bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coordinating lot sizing and integrated production and distribution scheduling with batch delivery and holding cost
Authors: Bank Maedeh , Mahdavi Mazdeh Mohammad , Heydari Mahdi , Teimoury Ebrahim
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to present a method for finding the optimum balance between sequence-dependent setup costs, holding costs, delivery costs and delay penalties in an integrated production–distribution system with lot sizing decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

Two mixed integer linear programming models and an optimality property are proposed for the problem. Since the problem is NP-hard, a genetic algorithm reinforced with a heuristic is developed for solving the model in large-scale settings. The algorithm parameters are tuned using the Taguchi method.

Findings

The results obtained on randomly generated instances reveal a performance advantage for the proposed algorithm; it is shown that lot sizing can reduce the average cost of the supply chain up to 11.8%. Furthermore, the effects of different parameters and factors of the proposed model on supply chain costs are examined through a sensitivity analysis.

Originality/value

Although integrated production and distribution scheduling in make-to-order industries has received a great deal of attention from researchers, most researchers in this area have treated each order as a job processed in an uninterrupted time interval, and no temporary holding costs are assumed. Even among the few studies where temporary holding costs are taken into consideration, none has examined the effect of splitting an order at the production stage (lot sizing) and the possibility of reducing costs through splitting. The present study is the first to take holding costs into consideration while incorporating lot sizing decisions in the operational production and distribution problem.
Online learning of English language courses via blackboard at Saudi universities in the era of COVID-19: perception and use
Authors: Almekhlafy Sultan Saleh Ahmed
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Due to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, a temporary interruption of education activities occurred all over the world. The sudden and quick shift from blended or face-to-face learning mode to the sole online learning mode affected the perceptions of students toward the Blackboard application and the usage. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of students toward the Blackboard application in the process of learning Preparatory Year (PY) English courses as the mere tool of learning and the impact of the students’ perceptions on the students’ use of Blackboard.

Design/methodology/approach

The results are based on a survey conducted with 228 of PY students: 1st level n = 126 and 2nd level n = 102 at Najran University. The data are analyzed to compare the two levels, as the students’ prior experience with Blackboard is not the same. The 2nd level students have prior experience of blended learning through Blackboard, whereas 1st level students have no prior experience of learning through Blackboard.

Findings

The data of the perceptions of both levels showed that 1st level students’ perceptions toward online learning of English via Blackboard were higher than 2nd level students. The data on the frequency of the use of the Blackboard application reflected the perceptions of students.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that the students’ prior experience of e-learning via Blackboard has an impact on the students’ perceptions.

Originality/value

The findings of the study contributed to the learning through the management systems research field and online learning of English during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Human capital flight and output growth nexus: evidence from Nigeria
Authors: Adeosun Oluyemi Theophilus , Popogbe Oluwaseyi Omowunmi
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Human capital flight from developing countries to developed nations has been rising and giving concerns to governments and scholars alike. This paper aims to explore the impact migration from Nigeria has on economic output growth by focusing on the migration rate, remittances, population growth and secondary school enrolment. This has not received adequate attention in the literature, as many papers have primarily focused on the impact of remittances on economic growth.

Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging on the macro-level approach to migration, remittances and the economy, this research considers the nexus among the human capital flight and output growth variables by using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method of analysis for time series data between 1986 and 2018.

Findings

The net migration rate from Nigeria was found from the empirical analysis to be more disadvantageous for the economy, given its negative relationship with economic growth despite the large volume of foreign incomes (remittances). It also shows that secondary school enrolment positively and significantly impacted the Nigerian growth rate in the long run.

Originality/value

This research has widened the use of variables by combining net migration rate, remittances from abroad, population growth rate and secondary school enrolment to obtain a more robust outcome with implications for research and practice.
Multi-material stereolithography using curing-on-demand printheads
Authors: Mao Huachao , Jia Wenxuan , Leung Yuen-Shan , Jin Jie , Chen Yong
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to present a multi-material additive manufacturing (AM) process with a newly developed curing-on-demand method to fabricate a three-dimensional (3D) object with multiple material compositions.

Design/methodology/approach

Unlike the deposition-on-demand printing method, the proposed curing-on-demand printheads use a digital light processing (DLP) projector to selectively cure a thin layer of liquid photocurable resin and then clean the residual uncured material effectively using a vacuuming and post-curing device. Each printhead can individually fabricate one type of material using digitally controlled mask image patterns. The proposed AM process can accurately deposit multiple materials in each layer by combining multiple curing-on-demand printheads together. Consequently, a three-dimensional object can be fabricated layer-by-layer using the developed curing-on-demand printing method.

Findings

Effective cleaning of uncured resin is realized with reduced coated resin whose height is in the sub-millimeter level and improved vacuum cleaning performance with the uncleaned resin less than 10 µm thick. Also, fast material swapping is achieved using the compact design of multiple printheads.

Originality/value

The proposed multi-material stereolithography (SL) process enables 3D printing components using more viscous materials and can achieve desired manufacturing characteristics, including high feature resolution, fast fabrication speed and low machine cost.
Aircraft part substitution via additive manufacturing: design, simulation, fabrication and testing
Authors: Boschetto Alberto , Bottini Luana , Cardini Valerio , Eugeni Marco , Gaudenzi Paolo , Veniali Francesco
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a case study focused on the substitution through selective laser melting of a part typically fabricated by traditional manufacturing.

Design/methodology/approach

To exploit the additive manufacturing (AM) advantages, the retrieving of the reconfiguration part data was provided, the process strategies by means of the interchange file handling and pre and post-processing were investigated and a re-design of the part was developed. Finally, the fabricated part was tested and analyzed.

Findings

Results claimed that a reconfiguration of the manufacturing framework plays an important role at each step of the process otherwise many AM benefits can be lost. In the paper, a set of recommendations, suggestions and hints regarding the implementation of AM for part substitutions is provided.

Research limitations/implications

Many aspects of the AM adoption, such as the production cost, energy consumption, sustainability and production volume, depend upon the geometry, batch size and other impactful factors, and thus they need to be studied in a case-by-case manner.

Practical implications

The proposed approaches have the concrete aim to address industrial resources toward the maximization of AM benefits in part substituting.

Originality/value

In this paper, the substitution of a part is fully undertaken from the early data collection to the manufactured part testing providing integrated approaches for each process step.
Social responsibility or smoke screening: evidence from India
Authors: Jadiyappa Nemiraja , Parikh Bhavik , Saikia Namrata , Usman Adam
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the choice of a firm to spend resources on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities is associated with its actual social impacts as measured by its energy consumption and the quality of its financial reporting. Based on legitimacy theory, the authors argue firms in India use CSR expenditures as mere smoke screens to build a positive public image.

Design/methodology/approach

By using energy consumption per unit of sale as a measure of real environmental impact, the authors model firms' CSR investment behavior. Additionally, the authors use earnings management measures to examine whether CSR spenders engage in manipulating reported earnings, a practice socially responsible firms would not engage in. These hypotheses are tested using a panel data set of Indian firms for the period 2012–2014.

Findings

Consistent with legitimacy theory, the authors show firms that participate in socially undesirable activities such as heavy energy consumption and accounting manipulation are more likely to pursue CSR voluntarily. Additionally, the authors find evidence suggesting firms that voluntarily engage in CSR tend to have lower firm values.

Originality/value

This study examines the social and environmental concerns of firms that invest in CSR, especially in an emerging market context. The findings help understand the motivation for CSR behavior of corporate firms and may well explain the observed negative relationship between firm value and voluntary CSR spending observed in many emerging market contexts, especially in India.
Innovation on the choice of debt financing source: evidence from innovative firms
Authors: Na HyunJun
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the innovative firm’s proprietary information has an impact on its debt financing preference. This study also examines the impact of industry-level competition on the debt financing orders and investigates how two exogenous shocks impacted on innovative firms’ financing policies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the three types of debt data, including bonds, private debt placements and bank loans and patent application data, in the USA from 1987–2008. The number of patents applications and industry-level competition are used as proxies for a firm’s innovation and industry-level sensitivity. In addition, to minimize endogenous concern, this study uses the propensity score matching analysis and difference-in-differences.

Findings

The patents are the primary determinants for innovative firms to choose the debt types. The paper shows that innovative firms have the debt preference order – public debt, private placement and bank loans. However, as competition increases, innovative firms devise the order reverse. Finally, the paper provides evidence that the American Inventor’s Protection Act (AIPA) and the tech bubble crash made investors depend more on firms with more patents.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to study the impact of the AIPA on innovative firms’ financial policies using the propensity score matching analysis. The findings imply that both patents and industry-level competition are important factors to understand the capital structures for innovative firms.
Volatility transmission across international markets amid COVID 19 pandemic
Authors: Ajmi Hechem , Arfaoui Nadia , Saci Karima
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the volatility transmission across stocks, gold and crude oil markets before and during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

A multivariate vector autoregression (VAR)-Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity model (BEKK-GARCH) is used to assess volatility transmission across the examined markets. The sample is divided as follows. The first period ranging from 02/01/2019 to 10/03/2020 defines the pre-COVID-19 crisis. The second period is from 11/03/2020 to 05/10/2020, representing the COVID-19 crisis period. Then, a robustness test is used using exponential GARCH models after including an exogenous variable capturing the growth of COVID-19 confirmed death cases worldwide with the aim to test the accuracy of the VAR-BEKK-GARCH estimated results.

Findings

Results indicate that the interconnectedness among the examined market has been intensified during the COVID-19 crisis, proving the lack of hedging opportunities. It is also found that stocks and Gold markets lead the crude oil market especially during the COVID-19 crisis, which explains the freefall of the crude oil price during the health crisis. Similarly, results show that Gold is most likely to act as a diversifier rather than a hedging tool during the current health crisis.

Originality/value

Although the recent studies in the field focused on analyzing the relationships between different markets during the first quarter of 2020, this study considers a larger data set with the aim to assess the volatility transmission across the examined international markets Amid the COVID-19 crisis, while it shows the most significant impact on various financial markets compared to other diseases.
Substance P ameliorates TNF‐α‐mediated impairment of human aortic vascular cells in vitro
Authors: Kim Do Young , Piao Jiyuan , Park Jeong Seop , Lee Dahyeon , Hong Hyun Sook
Published: June 2021

Vascular diseases are caused by endothelial dysfunction due to inflammation. On endothelial injury, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) is enhanced and nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability becomes deficient. This condition affects endothelial metabolism and leads to vascular destruction. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether substance P (SP) is able to protect the endothelium against inflammatory stress. To this end, aortic endothelial cells were pre‐treated with SP, followed by tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), and cellular responses were evaluated using a combination of cell biology and quantification assays, as well as western blot analyses. Our results show that TNF‐α enhanced ECM expression and reduced NO production within 4 hours, promoting immune cell adhesion to the endothelium and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) secretion from aortic smooth muscle cells. However, SP treatment ameliorated TNF‐α‐induced endothelial impairment by maintaining low ECM levels. Our data suggest that this protective effect is mediated by Akt activation and NO‐enriched conditions. The inhibition of aortic endothelial cell injury by SP also reduced MCP‐1 production in aortic smooth muscle cells. Together, our data indicate that SP can protect aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells from inflammatory injury, which suggests that SP may prevent cardiovascular disease.
Solution‐Focused versus Problem‐Focused Questions: Differential Effects of Miracles, Exceptions and Scales
Authors: Neipp Marie‐Carmen , Beyebach Mark , Sanchez‐Prada Andrés , Delgado Álvarez María del Carmen
Published: June 2021

The differential impact of solution‐focused brief therapy questions was tested. A total of 246 subjects described a personal problem they wanted to solve and were randomly assigned to one of four interventions that involved answering problem‐focused versus solution‐focused questions: a problem‐focused condition, a miracle condition, a scaling condition or an exception condition. Before and after answering the questions, participants completed measures of positive and negative affect, self‐efficacy, goal attainment, action steps and solution‐focused thinking. The miracle and exception conditions were more effective than the problem‐focused condition in reducing negative affect. The scaling condition generated more action steps than the miracle question or the exception question. These findings support solution‐focused ideas on the different effects of solution‐focused questions, but also suggest that solution‐focused and problem‐focused questions might be more similar than different in their immediate impact on clients.

Practitioner points

Solution‐focused and problem‐focused questions are more similar than different in their immediate impact on clients.

Among solution‐focused questions, the miracle question and the exception question are more effective in reducing negative affect, and scaling questions in generating specific action steps.

Integrative therapists could use solution‐focused questions not only with clients who seem more optimistic but also with less solution‐minded ones.

​
Antimicrobial‐coated films as food packaging: A review
Authors: Fu Yezhi , Dudley Edward G.
Published: May 2021

Antimicrobial food packaging involves packaging the foods with antimicrobials to protect them from harmful microorganisms. In general, antimicrobials can be integrated with packaging materials via direct incorporation of antimicrobial agents into polymers or application of antimicrobial coating onto polymer surfaces. The former option is generally achieved through thermal film‐making technology such as compression molding or film extrusion, which is primarily suitable for heat‐stable antimicrobials. As a nonthermal technology, surface coating is more promising compared to molding or extrusion for manufacturing food packaging containing heat‐sensitive antimicrobials. In addition, it also has advantages over direct incorporation to preserve the packaging materials’ bulk properties (e.g., mechanical and physical properties) and minimize the amount of antimicrobials to reach sufficient efficacy. Herein, antimicrobial food packaging films achieved through surface coating is explored and discussed. The two components (i.e., film substrate and antimicrobials) consisting of the antimicrobial‐coated films are reviewed as plastic/biopolymer films; and synthetic/naturally occurring antimicrobials. Furthermore, special emphasis is given to different coating technologies to deposit antimicrobials onto film substrate. Laboratory coating techniques (e.g., knife coating, bar coating, and spray coating) commonly applied in academic research are introduced briefly, and scalable coating methods (i.e., electrospinning/spraying, gravure roll coating, flexography coating) that have the potential to bring laboratory‐developed antimicrobial‐coated films to an industrial level are explained in detail. The migration profile, advantages/drawbacks of antimicrobial‐coated films for food applications, and quantitative analyses of the reviewed antimicrobial‐coated films from different aspects are also covered in this review. A conclusion is made with a discussion of the challenges that remain in bringing the production of antimicrobial‐coated films to an industrial level.
Impacts ofBlock‐RateEnergy Pricing on Groundwater Demand in Irrigated Agriculture
Authors: Hrozencik R. Aaron , Manning Dale T. , Suter Jordan F. , Goemans Christopher
Published: June 2021

In many regions of the world, energy costs associated with extraction represent the only explicit price for groundwater use. Therefore, energy pricing policies can significantly influence the use of scarce groundwater resources. This article leverages unique well‐level data on groundwater use, electricity prices, and pumping efficiency from the Republican River Basin of Colorado to estimate producer responses to changes in marginal energy prices. Empirical parameter estimates are used to simulate a change in energy pricing policy from existing decreasing block rate structures to a revenue‐neutral uniform marginal price. The simulation results reveal that, on average, uniform energy pricing leads to an 11% decrease in groundwater use than would occur under a decreasing block rate pricing regime. However, a transition to uniform energy pricing diminishes short‐run producer welfare. More broadly, the results illustrate how energy pricing has important implications for groundwater management and informs a more comprehensive understanding of how priced inputs influence the use of unpriced natural resources.
Is pathological complete response predictable after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer? A single institution's retrospective experience
Authors: Winder Alec A. , Dijkstra Birgit
Published: May 2021

Background

Pathological complete response (pCR), in breast cancers, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is linked to improved survival. Determining complete response to chemotherapy prior to surgery has remained elusive even using a combination of pathological factors and imaging modalities, making surgery still a necessity.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed from a single institution from 2013 to 2018. Breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with pre‐ and post‐chemotherapy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. Patients receiving other neoadjuvant modalities were excluded. Imaging characteristics, including response to chemotherapy and pathological factors, were recorded.

Results

Analysis showed 134 patients were identified with 40/134 (29.9%) noted to have radiological complete response and 34/134 (25.6%) had pCR. The positive predictive value for MRI to detect pCR was greatest for oestrogen receptor (ER) negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative tumours at 81.8% and worst for ER+ HER2− tumours at 25%. The negative predictive value was greatest for ER+ HER2− tumours at 93.9% and worst for ER− HER2− tumours at 77.4%.

Conclusion

MRI after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer even combined with tumour factors is not an accurate predictor of pCR.
A safe sequential treatment approach for patients who have acute cholecystitis with severe inflammation: Transmural gallbladder drainage followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy under the guidance of fluorescence imaging
Authors: Okada Yuri , Kawaguchi Yoshikuni , Matsumura Masaru , Matsubara Saburo , Nakai Yosuke , Ichida Akihiko , Ishizawa Takeaki , Akamatsu Nobuhisa , Kaneko Junichi , Arita Junichi , Koike Kazuhiko , Hasegawa Kiyoshi
Published: May 2021

Introduction

For patients who have acute severe cholecystitis, urgent/early biliary drainage followed by delayed/elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy is recommended according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2018. Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage is an established technique. Recently, transmural gallbladder drainage under the guidance of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS‐GBD) was reported as a safe alternative. During surgery, fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green (ICG) has been increasingly used for visualizing the bile ducts. Herein, we report a sequential treatment approach which ensures safety without impairing normal activities before cholecystectomy: EUS‐GBD followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy using ICG fluorescence imaging.

Materials and Surgical Technique

A 66‐year‐old man with acute cholecystitis underwent urgent EUS‐GBD and had the drainage tube placement through the duodenum into the gallbladder. During 2.5 months of the waiting period, he had no clinical troubles. After insertion of a laparoscope, we found a structure between the gallbladder and the duodenum. We injected 0.025 mg/mL of ICG into the nasobiliary drainage tube (placed in the gallbladder through the duodenum) and confirmed that the structure was a fistula. After removing the tube, the fistula was divided using a surgical stapler under the guidance of fluorescence imaging. The cystic and common bile ducts were also clearly visualized as fluorescence.

Discussion

We reported a safe sequential treatment approach for the patient who required biliary drainage: EUS‐GBD followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy under the guidance of ICG fluorescence imaging. This sequential approach may improve patients' satisfaction with respect to quality of life during the waiting period and may ensure the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of prednisolone in paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treated according to Dutch Childhood Oncology Group protocols and its relation to treatment response
Authors: Sassen Sebastiaan D. T. , Mathôt Ron A. A. , Pieters Rob , de Haas Valérie , Kaspers Gertjan J. L. , van den Bos Cor , Tissing Wim J. E. , te Loo D. Maroeska W. W. , Bierings Marc B. , van der Sluis Inge M. , Zwaan C. Michel
Published: June 2021

Glucocorticoids form the backbone of paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treatment. Many studies have been performed on steroid resistance; however, few studies have addressed the relationship between dose, concentration and clinical response. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of prednisolone in the treatment of paediatric ALL and the correlation with clinical parameters. A total of 1028 bound and unbound prednisolone plasma concentrations were available from 124 children (aged 0–18 years) with newly diagnosed ALL enrolled in the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group studies. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed and post hoc area under the curve (AUC) was tested against treatment outcome parameters. The pharmacokinetics of unbound prednisolone in plasma was best described with allometric scaling and saturable binding to proteins. Plasma protein binding decreased with age. The AUC of unbound prednisolone was not associated with any of the disease parameters or treatment outcomes. Unbound prednisolone plasma concentrations correlated with age. No effect of exposure on clinical treatment outcome parameters was observed and does not substantiate individualised dosing. Poor responders, high‐risk and relapsed patients showed a trend towards lower exposure compared to good responders. However, the group of poor responders was small and requires further research.
Determination of brain tumor recurrence using 11C‐methionine positron emission tomography after radiotherapy
Authors: Yamaguchi Shigeru , Hirata Kenji , Okamoto Michinari , Shimosegawa Eku , Hatazawa Jun , Hirayama Ryuichi , Kagawa Naoki , Kishima Haruhiko , Oriuchi Noboru , Fujii Masazumi , Kobayashi Kentaro , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Terasaka Shunsuke , Nishijima Ken‐ichi , Kuge Yuji , Ito Yoichi M. , Nishihara Hiroshi , Tamaki Nagara , Shiga Tohru
Published: June 2021

We conducted a prospective multicenter trial to compare the usefulness of 11C‐methionine (MET) and 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) for identifying tumor recurrence. Patients with clinically suspected tumor recurrence after radiotherapy underwent both 11C‐MET and 18F‐FDG PET. When a lesion showed a visually detected uptake of either tracer, it was surgically resected for histopathological analysis. Patients with a lesion negative to both tracers were revaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 months after the PET studies. The primary outcome measure was the sensitivity of each tracer in cases with histopathologically confirmed recurrence, as determined by the McNemar test. Sixty‐one cases were enrolled, and 56 cases could be evaluated. The 38 cases where the lesions showed uptake of either 11C‐MET or 18F‐FDG underwent surgery; 32 of these cases were confirmed to be subject to recurrence. Eighteen cases where the lesions showed uptake of neither tracer received follow‐up MRI; the lesion size increased in one of these cases. Among the cases with histologically confirmed recurrence, the sensitivities of 11C‐MET PET and 18F‐FDG PET were 0.97 (32/33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85‐0.99) and 0.48 (16/33, 95% CI: 0.33‐0.65), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .0001). The diagnostic accuracy of 11C‐MET PET was significantly better than that of 18F‐FDG PET (87.5% vs. 69.6%, P = .033). No examination‐related adverse events were observed. The results of the study demonstrated that 11C‐MET PET was superior to 18F‐FDG PET for discriminating between tumor recurrence and radiation‐induced necrosis.
Efficacy of inhaled salbutamol with and without prednisolone for first acute rhinovirus‐induced wheezing episode
Authors: Hurme Pekka , Homil Kiara , Lehtinen Pasi , Turunen Riitta , Vahlberg Tero , Vuorinen Tytti , Camargo Carlos A. , Gern James E. , Jartti Tuomas
Published: June 2021

Background

Acute rhinovirus‐induced wheezing is common in young children and may respond to systemic corticosteroid. There are no trials on the efficacy of inhaled beta2‐agonist in this clinical scenario.

Objective

To study post hoc the short‐term (up to 2 months) efficacy of inhaled beta2‐agonist with and without oral corticosteroid in the first acute rhinovirus‐induced severe wheezing episode in young hospitalized children.

Methods

The study population came from two randomized controlled trials comparing oral prednisolone (2 mg/kg/d for 3 days) to placebo: Vinku (n = 35, NCT00494624) used high‐dose regular nebulized salbutamol (0.15 mg/kg 2–4 h intervals) and Vinku2 (n = 60, NCT00731575, EudraCT 2006‐007100‐42) used inhaled salbutamol on‐demand. Both studies used identical detailed follow‐up assessments. The primary outcome of the former was the duration of hospitalization and of the latter the occurrence of and the time to a new physician‐confirmed wheezing episode within 2 months after discharge. Treatment groups included salbutamol high‐dose vs. salbutamol on‐demand while adjusting for prednisolone status and acknowledging for interactions with exception of the duration of hospitalization in which prednisolone groups could not be fully used due to protocol differences.

Results

Median age of subjects was 13 months, 32% were sensitized and 22% had doctor‐diagnosed eczema. In the duration of hospitalization, salbutamol high‐dose/placebo versus salbutamol on‐demand/placebo groups did not differ (p = .12). In the occurrence of and time to relapse within 2 months, a significant group × treatment interaction was observed (both p = .02), such that high‐dose group had less and longer time to relapses than on‐demand group in prednisolone arm (both p < .05), but no difference was detected in placebo arm (both p > .26).

Conclusions

In young, hospitalized children with first episode of rhinovirus‐induced wheezing, high‐dose inhaled salbutamol may interact with oral prednisolone. However, further trials are warranted.
Improving species status assessments under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and implications for multispecies conservation challenges worldwide
Authors: Noss Reed F. , Cartwright Jennifer M. , Estes Dwayne , Witsell Theo , Elliott Gregg , Adams Daniel , Albrecht Matthew , Boyles Ryan , Comer Patrick , Doffitt Chris , Faber‐Langendoen Don , Hill JoVonn , Hunter William C. , Knapp Wesley M. , Marshall Michael E. , Singhurst Jason , Tracey Christopher , Walck Jeffrey , Weakley Alan
Published: May 2021

Despite its successes, the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) has proven challenging to implement due to funding limitations, workload backlog, and other problems. As threats to species survival intensify and as more species come under threat, the need for the ESA and similar conservation laws and policies in other countries to function efficiently has grown. Attempts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to streamline ESA decisions include multispecies recovery plans and habitat conservation plans. We address species status assessment (SSA), a USFWS process to inform ESA decisions from listing to recovery, within the context of multispecies and ecosystem planning. Although existing SSAs have a single‐species focus, ecosystem‐based research can efficiently inform multiple SSAs within a region and provide a foundation for transition to multispecies SSAs in the future. We considered at‐risk grassland species and ecosystems within the southeastern United States, where a disproportionate number of rare and endemic species are associated with grasslands. To initiate our ecosystem‐based approach, we used a combined literature‐based and structured World Café workshop format to identify science needs for SSAs. Discussions concentrated on 5 categories of threats to grassland species and ecosystems, consistent with recommendations to make shared threats a focus of planning under the ESA: (1) habitat loss, fragmentation, and disruption of functional connectivity; (2) climate change; (3) altered disturbance regimes; (4) invasive species; and (5) localized impacts. For each threat, workshop participants identified science and information needs, including database availability, research priorities, and modeling and mapping needs. Grouping species by habitat and shared threats can make the SSA process and other planning processes for conservation of at‐risk species worldwide more efficient and useful. We found a combination of literature review and structured discussion effective for identifying the scientific information and analysis needed to support the development of multiple SSAs.

Article impact statement: Species status assessments can be improved by an ecosystem‐based approach that groups imperiled species by shared habitats and threats.
Durable surface functionalisation and pigment coloration of cellulosic fabrics using bioactive additives
Authors: Ibrahim Nabil A. , El‐Zairy Enas M. , Eid Basma M. , Abd Allah Shimaa S. , Emam El‐Amir M.
Published: June 2021

The main goal of this study is to develop a facile eco‐friendly method for antibacterial/ultraviolet (UV)‐blocking functionalisation using various green bioactive functional additives namely neem, jojoba, argan, aloe vera, ginger, and tulsi. In addition, pigment coloration of cellulosic substrates including cotton, viscose, cotton/viscose, and cotton/linen using pigment colourants and appropriate printing auxiliaries in one step was used. The experimental results revealed that the durability, improvement in the imparted antibacterial/UV‐blocking functional properties and enhancement in the depth of the obtained pigment prints followed a decreasing order: tulsi > ginger > aloe vera > argan > jojoba > neem ≫ none, keeping other parameters constant. The obtained data also demonstrated that the developed pigment prints exhibited remarkable functionalities and depth of shade after 15 washing cycles. Moreover, it was observed that improvement in the imparted functional and coloration properties were a function of types of cellulosic substrate and the kind of colourant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis for selected samples confirmed the surface modification, morphology changes and immobilisation of the used active ingredients onto the treated substrates.
Does rhythmic priming improve grammatical processing in Hungarian‐speaking children with and without developmental language disorder?
Authors: Ladányi Enikő , Lukács Ágnes , Gervain Judit
Published: June 2021

Research has described several features shared between musical rhythm and speech or language, and experimental studies consistently show associations between performance on tasks in the two domains as well as impaired rhythm processing in children with language disorders. Motivated by these results, in the current study our first aim was to explore whether a short exposure to a regular musical rhythm (i.e., rhythmic priming) can improve subsequent grammatical processing in preschool‐aged Hungarian‐speaking children with and without developmental language disorder (DLD). Second, we investigated whether rhythmic priming is specific to grammar processing by assessing priming in two additional domains: a linguistic but non‐grammatical task (picture naming) and a non‐linguistic task (nonverbal Stroop task). Third, to confirm that the rhythmic priming effect originates from the facilitating effect of the regular rhythm and not the negative effect of the control condition, we added a third condition, silence, for all the three tasks. Both groups of children showed better performance on the grammaticality judgment task in the regular compared to both the irregular and the silent conditions but no such effect appeared in the non‐grammatical and non‐linguistic tasks. These results suggest that (1) rhythmic priming can improve grammatical processing in Hungarian, a language with complex morphosyntax, both in children with and without DLD, (2) the effect is specific to grammar and (3) is a result of the facilitating effect of the regular rhythm. These results could motivate further research about integrating rhythmic priming into traditional speech‐language therapy. A video abstract of this article can be viewed athttps://youtu.be/zKzGuIjZyvU.
Multiword units lead to errors of commission in children's spontaneous production: “What corpus data can tell us?*”
Authors: McCauley Stewart M. , Bannard Colin , Theakston Anna , Davis Michelle , Cameron‐Faulkner Thea , Ambridge Ben
Published: June 2021

Psycholinguistic research over the past decade has suggested that children's linguistic knowledge includes dedicated representations for frequently‐encountered multiword sequences. Important evidence for this comes from studies of children's production: it has been repeatedly demonstrated that children's rate of speech errors is greater for word sequences that are infrequent and thus unfamiliar to them than for those that are frequent. In this study, we investigate whether children's knowledge of multiword sequences can explain a phenomenon that has long represented a key theoretical fault line in the study of language development: errors of subject‐auxiliary non‐inversion in question production (e.g., “why we can't go outside?*”). In doing so we consider a type of error that has been ignored in discussion of multiword sequences to date. Previous work has focused on errors of omission – an absence of accurate productions for infrequent phrases. However, if children make use of dedicated representations for frequent sequences of words in their productions, we might also expect to see errors of commission – the appearance of frequent phrases in children's speech even when such phrases are not appropriate. Through a series of corpus analyses, we provide the first evidence that the global input frequency of multiword sequences (e.g., “she is going” as it appears in declarative utterances) is a valuable predictor of their errorful appearance (e.g., the uninverted question “what she is going to do?*”) in naturalistic speech. This finding, we argue, constitutes powerful evidence that multiword sequences can be represented as linguistic units in their own right.
Interagency collaboration within the city emergency management network: a case study of Super Ministry Reform in China
Authors: Fan Bo , Li Zhoupeng , Desouza Kevin C.
Published: May 2021

Emergencies continue to become ever more complex; responding to them, therefore, often is beyond the capabilities and capacities of any single public agency. Hence, collaboration among these actors is necessary to prepare for, respond to, and recover from such events. This seldom occurs in an effective or efficient manner, however. Drawing on resource dependence theory and the concept of social capital, this paper reveals that different types of collaborative relationships exist within the collaborative network. Super Ministry Reform of Emergency Management in China serves as a case in point. By evaluating network efficiency and classifying the collaborative relationships of involved government agencies, four types are identified: resource‐redundant; resource‐complementary; resource‐dependent; and resource‐isolated. The different influences of collaborative relationships explain why the reform is not that effective, although it has led to the merger of several core departments in the emergency management network. The findings are a reminder to consider network structure and collaboration types when engaging in institutional design.
Association of obesity with postacute sequelae of COVID‐19
Authors: Aminian Ali , Bena James , Pantalone Kevin M. , Burguera Bartolome
Published: June 2021

Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection and mortality. However, it is not known whether patients with obesity are at a greater risk of developing postacute sequelae of COVID‐19 (PASC). In a median follow‐up time of 8 months and counting from 30 days following a positive viral test of 2839 patients who did not require intensive care unit admission and survived the acute phase of COVID‐19, 1230 (43%) patients required medical diagnostic tests, 1255 (44%) patients underwent hospital admission, and 29 (1%) patients died. Compared with patients with a normal body mass index (BMI), the risk of hospital admission was 28% and 30% higher in patients with moderate and severe obesity, respectively. The need for diagnostic tests to assess different medical problems, compared with patients with normal BMI, was 25% and 39% higher in patients with moderate and severe obesity, respectively. The findings of this study suggest that moderate and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) are associated with a greater risk of PASC.
In vivo hippocampal cornu ammonis 1–3 glutamatergic abnormalities are associated with temporal lobe epilepsy surgery outcomes
Authors: Lam Jack , DuBois Jonathan M. , Rowley Jared , Rousset Olivier G. , González‐Otárula Karina A. , Soucy Jean‐Paul , Massarweh Gassan , Hall Jeffery A. , Guiot Marie‐Christine , Zimmermann Maria , Minuzzi Luciano , Rosa‐Neto Pedro , Kobayashi Eliane
Published: June 2021

Objective

Previous positron emission tomography (PET) studies using [11C]ABP688 show reduced metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) allosteric binding site availability in the epileptogenic hippocampus of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) patients. However, the link between mGluR5 abnormalities and postsurgical outcomes remains unclear. Here, we test whether reduced PET [11C]ABP688 binding in cornu ammonis (CA) sectors more vulnerable to glutamatergic excitotoxicity relates to surgical outcomes.

Methods

We obtained magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and [11C]ABP688‐PET from 31 unilateral MTLE patients and 30 healthy controls. MRI hippocampal subfields were segmented using FreeSurfer. To respect the lower PET special resolution, MRI‐derived anatomical subfields were combined into CA1–3, CA4/dentate gyrus, and Subiculum. Partial volume corrected [11C]ABP688 nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND) values were averaged across each subfield, and Z‐scores were calculated. Subfield [11C]ABP688‐BPND was compared between seizure‐free and non‐seizure‐free patients. In addition, we also assessed subfield volumes and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in each clinical group.

Results

MTLE [11C]ABP688‐BPND was reduced in ipsilateral (epileptogenic) CA1–3 and CA4/dentate‐gyrus (p < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .29–.51) compared to controls, with no difference in Subiculum. [11C]ABP688‐BPND and subfield volumes were compared between seizure‐free (Engel IA, n = 13) and non‐seizure‐free patients (Engel IC–III, n = 10). In ipsilateral CA1–3 only, [11C]ABP688‐BPND was lower in seizure‐free patients than in non‐seizure‐free patients (p = .012, 95% CI = 1.46–11.0) independently of volume. A subset analysis of 12 patients with [11C]ABP688‐PET+[18F]FDG‐PET showed no between‐group significant difference in [18F]FDG uptake, whereas CA1–3 [11C]ABP688‐BPND remained significantly lower in the seven of 12 seizure‐free patients (p = .03, 95% CI = −3.13 to −.21).

Significance

Reduced mGluR5 allosteric site availability in hippocampal CA1–3, measured in vivo by [11C]ABP688‐PET, is associated with postsurgery seizure freedom independent of atrophy or hypometabolism. Information derived from hippocampal CA1–3 [11C]ABP688‐PET is a promising imaging biomarker potentially impactful in surgical decisions for MRI‐negative/PET‐negative MTLE patients.
The protective effect of α7‐nACh receptor and its interaction with 5‐HT1B/1D receptors in acute intestinal ischemia‐reperfusion injury in rats
Authors: Gharishvandi Fatemeh , Shafaroodi Hamed , Mohammad Jafari Razieh , Abdollahi Alireza , Pasalar Parvin , Dehpour Ahmad Reza
Published: June 2021

Over the past decades, great attention has been given to the nervous system modulating effects on the immune response in inflammation‐associated injuries, such as acute intestinal ischemia‐reperfusion (IR). Recently, we proved the anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT)1B/1D receptors in intestinal IR injury in rats. Also, the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7‐nACh) receptor has anti‐inflammatory effects in different inflammation‐associated injuries. Starting from these premises, we aimed to examine the function of the α7‐nACh receptors and the functional interactions between the anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects of α7‐nACh and 5‐HT1B/1D receptors in acute intestinal IR injury. To confirm the expression and localization of α7‐nACh receptors on the ileum nerves, an immunofluorescence‐based method was applied. Then, intestinal IR injury was induced by 30‐min occlusion of superior mesenteric artery and reperfusion for 2 h in rats. Acute systemic administration of α7‐nACh receptor agonist PNU‐282987 and antagonist methyllycaconitine, and 5‐HT1B/1D receptors agonist (sumatriptan) and antagonist (GR127, 935) were used in the model of intestinal IR injury. Finally, biochemical and histological parameters were assessed. Α7‐nACh receptors were expressed by 9% on the ileum nerves. Likewise, activation of the α7‐nACh receptor showed anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects in intestinal IR injury but not as well as 5‐HT1B/1D receptors. Interestingly, 5‐HT1B/1D receptors via attenuation of glutamate (Glu) release indirectly activated the α7‐nACh receptor and its protective effects against inflammation and oxidative stress. The protective effect of the α7‐nACh receptor on intestinal IR injury was activated indirectly through the 5‐HT1B/1D receptors’ modulatory impact on Glu release.
From stretch to deflection: the importance of context in the activation of mammalian, mechanically activated ion channels
Authors: Richardson Jessica , Kotevski Adrian , Poole Kate
Published: June 2021

The ability of cells to convert mechanical perturbations into biochemical information is an essential aspect of mammalian physiology. The molecules that mediate such mechanotransduction include mechanically activated ion channels, which directly convert mechanical inputs into electrochemical signals. The unifying feature of these channels is that their open probability increases with the application of a mechanical input. However, the structure, activation profile and sensitivity of distinct mechanically activated ion channels vary from channel to channel. In this review, we discuss how ionic currents can be mechanically evoked and monitored in vitro, and describe the distinct activation profiles displayed by a range of mammalian channels. In addition, we discuss the various mechanisms by which the best‐characterized mammalian, mechanically activated ion channel, PIEZO1, can be modulated. The diversity of activation and modulation of these mammalian ion channels suggest that these molecules may facilitate a finely controlled and diverse ability to sense mechanical inputs in mammalian cells.