bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review of landslide acceptable risk and tolerable risk
Authors: Sim Kwan Ben , Lee Min Lee , Wong Soon Yee
Published: January 2022

Landslides are one of the most important geohazards. In 2004–2016, more than 55,000 people lost their lives to landslides and this does not include deaths caused by seismically triggered landslides. Overall losses were estimated to be at USD 20 billion annually. The lives of many could be saved if more had been known regarding forecasting and mitigation. Studies have shown an increasing trend in landslides occurrence and fatalities. Over recent years, landslide risk assessment has been carried out extensively by geo-scientists worldwide. This review concentrates on the societal risks posed by landslides in various countries and the risk criteria used by various parts of the world in assessing landslide risks. The landslide risk tolerance criteria are strongly governed by utilitarian concerns i.e. financial power and the need for development. In developing countries, surprisingly high levels of tolerance are proposed for landslides. The risk criteria of Hong Kong and that of the Australian Geomechanics Society are widely employed in many countries. Although various risk tolerance levels have been proposed by various nations, many of them are still not being applied in their real-life scenarios. The procedures for setting risk criteria call for a wide agreement between geo-scientists, government decision makers, and the community. Risk criteria should be developed locally with historical landslide inventory, public perception, and engineering aspects being considered.
Video-based long-term follow up of musician’s dystonia in pianists reveals similar improvements following different treatment strategies: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Gründahl Julius , Großbach Michael , Altenmüller Eckart
Published: January 2022

Background

Musician’s Dystonia (MD) by impaired or complete loss of fine motor control in extensively trained movements at the instrument. In pianists, it frequently leads to involuntary flexion or extension of one or more fingers. Treatment remains challenging, although local injections with Botulinum toxin, anticholinergic medication and pedagogical retraining seem to be helpful in individual cases. Evaluation of therapies however is frequently hampered by lack of practicability, or validity. This retrospective observational study aims to assess the long-term development of MD and efficacy of therapies in keyboard players by means of a simple video-rating procedure by informed expert raters.

Methods

Video rating is characterisedwas done by 6 carefully instructed pianists, rating a total of 266 videos from 80 patients, recorded over a period of almost 20 years. These showed the affected hand playing a C-major scale as “regularly” as possible at a moderate tempo on a grand piano. Raters assessed the acoustic irregularity of scale playing and any visible movement impairment on visual analogue scales. Influence of patient-specific factors including applied treatment was estimated in a Bayesian multilevel beta regression.

Results

For ratings of irregularity and impairment intra-rater reliability was strong and inter-rater concordance was moderate. The average estimated improvement across all therapies was 14% in irregularity and 15% in impairment. Highest improvement rates in ratings of irregularity were found after the combined treatment with Botulinum toxin and Trihexyphenidyl (45%) as well as in retraining (29% improvement) as single therapy. In ratings of impairment the highest improvement was shown for retraining in combination with Trihexyphenidyl (36% improvement) as well as retraining as single therapy (23%).

Conclusions

This study provides a new perspective on the course of MD in keyboard players in a larger cohort using methods other than self-report. Video rating of scale-playing was shown to be a reliable and useful method to evaluate MD in keyboard players. Average improvement rates were different to previous studies using patient-subjective questionnaires. Treatment options showed different effects in the two rating criteria, with retraining showing the highest improvement rates in single and combined use.
Ultrastructure of cerebral eyes in Oweniidae and Chaetopteridae (Annelida) – implications for the evolution of eyes in Annelida
Authors: Purschke Günter , Vodopyanov Stepan , Baller Anjilie , von Palubitzki Tim , Bartolomaeus Thomas , Beckers Patrick
Published: January 2022

Background

Recent phylogenomic studies have revealed a robust, new hypothesis of annelid phylogeny. Most surprisingly, a few early branching lineages formed a basal grade, whereas the majority of taxa were categorized as monophyletic Pleistoannelida. Members of these basal groups show a comparatively simple organization lacking certain characters regarded to be annelid specific. Thus, the evolution of organ systems and the characteristics probably present in the last common annelid ancestor require reevaluation. With respect to light-sensitive organs, a pair of simple larval eyes is regarded as being present in their last common ancestor. However, the evolutionary origin and structure of adult eyes remain obscure. Typically, adult eyes are multicellular pigment cups or pinhole eyes with or without a lens comprising rhabdomeric photoreceptor cells (PRCs) and pigmented supportive cells (PSCs) in converse design. However, in the most basal lineages, eyes are only present in a few taxa, and thus far, their ultrastructure is unknown.

Results

Ultrastructural investigations of members of Oweniidae and Chaetopteridae reveal a corresponding design of adult cerebral eyes and PRCs. The eyes in species of these groups are simple pigment spot eyes, either forming a flat patch or embedded in a tube-like invagination. They are part of the epidermis and comprise two cell types, PSCs and rhabdomeric PRCs. Both cell types bear microvilli and one more or less reduced cilium. However, the PRCs showed only a moderate increase in the apical membrane surface in the form of irregularly arranged microvilli intermingling with those of the PSCs; a densely arranged brush border of rhabdomeric microvilli was absent. Additionally, both cell types show certain characteristics elsewhere observable in typical epidermal supportive cells.

Conclusions

These findings shed new light on the evolutionary history of adult eyes in Annelida. Most likely, the adult eye of the annelid stem species was a pair of simple pigment spot eyes with only slightly specialized PSCs and PRCs being an integrative part of the epidermis. As is the case for the nuchal organs, typical pigment cup adult eyes presumably evolved later in the annelid phylogeny, namely, in the stem lineages of Amphinomida and Pleistoannelida.
Devastating dengue outbreak amidst COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: an alarming situation
Authors: Hasan Mohammad Mehedi , Sahito Abdul Moiz , Muzzamil Muhammad , Mohanan Parvathy , Islam Zarmina , Billah Md. Masum , Islam Mohammod Johirul , Essar Mohammad Yasir
Published: January 2022

Dengue fever is a viral infection caused by Aedes mosquitoes that has recently expanded fast in many of the WHO member states globally. Female mosquitoes, mostly Aedes aegypti and, to a smaller degree, Aedes albopictus, disseminate dengue virus. Dengue fever has been more common in recent decades all across the world, and Bangladesh is no exception. As the COVID-19 outbreak wreaks havoc, the following rise in dengue illnesses has been a source of considerable concern. As the health care has been stretched thin in these dangerous times, the vulnerable population has been left at the mercy of these two viral infections. Lack of knowledge, major legislative changes, poor eradication initiatives, and a lack of financing resources have all contributed to the increase in numbers. Stakeholders and policymakers must begin taking meaningful actions and implementing well-thought-out adjustments immediately, or the situation will worsen, resulting in the loss of thousands of innocent lives.
Oxytetracycline residues in bovine muscles, liver and kidney tissues from selected slaughter facilities in South Western Uganda
Authors: Kebirungi Pheonah , Nyombi Anthony , Omara Timothy , Adaku Christopher , Ntambi Emmanuel
Published: January 2022

Background

Due to high disease burden and poor animal health services in Uganda, administration of antimicrobials particularly oxytetracycline (OTC) is often done by farm owners and workers without any prescription. This results in misuse of OTC with consequent high chances of antibiotic residues and antimicrobial resistance hence posing public health threat. The degree of public health threat from OTC use is not well established due to limited published data on antibiotic residues and usage in livestock production in Uganda. This study comparatively determined OTC residue levels in 318 samples of bovine muscles, liver and kidney tissues from Kiruhura, Mbarara and Ntungamo districts of South Western Uganda during dry and wet seasons.

Results

The results revealed that the overall OTC residues positivity levels was 74.84% while the district wise rates were 56.88%, 84% and 84.52% for Kiruhura, Mbarara and Ntungamo, respectively. The mean OTC residue levels in bovine muscles, liver and kidney tissues were above the recommended maximum residue limits of 200, 600 and 1200 µg/kg, respectively as established by FAO/WHO. Of the collected samples, 72.41% (236/318) had OTC residues in concentrations above the recommended maximum residue limits. Wilcoxon signed rank test results showed that change in the seasons did not cause any significant changes in the liver OTC residue levels for all the districts, though this was significant for muscles from Kiruhura and Mbarara districts. Unacceptably high OTC levels were found in the muscles, liver and some kidney samples: Kiruhura muscles and liver samples had mean OTC concentrations of 1094 ± 378 µg/kg and 967 ± 198 µg/kg; Mbarara muscles, liver and kidney samples had mean OTC mean concentrations of 668 ± 163 µg/kg, 3778 ± 1140 µg/kg and 12,576 ± 1630 µg/kg, respectively while Ntungamo samples had mean OTC concentrations of 586 ± 123 µg/kg and 5194 ± 1463 µg/kg in muscle and liver tissues.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicated that there are unacceptably high OTC residue levels in bovine tissues consumed in South Western Uganda. This poses a public and veterinary health threat to consumers of these bovine tissues.
Exploring the use of herbal drugs and advanced supporting techniques for wound healing
Authors: Jain Chetan M. , Bakal Ravindra L. , Burange Prashant J. , Kochar Nitin I. , Manwar Jagdish V. , Jawarkar Rahul D. , Jaiswal Minal S. , Lewaa Israa
Published: January 2022

Background

A wound may define as an interruption within the continuity of the epithelial lining of the skin or mucosa that occurs as a result of physical or thermal damage. Wound healing is an intricate process that is highly synchronized censorious in the management of the protective means of the skin. There are a variety of systemic and local factors that influence wound healing, including oxygenation, inflammation, age, stress, diabetes, nutrition, and nicotine. Hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation or granulation, remodeling or maturation are the principle phases of wound healing.

Main body of the abstract

The authors of the current review attempt to convey that the usage of herbal drugs has extreme importance in the current era. The authors reviewed a total of 38 herbal plants with their mechanism of wound healing and the chemical constituents responsible for it. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure therapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy, stem cell therapy, and biosurgery are some of the most often used supporting procedures for wound healing with these herbal drugs.

Short conclusion

There are a variety of herbal plants that have wound healing properties. This evaluation covers a wide range of plants. However, a review of the literature on diverse plants reveals that diverse chemical contents are found in different plant species, but did not mention of which chemical compounds are important for wound healing.
Statin indication according to the 2019 World Health Organization cardiovascular disease risk charts and carotid ultrasound in Mexican mestizo rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Galarza-Delgado Dionicio A. , Colunga-Pedraza Iris J. , Azpiri-Lopez Jose R. , Guajardo-Jauregui Natalia , Rodriguez-Romero Alejandra B. , Loya-Acosta Julieta , Meza-Garza Alejandro , Cardenas-de la Garza Jesus A. , Lugo-Perez Salvador , Castillo-Treviño Jessica N.
Published: January 2022

Background

We aimed to assess the concordance of recommendation for initiating statin therapy according to the 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk charts and to the presence of carotid plaque (CP) identified with carotid ultrasound in Mexican mestizo rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and to determine the proportion of patients reclassified to a high cardiovascular risk after the carotid ultrasound was performed.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study nested of a RA patients’ cohort. A total of 157 Mexican mestizo RA patients were included. The cardiovascular evaluation was performed using the 2019 WHO CVD risk charts (laboratory-based model) for the Central Latin America region. A carotid ultrasound was performed in all patients. The indication to start statin therapy was considered if the patient was classified as high risk, moderate risk if > 40 years with total cholesterol (TC) > 200 mg/dl or LDL-C > 120 mg/dl, and low risk if > 40 years with TC > 300 mg/dl, according to the WHO CVD risk chart or if the patient had carotid plaque (CP). Cohen’s kappa (k) coefficient was used to evaluate the concordance between statin therapy initiation.

Results

Initiation of statin therapy was considered in 49 (31.2%) patients according to the 2019 WHO CVD risk charts and 49 (31.2%) patients by the presence of CP. Cardiovascular risk reclassification by the presence of CP was observed in 29 (18.9%) patients. A slight agreement (k = 0.140) was observed when comparing statin therapy recommendations between 2019 WHO CVD risk charts and the presence of CP.

Conclusion

The WHO CVD risk charts failed to identify a large proportion of patients with subclinical atherosclerosis detected by the carotid ultrasound and the concordance between both methods was poor. Therefore, carotid ultrasound should be considered in the cardiovascular evaluation of RA patients.
Enhanced moving least square method for the solution of volterra integro-differential equation: an interpolating polynomial
Authors: Taiwo O. A. , Etuk M. O. , Nwaeze E. , Ogunniran M. O.
Published: January 2022

This paper presents an enhanced moving least square method for the solution of volterra integro-differential equation: an interpolating polynomial. It is a numerical scheme that utilizes a modified shape function of the conventional Moving Least Square (MLS) method to solve fourth order Integro-differential equations. Smooth orthogonal polynomials have been constructed and used as the basis functions. A robust and unrestricted trigonometric weight function, along with the basis function, drives the shape function and facilitates the convergence of the scheme. The choice of the support size and some controlling parameters ensures the existence of the moment matrix inverse and the MLS solution. Valid explanation and illustration were made for the existence of the inverse linear operator. To overcome problems of near-singularity, the singular value decomposition rule is used to compute the inverse of the moment matrix. Gauss quadrature rule is used to compute the integral at the initial test points when the exact solution is unknown. Some tested problems were solved to show the applicability of the method. The results obtained compare favourable with the exact solutions. Finally, a highly significant interpolating polynomial is obtained and used to reproduce the solutions over the entire problem domain. The negligible magnitude of the error at each evaluation knot demonstrates the reliability and effectiveness of this scheme.
Transient Taylor–Dean flow in a composite annulus with porous walls partially filled with porous material
Authors: Jha Basant K. , Yusuf Taiwo S.
Published: January 2022

The sole aim of this article is to examine the relative contribution of suction/injection parameter on Taylor–Dean flow in a composite annular gap partially filled with porous material. In the present setup, the Newtonian fluid flow is induced by the circumferential motion of both cylinders and pressure gradient imposed in the Azimuthal direction. The mathematical model governing the flow is rendered dimensionless using appropriate dimensionless quantities transformed using the Laplace transform technique. Using suitable Ansatz, the equation is reduced to the Bessel differential equations and solved. The solution of converted to the time domain using a well-known numerical scheme known as the Riemann-sum approximation. The variation of the Newtonian fluid for different flow parameters is presented graphically. The solution method is validated by obtaining the steady-state solution and also using the implicit finite different approach (IFD); comparison of the methods is depicted in tabular form (see Tables 1, 2). It is deduced generally that the Newtonian fluid is higher when injection at the outer cylinder except when Da is small also higher interfacial velocity can be achieved by taking positive value of $$\beta$$
β
.
Validation of the HPLC–PDA method for detection of eluxadoline and rifaximin in rat plasma and application in a pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Karla Vijendar Reddy , Palakeeti Babji , Raghasudha M. , Chitta Raghu
Published: January 2022

Background

A precise, simple, accurate, and quick HPLC–PDA method for the determination of eluxadoline and rifaximin in rat plasma was developed and validated in this study. In this method, Loperamide hydrochloride was used as the internal standard and plasma samples were prepared using a liquid–liquid extraction technique for which acetonitrile was a solvent. An Agilent Symmetry C8 column (5 µm, 250 mm × 4.6 mm) at 283 nm and isocratic elution using HPLC grade acetonitrile and 7 mM TEA (pH 2.5) with a ratio of (40: 60 v/v) was used as a mobile phase and the flow rate employed was 1 mL min−1. A satisfactory chromatographic separation was accomplished.

Results

An HPLC–PDA method for the determination of eluxadoline and rifaximin with retention times of 3.06 and 7.82 min, respectively, was developed. The calibration curves appear linear for both eluxadoline and rifaximin in the range of 5–200 ng mL−1 and 10–400 ng mL−1, and the corresponding correlation coefficient values were found to be 0.9999 and 0.9998 respectively. Lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) for eluxadoline and rifaximin were evaluated to be 5.0 ng mL−1 and 10.0 ng mL−1, respectively. The accuracy and precision results in all validation experiments were within the acceptance limits of FDA guidelines.

Conclusion

The developed HPLC–PDA approach was fully validated to meet the USFDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation in terms of precision, accuracy, and stability. The presented approach could be beneficial for the determination of ELX and RFX in rat plasma, according to validation parameters. This is one of the efficient method to study the pharmacokinetics of ELX and RFX in rats.

Graphical abstract
Limited, But Not Eliminated, Excess Long-Term Morbidity in Stage I-IIA Hodgkin Lymphoma Treated With Doxorubicin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine and Limited-Field Radiotherapy
Authors: Lagerlöf Ingemar , Fohlin Helena , Enblad Gunilla , Glimelius Bengt , Goldkuhl Christina , Palma Marzia , Åkesson Lisa , Glimelius Ingrid , Molin Daniel
Published: January 2022

PURPOSE

Balancing disease control and toxicity from chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) when treating early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is important. Available data on long-term toxicity after RT for cHL mostly refer to RT techniques no longer in use. We aimed to describe long-term toxicity from modern limited-field (LF)-RT after two or four cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included all patients with cHL treated with two or four cycles of ABVD and 30 Gy LF-RT during 1999-2005 in Sweden. Patients (n = 215) and comparators (n = 860), matched for age, gender, and region of residence, were cross-checked against national health registries for malignancies, diseases of the circulatory system (DCS), and diseases of the respiratory system (DRS) from the day of diagnosis of cHL.

RESULTS

The risk of a malignancy was higher for patients than comparators, hazard ratio (HR) 1.5 (95% CI, 1.0 to 2.4), as was the risk for DCS 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1 to 2.0) and for DRS 2.6 (95% CI, 1.6 to 4.3). The median follow-up was 16 years (range, 12-19 years). Of individual diagnoses in DCS, only venous thromboembolism was statistically significantly elevated. If the first 6 months (ie, time of active treatment for cHL) were excluded and censoring at relapse of cHL or diagnosis of any malignancy, the increased HR for venous thromboembolism diminished. Most of the excess risk for DRS consisted of asthma, HR 3.5 (95% CI, 1.8 to 6.8). Patients diagnosed with DRS were significantly younger than comparators.

CONCLUSION

Compared with toxicity from earlier RT techniques, excess morbidity was not eliminated, but lower than previously reported. The elevated risk of DRS was driven by diagnosis of asthma, which could in part be explained by misdiagnosis of persisting pulmonary toxicity.
Protection strategies of active defense in cyber-physical power systems
Authors: Chen Lei , Gorbachev Sergey , Yue Dong , Dou Chunxia , Li Shengquan , Ge Hui , Cheng Zihao
Published: January 2022

Cascading failure triggered by tiny failure iteratively propagates between physical power grid and communication network, causing severe damage on cyber-physical power systems. In this paper, we study the protection strategies of active defense to improve the robustness of systems. Based on analysis of cascading failure in systems, we classify failure into three types, structural failure, overload failure, and interdependent failure. Due to the severe damage caused by overload failure, we propose four protection strategies of active defense, through interdicting propagation path of cascading failure, to prevent overload failure. Compared with traditional redundancy protection and structure optimization, the protection strategies are economical and efficient, and can defend from an unknown attack. In simulation analysis, the protection strategies of active defense are proved to be effective in prevention of cascading failure.
Serotonin: an overlooked regulator of endocytosis and endosomal sorting?
Authors: Redpath Gregory , Deo Nikita
Published: January 2022

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and a hormone that is typically associated with regulating our mood. However, the serotonin transporter and receptors are expressed throughout the body, highlighting the much broader, systemic role of serotonin in regulating human physiology. A substantial body of data strongly implicates serotonin as a fundamental regulator of endocytosis and endocytic sorting. Serotonin has the potential to enhance endocytosis through three distinct mechanisms – serotonin signalling, serotonylation and insertion into the plasma membrane – although the interplay and relationship between these mechanisms has not yet been explored. Endocytosis is central to the cellular response to the extracellular environment, controlling receptor distribution on the plasma membrane to modulate signalling, neurotransmitter release and uptake, circulating protein and lipid cargo uptake, and amino acid internalisation for cell proliferation. Uncovering the range of cellular and physiological circumstances in which serotonin regulates endocytosis is of great interest for our understanding of how serotonin regulates mood, and also the fundamental understanding of endocytosis and its regulation throughout the body.

This article has an associated Future Leader to Watch interview with the first author of the paper.
Detection of unilateral and bilateral cleft alveolus on panoramic radiographs using a deep-learning system
Authors: Kuwada Chiaki , Ariji Yoshiko , Kise Yoshitaka , Fukuda Motoki , Ota Jun , Ohara Hisanobu , Kojima Norinaga , Ariji Eiichiro
Published: January 2022

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference in performance of deep-learning (DL) models with respect to the image classes and amount of training data to create an effective DL model for detecting both unilateral cleft alveoli (UCAs) and bilateral cleft alveoli (BCAs) on panoramic radiographs.

Methods:

Model U was created using UCA and normal images, and Model B was created using BCA and normal images. Models C1 and C2 were created using the combined data of UCA, BCA, and normal images. The same number of CAs was used for training Models U, B, and C1, whereas Model C2 was created with a larger amount of data. The performance of all four models was evaluated with the same test data and compared with those of two human observers.

Results:

The recall values were 0.60, 0.73, 0.80, and 0.88 for Models A, B, C1, and C2, respectively. The results of Model C2 were highest in precision and F-measure (0.98 and 0.92) and almost the same as those of human observers. Significant differences were found in the ratios of detected to undetected CAs of Models U and C1 (p = 0.01), Models U and C2 (p < 0.001), and Models B and C2 (p = 0.036).

Conclusions:

The DL models trained using both UCA and BCA data (Models C1 and C2) achieved high detection performance. Moreover, the performance of a DL model may depend on the amount of training data.
Contaminants in the cow's milk we consume? Pasteurization and other technologies in the elimination of contaminants
Authors: Calahorrano-Moreno Micaela Belen , Ordoñez-Bailon Jonathan Jerry , Baquerizo-Crespo Ricardo José , Dueñas-Rivadeneira Alex Alberto , B. S. M. Montenegro Maria Conceição , Rodríguez-Díaz Joan Manuel
Published: January 2022

Cow's milk is currently the most consumed product worldwide. However, due to various direct and indirect contamination sources, different chemical and microbiological contaminants have been found in cow's milk. This review details the main contaminants found in cow's milk, referring to the sources of contamination and their impact on human health. A comparative approach highlights the poor efficacy and effects of the pasteurization process with other methods used in the treatment of cow's milk. Despite pasteurization and related techniques being the most widely applied to date, they have not demonstrated efficacy in eliminating contaminants. New technologies have appeared as alternative treatments to pasteurization. However, in addition to causing physicochemical changes in the raw material, their efficacy is not total in eliminating chemical contaminants, suggesting the need for new research to find a solution that contributes to improving food safety.
The recursive-adaptive rental subscription model (R-ARSM) in the new normal: an application to the housing sector
Authors: Okwonu Friday Zinzendoff , Ahad Nor Aishah , Apanapudor Joshua Sarduana , Arunaye Festus Irimisose , Okoloko Innocent Ejiro
Published: January 2022

Background: The last three decades have witnessed a remarkable transformation from a traditional billing system to a subscription model. Many organizations have adopted the subscription models especially in the service sectors like telecommunication, internet service providers, and satellite television operators. During the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, people were forced to subscribe for their daily needs, and their lifestyle was altered, and people must reset to cope with the new normal. The new normal era has exposed many people to subscribe to what they could afford based on length of time and limited resources. Unexpected daily economic challenges emerged, and people relocated to affordable places which led to rent default, rent arrears, and refund requests. This paper focused on how to solve rent default, rent arrears, and refund request problems in the public and private housing sector.

Methods: Relying on this, we proposed recursive-adaptive rental subscription models (R-ARSM) that could allow tenants options to subscribe for house rent with available resources. The R-ARSM concept mimics the internet subscription, mobile phone subscription, and satellite television subscription models whereby services to customers on annually, monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly rates are terminated when the subscribed amount elapses.

Results: The model based on the penalty constant showed that it is a balanced model for both landlords and tenants in the housing sector. The R-ARSM showed promising results, it is time-dependent and indicates the tenant's available balance per period.

Conclusions: The analysis revealed that the R-ARSM concept would solve refund requests and rent default problems if implemented.
The tropical coral Pocillopora acuta displays an unusual chromatin structure and shows histone H3 clipping plasticity upon bleaching
Authors: Roquis David , Cosseau Céline , Brener Raffalli Kelly , Romans Pascal , Masanet Patrick , Mitta Guillaume , Grunau Christoph , Vidal-Dupiol Jeremie
Published: January 2022

Background: Pocillopora acuta is a hermatypic coral with strong ecological importance. Anthropogenic disturbances and global warming are major threats that can induce coral bleaching, the disruption of the mutualistic symbiosis between the coral host and its endosymbiotic algae. Previous works have shown that somaclonal colonies display different levels of survival depending on the environmental conditions they previously faced. Epigenetic mechanisms are good candidates to explain this phenomenon. However, almost no work had been published on the P. acuta epigenome, especially on histone modifications. In this study, we aim at providing the first insight into chromatin structure of this species.

Methods: We aligned the amino acid sequence of P. acuta core histones with histone sequences from various phyla. We developed a centri-filtration on sucrose gradient to separate chromatin from the host and the symbiont. The presence of histone H3 protein and specific histone modifications were then detected by western blot performed on histone extraction done from bleached and healthy corals. Finally, micrococcal nuclease (MNase) digestions were undertaken to study nucleosomal organization.

Results: The centri-filtration enabled coral chromatin isolation with less than 2% of contamination by endosymbiont material. Histone sequences alignments with other species show that P. acuta displays on average ~90% of sequence similarities with mice and ~96% with other corals. H3 detection by western blot showed that H3 is clipped in healthy corals while it appeared to be intact in bleached corals. MNase treatment failed to provide the usual mononucleosomal digestion, a feature shared with some cnidarian, but not all; suggesting an unusual chromatin structure.

Conclusions: These results provide a first insight into the chromatin, nucleosome and histone structure of P. acuta. The unusual patterns highlighted in this study and partly shared with other cnidarian will need to be further studied to better understand its role in corals.
A Comparative Case Study on Performance Management System in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Start-up Enterprises in Indonesia
Authors:   School of Business and Management, Bandung Institute of Technology Indonesia, Ariono Bernardus , Wasesa Meditya , Dellyana Dina , Dhewanto Wawan
Published: January 2022

Abstract. Despite a growing sense that start-up enterprise is critical to economic growth, the topic of performance management affects strategic and organizational processes remains largely understudied. In Indonesia, as a sphere where the entrepreneurial ecosystem is on the rise, we explored the strategy of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) start-up firms using a Balanced Scorecard (BSC). This research aims to determine how suitable the BSC is applied to AEC start-ups and how this tool is implemented as the enterprise evolves. We conduct in-depth case studies using multiple data sources, including interviews and field observation. By performing the comparative analysis, we identified managerial practices that enable the networking of BSC perspectives – learning and growth, internal process, customer, and financial – during the start-up lifecycle. From the contribution to the literature perspective, this study provides empirical evidence that the BSC is a valuable performance management tool for early-stage firms. However, the BSC must be reconfigured regularly to reflect the current development stage’s objectives throughout implementation. As the business implications, this research helps AEC entrepreneurs see the significance of achieving organizational balance to drive growth and transition from agile start-ups to sustainable companies. Future research may examine the interconnection between managerial control systems and leadership attributes in different business contexts. Keywords: AEC firms, Balanced Scorecard, Performance Management System, Start-up Lifecycle
Entrepreneurship Capacity of Farmers for Community Based Entrepreneurship
Authors:   Agribusiness Department, Partido State University, Philippines, Paladan Nerisa Nunez
Published: January 2022

Abstract. United Nations recognizes the vital role of the local communities like farmers and highlights the significance of leveraging their potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through capacitating the farmers with their entrepreneurship competency. The study assessed the level of personal entrepreneurial competencies of farmers towards community-based entrepreneurship engagement. Specifically, it determines which competencies they excel in, recognizes the differences of entrepreneurial competency in terms of gender, business experience, and educational attainment and its correlation to age. Furthermore, the framework was developed in implementing community-based entrepreneurship. Descriptive research was utilized; 206 farmers and are the respondents of this study; they were surveyed, and assessed the level of entrepreneurial competencies using the Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PEC) Questionnaire with fifty-five questions through Likert scale. Findings reveal that farmers have a moderate entrepreneurial competency it ranks first the risk-taking and goal setting as the least. Farmer self-confidence increases as they age; male farmers are more persuasive, farmers with business experience have higher competency for opportunity-seeking and risk-taking, and farmers' competency differs in terms of their educational attainment. Developing a framework for implementing community-based entrepreneurship should focus on intensifying the entrepreneurial competency of farmers to realize the success of their community based-enterprise. Keywords: Entrepreneurial competency, community based-entrepreneurship, farmers, community-based-enterprises.
Effects of Market-Sensing Capability on Marketing Performance: Roles of Pious Product Innovativeness and the Speed to Market Strategy
Authors:   Faculty of Economics, Sultan Agung Islamic University, Semarang Indonesia, Mulyana Mulyana , Sari Afriana Indah
Published: January 2022

Abstract. This paper examines the effects of pious product innovativeness (PPI) and the speed to market strategy (SMS) as mediating variables between market-sensing capability (MSC) and marketing performance (MP). The respondents were 237 leaders or owners of small and medium Muslim fashion enterprises in Central Java. The data analysis technique used in this study was structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of the study indicate that although MSC does not affect MP, it affects both the SMS and PPI. Moreover, the SMS and PPI affect MP. Furthermore, the SMS and innovative products mediate the relationship between MSC and market performance. Likewise, PPI mediates the relationship between the SMS and market performance. Keywords: Market-sensing capability, speed to market strategy, pious product innovativeness, marketing performance.
Employee Engagement: Analysis of The Motivation to Stay or Leave The IT Directorate Of Bank Tangguh
Authors:   School of Business and Management, Institut Teknologi Bandung Indonesia, Pardede Lia Martina , Bangun Madju Yuni Ros
Published: January 2022

Abstract. The aim of this study is to identify the factors of employee engagement which influence employees' motivation to stay or leave and to develop a retention strategy for IT employees in Bank Tangguh. After merging with its shareholder, Bank Tangguh has the eighth largest assets in the banking industry in Indonesia. This has enhanced the company's reputation and brand. However, a high rate of IT turnover is still a big challenge for Bank Tangguh Data for this issue are collected using questionnaires and interviews. This study uses the employee engagement model of Fajar & Bangun (2017) and the happiness drivers identified by Hills and Argyle (2002). The employee engagement factors are company brand, leadership, performance, the basics, post-merger drivers, happiness drivers. They are mapped against the engagement behaviors (say, stay, and strive). A normality test and reliability and validity tests are performed to ensure the proper instruments are being used. The results showed that there are three main reasons for employees to stay—performance, post-merger drivers, and the basic—and three main reasons to leave: the basic, performance, and leadership. Based on those findings, the author proposes a strategy to retentain IT employees in Bank Tangguh to reduce the turnover rate. Keywords: Employee engagement, retention, turnover, motivation, banking industry
Wyrażenia przyimkowe z rzeczownikami 'miara', 'sposób', 'stopień', 'sens' na drodze do leksykalizacji
Authors: Kisiel Anna
Published: January 2022

Autorka analizuje stopień leksykalizacji wyrażeń o postaci frazy przyimkowej w _ mierze, do _ stopnia, w _ stopniu, w _ sposób, na _ sposób, na _ sposoby, w _ sensie na podstawie ograniczeń nałożonych na element określający i jego położenia wobec elementów o postaci przyimka i rzeczownika. Wyrażenia te są zestawione z uznawanymi w leksykografii za synonimiczne frazami narzędnikowymi _INSTR miarą i _INSTR sposobem, _INSTR sposobami. Z punktu widzenia przyjętych kryteriów można uznać jedynie nieliczne z badanych wyrażeń za zleksykalizowane (mimo że większość z nich wykazuje preferencje względem wyrażenia określającego). Są to przede wszystkim wyrażenia o postaci frazy przyimkowej z zaimkowym elementem określającym.
Les marques des traits morphosyntaxiques et les contraintes morphonologiques dans la flexion substantivale roumaine
Authors: Cychnerski Tomasz
Published: January 2022

En se basant sur une analyse préalable des quelques centaines de lexèmes, le présent article essaie d’identifier les marques pertinentes des traits morphosyntaxiques dans la flexion substantivale roumaine et d’établir leur conditionnement morphonologique. Après avoir présenté les cadres généraux de la flexion du type réalisationnel, l’article se concentre sur les allomorphes affixaux, les morphèmes superposés et les alternants du radical flexionnel pour pouvoir conclure que les marques morphologiques principales sont les auxiliaires et les postfixes, à côté des marques secondaires – les désinences et les alternants du radical. Les marques les plus conditionnées par le contexte morphonologique sont les désinences.
Carbon Offsetting with Eco-Conscious Consumers
Authors: Gao Fei , Souza Gilvan C.
Published: January 2022

In this paper, we model a firm that can reduce its carbon footprint in the presence of a segment of eco-conscious consumers, who consider the product’s carbon footprint when making purchasing decisions. The firm can reduce its controllable emissions at increased fixed and variable costs. The firm can also buy carbon offsets, at the price set by a nongovernmental organization (NGO), for both its controllable and uncontrollable emissions in the supply chain. We find that the firm should not use these two emission reduction methods as simple substitutes. In particular, as the offset price decreases, the firm may spend more efforts reducing its controllable emissions. Also, a firm’s decision to buy carbon offsets depends on the correlation between consumers’ preferences for the product function and for its environmental attributes, and this has implications for NGOs selling offsets. Specifically, although NGOs should price offsets as low as possible in most cases, we find some instances where a premium pricing strategy may be more effective in promoting lower-carbon footprint products, especially when eco-conscious consumers have a significantly higher valuation for the product than those who do not care about the environment, on average.

This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management.

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.4293 .
Projectively Self-Concordant Barriers
Authors: Hildebrand Roland
Published: January 2022

Self-concordance is the most important property required for barriers in convex programming. It is intrinsically linked to the affine structure of the underlying space. Here we introduce an alternative notion of self-concordance that is linked to the projective structure. A function on a set [Formula: see text] in an affine space is projectively self-concordant if and only if it can be extended to an affinely self-concordant logarithmically homogeneous function on the conic extension of X. The feasible sets in conic programs, notably linear and semidefinite programs, are naturally equipped with projectively self-concordant barriers. However, the interior-point methods used to solve these programs use only affine self-concordance. We show that estimates used in the analysis of interior-point methods are tighter for projective self-concordance, in particular inner and outer approximations of the set. This opens the way to a better tuning of parameters in interior-points algorithms to allow larger steps and hence faster convergence. Projective self-concordance is also a useful tool in the theoretical analysis of logarithmically homogeneous barriers on cones.
Timely After-Sales Service and Technology Adoption: Evidence from the Off-Grid Solar Market in Uganda
Authors: Kundu Amrita , Ramdas Kamalini
Published: January 2022

Problem definition: Adoption and continued use of novel technologies have the potential to significantly accelerate social and economic development in emerging markets. In this paper, we examine to what extent timely after-sales service—that is, faster resolution of repair tasks—impacts technology adoption. In particular, we empirically assess the impact of service wait times on the adoption of solar home systems by first-time users (i.e., adopters of the technology) in off-grid Uganda. Academic/practical relevance: Our study sheds light on a previously understudied driver of technology adoption—customers’ postpurchase experience related to after-sales service. We also provide evidence on how negative word-of-mouth stemming from long service wait times hampers customer acquisition. Methodology: We address our research question using detailed customer-level sales and service data from a leading assembler and distributor of solar home systems in Uganda. We develop a fixed-effects base specification and two instrumental variables specifications that leverage different sources of exogenous geospatial variation—in service-task locations, weather, and road quality. Results: We find that timely after-sales service experienced by existing customers is a strong driver of adoption by first-time users. A one-week increase in average wait time for service decreases adoption by up to 32.4%. The relationship between wait times and adoptions is heterogeneous and depends on the types of pending service cases. We also find that the number of customers acquired through referrals from an existing customer depends on the referring customer’s service wait time. This provides evidence of a strong word-of-mouth channel of information sharing. Managerial implications: Our findings have direct implications for the customer-acquisition strategies of technology firms and for technology investors in emerging markets. Our results are also relevant for policy makers who aim to harness technology to improve the socioeconomic lives of people living in these regions. Importantly, we provide empirical evidence of a direct link between after-sales service and technology adoption, which is of relevance to managers outside of emerging markets as well.
The past and future of training
Authors: Cowley Sue
Published: January 2022

Evidence suggests better qualified staff promote better outcomes for children. Over time, the success of various government policies and initiatives on practitioner education has been mixed. Currently several new schemes are being developed to provide additional CPD and training, it remains to be seen what their impact will be.
Taking every opportunity
Authors: Celinska Angelica
Published: January 2022

Sometimes opportunities come up but it is up to us to take them. Poppy Turnock, teaching assistant in a foundation phase and BA (Hons) student (Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner) shares her journey towards working in the early years and her plans for the future.
Healthy fun with microgreens
Authors: Clarke Jenni
Published: January 2022

Through discovering the magic of microgreens, this article explores opportunities for learning about seeds, growing plants, and enjoying homegrown, healthy food.
Effectiveness of combined modulated ultrasound and electric current stimulation to treat diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Hearne Caoimhe L Joyce , Patton Declan , Moore Zena E , Wilson Pauline , Gillen Corey , O'Connor Tom
Published: January 2022

Objective:

The use of combined ultrasound and electrostimulation (CUSECS) as an adjunct therapy for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is a relatively new concept. This study aimed to investigate if combined ultrasound and electrostimulation is an effective adjunctive treatment for hard-to-heal DFUs when compared with standard wound care.

Methods:

A randomised controlled pilot study design was used. Patients with hard-to-heal DFUs from two centres were sequentially randomised. For 8 weeks, the experimental group received CUSECS and standard wound care treatment twice a week. The control group received standard wound care treatment once a week. Wound changes were documented using photography, which also facilitated wound size measurement. Self-efficacy, economic cost, quality of life and reoccurrence rates were analysed as secondary objectives.

Results:

The experimental group (n=6) achieved a higher rate of mean wound healing (mean difference (MD): 0.49) when compared to the control group (n=5, MD: 0.01). Two participants completed full healing in the experimental group and one in the control group. There were no statistically significant findings because of the small sample size. There were no direct adverse reactions to this therapy. Quality of life scores improved in the treatment group. There was no significant change in self-efficacy scores. Costs were higher in the experimental group; however, the healing rate was quicker, which could be extrapolated to cost reductions over time.

Conclusion:

Results suggest that CUSECS may be a useful adjunctive therapy for treatment of hard-to-heal DFUs. Further large-scale studies are needed to ascertain the effectiveness of CUSECS. The findings here are inconclusive but indicate that CUSECS may offer promise as a treatment.