bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intestinal microbiome in normal ageing, frailty and cognition decline
Authors: Strasser Barbara , Ticinesi Andrea
Published: September 2022

Purpose of review

The intestinal microbiome modulates the risk of several age-related chronic diseases and syndromes, including frailty and neurodegenerative diseases. Herein we provided an update on the influence of gut microbiota on physical and cognitive performance in older age and suggest microbiota-targeted interventions for healthy ageing.

Recent findings

Low uniqueness index of the gut microbiome and high representation of Bacteroides are independently associated with mortality in older individuals, while the centenarian microbiome is characterized by high abundance of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Frailty syndrome, sarcopenia and cognitive decline are associated with reduced faecal microbiota biodiversity, reduced abundance of bacteria able to synthetize short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and reduced faecal butyrate levels. Dietary intervention, especially involving Mediterranean diet, and exercise training seem to be associated with improved biodiversity of the microbiota, increased capacity of SCFA synthesis and, probably, protection against the onset of frailty and cognitive decline.

The gut microbiota biodiversity and composition may reflect the different ageing trajectory, but further research is needed to understand potential independent and combined effects of environmental and lifestyle factors in older adults, especially from a clinical point of view.
Effectiveness of Rapid Antigen Testing in Forensic Cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, Including Delta Variant
Authors: Matsumoto Sari , Takasu Shojiro , Shimmura Suzuka , Iwadate Kyoko , Sakai Ami , Kanto Yuko , Sakurai Tatsuya , Ote Manabu , Saiki Erisha , Kanuka Hirotaka , Iwadate Kimiharu
Published: September 2022

The polymerase chain reaction is indispensable for diagnosing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in forensic cases. However, studies regarding the effectiveness of rapid antigen testing (RAT) in forensic cases remain limited. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of RAT compared with reverse–transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for confirming SARS-CoV-2 infection (including the delta variant). Before the external examination or autopsy, we collected samples from the nasopharyngeal mucosa, which were then assessed via RAT (QuickNavi COVID-19 Ag kit, QuickNavi-Flu+COVID-19 Ag kit) and RT-qPCR. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction results were positive in 73 of 1255 cases, and 21 cases were identified as those of delta variants. Low RT-qPCR threshold cycle value cases and delta variant infections were more likely to result in coronavirus disease-related deaths. The sensitivity of the QuickNavi COVID-19 Ag kit was 76.32%, and that of the QuickNavi-Flu+COVID-19 Ag kit was 77.14%. The specificity of both RATs was 100%. In QuickNavi COVID-19 Ag kit cases, delta variant cases showed lower sensitivity than non-delta variant cases, even for a similar viral load. Thus, RAT in forensic cases is sufficiently useful as a screening test for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, RAT carries a risk of false negatives, especially for delta variant cases.
Oxygen Challenge Imaging Reveals Differences in Metabolic Activity Between Kurtosis Lesion and Diffusion/Kurtosis Lesion Mismatch in a Rodent Model of Acute Stroke
Authors: Wu Ying , Song Man-Li , Bai Jie , Wang Kai-Yu , Zhang Yong , Cheng Jing-Liang
Published: September 2022

Objective

Accurate identification of potentially salvageable tissues is critical for improving acute stroke treatment. A previous study showed that the kurtosis lesion exhibited insignificant response after prompt reperfusion treatment, while the diffusion/kurtosis lesion mismatch could recover after reperfusion. We hypothesized that these 2 regions are in different metabolic states.

Materials and Methods

Transient oxygen challenge (OC) is a procedure that uses oxygen as a metabolic bio-tracer and has been performed to explore metabolic activity in tissues. We combined OC with multiparameter magnetic resonance imaging (including diffusion kurtosis imaging and T2* mapping sequences) to study metabolic activity in the ischemic brain of Sprague Dawley rats.

Results

Oxygen challenge image analysis revealed changes in T2* values, most significantly in the mean diffusivity (MD)/mean kurtosis (MK) lesion mismatch (22.3 ± 1.6%) and least significantly in the MK lesions (6.6 ± 0.6%). The MD images acquired within 138 ± 9 minutes after ischemia showed a larger ischemic lesion (45.5 ± 3.0% of the total area) than the MK images (33.2 ± 4.2% of the total area). The change rate of the MK value (53.0 ± 4.4%) was higher than that of the MD value (37.5 ± 3.2%).

Conclusions

The present study shows that MK lesion and MD/MK lesion mismatch exhibited different metabolic activity states. The MK lesion presented metabolic-related values close to the ischemic core, while at least part of the MD/MK mismatch area was comparable with ischemic penumbra metabolic activity. These findings are important to support image-guided individualized stroke therapies.
A Novel Computed Tomography Image Reconstruction for Improving Visualization of Pulmonary Vasculature: Comparison Between Preprocessing and Postprocessing Images Using a Contrast Enhancement Boost Technique
Authors: Otgonbaatar Chuluunbaatar , Ryu Jae-Kyun , Shim Hackjoon , Jeon Pil-Hyun , Jeon Sang-Hyun , Kim Jin Woo , Ko Sung Min , Kim Hyunjung
Published: September 2022

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate chest computed tomography (CT) angiography image quality using the contrast enhancement (CE)–boost technique compared with conventional images.

Methods

Forty patients who underwent contrast-enhanced chest CT were included. Combined CT angiography images of the iodinated image obtained from the subtraction of nonenhanced CT images and CT angiography images were used to generate CE-boost images. Computed tomography attenuation, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for the right and left pulmonary arteries as the central and subsegmental arteries as peripheral vessels were assessed. Subjective image quality was rated on a 5-point scale by 2 radiologists. Image quality was assessed using a paired t test.

Results

Computed tomography attenuation in the main pulmonary artery was significantly higher for the CE-boost images (311.05 ± 91.94) than for the conventional images (221.25 ± 61.21, P < 0.001). Similarly, the CE-boost images resulted in significantly higher CT attenuation in the subsegmental arteries (right, 305.34 ± 90.13; left, 313.05 ± 97.21) than in the conventional images (right, 218.45 ± 63.16; left, 223.89 ± 74.27). The CE-boost technique demonstrated marked improvement in the visualization of the peripheral pulmonary artery without the administration of a higher iodine delivery rate. The mean SNR and CNR were also significantly higher in the central and peripheral vessels in the CE-boost images than in the conventional images (P < 0.001). In the subjective analysis, the image contrast and vascular contrast edge were significantly higher for the CE-boost images than for conventional images (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The CE-boost technique increases not only the visualization of peripheral arteries by improving vascular attenuation but also the SNR and CNR.
Facial Scanning and Additive Manufacturing Used in Production Nasal Prosthesis
Authors: Silva Patrícia L.C. , Jardilino Francisca D.M. , Santana-Miranda Clara L. , Sampaio Aline A. , Pinto Rafaela d.S. , Rúbio Juan C.C. , Moreno Amália
Published: September 2022

Maxillofacial prosthesis is an effective treatment for patients with facial sequelae, but it remains challenging for professionals due to its high esthetic complexity. This study describes a clinical case of successful nasal prosthetic rehabilitation using digital technology and additive manufacturing. Initially, the 76-year-old patient, with a facial defect in the nasal region, had her face scanned with 3-dimensional scanner for laboratory planning of the prototype of a nasal prosthesis. After approving the prototype image, working models in muffle shape were obtained in additive manufacture for the inclusion of the prosthesis. In the final session, the prosthesis was colored extrinsically and installed. The procedures digital in the manufacture of the facial prosthesis was applicable and agile, allowing the professional greater predictability regarding the shape of the rehabilitated organ, esthetic improvement in the mutilated area and patient satisfaction in relation to the speed, of the procedure and the quality of the prosthesis.
Office-Based Pediatric Otoplasty Under Local Anesthesia
Authors: Hazkour Nissim , Goote Paige , Palacios Jose , Gottfried Jennifer , Kang Inkyu , Bastidas Nicholas
Published: September 2022

Background:

Many parents seek otoplasty for their school age children but fear having to undergo general anesthesia (GA). In our experience, otoplasty can safely be performed in an office-based setting under local anesthesia (LA). There is a gap in the literature regarding pediatric otoplasty under LA.

Methods:

All children aged 5 to 10 who underwent otoplasty between 2017 and 2021 were included in a retrospective review. Demographics, operative techniques, complications, recurrences, and reoperation rates were collected. Surveys were provided 3 months after treatment to assess parental satisfaction and anxiety. Results were compared between patients who received otoplasty under GA and LA.

Results:

A total of 13 patients (6 male, 7 female), with a mean age of 7 years (ranging 5–10) underwent otoplasty under LA. Tweleve children (6 male, 6 female), with a mean age of 5 years (ranging 4–7) underwent otoplasty under GA. The only complications seen were 3 minor conchal bowl hematomas that were aspirated, each retrieving <1 mL of blood; no revisions were necessary. The LA subgroup was more likely to repeat otoplasty under identical conditions (P=0.025). Postoperatively, mean parental anxiety scores between the LA and GA subgroups were significantly different (1.4±1.1 versus 4.8±2.7, P=0.0005). Lastly, the mean satisfaction scores between the LA and GA subgroups were marginally different (3.83±0.58 versus 3.17±1.03, P=0.063).

Conclusion:

Pediatric otoplasty under LA is a safe and feasible operation for patients between 5 and 10 years of age.
Analgesia-based Sedation for Oral Surgery in Patients With Chronic Respiratory Obstructive Disease
Authors: Takahashi Tamayo , Yoshida Mitsuhiro , Ono Shigehiro , Kanda Taku , Obayashi Fumitaka , Kamio Hisanobu , Oda Aya , Oue Kana , Mukai Akari , Doi Mitsuru , Shimizu Yoshitaka
Published: September 2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for postoperative cardiovascular and respiratory complications. Thus, intravenous sedation can be a better option than general anesthesia for surgery in patients with severe COPD. Herein, we present 2 cases of analgesia-based sedation in patients with severe COPD who underwent oral surgery. The current study aimed to discuss these cases to provide knowledge about the appropriate sedation management in patients with this disease. In the current cases, the patients received sufficient analgesia and minimum sedation (analgesia-based sedation). Moreover, dexmedetomidine was used for maintaining sedation and fentanyl for analgesic effects. Furthermore, we focused on providing the maximum analgesic effect of local anesthesia. The patients’ vital signs were stable. They did not have any psychological or physical complaints, such as anxiety and pain, during the procedure. Then, they were discharged from the hospital without any complications. Thus, analgesia-based sedation can be an alternative option for oral surgery in patients with COPD.
Mass Shootings in America: Consensus Recommendations for Healthcare Response
Authors: Goolsby Craig , Schuler Keke , Krohmer Jon , Gerstner David N , Weber Nancy W , Slattery David E , Kuhls Deborah A , Kirsch Thomas D
Published: September 2022

BACKGROUND:

In 2021, 702 people died in mass shooting incidents (MSIs) in the US. To define the best healthcare response to MSIs, the Uniformed Services University’s National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health hosted a consensus conference of emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians, emergency medicine (EM) physicians, and surgeons who provided medical response to six of the nation’s largest recent mass shootings.

STUDY DESIGN:

The study consisted of a 3-round modified Delphi process. A planning committee selected 6 MSI sites with the following criteria: the MSI occurred in 2016 or later, and must have resulted in at least 15 people killed and injured. The MSI sites were Orlando, FL, Las Vegas, NV, Sutherland Springs, TX, Parkland, FL, El Paso, TX, and Dayton, OH. Fifteen clinicians participated in the conference. All participants had EMS, EM, or surgery expertise and responded to 1 of the 6 MSIs. The first round consisted of a 2-part survey. The second and third rounds consisted of site-specific presentations followed by specialty-specific discussion groups to generate consensus recommendations.

RESULTS:

The 3 specialty-specific groups created 8 consensus recommendations in common. These 8 recommendations addressed readiness training, public education, triage, communication, patient tracking, medical records, family reunification, and mental health services for responders. There were an additional 11 recommendations created in common between 2 subgroups, either EMS and EM (2), EM and surgery (7), or EMS and surgery (2).

CONCLUSIONS:

There are multiple common recommendations identified by EMS, EM, and surgery clinicians who responded to recent MSIs. Clinicians, emergency planners, and others involved in preparing and executing a response to a future mass shooting event may benefit from considering these consensus lessons learned.
Hamiltonian formulation of the stochastic surface wave problem
Authors: Dinvay Evgueni , Mémin Etienne
Published: September 2022

We devise a stochastic Hamiltonian formulation of the water wave problem. This stochastic representation is built within the framework of the modelling under location uncertainty. Starting from restriction to the free surface of the general stochastic fluid motion equations, we show how one can naturally deduce Hamiltonian structure under a small noise assumption. Moreover, as in the classical water wave theory, the non-local Dirichlet–Neumann operator appears explicitly in the energy functional. This, in particular, allows us, in the same way as in deterministic setting, to conduct systematic approximations of the Dirichlet–Neumann operator and to infer different simplified wave models including noise in a natural way.
Fundamental constraints on broadband passive acoustic treatments in unidimensional scattering problems
Authors: Meng Yang , Romero-García Vicente , Gabard Gwénaël , Groby Jean-Philippe , Bricault Charlie , Goudé Sébastien , Sheng Ping
Published: September 2022

In a passive lossy acoustical system, sum rules derived from passivity explicitly relate the broadband response to the spatial dimension of the system, which provide important design criteria as well. In this work, the theory of Herglotz function is applied systematically to derive sum rules for unidimensional scattering problems relying on passive acoustic treatments which are generally made of rigid, motionless and subwavelength structures saturated by air. The rigid-boundary reflection, soft-boundary reflection and transmission problems are analysed. The derived sum rules are applied for guiding the designs of passive absorbers and mufflers: the required minimum space is directly predicted from the target (i.e. the desired absorption or transmission-loss spectra) without any specific design. Besides, it is possible to break this type of sum rules and fundamental constraints in particular cases. This property, if well used, could result in ultra-compact absorbers working at long wavelength up to infinity.
Computationally Guided Design of Two Novel Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibitors
Authors: Dere Elena C. , Chu Simon SK , Ortega Teresa , Huang Peishan , Siegel Justin B.
Published: September 2022

The enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been found to play a role in many ailments such as inflammation, pain, renal function, pulmonary function, hypertension, and diabetes. Multiple sEH inhibitors have been developed to reduce the adverse effects of the ailments. Due to high inhibitory concentrations, there is urgent need for developing improved sEH inhibitors. In this study, two novel sEH inhibitors were designed via computational bioisosteric replacement and chemical intuition with the goal of increasing binding affinity, which can potentially decrease inhibitory concentration. The new drug candidates were found to have improved binding properties compared to existing drugs.
SARS-CoV-2 Protein Nsp2 Stimulates Translation Under Normal and Hypoxic Conditions
Authors: Korneeva Nadejda , Khalil Md Imtiaz , Ghosh Ishita , Fan Ruping , Arnold Thomas , De Benedetti Arrigo
Published: September 2022

When viruses like SARS-CoV-2 infect cells, they reprogram the repertoire of cellular and viral transcripts that are being translated to optimize their strategy of replication, often targeting host translation initiation factors, particularly eIF4F complex consisting of eIF4E, eIF4G and eIF4A. A proteomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2/human proteins interaction revealed viral Nsp2 and initiation factor eIF4E2, but a role of Nsp2 in regulating translation is still controversial. HEK293T cells stably expressing Nsp2 were tested for protein synthesis rates of synthetic and endogenous mRNAs known to be translated via cap- or IRES-dependent mechanism under normal and hypoxic conditions. Both cap- and IRES-dependent translation were increased in Nsp2-expressing cells under normal and hypoxic conditions, especially mRNAs that require high levels of eIF4F. This could be exploited by the virus to maintain high translation rates of both viral and cellular proteins, particularly in hypoxic conditions as may arise in SARS-CoV-2 patients with poor lung functioning.
Spatially resolved whole transcriptome profiling in human and mouse tissue using Digital Spatial Profiling
Authors: Zimmerman Stephanie M. , Fropf Robin , Kulasekara Bridget R. , Griswold Maddy , Appelbe Oliver , Bahrami Arya , Boykin Rich , Buhr Derek L. , Fuhrman Kit , Hoang Margaret L. , Huynh Quoc , Isgur Lesley , Klock Andrew , Kutchma Alecksandr , Lasley Alexa E. , Liang Yan , McKay-Fleisch Jill , Nelson Jeffrey S. , Nguyen Karen , Piazza Erin , Rininger Aric , Zollinger Daniel R. , Rhodes Michael , Beechem Joseph M.
Published: September 2022

Emerging spatial profiling technology has enabled high-plex molecular profiling in biological tissues, preserving the spatial and morphological context of gene expression. Here, we describe expanding the chemistry for the Digital Spatial Profiling platform to quantify whole transcriptomes in human and mouse tissues using a wide range of spatial profiling strategies and sample types. We designed multiplexed in situ hybridization probes targeting the protein-coding genes of the human and mouse transcriptomes, referred to as the human or mouse Whole Transcriptome Atlas (WTA). Human and mouse WTAs were validated in cell lines for concordance with orthogonal gene expression profiling methods in regions ranging from ∼10–500 cells. By benchmarking against bulk RNA-seq and fluorescence in situ hybridization, we show robust transcript detection down to ∼100 transcripts per region. To assess the performance of WTA across tissue and sample types, we applied WTA to biological questions in cancer, molecular pathology, and developmental biology. Spatial profiling with WTA detected expected gene expression differences between tumor and tumor microenvironment, identified disease-specific gene expression heterogeneity in histological structures of the human kidney, and comprehensively mapped transcriptional programs in anatomical substructures of nine organs in the developing mouse embryo. Digital Spatial Profiling technology with the WTA assays provides a flexible method for spatial whole transcriptome profiling applicable to diverse tissue types and biological contexts.
Identification of a transcriptional signature found in multiple models of ASD and related disorders
Authors: Thudium Samuel , Palozola Katherine , L'Her Éloïse , Korb Erica
Published: September 2022

Epigenetic regulation plays a critical role in many neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In particular, many such disorders are the result of mutations in genes that encode chromatin-modifying proteins. However, although these disorders share many features, it is unclear whether they also share gene expression disruptions resulting from the aberrant regulation of chromatin. We examined five chromatin modifiers that are all linked to ASD despite their different roles in regulating chromatin. Specifically, we depleted ASH1L, CHD8, CREBBP, EHMT1, and NSD1 in parallel in a highly controlled neuronal culture system. We then identified sets of shared genes, or transcriptional signatures, that are differentially expressed following loss of multiple ASD-linked chromatin modifiers. We examined the functions of genes within the transcriptional signatures and found an enrichment in many neurotransmitter transport genes and activity-dependent genes. In addition, these genes are enriched for specific chromatin features such as bivalent domains that allow for highly dynamic regulation of gene expression. The down-regulated transcriptional signature is also observed within multiple mouse models of NDDs that result in ASD, but not those only associated with intellectual disability. Finally, the down-regulated transcriptional signature can distinguish between control and idiopathic ASD patient iPSC-derived neurons as well as postmortem tissue, demonstrating that this gene set is relevant to the human disorder. This work identifies a transcriptional signature that is found within many neurodevelopmental syndromes, helping to elucidate the link between epigenetic regulation and the underlying cellular mechanisms that result in ASD.
Thriving at work with ADHD: antecedents and outcomes of proactive disclosure
Authors: McIntosh Cheryl K. , Hyde Shelia A. , Bell Myrtle P. , Yeatts Paul E.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine factors relating to the decision to proactively disclose a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a concealable stigmatized identity, before experiencing performance issues at work. These factors include stigma consciousness, psychological safety, and job demands. Proactive disclosure is also measured in relation to thriving.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through the online research platform Prolific. Variables of interest were measured using surveys of 166 working adults who have ADHD. Path analysis was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The authors hypothesized that stigma consciousness is negatively related to proactive disclosure of ADHD at work and that psychological safety and job demands are positively related to it. The authors further hypothesized that proactive disclosure mediates the relationship between these variables and thriving at work. The results partially support these hypotheses, indicating that stigma consciousness is negatively related to proactive disclosure while psychological safety is positively related. Proactive disclosure fully mediates the relationship between stigma consciousness and thriving and partially mediates the relationship between psychological safety and thriving. Job demands relate to thriving but are not significantly related to proactive disclosure.

Practical implications

Organizations can help employees who have concealable disabilities to proactively disclose them and thrive by providing a psychologically safe environment where disabilities are not stigmatized.

Originality/value

This study diverges from previous studies by measuring positive contextual and individual factors that help employees who have ADHD to thrive in the workplace. A proactive disclosure scale is developed and validated.
From classical political economy to “Indian Economics”: a case of contestation and adaptation in universities in colonial India
Authors: Khodaiji Sharmin
Published: September 2022

Purpose

By the mid-19th century the British colonial state introduced liberal education to India. Amongst various disciplines, political economy illustrates the concerns of the colonial state with the education of Indians, and its anxiety with quelling political discontentment. The emerging Indian nationalist intelligentsia also utilized ideas from classical political economy, first taught in educational institutions, to critique colonial policy and proposed the development of “Indian Economics”, suited to national economic interests. This paper explores the development of political economy as a specific knowledge form in Calcutta University and Bombay University, and its connection with colonial educational policy.

Design/methodology/approach

This study relies primarily on university records and the proceedings of the Education Department to bring out the politically sensitive nature of the teaching of economics in colonial India.

Findings

The study finds that political economy grew from being a minor part of the overall university syllabi to becoming part of the first university departments created in early-20th-century India. The government and nationalist forces both found the discipline to be relevant to their respective agendas. The circulation of knowledge theoretical framework is found to be relevant here.

Originality/value

The history of political economy in Indian universities, especially during the 19th century, has not been dealt with in any detail. This study tries to fill this gap. The close connection between politics and the teaching of economics has also not been studied closely, which this paper does.
International market information and agricultural commodity price dynamics
Authors: Jeong Sei , Gopinath Munisamy
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of international price volatility and inventories on domestic market price dynamics in the case of agricultural commodities.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural model is employed to uncover relationships among commodity price, price volatility, inventories and convenience yield. Monthly producer price data along with annual data on trade, consumption, inventories and tariffs for 71 countries and 13 commodities covering 2010–2019 are assembled to estimate the model. With a first-stage Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) estimator to identify the best instrument set, a nonlinear approach is used to estimate the model.

Findings

Results show that international market information plays a critical role in domestic market price dynamics. International price volatility has a stronger effect on domestic prices than that of international inventories.

Research limitations/implications

Current upheaval in commodity markets requires an understanding of how prices move together and inventories affect that movement. A country's internal price is not independent of the effects of global market events.

Originality/value

Although hypotheses exist that global market information (volatility and inventories) helps countries manage domestic commodity prices, there have been limited studies on this relationship, especially with a structured model and cross-country data.
Translating the impacts of social advertising on Muslim consumers buying behavior: the moderating role of brand image
Authors: Rehman Fazal Ur , Zeb Ali
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of social advertising (informative, entertainment, credibility, ease of use, privacy and contents) on the buying behavior of Muslim consumers toward the fashion clothing brands during the Holy Month of Ramadan along with the moderating role of brand image. Precisely, it focuses on the marketing techniques and strategies in social advertising to enhance buying behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the convenience sampling technique, data was collected from 304 Muslim consumers during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Questionnaires were self-administered, and data was analyzed via Smart partial least square structural equation modeling.

Findings

Social advertising (informative, entertainment, credibility, privacy, ease of use, contents) and brand image have a positive relationship with the buying behavior of Muslim consumers toward the fashion clothing brands during the Holy Month of Ramadan, while the brand image has nonmoderating effects. Furthermore, social advertising has a positive and significant relationship with the brand image.

Research limitations/implications

This study is only limited to fashion clothing brands in the Malaysian Muslim community and is based only on the few dimensions of the theory of reasoned action and technology acceptance model (TAM).

Practical implications

Results clarified the impact of social advertising and brand image on the buying behavior of Muslim consumers toward the fashion clothing brands during the Holy Month of Ramadan and the moderating role of brand image in achieving the business objectives.

Originality/value

This study has evaluated the effects of social advertising and brand image in enhancing the buying behavior of Muslim consumers during the Holy Month of Ramadan toward the fashion clothing brands along with the moderating role of brand image based on the theory of reasoned action and TAM model. Precisely, this study examined the unique characteristics of social advertising and the relative importance of informative, entertainment, credibility, ease of use, privacy and content in enhancing the buying behavior of Muslim consumers during the Holy Month of Ramadan, where consumers are emotionally involved in buying fashion clothing brands due to Eid al Fitr celebration.
Citrate-mediated impregnation of silver nanoparticles for durable antibacterial cellulosic fabric
Authors: Habib Saima , Kishwar Farzana , Raza Zulfiqar Ali
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to apply silver nanoparticles on the cellulosic fabric via a green cross-linking approach to obtain antibacterial textiles. The cellulosic fabrics may provide an ideal enclave for microbial growth due to their biodegradable nature and retention of certain nutrients and moisture usually required for microbial colonization. The application of antibacterial finish on the textile surfaces is usually done via synthetic cross-linkers, which, however, may cause toxic effects and halt the biodegradation process.

Design/methodology/approach

Herein, we incorporated citrate moieties on the cellulosic fabric as eco-friendly crosslinkers for the durable and effective application of nanosilver finish. The nanosilver finish was then applied on the citrate-treated cellulosic fabric under the pad-dry-cure method and characterized the specimens for physicochemical, textile and antibacterial properties.

Findings

The results expressed that the as-prepared silver particles possessed spherical morphology with their average size in the nano range and zeta potential being −40 ± 5 mV. The results of advanced analytical characterization demonstrated the successful application of nanosilver on the cellulosic surface with appropriate dispersibility.

Practical implications

The nanosilver-treated fabric exhibited appropriate textile and comfort and durable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity.

Originality/value

The treated cellulosic fabric expressed that the cross-linking, crystalline behavior, surface chemistry, roughness and amphiphilicity could affect some of its comfort and textile properties yet be in the acceptable range for potential applications in medical textiles and environmental sectors.
Functionally graded porous plate reinforced by carbon nanotubes subjected to low-velocity impact: an analytical and numerical analysis
Authors: Al-Menahlawi Natiq Yaseen Taha , Khoshravan Azar Mohammad Reza , Chakherlou Tajbakhsh Navid , Al-Bugharbee Hussein
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is a numerical simulation and an analytical analysis about the low-velocity impact on a functionally graded porous plate with porosity distribution in the thickness direction. In this article, polymethyl methacrylate is used for matrix, and single-walled carbon nanotube (CNTs) (10,10) with consideration agglomeration sizes and lumping of CNT inside the agglomerations is applied for reinforcement.

Design/methodology/approach

In analytical formulation, the non-linear Hertz contact law is applied for interaction between projectile and plate surface. High-order shear deformation plate theory is developed, and energy of the system for impactor and plate is written. The governing equations are derived using Ritz method and Lagrange equations and are solved using the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. Also, ABAQUS finite element model of functionally graded porous plate with all edges simply supported and reinforced by CNT under low-velocity impact is simulated and is compared with those is achieved in the present analytical approach.

Findings

In parametric studies, the influence of porosity distribution patterns include uniform, non-uniform symmetric and non-uniform asymmetric on the histories of contact force and impactor displacement of simply supported plate reinforced by CNT are presented. Eventually, the effects of porosity coefficient, impactor initial velocity, impactor radius and CNTs lumping inside agglomerations for non-uniform symmetric distribution patterns are discussed in impact event in detail.

Originality/value

In this paper, the effect of combination of polymethyl methacrylate and CNTs with consideration agglomeration sizes and lumping of CNTs inside the agglomerations in the form of a functionally graded porous plate is studied in the problem of low-velocity impact analysis.
Search tools and scholarly citation practices in literary studies
Authors: Lehnen Carl A. , Insua Glenda M.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The wide adoption of web-scale discovery tools calls into question the usefulness and viability of traditional subject indexes. This study examines this question of usefulness in the context of the discipline of literary studies. To what extent can researchers rely on the primary database devoted to language and literature study to discover relevant scholarship, and how does the database's performance compare to other common search tools?

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a random sample of citations from articles published in the flagship journal, PMLA, to see how well the sources cited by literature scholars are covered in various search tools, including the MLA International Bibliography.

Findings

Of the search tools investigated, Google Scholar found the largest number of citations, even when limiting to literary scholarship. However, the eclecticism of citations suggests that scholars benefit from using a variety of search tools and methods.

Originality/value

Although other studies have looked at discoverability in certain subject areas, this one focuses on literary studies. An understanding of the relative coverage of different search tools can inform librarian practices and recommendations.
Enhanced top‐down control of herbivore population growth on plants with impaired defences
Authors: Legarrea Saioa , Janssen Arne , Dong Lin , Glas Joris J. , van Houten Yvonne M. , Scala Alessandra , Kant Merijn R.
Published: September 2022

Herbivore densities can be regulated by bottom‐up and top‐down forces such as plant defences and natural enemies, respectively. These forces can interact with each other to increase plant protection against herbivores; however, how much complementarity exists between bottom‐up and top‐down forces still remains to be fully elucidated. Particularly, because plant defences can hinder natural enemies, how these interactions affect herbivore performance and dynamics remains elusive.

To address this topic, we performed laboratory and greenhouse bioassays with herbivorous mite pests and predatory mites on mutant tomato plants that lack defensive hairs on stems and leaves. Particularly, we investigated the behaviour and population dynamics of different phytophagous mite species in the absence and presence of predatory mites.

We show that predatory mites do not only perform better on tomatoes lacking defensive hairs but also that they can suppress herbivore densities better and faster on these hairless plants. Hence, top‐down control of herbivores by natural enemies more than compensated the reduced bottom‐up herbivore control by plant defences.

Our results lead to the counter‐intuitive insight that removing, instead of introducing, plant defence traits can result in superior protection against important pests through biological control.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Rapid niche shifts in bacteria following conditioning in novel soil environments
Authors: Yates Caylon F. , Trexler Ryan V. , Bonet Idalys , King William L. , Hockett Kevin L. , Bell Terrence H.
Published: September 2022

Realized niche breadth is generally expected to be smaller than fundamental niche breadth. For soil microorganisms, this is due in part to competition from co‐occurring microbes, so removing competitors should allow for expanded use of resource and habitats (i.e. ecological release).

We hypothesized that conditioning bacterial isolates to biotically cleared soils would allow for niche breadth expansion relative to ancestral bacteria, and that this niche expansion would be driven by habitat‐dependent niche shifts between derived populations. We grew two taxonomically divergent bacteria for 3 months in four biotically cleared soils and a biotically cleared ‘home’ soil. We then assessed changes in the niche breadth and fitness (i.e. growth; respiration; carbon resource use) of conditioned bacteria.

Post‐conditioning, Pseudomonas populations showed the potential for increased growth rate in‐culture and in‐soil when conditioned to soils, and constrained resource use relative to the ancestral population, while Paenibacillus showed minimal changes in soil habitat breadth, but expanded resource use in conditioned populations.

When introduced into complex novel environments containing reduced biotic pressure, soil bacteria can undergo rapid niche shifts, but this response varies across taxa and habitats. This suggests that species identity and habitat should interact to shape near‐term niche shifts when microbes establish in new soil environments.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Publicize or Perish—Challenger party success through megaphones and locomotives
Authors: DOLLBAUM JAN FABIAN , DOLLBAUM JAN MATTI
Published: September 2022

What makes some challenger parties succeed and others fail? Existing research on party‐level factors finds that it is essential for parties to close a representational gap. However, this condition cannot be sufficient. For each successful challenger, there are many others proclaiming a similar message but going unheard. Hence, we argue that, instead of only to the messages, more attention should be paid to parties’ abilities to communicate their messages effectively.

Using an original dataset on 74 challenger parties in five countries in a similar political and economic situation (during the post‐2008 economic crisis), we show that communication is key for electoral success. In particular, we show that challenger parties can win over voters by, on the one hand, harnessing the prominence of a well‐known personality (a locomotive) and by, on the other hand, establishing a means of contacting voters which bypasses the traditional news media and amplifies their message (like a megaphone). But this megaphone only works if it amplifies a message that fills a representational gap (here: an anti‐austerity message) – only then do parties benefit. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the widespread but unproven claim that populism helps challenger parties succeed, but this, too, depends on whether parties are able to contact voters on a large scale.

By including three crucial aspects of communication (sender, channel, and message), we can explain a large share of the high variability in challenger party success.
A colloidal gold immunochromatography for the detection of flumioxazin residues in fruits
Authors: Wang Peng , Xu Xinxin , Liu Liqiang , Song Shanshan , Kuang Hua , Xu Chuanlai , Wu Xiaoling
Published: September 2022

In this study, an excellent monoclonal antibody (mAb) was produced that could sensitively and specifically recognize Flu in fruit samples. The mAb belonged to the IgG2 subclass and had a half‐inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.59 ng/ml and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.13 ng/ml. A cross‐reactivity test revealed that the mAb had good specificity for Flu. A gold nanoparticle‐based lateral‐flow immunochromatographic (ICA) strip was used for the rapid screening of Flu in fruit samples. The method had a visual cut‐off value of 10 µg/kg for Flu in three different fruit samples when evaluated with the naked eye. The LODs were 5.25, 3.13, and 4.64 µg/kg for Flu in apples, grapes, and oranges, respectively, as obtained with the aid of a strip scan reader. Therefore, this ICA strip assay represented a potential tool for the detection of Flu in fruit samples.
Antifungal activity of protective cultures against the yogurt drink‐specific spoilage yeasts
Authors: Safdarianghomsheh Reza , Majdinasab Marjan , Razmjooei Maryam , Sazegari Sima , Eskandari Mohammad Hadi
Published: September 2022

Fungal agents emerged as post‐pasteurization contamination are responsible for the spoilage in yogurt drink. In this work, the antifungal effects of some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the spoilage yeasts isolated from yogurt drink (Doogh) were evaluated. First, the microbial growth in the yogurt drink samples during the storage time was investigated, and the isolated microorganisms were identified using biochemical methods and sequencing of the specific amplicons. Yeasts (3–7 log CFU ml–1) were found to be the most abundant microorganisms (specific spoilage organisms) in several samples. Using the amplification technique of rDNA by ITS1 and ITS4 primers, the dominant yeasts were identified as Pichia kudriavzevii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Candida parapsilosis. Then, the antimicrobial activity of 37 strains of LAB against the isolated yeasts was studied using broth microdilution. Eventually, the strains of Lacticplantibacillus plantarum (245, 24, P6, and P7), Lactiplantibacillus pentosus (20), and Levilactobacillus brevis (30) exhibited significant antifungal activity. In the most effective impacts, lag times of C. parapsilosis, K. marxianus, and P. kudriavzevii were increased by almost 12–19 h, 12–19 h, and 2–6 h, respectively, while the area under the growth curve for these yeasts was reduced to lower than 40%, near 16%, and approximately 67%, in the order given. Overall, these bacteria showed high potential as the substituents for chemical preservatives in yogurt drinks.

Practical Application

Spoilage yeasts were isolated from yogurt drink and identified by molecular method. Isolated yeasts belonged to Pichia, Kluyveromyces, and Candida genera. Inhibitory effects of 37 strains were evaluated against the spoilage yeasts. Cell‐free supernatant was used against the isolated fungi in microdilution method. Several LAB strains showed a significant antimicrobial activity.
Computational prediction of Lee retention indices of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by using machine learning
Authors: Sun Linkang , Zhang Min , Xie Liangxu , Xu Xiaojun , Xu Peng , Xu Lei
Published: September 2022

Given the difficult of experimental determination, quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) and deep learning (DL) provide an important tool to predict physicochemical property of chemical compounds. In this paper, partial least squares (PLS), genetic function approximation (GFA), and deep neural network (DNN) were used to predict the Lee retention index (Lee‐RI) of PAHs in SE‐52 and DB‐5 stationary phases. Four molecular descriptors, molecular weight (MW), quantitative estimate of drug‐likeness (QED), atomic charge weighted negative surface area (Jurs_PNSA_3), and relative negative charge (Jurs_RNCG) were selected to construct regression models based on genetic algorithm. For SE‐52, PLS model showed best prediction power, followed by DNN and GFA. The relative error (RE), root mean square error (RMSE), and regression coefficient (R2) of best PLS regression model are 1.228%, 5.407, and 0.980. For DB‐5, DNN model showed best prediction power, followed by GFA and PLS. The RE, RMSE and R2 of best DNN regression model for DB‐5‐1 and DB‐5‐2 are 1.058%, 4.325%, 0.976%, 0.821%, 3.795%, and 0.970%, respectively. The three regression models not only show good predictive ability, but also highlight the stability and ductility of the models.
Certification by financial and legal advisors in private debt markets
Authors: Power Gabriel J. , Soumaré Issouf , Tandja M. Djerry C.
Published: September 2022

Theory predicts that certification by prestigious financial intermediaries signals investment quality. We provide a direct empirical test of certification by financial and legal advisors using data on large‐scale projects. We find that advisor effects are complementary: financial advisors allow firms to obtain longer loan maturities, while legal advisors (only if prestigious) help firms obtain greater leverage and lower loan spreads. We also document heterogeneity in observables: advisor effects vary across projects based on observable factors. Our results are consistent with firms hiring advisors to help them negotiate better loan agreements by conveying an absence of conflicts of interest.
Preferential Retention and Transport of Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid in a Dolomite Aquifer
Authors: Jahn Kalle L. , Lincoln Sara A. , Freeman Katherine H. , Saffer Demian M.
Published: September 2022

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can represent a significant human health risk if present in aquifers used as a drinking water source. Accurate assessment of PFAS exposure risks requires an improved understanding of field‐scale PFAS transport in groundwater. Activities at a former firefighter training site in University Park, Pennsylvania introduced perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) to the underlying dolomite aquifer. Groundwater sampling from 2015 to 2018 delineated a PFOS plume with two concentration maxima located approximately 20 and approximately 220 m downgradient of the training site, separated by a zone of lower concentrations. We use a combination of analytical and numerical models, informed by independent measurements of aquifer porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and organic carbon content, to interpret the field observations. Our analysis demonstrates that preferential retention and transport resulting from simple heterogeneity in bedrock sorption, as caused by organic carbon (OC) content variability, provides a plausible explanation for plume separation. Dissolved PFOS partitions strongly to organic solids (high Koc), so even a small OC (<1 wt%) significantly retards PFOS transport, whereas zones with little to no OC allow for transport rates that approximate those of a conservative solute. Our work highlights an important consideration for modeling the groundwater transport of PFOS, and other compounds with high Koc. In aquifers with discrete layers of varying OC, models using a uniform site‐average OC will underestimate transport distances, thereby misrepresenting exposure risks for downgradient communities.