bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impacts of farmers' adaptation to drought and salinity intrusion on rice yield in Vietnam's Mekong Delta
Authors: Kim Dang Khoi , Do Thiep Huy , Le Thi Ha Lien , Le Thi Thu Hang , Pham Thinh Duc
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The Vietnamese Mekong River Delta (VMD) is one of the most affected deltas by climate change in the world. Several studies have investigated factors influencing farmers' climate change adaptation behaviors in the region; however, little is known about the effectiveness of such measures. This paper examines the determinants of adaptation strategies among VMD rice farmers and assesses the impacts of such practices on rice yield.

Design/methodology/approach

Endogenous switching regressions were employed using a survey data of 300 rice-producing households in An Giang and Tra Vinh provinces in 2016.

Findings

The results show that farmers receiving early disaster warnings are more likely to adopt adaptation measures to climate change. If nonadaptors had chosen to respond, their rice yield would have increased by 0.932 tons/ha/season.

Research limitations/implications

The data sample is small and collected from two provinces in the VMD only; therefore, the results may be specific for the study sites. However, future research can adopt the proposed method for other regions.

Originality/value

The study estimates the production impacts of farmers' decisions on whether or not to adapt to extreme climate events. The proposed approach allows for capturing both observed and unobserved behaviors.
Face, fate and brand equity: service recovery justice and satisfaction
Authors: Lee Joseph Lok-Man , Siu Noel Yee-Man , Zhang Tracy Jun-Feng
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Can we always expect that service recovery justice leads to satisfaction? Literature has shown that a number of moderating factors impact the recovery justice-satisfaction link in different cultures. However, there is a dearth of research that has indicated the key cultural variables that play a moderating role. This study aims to attempt to fill the research gap by investigating the moderating role of concern for face, belief in fate and brand equity in the relationship between perceived justice and satisfaction in Chinese culture during service recovery.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypothesized relationships are tested using data from interviews with 600 persons who have recently complained about their telecommunications services. Structural equation modeling is applied in analyzing their responses.

Findings

Concern for face is found to strengthen the relationship between interactional justice perceptions and satisfaction, but to weaken the relationship between distributive justice perceptions and satisfaction. Belief in fate weakens the link between perceptions of interactional justice and satisfaction. Brand equity positively moderates the relationship between perceptions of interactional justice and satisfaction, but it negatively moderates the relationship between perceptions of distributive justice and satisfaction.

Practical implications

The cultural variables, namely, face, fate and brand equity, are found to serve as a moderating role in the relationship between recovery justice dimensions and satisfaction. They are more salient when it is related to social element. Face and brand equity, as interpersonal constructs, aggravate the impact of interactional justice on satisfaction. Fate, as non-social factor, weakens the impact of interactional justice on satisfaction. It is argued that managers should provide staff training in product knowledge and customer service as a preventive measure against damage to the brand. Regular customer satisfaction research and benchmarking exercises should be conducted to understand how customers perceive interactional justice.

Originality/value

This has been the first research to examine the impact of concern for face, belief in fate and brand equity in the relationship between justice perceptions and post-recovery satisfaction during service recovery.
Using numbers in CSR communication and their effects on motive attributions
Authors: Tarabashkina Liudmila , Tarabashkina Olga , Quester Pascale
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how judgments of firms’ underlying motives are affected by corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication which features percentages of profit allocations to CSR causes. It also examines how firm size interacts with CSR spending allocations affecting motive attributions for firms of different sizes.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments were carried out manipulating CSR spending allocations (smaller vs larger percentage of profit) and firm size (small vs large firm).

Findings

A larger percentage of profits allocated to CSR enhanced value-driven motives and inhibited inferences of manipulative intent, which produced lower egoistic-driven motives. Large firms allocating smaller percentages to CSR were judged as less value-driven and were more prone to elicit manipulative intent.

Originality/value

Two routes of motive attributions were identified – a direct route, contingent on CSR spending allocations and firm size; and an indirect route via inferences of manipulative intent, which inhibited favorable motives and prompted unfavorable ones. Both routes resulted from numerical cognition associated with the processing of numbers. Managerial implications include suggestions for firms wishing to overcome negative consumer bias arising from communication featuring CSR spending allocations and firm size.
Leveraging frugal innovation in micro- and small enterprises at the base of the pyramid in Brazil: an analysis through the lens of dynamic capabilities
Authors: Borchardt Miriam , Pereira Giancarlo , Ferreira Alexandre Rodrigues , Soares Marcela , Sousa Josiano , Battaglia Daniel
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the factors that influence frugal innovation (FI) in micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) at the base of the pyramid (BOP) through the theoretical lens of dynamic capabilities. The input–process–output (I-P-O) framework was used as a tool to support the analysis of FI as a process.

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple case study was performed with 25 MSEs at the BOP in Brazil, all of which were in the food industry.

Findings

This study indicates that dynamic capabilities are present in enterprises that are migrating to low income and middle-class consumers, which influences their FI practices. To analyse FI in the context of MSEs at the BOP, the I-P-O framework was adapted. Enterprises that have focussed on extremely poor and subsistence markets develop more disruptive innovation, aiming to reduce the final prices they charge consumers. The primary focus of these enterprises is on maintaining ordinary capabilities. Enterprises that have focussed on low income and middle-class customers have implemented incremental innovation, adding value based on colonial tastes and close relationships with their consumers. Such a strategy demands changes in the physical facilities, use of social media and investment in quality control of these enterprises. Considerations for policymakers and institutions are also presented.

Originality/value

The use of a dynamic capabilities lens in such a context is a new approach and provides a relevant basis for further studies. The study has identified different approaches to FI and different sets of barriers and successful practices, both related to the target market segment, that could leverage FI. This study contributes to case studies from Brazil, spreading the research context beyond Asia.
Accounting for biodiverse wildlife corridor plantations
Authors: Horner Claire , Davidson Neil
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the feasibility of implementing the natural inventory model (NIM) developed by Jones (1996, 2003) in biodiverse wildlife corridor plantations, from a non-government organisations’ (NGO) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Undertaking the first cycle of an action research approach, the project involves collaboration with Greening Australia Tasmania (GAT). GAT is endeavouring to establish native wildlife corridors throughout the Tasmanian midlands, using science-based biodiverse plantations. The majority of the areas identified by GAT as essential for the establishment of these wildlife corridors are on privately owned land, primarily used for agricultural purposes. This paper explores whether stewardship of the land “sacrificed” by landowners may be demonstrated via the quantification and communication of improvements in biodiversity using the NIM.

Findings

Results suggest that the existing NIM is impractical for use by an NGO with limited resources. However, with some adaptations incorporating science-based measurements, the NIM can be used to account for biodiverse wildlife corridor plantations.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for not-for-profit, corporate and government sectors in terms of how accounting may facilitate the quantification and communication of conservation and restoration efforts.

Social implications

Biodiversity loss is now considered to be a greater threat to the planet than climate change. Efforts to account for biodiversity are consistent with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Australian Government’s “Biodiversity Conservation Strategy” (2010).

Originality/value

While prior studies have successfully implemented the NIM using secondary data, this is the first known to test the feasibility of the model using primary data in collaboration with an NGO.
Predicting Design Performance Utilizing Automated Topic Discovery
Authors: Ball Zachary , Lewis Kemper
Published: September 2020

Increasingly complex engineering design challenges requires the diversification of knowledge required on design teams. In the context of open innovation, positioning key members within these teams or groups based on their estimated abilities leads to more impactful results since mass collaboration is fundamentally a sociotechnical system. Determining how each individual influences the overall design process requires an understanding of the predicted mapping between their technical competency and performance. This work explores this relationship through the use of predictive models composed of various algorithms. With support of a dataset composed of documents related to the design performance of students working on their capstone design project in combination with textual descriptors representing individual technical aptitudes, correlations are explored as a method to predict overall project development performance. Each technical competency and project is represented as a distribution of topic knowledge to produce the performance metrics, which are referred to as topic competencies, since topic representations increase the ability to decompose and identify human-centric performance measures. Three methods of topic identification and five prediction models are compared based on their prediction accuracy. From this analysis, it is found that representing input variables as topics distributions and the resulting performance as a single indicator while using support vector regression provided the most accurate mapping between ability and performance. With these findings, complex open innovation projects will benefit from increased knowledge of individual ability and how that correlates to their predicted performances.
Assessing Fuel Property Effects on Cavitation and Erosion Propensity Using a Computational Fuel Screening Tool
Authors: Magnotti Gina M. , Som Sibendu
Published: September 2020

To advance compression ignition combustion strategies, researchers have evaluated fuel property effects and their impact on achieving higher efficiencies and lower emissions levels relative to current capabilities. Within the Department of Energy's Co-Optima initiative, there has been a recent focus on understanding the influence of fuel properties on fuel injection performance. To help identify candidate fuels that can meet desired injector performance metrics, a computational fuel screening tool is under development that can link fuel properties with the tendency of a given fuel to cavitate and lead to cavitation-induced erosion. In the initial development of this tool, five liquid fuel properties were selected to represent candidate fuels, namely, density, viscosity, vapor pressure, surface tension, and heat of vaporization. A design of experiments methodology was used to generate a set of pseudofuel cases, which can represent the main effects and interactions among the fuel properties and be related to cavitation erosion predictions. Large eddy simulations were performed using a mixture modeling approach to predict the cavitation and erosion propensity of these pseudofuels in terms of the mean fuel vapor mole fraction and stored impact energy from repeated cloud collapse events. The low-order regression models generated from this study revealed the importance of liquid fuel density on cavitation formation, whereas liquid viscosity was found to have a strong negative correlation with erosion severity. The surrogate models were then used in the fuel screening tool to rank the cavitation and erosion tendency of four candidate single-component fuels: methyl decanoate, iso-octane, ethanol, and n-dodecane. While the fuel screening tool was not able to quantitatively predict the cavitation and erosion response metrics, the tool was able to accurately rank the relative cavitation and erosion propensity of the four fuels. Overall, ethanol and iso-octane were observed to produce the highest levels of cavitation and erosion, respectively.
On the Leakage and Dynamic Force Coefficients of a Novel Stepped Shaft Pocket Damper Seal: Experimental and Numerical Verification
Authors: Yang Jing , San Andrés Luis , Lu Xueliang
Published: September 2020

High-performance turbomachinery favors annular seals with a large damping coefficient to ensure rotor system stability. Pocket damper seals (PDSs), a variation of labyrinth seals with axial blades (ribs) and adding circumferential partition walls (ridges), produce a favorable damping performance. To further enhance the damping characteristic and reduce leakage, a novel stepped shaft PDS is hereby introduced. The invention has a unique arrangement of steps on the rotor surface, each facing an upstream rib in a pocket row. Thus, the step and a blade tip form a tight clearance (c1), while the rotor surface and the downstream blade tip make a larger clearance (c2). The convergence–divergence variation of cross-sectional areas along the flow direction increases the PDS damping coefficient. To validate the performance of the novel design, a stepped shaft PDS (c1/c2 = 0.5) with four axial ribs and eight circumferential pockets is built and tested. A comprehensive investigation, experimental and computational, produces the seal leakage and dynamic force coefficients for the stepped shaft PDS, as well as similar performance characteristics for an identical PDS with a smooth rotor surface (c1/c2 = 1, i.e., a uniform clearance PDS). The stepped shaft PDS operates with air at supply pressure (PS) ranging from 1.1 bar to 3.2 bar. The measured leakage for the stepped shaft PDS is 50% of that for the uniform clearance PDS. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and bulk flow model (BFM) predictions of leakage agree well with the test data. For PS = 2.3 bar, the test damping coefficient (C) for the stepped shaft PDS is ~1.5 times greater than the one for the uniform clearance PDS. With an increase in PS to 3.2 bar, the stepped shaft PDS shows a two and one half increase in damping coefficient. In comparison to the test data, a CFD model overestimates C by 29% for operation at PS = 3.2 bar, though capturing the variation trend versus whirl frequency. The BFM largely underpredicts C for the stepped shaft PDS and is abandoned for future work. Both the test data and CFD predictions demonstrate the superior damping performance of the stepped shaft PDS, thus providing a novel alternative seal configuration for turbomachinery usage.
Ignition Probability and Lean Ignition Behavior of a Swirled Premixed Bluff Body Stabilized Annular Combustor
Authors: Ciardiello Roberto , Pathania Rohit S. , Allison Patton M. , de Oliveira Pedro M. , Mastorakos Epaminondas
Published: September 2020

An experimental investigation was performed in a premixed annular combustor equipped with multiple swirl, bluff body burners to assess the ignition probability and to provide insights into the mechanisms of failure and of successful flame propagation. The experiments are done at conditions that are close to the lean blow-off (LBO) limit, and hence, the ignition is difficult and close to the limiting condition when ignition is not possible. Two configurations were employed, with 12 and 18 burners, the mixture velocity was varied between 10 and 30 m/s, and the equivalence ratio (ϕ) between 0.58 and 0.68. Ignition was initiated by a sequence of sparks (2 mm gap, 10 sparks of 10 ms each) and “ignition” is defined as successful ignition of the whole annular combustor. The mechanism of success and failure of the ignition process and the flame propagation patterns were investigated via high-speed imaging (10 kHz) of OH* chemiluminescence. The lean ignition limits were evaluated and compared to the LBO limits, finding the 12-burner configuration is more stable than the 18-burner. It was found that failure is linked to the trapping of the initial flame kernel inside the inner recirculation zone (IRZ) of a single burner adjacent to the spark, followed by localized quenching on the bluff body probably due to heat losses. In contrast, for a successful ignition, it was necessary for the flame kernel to propagate to the adjacent burner or for a flame pocket to be convected downstream in the chamber to grow and start propagating upward. Finally, the ignition probability (Pign) was obtained for different spark locations. It was found that sparking inside the recirculation zone resulted in Pign∼0 for most conditions, while Pign increased moving the spark away from the bluff body or placing it between two burners and peaked to Pign∼1 when the spark was located downstream in the combustion chamber, where the velocities are lower and the turbulence less intense. The results provide information on the most favorable conditions for achieving ignition in a complex multiburner geometry and could help the design and optimization of realistic gas turbine combustors.
Compensation to real-time temporal auditory feedback perturbation depends on syllable position
Authors: Oschkinat Miriam , Hoole Philip
Published: September 2020

Auditory feedback perturbations involving spectral shifts indicated a crucial contribution of auditory feedback to planning and execution of speech. However, much less is known about the contribution of auditory feedback with respect to temporal properties of speech. The current study aimed at providing insight into the representation of temporal properties of speech and the relevance of auditory feedback for speech timing. Real-time auditory feedback perturbations were applied in the temporal domain, viz., stretching and compressing of consonant-consonant-vowel (CCV) durations in onset + nucleus vs vowel-consonant-consonant (VCC) durations in nucleus + coda. Since CCV forms a gesturally more cohesive and stable structure than VCC, greater articulatory adjustments to nucleus + coda (VCC) perturbation were expected. The results show that speakers compensate for focal temporal feedback alterations. Responses to VCC perturbation were greater than to CCV perturbation, suggesting less deformability of onsets when confronted with temporally perturbed auditory feedback. Further, responses to CCV perturbation rather reflected within-trial reactive compensation, whereas VCC compensation was more pronounced and indicative of adaptive behavior. Accordingly, planning and execution of temporal properties of speech are indeed guided by auditory feedback, but the precise nature of the reaction to perturbations is linked to the structural position in the syllable and the associated feedforward timing strategies.
Offset auditory brainstem response (ABR) amplitude in bottlenose dolphins
Authors: Burkard Robert , Finneran James J. , Mulsow Jason , Jones Ryan
Published: September 2020

Although commonly recorded as onset responses, the auditory brainstem response (ABR) can also be elicited at stimulus offset. The offset ABR has not been extensively investigated in marine mammals. Three normal hearing (NH) and three hearing impaired (HI) dolphins were assessed while fully submerged in sea water. Stimulus spectrum, level, rise/fall time (RFT), and plateau duration were manipulated. Onset and offset ABR amplitude were quantified as the rms voltage 1–7 ms following stimulus onset or offset, respectively. For the same stimulus conditions, onset and offset responses were often larger for NH than HI dolphins, and offset responses were typically smaller than onset responses. For the level series, offset response amplitude typically increased with increasing stimulus level, although offset responses were not 3 dB above the noisefloor for 113-kHz tonebursts. Increasing RFT decreased onset and offset response amplitude. For the 40-kHz tonebursts, a RFT of 32 μs produced a large amplitude offset ABR in NH dolphins. Offset responses for 113-kHz tonebursts were 3 dB above the noisefloor at the shortest RFTs. Offset responses were largest for 4 ms duration stimuli (likely due to overlapping onset and offset response analysis windows), but otherwise, offset responses changed little with increasing duration.
Engineered IL-10 variants elicit potent immunomodulatory effects at low ligand doses
Authors: Gorby Claire , Sotolongo Bellón Junel , Wilmes Stephan , Warda Walid , Pohler Elizabeth , Fyfe Paul K. , Cozzani Adeline , Ferrand Christophe , Walter Mark R. , Mitra Suman , Piehler Jacob , Moraga Ignacio
Published: September 2020

An IL-10 variant with higher affinity for a receptor subunit remains effective at low concentrations.
Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Trypanosoma cruzi Infection: Field Evaluation of Two Registered Kits in a Region of Endemicity and a Region of Nonendemicity in Argentina
Authors: Lopez-Albizu Constanza , Danesi Emmaría , Piorno Pablo , Fernandez Mariana , García Campos Francisco , Scollo Karenina , Crudo Favio
Published: September 2020

Infection by
Trypanosoma cruzi
(Chagas disease [ChD]) affects around 7 million people in the Americas, most of whom are unaware of their status due to lack of clinical manifestations and poor access to diagnosis. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are widely used for screening for different infections (HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis), and their application for ChD would facilitate access to diagnosis, especially in remote areas where health services have scarce resources. We conducted a prospective intervention study in 2018 to evaluate in the field two
in vitro
RDTs for ChD, authorized by the National Administration of Medicaments, Aliments, and Medical Technologies of Argentina (ANMAT), in areas of endemicity and nonendemicity in Argentina.
An Early Microglial Response Is Needed To Efficiently Control Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis
Authors: Uyar Olus , Laflamme Nataly , Piret Jocelyne , Venable Marie-Christine , Carbonneau Julie , Zarrouk Karima , Rivest Serge , Boivin Guy
Published: September 2020

Microglia appear to be one of the principal regulators of neuroinflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that the activation of microglia could result in either beneficial or detrimental effects in different CNS disorders. Hence, the role of microglia during herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) has not been fully characterized. Using experimental mouse models, we showed that an early activation of the MCSF/CSF1R axis improved the outcome of the disease, possibly by inducing a proliferation of microglia. In contrast, depletion of microglia before HSV-1 infection worsened the prognosis of HSE. Thus, an early microglial response followed by sustained infiltration of monocytes and T cells into the brain seem to be key components for a better clinical outcome. These data suggest that microglia could be a potential target for immunomodulatory strategies combined with antiviral therapy to better control the outcome of this devastating disease.
Plasma Membrane MCC/Eisosome Domains Promote Stress Resistance in Fungi
Authors: Lanze Carla E. , Gandra Rafael M. , Foderaro Jenna E. , Swenson Kara A. , Douglas Lois M. , Konopka James B.
Published: September 2020

There is growing appreciation that the plasma membrane orchestrates a diverse array of functions by segregating different activities into specialized domains that vary in size, stability, and composition. Studies with the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
have identified a novel type of plasma membrane domain known as the MCC (membrane compartment of Can1)/eisosomes that correspond to stable furrows in the plasma membrane. MCC/eisosomes maintain proteins at the cell surface, such as nutrient transporters like the Can1 arginine symporter, by protecting them from endocytosis and degradation.
The Impact of Plasma Membrane Lipid Composition on Flagellum-Mediated Adhesion of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
Authors: Cazzola Hélène , Lemaire Laurine , Acket Sébastien , Prost Elise , Duma Luminita , Erhardt Marc , Čechová Petra , Trouillas Patrick , Mohareb Fady , Rossi Claire , Rossez Yannick
Published: September 2020

Bacterial adhesion is a crucial step to allow bacteria to colonize their hosts, invade tissues, and form biofilm. Enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 is a human pathogen and the causative agent of diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis. Here, we use biomimetic membrane models and cell lines to decipher the impact of lipid content of the plasma membrane on enterohemorrhagic
E. coli
flagellum-mediated adhesion. Our findings provide evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acid (α-linolenic acid) inhibits
E. coli
flagellar adhesion to the plasma membrane in a mechanism separate from its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory functions. In addition, we confirm that cholesterol-enriched lipid microdomains, often called lipid rafts, are important in bacterial adhesion. These findings demonstrate that plasma membrane adhesion via bacterial flagella play a significant role for an important human pathogen. This mechanism represents a promising target for the development of novel antiadhesion therapies.
Reclassification of the Taxonomic Framework of OrdersCellvibrionales, Oceanospirillales, Pseudomonadales, andAlteromonadalesin ClassGammaproteobacteriathrough Phylogenomic Tree Analysis
Authors: Liao Hu , Lin Xiaolan , Li Yuqian , Qu Mingming , Tian Yun
Published: September 2020

The ordersCellvibrionales,Oceanospirillales, andPseudomonadales, as three major orders of the largest bacterial class,Gammaproteobacteria, play important roles in various ecosystems as the keystone taxa of microbiomes, but their evolutionary relationship is currently polyphyletic and chaotic. Here, we constructed a bac120 tree and core-genome tree and calculated the amino acid identity (AAI) value to explore their intrinsic evolutionary history. In this study, we proposed two novel orders and three novel families. This evolution study vastly reconstructed the taxonomic framework of classGammaproteobacteriaand could provide a more distinct perspective on global distribution and evolutionary patterns of these environmental microorganisms.
Recurrent acute coronary syndrome in a patient with spontaneous coronary artery dissection and fibromuscular dysplasia
Authors: Ahmed Taha , Ahmed Tamoor , Lodhi Samra Haroon , Chan Albert
Published: September 2020

A 51-year-old woman who presented in June 2010 with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and anterior wall motion abnormality on the echocardiogram but was found to have an insignificant angiogram. Eight years later she presented again with ACS and evidence of worsening cardiac wall motion affecting a similar territory; however, the angiogram revealing spontaneous coronary artery dissection of the distal left anterior descending artery. Extravascular screening revealed evidence of multifocal fibromuscular dysplasia. We suggest offering vascular screening for fibromuscular dysplasia in young women who present with ACS and normal angiograms, after weighing in risks and benefits.
Primary angioplasty after distal intracoronary infusion of nicorandil solution mixed with contrast media
Authors: Ponangi Udaya Prashant
Published: September 2020

A 50-year-old woman presented with history of intermittent angina for 2 days and signs of extensive anterior wall myocardial infarction. An urgent coronary angiogram showed a large proximally occluded left anterior descending (LAD) artery with no distal vessel opacification. After one attempt of thrombus aspiration, there was no improvement in Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow. The aspiration catheter was then parked in the distal vessel beyond the thrombotic lesion and 2 mg of intravenous nicorandil drug mixed with 10 mL of 50% dilute iodinated contrast media was infused slowly. A comparison was made to proximal vessel angiogram and the angioplasty procedure was then completed with a right size stent, restoring TIMI 3 flow in the LAD. This method minimises clot manipulations by avoiding repeated balloon predilatations or thrombus aspiration attempts and thus prevents the occurrence of no-reflow in lesions with large thrombus burden.
Case of functioning thoracic paraganglioma
Authors: Paul Jinson , Jebasingh Felix K , Kodiatte Thomas Alex , Gnanamuthu Birla Roy
Published: September 2020

Functioning thoracic paraganglioma (PGL) is rare in clinical practice. We present a 33-year-old man with this pathology, who came with right-sided chest pain and was found to have a right-sided paravertebral mass. Fine needle aspiration cytology revealed a PGL. Urine normetanephrine was elevated and meta- iodobenzylguanidine scan showed increased tracer uptake in the right hemithorax, suggestive of a functioning neuroendocrine tumour. The patient was subjected to right PGL excision by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, after adequate preoperative preparations. The perioperative period was uneventful, except for a transient rise in blood pressure during the surgery. His blood pressure continued to be normal in the postoperative period. In any patient with a paravertebral mass, the possibility of PGL should be kept in mind even if the patient is normotensive. Making a preoperative diagnosis is important, because excision of functioning PGL without adequate preoperative preparation may be detrimental.
Paediatric case of prolonged COVID-19 manifesting as PMIS-TS and atypical Kawasaki
Authors: Masih Mike , Moll Sarah , Raza Naila
Published: September 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented disease burden worldwide, affecting patients of all ages. Recently, there has been a rise in a new inflammatory condition termed paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PMIS-TS). We are yet to understand significant risk factors, disease progression and prognosis in children affected. We describe a case of a 9-year-old boy who tested positive concurrently for the SARS-CoV-2 virus 4 weeks apart. He presented with a 2-day history of fever, abdominal pain, headache and diarrhoea. Initial investigations supported PMIS-TS and he went on to develop atypical Kawasaki disease. With no results to differentiate between his positive results, we question whether he remained positive throughout or recovered with reactivation of the virus. There are reports of reactivation in adults but none in children. There are also no reports of children remaining positive for such a prolonged period, which raises public health concerns.
Comparison of weight-based insulin titration (WIT) and glucose-based insulin titration using basal-bolus algorithm in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes: a multicenter, randomized, clinical study
Authors: Zhang Xiaodan , Zhang Tong , Xiang Guangda , Wang Wenbo , Li Yanli , Du Tao , Zhao Yunjuan , Mosha Singla Sethiel , Li Wangen
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Subcutaneous administration of insulin is the preferred method for achieving glucose control in non-critically ill patients with diabetes. Glucose-based titration protocols were widely applied in clinical practice. However, most of these algorithms are experience-based and there is considerable variability and complexity. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of a weight-based insulin titration algorithm versus glucose-based algorithm in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Research design and methods

This randomized clinical trial was carried out at four centers in the South, Central and North China. Inpatients with T2DM were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive weight-based and glucose-based insulin titration algorithms. The primary outcome was the length of time for reaching blood glucose (BG) targets (fasting BG (FBG) and 2-hour postprandial BG (2hBG) after three meals). The secondary outcome included insulin dose for achieving glycemic control and the incidence of hypoglycemia during hospitalization.

Results

Between January 2016 and June 2019, 780 patients were screened, and 575 completed the trial (283 in the weight-based group and 292 in the glucose-based group). The lengths of time for reaching BG targets at four time points were comparable between two groups. FBG reached targets within 3 days and 2hBG after three meals within 4 days. There is no significant difference in insulin doses between two groups at the end of the study. The total daily dosage was about 1 unit/kg/day, and the ratio of basal-to-bolus was about 2:3 in both groups. The incidence of hypoglycemia was similar in both groups, and severe hypoglycemia was not detected in either of the groups.

Conclusions

Weight-based insulin titration algorithm is equally effective and safe in hospitalized patients with T2DM compared with glucose-based algorithm.

Trial registration number

NCT03220919.
Impact of COVID-19 on training: a single-centre survey of trainees
Authors: Whitby Thomas , Cleary Gavin , Halfhide Clare P
Published: September 2020

To review the impact of COVID-19 on postgraduate paediatric training, a 10-question online survey was designed to evaluate trainees’ training opportunities. 56 trainees working at a single centre, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, completed the survey. The majority of trainees felt that COVID-19 had affected their training. Trainees wanted to become involved in Quality Improvement Programs. Face-to-face teaching was still favourable but web-based teaching methods were preferred. Novel online, Worked Based Assessment clinics were well received. COVID-19 has affected traditional learning opportunities but offered a new positive range of digital solutions to give and store educational material.
Waiting times in emergency departments: exploring the factors associated with longer patient waits for emergency care in England using routinely collected daily data
Authors: Paling Steven , Lambert Jennifer , Clouting Jasper , González-Esquerré Júlia , Auterson Toby
Published: September 2020

Background

Long lengths of stay (also called waiting times) in emergency departments (EDs) are associated with higher patient mortality and worse outcomes.

Objective

To add to the literature using high-frequency data from a large number of hospitals to analyse factors associated with long waiting times, including exploring non-linearities for 'tipping points'.

Methods

Multivariate ordinary least squares regressions with fixed effects were used to analyse factors associated with the proportion of patients in EDs in England waiting more than 4 hours to be seen, treated and admitted or discharged. Daily situation reports (Sitrep), hospital episode statistics and electronic staffing records data over 90 days between December 2016 and February 2017 were used for all 138 English NHS healthcare providers with a major ED.

Results

Higher inpatient bed occupancy was correlated with longer ED waiting times, with a non-linear association. In a full hospital, with 100% bed occupancy, the proportion of patients who remained in the ED for more than 4 hours was 9 percentage points higher (95% CI 7.5% to 11.1%) than with an 85% occupancy level. For each percentage point change in the following factors, the proportion of ED stays over 4 hours also increased: more inpatients with hospital length of stay over 21 days (0.07%, 95% CI 0.008% to 0.13%); higher emergency admissions (0.08%, 95% CI 0.06% to 0.10%); and lower discharges relative to admissions on the same day (0.04%, 95% CI 0.02% to 0.06%), the following day (0.05%, 95% CI 0.03% to 0.06%) and at 2 days (0.05%, 95% CI 0.04% to 0.07%).

Conclusions

These results suggest that tackling patient flow and capacity in the wider hospital, particularly very high bed occupancy levels and patient discharge, is important to reduce ED waiting times and improve patient outcomes.
The perils of a broad approach to public interest in health data research: a response to Ballantyne and Schaefer
Authors: Grewal Norah , Newson Ainsley J
Published: September 2020

The law often calls on the concept of public interest for assistance. Privacy law makes use of this concept in several ways, including to justify consent waivers for secondary research on health information. Because the law sees information privacy as a means for individuals to control their personal information, consent can only be set aside in special circumstances. Ballantyne and Schaefer argue that only public interest, and only a broad conception of public interest, can do the special ‘normative justificatory work’ to override consent requirements. Other, similar-sounding concepts, such as public benefit, public good and social value, also provide useful services. But none more so than public interest. In fact, they argue, public interest is the superior concept precisely because it can capture those concepts as well as a range of other interests. Our response focuses on this claim. We argue their strategy is not as promising as it might first seem. Ballantyne and Schaefer construe the important role that public interest plays in this context as their endpoint. They claim that unless the concept is open and content-rich, it will lose some of its importance. But by refusing to place limits around it, their inquiry leads us back to a catch-all concept that lacks clear focus or meaning. In reply, we argue that, for practically minded theorists, a narrow conception of public interest is more useful. Further, the narrowing of public interest in this context can be achieved by first analysing it in its legal, rather than ethical, sense.
Suspected thyroid storm in a cat anaesthetised for bilateral thyroidectomy
Authors: Potter Joanna Jane , Cook Jennie , Meakin Lee B
Published: September 2020

A 14‐year‐old female neutered domestic short hair cat was referred for assessment of uncontrolled hyperthyroidism. The owners were advised that a bilateral thyroidectomy was required due to the presence of comorbidities that rendered radioiodine therapy inappropriate. During the procedure the cat exhibited unexpected extreme tachycardia, hypertension, hypercapnia, severe respiratory and metabolic acidosis and ventricular arrhythmias, which all resolved after removal of the thyroid glands. Recovery was complicated by the development of congestive heart failure and hypertension which were successfully managed and the cat was discharged five weeks after presentation. Thyroid storm was considered a possible explanation for the events that occurred during anaesthesia as well as the subsequent congestive heart failure and hypertension. Thyroid storm during anaesthesia has not been reported in animals. The similarities between the reported case and thyroid storm events in humans are discussed.
Crop, genotype, and field environmental conditions shape bacterial and fungal seed epiphytic microbiomes
Authors: Morales Moreira Zayda P. , Helgason Bobbi L. , Germida James J.
Published: September 2020

Seeds are reproductive structures able to carry and transfer microorganisms that play an important role in plant fitness. Genetic and external factors are reported to be partly responsible for the plant microbiome assemblage, but their contribution in seeds is poorly understood. In this study, wheat, canola, and lentil seeds were analyzed to characterize diversity, structure, and persistence of seed-associated microbial communities. Five lines and 2 generations of each crop were subjected to high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Bacterial and fungal communities differed most by crop type (30% and 47% of the variance), while generation explained an additional 10% and 15% of the variance. The offspring (i.e., generation harvested in 2016 at the same location) exhibited a higher number of common amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and less variability in microbial composition. Additionally, in every sample analyzed, a “core microbiome” was detected consisting of 5 bacterial and 12 fungal ASVs. Our results suggest that crop, genotype, and field environmental conditions contributed to the seed-associated microbial assemblage. These findings not only expand our understanding of the factors influencing the seed microbiome but may also help us to manipulate and exploit the microbiota naturally carried by seeds.
Dynamical system analysis of three-form field dark energy model with baryonic matter
Authors: Chakraborty Soumya , Mishra Sudip , Chakraborty Subenoy
Published: September 2020

A cosmological model having matter field as (non) interacting dark energy (DE) and baryonic matter and minimally coupled to gravity is considered in the present work with flat FLRW space time. The DE is chosen in the form of a three-form field while radiation and dust (i.e; cold dark matter) are the baryonic part. The cosmic evolution is studied through dynamical system analysis of the autonomous system so formed from the evolution equations by suitable choice of the dimensionless variables. The stability of the non-hyperbolic critical points are examined by Center manifold theory and possible bifurcation scenarios have been examined.
Optimal schemes for quantum teleportation of N-particle generalized Bell-type states
Authors: Zha Xin-Wei , Wang Min-Rui , Jiang Ruo-Xu
Published: September 2020

An optimal scheme is presented for the quantum teleportation of an arbitrary [Formula: see text]-particle generalized Bell-type state. In this paper, we have discussed three examples of two-particle, three-particle, and four-particle generalized Bell-type state in detail. Not only that, we have also analyzed the specific optimization process of quantum teleportation. Compared with previous schemes, our scheme has less quantum cost and transmission complexity due to the optimized quantum channel and operations.
Interpreting Indonesia’s “Look East” Policy: The Security Dimension of Foreign Aid
Authors: WARDHANI BAIQ , DUGIS VINSENSIO
Published: September 2020

As Indonesia’s economy gradually improves, the government has been actively promoting its horizontal cooperation among developing countries by playing a prominent role as a non-DAC (Development Assistance Committee) provider. Though the country has been receiving aid over the past two decades, it has also been providing to other developing countries in the Pacific region. However, Indonesia’s relations with these countries face contention due to it being perceived as “big and aggressive.” This is evident in its decision to oppose the independence of Papua. After decades of seeking good relations, Jakarta has opened its Eastern door by creating a closer link with the Pacific countries through the provision of aid. As it moved from ignorance to awareness, Indonesia’s approach was aimed at solving domestic problems related to its national integration and territorial integrity in the east, particularly the issue of Papuan independence. The country made use of aid as its primary diplomatic tool in its “Look East” policy. This paper investigates the extent to which this policy has been instrumental in rebuilding, restoring, and improving Indonesia’s image among Pacific countries. It argues that the ethnic dimension is one of the critical determinants in diplomatic relations, and ignorance could lead to its failure. Furthermore, it shows that the use of aid has resulted in a constructive impact that has been evident in a decrease in support for Papua separatism in the South Pacific region.
The Prospects of the US Alliance System in Asia: Managing from the Hub
Authors: CHEN PING-KUEI
Published: September 2020

This paper examines the implications of the United States’ “hub-and-spoke” alliance system in Asia. It argues that the US enjoys a bargaining advantage in the current bilateral security relations with its Asian allies. In contrast to a multilateral alliance, the US can better prevent free riders and joint resistance in its bilateral relations. It can effectively restrain the behavior of its allies and compel them to accommodate American interests. The hub-and-spoke system helps the US consolidate its policy influence over the Asian allies, supervise inter-alliance cooperation, and increase defense cooperation between allies and non-allies. This paper uses episodes of defense cooperation between the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India to illustrate the American alliance management techniques since 2016. During this time, the US allies have increasingly participated in regional security affairs due to US demands and guidance rather than autonomous decisions. Facing strong US pressure, allies have found it hard to challenge the US under the hub-and-spoke system despite common grievances. This leads to two implications for the future: First, the US allies may have less autonomy in their foreign policies, restraining their ability to pursue neutral positions and policies in regional affairs such as the South China Sea dispute. Second, the US may discourage or even undermine the emergence of multilateral security institutions in Asia. The US is likely to maintain the “hub-and-spoke” system to safeguard its strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific.
U.S. HOUSEHOLD PREFERENCES FOR CLIMATE AMENITIES: DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS AND ROBUSTNESS TESTING
Authors: CARBONE JARED C. , LEE SUL-KI , SHEN YUZHOU
Published: September 2020

We estimate how climate amenities influence where households decide to reside in the United States with two main objectives in mind: (i) to produce estimates with sufficient demographic detail to inform demographic population projections for use in climate impact analysis; (ii) to study the robustness of estimates from the existing literature. With respect to the former goal, we find important differences in job-related migration motives by age group and in the overall propensity to migrate among households with children. With respect to the latter aim, our framework shares a common methodological approach with other, recent attempts to recover climate preferences, allowing us to explore the consequences of a number of key assumptions in a systematic manner. Consistent with the existing literature, we find relatively robust estimates of the impact of the frequency of extreme heat days on household location decisions. The impacts of other common measures of climate, including the frequency of extreme cold days, average summer and winter temperatures, annual precipitation, humidity and frequency of sunshine, do not show a strong enough signal in the data to be estimated with precision.