bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human contamination in bacterial genomes has created thousands of spurious proteins
Authors: Breitwieser Florian P. , Pertea Mihaela , Zimin Aleksey V. , Salzberg Steven L.
Published: May 2019

Contaminant sequences that appear in published genomes can cause numerous problems for downstream analyses, particularly for evolutionary studies and metagenomics projects. Our large-scale scan of complete and draft bacterial and archaeal genomes in the NCBI RefSeq database reveals that 2250 genomes are contaminated by human sequence. The contaminant sequences derive primarily from high-copy human repeat regions, which themselves are not adequately represented in the current human reference genome, GRCh38. The absence of the sequences from the human assembly offers a likely explanation for their presence in bacterial assemblies. In some cases, the contaminating contigs have been erroneously annotated as containing protein-coding sequences, which over time have propagated to create spurious protein “families” across multiple prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. As a result, 3437 spurious protein entries are currently present in the widely used nr and TrEMBL protein databases. We report here an extensive list of contaminant sequences in bacterial genome assemblies and the proteins associated with them. We found that nearly all contaminants occurred in small contigs in draft genomes, which suggests that filtering out small contigs from draft genome assemblies may mitigate the issue of contamination while still keeping nearly all of the genuine genomic sequences.
An extended DMP framework for robot learning and improving variable stiffness manipulation
Authors: Bian Feifei , Ren Danmei , Li Ruifeng , Liang Peidong , Wang Ke , Zhao Lijun
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a method which enables a robot to learn both motion skills and stiffness profiles from humans through kinesthetic human-robot cooperation.

Design Methodology Approach

Admittance control is applied to allow robot-compliant behaviors when following the reference trajectories. By extending the dynamical movement primitives (DMP) model, a new concept of DMP and stiffness primitives is introduced to encode a kinesthetic demonstration as a combination of trajectories and stiffness profiles, which are subsequently transferred to the robot. Electromyographic signals are extracted from a human’s upper limbs to obtain target stiffness profiles. By monitoring vibrations of the end-effector velocities, a stability observer is developed. The virtual damping coefficient of admittance controller is adjusted accordingly to eliminate the vibrations.

Findings

The performance of the proposed methods is evaluated experimentally. The result shows that the robot can perform tasks in a variable stiffness mode as like the human dose in the teaching phase.

Originality Value

DMP has been widely used as a teaching by demonstration method to represent movements of humans and robots. The proposed method extends the DMP framework to allow a robot to learn not only motion skills but also stiffness profiles. Additionally, the authors proposed a stability observer to eliminate vibrations when the robot is disturbed by environment.
Structural empowerment and nurses’ patient identification behaviors: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kim Young Mee , Kim Se Young
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationships between structural empowerment and patient identification behaviors of nurses.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study was a descriptive survey using a self-reported questionnaire, following a quality improvement project at a hospital in South Korea. The participants included 984 registered nurses, who administer medication and transfusions to patients in the hospital. Data were analyzed using the t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé’s test, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis.

Findings

The patient identification behaviors of nurses were significantly correlated with opportunity, support, information, resources, formal power and informal power of structural empowerment. The support, information and informal power of structural empowerment, as well as the age and gender of the participants explained 10.7 percent of the variance in the patient identification behaviors of nurses.

Research limitations/implications

The present study has some limitations. Although the data collected by the cross-sectional survey were analyzed, causal analysis could not have been conducted. Nursing managers can promote safety by creating a work environment that facilitates access to the support, information and resources needed for nurses to perform their duties effectively; providing opportunities for nurses to learn and develop professionally; acknowledging the achievements of nurses; and expanding their duties, so that nurses can demonstrate greater work flexibility. Future studies should investigate structural empowerment in multiple nursing organizations, and particularly the organizational characteristics that affect structural empowerment.

Originality/value

The present study confirms that structural empowerment influences the patient identification behaviors of nurses.
Transculturality as a drive for the SDGs achievement
Authors: Arruda Filho Norman de Paula , Przybylowicz Beuter Barbara Sueli
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This study aims to assess how transculturality can potentiate projects developed between UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) signatories’ institutions by emphasizing on the advantages for teams with people from different nationalities. Besides, it addresses a well-discussed topic among the signatory schools of PRME as the initiative strongly encouraged integrated research, attributing it value and applicability.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis focuses on three projects developed in partnership between institutions from Brazil and other countries, considering significant cultural differences, number of countries involved and the interaction between the academia and the companies. The discussion seeks to understand the value of projects and what they mean in terms of partnerships and mobilizations between PRME’s signatories schools.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights about the necessity of understanding transculturality as a key factor to the development of multicultural projects, especially with regard to projects aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, launched by the UN in 2015.

Originality/value

The discussion reinforces that a multifaceted vision has the potential to overlap cultural differences to develop projects with a high degree of replicability.
Putting sustainable campuses into force
Authors: Adomßent Maik , Grahl Anselm , Spira Felix
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The lack of change structures can be seen as an important reason why sustainability continues to suffer a niche existence in most higher education organisations. This is a problem because universities can leverage their teaching, research and operations to advance solutions to climate change, hunger and other Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of this study is to highlight the vital importance of self-efficacy approaches, in particular the Green Office (GO) Model that aims to strengthen collaboration among all members of higher education communities and provides inspiration for what a sustainability office on campus might look like.

Design/methodology/approach

The research presented follows a two-step methodology. First, the peculiarities and commonalities of already existing GOs were analysed to better understand drivers and barriers for their institutionalisation. Building on this, a peer-to-peer digital training programme was developed and tested, aiming to provide students, staff and academics with knowledge and skills to establish more sustainability offices and improve the work of existing ones.

Findings

Research revealed three main obstacles for the dissemination of the GO model: lack of adaptation of international experiences to other university contexts, missing educational offers and a limited scope of public relations. The findings adduce proof that GO provides a replicable model that can be both adapted to different university contexts and scaled internationally.

Research limitations/implications

This research has been limited by the availability and ability to procure information from the sampled universities’ actors beyond the close GO community.

Originality/value

This case study presents an original research and development undertaking that was realised in a unique collaboration between a non-profit, student-initiated social business and an academic institution.
A framework for mapping sustainability within tertiary curriculum
Authors: Trad Sloan Peter
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Sustainability within tertiary curriculum is hard to measure and often perceived to be illusive in nature. Existing higher education sustainability assessment tools rarely focus on the curriculum. This paper aims to establish and implement a tool that can measure sustainability integration within curriculum. The Faculty of Engineering and IT (FEIT) at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is used as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

A set of seven sustainability competencies are identified by means of a systematic literature review as the current knowledge of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) competencies. ESD competency integration into the curriculum is assessed by implementing a two-tier scanning mechanism. In the first step, subject outlines (SOs) are used to identify sustainable subject learning outcomes (SLOs) and assessment learning outcomes (ALOs). Step 2 involves analysing ALOs and SLOs for constructive alignment with student experience. SPSS, a statistical software, is then used to statistically reflect the results.

Findings

An initial scan of SOs found that stated ESD outcomes made up 22.4 per cent of FEIT undergraduate courses. A more detailed investigation which involved assessing subject material and student experience for the seven ESD outcomes resulted in a 7.7 per cent sustainability integration into the FEIT undergraduate courses. SPSS produced tables showing individual competency distribution over course candidature year. Lifecycle assessment was invisible from the curriculum.

Research limitations/implications

Case study outcomes are limited to UTS, and therefore, specific-study outcomes cannot be generalised. This study attempted to trace sustainability learning outcomes through the curriculum. However, a more detailed study should also assess subject pedagogy and artefacts as these may enable or inhibit sustainability competency.

Originality/value

Study developed several methods to establish and evaluate subject level ESD claims. Academic staff and management are able to replicate methods of this study to map ESD within their courses, schools and/or faculties triggering conversation around ESD’s actual integration within curriculum. Based on ESD distribution, specific intervention recommendations are proposed.
Transaction-specific investments in a supplier-distributor-supplier triad in China: opportunism and cooperation
Authors: Liu Yi , Xue Jiaqi , Li Yuan
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Rather than focussing on dyadic distributor–supplier relationships, this study aims to examine whether the difference in transaction-specific investments (TSIs) between rival suppliers in a supplier–distributor–supplier triad influences whether distributors expropriate or maintain their supplier’s TSIs.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on triadic data from 276 questionnaires that address both the supplier–distributor relationship and the rival supplier–distributor relationship, a moderated regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Five out of six hypotheses are supported by the empirical test. The results show that the supplier’s TSIs increase the distributor’s opportunistic behaviour and reduce cooperation when the distributor perceives that the supplier’s TSIs are lower than those of a rival supplier. In contrast, when the distributor perceives that the supplier’s TSIs are higher than those of a competitor, the supplier’s TSIs do not improve cooperation and can shift the link between the supplier’s TSIs and the distributor’s opportunism from being positive to negative.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for the top managers of supplier firms embedded in distribution networks. This study suggests that the competitor’s TSIs can be regarded as an indicator of the supplier’s relationship with the distributor. By keeping an eye on their competitors’ TSIs, the top managers of suppliers can predict the likelihood of distributors’ opportunistic and cooperative behaviour and make efforts to improve their position by adjusting their own firm’s TSIs. Furthermore, this information can help suppliers decide on their investment strategies and maintain stable and healthy relationships.

Originality/value

This study 1) examines the effect of TSIs using a triadic framework and triadic data and demonstrates that how a distributor responds to a supplier’s TSIs, with either opportunism or cooperation, depends on the relative level of those TSIs in focal and competitive relationships; and 2) reveals the expropriation effects and restraint effects of TSIs by drawing on prospect theory. This finding indicates the dynamics of TSIs in a triadic relationship.
Information search by applying VDL-based iconic tags: an experimental study
Authors: Ma Xiaoyue , Xue Pengzhen , Zhang Siya , Matta Nada , Qin Chunxiu , Cahier Jean-Pierre , Wang Keqin
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Visual Distinctive Language (VDL)-based iconic tags are structured visual information annotation. They explicate the content and organization of tagged information by graphical and symbolic features in order to improve the vocabulary problems of textual tags. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how these special icons help in tagged-based user information searching.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-stage experiment was designed and conducted so as to follow and quantify the searching process in specific searching target case and no specific searching target case when using VDL-based iconic tags.

Findings

The experimental results manifested that VDL-based iconic tags enhanced the role of tag in information searching. They could make user better understand tag clusters, which, in turn, provide global structure of involved topics. Also, VDL-based iconic tags helped user to find out searching target more quickly with higher accuracy by taking advantages of visual representation of tag categories and symbolic signification of tag content.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to verify how structured icons work in information searching and how user’s graphical cognition impacts on tag-based information searching process. The research findings are dedicated to the theory of VDL-based iconic tags, as well as to a new visualization method for search user interface design.
Predicting behavioural intention toward Islamic bank: a multi-group analysis approach
Authors: Suhartanto Dwi
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This study aims to examine behavioural intention towards Islamic bank including three determinants: religiosity, trust and image across customers and non-customers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses 400 samples, consisting of customers and non-customers of Islamic banks collected from Bandung, Indonesia. Partial least square was applied to evaluate the association between religiosity, trust, image and behavioural intention.

Findings

This study reveals a direct effect of religiosity on behavioural intention and indirect effect through trust and image for both customers and non-customers of Islamic banks. Although the impact of religiosity on trust, image and behavioural intention is significant in both the customer and non-customer sample, the effect of religiosity on the customer is higher compared to that of non-customer.

Practical implications

This study provides an opportunity for Islamic bank managers to increase the behavioural intention among the customer, as well as non-customer. To increase behavioural intention amongst customers and non-customers, Islamic bank managers need to keep the bank operation compliant with theSharialaw, maintain a good image and gain trust from both customers and non-customers.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to evaluate the behavioural intention towards Islamic bank across customers and non-customers.
What do marketers post on brands’ Facebook pages in Islamic countries?
Authors: Abuljadail Mohammad Hatim , Ha Louisa
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the “posting” behavior of marketers on brands’ Facebook pages and whether these “posting” behaviors differ between local and global brands in Saudi Arabia.

Design/methodology/approach

The study randomly selected a total of 400 Facebook brand page posts from a matching sample of top 20 global and 20 local brands in Saudi Arabia using content analysis.

Findings

One of the notable findings show that global brands are more likely to post content that consists of prizes/giveaways, games/competitions and socializing than local brands, while local brands are more likely to post informative content than global brands. The findings also show that local brands are more likely to use content that includes Islamic messages, women in modest clothing, Arabic language and Saudi dialect than global brands.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to 20 global and 20 local brands. More product categories are needed.

Practical implications

The findings of this study have implications for marketers in regards to what types of communication content is more likely to be posted on brands’ Facebook fan pages in Saudi Arabia – especially for those global brands that are interested in having a localized brand Facebook fan page for Saudi Arabia.

Originality/value

The first study to compare Facebook strategies used by global brands and local brands in the same market.
UK Cryptoassets Taskforce publishes its final report
Authors: Maxson Sam , Davis Stuart , Moulton Rob
Published: May 2019

Purpose

To analyse the final report of the UK Cryptoassets Taskforce published in October 2018 and discuss the UK’s policy and regulatory approach to crypto-assets and distributed ledger technology in financial services.

Design/methodology/approach

This article considers some of the key aspects of the final report of the UK Cryptoassets Taskforce and provides a summary of the next steps the UK authorities have committed to taking in relation to regulation of crypto-assets in the UK.

Findings

The approach to regulation of crypto-assets in the UK is evolving and the relevant UK authorities are continuing to improve their understanding of crypto-assets in order to assess the appropriate type and level of regulation that should apply to them. Whilst risks relating to consumer detriment and anti-money laundering have been identified as needing to be addressed as a matter of priority, the UK authorities appear to be taking a measured approach to regulation of crypto-assets. They also remain supportive of the adoption of distributed ledger technology in financial services, whilst noting some potential challenges to scalability.

Originality/value

This article contains valuable information about current policy direction and regulatory thinking in the UK in relation to crypto-assets, and analysis from leading FinTech lawyers.
The mediation between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation
Authors: Chang Yi-Ying , Hodgkinson Ian , Hughes Paul , Chang Che-Yuan
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of intermediate knowledge mechanisms on the participative leadership–employee exploratory innovation relationship using a distal mediation model.

Design/methodology/approach

Deploying a time-lagged questionnaire method implemented over four business quarters, data are generated from 1,600 responses in R&D units of Taiwanese technology firms.

Findings

The structural equation modeling results reveal that participative leadership is positively related to employee exploratory innovation; coworker knowledge and absorptive capacity partially mediate the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation independently; and coworker knowledge sharing in combination with absorptive capacity partially mediates this relationship.

Originality/value

The findings contribute new knowledge on the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation by uncovering intermediate knowledge mechanisms that augment this relationship.
The impact of corporate distress along the supply chain: evidences from United States
Authors: Gibilaro Lucia , Mattarocci Gianluca
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The aim of the study is to provide evidence on the distress in the supply chain and its impact on the trade credit policy, firms’ performance and risk and their growth opportunities. Trade credit creates a strict relation between suppliers and customers that cannot be easily substituted over time. The linkages established between firms in a supply chain are a key value added for all members that could represent a competitive advantage over independent market players. In the event of a supply chain disruption, all members could suffer from a decrease in profitability and an increase in risk. Nonetheless, no empirical evidence exists on the expected economic and financial effects on pertinent suppliers and customers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the US market and evaluates the impact of a supply chain member’s default on the other members, looking at both the customers’ and suppliers’ default. The sample considers all firms in the USA disclosing entry into bankruptcy proceedings through EDGAR filings that were not classified as financial intermediaries between 2012 and 2016. The analysis considers the effect of distress on the supply chain (suppliers or customers) on the trade credit policy, performance, risk and growth perspectives of connected firms.

Findings

The results show that a supply chain disruption not only modifies the trade credit policy but also affects firm risk and profitability and the financing sources available to support firm growth. Empirical evidence shows that the bankruptcy of a member of the supply chain affects the trade credit policy of all the other members. The costs related to default are economically and financially relevant to all supply chain members and affect the resiliency of the supply chain beyond the short term.

Originality/value

This paper uses an original and innovative database to empirically test the impact of corporate distress on supply chain financing, performance, risk and growth opportunities.
Collaboration beyond the supply network for green innovation: insight from 11 cases
Authors: Melander Lisa , Pazirandeh Ala
Published: May 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the how, why, who and what of collaborations in green innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on 11 case studies conducted at high-technological firms where 30 top management representatives were interviewed.

Findings

The study shows that firms share knowledge on green innovation across industries through horizontal collaborations and their extended network, such as their suppliers’ and customer’s networks in other industries. The results also show that digitalization, connectivity and big data are considered important vessels to improve environmental sustainability, as firms believe that these technologies will result in large gains related to resource utilization. Finally, the firms in this study engaged to a wide extent in green innovation activities, which resulted in a variety of improved resource utilization related to energy efficiency, new materials, new technologies, limiting emissions and recycle management.

Research limitations/implications

The paper contributes to the literature by showing that firms share knowledge on green innovation not only within their network but also across industries through horizontal collaborations and their extended network.

Practical implications

The study points to the complexity of collaborating on green innovation. The authors show the importance of digitalization to improving environmental sustainability, with managers needing to develop business models and finding collaboration partners that can facilitate the transformation towards more connected products and services.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the field of supply network collaboration by studying how firms collaborate to improve environmental sustainability.
History, Evolution and Future of Big Data and Analytics: A Bibliometric Analysis of Its Relationship to Performance in Organizations
Authors: Batistič Saša , van der Laken Paul
Published: May 2019

Big data and analytics (BDA) are gaining momentum, particularly in the practitioner world. Research linking BDA to improved organizational performance seems scarce and widely dispersed though, with the majority focused on specific domains and/or macro‐level relationships. In order to synthesize past research and advance knowledge of the potential organizational value of BDA, the authors obtained a data set of 327 primary studies and 1252 secondary cited papers. This paper reviews this body of research, using three bibliometric methods. First, it elucidates its intellectual foundations via co‐citation analysis. Second, it visualizes the historical evolution of BDA and performance research and its substreams through algorithmic historiography. Third, it provides insights into the field's potential evolution via bibliographic coupling. The results reveal that the academic attention for the BDA–performance link has been increasing rapidly. The study uncovered ten research clusters that form the field's foundation. While research seems to have evolved following two main, isolated streams, the past decade has witnessed more cross‐disciplinary collaborations. Moreover, the study identified several research topics undergoing focused development, including financial and customer risk management, text mining and evolutionary algorithms. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications for different functional management domains and the gaps for both research and practice.
Effect of high‐energy emulsification on properties of commercial low‐temperature pasteurised milk
Authors: Jo Yeon‐Ji , Choi Mi‐Jung , Chun Ji‐Yeon
Published: May 2019

The present study investigated milk quality through changing physicochemical properties by using high‐energy emulsification (microfluidisation, MF; and ultrasonication, US). The results will aid in making better quality dairy products. MF was more effective in changing the physicochemical properties of milk; compared to US, MF resulted in smaller, monodispersed particles, and MF better inactivated protease activity without changing the pH, lipid oxidation and thermal denaturation of protein during storage periods.
A Review of the Alleged Health Hazards of Monosodium Glutamate
Authors: Zanfirescu Anca , Ungurianu Anca , Tsatsakis Aristides M. , Nițulescu George M. , Kouretas Demetrios , Veskoukis Aris , Tsoukalas Dimitrios , Engin Ayse B. , Aschner Michael , Margină Denisa
Published: May 2019

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an umami substance widely used as flavor enhancer. Although it is generally recognized as being safe by food safety regulatory agencies, several studies have questioned its long‐term safety. The purpose of this review was to survey the available literature on preclinical studies and clinical trials regarding the alleged adverse effects of MSG. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the reported possible risks that may potentially arise following chronic exposure. Preclinical studies have associated MSG administration with cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, low‐grade inflammation, metabolic disarray, and premalignant alterations, along with behavioral changes. However, in reviewing the available literature, we detected several methodological flaws, which led us to conclude that these studies have limited relevance for extrapolation to dietary human intake of MSG risk exposure. Clinical trials have focused mainly on MSG effects on food intake and energy expenditure. Besides its well‐known impact on food palatability, MSG enhances salivary secretion and interferes with carbohydrate metabolism, while the impact on satiety and post‐meal recovery of hunger varied in relation to meal composition. Reports on MSG hypersensitivity or links of its use to increased pain sensitivity and atopic dermatitis were found to have little supporting evidence. Many of the reported negative health effects of MSG have little relevance for chronic human exposure and are poorly informative as they are based on excessive dosing that does not meet with levels normally consumed in food products. We conclude that further clinical and epidemiological studies are needed, with an appropriate design, accounting for both added and naturally occurring dietary MSG.
Plasma Filtration Versus Centrifugation in Pediatric Therapeutic Plasma Exchange: Should the Diagnosis Define the Method?†
Authors: Yetimakman A Filiz , Kesici Selman , Bayrakci Benan
Published: May 2019

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is used for a variety of illnesses in critically ill pediatric patients. Although both centrifugation and filtration are known to be effective methods, to our knowledge, clinical results for TPE by these methods are not compared in pediatric patient populations. One hundred patients who had TPE for a variety of diagnoses were included in the study. In 55 patients plasma exchange was implemented by centrifugation and in 45, by filtration. These two groups were further divided into subgroups according to admittance diagnoses. The demographic information, admittance Pediatric Risk of Mortality scores, Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) scores before beginning of therapy and PELOD at the end of therapy, durations of ventilatory support, pediatric intensive care unit and hospital stay, and outcomes were compared. Although the survival was significantly better in filtration group, it included more patients with neurologic diagnoses. Filtration group standard mortality rate was 0.6. In both groups, the PELOD scores after the termination of TPE were significantly decreased compared to that before beginning of TPE. Within thrombotic microangiopathy and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis subgroups, median PELOD scores before treatment were higher in centrifugation patients but survival was similar with both methods. Both methods of TPE are alike in decreasing PELOD scores. In the filtration group, survival benefit of TPE is evident. In thrombotic microangiopathy patients, despite higher PELOD scores in the centrifugation group, survival is similar for both methods. These findings should be retested in randomized studies and the underlying physiology awaits to be uncovered.
Effect of Local Polyhexanide Application in Preventing Exit‐Site Infection and Peritonitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Ceri Mevlut , Yilmaz Seref Rahmi , Unverdi Selman , Kurultak Ilhan , Duranay Murat
Published: May 2019

Topical antibiotic and antiseptic agents have been documented to reduce exit‐site infection (ESI) and peritonitis in PD. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of polyhexanide in the prevention of ESI and peritonitis. Patients were excluded if they had active infection, > 18 years of age, ESI and peritonitis within the previous 4 weeks, received PD for less than 3‐months and history of allergy to either drug. All patients were followed up until catheter removal, death, switch to dialysis, transplantation or the end of the study. ESI, tunnel infection, peritonitis, catheter removal and microorganism cause of catheter‐related infection were recorded prospectively during clinic follow‐up. A total of 88 patients (41 povidone‐iodine group; 47 polyhexanide group) were enrolled with a total follow‐up duration of 480 and 555 patient‐months for povidone‐iodine and alternating group, respectively. There were no significant differences in the age, sex, BMI, time of PD, rate of DM, and S. aureus carriage state. A total of 8 ESI and 25 peritonitis episodes were detected during the study. ESI and peritonitis rates tended to be lower in polyhexanide group compared with the povidone‐iodine group (0.06 episodes/patient‐year vs. 0.12 episodes/patient‐year; 0.26 episodes/patient‐year vs. 0.32 episodes/patient‐year, respectively), but were not significant statistically. Moreover, catheter removal was similar in both groups (0.04 / patient‐year vs. 0.05 / patient‐year). Polyhexanide is efficient and safe for the prevention of ESI and peritonitis and it may be used as an alternative procedure for the care of healthy exit sites.
Possible Metabolic Pathway of a Novel Bioactive Polysaccharide Extracted from Dendrobium aphyllum: An In Vivo Study
Authors: Liu Huifan , Ma Lukai , Wang Qin
Published: May 2019

Our previous study characterized the structure‐associated immunomodulatory effects of an edible Dendrobium aphyllum polysaccharide (DAP), and the in vitro gastrointestinal digestions highlighted DAP could be digested by the GI tract in some extent. Therefore, the present study further explored the digestive properties in vivo to infer the metabolic pathway with health mice model. Results revealed that DAP‐treated group showed slightly lower blood glucose levels and significantly higher (P < 0.05) enzyme activities, namely G6Pase and GDH with an increment of about 0.4 to 0.9 and 45 to 91 U/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, DAP up‐regulated the expression of glucose transporters, GLUT1 and GLUT2 in the increment rates of 56.34% to 68.28% and 76.63% to 83.03%, in colon. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of DAP on colon were confirmed by the increment of four types short chain fatty acids and the health‐promoting microbiota diversity. The above results successfully identify the metabolic pathways after the oral administration of bioactive DAP.

Practical application

The metabolic pathways of Dendrobium aphyllum polysaccharide, after artificially stimulated oral administration, were characterized. The most of the unabsorbed portion of DAP were utilized by the colon microbiota, resulting in the significantly increasing production of four health‐promoting SCFAs. The unabsorbed portion of DAP upregulated the diversity of various beneficial microbiota genus, and meanwhile downregulated kinds of harmful microbiota genus.
Isomerization of Gibberellic Acid During the Brewing Process
Authors: Sun Weikang , Liu Chunfeng , Duan Hongxu , Niu Chengtuo , Wang Jinjing , Zheng Feiyun , Li Yongxian , Li Qi
Published: May 2019

Gibberellic acid (GA3) was added to three types of beer barley, and the chemical changes to GA3 during the beer brewing process were studied using HPLC. The results demonstrated that the GA3 concentration decreased throughout the malting, mashing, and boiling processes and that no GA3 was detected in the congress wort. A new substance, herein called Substance A, was detected by HPLC analysis using a C18 column; this substance exhibited retention characteristics different from GA3. The concentration of Substance A increased throughout the malting, mashing, and boiling processes. Mass spectrometry revealed that Substance A has the same molecular weight as GA3 and nuclear magnetic resonance studies determined that Substance A is a structural isomer of GA3.

Practical Application

This study developed a new idea to understand GA3 behavior during the brewing, which provided a practical reference for food safety in beer and other fields using GA3 as a food additive.
Characterization of Bacterial Microbiota in Tilapia Fillets Under Different Storage Temperatures
Authors: Duan Shan , Zhou Xingzhi , Xiao Hang , Miao Jianyin , Zhao Lei
Published: May 2019

This paper investigates the bacterial microbiota in tilapia fillets under cold (4 °C), iced (0 °C), and superchilled (–3 °C) storage conditions. At 4 °C, at least seven species/strains of Pseudomonas were detected in the fillets, five of which were dominant either at a certain stage or throughout the entire storage period. Shewanella was less dominant than Pseudomonas at 4 °C, while Serratia became dominant after 6 days storage at 4 °C. The microbiota in fillets stored at 0 and –3 °C were very similar and rarely changed during storage, yet differed greatly from the microbiota at 4 °C. Only two Pseudomonas species/strains grew at 0 and –3 °C, one of which was the most dominant. A Vibrionimonas sp. not found at 4 °C was found to be the second most dominant species at 0 and –3 °C. Shewanella and Psychrobacter were also present at 0 and –3 °C but were the minor genera. The most dominant strains at –3, 0, and 4 °C were separately isolated and subjected to full length 16S rDNA sequencing, which demonstrated that they were identical and were Pseudomonas fluorescens. The changes of the total bacterial count and TVBN value of the fillets inoculated with the isolated P. fluorescens were very similar to those of fillets with natural microbiota. This implies that P. fluorescens is the most important spoiler of tilapia fillets at –3, 0, or 4 °C.

Practical Application

This research shows that fewer species of bacteria survive at 0 and –3 °C than those at 4 °C, while among these bacteria, the most important spoiler is P. fluorescens. This may provide some clues to extend the shelf life of tilapia fillets by taking some inhibitory measures targeted at P. fluorescens in the future.
A Retrospective 4‐year Outcome Study of Veterans Admitted to an Acute Inpatient Detoxification Unit for Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Li Kevin J. , Smedberg Diane L. , DeLisi Lynn E.
Published: May 2019

Background and Objectives

With 47 600 opioid‐related deaths in 2017, the yearly deaths have surpassed the HIV/AIDS peak yearly death rates. Residential rehabilitation (RR) and medication‐assisted treatments (MAT) are commonly utilized treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Methods

All patients (n = 182) who were admitted to the Boston Veterans Health Administration for inpatient admission for medically supervised opioid withdrawal in 2015 were included. Deceased patients were matched 1:1, based on age and sex to living patients from the 182‐patient cohort. Nationwide electronic medical records were analyzed from 2015 through 2018. Via multilinear regression, risk factor correlation to all‐cause mortality (the dependent variable) was our main outcome. Primary risk factors included recurrent admissions for medically supervised withdrawals and exposure to RR or MAT. Secondary risk factors were opioid use traits, nonopioid drug use, partner support, education level, homelessness, and employment.

Results

18.4% (n = 34) were deceased by the time of follow‐up—equivalent to 4760 deaths per 100 000 person‐years. A total of 61.8% (n = 21) of these deaths were directly related to opioid use. Completion of RR correlated with lower predicted mortality (β = −8.21, P = 0.03). In contrast, attending RR but not completing correlated with higher predicted mortality rate (β = 6.51, P = 0.046). Concurrent benzodiazepine use (β = 8.99, P = 0.047), generalized anxiety disorder (β = 7.13, P = 0.03) and major depressive disorder (β = 5.44, P = 0.04) increased risk of death.

Conclusion and Scientific Significance

OUD carries a shockingly high lethality in Veterans requiring inpatient admission for opioid withdrawal, particularly when there are untreated comorbid psychiatric conditions. RR and MAT are correlated to lower all‐cause mortality in this population and should be highly utilized. Given the extremely high mortality, intensive system‐wide interventions are needed for the care of Veterans with OUD. On the basis of the reduced predicted mortality with RR and MAT, further research into novel MATs as well as refining RR programs should be a major focus. (Am J Addict 2019;28:318–323)
Characterisation of aluminium release by the enFlow® fluid‐warming system in crystalloids and blood products
Authors: Taylor M. H. , Choi D. , Fitzpatrick S. M. , Gunn K. N.
Published: May 2019

The use of uncoated aluminium‐heated plates in an intravenous fluid‐warming system has been shown to produce high levels of aluminium in Sterofundin 1/1E, a balanced crystalloid solution. However, the effect of this fluid‐warming device on other balanced crystalloid solutions and blood products has not been studied. Using mass spectrometry we measured aluminium levels in Plasma‐Lyte 148, compound sodium lactate solution, 4% human albumin solution, expired resuspended packed red cells and fresh frozen plasma that were pumped through an enFlow® fluid‐warming system at 2 ml.min−1. Samples were taken at baseline before heating and then at 10‐min intervals up to 60 min with the system set to warm the fluids to 40 °C. High concentrations of aluminium were found for Plasma‐Lyte 148 and compound sodium lactate solutions (mean (SD) 223 (0.6) μmol.l−1 and 163 (0.2) μmol.l−1 at 60 min, respectively); both concentrations were significantly greater than the United States Food and Drug Administration recommended maximum limit for aluminium in intravenous nutrition of 25 μg.l−1 (0.9 μmol.l−1 ). Lower aluminium levels were found in 4% human albumin solutions, expired resuspended red cells and fresh frozen plasma at 60 min (mean (SD) 5.7 (0.1) μmol.l−1, 2.7 (0.0) μmol.l−1 and 2.3 (0.4) μmol.l−1, respectively). The process allowing addition of aluminium to be added to Sterofundin 1/1E by the enFlow fluid warmer also occurs in Plasma‐Lyte 148 and compound sodium lactate solutions and to a lesser degree in blood products. The exact mechanism facilitating this process and its clinical significance remain unclear.
Laparoscopic versus open transverse‐incision right hemicolectomy: a retrospective comparison study
Authors: Feo Claudio F. , Feo Carlo V. , Fancellu Alessandro , Ginesu Giorgio C. , Cherchi Giuseppe , Zese Monica , Targa Simone , Porcu Alberto
Published: May 2019

Background

The optimal surgical approach to right colon cancer is still under debate. The aim of the present study was to compare the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of laparoscopic and transverse‐incision open approaches to right hemicolectomy for colon cancer.

Methods

Data on 99 adult patients with right‐side colon cancer undergoing either laparoscopic or open transverse‐incision right hemicolectomy at two different university hospitals, between January 2013 and December 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. Data concerning patients’ characteristics, operative details and post‐operative recovery were retrieved from prospective databases and analysed.

Results

Forty‐nine subjects were operated on laparoscopically, while 50 through an open transverse incision. Operating time was significantly longer in the laparoscopic group compared with the open group (182 versus 105 min; P < 0.01). Patients treated laparoscopically had a shorter time to first bowel movement, while time to resume a normal diet and post‐operative length of hospital stay were comparable in between groups. The median number of lymph nodes harvested was higher in the laparoscopic group (25.6 versus 18.6; P < 0.01), but no significant difference in overall survival between groups was detected. At long‐term follow‐up, the incidence of incisional hernia was higher in the laparoscopic group as compared to the open group (24.5% versus 0%; P = 0.0002).

Conclusion

Our results show that laparoscopic right hemicolectomy when compared to the transverse‐incision open procedure may guarantee the same oncological radicality, but short‐term functional benefits are still unclear. Randomized control studies are warranted to better clarify the comparison of these two approaches for right‐sided colon cancers.
A clinical predictive model for post‐hospitalisation venous thromboembolism in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: McCurdy Jeffrey D. , Israel Amanda , Hasan Maryam , Weng Robin , Mallick Ranjeeta , Ramsay Tim , Carrier Marc
Published: May 2019

Background

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) during hospitalisation and potentially post‐discharge.

Aims

To determine the incidence and risk factors for post‐discharge VTE in IBD patients and create a point of care predictive model to assess VTE risk.

Methods

Hospitalised IBD patients were identified from our institutional discharge database between 2009 and 2016, and were assessed for VTE by chart review. Risk factors for VTE within 3 months of discharge were determined by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. A point of care model was created using variables from the univariate analysis with P < 0.05, and internally validated by bootstrap methods.

Results

Sixty‐six of 2161 eligible discharges (3%) were associated with VTE within 6 months of hospitalisation. The median time to event was 37 days (range 3‐182 days). On multivariable analysis age >45 years (OR 3.76; 95% CI 1.80‐7.89) and multiple admissions (OR 2.62; 95% CI 1.34‐5.11) were independently associated with VTE risk. Our final model incorporated age >45 years, multiple admissions, intensive care unit admission, length of admission >7 days and central catheter and was able to discriminate between discharges associated with and without VTE (optimism‐corrected c‐statistic, 0.70; 95% CI 0.58‐0.77). By limiting treatment to a high‐risk group, extended thromboprophylaxis could be avoided in 92% of discharges with a miss rate of 1.6% (32/1982 discharges).

Conclusion

Patients with IBD remain at risk of VTE after hospital discharge. Our model may help clinicians stratify which patients will benefit most from extended thrombophrophylaxis.
Wage–vacancy contracts and multiplicity of equilibria in a directed search model of the labour market
Authors: Jacquet Nicolas L. , Kennes John , Tan Serene
Published: May 2019

This paper studies a directed search model of the labour market, which is standard in all aspects except two. First, we allow firms to post wage–vacancy contracts advertising the number of workers they would pay as well as the payment all will receive. Second, we consider two cases: one where workers are risk neutral and one where workers are risk averse, both in finite and large economies. Our paper shows that when firms post wage–vacancy contracts, whether workers are modelled as risk neutral or risk averse matters: the types of symmetric equilibria and the nature of multiplicity of equilibria are different. Somewhat surprisingly, when there are finite numbers of risk‐neutral workers and firms, we obtain a finite number of symmetric equilibria, but when workers are risk averse, we obtain a continuum of equilibria. Furthermore, our paper sounds a cautionary note on using large economies as an approximation of finite economies: when workers are risk neutral, the nature of equilibrium is preserved going from a finite to a large economy, but the nature of equilibrium is different when workers are risk averse.
First Peoples lost: Determining the state of status First Nations mortality in Canada using administrative data
Authors: Feir Donna , Akee Randall
Published: May 2019

We present the most comprehensive set of estimates to date for status First Nations mortality in Canada. We use administrative data from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to establish a set of stylized facts regarding status First Nations mortality rates. Between 2010 to 2013, the mortality rates of status First Nations men and boys are highest in nearly all age groups of status First Nations considered, with the exception of status girls between the ages of 10 to 14. On reserve, status boys between the ages of 15 to 19 have mortality rates nearly four times that in the general population, while status girls between the ages of 15 to 19 have mortality rates five times that in the general population. We demonstrate substantial regional variation in mortality rates. Finally, we document that there has been no improvement in mortality among status women and girls living on reserve in the last 30 years and relative mortality rates for all status people on reserve has not changed in 40 years.