bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on international publicity strategies of Gannan red tourism in the context of the belt and road
Authors: Yang Yu , Xiao Hongying
Published: January 2023

Cultural self-confidence and the going-global strategy of China’s excellent traditional culture have given red culture new opportunities and higher expectations, accelerating red culture to go abroad following the times. Based on the overview of the development of red tourism, the article clarifies the present situation of red tourism international publicity in Gannan through SWOT, believes that the challenges and opportunities of red tourism in Gannan coexist, and further proposes several paths including updating the concept while telling a good story, clarifying the audience while accumulating talents, refining the spirit while upgrading technology, innovating channels while combining the internal and external, “casting the soul” with culture by joint cooperation, and enriching the routes besides “red and green”. The foundation is laid for the continuation of red resources to open a new chapter in the era.
Innovation research of “1+X” certificate system in applied undergraduate education
Authors: Wei Zhengxin , Zheng Fang
Published: January 2023

In view of the current situation of 1+X certificate system and the new changes of talent cultivation in the mode of independent colleges, this paper creatively puts forward the innovative design of “1+X+Y+Z” talent cultivation mode, and at the end of the article, puts forward the implementation strategy to ensure the orderly promotion of “1+X” certificate system of independent colleges. Independent college professional talent training propulsion strategy to “1 + X” certification system as a guide, based on course contests, students internalize the practice as the criterion, in the team, led by continuously deepening the reform of personnel training mode, the teaching combination, in order to promote learning, eventually produce different from the characteristic of vocational colleges and normal universities and colleges of undergraduate course, Finally, it embodies the duality of applied undergraduate skill education and research education.
Survey on the effectiveness of university student visits in the context of educational aid to Xinjiang
Authors: Li Bo , Dai Quan , Shao Ling
Published: January 2023

The survey on the effect of university students' study visits in this study is based on the statistical and survey data of A University, which involves the statistics of study visits from 2015-2019, and 180 students and teachers' questionnaires from 13 visiting universities were completed. The main findings are that the overall evaluation satisfaction of the effect of study visits reached 97%, among which the recognition of professional knowledge and study ability improvement reached about 70%, and the participating students strengthened their awareness of further study and increased The study proposes to promote the study visits of university students in Xinjiang. The study proposes the main suggestions to promote the improvement of the effect of study visits for college students in Xinjiang universities, which are to moderately increase the difficulty of professional courses in Xinjiang universities, to increase the support for study visits by means of special scholarships, and to actively develop the scope of study visits and exchanges, etc.
Medical Abortion before Confirmed Intrauterine Pregnancy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Brandell Karin , Reynolds-Wright John J. , Boerma Clare , Gibson Gillian , Hognert Helena , Tuladhar Heera , Heikinheimo Oskari , Cameron Sharon , Gemzell-Danielsson Kristina ,   On Behalf of the VEMA Study Group
Published: January 2023

“Very early medical abortion” (VEMA) refers to medical abortion (with mifepristone and misoprostol) before intrauterine pregnancy is visualized on ultrasound. Our aim is to present the current evidence on efficacy, safety (focused on ectopic pregnancies), and how to assess treatment success of VEMA. We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting outcomes of VEMA. The field is small and so our objective was to map all relevant literature, without conducting meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, Medline, and Embase on April 19, 2022. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the evidence. A total of 373 articles were identified. Six articles (representing four observational and one pilot trial) were included in the final review. Across all included studies, treatment efficacy ranged between 91 and 100%. Prevalence of ectopic pregnancy was low and very few cases (n = 2) of ruptures were reported. Most studies used serial serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (s-hCG) levels to determine success of abortion; one study used low sensitivity urine hCG. From the available evidence, VEMA appears to be efficacious and does not appear to cause harm to ectopic pregnancies. Treatment can be assessed with pre- and postabortion s-hCG. Good quality, randomized controlled trial evidence is needed to best inform practice.
Effect of electromechanical coupling on locally resonant quasiperiodic metamaterials
Authors: LeGrande Joshua , Bukhari Mohammad , Barry Oumar
Published: January 2023

Electromechanical metamaterials have been the focus of many recent studies for use in simultaneous energy harvesting and vibration control. Metamaterials with quasiperiodic patterns possess many useful topological properties that make them a good candidate for study. However, it is currently unknown what effect electromechanical coupling may have on the topological bandgaps and localized edge modes of a quasiperiodic metamaterial. In this paper, we study a quasiperiodic metamaterial with electromechanical resonators to investigate the effect on its bandgaps and localized vibration modes. We derive here the analytical dispersion surfaces of the proposed metamaterial. A semi-infinite system is also simulated numerically to validate the analytical results and show the band structure for different quasiperiodic patterns, load resistors, and electromechanical coupling coefficients. The topological nature of the bandgaps is detailed through an estimation of the integrated density of states. Furthermore, the presence of topological edge modes is determined through numerical simulation of the energy harvested from the system. The results indicate that quasiperiodic metamaterials with electromechanical resonators can be used for effective energy harvesting without changes in the bandgap topology for weak electromechanical coupling.
Protons may contain intrinsic charm quarks
Authors: Cartlidge Edwin
Published: January 2023

A new machine-learning study could help to resolve a 40-year debate about the nature of the proton, but some physicists urge caution. Edwin Cartlidge reports
Unhackable quantum Internet inches closer
Authors: Boerkamp Martijn
Published: January 2023

Two groups have demonstrated device-independent quantum key distribution, which represents a major step towards secure quantum communication. Martijn Boerkamp explains
US ends open-access embargoes
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: January 2023

The US government has called for all government-funded research to be made freely available to read immediately after publication. Peter Gwynne reports
CERN’s proposed Future Circular Collider is greenest of all rivals
Authors: Allen Michael
Published: January 2023

An analysis by physicists in Europe has shown that the carbon footprint of a future Higgs factory could vary by almost a factor of 100, depending on the chosen design and its location.
It’s good to talk
Authors: Malone Claire
Published: January 2023

Claire Malone says that both physicists and the public benefit if researchers make science communication central to their day-to-day activities.
16 key skills and attributes for a successful career in physics
Authors: Davenport Carol
Published: January 2023

Carol Davenport explains why soft skills are as essential as technical knowhow when it comes to a successful career in physics.
Space-based solar
Authors: Harley Phil
Published: January 2023

A response to a feature by Jon Cartwright, which examined the potential of space-based solar power.
Into the swing of it
Authors: Jafar Fatemah
Published: January 2023

Both cricket and golf involve hitting a ball that has a textured surface. This apparently minor detail allows golfers and cricketers to exploit the principles of aerodynamics to help them win.
Long-acting PEGylated growth hormone in children with idiopathic short stature: time to reconsider our diagnostic and treatment policy?
Authors: Wit Jan M , Joustra Sjoerd D
Published: January 2023

Idiopathic short stature (ISS) is a diagnosis of exclusion, and therefore each child with short stature or slow growth referred to a paediatrician deserves a full medical history and physical examination, as well as radiological and laboratory screening tests. In patients with an increased likelihood of a genetic cause, genetic testing is indicated. Idiopathic short stature is an approved indication for recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in the USA but not in most other parts of the world. In a recent article published in this journal, Luo et al reported on the 1-year’s results of a multicentre randomized controlled trial (n = 360) on the efficacy and safety of two dosages of long-acting PEGylated rhGH (PEG-rhGH, Jintrolong®) (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg body weight per week, respectively) in children with ISS compared with an untreated control group. The growth response to the higher dosage was similar to reported data on daily rhGH. In this commentary, we discuss whether the recent data on genetic causes of short stature in children who initially were labelled ISS, and data on the long-term safety of daily rhGH, may influence the balance between risks and benefits of rhGH treatment in children with ISS. We further discuss the pharmacokinetic and -dynamic profile of PEG-rhGH and its potential consequences for long-term safety.
The chromosome-scale genome assembly of the yellowtail clownfish Amphiprion clarkii provides insights into the melanic pigmentation of anemonefish
Authors: Moore Billy , Herrera Marcela , Gairin Emma , Li Chengze , Miura Saori , Jolly Jeffrey , Mercader Manon , Izumiyama Michael , Kawai Erina , Ravasi Timothy , Laudet Vincent , Ryu Taewoo
Published: January 2023

Anemonefish are an emerging group of model organisms for studying genetic, ecological, evolutionary, and developmental traits of coral reef fish. The yellowtail clownfish Amphiprion clarkii possesses species-specific characteristics such as inter-species co-habitation, high intra-species color variation, no anemone specificity, and a broad geographic distribution, that can increase our understanding of anemonefish evolutionary history, behavioral strategies, fish-anemone symbiosis, and color pattern evolution. Despite its position as an emerging model species, the genome of A. clarkii is yet to be published. Using PacBio long-read sequencing and Hi-C chromatin capture technology, we generated a high-quality chromosome-scale genome assembly initially comprised of 1,840 contigs with an N50 of 1,203,211 bp. These contigs were successfully anchored into 24 chromosomes of 843,582,782 bp and annotated with 25,050 protein-coding genes encompassing 97.0% of conserved actinopterygian genes, making the quality and completeness of this genome the highest among all published anemonefish genomes to date. Transcriptomic analysis identified tissue-specific gene expression patterns, with the brain and optic lobe having the largest number of expressed genes. Further analyses revealed higher copy numbers of erbb3b (a gene involved in melanocyte development) in A. clarkii compared with other anemonefish, thus suggesting a possible link between erbb3b and the natural melanism polymorphism observed in A. clarkii. The publication of this high-quality genome, along with A. clarkii's many unique traits, position this species as an ideal model organism for addressing scientific questions across a range of disciplines.
The EU and the invasion of Ukraine: a collective responsibility to act?
Authors: Maurer Heidi , Whitman Richard G , Wright Nicholas
Published: January 2023

Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine has upended Europe's security order, with many observers calling it a turning point for the European Union. This article contends, however, that the EU's response has been less a turning point and more of an epiphany, providing a reality check for the EU and its member states about how far European foreign policy cooperation has evolved in recent decades. It suggests that an understanding of the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine requires consideration of the member states' foreign policy co-operation, which has intensified over the past half-century, and its underpinning norm which we term a ‘collective European responsibility to act’. In emphasizing this norm, we identify core ideas about the functioning of collective European foreign policy. We re-examine three key preoccupations of the EU foreign policy-making practice and assessment through the lens of the collective European responsibility to act and show how it enables a different and novel re-reading of the added value of EU foreign policy cooperation. The EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine thus serves as a timely focusing event that demands a rethink of the premises that have underpinned our analysis and understanding of collective European foreign policy-making over decades.
Galectin-4 increases the ability of M2 macrophages to enhance antiviral CD4+ T-cell responses
Authors: Lee In-Gu , Joo Yong-Hyun , Jeon Hoyeon , Jeong Raehyuk , Kim Eui Ho , Chung Hyunwoo , Eyun Seong-il , Kim Jeongkyu , Seo Young-Jin , Hong So-Hee
Published: January 2023

Galectin-4 (Gal-4) is a β-galactoside–binding protein belonging to the galectin family. Although Gal-4 is known to be involved in several physiologic processes of the gastrointestinal tract, its immunomodulatory roles remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether Gal-4 influences the function of M1 and M2 macrophages. Gal-4 treatment drove more robust changes in the gene expression of M2 macrophages compared to M1 macrophages. Antiviral immune response–related genes were significantly upregulated in Gal-4–treated M2 macrophages. Gal-4 significantly enhanced the immunostimulatory activity of M2 macrophages upon Toll-like receptor 7 stimulation or infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Moreover, the antibody production against LCMV infection and the antiviral CD4+ T-cell responses, but not the antiviral CD8+ T-cell responses, were greatly increased by Gal-4–treated M2 macrophages in vivo. The present results indicate that Gal-4 enhances the ability of M2 macrophages to promote antiviral CD4+ T-cell responses. Thus, Gal-4 could be used to boost antiviral immune responses.
RIG-I immunotherapy overcomes radioresistance in p53-positive malignant melanoma
Authors: Lambing Silke , Tan Yu Pan , Vasileiadou Paraskevi , Holdenrieder Stefan , Müller Patrick , Hagen Christian , Garbe Stephan , Behrendt Rayk , Schlee Martin , van den Boorn Jasper G , Bartok Eva , Renn Marcel , Hartmann Gunther
Published: January 2023

Radiotherapy induces DNA damage, resulting in cell cycle arrest and activation of cell-intrinsic death pathways. However, the radioresistance of some tumour entities such as malignant melanoma limits its clinical application. The innate immune sensing receptor retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is ubiquitously expressed and upon activation triggers an immunogenic form of cell death in a variety of tumour cell types including melanoma. To date, the potential of RIG-I ligands to overcome radioresistance of tumour cells has not been investigated. Here, we demonstrate that RIG-I activation enhanced the extent and immunogenicity of irradiation-induced tumour cell death in human and murine melanoma cells in vitro and improved survival in the murine B16 melanoma model in vivo. Transcriptome analysis pointed to a central role for p53, which was confirmed using p53–/– B16 cells. In vivo, the additional effect of RIG-I in combination with irradiation on tumour growth was absent in mice carrying p53–/– B16 tumours, while the antitumoural response to RIG-I stimulation alone was maintained. Our results identify p53 as a pivotal checkpoint that is triggered by RIG-I resulting in enhanced irradiation-induced tumour cell death. Thus, the combined administration of RIG-I ligands and radiotherapy is a promising approach to treating radioresistant tumours with a functional p53 pathway, such as melanoma.
Differential trends in rising endometrial cancer incidence by age, race, and ethnicity
Authors: Liu Lihua , Habeshian Talar S , Zhang Juanjuan , Peeri Noah C , Du Mengmeng , De Vivo Immaculata , Setiawan Veronica Wendy
Published: January 2023

Endometrial cancer (EC) incidence is on the rise. Although early-onset endometrial cancer (EOEC; age at diagnosis <50 years) is relatively uncommon, the incidence of EOEC has been reportedly increasing in recent decades. However, the rising EOEC has not been thoroughly described with regard to the racial and ethnic disparities and compared with late-onset EC (age at diagnosis ≥50 years). We used the Cancer in North America (CiNA) Analytic File, 1995-2018, from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, which allowed us to examine trends in invasive EC incidence by racial and ethnic groups and by age at diagnosis. We found striking differences for demographic and tumor characteristics as well as racial and ethnic patterns and time trends in EC incidence between EOEC and late-onset EC. The faster increases in EOEC incidence rates, especially among non-White women, mirror similar observations in other cancers, pointing to a possible link with rising obesity epidemic in younger generations.
A splenic pseudocyst following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a case report
Authors: Alqahtani Awadh , Almayouf Mohammad , Billa Srikar , Alsarraj Omar , Zamil Albandry Bin
Published: January 2023

This is the first report of a patient presenting with a splenic pseudocyst following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). A 26-year-old male with no chronic medical illnesses who underwent LSG presented with vague abdominal pain. An abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a 15 cm well-circumscribed cyst originating from the spleen. Intraoperatively, the findings were significant for a superficial cyst located at the lower pole of the spleen. A laparoscopic spleen-preserving procedure was conducted, specifically marsupialization and packing with omentum. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on Day 2 postoperatively. The patient was free from complaints at outpatient follow-up clinics. Follow-up visits at the outpatient clinic were free from complaints. Pathology confirmed a splenic pseudocyst, and cytology was unremarkable. Since dissection during LSG is close to the spleen, infarction could occur, predisposing to pseudocyst formation. Marsupialization is an excellent surgical option when applied to appropriate splenic cyst types.
A computational approach to identify efficient RNA cleaving 10–23 DNAzymes
Authors: Pine Angela C , Brooke Greg N , Marco Antonio
Published: January 2023

DNAzymes are short pieces of DNA with catalytic activity, capable of cleaving RNA. DNAzymes have multiple applications as biosensors and in therapeutics. The high specificity and low toxicity of these molecules make them particularly suitable as therapeutics, and clinical trials have shown that they are effective in patients. However, the development of DNAzymes has been limited due to the lack of specific tools to identify efficient molecules, and users often resort to time-consuming/costly large-scale screens. Here, we propose a computational methodology to identify 10–23 DNAzymes that can be used to triage thousands of potential molecules, specific to a target RNA, to identify those that are predicted to be efficient. The method is based on a logistic regression and can be trained to incorporate additional DNAzyme efficiency data, improving its performance with time. We first trained the method with published data, and then we validated, and further refined it, by testing additional newly synthesized DNAzymes in the laboratory. We found that although binding free energy between the DNAzyme and its RNA target is the primary determinant of efficiency, other factors such as internal structure of the DNAzyme also have an important effect. A program implementing the proposed method is publicly available.
On data normalization and batch-effect correction for tumor subtyping with microRNA data
Authors: Wu Yilin , Yuen Becky Wing-Yan , Wei Yingying , Qin Li-Xuan
Published: January 2023

The discovery of new tumor subtypes has been aided by transcriptomics profiling. However, some new subtypes can be irreproducible due to data artifacts that arise from disparate experimental handling. To deal with these artifacts, methods for data normalization and batch-effect correction have been utilized before performing sample clustering for disease subtyping, despite that these methods were primarily developed for group comparison. It remains to be elucidated whether they are effective for sample clustering. We examined this issue with a re-sampling-based simulation study that leverages a pair of microRNA microarray data sets. Our study showed that (i) normalization generally benefited the discovery of sample clusters and quantile normalization tended to be the best performer, (ii) batch-effect correction was harmful when data artifacts confounded with biological signals, and (iii) their performance can be influenced by the choice of clustering method with the Prediction Around Medoid method based on Pearson correlation being consistently a best performer. Our study provides important insights on the use of data normalization and batch-effect correction in connection with the design of array-to-sample assignment and the choice of clustering method for facilitating accurate and reproducible discovery of tumor subtypes with microRNAs.
Special flow equation and the GKP–Witten relation
Authors: Aoki Sinya , Balog Janos , Onogi Tetsuya , Yokoyama Shuichi
Published: January 2023

We develop a framework for the reconstruction of the bulk theory dual to conformal field theory without any assumption by means of a flow equation. To this end we investigate a minimal extension of the free-flow equation and find that at a special parametrization the conformal transformation for a normalized smeared operator exactly becomes the isometry of anti-de Sitter space (AdS). By employing this special flow equation for O(N) vector models, we explicitly show that the AdS geometry as well as the scalar field satisfying the GKP–Witten relation concurrently emerge in this framework.
Gamma and neutron separation using emission wavelengths in Eu:LiCaI scintillators
Authors: Iida Takashi , Yoshino Masao , Kamada Kei , Sasaki Rei , Yajima Ryuga
Published: January 2023

Scintillators have long been known as radiation detectors and are still used in various applications. Recently, scintillators containing 6Li have been developed as neutron detectors and have attracted attention. 6Li absorbs thermal neutrons and emits α+3H, which is promising as a neutron detector if it can be separated from background gamma rays. We have been developing Eu:LiI–CaI2-based scintillators (Eu:LiCaI) for this purpose. In scintillator detectors, waveform information is generally used to distinguish particles such as neutrons and gamma rays. We propose a new particle identification method using emission wavelength information. In this study, experiments were conducted using Eu:LiCaI crystals, multi-pixel photon counter optical sensors, and long-wavelength cut filters to verify the proposed method. The results of irradiating a 252Cf neutron source and a 60Co gamma-ray source indicate that there is a particle dependence on the output signal ratio with and without filters. This indicates that different types of radiation particles have different emission wavelengths. This is the first demonstration of a wavelength-based particle identification method.
Caution in Transnasal Balloon Dilation of the Eustachian Tube: Middle Ear Penetration of Catheter Tip in a Cadaveric Model
Authors: Treble Alexander , Do Timothy , Sarkis Leba , Newey Allison , Naidoo Soo Yee , Saxby Alexander , Kong Jonathan , Patel Nirmal P. , Jufas Nicholas
Published: January 2023

Objective

To investigate the degree to which transnasal eustachian tube (ET) dilation balloon catheters are able to be passed through the ET in a cadaver model.

Patients and Interventions

A cadaveric study of 8 cadaver heads (16 ears), which underwent transnasal ET insertion with a 3 × 20-mm balloon catheter with transtympanic endoscopic visualization and grading.

Results

Catheter tip incursion into the protympanum or mesotympanum occurred in all ears. Radiological validation was obtained with correlation to published ET length data.

Conclusion

Middle ear incursion of balloon catheter tips can be demonstrated in a cadaver model and highlights the ongoing need for both caution in novel surgical techniques and evolution in device design.
Late-onset Chronic Kidney Disease Over 2 Decades After Pediatric Liver Transplantation: A Single-center, Retrospective Study
Authors: Umemura Kentaro , Mita Atsuyoshi , Ohno Yasunari , Masuda Yuichi , Yoshizawa Kazuki , Kubota Koji , Notake Tsuyoshi , Hosoda Kiyotaka , Kamachi Atsushi , Goto Takamune , Tomida Hidenori , Yamazaki Shiori , Shimizu Akira , Soejima Yuji
Published: January 2023

Background.

Although chronic kidney disease (CKD) after liver transplantation (LTx) is a common complication in adults, its long-term significance after pediatric LTx remains unclear. We examined the decades-long transition of renal function and revealed the risk factors for late-onset CKD after pediatric LTx in a single-center retrospective cohort of 117 pediatric LTx recipients who survived >5 y.

Methods.

The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and CKD stages were calculated using serum creatinine. Risk factor analysis for late-onset CKD was performed in 41 patients whose eGFR could be evaluated at >20 y after LTx.

Results.

The median age at LTx was 1.3 y, and most primary diagnoses were biliary atresia (77%). The mean pre-LTx and 1, 5, 10, 20, and >20 y post-LTx eGFRs were 180, 135, 131, 121, 106, and 95 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively, with a median renal follow-up period of 15 y. The eGFR declined by 47% at >20 y after LTx (P < 0.001). CKD was observed in 8%, 19%, and 39% of cases at 10, 20, and >20 y after LTx, respectively. In patients receiving cyclosporine, trough levels were 1.5 times higher in those with CKD up to 10 y after LTx. The multivariate analysis showed that older age at LTx (odds ratio, 1.3 by 1 y; P = 0.008) and episodes of repeated/refractory rejection (odds ratio, 16.2; P = 0.002) were independent risk factors of CKD >20 y after LTx.

Conclusions.

In conclusion, renal function deteriorates slowly yet steadily after pediatric LTx. Long-term careful surveillance is essential after pediatric LTx, especially in repeated/refractory rejection or long-term high trough-level use of cyclosporine cases.
Update on the Financial Well-Being of Surgical Residents in New England
Authors: Esposito Andrew C , Coppersmith Nathan A , White Erin M , Papageorge Marianna V , DiSiena Michael , Hess Donald , LaFemina Jennifer , Larkin Anne C , Miner Thomas J , Nepomnayshy Dmitry , Palesty John , Rosenkranz Kari M , Seymour Neal E , Trevisani Gino , Whiting James , Oliveira Kristin D , Longo Walter E , Yoo Peter S
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND:

Poor personal financial health has been linked to key components of health including burnout, substance abuse, and worsening personal relationships. Understanding the state of resident financial health is key to improving their overall well-being.

STUDY DESIGN:

A secondary analysis of a survey of New England general surgery residents was performed to understand their financial well-being. Questions from the National Financial Capability Study were used to compare to an age-matched and regionally matched cohort.

RESULTS:

Overall, 44% (250 of 570) of surveyed residents responded. Residents more frequently reported spending less than their income each year compared to the control cohort (54% vs 34%, p < 0.01). However, 17% (39 of 234) of residents reported spending more than their income each year. A total of 65% of residents (152 of 234), found it “not at all difficult” to pay monthly bills vs 17% (76 of 445) of the control cohort (p < 0.01). However, 32% (75 of 234) of residents reported it was “somewhat” or “very” difficult to pay monthly bills. Residents more frequently reported they “certainly” or “probably” could “come up with” $2,000 in a month compared to the control cohort (85% vs 62% p < 0.01), but 16% (37 of 234) of residents reported they could not. In this survey, 21% (50 of 234) of residents reported having a personal life insurance policy, 25% (59 of 234) had disability insurance, 6% (15 of 234) had a will, and 27% (63 of 234) had >$300,000 worth of student loans.

CONCLUSIONs:

Surgical residents have better financial well-being than an age-matched and regionally matched cohort, but there is still a large proportion who suffer from financial difficulties.
Streptomyces guryensis sp. nov. exhibiting antimicrobial activity, isolated from riverside soil
Authors: Lee Jae Ha , Kim Yeong Seok , Kim Seung Bum
Published: January 2023

A novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic actinobacterial strain designated NR30T was isolated from riverside soil. A polyphasic approach was employed for the taxonomic characterization of NR30T. The strain developed extensively branched light brown to light pink substrate mycelia and light grey aerial mycelia, and produced spiny spores in loose spiral spore chains on ISP 3 and 4 agars. NR30T grew at 10–40°C (optimum, 30°C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 8.0) and in the presence of 0–3 % NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that NR30T represents a member of the genus

Streptomyces

. NR30T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with

Streptomyces cyaneus

NRRL B-2296T (98.6 %). On the basis of orthologous average nucleotide identity, NR30T was most closely related to

Streptomyces panaciradicis

NBRC 109811T with 86.3 % identity. The results of the digital DNA–DNA hybridization analysis also indicated low levels of relatedness with other species, as the highest value was observed with

Streptomyces panaciradicis

NBRC 109811T (31.1 %). The major fatty acids of the strain were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major respiratory quinones were MK-9(H8) and MK-9(H6). The diagnostic polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The major cell wall diamino acid was ll-diaminopimelic acid, and the characteristic whole-cell sugars were rhamnose, ribose and glucose. The DNA G+C content was 70.3 mol %. NR30T exhibited antimicrobial activity against several Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. On the basis of the results of both phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses, strain NR30T evidently represents a novel species of the genus

Streptomyces

, and the name Streptomyces guryensis sp. nov. (type strain=NR30T =KCTC 49653T=LMG 32476T) is proposed accordingly.
Study of the molecular characteristics and homology of carbapenem-resistant Proteus mirabilis by whole genome sequencing
Authors: Liu Mi , Li Dan , Jia Wei , Ma Jie , Zhao Xue
Published: January 2023

Introduction.

Proteus mirabilis

is part of the family

Enterobacteriaceae

, and is naturally resistant to various antimicrobial drugs. In recent years, outbreaks of severe nosocomial infections caused by carbapenem-resistant

P. mirabilis

(CR-PMI) have been frequently reported. Few studies exist on the whole-genome molecular characteristics of this bacterium in China and elsewhere, which stimulated the implementation of this study.

Hypothesis. CR-PMI strains contained the multiple drug resistance genes and exhibited a high resistance rate to commonly used antimicrobial drugs.

Aim. Our goals here were to identify resistance mechanisms and homology of CR-PMI strains and provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment and controlling nosocomial infections.

Methodology. Bacterial species identification was carried out using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight MS (MALDI-TOF-MS). Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the VITEK 2 system and Kirby-Bauer (K-B) disc-diffusion method. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted by the Illumina platform NovaSeq sequencer. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were identified using the NCBI database with Abricate. Plasmid replicon types were identified using PlasmidFinder, available at the Center for Genomic Epidemiology.

Results. Five CR-PMI strains collected in our hospital from July 2019 to September 2021 were resistant to almost all antimicrobial agents except aztreonam (ATM), amikacin (AMK) and cefotetan (CTT). All CR-PMI strains contained the carbapenem resistance gene New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1 (bla
NDM-1), and two strains harboured extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes bla
PER-4 and bla
CTX-M-65. The five CR-PMI strains contained 27, 18, 30, 25 and 24 drug-resistance genes, respectively. Most antimicrobial resistance genes were detected for aminoglycosides (n=14), followed by cephalosporins (n=7). The phylogenetic tree was divided into five evolutionary groups, and the five CR-PMI strains were in the four evolutionary groups B–E.

Conclusion Overall, CR-PMI strains exhibited a high resistance rate to commonly used antimicrobial drugs, and contained the carbapenem resistance gene bla
NDM-1. The CR-PMI strains showed a polyclonal trend in different wards at different times. Most importantly, all strains identified contained important antimicrobial resistance genes, which may lead to severe drug resistance transmission and fatal multiple resistant bacterial infections.
Massively parallel single molecule tracking of sequence-dependent DNA mismatch repairin vivo
Authors: Kayikcioglu Tunc , Zarb Jasmin S. , Mohapatra Sonisilpa , Lin Chang-Ting , London James A. , Hansen Kasper D. , Fishel Richard , Ha Taekjip
Published: January 2023

Whether due to mutagens or replication errors, DNA mismatches arise spontaneouslyin vivo. Unrepaired mismatches are sources of genetic variation and point mutations which can alter cellular phenotype and cause dysfunction, diseases, and cancer. To understand how diverse mismatches in various sequence contexts are recognized and repaired, we developed a high-throughput sequencing-based approach to track single mismatch repair outcomesin vivoand determined the mismatch repair efficiencies of 5682 distinct singly mispaired sequences inE. coli. We found that CC mismatches are always poorly repaired, whereas local sequence context is a strong determinant of the hypervariable repair efficiency of TT, AG, and CT mismatches. Single molecule FRET analysis of MutS interactions with mismatched DNA showed that well-repaired mismatches have a higher effective rate of sliding clamp formation. The hypervariable repair of TT mismatches can cause selectively enhanced mutability if a failure to repair would result in synonymous codon change or a conservative amino acid change. Sequence-dependent repair efficiency inE. colican explain the patterns of substitution mutations in mismatch repair-deficient tumors, human cells, andC. elegans. Comparison to biophysical and biochemical analyses indicate that DNA physics is the primary determinant of repair efficiency by its impact on the mismatch recognition by MutS.
Utilitarian and/or hedonic shopping – consumer motivation to purchase in smart stores
Authors: Chang Yu-Wei , Hsu Ping-Yu , Chen Jiahe , Shiau Wen-Lung , Xu Ni
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Recently, smart retail technology has emerged as an innovative technology that can improve consumer motivation and behavior in smart stores. Although prior studies have investigated factors influencing the adoption of smart retail technology, to the authors’ knowledge, no previous work has investigated the determinants of purchase intentions. The ultimate goal for retailers should be shopping, not technology adoption. However, traditional brick-and-mortar stores and theories focus on investing in utilitarian factors to attract customers. This study proposes that hedonic motivation should also play an important role, as new technologies may arouse customer curiosity and increase pleasant experiences. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore utilitarian and hedonic motivations that promote customers' purchase; intentions in smart stores. Specifically, the authors address the research questions: (1) What are the constituents of utilitarian motivation? (2) What are the constituents of hedonic motivation? (3) What are the factors that influence customers' purchase intentions? By answering the questions, the findings help retailers understand how to motivate customers to make purchases in smart stores.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate consumer motivation and purchase intentions, the customers who made purchases in smart stores were invited to participate in the questionnaire survey. This study collected 307 data in smart retail settings. Partial least squares (PLS) software was used to assess the reliability, validity and the paths and significance of all hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that perceived ease of use directly and indirectly influences purchase intentions through utilitarian and hedonic motivations. Utilitarian motivation is a formative second-order construct comprised of merchandise price, merchandise quality, location convenience, speed of shopping and product recommendation. Hedonic motivation is a reflective second-order construct composed of control, curiosity, joy, focused immersion and temporal dissociation. The findings provide insights into the successful implementation of smart retail technology and offer retailers to better understand consumer motivation and purchase intentions in smart stores.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine how consumer motivation influences purchase intentions in smart stores. This study posits and verifies the extended hedonic system acceptance model (HSAM) to explain consumer motivation for shopping in smart retail settings. This study also models the original first-order utilitarian and hedonic constructs as second-order formative and reflective constructs, respectively. Utilitarian motivation regarding functional benefits is developed based on the 5Ps of marketing and situational factors, while hedonic motivation regarding pleasant experiences is proposed based on cognitive absorption.
Inclusive leadership and turnover intention: the role of follower–leader goal congruence and organizational commitment
Authors: Yasin Raheel , Jan Ghulam , Huseynova Aydan , Atif Muhammad
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Using a dual-lens of leader–member exchange (LMX) and social exchange theory (SET), this study aims to propose a conceptual model that explores the nexus between inclusive leadership and turnover intention as mediated by follower–leader goal congruence and organizational commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via a survey questionnaire from a sample of 322 front line employees working in different banks in Pakistan. The structural equational modeling (SEM) technique was used for hypotheses testing.

Findings

Findings of the study show that inclusive leadership has a positive influence on follower–leader goal congruence which in turn has a positive influence on organizational commitment. Further, organizational commitment has a negative influence on turnover intention. Additionally, the results lend support to the mediating effects of follower–leader goal congruence on the relationship between inclusive leadership and organizational commitment, and the mediating effect of organizational commitment on the relationship between follower–leader goal congruence and turnover intention.

Research limitations/implications

This research extends the literature on inclusive leadership, follower–leader goal congruence, organizational commitment and turnover intention. This study focuses on the follower–leader centric approach.

Practical implications

The findings of this study can guide policymakers and management of the banking industry to develop the inclusive leadership qualities of existing managers to reduce the turnover intention of their employees.

Originality/value

By incorporating LMX and SET, this study tests a model that demonstrates the mediating role of follower–leader goal congruence and organizational commitment in the relationship between inclusive leadership and employees’ turnover intention.
Fatigue experimental analysis and modelling of fused filament fabricated PLA specimens with variable process parameters
Authors: Cerda-Avila Steffany N. , Medellín-Castillo Hugo Iván , Cervántes-Uc José M. , May-Pat Alejandro , Rivas-Menchi Aarón
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold: firstly, to investigate the effect of the infill value and build orientation on the fatigue behaviour of polylactic acid (PLA) specimens made by fused filament fabrication (FFF), also known as fused deposition modelling; and secondly, to model the fatigue behaviour of PLA specimens made by FFF and similar additive manufactured parts.

Design/methodology/approach

A new methodology based on filament characterisation, infill measuring, axial fatigue testing and fatigue strength normalisation is proposed and implemented. Sixty fatigue FFF specimens made of PLA were fabricated and evaluated using variable infill percentage and build orientation. On the other hand, fatigue modelling is based on the normalised stress amplitude and the fatigue life in terms of number of cycles. In addition, a probabilistic model was developed to predict the fatigue strength and life of FFF components.

Findings

The infill percentage and build orientation have a great influence on the fatigue behaviour of FFF components. The larger the infill percentage, the greater the fatigue strength and life. Regarding the build orientation, the specimens in the up-right orientation showed a much smaller fatigue strength and life than the specimens in the flat and on-edge orientations. Regarding the fatigue behaviour modelling, the proposed Weibull model can predict with an acceptable reliability the stress-life performance of PLA-FFF components.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been limited to axial fatigue loading conditions along three different build orientations and only one type of material.

Practical implications

The results of this study are valuable to predict the fatigue behaviour of FFF parts that will work under variable loading conditions. The proposed model can help designers and manufacturer to reduce the need of experimental tests when designing and fabricating FFF components for fatigue conditions.

Originality/value

A fatigue study based on a novel experimental methodology that considers the variation of the FFF process parameters, the measurement of the real infill value and the normalisation of the results to be comparable with other studies is proposed. Furthermore, a new fatigue model able to predict the stress-life fatigue behaviour of PLA-FFF components considering variable process parameters is also proposed.
Agricultural policies and food systems: Priorities for indicator development
Authors: Brooks Jonathan
Published: January 2023

Existing indicators of agricultural protection and support were developed primarily to gauge the market and welfare effects of government policies. They have shed light on a wider range of impacts through their use in economic models and empirical analysis. The rising scale of support to agriculture globally, and continued reliance on market distorting policy instruments, make this work as important as ever. Deeper investments are nonetheless needed to address heightened concerns about the spill‐over impacts of agricultural policies on the performance of food systems, in particular with respect to food security and nutrition, rural livelihoods, resource use and the environment, and global emissions. A first area for development is improved measures of policies to correct agriculture's externalities. A priority here is to develop a carbon tax equivalent of sectoral mitigation efforts. A second area is to provide a clearer delineation of government spending on private versus public goods. This would make a valuable contribution to a ‘repurposing’ agenda that seeks to identify how agricultural budgets can be spent more effectively, as well as the scope for transferring resources to wider social priorities, such as public health and climate action.
De‐prosecution and death: A reply to an imprecise and ideological critique
Authors: Hogan Thomas P.
Published: January 2023

In an original article, I analyzed a potential causal link between the policy of de‐prosecution in Philadelphia and an increase in homicides. Utilizing the traditional synthetic control method with extensive descriptive data and a donor pool of the other 99 largest cities in the United States, the results demonstrated a statistically significant increase of over 74 homicides per year in Philadelphia during 2015‐19 associated with de‐prosecution (p<.05). A reaction essay addressing the original article on de‐prosecution has been submitted. In this reply, I correct inaccuracies in the reaction essay, explain the validity of methodological choices, discuss the reaction's misunderstanding of certain quantitative issues, and expose the ideological purposes of the reaction. In addition, I have included updated parallel research addressing the issue of de‐prosecution and examine the theoretical impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic on the interaction between de‐prosecution and homicides.
Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry‐based metabolomics to clarify the mechanism of color change of saffron floral bio‐residues
Authors: Wang Ran , Chen Na , Li Jiaqi , Qian Dan , Huang Xianzhang , Yang Bin
Published: January 2023

Saffron floral bio‐residues (SFB) are a valuable natural source of antioxidants and dyes that can contribute to the development of new food products and cosmetic products. Color change was usually observed during SFB storage, which may result in quality degradation of SFB or even cause potential hazard to human health. In order to clarify the mechanism of color change of SFB sample, the chemical differences among SFB samples stored under different conditions were analyzed using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and chemometrics methods, from which differential flavonols and anthocyanins were screened and their kinetic variations during sample storage summarized. In addition, the color change of the SFB sample was digitalized using an electronic eye (E‐eye), which was found to be related to the content of delphinidin‐3,5‐di‐O‐glucoside (DDG). Moreover, the degradation kinetic parameters of DDG under different storage conditions were studied. In conclusion, the variation of kaempferol‐, isorhamnetin‐, and quercetin‐type flavonol, and delphinidin‐ and petunidin‐type anthocyanin resulted in the color change of SFB sample, and anthocyanin was found more unstable than flavonol.

Practical Application

Saffron floral bio‐residues (SFB) are popular natural sources of antioxidants and colorants that can be used in food and cosmetic products. Color change usually occurs during SFB storage period. Clarifying the mechanism of the color change of SFB will help us to ensure the quality of SFB.