bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process evaluation of an educational programme for preventing recidivism by adult firesetters
Authors: Pearson Dominic , Merrick Maria , Dent Amie , Blampied Shane
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Fire-related offences are costly in human and financial terms. Fire education is widely used with juveniles and with adults in forensic psychiatric settings; however, with prison/probation clients there has been a lack of focus on its potential. This study asked participants of a structured fire education programme for adults how they experienced it and its impact on their feelings about firesetting.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants were 15 programme completers, including ten males and five females. All were adults that had attended the programme during their sentence, either in the community or whilst in custody.

Findings

Using an inductive thematic analysis this study interpreted the following themes: a supportive and responsive approach, impactful learning materials and methods, a new way of thinking, and picking up the pieces. This study proposes that the intervention may activate change through its powerful methods including fact-based arguments and support from legitimate experts.

Practical implications

Firesetters’ Integrated Responsive Educational Programme (FIRE-P) is a novel example of a specialist structured fire education programme for adult firesetters. This is the first paper to outline its structure and content. Understanding how change occurs in FIRE-P has implications for intervention design and delivery with this client group.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first qualitative study of a structured fire education programme for adults and provides researchers and practitioners with insight into the ingredients of a successful fire education programme.
Invited paper: Legitimacy of fire use: investigating the Continuum of Fire Use Theory (CoFUT)
Authors: Hope Jade Danielle , Horsley Faye Kathryn
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Most individuals regularly encounter fire, but certain uses are legally disallowed. Horsley (2020, 2021; in press) proposed the continuum of fire use theory (CoFUT), which posits that the legitimacy of fire use exists on a spectrum. This study aims to investigate the CoFUT and to elucidate the process of conceptualising legitimacy in a sample of legitimate fire users.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 16 legitimate fire users underwent semi-structured interviews regarding their own experiences with fire, the factors considered when determining the legitimacy of fire use and the relationships between those factors. The data extracted was subjected to conceptual analysis.

Findings

Analysis indicated that the legitimacy of fire use is best conceptualised along a continuum. Placement on the continuum required consideration of seven defining attributes: function; location; scale; materials used; characteristics of the actor(s); potential and actual consequences, and social acceptance. These attributes were shown to have interactive semantic relationships with one another.

Practical implications

A continuum approach to understanding fire use is a novel conceptualisation. Exposing the nuances that exist along the continuum could inform early intervention strategies aimed at fostering healthy relationships between young people and fire. Furthermore, practitioners working with arsonists would benefit from adopting a continuum perspective that allows for consideration of offenders’ individualised trajectory “up and down” the continuum of fire use.

Originality/value

Findings offer support for the CoFUT (2020; 2021; in press) and provide insight into how the legitimacy of fire use is conceptualised in legitimate fire users.
Optimal block search mechanism using deep recurrent neural network for enabling the code-efficiency in HEVC
Authors: Korishetti Anilkumar Chandrashekhar , Malemath Virendra S.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

High-efficiency video coding (HEVC) is the latest video coding standard that has better coding efficiency than the H.264/advanced video coding (AVC) standard. The purpose of this paper is to design and develop an effective block search mechanism for the video compression-HEVC standard such that the developed compression standard is applied for the communication applications.

Design/methodology/approach

In the proposed method, an rate-distortion (RD) trade-off, named regressive RD trade-off is used based on the conditional autoregressive value at risk (CaViar) model. The motion estimation (ME) is based on the new block search mechanism, which is developed with the modification in the Ordered Tree-based Hex-Octagon (OrTHO)-search algorithm along with the chronological Salp swarm algorithm (SSA) based on deep recurrent neural network (deepRNN) for optimally deciding the shape of search, search length of the tree and dimension. The chronological SSA is developed by integrating the chronological concept in SSA, which is used for training the deep RNN for ME.

Findings

The competing methods used for the comparative analysis of the proposed OrTHO-search based RD + chronological-salp swarm algorithm (RD + C-SSA) based deep RNN are support vector machine (SVM), fast encoding framework, wavefront-based high parallel (WHP) and OrTHO-search based RD method. The proposed video compression method obtained a maximum peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of 42.9180 dB and a maximum structural similarity index measure (SSIM) of 0.9827.

Originality/value

In this research, an effective block search mechanism was developed with the modification in the OrTHO-search algorithm along with the chronological SSA based on deepRNN for the video compression-HEVC standard.
Entrepreneurial tendencies in franchisees: evidence from India
Authors: Bashir Gowsia , Saqib Natasha
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine franchising from an entrepreneurial perspective. The study investigates the extent to which franchisees exhibit entrepreneurial characteristics and various aspects of franchise development.

Design/methodology/approach

The questionnaire was distributed to 430 franchisees operating in India and 409 responses were received. Descriptive and inferential statistics, such as correlation, analysis of variance and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The study’s findings indicate that franchisees also exhibit entrepreneurial characteristics and behavior. Additionally, as evidenced by their franchisee selection process, franchisors appear to value entrepreneurial personalities within their franchised outlets.

Research limitations/implications

By generating sufficient business enterprises, the franchising system of entrepreneurship can be promoted as one of the solutions for developing countries. Additionally, the findings of this study suggest research implications for elucidating the entrepreneurial position of franchisees.

Originality/value

Considerable ambiguity exists when franchisees’ activities of operating and managing their outlets are considered entrepreneurial firms. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of franchising in the development of entrepreneurship. It provides empirical evidence for the extent of franchisees’ entrepreneurial tendencies and elaborates on key arguments in the franchising and entrepreneurship kinds of literature.
The study of sustainability as a mediator of new approaches to work and workspace usage
Authors: Kaur Taran , Solomon Priya
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Many corporates in India are constantly working to adapt new sustainable working practices that can reduce average space usage in the Indian workspace. This study aims to analyze the strategic shifts in terms of new approaches to work (NAW) adopted by information technology (IT) companies, influenced by sustainable practices that have a positive impact on the reduction in usage of brick and motor workspace and carbon footprint.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is descriptive in nature. A questionnaire survey was sent to certified ISO 41001 Indian IT companies to collect data through SurveyMonkey. Stratified sampling was used to collect a sample of 583 respondents, which was also verified using G* software. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and partial least square-structured equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the mediating effect of sustainability on NAW and reduction in usage of workspace.

Findings

The structural model results obtained through the bootstrapping technique showed that sustainability has become essential to survive in a competitive business environment while developing NAW that can reduce workspace usage. The findings of this study support the partial mediation effect (38%) of sustainability on NAW and workspace usage patterns in the Indian IT workspace.

Originality/value

This research adds value to the limited literature on the effect of NAW in the Indian IT sector and provides empirical evidence of the impact of technology-enabled NAW based on sustainable practices that can help reduce the demand for workspace.
A comparative study of market potential for logistics outsourcing in Estonia and Finland
Authors: Solakivi Tomi , Kiisler Ain , Hilmola Olli-Pekka
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This research analyzes the development of logistics outsourcing market in two countries, Estonia and Finland, with different paths as members of the single European market. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the two markets have become more similar or whether their logistics costs and logistics markets have developed differently over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The development of the logistics market is addressed through two survey-based variables. Logistics costs are used to measure the size of the logistics market, whereas logistics outsourcing is analyzed to measure the development phase as well as the market potential for logistics service provision.

Findings

Estonian logistics outsourcing market was found to be underdeveloped and small compared to the Finnish market. At the same time, the logistics costs of Finnish companies are high and rising, whereas the costs of Estonian firms are declining.

Research limitations/implications

The results imply that the level of outsourcing might explain the visibility of logistics costs, which should be taken into account when making estimates on logistics costs both at the firm as well as on country level.

Social implications

Logistics sector is an important source of national competitiveness and employment. This research identifies subareas for the two countries on how to develop competitiveness through the logistics market.

Originality/value

This research provides a unique method to estimate the size of logistics outsourcing market in these two countries. It also represents as one of the rare works to provide multiyear comparison between countries in logistics costs.
State ownership and bank performance: conventional vs Islamic banks
Authors: Alshammari Turki
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of state ownership on bank performance for all banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during the period 2003 – 2018, for two distinct banking systems: the conventional and the Islamic banking systems.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the goal of the study, this paper uses a mean t-test to examine the mean difference of the related variables for both banking systems, and a regression test (using the GMM method) to explore the effect of state ownership on bank performance.

Findings

The most important result of the analysis is that state ownership has a significantly positive influence on bank performance for conventional banks but not for Islamic banks, in the GCC area.

Originality/value

This study adds to the scarce related literature comparative empirical results with respect to the impact of ownership on the performance of two different banking systems: the conventional system and the Islamic banking system in the GCC area. This study is likely to have implications for policymakers in terms of developing rules relevant to the governance of GCC’s two banking systems that can help to support the stability of the whole banking sector.
Challenges of money laundering for sovereign states that uses the US dollar
Authors: Maguchu Prosper Simbarashe
Published: October 2021

Purpose

There has been almost no scholarly work on the challenges of money laundering in sovereign states that use the US dollar as their currency of choice. This study aims to break the silence by highlighting how money laundering thrives in these situations mainly due to lack of or weak regulation of the US dollar by both the adopting states and the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The research depended on various secondary data sources. It is an adapted academic version of a shorter piece for a professional magazine for professionals in the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Field.

Findings

Preliminary findings show that due to the lack of regulation of the US dollar in dollarized economies, unscrupulous politicians, organized criminal gangs and multinational corporations among others can use a variation of the Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE) to counteract money laundering controls and launder ill-gotten gains from crimes such as corruption, transnational crimes and tax evasion. Furthermore, ordinary citizens, migrant workers and small businesses avoiding stringent exchange rates are also using the black market, posing a further challenge to the law enforcement authorities.

Practical implications

The practical implications of this paper relate to how the mutations of money laundering techniques, as they are adopted by criminals, to operate in different conditions are making it difficult not only to dictate but also to address using traditional AML techniques.

Social implications

BMPE has far reaching social consequences. Hence, this study is significant to instigate a search for solutions and for further detailed studies into the money laundering techniques in countries that do not have a sovereign currency.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to discuss the unique challenges faced by countries that have adopted the US dollar for domestic use. The paper also shows how dollarization is a modest reminder that money laundering technique such as the BMPE can evolve to counter the legislative and regulatory environment of the various jurisdictions in which they are laundered.
Medium optimization and downstream process design for the augmented yield of β-Carotene using fungi Blakeslea trispora
Authors: Luthra Umesh , Babu Prabhakar , R.R. Remya , Julius Angeline , Patel Yogesh , Jajula Veera Ramesh , Majeed Ilma
Published: October 2021

Purpose

β-Carotene is the most appropriate and significant precursor of vitamin A. Synthetic carotene supplements have been known to pose a threat to human health, making natural sources such as the indefensible choice for the production and extraction of carotene.

Design/methodology/approach

This study considers Blakeslea trispora, a filamentous fungus, as a source of production of carotenoids by fermentation and wet and dry mycelium were used to analyse and obtain better extraction results.

Findings

In this study, natural oils such as soy oil and cottonseed oil were incorporated into fermentation media to increase the production of carotene. For the optimization process, Plackett–Burman and one-factor-at-a-time (OVAT) models were identified as being of great value.

Originality/value

OVAT was carried out for corn starch because it plays a major role in the production of carotene and the corn starch at 30 g/L concentration has shown the maximum activity of 3.48 mg/gm. After optimizing process variables, submerged fermentation was eventually carried out under highly controlled media conditions. The resulting product was quantified using UV spectroscopy and extraction of carotene has been observed in the presence of various solvents. Among a range of solvents used, the methylene Di chloride produced-carotene at 86% recovery at a significantly lower temperature of 35°C.
Emergency methodological pivots: a situational analysis of doctoral candidates’ research engagement during crisis in the United States
Authors: Johnson Ane Turner , Kerrigan Monica Reid
Published: October 2021

Purpose

In this study, the authors explored the situation of the doctoral candidate in the social sciences as they were confronted by crisis and forced to make changes to their dissertation research plans. The authors conceptualized this as a methodological pivot, or an unexpected shift in trajectory, in which candidates engaged and that culminated in new research plans.

Design/Methodology/Approach

Using situational analysis, a form of qualitative grounded theory, the authors conducted interviews and collected extant artifacts to understand the situations of the candidate engaged in the pivot. The analysis produced a situational map and a grounded theorizing. The authors also bound the analysis by a specific time period: the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA.

Findings

The grounded theorizing evidenced stages of pivoting, reflected as an internal process of grieving. Participants also endured external institutional impediments around programmatic support, funding and policy. Each internal and external situation exerted some degree of pressure on the candidate’s pivot. Technology and its impact on fieldwork, methodological assets and epistemological shifts mediated internal and external situations to produce the pivot.

Originality/Value

This work is unique in that it expands on the field of study and practice that has emerged from the complexity of crisis in education, situated predominantly in lower to middle-income countries. In higher income countries, like the USA, educational institutions remain unprepared for crisis. This work underscores this paucity. The authors also build on the literature that addresses the challenges graduate learners face with support and its implications for persistence.
Reverse time migration with Gaussian beams using optimized ray tracing systems in transversely isotropic media
Authors: Liu Qiang , Li Zhen‐Chun , Xiao Jian‐En , Xu Xue‐Cheng
Published: October 2021

Prestack depth migration is a key technology for imaging complex reservoirs in media with strong lateral velocity variations. Prestack migrations are broadly separated into ray‐based and wave‐equation‐based methods. Because of its efficiency and flexibility, ray‐based Kirchhoff migration is popular in the industry. However, it has difficulties in dealing with the multi‐arrivals, caustics and shadow zones. On the other hand, wave‐equation‐based methods produce images superior to that of the ray‐based methods, but they are expensive numerically, especially methods based on two‐way propagators in imaging large regions. Therefore, reverse time migration algorithms with Gaussian beams have recently been proposed to reduce the cost, as they combine the high computational efficiency of Gaussian beam migration and the high accuracy of reverse time migration. However, this method was based on the assumption that the subsurface is isotropic. As the acquired azimuth and maximum offsets increase, taking into account the influence of anisotropy on seismic migration is becoming more and more crucial. Using anisotropic ray tracing systems in terms of phase velocity, we proposed an anisotropic reverse time migration using the Gaussian beams method. We consider the influence of anisotropy on the propagation direction and calculate the amplitude of Gaussian beams with optimized correlation coefficients in dynamic ray tracing, which simplifies the calculations and improves the applicability of the proposed method. Numerical tests on anisotropic models demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method, which can be used to image complex structures in the presence of anisotropy in the overburden.
SEVAtile: a standardised DNA assembly method optimised for Pseudomonas
Authors: Lammens Eveline‐Marie , Boon Maarten , Grimon Dennis , Briers Yves , Lavigne Rob
Published: October 2021

To meet the needs of synthetic biologists, DNA assembly methods have transformed from simple ‘cut‐and‐paste’ procedures to highly advanced, standardised assembly techniques. Implementing these standardised DNA assembly methods in biotechnological research conducted in non‐model hosts, including Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, could greatly benefit reproducibility and predictability of experimental results. SEVAtile is a Type IIs‐based assembly approach, which enables the rapid and standardised assembly of genetic parts – or tiles – to create genetic circuits in the established SEVA‐vector backbone. Contrary to existing DNA assembly methods, SEVAtile is an easy and straightforward method, which is compatible with any vector, both SEVA‐ and non‐SEVA. To prove the efficiency of the SEVAtile method, a three‐vector system was successfully generated to independently co‐express three different proteins in P. putida and P. aeruginosa. More specifically, one of the vectors, pBGDes, enables genomic integration of assembled circuits in the Tn7 landing site, while self‐replicatory vectors pSTDesX and pSTDesR enable inducible expression from the XylS/Pm and RhaRS/PrhaB expression systems, respectively. Together, we hope these vector systems will support research in both the microbial SynBio and Pseudomonas field.
The features and processes underpinning high‐quality data generation in participatory research and engagement activities
Authors: Maund Phoebe R. , Bentley Jacob W. , Austen Gail E. , Irvine Katherine N. , Fish Robert , Dallimer Martin , Davies Zoe G.
Published: October 2021

Participatory approaches are widely used by researchers to gather data and insight about how the environment is perceived, valued and used. The participatory activities may be creating information as part of curiosity‐driven blue‐skies research or to inform policy/practise decision‐making.

The quality and usability of data derived from participatory approaches are heavily influenced by how activities are conducted. We share a set of features and processes that underpin the generation of high‐quality data, based on our collective experience of developing and undertaking participatory activities with an environmental and conservation focus.

We propose four general features: (a) Depth and breadth of engagement; (b) robustness of the approach; (c) allowing space for surprises; (d) usability across contexts. We also provide a practical toolbox of processes, and associated facilitation techniques, which can be employed to maximise participant engagement and generate quality data.

The features and processes are a practical guide for project leaders/teams to consider in the context of their work, rather than a set of inflexible rules. They should be relevant regardless of the participatory methods used, or the research, policy or practice setting being addressed.
Discrete white matter abnormalities at age 8–11 years in children born extremely preterm are not associated with adverse cognitive or motor outcomes
Authors: Nosko Daniela , Strindberg Marika , Svoboda Jan , Kvanta Hedvig , Broström Lina , Padilla Nelly , Mårtensson Gustaf , Örtqvist Maria , Moreira Nuno Canto , Ådén Ulrika
Published: October 2021

Aim

Little is known about the prevalence of discrete white matter abnormalities (WMA) beyond the first years in children born extremely preterm (EPT) and the relation to neurodevelopmental outcomes. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of discrete WMA in children born EPT and the relationship to neonatal white matter injuries (WMI), white matter (WM) volume, WM diffusivity and neurodevelopment.

Methods

The study was a part of a longitudinal follow‐up study of EPT neonates. All children were scanned at Karolinska University hospital 2004–2007 (neonates) and 2014–2015 (children at 8–11 years). WMA was qualitatively assessed by visual inspection. Developmental assessment was conducted at 12 years.

Results

In total, 112 children (median age 10.3 years, 56 girls) underwent MRI of the brain (68 EPT, 45 controls). In the EPT group, a subset had MRI around term equivalent age (n = 61). In the EPT group, the prevalence of discrete WMA at 8–11 years was 52%. There was a positive association between WMI at TEA and 8–11 years. There was no association between WMI and WM volumes or diffusivity at 8–11 years. Discrete WMA was not related to neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Conclusion

Discrete WMA was prevalent in children born EPT at 8–11 years but were not related to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Population‐based cohort study of the efficacy of brentuximab vedotin in relapsed systemic anaplastic large‐cell lymphoma using Public Health England data
Authors: Halligan Sarah J. , Grainge Matthew J. , Martinez‐Calle Nicolas , Fox Christopher P. , Bishton Mark J.
Published: October 2021

Systemic anaplastic large‐cell lymphoma (sALCL) is a rare T‐cell lymphoma associated with poor prognosis after relapse. The immunoconjugate brentuximab vedotin (BV) first became available for relapsed sALCL in England in 2013, following the results of a pivotal phase II study. We present a population‐based study describing outcomes of relapsed sALCL in England after BV, using Public Health England data. We obtained information on all relapsed/refractory (r/r) sALCL patients ≥18 years treated with BV monotherapy in England between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019. The final cohort comprised 127 patients with a median age of 60 years (range 19–89). Eighteen (14·2%) had received stem cell transplant in first remission. Median two‐year overall survival (OS) was 46·6%. The vast majority of deaths (59) occurred within 18 months, with very few events after this. Receipt of BV as second line compared to third or fourth line was associated with significantly improved survival (two‐year OS 50·3% vs 29·7%, P = 0·03). There was no difference in OS for different subgroups, including anaplastic lymphoma kinase status, age, gender, or receipt of stem cell transplantation in first response. We report excellent survival following treatment with BV in a real‐world setting, comparable with previous clinical trial data.
Genetic and metabolic profiling of individuals with Phelan‐McDermid syndrome presenting with seizures
Authors: Jain Lavanya , Oberman Lindsay M. , Beamer Laura , Cascio Lauren , May Melanie , Srikanth Sujata , Skinner Cindy , Jones Kelly , Allen Bridgette , Rogers Curtis , Phelan Katy , Kaufmann Walter E. , DuPont Barbara , Sarasua Sara M. , Boccuto Luigi
Published: October 2021

Phelan‐McDermid syndrome (PMS) (OMIM*606232) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by intellectual disability, autistic features, speech delay, minor dysmorphia, and seizures. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of seizures and the association with genetic and metabolic features since there has been little research related to seizures in PMS. For 57 individuals, seizure data was collected from caregiver interviews, genetic data from existing cytogenetic records and Sanger sequencing for nine 22q13 genes, and metabolic profiling from the Phenotype Mammalian MicroArray (PM‐M) developed by Biolog. Results showed that 46% of individuals had seizures with the most common type being absence and grand‐mal seizures. Seizures were most prevalent in individuals with pathogenic SHANK3 mutations (70%), those with deletion sizes >4 Mb (16%), and those with deletion sizes <4 Mb (71%) suggesting involvement of genes in addition to SHANK3. Additionally, a 3 Mb genomic region on 22q13.31 containing the gene TBC1D22A, was found to be significantly associated with seizure prevalence. A distinct metabolic profile was identified for individuals with PMS with seizures and suggested among other features a disrupted utilization of main energy sources using Biolog plates. The results of this study will be helpful for clinicians and families in anticipating seizures in these children and for researchers to identify candidate genes for the seizure phenotype.
What happens to aid fungibility when the recipient government takes control? Effects of aid ownership in Rwanda
Authors: Rana Zunera Ahmad , Koch Dirk‐Jan
Published: October 2021

Motivation

Aid fungibility and aid ownership have largely been discussed separately in the development literature. This is unfortunate because donors have often aimed to reduce the former and to increase the latter, without fully understanding the relationship between them.

Purpose

We analyse what happens to aid fungibility when the recipient government takes ownership of its development process by examining the case of Rwanda.

Methods and approach

We use a mixed‐methods approach for our analysis. We start with an econometric model to determine if aid fungibility is present in Rwanda. To complement and explore quantitative insights, we interviewed key informants in Rwanda. We used the principal–agent framework to help interpret our findings.

Findings

We find that aid is fungible, albeit in a U‐shaped relationship. Initially an increase in development assistance causes government development expenditure to fall, but subsequent increases in assistance cause government development expenditure to increase as well.

We conclude that the government took over its development process through: (1) stimulating the donor to align their spending to its priorities; and (2) urging donors to switch from project aid to budget support.

Policy implications

While government taking ownership of its development process should reduce concerns about fungibility, it could also contribute to marginalization of certain sectors or themes if this ownership is not inclusive.
Improving water retention of chicken breast meats by CaCl2 combined with pulsed electric fields
Authors: Wang Jiachen , Li Jian , Wang Rui , Xu Fei‐Yue , Zeng Xin‐An
Published: October 2021

Frozen poultry meat is the most widely consumed animal‐based food. However, water loss often leads to quality loss of poultry meat. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the combined effect of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) treatment on chicken breast meats and the mechanisms underlying protein degradation. The results showed that the synergistic effect was superior to the single treatment. Compared with the untreated group, the combination of CaCl2 and PEF increased water holding capacity of chicken breast meats by 16.61% and decreased cooking loss by 28.93%. Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF‐NMR) results indicated that the synergistic treatment promoted water molecules' binding capacity in myofibrils of poultry meat, which exhibited higher immobilised water. Additionally, the combination of CaCl2 and PEF led to increased degradation of proteins of high‐molecular weight and surface hydrophobicity of myofibrillar protein. Furthermore, the extension of the protein molecule and microenvironmental changes promoted interaction between protein and water. In conclusion, the synergistic treatment of CaCl2 and PEF enhanced water retention and improved physicochemical properties of the myofibrillar protein in chicken breast meats.
Pulsed vacuum impregnated trehalose to improve the physicochemical quality of frozen‐thawed kiwifruit
Authors: Chen Li‐bing , Fan Kai
Published: October 2021

Pulsed vacuum impregnated trehalose to improve the physicochemical quality of frozen‐thawed kiwifruit was investigated. Kiwifruits were treated by pulsed vacuum impregnation (PVI) with 10%, 20% and 30% trehalose, then frozen and stored at −20 °C. The results showed that PVI with 30% trehalose treatment exhibited minimum drip loss (11.21%), maximum ascorbic acid content (0.93 g kg−1) and firmness (12.3 N), and retained the flavour and taste as well as improved water distribution for frozen‐thawed kiwifruit as compared with other treatments: control, PVI with 10% and 20% of trehalose. Therefore, the results illustrated that pulsed vacuum impregnated trehalose could be used as an effective method to improve the quality of frozen‐thawed kiwifruit.
Arachidonic acid treatment combined with low temperature conditioning mitigates chilling injury in cold‐stored banana fruit
Authors: Wan Chang , Tan Piaopiao , Zeng Chaozhen , Liu Zhixiang
Published: October 2021

Cold‐stored banana fruit is particularly susceptible to chilling injury (CI). Over transportation and storage, CI is a key physiological factor affecting postharvest banana quality. Arachidonic acid (ARA) is considered a signal molecule that elicits stress signalling networks in plants. However, whether exogenous ARA treatment can reduce CI in postharvest fruit remains unknown. This study investigated the effects of a combination of exogenous ARA treatment and low temperature conditioning (LTC) on mitigating CI occurrence. ARA + LTC treatment decreased electrolyte leakage, accumulation of malondialdehyde, H2O2 content, weight loss and occurrence of CI symptoms. This treatment also delayed fruit softening and colour development, and maintained both vitamin C and chlorophyll contents in bananas stored at 0 °C for 36 days. In addition, ARA + LTC treatment significantly increased the activities of ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase. Concluding, ARA + LTC treatment has the potential to reduce CI in banana fruit during cold storage. This makes it an effective postharvest technique for fruits and vegetables susceptible to CI.
Recent research on bioactive compounds of Scomber spp. and their health effects
Authors: Negara Bertoka Fajar Surya Perwira , Sohn Jae‐Hak , Kim Jin‐Soo , Choi Jae‐Suk
Published: October 2021

Scomber spp. are fast‐moving migratory fish found in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Scomber spp. contain proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins. However, recent studies on Scomber spp. have focused on improving the quality of products (S. colias), describing their morphology (S. indicus), as well as the exploration and application of their enzymes (S. australasicus) and bioactive compounds for health benefits (S. japonicus and S. scombrus). Bioactive compounds from Scomber spp. have been reported to exhibit antibacterial, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, but there has been no review of this topic to date. Totally, 36 articles were reviewed after the duplicates were removed. Muscle protein hydrolysates, peptides, lipids, collagen, amino acids, lecithin and glycolipids are known as bioactive compounds from Scomber spp. that exhibit beneficial health effects, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiproliferative, tyrosinase inhibition, hypoglycaemic and anti‐lipoxygenase properties. However, these have been tested only in vitro, and there is still a lack of studies on bioactive compounds from S. australasicus, S. colias and S. indicus. Therefore, further studies are needed to test bioactive compounds from Scomber spp. at the in vivo and clinical stages, as well as to explore the presence of bioactive compounds from S. australasicus, S. colias and S. indicus.
Edible mushrooms: The potential game changer in alleviating vitamin D deficiency and improving human health
Authors: Tiwari Abhay , Singh Garima , Singh Umesh , Sapra Leena , Rana Vikrant , Sharma Vasudha , Srivastava Rupesh K. , Sharma Satyawati
Published: October 2021

The present review attempts to critically examine and evaluate research findings on mushrooms as sources of vitamin D and other nutraceuticals. Recently, there is a growing concern about diseases associated with the deficiency of vitamin D in humans. As people tend to stay indoors, in present times, due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, vitamin D levels are further affected. Research indicates vitamin D as a promising defensive or therapeutic agent against COVID, making this review more crucial. Mushrooms, as a rich source of vitamin D along with various bioactive compounds, perform a significant role in resolving health issues. Robust analyses of various strategies for enhancing vitamin D content in mushrooms holds significance in this study; moreover, this will help stakeholders of the mushroom industry in enriching the overall mushroom quality and human health. Mushroom‐based medicinal formulations and functional foods serve to deliver vitamins and nutrients to humans, thus helping to combat malnutrition and other health problems, especially in developing countries. Evidence from pre‐clinical and clinical analyses suggests that vitamin D2 bioavailability in mushrooms is comparable with vitamin D from other sources. The review also emphasises molecular findings from mushrooms related to genes responsible for morphology and metabolic production of pro‐vitamin‐D2.
A comprehensive study of the epidemiology of haematological malignancies in North Queensland
Authors: Nath Karthik , Boles Rachael , Emeto Theophilus I. , Adegboye Oyelola A. , Castellanos Maria Eugenia , Alele Faith O. , Pearce Jessica , Ewart Barbara , Ward Kayla , Lai Hock C. , Morris Edward , Hodges Georgina , Irving Ian
Published: October 2021

Background

There is an absence of clinically relevant epidemiological data in regional Australia pertaining to haematological malignancies.

Aim

To determine the incidence and geographical variation of haematological malignancies in North Queensland using a clinically appropriate disease classification.

Methods

Retrospective, observational study of individual patient data records of all adults diagnosed with a haematological malignancy between 2005 and 2014 and residing within The Townsville Hospital Haematology catchment region. We report descriptive summaries, incidence rates and incidence‐rate ratios of haematological malignancies by geographic regions.

Results

One thousand, five hundred and eighty‐one haematological malignancies (69% lymphoid, 31% myeloid) were diagnosed over the 10‐year study period. Descriptive data are presented for 58 major subtypes, as per the WHO diagnostic classification of tumours of haemopoietic and lymphoid tissues. The overall median age at diagnosis was 66 years with a male predominance (60%). We demonstrate a temporal increase in the incidence of haematological malignancies over the study period. We observed geographical variations in the age‐standardised incidence rates per 100 000 ranging from 0.5 to 233.5. Our data suggest an increased incidence rate ratio for haematological malignancies in some postcodes within the Mackay area compared with other regions.

Conclusion

The present study successfully reports on the incidence of haematological malignancies in regional Queensland using a clinically meaningful diagnostic classification system and identifies potential geographic hotspots. We advocate for such contemporary, comprehensive and clinically meaningful epidemiological data reporting of blood cancer diagnoses in wider Australia. Such an approach will have significant implications towards developing appropriate data‐driven management strategies and public health responses for haematological malignancies.
Apatite and garnet stability in the Al–Ca–Mg–Si–(Gd/Y/Yb)–O systems and implications for T/EBC: CMAS reactions
Authors: Godbole Eeshani , von der Handt Anette , Poerschke David
Published: October 2021

This work advances the understanding of the influence of rare earth (RE) ion radius on the stability and extent of the garnet solid solution phase in the (ytterbia/yttria/gadolinia)‐calcia‐magnesia‐alumina‐silica systems. Guided by the crystal chemistry and charge neutrality constraints, selected compositions in the notional garnet stability field were synthesized, equilibrated at 1400°C, and characterized to determine the equilibrium phases and their compositions. The results show a significant reduction in the stability of the silicate garnet relative to apatite with increasing RE ion radius. Apatite was not observed for any composition in the Yb‐containing system, the Y‐containing system formed both garnet and apatite, and there was no evidence of silicate garnets in the Gd‐containing system. However, despite the apparent differences in stability relative to apatite, the extent of the garnet solid solution increases only slightly for the Yb‐ compared to Y‐containing systems. The quantitative microchemical analysis suggests that Mg2+ prefers the octahedral site over the dodecahedral site in the garnet structure, and that the solubility of Mg2+ in the dodecahedral site increased in the system containing Yb3+ compared to Y3+. The results are discussed for their relevance to reactions between RE‐containing thermal and environmental barrier coatings and CMAS‐type silicate deposits.
Magneto‐plasmonic heterodimers: Evaluation of different synthesis approaches
Authors: Miola Marta , Multari Cristina , Debellis Doriana , Laviano Francesco , Gerbaldo Roberto , Vernè Enrica
Published: October 2021

Nanomedicine has gained huge attention in recent years with new approaches in medical diagnosis and therapy. Particular consideration has been devoted to the nanoparticles (NPs) in theranostic field with specific interest for magnetic and gold NPs (MNPs and GNPs) due to their peculiar properties under exposition to electromagnetic fields. In this paper, we aim to develop magneto‐plasmonic heterodimer by combining MNPs and GNPs through a facile and reproducible synthesis and to investigate the influence of different synthesis parameters on their response to magnetic and optical stimuli. In particular, various syntheses were performed by changing the functionalization step and using or not a reducing agent to obtain stable NP suspensions with tailored properties. The obtained heterodimers were characterized through physical, chemical, optical, and magnetic analysis, in order to evaluate their size, shape, plasmonic properties, and superparamagnetic behavior. The results revealed that the shape and dimensions of the nanocomposites can be tuned by MNPs surface functionalization, as well as by the use of a reducing agent, giving rise to nanoplatform suitable for biomedical application, exploiting the gold absorbing peak in the specific gold absorbing range of GNPs, while maintaining the superparamagnetic behavior typical of the MNPs. The obtained nanocomposites can be proposed as potential candidates for cancer theranostics.
Effect of spatio-temporal variables, host fish species and on-farm biosecurity measures on the prevalence of potentially pathogenic Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms
Authors: Kumar Chandra Bhushan , Kumar Anil , Paria Anutosh , Kumar Saurav , Prasad K. Pani , Rathore Gaurav
Published: October 2021

Aims

To determine the prevalence of Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms, factors affecting their prevalence and virulence factors associated with each species.

Methods and Results

In a cross-sectional study from 128 farms in four districts of Uttar Pradesh, India, 11 species of Aeromonas were identified by gyrB sequencing including the first report of Aeromonas crassostreae from fish. Four species of Aeromonas were more prevalent (MP) in fish farms, A. veronii bv. sobria (50.0%) was the highest, followed by A. caviae (18.8%), A. veronii bv. veronii (11.7%) and A. dhakensis (7.0%). The less prevalent (LP) species were A. hydrophila, A. media, A. jandaei, A. allosaccharophila, A. salmonicida, A. crassostreae and A. taiwanensis. Spatial variation in the prevalence of Aeromonas species was observed. Dominance of biovar sobria ranged from 33.3 to 68.6%, notably lesser in farms with on-farm biosecurity measures. The prevalence of biovar veronii was significantly associated with pangas fish, rainy season and farms with on-farm biosecurity measures. The prevalence of LP species was significantly higher in mrigal fish and winter season. Multiple virulence factors (>6) were detected in 70.2% of the Aeromonas species. Significant association of β-hemolysin, DNase, slime production, act, ahh1, aexT and lip was observed with different species of Aeromonas. Moreover, 75.8% of Aeromonas species possessed one or more enterotoxins genes (act/alt/ast).

Conclusion

Significant association of spatio-temporal variables, host fish species and on-farm biosecurity measures were observed on the prevalence of some of the Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms. Most of the Aeromonas species harboured virulence factors indicating their potential for pathogenicity.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This is the first study that determined the prevalence and identified the factors that affect the prevalence of Aeromonas species in freshwater fish farms. This information will be useful in managing Aeromonas infection in fish and their risks to public health.
Cardioversion of recent‐onset atrial fibrillation using intravenous antiarrhythmics: A European perspective
Authors: Lévy Samuel
Published: October 2021

Pharmacological cardioversion using intravenous antiarrhythmic agents is commonly indicated in symptomatic patients with recent‐onset atrial fibrillation (AF). Except in hemodynamically unstable patients who require emergency direct current electrical cardioversion, for the majority of hemodynamically stable patients, pharmacological cardioversion represents a valid option and requires the clinician to be familiar with the properties and use of antiarrhythmic agents. The main characteristics of selected intravenous antiarrhythmic agents for conversion of recent‐onset AF, the reported success rates, and possible adverse events are discussed. Among intravenous antiarrhythmics, flecainide, propafenone, amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide, ibutilide, and vernakalant are commonly used. Antazoline, an old antihistaminic agent with antiarrhythmic properties was also reported to give encouraging results in Poland. Intravenous flecainide and propafenone are the only Class I agents still recommended by recent guidelines. Intravenous new Class III agents as dofetilide and ibutilide have high and rapid efficacy in converting AF to sinus rhythm but require strict surveillance with electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring during and after intravenous administration because of the potential risk of QT prolongation and Torsades de Pointes, which can be prevented and properly managed. Vernakalant, a partial atrial selective was shown to have a high success rate and to be safe in real‐life use.
Preclinical assessment of thrombin‐preconditioned human Wharton’s jelly‐derived mesenchymal stem cells for neonatal hypoxic‐ischaemic brain injury
Authors: Noh Jung‐Ho , Jeong Ji‐Seong , Park Sang‐Jin , Jin Jung Kyung , Lee Byoung‐Seok , Kim Woo‐Jin , Han Ji‐Seok , Cho Min‐Kyung , Sung Dong Kyung , Ahn So Yoon , Chang Yun Sil , Son Hwa‐Young , Jeong Eun Ju
Published: October 2021

Hypoxic‐ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of brain injury affecting approximately 1 million newborn babies per year worldwide, the only treatment for which is therapeutic hypothermia. Thrombin‐preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert neuroprotective effects by enriching cargo contents and boosting exosome biogenesis, thus showing promise as a new therapeutic strategy for HIE. This study was conducted to evaluate the tissue distribution and potential toxicity of thrombin‐preconditioned human Wharton's jelly‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (th‐hWJMSCs) in animal models before the initiation of clinical trials. We investigated the biodistribution, tumorigenicity and general toxicity of th‐hWJMSCs. MSCs were administered the maximum feasible dose (1 × 105 cells/10 µL/head) once, or at lower doses into the cerebral ventricle. To support the clinical use of th‐hWJMSCs for treating brain injury, preclinical safety studies were conducted in newborn Sprague‐Dawley rats and BALB/c nude mice. In addition, growth parameters were evaluated to assess the impact of th‐hWJMSCs on the growth of newborn babies. Our results suggest that th‐hWJMSCs are non‐toxic and non‐tumorigenic in rodent models, survive for up to 7 days in the brain and hold potential for HIE therapy.