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.