bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of socioeconomic and ethnic characteristics on COVID-19 infection: The case of the Ultra-Orthodox and the Arab communities in Israel
Authors: Saban M , Shachar T , Miron O , Wilf-Miron R
Published: May 2020

Background

During infectious disease outbreaks the weakest communities are more vulnerable to the infection and its deleterious effects. In Israel, the Arab and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities have unique demographic and cultural characteristics that place them at risk for infection.

Objective

To examine the socioeconomic and ethnic differences in relation to COVID-19 testing, cases and deaths, and to analyze infection spread patterns in ethnically diverse communities.

Methods

Consecutive data on COVID-19 diagnostic testing, confirmed cases and deaths collected from March 31st through May 1st, 2020 in 174 localities across Israel (84% of the population) were analyzed by socioeconomic ranking and ethnicity.

Findings

Tests were performed on 331,594 individuals (4·29% of the total population). Of those, 14,865 individuals (4·48%) were positive and 203 died (1·37% of confirmed cases).

The percentage of the population tested was 26% and the risk of testing positive was 2·16 times higher in the lowest, compared with the highest socioeconomic category. The proportion of confirmed cases was 4·96 times higher in the Jewish compared with the Arab population.

The rate of confirmed cases in 2 Ultra-Orthodox localities increased relatively early and quickly. Other Jewish and Arab localities showed consistently low rates of confirmed COVID-19 cases, regardless of socioeconomic ranking.

Interpretation

Culturally different communities reacted differently to the COVID-19 outbreak and to government measures, resulting in different outcomes. Therefore, socioeconomic and ethnic variables cannot fully explain communities’ reaction to the pandemic. Our findings stress the need for designing a culturally adapted approach for dealing with health crises.
Modeling the Dynamics of the COVID-19 Population in Australia: A Probabilistic Analysis
Authors: Eshragh Ali , Alizamir Saed , Howley Peter , Stojanovski Elizabeth
Published: May 2020

The novel Corona Virus COVID-19 arrived on Australian shores around 25 January 2020. This paper presents a novel method of dynamically modeling and forecasting the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia with a high degree of accuracy and in a timely manner using limited data; a valuable resource that can be used to guide government decision-making on societal restrictions on a daily and/or weekly basis. The “partially-observable stochastic process” used in this study predicts not only the future actual values with extremely low error, but also the percentage of unobserved COVID-19 cases in the population. The model can further assist policy makers to assess the effectiveness of several possible alternative scenarios in their decision-making processes.

Highlights

This work applies a novel and effective approach using a partially-observable stochastic process to study the dynamics of the COVID-19 population in Australia over the 1 March-22 May 2020 period.

The key contributions of this work include (but are not limited to):

identifying two structural break points in the numbers of new cases coinciding with where the dynamics of the COVID-19 population are altered: the first, a major break point, on 27 March 2020, is one week after implementing the “lockdown restrictions”, and the second minor point on 18 April 2020, is one week after the “Easter break”;

forecasting the future daily numbers of new cases up to 28 days in advance with extremely low mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs) using a relative paucity of data, namely, MAPE of 1.53% using 20 days of data to predict the number of new cases for the following 6 days, MAPE of 0.43% using 34 days of data to predict the number of new cases for the following 14 days, and MAPE of 0.20% using 55 days of data to predict the number of new cases for the following 28 days;

estimating approximately 33% of COVID-19 cases as unobserved by 26 March 2020, reducing to less than 5% after implementing the Government’s constructive restrictions;

predicting that the growth rate, prior to the Government’s implementation of restrictions, was on a trajectory to infect numbers equal to Australia’s entire population by 24 April 2020;

estimating the dynamics of the growth rate of the COVID-19 population to slow down to a rate of 0.820 after the first break point, with a slight rise to 0.979 after the second break point;

Advocating the outlined stochastic model as practically beneficial for policy makers when considering implementation and easing of virus restrictions due to the demonstrated sensitivity of the dynamics of the COVID-19 population in Australia to both major and minor system changes.

The model developed in this work may further assist policy makers to consider the impact of several potential scenarios in their decision-making processes.
Case fatality risk by age from COVID-19 in a high testing setting in Latin America: Chile, March-May, 2020
Authors: Undurraga Eduardo A. , Chowell Gerardo , Mizumoto Kenji
Published: May 2020

Background

Early severity estimates of COVID-19 are critically needed to better assess the potential impact of the ongoing pandemic in different socio-demographic groups. Using real-time epidemiological data from Chile, the nation in Latin America with the highest testing rate for COVID-19, we derive delay-adjusted severity estimates by age group as of May 18th, 2020.

Methods

We employed statistical methods and daily series of age-stratified COVID-19 cases and deaths reported in Chile to estimate the delay-adjusted case fatality rate across six age groups.

Results

Our most recent estimates of the time-delay adjusted case fatality rate are 0.08% (95% Credible Interval CrI:0.04-0.13%) among persons aged 0-39, 0.61% (95%CrI:0.41-0.87%) for those aged 40-49, 1.06% (95%CrI:0.76-1.40%) for those aged 50-59, 3.79% (95%CrI:3.04-4.66%) for those aged 60-69, 12.22% (95%CrI:10.40-14.38%) for those aged 70-79, and 26.27% (95%CrI:22.95-2980%) for persons aged 80 and over. The overall time-delay adjusted case fatality rate is1.78% (95%CrI: 1.63-1.95%) across all age groups.

Conclusions

Severity estimates from COVID-19 in Chile indicate a disproportionate impact among seniors, especially among those aged ≥ 70 years. COVID-19 is imposing a high death toll in Latin America. Case fatality rates in Chile suggest the health system is not yet overwhelmed, but the epidemic is expanding fast.
Appraising information literacy skills of students in Singapore
Authors: Majid Shaheen , Foo Schubert , Chang Yun Ke
Published: May 2020

Purpose

To investigate information literacy (IL) skills of secondary students in Singapore after integration of these skills into school curriculum. The study also explored cyber wellness skills of the students.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 14 secondary schools, located in different geographical zones of the country. A total of 3,306 secondary students participated in this survey. A scoring scheme was devised to assess IL skills of the students.

Findings

The students achieved an overall mean score of 52.6%, which is considered as a “middle” level of IL competency. The students obtained high mean scores for two IL skills: “defining information task and analysing information gaps” (60.5%) and cyber wellness (60.1%). Lowest scores were achieved for two IL skills: “selecting information sources” (47.4%) and “appraising the information process and product” (48.0%).

Research limitations/implications

This study has not investigated IL knowledge of teachers, responsible for teaching IL components. Similarly, content analysis of school textbooks, integrating IL skills, could be useful.

Practical implications

It appeared that integration of IL skills into school curriculum showed limited success in imparting these skills. This paper suggests measures for improving the integration of IL skills into school curriculum. Findings of this survey will be useful to curriculum planners, education administrators, instructors teaching IL skills and school librarians.

Originality/value

This study was unique as, in addition to standard IL skills, it also investigated cyber wellness skills. It was desirable as now social media have become a popular source for information seeking and sharing.
Luxury restaurants’ risks when implementing new environmentally friendly programs – evidence from luxury restaurants in Taiwan
Authors: Peng Norman
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Some luxury restaurants might be hesitant to adopt new environmentally friendly initiatives due to worries that consumers might have concerns about how these changes might affect them. The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers’ intentions to dine at luxury restaurants when new environmentally friendly practices are implemented, considering the influence of trust and perceived risks.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on information integration theory and protection motivation theory, this research proposes its model and hypotheses. To test the proposed hypotheses, 441 participants were recruited through a non-probability purposive sampling method.

Findings

The results show that perceived risks (i.e. perceived functional risk, perceived financial risk, perceived hedonic risk and perceived self-image risk) significantly affect consumers’ consumption intentions. Furthermore, consumers’ trust in luxury restaurants will partially moderate the effects of perceived risks on consumption intentions.

Practical implications

This study offers empirical support for the proposition that implementing new environmentally friendly practices can affect consumers’ dining intentions in a negative way. Suggestions on how to mitigate the effect of perceived risks are discussed.

Originality/value

The results of this research contribute to the hospitality literature in three ways. First, this study is one of the few to report that luxury restaurants should take consumers’ perceptions of risk into account before initiating new environmentally friendly procedures. Second, it confirms that perceived risks will lower consumers’ luxury restaurant consumption intentions. Third, consumers’ trust in luxury restaurants can partially moderate the influences of perceived risks on consumption intentions.
The economics of COVID-19: initial empirical evidence on how family firms in five European countries cope with the corona crisis
Authors: Kraus Sascha , Clauss Thomas , Breier Matthias , Gast Johanna , Zardini Alessandro , Tiberius Victor
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Within a very short period of time, the worldwide pandemic triggered by the novel coronavirus has not only claimed numerous lives but also caused severe limitations to daily private as well as business life. Just about every company has been affected in one way or another. This first empirical study on the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on family firms allows initial conclusions to be drawn about family firm crisis management.

Design/methodology/approach

Exploratory qualitative research design based on 27 semi-structured interviews with key informants of family firms of all sizes in five Western European countries that are in different stages of the crisis.

Findings

The COVID-19 crisis represents a new type and quality of challenge for companies. These companies are applying measures that can be assigned to three different strategies to adapt to the crisis in the short term and emerge from it stronger in the long run. Our findings show how companies in all industries and of all sizes adapt their business models to changing environmental conditions within a short period of time. Finally, the findings also show that the crisis is bringing about a significant yet unintended cultural change. On the one hand, a stronger solidarity and cohesion within the company was observed, while on the other hand, the crisis has led to a tentative digitalization.

Originality/value

To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first empirical study in the management realm on the impacts of COVID-19 on (family) firms. It provides cross-national evidence of family firms' current reactions to the crisis.
What is the employment potential of a lean platform? The case of Dutch self-employed service professionals
Authors: Jonker-Hoffrén Paul
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to study what platform-related user factors influence the employment potential of a lean platform for self-employed professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

The article employs the system data of a Dutch platform firm, which include consumers looking for painters (N = 17,224) and self-employed painters (N = 1,752) who pursue client acquisition by submitting proposals (N = 101,974). This data is analysed using non-parametric tests.

Findings

Study of this platform shows that the platform functions as a channel of acquisition for self-employed professionals. This lean platform enables matching of information of supply and demand, thereby facilitating processes of acquisition. The number of competitors, distance to a potential job and non-standard proposals are statistically significant factors that influence whether a consumer is interested in a proposal. Effect sizes are very small.

Research limitations/implications

This platform is a two-way market for information about service jobs, which excludes a price setting mechanism. The findings of this study cannot be generalized to other forms of platforms.

Practical implications

The market for service professionals is very local; therefore, the platform firm may alter the algorithm to accommodate this. Self-employed professionals should approach using the platform in the same way as normal forms of acquisition.

Social implications

This particular type of two-sided market is an extension of regular forms of acquisition by creating “weak ties” through the platform.

Originality/value

The article uses a unique data set to study the impact and limitations of digitalization of the (labour) market for service professionals.
Prisoners’ experience and perceptions of health care in Australian prisons: a qualitative study
Authors: Capon Adam , McGowan Lien , Bowman Julia
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Patient-centred care is a key approach used in Australia for the delivery of quality health care, and understanding experiences and perceptions is a key part to this. This paper aims to explore prisoners’ experiences and perceptions of health-care service provision in New South Wales, Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

In February and March 2017, 24 focus groups, consisting of 128 participants, were undertaken using semi-structured interviews that explored experiences of health care in prison.

Findings

A conceptualisation of the prisoners’ health-care experience around the core category of access to health care emerged from the data. Enablers or barriers to this access were driven by three categories: a prison construct – how the prisoners “see” the prison system influencing access to health care; a health-care system construct – how the prisoners “see” the prison health-care system and the pathways to navigate it; and personal factors. Communication was the category with the greatest number of relational connections.

Research limitations/implications

This study takes a pragmatic approach to the analysis of data, the findings forming the basis for a future quantitative study. The findings identify communication as a key issue for access to health care.

Originality/value

This study provides first-hand accounts of enablers and barriers to accessing health-care services in the prison environment. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to identify access to health care as a core category and is of value to health workers and researchers that work with the prison population.
Process-oriented improvement: a modern look at drawing the organizational progress roadmap
Authors: Naser SadrAbadi Alireza , Zanjirchi Seyed Mahmood , Jalilian Negar
Published: May 2020

Purpose

In Iran, the Bank A is one of the largest and most effective banks of the banking network. The continued success of Bank A in improving the economic level of the country and satisfying the customers depends on recognizing all banking activities and processes in the form of supply chain and performing the necessary managerial acts in order to enhance the relevant processes. In this regard, the present study aimed to improve the most effective processes of banking services supply chain of Bank A in Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study was applied and descriptive. Research population included the heads, deputies and active experts in Bank A, who were selected through judgmental and saturation sampling methods to complete the questionnaire and participate in interviews and conference sessions. Regarding to aim of study, the integrated approach of intuitionistic fuzzy based DEMATEL-ISM was used.

Findings

According to the results, the processes of product delivery, information technology management, public relations and advertising management, risk management, and marketing and sales management exerted the most impacts on other processes in the supply chain. Finally, after designing a process improvement path, solutions were presented to improve the most effective processes.

Originality/value

In this research, efforts were dedicated to the recognition of the major processes of the services supply chain of Bank A, designing the process framework of the bank and improving the prioritized processes by evaluating the causal relations that exist among the processes of the services supply chain.
Using linguistics to inform influencer marketing in services
Authors: Burton Jennifer Lee , Mosteller Jill R. , Hale Kellie E.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

To inform and optimize frontline service interactions associated with higher education recruitment, the linguistic content and context of online posts by brand ambassadors and prospective students in a brand community are examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) with content analysis, the authors examine over 20,000 online communication posts to identify prospects’ needs and communication styles that may inform brand ambassadors’ outreach efforts.

Findings

Analysis reveals linguistic differences between brand ambassadors’ and prospective students’ posts across public and private spaces, suggesting gaps in exchange efficacy. Publicly, prospects express more positive emotion, affiliation and authenticity than in private posts, where posting engagement is the highest. Prospects overall low clout language, combined with brand ambassadors’ low authenticity scores, suggest limited influence in exchange efforts. Theoretically, findings suggest that given the hedonic nature of public exchanges, this is where brand ambassadors may be more influential than in private, utilitarian informational exchanges. An integrated influencer marketing servicescape model is developed to guide future research.

Originality/value

Findings extend and integrate the online servicescape and influencer marketing literatures by revealing the importance of service interaction context and linguistic styles in enhancing frontline informational exchanges. Aligning linguistic language such as analytical thought, clout, authenticity, emotional tone, temporal focus and affiliation between public and private contexts may enhance authenticity in frontline service interactions, thereby enhancing communication effectiveness.
Strategies occupational therapists use to engage children and parents in therapy sessions
Authors: D’Arrigo Rachel G. , Copley Jodie A. , Poulsen Anne A. , Ziviani Jenny
Published: May 2020

Occupational therapists implicitly rely on tacit knowledge to inform the strategies they use to engage children and parents in a therapy session.

Objective

To identify strategies occupational therapists use in a therapy session to engage children and parents.

Methods

A qualitative approach was employed using interpretive description methodology. This involved seven therapy session observations with six occupational therapists (involving child, parent and therapist) and a key informant interview with the therapist after each session. Thematic analysis was undertaken.

Results

Two themes emerged. (a) ‘Engaging the child’ included ‘building a connection’, ‘attending to feelings’, ‘thoughts and behaviours’, ‘structuring or designing the session’, ‘giving choice and respecting their choice’, ‘use of self’, ‘helping the child feel success’ and ‘helping the child understand and explore’. (b) ‘Engaging the parent’ included ‘connecting’, ‘listening’, ‘explaining’, ‘demonstrating anddiscussing’, ‘including the parent and valuing their input’ and ‘collaborating’.

Conclusions

The strategies therapists used to engage children and families can be mapped with autonomy, relatedness‐ and competence‐supportive strategies of Self‐Determination Theory. Therapist attunement and responsiveness to the child as well as collaboration with the parent were strategies that represented all aspects of SDT.
The key iron assimilation genesClFTR1,ClNPS6were crucial for virulence ofCurvularia lunatavia initiating its appressorium formation and virulence factors
Authors: Lu Yuanyuan , Sun Jiaying , Gao Yibo , Liu Kexin , Yuan Mingyue , Gao Weida , Wang Fen , Fu Dandan , Chen Nan , Xiao Shuqin , Xue Chunsheng
Published: May 2020

Iron is virtually an essential nutrient for all organisms, to understand how iron contributes to virulence of plant pathogenic fungi, we identifiedClFTR1andClNPS6in maize pathogenCurvularia lunata(Cochliobolus lunatus) in this study. Disruption ofClNPS6significantly impaired siderophore biosynthesis.ClFTR1andClNPS6did mediate oxidative stress but had no significant impact on vegetative growth, conidiation, cell wall integrity and sexual reproduction. Conidial germination delayed and appressoria formation reduced in ΔClftr1comparing with wild type (WT) CX‐3. Genes responsible for conidial germination, appressoria formation, non‐host selective toxin biosynthesis and cell wall degrading enzymes were also downregulated in the transcriptome of ΔClftr1and ΔClnps6compared with WT. The conidial development, toxin biosynthesis and polygalacturonase activity were impaired in the mutant strains withClFTR1andClNPS6deletion during their infection to maize.ClFTR1andClNPS6were upregulated expression at 12–24 and 48–120 hpi in WT respectively.ClFTR1positively regulated conidial germination, appressoria formation in the biotrophy‐specific phase.ClNPS6positively regulates non‐host selective toxin biosynthesis and cell wall degrading enzyme activity in the necrotrophy‐specific phase. Our results indicated thatClFTR1andClNPS6were key genes of pathogen known to conidia development and virulence factors.
Here We Go Again: A Case Study on Re‐entering a Foreign Market
Authors: Aguzzoli Roberta , Lengler Jorge , Sousa Carlos M. P. , Benito Gabriel R. G.
Published: May 2020

Globalization has motivated firms to expand into foreign markets, but internationalization is inherently dynamic. Many firms have exited foreign markets for various reasons, but some later decide to re‐enter those same markets. Based on a case study of a Brazilian multinational's activities in Mexico, this study contributes to the literature on re‐entry decisions of multinational enterprises and their outcomes, focusing on the roles of institutional voids and the experiences of decision‐makers during such processes. The findings suggest that companies learn from their mistakes and reconsider how they approach re‐entry and the resources that may need to be mobilized. However, the learning process is not straightforward as it is clouded by international knowledge myopia. This study highlights how multiple actors and considerations influence re‐entry events.
Climate and land‐use interactively shape butterfly diversity in tropical rainforest and savanna ecosystems of southwestern China
Authors: Miao Bai‐Ge , Peng Yan‐Qiong , Yang Da‐Rong , Kubota Yasuhiro , Economo Evan P. , Liu Cong
Published: May 2020

Human‐induced habitat conversion and degradation, along with accelerating climatic change, have resulted in considerable global biodiversity loss. Nevertheless, how local ecological assemblages respond to the interplay between climate and land‐use change remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of climate and land‐use interactions on butterfly diversity in different ecosystems of southwestern China. Specifically, we investigated variation in the alpha and beta diversities of butterflies in different landscapes along human‐modified and climate gradients. We found that increasing land‐use intensity not only caused a dramatic decrease in butterfly alpha diversity but also significantly simplified butterfly species composition in tropical rainforest and savanna ecosystems. These findings suggest that habitat modification by agricultural activities increases the importance of deterministic processes and leads to biotic homogenization. The land‐use intensity model best explained species richness variation in the tropical rainforest, whereas the climate and land‐use intensity interaction model best explained species richness variation in the savanna. These results indicate that climate modulates the effects of land‐use intensity on butterfly alpha diversity in the savanna ecosystem. We also found that the response of species composition to climate varied between sites: specifically, species composition was strongly correlated with climatic distance in the tropical rainforest but not in the savanna. Taken together, our long‐term butterfly monitoring data reveal that interactions between human‐modified habitat change and climate change have shaped butterfly diversity in tropical rainforest and savanna. These findings also have important implications for biodiversity conservation under the current era of rapid human‐induced habitat loss and climate change.
Information exchange in cartels
Authors: Awaya Yu , Krishna Vijay
Published: May 2020

Antitrust authorities view the exchange of information among firms regarding costs, prices, or sales as anticompetitive. Such exchanges allow competitors to closely monitor each other, thereby facilitating collusion. But the exchange of aggregate information, perhaps via a third party, is legal. The logic is that collusion is difficult if the identity of a price‐cutting firm cannot be ascertained. Here, we examine this logic using Stigler's model of secret price cuts. We first identify circumstances such that when no information exchange is possible, collusion is difficult. We then show that if firms' aggregate sales are made public, nearly perfect collusion is possible.
Unleash the Pandora's Box: Political Turmoil and Malaria Outbreak During China's Cultural Revolution
Authors: Lin Youhong
Published: May 2020

This paper examines whether the health system disruption during the Cultural Revolution was the major factor that triggered the malaria outbreak in the early 1970s. The trend of public health expenditure shows that the health system was disrupted from 1968 to 1970. The regression results demonstrate that provinces which experienced a more severe shock to the health system had larger increases in malaria incidence in the early 1970s. The malaria outbreak is found to have negative effects on public health, implying that the health consequence of disease control disruption was not eliminated by the improvement of medical care in rural China.
Autonomic modulation before and after paroxysmal atrial fibrillation events in patients with ischemic heart disease
Authors: Ernie Liao Ting‐Wei , Lo Li‐Wei , Lin Yenn‐Jiang , Chang Shih‐Lin , Hu Yu‐Feng , Wu Cheng‐I , Chung Fa‐Po , Chao Tze‐Fan , Liao Jo‐Nan , Chen Shih‐Ann
Published: May 2020

Background

The autonomic activity plays a critical role in generating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the autonomic nerve activity before and after PAF events in patients with and without ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Methods

The study included 49 patients (71.43 ± 12.24 years old, 26 males) with PAF events lasting more than 30 s during 24‐hr ambulatory Holter monitoring. The 20‐min intervals before and after PAF events were divided into eight segments of 5 min each. Heart rate variability (HRV) analyses of the time and frequency domains were applied to each time segment.

Results

Patients with IHD had significant increases in the root mean square successive differences (r‐MSSD, p = .008) and HF component (p = .04), followed by a significant increase in the LF/HF ratio (p = .02) preceding the onset of PAF. Patients without IHD had only a significant increase in the r‐MSSD (p = .045) preceding the onset of PAF. During the termination of PAF events, patients in both the IHD and control groups had a significantly decreased r‐MSSD and HF, respectively.

Conclusion

Ischemic heart disease causes a sympathovagal imbalance in the initiation of PAF. Decreased parasympathetic activity regulated the termination of PAF in both the IHD and control groups. The modification of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity should be individualized due to the autonomic complexity in AF arrhythmogenesis and termination.
Parasympathetic activity as a potential biomarker of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Huang Wei‐Chia , Liu Wei‐Shih , Chen Tzu‐ting , Chen Wen‐Hao , Huang Wei‐Lieh
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Autonomic dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia has raised concern considering the higher cardiovascular mortality and morbidity rate. This phenomenon has been demonstrated using various measurements and is inferred to be associated with demographics, medical treatment, and psychopathology. However, few have targeted the role of negative symptoms within schizophrenia.

Methods

Schizophrenia patients with stationary psychopathology were recruited from a chronic ward, a daycare center, and a nonintensive case management program. Demographic data, medication history, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score, the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) score, and the five‐minute resting‐state heart rate variability (HRV) were collected at trial initiation (Time 1) and a year later (Time 2). The relationships between variables and HRV indices were evaluated using correlation and regression analyses.

Results

A total of 63 participants were recruited at Time 1, with 29 participants remaining at Time 2. Correlation analyses showed a negative correlation between the PANSS negative score (PANSS‐N) and total power (TP), low‐frequency power (LF), and high‐frequency power (HF) at Time 1. The results were further examined with multiple linear regression analysis and remained significant between the PANSS‐N score and HF (β = −0.306, P = .012). A generalized estimating equation model revealed the above negative association to be significant considering both timepoints.

Discussion

The negative association between negative symptom severity and parasympathetic activity was significant, which may inspire further research into the corresponding treatment, the mechanisms, and the use of HRV as an applicable biomarker for treatment response.
Randomised clinical trial: standard of care versus early‐transjugular intrahepatic porto‐systemic shunt (TIPSS) in patients with cirrhosis and oesophageal variceal bleeding
Authors: Dunne Philip D. J. , Sinha Rohit , Stanley Adrian J. , Lachlan Neil , Ireland Hamish , Shams Aman , Kasthuri Ram , Forrest Ewan H. , Hayes Peter C.
Published: May 2020

Background

Early‐transjugular intrahepatic porto‐systemic shunt (TIPSS) has been recommended in international guidelines for high‐risk patients with oesophageal variceal bleeding.

Aim

To validate the results of a previous randomised control trial which supports use of early‐TIPSS.

Methods

In a two‐centre open‐label parallel‐group randomised control trial, patients with cirrhosis and acute variceal bleeding were recruited following haemostasis with vaso‐active drugs and endoscopic band ligation. Participants were randomised to standard of care or early‐TIPSS. The primary outcome was 1‐year survival, secondary outcomes included early and late rebleeding, and complications of portal hypertension.

Results

Fifty‐eight patients (58 ± 11.12 years; 32.7% female) were randomised. After one year, seven patients died in the standard of care group and six in the early‐TIPSS group, a 1‐year survival of 75.9% vs 79.3% respectively (P = 0.79). Variceal rebleeding occurred in eight patients in the standard of care group compared with three patients in the early‐TIPSS group (P = 0.09). Not all participants randomised to early‐TIPSS received the intervention in time. For those receiving TIPSS per‐protocol, variceal rebleeding rates were reduced (0% vs 27.6%, P = 0.04) but this had no effect on survival (76.9% vs 75.9%, P = 0.91). Serious adverse events were similar in both treatment groups, except that rates of hepatic encephalopathy were higher in patients receiving TIPSS (46.1% vs 20.7%, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Early‐TIPSS reduced variceal rebleeding, increased encephalopathy but had no effect on survival in high‐risk patients with oesophageal variceal bleeding. Early‐TIPSS may not be feasible in many centres however, larger studies are needed. ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT02377141.
Primary stability and healing outcomes of apically tapered and straight implants placed into fresh extraction sockets. A pre‐clinical in vivo study
Authors: Ellis Rebecca , Chen Stephen , Davies Helen , Fitzgerald Wayne , Xu Junhua , Darby Ivan
Published: May 2020

Objectives

To compare the stability of apically tapered and straight (non‐tapered cylindrical) implants at the time of immediate placement and to histologically evaluate the healing outcomes after 6 weeks.

Materials and Methods

The second maxillary incisors were extracted bilaterally in nine dogs. After randomization, apically tapered and straight implants with a 3.3 mm shoulder diameter were inserted into the extraction sockets. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) of the implants was recorded after placement. Peri‐implant defects on the buccal aspect were filled with deproteinized bovine bone mineral and covered with resorbable type I/III porcine collagen matrix. After 6 weeks of healing, sections were prepared for histological and morphometric analysis.

Results

All implant sites healed uneventfully. The apically tapered implants had significantly higher ISQ values compared to straight implants at placement (p = .009). The histomorphometric outcomes 6 weeks following implant placement in both experimental groups were similar, except in the apico‐palatal region. Apically tapered implants demonstrated significantly less percentage bone‐to‐implant contact (p = .035) in the apico‐palatal region. At both implant types, substantial corono‐apical resorption of the buccal bone wall was noted in the coronal 2 mm of the implant.

Conclusion

Apically tapered implants had significantly higher ISQ values at immediate placement compared to straight implants. The healing outcomes and remodelling of the buccal bone wall were similar for both implant designs. In the apico‐palatal region, there was less %BIC at the implant surface at apically tapered implants compared to straight implants.
Greater variability in lipid measurements associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality: A 10‐year diabetes cohort study
Authors: Wan Eric Y. F. , Yu Esther Y. T. , Chin Weng Y. , Barrett Jessica K. , Mok Anna H. Y. , Lau Christie S. T. , Wang Yuan , Wong Ian C. K. , Chan Esther W. Y. , Lam Cindy L. K.
Published: May 2020

Aim

To examine the associations between variability in lipids and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes based on low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (LDL‐C), the total cholesterol (TC) to high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (HDL‐C) ratio and triglycerides (TG).

Materials and methods

A retrospective cohort study included 125 047 primary care patients with type 2 diabetes aged 45‐84 years without CVD during 2008‐2012. The variability of LDL‐C, TC to HDL‐C and TG was determined using the standard deviation of variables in a mixed effects model to minimize regression dilution bias. The associations between variability in lipids and CVD and mortality risk were assessed by Cox regression. Subgroup analyses based on patients’ baseline characteristics were also conducted.

Results

A total of 19 913 CVD events and 15 329 mortalities were recorded after a median follow‐up period of 77.5 months (0.8 million person‐years), suggesting a positive linear relationship between variability in lipids and the risk of CVD and mortality. Each unit increase in the variability of LDL‐C (mmol/L), the TC to HDL‐C ratio and TG (mmol/L) was associated with a 27% (HR: 1.27 [95% CI: 1.20‐1.34]), 31% (HR:1.31 [95% CI: 1.25‐1.38]) and 9% (HR: 1.09 [95% CI: 1.04‐1.15]) increase in the risk of composite endpoint of CVD and mortality, respectively. Age‐specific effects were also found when comparing LDL‐C variability, with patients aged 45‐54 years (HR: 1.70 [95% CI: 1.42‐2.02]) exhibiting a 53% increased risk for the composite endpoints than those aged 75‐84 years (HR: 1.11 [95% CI: 1.01‐1.23]). Similar age effects were observed for both the TC to HDL‐C ratio and TG variability. Significant associations remained consistent among most of the subgroups.

Conclusions

Variability in respective lipids are significant factors in predicting CVD and mortality in primary care patients with type 2 diabetes, with the strongest effects related to LDL‐C and the TC to HDL‐C ratio and most significant in the younger age group of patients aged 45‐54 years. Further study is warranted to confirm these findings.
Does cannabidiol have antiseizure activity independent of its interactions with clobazam? An appraisal of the evidence from randomized controlled trials
Authors: Bialer Meir , Perucca Emilio
Published: May 2020

Four pivotal randomized placebo‐controlled trials have demonstrated that adjunctive therapy with cannabidiol (CBD) improves seizure control in patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) and Lennox‐Gastaut syndrome (LGS). Between 47% and 68% of patients allocated to CBD treatment in these trials were receiving clobazam (CLB), which shows complex interactions with CBD resulting, in particular, in a 3.4‐ to 5‐fold increase in plasma concentration of the active metabolite norclobazam. This raises concern as to the role played by these interactions in determining the reduction in seizure frequency in CBD‐treated patients, and the question of whether CBD per se has clinically evident antiseizure effects. We appraised available evidence on the clinical consequences of the CBD‐CLB interaction, focusing on subgroup analyses of seizure outcomes in patients on and off CLB comedication in the pivotal CBD trials, as provided by the European Medicines Agency Public Assessment Report. Evaluation of the results of individual trials clearly showed that improvement in seizure control over placebo was greater when CBD was added on to CLB than when it was added on to other medications. However, seizure control was also improved in patients off CLB, and despite the small sample size the difference vs placebo was statistically significant for the 10 mg/kg/d dose in one of the two LGS trials. Stronger evidence for an antiseizure effect of CBD independent of an interaction with CLB emerges from meta‐analyses of seizure outcomes in the pooled population of LGS and DS patients not receiving CLB comedication. Although these results need to be interpreted taking into account methodological limitations, they provide the best clinical evidence to date that CBD exerts therapeutic effects in patients with epilepsy that are independent of its interaction with CLB. Greater antiseizure effects, and a greater burden of adverse effects, are observed when CBD is combined with CLB.
Developing a novel inverse data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for evaluating after‐sales units
Authors: Hosseininia Seyed S. S. , Saen Reza F.
Published: May 2020

This paper proposes a novel model of inverse data envelopment analysis (IDEA) based on the slack‐based measure (SBM) approach. The developed inverse SBM model can maintain relative efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) with new input and output. This model can also measure the input and output volumes when a decision maker (DM) increases efficiency score. The inverse SBM model is a kind of multi‐objective non‐linear programming (MONLP) problem, which is not easy to solve. Therefore, we suggest a linear programming model for solving inverse SBM model. In this model efficiency score of DMU under evaluation remains unchanged. Furthermore, we suggest an optimal combination of inputs and outputs in the production possibility set (PPS). A case study is presented to demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed model.
Effect of material inhomogeneity on fracture modes in aluminium–steel resistance spot welds
Authors: Shi Liting , Kang Jidong , Chen Xu , Haselhuhn Amberlee S. , Sigler David R. , Carlson Blair E.
Published: May 2020

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is attractive for joining dissimilar materials, especially, aluminium to steel in automotive body. The direct joining of aluminium to steel forms an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer at their interface that dominates mechanical behaviour of the joint. A new formula was developed that considers material inhomogeneities such as the different mechanical properties in the weld such as base metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and the weld nugget to accurately calculate the minimum weld nugget diameter required to enable pull‐out fracture. The shear strengths of weld regions such as the HAZ and IMC were directly measured and used as inputs to this new formula. The new formula was validated using experimental measurements from six combinations of aluminium–steel welds in comparison with analogous aluminium–aluminium welds. The new derivation was able to accurately predict fracture modes for all material combinations.
Battery outsourcing decision and product choice strategy of an electric vehicle manufacturer
Authors: Fan Zhi‐Ping , Chen Zhongwei , Zhao Xuan
Published: May 2020

This paper examines an electric vehicle manufacturer's (EVM) battery outsourcing decision and product choice strategy in a two‐stage supply chain consisting of a battery supplier and an EVM that have different power structures. We analyze two game scenarios: the EVM outsources battery production versus the EVM produces batteries in‐house. In each scenario, the EVM has three product choices: producing an electric vehicle (EV) with a low driving range only, with a high driving range only, and with both driving ranges. We show that the conditions of the EVM's product choice strategy depend on two thresholds related to the production cost of batteries, the manufacturing and assembly cost of EVs, the government subsidy and the range anxiety, while the conditions are independent of the EVM's market position and battery outsourcing decision. Furthermore, the EVM inclines to produce batteries in‐house as its market position and operation cost decrease.
MALT1 is a potential therapeutic target in glioblastoma and plays a crucial role in EGFR‐induced NF‐κB activation
Authors: Liu Xuejiao , Yue Chenglong , Shi Lin , Liu Guanzheng , Cao Qiyu , Shan Qianqian , Wang Yifeng , Chen Xiangyu , Li Huan , Wang Jie , Gao Shangfeng , Niu Mingshan , Yu Rutong
Published: May 2020

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant tumour in the adult brain and hard to treat. Nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) signalling has a crucial role in the tumorigenesis of GBM. EGFR signalling is an important driver of NF‐κB activation in GBM; however, the correlation between EGFR and the NF‐κB pathway remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of mucosa‐associated lymphoma antigen 1 (MALT1) in glioma progression and evaluated the anti‐tumour activity and effectiveness of MI‐2, a MALT1 inhibitor in a pre‐clinical GBM model. We identified a paracaspase MALT1 that is involved in EGFR‐induced NF‐kB activation in GBM. MALT1 deficiency or inhibition significantly affected the proliferation, survival, migration and invasion of GBM cells both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, MALT1 inhibition caused G1 cell cycle arrest by regulating multiple cell cycle–associated proteins. Mechanistically, MALTI inhibition blocks the degradation of IκBα and prevents the nuclear accumulation of the NF‐κB p65 subunit in GBM cells. This study found that MALT1, a key signal transduction cascade, can mediate EGFR‐induced NF‐kB activation in GBM and may be potentially used as a novel therapeutic target for GBM.
Histopathological predictor of the progression from actinic keratosis to squamous cell carcinoma: quantitative computer‐aided image analysis
Authors: Lee D.Y. , Kim B.R. , Yang S. , Kim M. , Yoon T.Y. , Youn S.W.
Published: May 2020

Background

The current histopathological classifications for actinic keratosis (AK) are subjective, and histopathological factors predicting the progression into invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remain unclear.

Objectives

To quantitatively assess the histopathological findings of AK and to investigate the predisposing factors for malignant transformation of AK.

Methods

A total of 502 AK specimens were retrospectively reviewed. The AK lesions were divided into the atrophic, intermediate, hypertrophic and bowenoid types. Histopathological features were quantitatively analysed using computer‐aided image analysis.

Results

The epidermal thickness excluding the horny layer increased with statistical significance (P < 0.001) in order of atrophic, intermediate, hypertrophic and bowenoid type. The proportion of keratinocytic atypia was not significantly different among subtypes, except for the bowenoid type. Five of 498 cases were confirmed to develop into SCC. Bowenoid type, epidermal thickening and higher proportion of keratinocytic atypia were significantly associated with progression to invasive SCC in univariate analysis (OR = 12.571, 95% CI: 1.392–113.57; OR = 1.004, 95% CI: 1.001–1.007; OR = 1.069, 95% CI: 1.011–1.130, respectively). In multivariate analysis, only the proportion of keratinocytic atypia was an independent predisposing factor for progression to invasive SCC (OR = 1.069; 95% CI: 1.011–1.130).

Conclusions

Histopathological subtypes based on the essential change of the epidermis well correlated with the actual epidermal thickness excluding the horny layer. The overall severity of keratinocytic atypia might be an independent risk factor for malignant transformation of AK.
Spatial assessment of flash‐flood vulnerability in the Moldova river catchment (N Romania) using theFFPI
Authors: Popa Mihnea Cristian , Simion Adrian Gabriel , Peptenatu Daniel , Dima Cristina , Draghici Cristian Constantin , Florescu Margareta‐Stela , Dobrea Catalin Razvan , Diaconu Daniel Constantin
Published: May 2020

The identification of the areas vulnerable to flash floods is one of the greatest challenges in flood risk management for both the scientific world and decision‐makers. Its importance is underlined by the European Directive 2007/60/EC, which sets out the general framework of public policies to reduce the impacts of floods on the development of local communities. This research was conducted in the Moldova river catchment, located in the northern part of Romania, in the Carpathian Mountains, where half of the administrative‐territorial units record floods annually. The methodology used the Flash Flood Potential Index (FFPI) which has been computed based on the correlation of various factors which have a direct impact on the surface runoff. Each geographical factor has been represented on a 30 m grid and the data aggregation has provided the spatial hazard model for floods. In addition, the impact of deforestation on flood events was also analysed. The result of the FFPI was compared with the official flood records of the local authorities from our study area. The results constitute a methodological instrument, complementary to the classical ones, for the elaboration of the flood hazard maps, with a special importance given to the modelling of this type of hazard in the area with no structural defence measures.