bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cashless policy initiative in Nigeria: outline of crucial socio-economic and regulatory considerations
Authors: Monye Ogochukwu
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently relaunched Nigeria’s cashless policy initiative which seeks to reduce financial crime and tax avoidance, decrease cash dependency, advance the adoption of digital financial services (DFS), decrease the risks to the payment system and foster financial inclusion. This study aims to identify the unique challenges of going cashless in Nigeria, particularly in terms of infrastructural, exclusionary and cost implications of the policy on the average citizens.

Design/methodology/approach

The author applies a doctrinal research methodology to identify and reflect on key challenges of the cashless policy from the economic, regulatory and transactional perspectives.

Findings

The cashless policy initiative in Nigeria heralds value for financial integrity, financial policy regulation and user convenience. The mode of introduction, however, ushers in significant challenges and hardly considers Nigeria’s inadequate payment infrastructure, persistent financial exclusion, low levels of financial and digital literacy and capability, high cost of using DFS and pervasive proclivity for cash. As Nigerians adjust albeit inconveniently to the policy, the CBN can ameliorate the hardship by strengthening the payment infrastructure, particularly for digital payments, fostering consumer trust by safeguarding user funds and enabling consumer preferences.

Research limitations/implications

Research materials include the national regulator’s policy documents and newspaper articles that have not been published in formal reports but non-the-less adequately mirror the policy intention of the CBN and the lived experiences of Nigerians.

Practical implications

This study identifies the practical steps and regulatory measures that the CBN can take to improve acceptance and meaningful and sustainable adoption of the cashless policy by the majority of Nigerians.

Social implications

The recommendations that are proffered provide some rich insights to inform regulatory direction for the CBN to seamlessly phase-in the cashless policy and consequently drive down financial exclusion in Nigeria.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the policy discussion around the introduction of the cashless Nigeria project. The doctrinal research method highlights the policy intentions of the regulator in juxtaposition with lived experiences of Nigerians. This study offers recommendations to bolster financial inclusion, stability and integrity.
Paradox in the making: toward a theory of utility maximization in human-commercial robot interactions
Authors: Chou Shih Yung , Barron Katelin , Ramser Charles
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This article aims to develop a new theory that can better explain and predict how and when humans interact with commercial robots. To this end, utility maximization theory (UMT) along with four principles and propositions that may guide how human-to-commercial robot interactions are developed.

Design/methodology/approach

This article conceptualizes UMT by drawing from social exchange, conservation of resources, and technology-driven theories.

Findings

This article proposes UMT, which consists of four guiding principles and propositions. First, it is proposed that the human must invest sufficient resources to initiate a human-to-commercial robot interaction. Second, the human forms an expectation of utility gain maximization once a human-to-commercial robot interaction is initiated. Third, the human severs a human-to-commercial robot interaction if the human is unable to witness maximum utility gain upon the interaction. Finally, once the human severs a human-to-commercial robot interaction, the human seeks to reinvest sufficient resources in another human-to-commercial robot interaction with the same expectation of utility maximization.

Originality/value

This article is one of the few studies that offers a theoretical foundation for understanding the interactions between humans and commercial robots. Additionally, this article provides several managerial implications for managing effective human-to-commercial robot interactions.
Voter rationality, the use of accounting information and voting behavior: evidence from a referendum
Authors: Kuroki Makoto
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether objective and subjective rationality affects individual voters’ use of accounting information and if such use affects voting behavior. While prior accounting studies assume voter rationality concerning financial performance and political outcomes, this study distinguishes between two types of voters: objective rational voters (who make voting decisions about multiple alternatives based on objective information) and subjective rational voters (who make decisions based on their subjective values, and thus do not explore information or explore only information biased toward one alternative). This study expects that accounting information can influence the voting behavior of objective and subjective rational voters.

Design/methodology/approach

Focusing on the 2020 Osaka Metropolitan Plan Referendum, this study used an online survey conducted on 768 respondents after the referendum.

Findings

This study finds that objective rational voters use accounting information more than subjective rational voters, voters who used accounting information were more likely to vote against the referendum, and voting behavior is not directly affected by the type of rationality of voters; rather, objective rational voters are more likely to use accounting information that has a mediating effect on voting behavior.

Originality/value

The results advance the understanding of public sector accounting research and practices by providing evidence of the individual voter’s use of accounting information and their voting behavior in political contexts.
Is the past prologue? Part 1: a qualitative analysis of PDS dissertation research focused on learning
Authors: Garin Eva , Yendol-Hoppey Diane
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study provides an analysis of professional development school (PDS) dissertation research that focuses on learning in PDSs. These 103 dissertations written between 1990 and 2020 address an aspect of learning in PDS work, including inquiry as a pedagogical learning tool, student learning PK-12, intern/teacher candidate learning, university teacher educator learning, and inservice teacher learning. From the current exploration of PDS dissertations, most especially from the comparison studies, the authors have learned that there is still no clear path to presenting PDS as having a positive impact when compared with non-PDS experiences..

Design/methodology/approach

Within each of these categories, the authors examine the dissertations by methodology and explore common themes among dissertation findings. As the PDS movement enters its third decade of inquiry and builds its efficacy on models of learning, the findings provide insight into the degree to which PDS scholars are building on the past to determine future PDS research agendas around learning.

Findings

The authors examine the dissertations by methodology and explore common themes among dissertation findings. The themes included: intern learning does happen in PDS sites; PDSs provide structures for intern learning; teacher educators can learn from their PDS work; dissertations in the area of student learning overwhelmingly had inconclusive findings, except for research that focused on targeted interventions, which demonstrated student gains.

Research limitations/implications

With fewer PDS-focused dissertations being written in more recent years, the authors wonder if the complexity of PDS may be a deterrent to the growth and sustainability of this model?

Practical implications

From the current exploration of PDS dissertations, most especially from the comparison studies, the authors have learned that the authors still do not have a clear path to presenting PDS as having a positive impact when compared with non-PDS experiences. However, the authors are beginning to understand the types of studies that are needed to move this agenda forward and hope the work will help inform the PDS community of some.

Originality/value

This is the first known study of PDS dissertations across time.
The epiphytic orchid Vanda falcata is predominantly associated with a single Tulasnellaceae fungus in adulthood, and Ceratobasidiaceae fungi strongly induce its seed germination in vitro
Authors: Rammitsu Kento , Yamamoto Nao , Chamara R. M. S. Ruwan , Minobe Mutsumi , Kinoshita Akihiko , Kotaka Nobuhiko , Ogura‐Tsujita Yuki
Published: August 2023

Vanda falcata is an epiphytic orchid native to East Asia with high horticultural and ornamental value. However, its wild populations are at risk of extinction due to overcollection and habitat loss. Orchids are highly dependent on mycorrhizal fungi for their nutrient acquisition from seed germination to adulthood; therefore, understanding their mycorrhizal associations throughout the life cycle is essential for their conservation. We investigated the mycorrhizal fungi of adult V. falcata plants through the molecular identification of root samples from 40 individual plants from 13 sites, covering a distance of 1200 km across Japan. To identify the fungi that promote V. falcata seed germination, we performed seed germination tests in vitro with fungal isolates from V. falcata and other epiphytic orchids. In adult plants, we detected a total of 11 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within two fungal families, Ceratobasidiaceae and Tulasnellaceae, and a single Tulasnellaceae OTU (TU11) was found in samples from 12 sites. However, Vanda falcata seed germination and early development were induced in vitro by Ceratobasidiaceae fungi rather than Tulasnellaceae fungi, including TU11. These results suggest that different mycorrhizal fungi may be predominantly associated with V. falcata in the adult and seed germination stages. This mycorrhizal switching suggests that effective mycorrhizal fungi for conservation may differ between the adult and juvenile stages, even within a single orchid species. Our findings clarify the mycorrhizal associations of endangered epiphytic orchid species and could improve conservation efforts for these rare plants.
Motivation towards first trimester screening for preeclampsia among pregnant women in Denmark: A cross‐sectional questionnaire study
Authors: Gerdes Sandra Maria Behnke , Ekelund Charlotte Kvist , Rode Line , Miltoft Caroline Borregaard , Midtgaard Julie , Jørgensen Finn Stener , Pihl Kasper , Tabor Ann , Riishede Iben
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The aim of this cross‐sectional questionnaire study was to investigate motivation to participate in a possible new screening for preeclampsia in the first trimester of pregnancy among Danish pregnant women through a questionnaire based on Theory of Planned Behavior developed for this specific purpose. The new screening combines maternal characteristics with mean arterial pressure, uterine artery pulsatility index and biochemical markers to predict the risk of preeclampsia, whereas the current Danish screening uses maternal characteristics alone.

Material and methods

Participation was offered to a proportion of women attending a first or a second trimester screening scan at two University Hospitals in Copenhagen. The questionnaire was set up in REDCap® and answers were entered directly into the database, which was accessed via a QR‐code.

Results

We invited 772 pregnant women to participate in the questionnaire survey between November 2021 and April 2022 at Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet (study site one) (n = 238) and Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre (study site two) (n = 534). The response rate was 71.8% (171/238) at study site one and 33.9% (181/534) at study site two. A total of 352 women were included in the study (total participation rate 45.6%). Most women had a positive attitude towards preeclampsia screening in pregnancy, and 99.4% said they would participate in a risk assessment for preeclampsia if given the opportunity. A total of 97.4% answered “yes” to whether a first trimester preeclampsia screening should be offered to all pregnant women in Denmark. Positive motivation to participate in preeclampsia screening was correlated with having a network with a positive attitude towards preeclampsia screening.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that Danish pregnant women have a positive attitude towards participation in a first trimester screening for preeclampsia. This observation might be useful in relation to possible future implementation in Denmark.
Initial establishment and validation of a predictive model for preeclampsia in twin pregnancies based on maternal characteristics and echocardiographic parameters
Authors: Xiang Qianqian , Wei Yuan , Feng Xinheng , Chen Shaomin , Zhao Yangyu
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between maternal echocardiographic changes and the occurrence of preeclampsia (PE) in twin pregnancies. Additionally, we established and validated a prediction model for PE in twin pregnancies.

Material and methods

The first part of this study was retrospective and included data from 854 twin pregnancies that received antenatal care at Peking University Third Hospital from April 2017 to April 2021 (training cohort). Overall, 159 women who underwent transthoracic echocardiography were included in the analysis. To build a predictive model, cardiac findings were compared between normotensive women and those with PE. The model was then validated in a prospective longitudinal cohort (test cohort) that included 109 women with twin pregnancies who underwent two consecutive transthoracic echocardiography examinations during the second and third trimesters.

Results

Fifty‐four normotensive women and 105 women with PE were analyzed in the retrospective cohort that was used to build the model in which later preeclampsia was associated with higher left ventricular mass index (>61 g/m2), interventricular septal thickness (>7.87 mm), left atrial anteroposterior diameter (>33.5 mm), mitral inflow late diastolic velocity (A) (>0.685 m/s), ratio of early diastolic velocity (E) and peak early diastolic myocardial velocity of the lateral mitral annulus (>6.5), and lower peak early diastolic myocardial velocity (<13.1 cm/s). The optimized PE prediction model based on the interventricular septal thickness, left atrial anteroposterior diameter, A, peak early diastolic myocardial velocity and pre‐pregnancy bodyweight index was then established (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.840, 95% CI 0.778–0.903, P < 0.001). The model was tested in the prospective cohort including 87 normotensive women and 22 women with PE; the validation test showed that the prediction model in the second (AUC = 0.801) and third (AUC = 0.811) trimesters had high discriminative ability and calibration.

Conclusions

Maternal echocardiographic changes in twin pregnancies are associated with the development of preeclampsia. The model constructed, based on the echocardiographic parameters and body mass index, provides novel ideas for the prediction of PE.
Neurotechnology and ethics guidelines for human enhancement: The case of the hippocampal cognitive prosthesis
Authors: Erden Yasemin J. , Brey Philip
Published: August 2023

Neurotechnologies offer both therapeutic and enhancement potential. In this article, we demonstrate how ethics guidelines can help with critical reflection on their potential for enhancement. We do this through the case of the hippocampal cognitive prosthesis. This prothesis developed in the US, has primarily therapeutic ends, with scope for enhancement. This technology raises several ethical issues, including as related to identity and memory, autonomy and authenticity. In the first section, we outline what we mean by enhancement, and introduce neurotechnologies generally and the hippocampal cognitive prosthesis specifically, with an introduction to generally relevant ethical issues. In the second section, we outline ethical issues pertinent to the hippocampal cognitive prosthesis and explore how ethics guidelines can help to promote essential critical reflection on a technology like this. Through all this, our emphasis is to balance between technological optimism and caution, especially where technologies have enhancement potential.
Direct oral anticoagulants versus aspirin for primary thromboprophylaxis in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing outpatient therapy: A systematic review and updated meta‐analysis
Authors: Costa Thomaz Alexandre , Felix Nicole , Costa Bruno Almeida , Godoi Amanda , Nogueira Alleh , Rossi Adriana
Published: August 2023

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are at an elevated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is further increased for those undergoing anti‐myeloma therapy. Current guidelines suggest low‐dose direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) as an alternative to aspirin for primary thromboprophylaxis in this population, but data comparing these two therapies are limited. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to compare DOACs with aspirin for primary thromboprophylaxis in individuals undergoing outpatient anti‐myeloma therapy. Studies were selected when comparing DOACs versus aspirin for thrombotic and haemorrhagic outcomes. We included 10 randomised controlled trials and observational studies comprising 1026 patients with MM who received primary thromboprophylaxis with DOACs (n = 337) or aspirin (n = 689). DOAC thromboprophylaxis was associated with a significantly lower incidence of VTE compared with aspirin (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.16–0.68; p < 0.001). Major, clinically relevant non‐major and minor bleeding event rates did not differ significantly between groups. Overall, our meta‐analysis suggests that DOACs may be a preferable option to aspirin for the prevention of MM‐related thrombosis. However, these results should be interpreted in the context of heterogeneous baseline population characteristics and potential bias from including observational studies. Further research is needed to evaluate the optimal thromboprophylaxis strategy, particularly in high‐risk individuals.
Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire: Skill gaps and psychosocial predictors of transition readiness among adolescents and young adults with chronic medical conditions
Authors: Chapados Pascale , Provencher Sabrina , Aramideh Jennifer , Dumont Émilie , Lugasi Tziona , Laverdière Caroline , Sultan Serge , Desjardins Leandra
Published: August 2023

Background

Transferring from paediatric to adult care can be challenging. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic health conditions need to develop a specific set of skills to ensure lifelong medical follow‐up due to the chronicity of their condition. The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire—French version (TRAQ‐FR) is a 19‐item questionnaire measuring such skills. The aims of the study were to (1) describe participant characteristics and (2) identify constructs related to, and predictors of, having learned domain‐specific transition readiness skills.

Methods

Participants included 216 AYAs aged 14–20 years (M = 15.93; SD = 1.35; 54.1% male) recruited from five outpatient clinics in a Canadian tertiary hospital. AYAs completed the TRAQ‐FR, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results

Overall, participants reported significantly higher scores on the Talking with Providers, Managing Daily Activities and Managing Medications subscales than on the Appointment Keeping and Tracking Health Issues subscales (F[41075] = 168.970, p < .001). At the item level, median scores (on a 5‐point Likert scale) suggest that AYAs had begun practising five of the 19 skills (median scores ≥4; ‘Yes, I have started doing this’), while a median score of 1 (‘No, I don't know how’) was found for one item (‘Do you get financial help with school or work?’). At the subscale level, TRAQ‐FR skills and skill gaps were related to AYAs' age, sex and PedsQL scores (ps < .05).

Conclusion

Older and female AYAs were more likely to have begun practising specific TRAQ‐FR subscale skills. Better psychosocial functioning was also related to having learned specific transition readiness skills. AYAs show several gaps in transition readiness. Targeted intervention in transition readiness skill development could take into account AYAs' age, sex and psychosocial functioning for a successful transfer to adult care.
Edge‐Friend: Fast and Deterministic Catmull‐Clark Subdivision Surfaces
Authors: Kuth Bastian , Oberberger Max , Chajdas Matthäus , Meyer Quirin
Published: August 2023

We present edge‐friend, a data structure for quad meshes with access to neighborhood information required for Catmull‐Clark subdivision surface refinement. Edge‐friend enables efficient real‐time subdivision surface rendering. In particular, the resulting algorithm is deterministic, does not require hardware support for atomic floating‐point arithmetic, and is optimized for efficient rendering on GPUs. Edge‐friend exploits that after one subdivision step, two edges can be uniquely and implicitly assigned to each quad. Additionally, edge‐friend is a compact data structure, adding little overhead. Our algorithm is simple to implement in a single compute shader kernel, and requires minimal synchronization which makes it particularly suited for asynchronous execution. We easily extend our kernel to support relevant Catmull‐Clark subdivision surface features, including semi‐smooth creases, boundaries, animation and attribute interpolation. In case of topology changes, our data structure requires little preprocessing, making it amendable for a variety of applications, including real‐time editing and animations. Our method can process and render billions of triangles per second on modern GPUs. For a sample mesh, our algorithm generates and renders 2.9 million triangles in 0.58ms on an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU.
Featured Cover
Authors: Galarraga‐Vinueza Maria Elisa , Tavelli Lorenzo
Published: August 2023

The cover image is based on the Review Article Soft tissue features of peri‐implant diseases and related treatment by Maria Elisa Galarraga‐Vinueza DDS et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/cid.13156.

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Immune tolerance via FCR001 cell therapy compared with maintenance immunosuppression for kidney transplantation: Real‐world evidence analysis of safety and efficacy
Authors: Krieger Nancy , Chodoff Lawrence , Leventhal Joseph R. , Ho Bing , Richards Margaret , Schaumberg Debra A. , Laidlaw Douglas , Ildstad Suzanne T. , Axelrod David A.
Published: August 2023

While kidney transplantation (KTx) has traditionally required lifelong immunosuppression, an investigational stem cell therapy, FCR001, has been demonstrated to induce tolerance and eliminate the need for immunosuppression through the establishment of persistent mixed chimerism in a phase 2 clinical study. Real‐world evidence (RWE) methods were employed to compare the safety and efficacy of non‐myeloablative conditioning with FCR001 with standard of care [SOC] immunosuppression in a retrospective single‐center analysis of outcomes among propensity score matched living‐donor KTx receiving SOC (n = 144) or FCR001 (n = 36). Among the FCR001 recipients, 26 (72%) developed persistent chimerism allowing durable elimination of all immunosuppression. There was no significant difference in the composite primary endpoint (biopsy‐proven acute rejection [BPAR], graft loss, or death) at 60 months (FCR001 27.8%, n = 10 and SOC 28.5%, n = 41; p = .9). FCR001 recipients demonstrated superior kidney function at 5 years (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] [mean ± standard deviation]: 64.1 ± 15.3) compared to SOC (51.7 ± 18.8; p = .02). At 5 years, FCR001 recipients experienced fewer complications including new‐onset diabetes post‐transplant, although two patients developed graft versus host disease. In conclusion, RWE demonstrated that KTx combined with non‐myeloablative conditioning and FCR001 resulting in superior kidney function without increasing the risk of rejection, graft loss, or death among patients off immunosuppression.
Size‐mismatched transplantation from large donors to small recipients is associated with pancreas graft thrombosis: A retrospective national observational study
Authors: Kaku Keizo , Okabe Yasuhiro , Kubo Shinsuke , Sato Yu , Mei Takanori , Noguchi Hiroshi , Tomimaru Yoshito , Ito Toshinori , Kenmochi Takashi , Nakamura Masafumi
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Donor–recipient (D/R) size mismatch has been evaluated for a number of organs but not for pancreas transplantation.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 438 patients who had undergone pancreas transplantation. The D/R body surface area (BSA) ratio was calculated, and the relationship between the ratio and graft prognosis was evaluated. We divided the patients into two groups and evaluated graft survival. The incidence of pancreas graft thrombosis resulting in graft failure within 14 days and 1‐year graft survival were compared using Kaplan–Meier curves, and the prognostic factors associated with graft thrombosis were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

The mean/median donor and recipient BSAs were 1.63 m2/1.65 m2, and 1.57 m2/1.55 m2, respectively; the mean and median D/R BSAs were both 1.05. The receiver operating characteristic curve cutoff for the D/R BSA ratio was 1.09, and significant differences were identified between patients with ratios of ≥1.09 (high group) versus <1.09 (low group). The incidence of graft thrombosis resulting in pancreas graft failure within 14 days was significantly higher in the high group than in the low group (p < .01). One‐year overall and death‐censored pancreas graft survival were significantly higher in the low group than in the high group (p < .01). Multivariate analysis identified recipient height, donor BSA, and donor hemoglobin A1c as significant independent factors for graft thrombosis. Cubic spline curve analysis indicated an increased risk of graft thrombosis with increasing D/R BSA ratio.

Conclusion

D/R size mismatch is associated with graft thrombosis after pancreas transplantation.
Kierkegaard on belief and credence
Authors: Quanbeck Z
Published: August 2023

Kierkegaard's pseudonym Johannes Climacus famously defines faith as a risky “venture” that requires “holding fast” to “objective uncertainty.” Yet puzzlingly, he emphasizes that faith requires resolute conviction and certainty. Moreover, Climacus claims that all beliefs about contingent propositions about the external world “exclude doubt” and “nullify uncertainty,” but also that uncertainty is “continually present” in these very same beliefs. This paper argues that these apparent contradictions can be resolved by interpreting Climacus as a belief‐credence dualist. That is, Climacus holds that beliefs and credences (i.e., degrees of belief) are two irreducibly distinct types of mental states. Beliefs are resolutions that close inquiry, thereby excluding doubt and reflecting subjective certainty by disregarding the possibility of error. Credences, by contrast, reflect assessments of evidential probabilities, thereby encoding a recognition of “objective uncertainty” by acknowledging the possibility of error. In addition to solving a vexing interpretive puzzle and showing how Kierkegaard anticipates contemporary views about the nature of belief and credence, this paper demonstrates that Kierkegaard developed a sophisticated account of the nature of belief, doubt, and certainty that merits serious philosophical consideration.
Population demographic history and evolutionary rescue: Influence of a bottleneck event
Authors: Olazcuaga Laure , Lincke Beatrice , DeLacey Sarah , Durkee Lily F. , Melbourne Brett A. , Hufbauer Ruth A.
Published: August 2023

Rapid environmental change presents a significant challenge to the persistence of natural populations. Rapid adaptation that increases population growth, enabling populations that declined following severe environmental change to grow and avoid extinction, is called evolutionary rescue. Numerous studies have shown that evolutionary rescue can indeed prevent extinction. Here, we extend those results by considering the demographic history of populations. To evaluate how demographic history influences evolutionary rescue, we created 80 populations of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, with three classes of demographic history: diverse populations that did not experience a bottleneck, and populations that experienced either an intermediate or a strong bottleneck. We subjected these populations to a new and challenging environment for six discrete generations and tracked extinction and population size. Populations that did not experience a bottleneck in their demographic history avoided extinction entirely, while more than 20% of populations that experienced an intermediate or strong bottleneck went extinct. Similarly, among the extant populations at the end of the experiment, adaptation increased the growth rate in the novel environment the most for populations that had not experienced a bottleneck in their history. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of considering the demographic history of populations to make useful and effective conservation decisions and management strategies for populations experiencing environmental change that pushes them toward extinction.
Efficacy of six lactic acid bacteria strains as silage inoculants in forages with different dry matter and water‐soluble carbohydrate content
Authors: Gonda Horacio , Nikodinoska Ivana , Le Cocq Kate , Moran Colm A.
Published: August 2023

The dry matter (DM), water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content, and epiphytic microbiota of forage during ensiling are critical for the production of high‐quality preserved forage. This study tested the efficacy of six additive treatments (106 CFU/g FM Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus IMI 507023, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum [IMI 507026, IMI 507027, and IMI 507028] or Pediococcus pentosaceus [IMI 507024 and IMI 507025]) as ensiling agents for grass‐clover preservation. Treated and untreated forages were ensiled in 1.75 L glass jars and stored for 90 days at 20 ± 2°C. The effects of treatments on silage fermentation and aerobic stability were tested using grass‐clover forage at low and high levels of DM (24.0%–40.1%) and WSC (1.78%–5.27%). Data analysis using a mixed‐effects model and principal component analysis revealed improved silage fermentation in treated forages compared to that in the control. The fermentation‐related analytes in the treated silages (low pH, ethanol, acetic acid, and high lactic acid) represented a typical homofermentative metabolic pathway. The silage inoculants significantly lowered DM losses and ammonia‐N, % of total nitrogen content, ranging between 30.4%–52.5% and 30.5%–63.1% respectively, compared to the control. Additionally, forage type interacted with treatment, indicating that forage management is vital for ensiling and should be considered alongside inoculant use. The improvement in aerobic stability by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was inconsistent. The principal component analysis of all analytes showed that aerobic stability was most closely correlated with acetic acid and butyric acid concentrations. In conclusion, all LAB strains successfully improved the preservation of forage materials.
Impact of fibrosis on liver‐related event incidence in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A multicenter observational study
Authors: Chayama Kazuaki , Hiramatsu Akira , Shima Toshihide , Itoh Yoshito , Yamaguchi Kanji , Nakajima Tomoaki , Hoshikawa Kyoko , Kawamura Yusuke , Akuta Norio , Ito Kiyoaki , Kawanaka Miwa , Sakamoto Michiie , Harada Kenichi , Goto Yoshihito , Nakayama Takeo , Kumada Hiromitsu , Okanoue Takeshi
Published: August 2023

Aim

There are few reports on the prognosis of liver‐related events in Japanese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We undertook an observational study to compare the prognosis between fibrotic and nonfibrotic groups in Japanese NAFLD patients.

Methods

Prognosis in 393 NAFLD patients who underwent liver biopsy between April 2013 and April 2015 at multiple centers were investigated. The time to onset of liver‐related events, cardiovascular events, development of extrahepatic cancers, and death were compared between the pathologically fibrotic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) group and nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) + nonfibrotic NASH group. A similar analysis was carried out based on the fibrotic classification diagnosed using four noninvasive fibrosis prediction models.

Results

The mean age and body mass index at the time of liver biopsy was 55.7 years old and 28.04 kg/m2, respectively The cumulative incidence of liver‐related events at 1080 days after liver biopsy was 5.79% in the pathologically fibrotic NASH group and 0% in the NAFL + nonfibrotic NASH group, with a significant difference (p = 0.0334). The cumulative incidence of liver‐related events was significantly higher in the positive group for the prediction model than in the negative group in all four models (all p values were <0.0001). There was no significant difference between the pathologically fibrotic NASH group and NAFL + nonfibrotic NASH group in terms of cumulative incidence of cardiovascular events, development of extrahepatic cancers, and death.

Conclusions

The incidence of liver‐related events was significantly higher in the fibrotic NASH group than that of the NAFL + nonfibrotic NASH group in Japanese NAFLD patients.
Dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment of catalysts and the effect on isomerised rice bran oil
Authors: Zhong Wen , Wang Yawen , Gao Shan , Elfalleh Walid , Qin Lanxia , Xu Su , Yu Dianyu , Wang Liqi
Published: August 2023

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is an emerging technology applied in multiple industries in recent years. In this work, DBD plasma was used instead of a traditional heating activation catalyst and applied in the field of rice bran oil (RBO) conjugation. Linoleic acid (LA) in rice bran oil generated a series of compounds with π‐double bonds at the basic site of the catalyst and finally shed with the catalyst to produce conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Ru‐Pd/USY was prepared by the primary wet impregnation method, and Ru‐Pd/USY was treated at a power of 180 W, a discharge time of 150 s and an electrode spacing of 2.5 cm. The Ru‐Pd/USY morphology and internal composition were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalyst was isomerised with RBO in a supercritical CO2 environment, and the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) in Pd‐Ru/USY RBO after DBD treatment reached 67.4 ± 0.8%, and the finished oil met the edible standard.
Unveiling the strong coulomb interaction effect on electronic structures and mechanical properties of C4AF
Authors: Shuai Junhao , Wan Jieshuo , Zhi Xiao , Ye Jiayuan , Li Changcheng , Maulida Pramitha Yuniar Diah , Arramel Arramel , Chen Wei , Wang Fazhou , Li Neng
Published: August 2023

There are works have reported the crystal structures and mechanical properties of ferrite cement (C4AF) at the atomic scale with deviation owing to the omission of the Coulomb interaction effect (Ueff) between 3d electrons of Fe in C4AF. In this work, the DFT+U method was used to evaluate its effect on their electronic structures and mechanical properties of C4AF with two different phases I2mb (C4AF‐I) and Pnma (C4AF‐P). The FeO bonds of the two phases are all weaker and display Ueff due to the presence of Fe ions. The mechanical properties of C4AF calculated using DFT+U method significantly differ from those obtained without considering Ueff, in which the former shows lower inferior mechanical properties than the latter. This work presents a comparative study the effect of Coulomb interaction to the internal electronic structures and mechanical properties, which will pave the way for designing high hydration reaction cement and high toughness materials.
Sleep disorders in a naturalistic cohort of Dutch psychiatric outpatients: prevalence rates and associations with psychopathology symptom severity and well‐being
Authors: Mijnster Teus , Boersma Gretha J. , van Veen Maaike M. , Liemburg Edith , Cath Daniëlle , Pijnenborg Gerdina H. M. , De Jong Peter J. , Lancel Marike
Published: August 2023

Sleep problems are very common in individuals with a mental disorder. Given the abundant evidence indicating the negative impact of disturbed sleep on mental health outcome, insight into the prevalence of all types of sleep disorders in specific mental disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions is of practical importance. Therefore, we estimated the prevalence of six types of sleep disorders with the Holland Sleep Disorders Questionnaire in an overall mental health sample (n = 1082) and separately for different mental and neurodevelopmental conditions. Furthermore, associations between specific sleep disorders, psychopathology and well‐being were studied. The impact of the total number of sleep disorders on these associations was examined. Overall, 46.2% of all participants scored above the cut‐off for having a sleep disorder. Specifically, 26.8% scored on insomnia, 12.1% on sleep breathing disorders, 9.7% on hypersomnia, 13.7% on circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorders, 11.2% on parasomnia, and 17.9% on sleep‐related movement disorders. Most sleep disorders were associated with greater severity of psychopathology and lower well‐being. These associations got stronger with an increasing number of sleep disorders. Our study revealed higher suspected prevalence of most sleep disorders in a mental disorder sample compared to the general population. Moreover, the presence of sleep disorder(s) was strongly associated with symptom severity and reduced well‐being. These findings extend the notion that early detection and treatment of sleep disorders in mental health populations is essential for psychiatric outcome.
Analysis of 15 cases from a monocentric cohort of 307 liver abscesses
Authors: Canouï Etienne , Rossi Geoffrey , Nguyen Yann , Lafont Emmanuel , Rossi Benjamin , Roux Olivier , Dokmak Safi , Bert Frédéric , Leflon‐Guibout Véronique , Fantin Bruno , Lefort Agnès
Published: August 2023

Background

Out of the context of haematological patients, Candida sp. is rarely retrieved from pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA).

Objectives

Our objective was to assess the risk factors for occurrence, and clinical, microbiological characteristics, management and outcome of Candida pyogenic liver abscesses (C‐PLA).

Patients/Methods

We retrospectively analysed C‐PLA cases and compared them to pyogenic liver abscesses exclusively due to bacteria (B‐PLA) included in our monocentric database on liver abscesses. Unfavourable course was defined as the occurrence of a primary treatment failure (PTF), recurrence after an initial cure, or death within 3 months after diagnosis.

Results

Between 2010 and 2018, 15 C‐PLA and 292 B‐PLA were included. All C‐PLA had a biliary origin and were polymicrobial. All patients with C‐PLA had at least one comorbidity at risk for Candida infection and 7 (53.3%) presented with sepsis requiring an admission in intensive care unit. Median duration of antifungal treatment was 42 days [24–55]. In multivariate analysis, compared with B‐PLA, a medical history of malignancy (OR 4.16; 95%CI 1.15–18.72) or liver abscess (OR 7.39; 95%CI 2.10–26.62), and sepsis with severity criteria (OR 3.52; 95%CI 1.07–11.90) were independently associated with the occurrence of C‐PLA. In multivariate analysis, C‐PLA was associated with a higher risk of recurrence (HR 3.08; 95%CI 1.38–11.22).

Conclusion

Candida liver abscesses in non‐neutropenic is a rare and severe disease. The high rate of recurrence should lead to discuss a more intensive treatment.
The YABBY gene SHATTERING1 controls activation rather than patterning of the abscission zone in Setaria viridis
Authors: Yu Yunqing , Hu Hao , Voytas Daniel F. , Doust Andrew N. , Kellogg Elizabeth A.
Published: August 2023

Abscission is predetermined in specialized cell layers called the abscission zone (AZ) and activated by developmental or environmental signals. In the grass family, most identified AZ genes regulate AZ anatomy, which differs among lineages. A YABBY transcription factor, SHATTERING1 (SH1), is a domestication gene regulating abscission in multiple cereals, including rice and Setaria. In rice, SH1 inhibits lignification specifically in the AZ. However, the AZ of Setaria is nonlignified throughout, raising the question of how SH1 functions in species without lignification.

Crispr‐Cas9 knockout mutants of SH1 were generated in Setaria viridis and characterized with histology, cell wall and auxin immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, hormonal treatment and RNA‐Seq analysis.

The sh1 mutant lacks shattering, as expected. No differences in cell anatomy or cell wall components including lignin were observed between sh1 and the wild‐type (WT) until abscission occurs. Chloroplasts degenerated in the AZ of WT before abscission, but degeneration was suppressed by auxin treatment. Auxin distribution and expression of auxin‐related genes differed between WT and sh1, with the signal of an antibody to auxin detected in the sh1 chloroplast.

SH1 in Setaria is required for activation of abscission through auxin signaling, which is not reported in other grass species.
The soil pore structure encountered by roots affects plant‐derived carbon inputs and fate
Authors: Lucas Maik , Santiago James P. , Chen Jinyi , Guber Andrey , Kravchenko Alexandra
Published: August 2023

Plant roots are the main supplier of carbon (C) to the soil, the largest terrestrial C reservoir. Soil pore structure drives root growth, yet how it affects belowground C inputs remains a critical knowledge gap.

By combining X‐ray computed tomography with 14C plant labelling, we identified root–soil contact as a previously unrecognised influence on belowground plant C allocations and on the fate of plant‐derived C in the soil.

Greater contact with the surrounding soil, when the growing root encounters a pore structure dominated by small (< 40 μm Ø) pores, results in strong rhizodeposition but in areas of high microbial activity. The root system of Rudbeckia hirta revealed high plasticity and thus maintained high root–soil contact. This led to greater C inputs across a wide range of soil pore structures. The root–soil contact Panicum virgatum, a promising bioenergy feedstock crop, was sensitive to the encountered structure. Pore structure built by a polyculture, for example, restored prairie, can be particularly effective in promoting lateral root growth and thus root–soil contact and associated C benefits.

The findings suggest that the interaction of pore structure with roots is an important, previously unrecognised, stimulus of soil C gains.
Managing through COVID‐19: Reflections from city managers and lessons learned
Authors: Bishu Sebawit G. , Camarena Leonor , Feeney Mary K.
Published: August 2023

Our research centers on the role of city managers in responding to the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States. We begin by asking: What was the experience of city managers during the COVID‐19 pandemic? Drawing on interview data from 87 US city managers we identify four emergent themes: crisis management, organizational and leadership contexts, unintended outcomes, and administrative impacts. We then apply Comfort's (2007) four Cs—cognition, communication, coordination, and control—to the interview data. We find that cognition, communication, and coordination are critical to city managers experiences in crisis management and response. Control is largely related to organizational and leadership contexts and a key aspect in determining their reported success. We also find that city managers view unintended and administrative outcomes as a result of their crisis management process that reinforce their strategies. From our inductive analysis, we propose a Complex Disaster Response Framework of City Managers.
Depleting the signal: Analysis of chemotaxis‐consumption models—A survey
Authors: Lankeit Johannes , Winkler Michael
Published: August 2023

We give an overview of analytical results concerned with chemotaxis systems where the signal is absorbed. We recall results on existence and properties of solutions for the prototypical chemotaxis‐consumption model and various variants and review more recent findings on its ability to support the emergence of spatial structures.
Field conditions is a risk factor for traumatic injury in youth football—A joint venture of medicine and hydrology
Authors: Jordt Ida , Thygesen Mathias Møller , Johansen Tau Alfred , Jensen Karsten Høgh , Agger Peter
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The risk of traumatic injury in football has been suggested to be affected by field conditions. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate whether near surface water content of the football field, influenced the risk of traumatic injuries during a youth football tournament.

Methods

At Dana Cup, an annual international youth football tournament in Denmark, all injuries were registered and classified at the on‐site emergency department over 7 years. The incidence rate of traumatic injury was computed. Meteorological data and soil characteristics were used to simulate near surface water content of the playing fields. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) between water content and injury incidence rate was analyzed using a multivariate Poisson regression, controlling for tournament stage and demographical parameters.

Results

About 2704 injuries were recorded corresponding to a risk time of 284 905 player hours. An inverse relation between water contents and the incidence rate of traumatic injury was found (IRR = 0.24 95% CI 0.1–0.7, p = 0.01). The incidence rate of traumatic injury increased with advancing tournament stage, that is, for the finals (IRR = 4.30 95% CI 2.8–6.6, p < 0.001). Also we found an interaction between dry fields and the final stage of tournament, further exacerbating this effect.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the incidence rate of traumatic injury is increased with drier field conditions and advanced tournament stages.
Identification of the novel HLA‐A*24:567N allele in a Chinese individual
Authors: Dong Lina , Zhao Shuoxian , Wang Fang , Zhang Wei , Zhu Faming
Published: August 2023

HLA‐A*24:567N differs from HLA‐A*24:02:01:01 by a single nucleotide deletion at position 149.