bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Obesity and reproduction
Authors: Armstrong Abigail , Berger Marisa , Al-Safi Zain
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

The objective of this review is to highlight the recent literature on how obesity affects reproductive capacity in men and women.

Recent findings

The relationship between fertility and obesity is complex and involves the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, neuroendocrine systems and adipose tissue. The exact pathophysiology of how obesity lowers fertility rates is unknown, but is likely multifactorial involving anovulation, insulin resistance and alterations in gonadotropins. In addition, there is controversy on whether oocyte quality or endometrial receptivity plays a larger role in obese infertile women. Data on effects of bariatric surgery and weight loss on obese infertile men and women are mixed.

Obesity alters the hormonal profile, gonadotropin secretion, embryo development and in-vitro fertilization outcomes in both men and women.
The current and future state of surgery in reproductive endocrinology
Authors: Bhagavath Bala
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

The last decade has witnessed a radical change in the field of reproductive surgery. The increasing success of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) has caused a huge shift in emphasis with many downstream consequences. This review outlines the changes and provides insight into the future of reproductive surgery.

Recent findings

With compelling evidence that IVF overcomes the detrimental effects of endometriosis on infertility and with two new oral medications available for management of endometriosis, momentum is shifting towards nonsurgical management of endometriosis. There is increasing recognition that except for submucous myomas, other myomas are unlikely to affect fertility and miscarriage. This, in addition to many emerging alternative modalities for management of myomas (oral GnRH antagonists, radiofrequency ablation), is likely to further decrease classic myomectomies but provide alternative, less invasive options. Caesarean scar defects have been recognized as having significant reproductive consequences and surgical management has become the standard of care. Fallopian tubes are now implicated in development of ovarian cancer, and as a result, salpingectomies are being performed in lieu of tubal ligations. Tubal anastomosis will soon become a historical surgery. Division of uterine septum remains controversial, and a clear answer will remain elusive. Uterine transplant is the single most significant advance in reproductive surgery in the past century.

Reproductive surgery is evolving with the times. Although some surgical techniques will become historical, others will become mainstream.
Research integrity in clinical trials: innocent errors and spin versus scientific misconduct
Authors: Núñez-Núñez María , Andrews Jeffrey C. , Fawzy Mohamed , Bueno-Cavanillas Aurora , Khan Khalid Saeed
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

High-quality research underpins the best healthcare practice. This article focuses on analyzing the current literature to promote research integrity across clinical trials.

Recent findings

Recent admissions of questionable practices by researchers have undermined practitioner and public confidence. There is limited evidence specifically for ethical and professional standards in clinical trials to guide researchers and institutions to embed integrity into research practice.

Unintentional errors and spin in research are not uncommon as training in design and conduct of clinical trials is not part of health education for medical and allied health professions. There is unfamiliarity with procedures, such as prospective registration, a priori documentation of statistical analysis plans, openness in data sharing, and so forth. This, combined with the academic culture of secrecy, has led to an environment where scientific suspicion, instead of trust, is the norm. Existing science integrity documents are devoid of specific recommendations about how to translate any guidance into clinical trial practice. There is a need for constructive, supportive and multidisciplinary approaches based on open dialogue and continuous training, targeting the research environment. Research integrity now needs to take centre stage to re-instill confidence in randomized trial evidence to inform clinical practice.
An update of diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of clinically significant placenta accreta spectrum disorders
Authors: Fratelli Nicola , Fichera Anna , Prefumo Federico
Published: July 2022

Purpose of review

Systematic screening and diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorder (PAS) either by ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would allow referral of high-risk women to specialized multidisciplinary teams. We aimed to report recent findings regarding the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of PAS.

Recent findings

Recent evidence from the literature shows that both ultrasound and MRI are good tests to identify PAS in high-risk populations. Ultrasound can also be used safely to guide management decisions, concentrating greater resources in patients with the higher risk of clinically significant PAS requiring complex peripartum management. Moreover, there are increasing data showing that routine contingent screening for PAS disorders based on the finding of a placenta implanted low in the uterine cavity and previous uterine surgery is effective in a public healthcare setting. A contingent screening strategy for PAS is feasible if placental location is routinely assessed during routine scans, and may even start from the first trimester of pregnancy.

Ultrasound is an effective tool to screen pregnancies at high risk of PAS. In such pregnancies, ultrasound and MRI are effective imaging modalities for guiding management.
Liver cirrhosis prediction for patients with Wilson disease based on machine learning: a case–control study from southwest China
Authors: Chen Ke , Wan Yang , Mao Ju , Lai Yuqing , Zhuo-ma Gesang , Hong Peiwei
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Wilson disease (WD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by an ATP7B gene mutation. Liver cirrhosis is an important issue that affects the clinical management and prognosis of WD patients. Blood routine examination is a potential biomarker for predicting the occurrence of liver cirrhosis in WD. We aim to construct a predictive model for the occurrence of liver cirrhosis using general clinical information, blood routine examination, urine copper, and serum ceruloplasmin through a machine learning approach.

Methods

Case–control study of WD patients admitted to West China Fourth Hospital between 2005 and 2020. Patients with a score of at least four in scoring system of WD were enrolled. A machine learning model was constructed by EmpowerStats software according to the general clinical data, blood routine examination, 24 h urinary copper, and serum ceruloplasmin.

Results

This study analyzed 346 WD patients, of which 246 were without liver cirrhosis. And we found platelet large cell count (P-LCC), red cell distribution width CV (RDW-CV), serum ceruloplasmin, age at diagnosis, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were the top five important predictors. Moreover, the model was of high accuracy, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9998 in the training set and 0.7873 in the testing set.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the predictive model for predicting liver cirrhosis in WD, constructed by machine learning, had a higher accuracy. And the most important indices in the predictive model were P-LCC, RDW-CV, serum ceruloplasmin, age at diagnosis, and MCV.
Macronutrient and Micronutrient Intake in Adolescents With Non‐alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Porto Ariel , Pan Zhaoxing , Zhou Wenru , Sokol Ronald J. , Klaczkiewicz Kelly , Sundaram Shikha S.
Published: July 2022

Objectives:

While dietary changes are recommended to treat pediatric non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the role of specific nutrients in disease progression is unclear. The objective of this study is to (1) assess the macronutrient and micronutrient intake in adolescents with liver biopsy proven NAFLD [with and without non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)] and lean controls; (2) determine nutritional predictors of disease severity amongst these groups.

Methods:

Adolescents with biopsy‐proven NAFLD and lean controls completed the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire.

Results:

Twenty‐eight NAFLD and 15 lean controls were studied. NAFLD with (n = 20) and without NASH (n = 8) had similar total calorie, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake. Subjects with NASH had higher total sugar (122.3 ± 48.3 vs 83.1 ± 38.8 g), glucose (24.3 ± 9.3 vs 15.2 ± 7.5 g), sucrose (42.3 ± 16.9 vs 28.8 ± 11.7 g), and fructose (29.4 ± 12.5 vs 18.1 ± 8.0 g) intake than those with NAFLD but without NASH (P < 0.05). Both NAFLD groups had similar micronutrient intake. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) correlated with total caloric intake (ρ = 0.4; P = 0.04). Total carbohydrate calories correlated with a higher NAS summary score (ρ = 0.38; P = 0.04) and lobular inflammation (ρ = 0.50; P = 0.007). Percent calories from added sugar and glucose correlated with worsening NAS summary score (ρ = 0.44, P = 0.02; ρ = 0.48, P = 0.009) and lobular inflammation (ρ = 0.51, P = 0.006; ρ = 0.53, P = 0.004). Percent calories from fructose correlated with lobular inflammation (ρ = 0.56; P = 0.002). Total daily calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and micronutrient intake were similar between NAFLD and lean controls.

Conclusions:

NASH patients consume similar total calories, protein, and fat as those without NASH, but have significantly higher sugar intake. NAFLD and lean children, however, have similar macro/micronutrient intake. Histologic disease severity correlates with total carbohydrate and added sugar intake, supporting a role for simple sugar intake in NAFLD progression.
Adult mortality before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in nine communities of Yemen: a key informant study
Authors: Alhaffar Mervat , BaSaleem Huda , Othman Fouad , Alsakkaf Khaled , Mohsen Alkhteeb Sena Mohammed , Kolaise Hussein , Babattah Abdullah K. , Mahyoub Salem Yaseen Abdulmalik , Brindle Hannah , Yahya Najwa , Pepe Pasquale , Checchi Francesco
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Widespread armed conflict has affected Yemen since 2014. To date, the mortality toll of seven years of crisis, and any excess due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are not well quantified. We attempted to estimate population mortality during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in nine purposively selected urban and rural communities of southern and central Yemen (Aden and Ta’iz governorates), totalling > 100,000 people.

Methods

Within each study site, we collected lists of decedents between January 2014-March 2021 by interviewing different categories of key community informants, including community leaders, imams, healthcare workers, senior citizens and others. After linking records across lists based on key variables, we applied two-, three- or four-list capture-recapture analysis to estimate total death tolls. We also computed death rates by combining these estimates with population denominators, themselves subject to estimation.

Results

After interviewing 138 disproportionately (74.6%) male informants, we identified 2445 unique decedents. While informants recalled deaths throughout the study period, reported deaths among children were sparse: we thus restricted analysis to persons aged ≥15 years old. We noted a peak in reported deaths during May-July 2020, plausibly coinciding with the first COVID-19 wave. Death rate estimates featured uninformatively large confidence intervals, but appeared elevated compared to the non-crisis baseline, particularly in two sites where a large proportion of deaths were attributed to war injuries. There was no clear-cut evidence of excess mortality during the pandemic period.

Conclusions

We found some evidence of a peak in mortality during the early phase of the pandemic, but death rate estimates were otherwise too imprecise to enable strong inference on trends. Estimates suggested substantial mortality elevations from baseline during the crisis period, but are subject to serious potential biases. The study highlighted challenges of data collection in this insecure, politically contested environment.
An individualized digital twin of a patient for transdermal fentanyl therapy for chronic pain management
Authors: Bahrami Flora , Rossi Rene Michel , De Nys Katelijne , Defraeye Thijs
Published: July 2022

Fentanyl transdermal therapy is a suitable treatment for moderate-to-severe cancer-related pain. Patients show inter-individual drug uptake behavior, which leads to a different response to the therapy. This study aims to determine the effect of different physiological features of the patients on the pain relief achieved with the therapy. Therefore, a set of virtual patients was developed by using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), based on actual patient data. The members of this virtual population differ by age, weight, gender, and height. Tailored digital twins were developed using these correlated, individualized parameters to propose a personalized therapy for each patient. It was shown that the patients of different ages, weights, and gender have significantly different fentanyl blood uptake, plasma fentanyl concentration, pain relief, and ventilation rate, which means the same therapy will not reach the same result for the patients. Therefore, we included the virtual patients’ response to the treatment, namely pain relief, in the digital twins. We enabled these digital twins of each patient to adjust in-silico the therapy in real-time to have more efficient pain relief. By implementing digital-twin-assisted therapy, the average pain intensity decreased by 16% compared to conventional therapy. The median of time without pain increased by 23 hours over a 72-hour period. Therefore, the digital twin can be successfully used to assist in individual control of the transdermal therapy to reach higher pain relief and maintain a steady pain relief throughout the therapy.
Phenotypic similarity is a measure of functional redundancy within homologous gene families
Authors: Comstock Jessica A. , Asp Merrill E. , Bahar Fatmagül , Lee Isabella , Patteson Alison E. , Welch Roy D.
Published: July 2022

Robustness to the impact of mutation can mitigate phenotypes that have the potential to inform gene function. This robustness is often encoded into the genome through gene duplication, among other mechanisms. Duplication is a source of structurally similar genes that can retain some functional overlap as they diverge, and as such contribute to functional redundancy in the face of mutation. While redundancies have been explored in groups of two or three paralogs by generating double and triple mutants, it is unclear to what extent larger homologous gene families contribute to robustness through functional redundancy. Here, we used phenotypic similarity as an indicator of functional redundancy to explore the extent to which homologous gene families contribute to redundancy in function. We hypothesize that, since functional redundancy is more likely to occur within gene families where genes are structurally similar, mutant strains within the same gene families would be more phenotypically similar. We generated 265 single-gene disruptions in four homologous gene families of Myxococcus xanthus, used time-lapse microscopy to generate time series of multicellular development, and developed an image analysis pipeline to compare phenotypic characteristics among different strains. We show that mutant strains cluster by gene family in the phenotypic feature space with principal component analysis, demonstrating that families of homologs can contain extensive functional redundancy networks.
Comparative Analysis of three machine learning models for Early Prediction of Skeletal Class-III Malocclusion from Profile Photos
Authors: Kiliç Banu , Önal-Süzek Tuğba , Aksoy Selahattin
Published: July 2022

The pre-adolescent growth period is the best time for the skeletal Class-III malocclusion treatment. Diagnosis and treatment during this period continue to be a complex orthodontic problem. Class-III malocclusion is complicated to treat with braces frequently requiring surgical intervention after a pubertal growth spurt. In addition, delayed recognition of the problem will yield significant functional, aesthetic, and psychological concerns. This study presents the first fully automated machine learning method to accurately diagnose Class-III malocclusion applied across mobile images, to the best of our knowledge. For this purpose, we comparatively evaluated three machine learning approaches: a deep learning algorithm, a machine learning algorithm, and a rule-based algorithm. We collected a novel profile image data set for this analysis along with their formal diagnosis from 435 orthodontics patients. The most successful method among the three was the machine learning method, with an accuracy of %76.
Malaria parasite centrins assemble by Ca2+-inducible condensation
Authors: Voß Yannik , Klaus Severina , Lichti Nicolas P. , Ganter Markus , Guizetti Julien
Published: July 2022

Rapid proliferation of the malaria-causing parasitePlasmodium falciparumin the human blood depends on a particularly divergent and acentriolar centrosome, which incorporates several essential centrins. Centrins are small calcium-binding proteins that have a variety of roles and are universally associated with eukaryotic centrosomes. Their precise mode of action, however, remains unclear. In this study calcium-inducible liquid-liquid phase separation is revealed as an evolutionary conserved principle of assembly forPlasmodiumand human centrins. Furthermore, the disordered N-terminus and calcium-binding motifs are defined as essential features for reversible biomolecular condensation and demonstrate that certain centrins can co-condensate. In vivo analysis using live-cell STED microscopy shows liquid-like dynamics of centrosomal centrin. Additionally, implementation of an inducible protein overexpression system reveals concentration-dependent formation of extra-centrosomal centrin assemblies with condensate-like properties. The timing of foci formation and dissolution suggests that centrin assembly is regulated. This study thereby provides a new model for centrin accumulation at eukaryotic centrosomes.
Automated container-less cell processing method for single-cell proteomics
Authors: Matsumoto Cory , Shao Xinhao , Bogosavljevic Marko , Chen Liang , Gao Yu
Published: July 2022

Single-cell genomics and transcriptomics studies enabled us to characterize cell heterogeneity in various tissues, which helped us to better understand the biological system and disease progression. Single-cell proteomics, which directly measures the protein expression level, has the potential to further enhance our knowledge by providing not only a more direct measurement but also crucial information cannot be captured by genomics or transcriptomics study, such as protein activation states and post-translation modification events. One of the main challenges of single-cell proteomics is the large sample loss during sample preparation, which is largely unavoidable using standard proteomics protocols. Protein and peptide loss to the container surface is a well-known phenomenon but often overlooked in larger-scale (>1 µg) proteomics experiments. When it comes to single-cell proteomics with only picograms of protein samples, this loss becomes non-negligible and often dictates the outcomes of the experiment. More importantly, sample processing through multiple pipette tips and containers often introduces random errors, which undermine the ability to detect true heterogenous cellular events. To solve these problems and further improve the throughput and reproducibility of the single-cell proteomics experiments, we developed an automated container-less cell processing platform, utilizing acoustic levitation to process cell samples in the air. Our platform automatically performs cell lysis, protein reduction, alkylation, digestion, and peptide labeling in the air, without any sample transfer step or container. The digested and labeled peptides are then directly injected into the capillary LC-MS/MS system for analysis, eliminating manual steps and conserving most of the sample materials for proteomics analysis. Our initial test shows at least 30% improvement in peptide signals over conventional methods. This process can be performed in parallel to further improve sample processing throughput.
Large-scale web scraping for problem gambling research: a case study of COVID-19 lockdown effects in Germany
Authors: Smith Elke , Michalski Simon , Knauth Kilian H. K. , Kaspar Kai , Reiter Nils , Peters Jan
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to prevent its spread have had a negative impact on substance use behaviour and posed a special threat for individuals at risk. Problem gambling is a major public health concern, and it is likely that the lockdown and social distancing measures have altered gambling behaviour, for instance shifting from land-based to online gambling. In this study, we used large-scale web scraping to analyse posting behaviour on a major German online gambling forum, gathering a database of more than 200k posts. We examined the relative usage of different subforums, i.e. terrestrial, online gambling and problem gambling sections, posting frequency, and changes in posting behaviour related to the casino closures that were part of the nationwide restrictions in Germany in 2020. There was a marked increase in the number of newly registered users during the first lockdown compared to the weeks prior to the lockdown, which may reflect a shift from terrestrial to online gambling. Further, there was an increase in the number of posts in the online gambling subforum with a concurrent decrease in the number of posts in the terrestrial gambling subforum. An analysis of user types revealed that a substantial number of users who posted in both the online and terrestrial forum contributed at least once to the problem gambling subforum. This subforum contained the longest posts, which were on average twice as long as the average post. Modelling the relationship between reply frequency and latency between initial posts and replies showed that the number of short-latency replies (i.e. replies posted within seven hours after the initial post) was substantially higher during the first lockdown compared to the preceding weeks. The increase during the first lockdown may reflect the general marked increase in screen time and/or usage of online platforms and media after the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The analyses may help to identify lockdown-related effects on gambling behaviour. These potentially detrimental effects on mental health, including addiction and problem gambling, may require monitoring and special public health measures.
Human Milk Oligosaccharide 2’-fucosyllactose inhibits ligand binding to C-type lectin DC-SIGN but not to Langerin
Authors: Mukherjee Reshmi , Somovilla Victor J. , Chiodo Fabrizio , Bruijns Sven , Pieters Roland J , Garssen Johan , Kooyk Yvette van , Kraneveld Aletta D , Bergenhenegouwen Jeroen van
Published: July 2022

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and its most abundant component, 2’-Fucosyllactose (2’-FL), are known to be immunomodulatory. Previously, it was shown that HMOs and 2’-FL bind to the C-type lectin receptor DC-SIGN. Here we show, using a ligand-receptor competition assay, that a whole mixture of HMOs from pooled human milk (HMOS) and 2’-FL inhibit the binding of the carbohydrate-binding receptor DC-SIGN to its prototypical ligands, fucose and the oligosaccharide Lewis-B, (Leb) in a dose-dependent way. Interestingly, such inhibition by HMOS and 2’-FL was not detected for another C-type lectin, Langerin, evolutionary similar to DC-SIGN. The cell-ligand competition assay using DC-SIGN expressing cells confirmed that 2’-FL inhibits the binding of DC-SIGN to Leb. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that 2’-FL exists in a preorganized bioactive conformation before binding to DC-SIGN and this conformation is retained after binding to DC-SIGN. Lebhas more flexible conformations and utilizes two binding modes, which operate one at a time via its two fucoses to bind to DC-SIGN. 2’-FL may have a reduced entropic penalty due to its preorganized state compared to Leb, and it has lower binding enthalpy, suggesting better binding to DC-SIGN. Thus, due to the better binding to DC-SIGN, 2’-FL may replace Lebfrom its binding pocket in DC-SIGN. MD simulations also showed that 2’-FL does not bind to Langerin. Our studies confirm 2’-FL as a specific ligand for DC-SIGN and suggest that 2’-FL can replace other DC-SIGN ligands from its binding pocket during ligand-receptor interactions in possible immunomodulatory processes.
Single cell transcriptomics of human skin equivalent organoids
Authors: Stabell Adam R. , Wang Shuxiong , Lee Grace E. , Ling Ji , Nguyen Sandrine D. , Sen George L. , Nie Qing , Atwood Scott X.
Published: July 2022

Several methods for generating human skin equivalent (HSE) organoid cultures are regularly used to study skin biology and test pharmaceuticals, however few studies have thoroughly characterized these systems. To fill this gap, we used single cell-RNA sequencing to compare the cellular states of in vitro HSEs generated from distinct culture methods, HSEs xenografted onto mice, and in vivo epidermis. By combining differential gene expression, pseudotime analyses, splicing kinetics, and spatial localization, we reconstructed HSE keratinocyte differentiation trajectories that recapitulated known in vivo epidermal differentiation pathways and show that HSEs contain many of the major in vivo cellular states. However, HSEs also develop several unique keratinocyte states, an expanded basal stem cell program, and disrupted terminal differentiation. In addition, cell-cell communication modeling showed the presence of EMT-associated signaling pathways not normally active in homeostatic skin and we show that EGF supplementation influences the EMT signature. Lastly, xenografted HSEs at early timepoints post-transplantation significantly rescued many of the observed in vitro deficits, while undergoing a hypoxic response that drove an alternative differentiation lineage. This study highlights the strengths and limitations of organoid cultures and identifies areas for potential innovation.
Nucleus reuniens inactivation does not impair consolidation or reconsolidation of fear extinction
Authors: Vasudevan Krithika , Ramanathan Karthik R. , Vierkant Valerie , Maren Stephen
Published: July 2022

Recent data reveal that the thalamic nucleus reuniens (RE) has a critical role in the extinction of conditioned fear. Muscimol (MUS) infusions into the RE impair within-session extinction of conditioned freezing and result in poor long-term extinction memories in rats. Although this suggests that RE inactivation impairs extinction learning, it is also possible that it is involved in the consolidation of extinction memories. To examine this possibility, we examined the effects of RE inactivation on the consolidation and reconsolidation of fear extinction in male and female rats. Twenty-four hours after auditory fear conditioning, rats underwent an extinction procedure (45 CS-alone trials) in a novel context and were infused with saline (SAL) or MUS within minutes of the final extinction trial. Twenty-four hours later, conditioned freezing to the extinguished CS was assessed in the extinction context. Postextinction inactivation of the RE did not affect extinction retrieval. In a second experiment, rats underwent extinction training and, 24 h later, were presented with a single CS to reactivate the extinction memory; rats were infused with SAL or MUS immediately after the reactivation session. Pharmacological inactivation of the RE did not affect conditioned freezing measured in a drug-free retrieval test the following day. Importantly, we found in a subsequent test that MUS infusions immediately before retrieval testing increased conditioned freezing and impaired extinction retrieval, as we have previously reported. These results indicate that although RE inactivation impairs the expression of extinction, it does not impair either the consolidation or reconsolidation of extinction memories. We conclude that the RE may have a critical role in suppressing context-inappropriate fear memories in the extinction context.
Investigations on the performance of poly(o-toluidine)/silicon dioxide nanocomposite coatings for the corrosion protection of mild steel
Authors: Rajendran Rajkumar , Muthukrishnan Karuppuraja , Chinnapiyan Vedhi
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles in o-toluidine monomer as a reactant and ammonium persulfate as an oxidant to obtain the poly(o-toluidine) (POT)/SiO2nanocomposites by oxidative polymerization method.

Design/methodology/approach

Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the structural properties of the composite. POT/SiO2nanocomposites were mixed with acrylic resin through a solution mixing method and the composites were coated onto the surface of mild steel. Electrochemical measurements were used to determine the corrosion protection efficiency (P.E.%) of polymer composite coatings using 3.5% NaCl solution as corrosion environment.

Findings

The results obtained reveals that the POT/SiO2/acrylic resin composite coatings have got higher corrosion P.E.% than that of POT/acrylic resin coatings.

Originality/value

The formation of uniformly passive layer in the POT/SiO2composite was used to enhance the P.E.% on mild steel surface. The POT/SiO2/acrylic resin nanocomposites showed effective anticorrosive behavior on mild steel in 3.5% NaCl solution.
The effects of online reviews on the popularity of user-generated design ideas within the Lego community
Authors: Zhang Hao , Lin Qingyue , Qi Chenyue , Liang Xiaoning
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore how online reviews and users’ social network centrality interact to influence idea popularity in open innovation communities (OICs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study used Python to obtain data from the LEGO Innovation Community. In total, 285,849 reviews across 4,475 user designs between March 2019 and March 2021 were extracted to test this study’s hypotheses.

Findings

The ordinary least square regression analysis results show that review volume, review valence, review variance and review length all positively influence idea popularity. In addition, users’ in-degree centrality positively interacts with review valence, review variance and review length to influence idea popularity, while their out-degree centrality negatively interacts with such effects.

Research limitations/implications

Drawing on the interactive marketing perspective, this study employs a large sample from the LEGO community and examines user design and idea popularity from a community member’s point of view. Moreover, this study is the first to confirm the role of online reviews and user network centrality in influencing idea popularity in OICs from a social network perspective. Furthermore, by integrating social network analysis and persuasion theories, this study confirms the interaction effects of review characteristics and users’ social network centrality on idea popularity.

Practical implications

This study’s results highlight that users should actively interact and share with reviewers their professional product design knowledge and/or the journey of their design to improve the volume of reviews on their user designs. Moreover, users could also draw more attention from other users by actively responding to heterogeneous reviews. In addition, users should be cautious with the number of people they follow and ensure that they improve their in-degree rather than out-degree centrality in their social networks.

Originality/value

This study integrates social network analysis and persuasion theories to explore the effects of online reviews and users’ centrality on idea popularity in OICs, a vital research issue that has been overlooked.
Staff experiences of working alongside peer support workers in forensic mental health community teams: a qualitative study
Authors: Nash Elizabeth , Taplin Samantha , Rust Lauren Jade , Percival Robert
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Peer support workers (PSWs) are individuals with lived experience of mental health difficulties, who apply this to support and inspire others in their recovery. The role of PSWs is relatively new within the forensic health-care service. Although there has been little time for these roles to develop, PSWs have successfully integrated into community teams. Despite perceived benefits of having these workers within a multi-disciplinary team (MDT), the views held by mental health professionals in forensic services have not yet been studied. The purpose of this research is to develop an understanding of the experiences of staff working with PSWs in a community forensic team and the impact this has on them.

Design/methodology/approach

Structured, individual interviews were conducted with eight mental health professionals, from a variety of disciplines, used across two community teams within forensic services. The data was examined according to thematic analysis.

Findings

The data indicated general positive attitudes held by professionals surrounding the working with PSWs, including the themes “providing alternative perspectives”, “unique relationships” and “hope”. Yet, themes concerned around “role ambiguity”, “boundaries” and “the impact on PSWs” also arose.

Practical implications

This study provides insight into the attitudes held by members of an MDT of working with PSWs. Although seemingly positive, the lack of clarity around the role of the PSW is problematic.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the employment of PSWs in the context of UK forensic settings, highlighting the benefits and challenges of such from the perspective of staff.
A voice for the silent: uncovering service exclusion practices
Authors: Ng Sylvia C. , Chuah Hui Yin , Nungsari Melati
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an in-depth conceptualization of service exclusion by drawing on our exploratory research as well as thick and rich insights from the authors’ qualitative data.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research was used to explore service exclusion practices against customers experiencing vulnerabilities. A total of 28 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with refugees residing within Malaysia. The Gioia methodology was used for the authors’ data analysis and the findings were validated by an independent moderator.

Findings

The authors’ empirical findings challenge how service exclusion is currently understood, by adding substantial depth and complexity beyond simply describing “the lack of access to services”. The authors also offer rich empirical findings describing 29 forms of exclusion, which were further reduced to seven types of service exclusion practices: discrimination, restriction, cost barriers, language and technology barriers, poor servicing, non-accountability and non-inclusivity.

Originality/value

This study conceptualizes service exclusion from a process perspective, that is, “how” customers experiencing vulnerabilities are being excluded, rather than “what” is excluded.
Enhancement of visible-light photo-activity of TiO2 arrays for environmental water purification
Authors: Baqaei Ali , Sabbagh Alvani Ali Asghar , Sameie Hassan
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Over the past decades, intense efforts have been devoted to design and synthesize efficient photocatalysts which are active under sunlight for environmental and energy applications. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has attracted much attention over many years for organic contaminant degradation in air or water due to its strong optical absorptivity, chemical stability and low cost. However, TiO2 has a very low photo quantum yield which prompts the easy recombination of photogeneration electron/hole pairs. In addition, bandgap of 3.2 eV restrains application of this photocatalyst mainly to the UV range.

Design/methodology/approach

Vertically oriented one-dimensional TiO2 nanostructures remarkably improve electron transport by creating a direct conduction pathway, decreasing intercrystalline contacts and stretching grown structure with the specified directionality. In this research, to enhance the visible light absorbance of TiO2, prearranged hydrogenated titanium dioxide nanorods (H-TNRs) in the presence of H2/N2 gas flow are hydrothermally synthesized.

Findings

The X-ray diffraction patterns illustrated the characteristic peaks of tetragonal rutile TiO2 and confirmed that there is no phase change after hydrogenation. Trivalent titanium ions surface defects and oxygen vacancies were considered as major reasons for redshift of absorption edge toward visible region and subsequently narrowing the bandgap to 2.27 eV. The optimized photocatalysts exhibited high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue in water within 210. The synthesized H-TNRs established themselves as promising photocatalysts for organic compounds degradation in the aqueous solution.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is original and has not been published elsewhere nor is it currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Influence of surface preparations of wood on the wetting and adhesion of coating
Authors: Kardar Pooneh , Amini Reza
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this work was to study the effect of different wood surface preparations on the wetting and adhesion of coating.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, six different chemical preparations to evaluate the photostability and properties of wood coating. Also, the effect of the same wood treatments on the properties of the coating, i.e. wetting, adhesion and the permeability of two types of coatings, was investigated.

Findings

As a result, benzoyl chloride and chromic acid were found to be the most effective photostabilizing preparations. Solvent-based polyurethane was more compatible with the prepared wood surfaces compared with water-based alkyd coatings.

Research limitations/implications

Chemical modifications of wood surfaces affected the wetting of various coatings.

Practical implications

Various surface properties could be changed using preparation that affects important coating properties.

Social implications

Unfortunately, the properties of transparent wood coatings used outdoors disappear through the early years of use, essentially due to the wood substrate’s photodegradation.

Originality/value

Wood is a widespread substrate because of its comfortable handling, availability, proper cost of preparation and its good mechanical strength because of its density. Architects and designers tend to use wood in the construction of green buildings. However, this material is disposed to weathering while using outdoors and it should be solved.
Motivations and effects of ethical purchasing from social enterprise in a regional city
Authors: Barraket Jo , McKinnon Katharine , Brennan-Horley Christopher , De Cotta Tracy
Published: July 2022

Purpose

In recent years, the socio-economic power of local purchasing by both individuals and organisations has become of increasing interest. Despite growing recognition of social enterprises as local development actors, relatively little attention has been given to the motivations and effects of purchasing from social enterprises, particularly in regional settings. Informed by the literature on diverse economies, this paper aims to examine the patterns and motivations for purchasing from social enterprises by local citizens and organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis draws on an in-depth mixed-methods case study of purchasing from two social enterprises in a regional city in Victoria, Australia. Data sources included semi-structured and standing interviews, as well as sales data. Data analysis includes thematic analysis and geo-spatial mapping.

Findings

The findings suggest purchasing from social enterprises in regional settings is shaped by both typical consumption needs and ethical concerns that emphasise the place-based orientation of social enterprises’ operations and missions.

Originality/value

This paper extends understanding of how community economies are negotiated and configured in regional contexts. It also contributes to consumer understandings within the social enterprise literature, which to date has been surprisingly scant in unpacking how and to what end their customers’ consumption choices affect the kinds of value social enterprises are able to create.
Timing and synchrony of migration in a freshwater fish: Consequences for survival
Authors: Hulthén Kaj , Chapman Ben B. , Nilsson P. Anders , Hansson Lars‐Anders , Skov Christian , Brodersen Jakob , Brönmark Christer
Published: July 2022

Animal migration is one of the most spectacular and visible behavioural phenomena in nature with profound implications for a range of ecological and evolutionary processes. Successful migration hinges on the ability to exploit temporary resources (e.g. food) and evade threats (e.g. predators) as they arise, and thus the timing of migration is often regarded as a dominant predictor of individual migratory success.

However, with the exception of intensively studied taxa (mainly birds), relatively few studies have investigated inter‐individual annual and seasonal variation in migratory timing and performance, or tested predictions on how migration across high and low predation‐risk habitats may exert selection on migratory timing. In particular, studies that assess the survival consequences of variation in migratory timing remain rare, which is most likely due to the logistical challenges associated with monitoring survival success and population‐level characteristics simultaneously.

Here, we address the above‐mentioned questions using roach Rutilus rutilus, a fish that migrates from lakes characterised by high predation risk into low‐risk streams during winter. Specifically, we used individual‐based tracking of roach in two European lake systems over multiple migration periods (9 and 7 years respectively), to obtain highly detailed (year‐round scheduling, repeat journeys and the fate of individuals) data on the variability/synchrony of migratory timing in spring and autumn respectively.

We report seasonal differences in the variability of migratory timing, with lower variance and higher migration synchrony in spring lake arrival timing as compared to autumn lake departure timing. Furthermore, the timing of autumn migration is more variable across years than the timing of spring migration. Second, we find that later arrival to the lake habitat is positively associated with apparent survival from 1 year to the next, whereas we found no effect of lake departure timing on survival probability.

These findings represent rare evidence showing how intraspecific variation in timing in migratory fish differs across years and seasons, and how variation in timing can translate into survival consequences for prey in systems characterised by high predation risk.
Using business continuity methodology for improving national disaster risk management
Authors: Tómasson Böðvar
Published: July 2022

Crises affecting societies at a national level have regularly highlighted the importance of societies being prepared and resilient. There is a lack of standardized and proven procedures to ensure continuity of vital societal functions at a national level, as demonstrated in the recent COVID‐19 pandemic. This article investigates how the methodology of business continuity management (BCM) can be used at a national level to increase resilience and societal safety. The article shows that a societal safety approach, where critical societal functions are based on societal values and basic individual needs, can be a fundamental platform for national continuity management. National risk assessments (NRAs), refer to the process and documentation of assessing risks at a national level. NRAs in three Nordic countries where societal safety is the basis for national disaster risk management (DRM) is analyzed, and in two other countries, which have worked extensively with NRAs. This article presents several possibilities and problems inherent in using the BCM process and methodology for national DRM. Finally, a rough proposal is given on how DRM can be developed at the national level with the help of concepts and methods from BCM that would increase societal safety.
Spanning scales: The airborne spatial and temporal sampling design of the National Ecological Observatory Network
Authors: Musinsky John , Goulden Tristan , Wirth Gregory , Leisso Nathan , Krause Keith , Haynes Mitch , Chapman Cameron
Published: July 2022

1. Each year, the National Ecological Observatory Network's (NEON) Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) collects high‐resolution hyperspectral imagery, discrete and waveform lidar, and digital photography at a subset of 81 terrestrial and aquatic research sites throughout the United States. These open remote sensing data, together with NEON in situ sensor measurements and field observations, enable researchers to characterize ecological processes at multiple spatial and temporal scales.

2. Here we describe the sampling design for the AOP that aims to meet the diverse research needs of the ecological science community within the operational constraints affecting airborne data collection. Our spatial sampling protocol captures NEON instrumented systems, field plots and environmental gradients around each site while considering the context of airspace restrictions and remote sensing instrument capabilities. We use time series of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite and PhenoCam near‐surface observations to define temporal sampling windows based on vegetation peak foliar greenness. We developed a probabilistic model based on MODIS reflectance imagery and Monte Carlo simulation to estimate sampling durations for cloud‐free data collection at each site.

3. Agreement in the estimated phenophase transition dates between MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index and PhenoCam Green Chromatic Coordinate varied by vegetation class. Results from both sensors show that some vegetation classes have relatively consistent interannual peak greenness start‐ and end‐dates, while others experience high year‐to‐year variability in green‐up and senescence. In addition to phenological variability among sites, certain vegetation forms demonstrate distinct, asynchronous responses to climate, resulting in non‐overlapping peak greenness periods within a single site. Results from flight campaigns showed that the cloud‐likelihood model underestimated actual cloud conditions by 13%–26%, depending on the probability used.

4. Where interannual or intra‐site phenology is highly variable or clouds are a persistent problem, it becomes challenging to schedule domain deployments so that all sites are flown in cloud‐free conditions while their vegetation communities are in peak greenness. Despite limitations, application of cloud and peak greenness models to airborne sampling results in significant improvements to AOP data quality. Although most applicable to airborne sampling with hyperspectral and lidar instruments in piloted aircraft, these methods may be a valuable resource to deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for ecological research.