bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opening-up as entrepreneurial internationalisation in Chinese higher education
Authors: Zhong Zhou
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study describes and elucidates higher education internationalisation with an in-depth case study of China and its Tsinghua University using international entrepreneurship concepts. The study examines internationalisation as a dynamic reciprocal interplay between opening-up policy and higher education policy, especially world-class university policy.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative mixed-method single case study. In desktop research, the study reviewed China's national policy documents on educational opening-up, Tsinghua's institutional strategy papers and research literature concerning internationalisation, entrepreneurship, Chinese higher education and Tsinghua University. In fieldwork research, the present researcher engaged in action, participatory and collaborative research about university internationalisation in her capacity as both a faculty and an international office administrator at Tsinghua.

Findings

Entrepreneurial internationalisation in Chinese higher education has served multiple purposes simultaneously: (1) a pillar to support domestic confidence in educational opening-up for modernisation while also contributing to global development; (2) a cost-effective way to cultivate Chinese talent by accessing the international education market; (3) a quality imperative to stimulate domestic reform and innovation through Sino-foreign exchange and collaboration; (4) a public diplomacy measure building a global network of educational engagement; and (5) a differentiation strategy to stretch the capacity of the nation's top universities by benchmarking their global competitiveness.

Originality/value

Conceptualising opening-up as entrepreneurial internationalisation is key to understand China's higher education development. This study expounds this special term by connecting it with basic concepts in international entrepreneurship research. The analyses at system and institutional levels reinforce one another to forge a synthetic view by integrating policy and practice.
Equity crowdfunding and financial literacy of individual investors in Japan
Authors: Fujii Masatoshi , Hosomi Chie , Nose Yoshiaki
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study aims to fill the gap in previous research that focuses on the superficial aspects of equity crowdfunding (ECF) campaigns and financial practices by examining financial literacy aspects, such as due diligence and valuation, in terms of factors that influence Japanese individual investors' investments in ECF.

Design/methodology/approach

The status of information disclosure in ECF campaigns is checked. In addition, the feasibility of the initial due diligence and valuation using this information is verified. Specifically, the lack of financial literacy hypothesis is developed and (1) expected market capitalization in the final fiscal year of the business plan and (2) expected returns on investment (IRR: internal rate of return) are estimated.

Findings

ECF campaigns in Japan disclose information equivalent to that obtained by professional venture capitalists. Analysis of the disclosed business plan allows for initial due diligence and valuation. By contrast, due diligence reveals that some projects are unlikely to be listed even if their business plans are met, and others have low IRRs. In addition, a stock acquisition rights project, in which even professional investors are unable to calculate IRRs, is completed at the same rate as a common stock project; this suggests that individual investors lack financial literacy.

Originality/value

Analyzing ECF from financial literacy aspects, such as due diligence and valuation, is unique. Such aspects are essential for private equity investments but have not been addressed in previous studies.
Knowledge management capabilities and organizational outcomes: contemporary literature and future directions
Authors: Imran Muhammad Kashif , Fatima Tehreem , Sarwar Ambreen , Amin Shahid
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the possible organizational outcomes related to knowledge management capabilities (KMCs). It aims at offering the modern-day dynamic organizations a path, through which they can utilize KMC at hand for gaining competitive advantage and positive organizational outcomes. The review is based on previous studies in the field of knowledge management and explains how KMCs are associated with various organizational outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic approach was utilized to collect, examine, interpret and synthesize researches regarding KMCs and their usefulness for various organizational outcomes. The meta-synthesis method was adopted to review 106 research papers after careful selection.

Findings

It was evident from this integrated review that KMCs help in promoting organizational effectiveness, innovative ability, organizational change, value creation, competitive advantage, organizational learning and performance. Furthermore, the current review suggests research avenues and knowledge gaps in current literature to provide future researchers unique research opportunities.

Originality/value

The review revealed a profound opinion that organizations have to develop an optimal mix of KMCs to achieve better organizational outcomes. The study identified how KMCs set a basis and build positive support to enhance the key organizational outcomes such as organizational effectiveness, innovative ability, organizational change, value creation, competitive advantage, organizational learning and performance. However, cooperation bias is one of the most considerable limitations in research studies included in this systematic literature review.
Navigating dual-careers: the challenge for professional couples
Authors: Scurry Tracy , Clarke Marilyn
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Dual-careers are an increasingly common typology among professionals yet very few studies have considered how two potentially competing career trajectories are managed in relation to the broader aspects of life, such as family and personal life. This article addresses the gap through an exploration of the strategies adopted by dual-career professional couples as they seek to navigate these challenges whilst satisfying individual and shared goals and aspirations.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were carried out with 18 couples (dyads) from a range of professional occupations. Interviews were conducted individually, and then responses analysed and compared for key themes.

Findings

Rather than focusing on how couples manage work–life balance on a day-today basis this study shows how couples incorporate a more strategic approach to dual-careers so that both careers are able to progress, albeit within situational constraints.

Practical implications

To satisfy personal, business and economic performance goals, organisations and governments will need to find more creative ways to support employees as they seek to navigate careers while balancing the work and nonwork needs of themselves and their partner. The challenges faced by dual-career couples have implications for human resource managers as they seek to attract and retained talent within their organisations.

Social implications

Demographic and social changes at the household level will ultimately require changes at an organisational and broader societal level to meet the work and family needs of this growing cohort.

Originality/value

Rather than focusing on how couples manage work-life balance on a day-today basis this study shows how couples incorporate a more strategic approach to dual-careers so that both careers are able to progress, albeit within situational constraints.
Impact of the availability of midurethral slings on treatment strategies for stress urinary incontinence: a cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Chang OH , Cadish LA , Kailasam A , Ridgeway BM , Shepherd JP
Published: July 2021

Objective

To perform a cost‐effectiveness analysis for the surgical and non‐surgical management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with and without the availability of midurethral sling.

Design

Cost‐effectiveness analysis.

Setting

USA, 2019.

Population

Women with stress urinary incontinence.

Methods

We modelled SUI treatment pathways with and without the availability of midurethral slings, including no treatment, incontinence pessary, pelvic floor muscle physical therapy, urethral bulking injection, open and laparoscopic Burch colposuspension, and pubovaginal autologous sling. Time horizon was 2 years after initial treatment.

Main outcome measures

Costs (2019 US$) included index surgery, surgical retreatment, and complications including urinary retention, de novo urgency and mesh exposure. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated for non‐dominated treatment strategies.

Results

The least costly treatment strategies were incontinence pessary, pelvic floor physical therapy, no treatment and midurethral sling, respectively. Midurethral slings had the highest effectiveness. The strategy with the lowest effectiveness was no treatment. The three cost‐effective strategies included pessary, pelvic floor muscle physical therapy and midurethral slings. No other surgical options were cost‐effective. If midurethral slings were not available, all other surgical options were still dominated by pelvic floor muscle physical therapy. Multiple one‐way sensitivity analyses confirmed model robustness. The only reasonable threshold in which outcomes would change, was if urethral bulking costs decreased 12.6%.

Conclusions

The midurethral sling is the most effective SUI treatment and the only cost‐effective surgical option.

Tweetable abstract

Midurethral sling is the only cost‐effective surgical treatment option for stress urinary incontinence.
Nursing diagnosis neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: A survival analysis
Authors: Dantas Anna Virginia V. C. , Guedes Nirla G. , da Silva Leonardo A. , Lopes Marcos V. de O. , da Silva Viviane M.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To analyze the short‐term survival of the nursing diagnosis of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in hospitalized neonates within the first 24 h of life and over a maximum of 7 days.

Methods

A prospective open cohort study with a longitudinal design was developed with 120 newborns during the first 24 h of life. The survival rate after a nursing diagnosis of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was analyzed for 7 days.

Findings

The number of new cases of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia during the follow‐up was 82 (RR: 90.1%, daily incidence rate: 34.17%). The greatest manifestation of the diagnosis occurred in the first three days (n = 97). The median diagnostic survival time was 2 days (95% CI: 2–2). Yellow‐orange skin color (RR = 8.08), yellow mucous membranes (RR = 2.05), yellow sclera (RR = 1.99), and female gender (RR = 1.36) had the highest risk ratios.

Conclusions

A rapid impairment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in hospitalized neonates was observed. Some clinical indicators were associated with an increased risk for this diagnosis.

Implications for nursing practice

Studies on the prognostic capacity of the clinical indicators of nursing diagnoses like neonatal hyperbilirubinemia strengthen the clinical reasoning of nurses and subsidize diagnostic inferences and accurate clinical decisions.
Evidence for a hijacked brain reward system but no desensitized threat system in quitting‐motivated smokers: An fMRI study
Authors: Kunas Stefanie L. , Stuke Heiner , Heinz Andreas , Ströhle Andreas , Bermpohl Felix
Published: July 2021

Background and aims

Several aspects of how quitting‐motivated tobacco use disorder (TUD) subjects and never‐smokers differ in terms of reward and threat processing remain unresolved. We aimed to examine aberrant reward and threat processes in TUD and the association with smoking characteristics.

Design

A between‐ and within‐subjects functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment with a 2 (groups) × 4 (stimulus type) factorial design. The experimental paradigm had four conditions: pictures of (1) cigarettes served as drug‐related‐positive cues, (2) food as alternative reward cues, (3) long‐term consequences of smoking as drug‐related‐negative cues and (4) neutral pictures as control.

Setting/participants

Adult participants (n = 38 TUD subjects and n = 42 never‐smokers) were recruited in Berlin, Germany.

Measurements

As contrasts of primary interest, the interactions of group × stimulus‐type were assessed. Significance threshold correction for multiple testing was carried out with the family‐wise error method. Correlation analyses were used to test the association with smoking characteristics.

Findings

The 2 × 2 interaction of smoking status and stimulus type revealed activations in the brain reward system to drug‐related‐positive cues in TUD subjects (between‐subjects effect: P‐values ≤ 0.036). As a response to drug‐related‐negative cues, TUD subjects showed no reduced activation of the aversive brain network. Within the TUD group, a significant negative association was found between response of the aversive brain system to drug‐related‐negative cues (within‐subjects effect: P‐values ≤ 0.021) and the number of cigarettes smoked per day (right insula r = −0.386, P = 0.024; left insula r = −0.351, P = 0.042; right ACC r = −0.359, P = 0.037).

Conclusions

Moderate smokers with tobacco use disorder appear to have altered brain reward processing of drug‐related‐positive (but not negative) cues compared with never smokers.
Dear Sylvie: A Handful of Letters to Nearly Perfect Strangers
Authors: Edmiston Paige
Published: July 2021

In this collection of letters addressed to nearly perfect strangers, I consider the ways fleeting connections can move with and shape us despite never becoming deep relationships. Drawing on the anthropology of care and kinship, I revisit the summer my father and I spent living in an apartment building for cancer patients and their caregivers. My journal entries from that summer are filled with stories about people I hardly knew and, in some cases, whose names I never learned. The letters in this essay are written to and about these strangers, who landed in my journal right alongside the people in the world I hold most dear. They are the words I wish I would have said to them then and what I would like to say to them now. Read together, these letters suggest that chance encounters need not transform into ongoing relationships to play a part in making us who we are.
Cerebral and skeletal muscle tissue oxygenation during exercise challenge in children and young adults with sickle cell anaemia
Authors: Barriteau Christina M. , Chiu Abraham , Rodeghier Mark , Liem Robert I.
Published: July 2021

We used near‐infrared spectroscopy to examine tissue oxygenation (StO2) during exercise in 17 children and young adults with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and 13 controls. Patients had lower cerebral StO2 at all exercise stages and demonstrated significantly greater decreases in cerebral StO2 later during exercise. Quadriceps StO2 increased similarly in patients and controls during early exercise, but decreases from baseline were greater in patients during later exercise. At similar workloads, patients demonstrated lower cerebral StO2 (69·2 ± 6·6 vs. 79·5 ± 5·3%, P < 0·001) and trended towards lower quadriceps StO2 (67·7 ± 9·0 vs. 73·2 ± 7·9%, P = 0·09) Further studies of tissue oxygenation during exercise in SCA are warranted.
Militarisation by Popular Demand? Explaining the Politics of Internal Military Roles in Brazil
Authors: Harig Christoph
Published: July 2021

Why are Latin American politicians drawing the armed forces into politics and public security? What consequences does this democratically controlled re‐militarisation have for civil–military relations? With a case study of Brazil, this article introduces the conceptual tool of ‘negative convergence’: a widespread acceptance of increasing the military's internal roles among political leaders, military elites and society. Drawing upon public opinion surveys, the article analyses the ‘demand’ for internal military roles. A qualitative analysis of secondary literature and news reports then analyses the ‘supply‐side’ of negative convergence: political leaders' willingness to increase the armed forces' internal roles and the military's reactions.
Radiosynthesis and in silico bioevaluation of 131I‐Sulfasalazine as a highly selective radiotracer for imaging of ulcerative colitis
Authors: Sanad M. H. , Rizvi Syed Faheem Askari , Farag Ayman B.
Published: July 2021

This study demonstrated the tracking of ulcerative colitis, which is considered a stressful immune disease. Although there are many ways to test for this disease including dependence on gases, dyes, and painful anal endoscopy, these treatment modalities have many disadvantages. Hence, it is the utmost need of time to discover new methods to detect this chronic immune disease and to avoid the defects of traditional methodologies. Sulfasalazine (SSD) was labeled with iodine‐131 (half‐life: 8 days, Energy: 971 keV) under optimum reaction conditions including the amount of reducing agent, pH factor, chloramine‐T (Ch‐T) amount, and incubation period. Characterization was performed using 1H/ 13C‐NMR, ESI‐MS, and HPLC (UV/ Radio) techniques. The biodistribution study was performed in normal and ulcerative mice models, and in silico molecular docking study was performed to evaluate the possible mechanism of action to target peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). The high radiolabeling yield of [131I]‐sulfasalazine ([131I]‐SSD) was achieved ≥90% through the direct labeling method with radioactive iodine‐131 in the presence of chloramine‐T (100 μg). The radiotracer [131I]‐SSD was observed to be stable in normal saline and freshly eluted serum up to 12 hr at ambient temperature (37℃ ± 2℃). The radiotracer [131I]‐SSD showed the highest uptake in the targeted organ (i.e., ulcerative colon) which was observed to be ≥75% injected dose per gram (% ID/g) organ for 24 hr postinjection (p.i). Furthermore, in silico data collected from molecular modeling analysis of SSD and [131I]‐SSD with antimicrobial protein (PDB code: 3KEG) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) (PDB code: 4XTA) showed azoreductase activity and high binding potential for PPAR‐γ site, respectively. The results of biological studies obtained in this study enlighten the usefulness of radiotracer [131I]‐SSD as a potential imaging agent for ulcerative colitis.
New troodontid theropod specimen from Inner Mongolia, China clarifies phylogenetic relationships of later‐diverging small‐bodied troodontids and paravian body size evolution
Authors: Wang Shuo , Zhang Qiyue , Tan Qingwei , Jiangzuo Qigao , Zhang Huitao , Tan Lin
Published: July 2021

A new troodontid (LH PV39) recovered from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai Formation, Inner Mongolia, China, is described, highlighting the dorsoventrally compressed sacral centra. The completely fused neurocentral junctions indicate that LH PV39 had reached adulthood at the time of death, but its size is nevertheless 20% smaller than that of the sympatricPhilovenator, demonstrating that it is the second small‐bodied troodontid recovered from the Wulansuhai Formation. Phylogenetic analyses scoring LH PV39 using different strategies and performed with different algorithms unambiguously recovered it as a troodontid. While the parsimony‐based analysis scoring LH PV39 as an independent OTU with all of its available characteristics included recovered it as a basal troodontid, the Bayesian analysis suggests a closer relationship of LH PV39 toAlmasand an unnamed troodontid from Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia (MPC‐D100/1126+D100/3500). Body size analysis confirmed a single trend of gigantism throughout the evolution of troodontids, and suggests that the Late Cretaceous troodontids evolved in two directions: (i) several size‐independent characteristics evolved while retaining the small sizes that are typical of the Early Cretaceous relatives, resulting in the Late Cretaceous small‐bodied troodontids; and (ii) size‐dependent characteristics (e.g., the elongation of the rostrum) evolved accompanying the size increase, resulting in large‐bodied derived troodontids. The mosaic features of the Late Cretaceous small‐bodied troodontids place them intermediate between their Early Cretaceous basal relatives and the Late Cretaceous large‐bodied taxa in a well‐resolved phylogeny, which is crucial for understanding the size and morphological evolution of troodontids.
Merkel cell polyomavirus is a passenger virus in both poroma and porocarcinoma
Authors: Meriläinen Anna‐Stiina , Sihto Harri , Koljonen Virve
Published: July 2021

Background

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) has been studied in several malignant and nonmalignant tissues. However, only in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) has the connection to tumorigenesis been established. Previously, eccrine porocarcinoma samples were shown to express MCPyV in the majority of samples. We aimed to examine MCPyV in porocarcinoma and poroma samples using MCC as the reference material.

Methods

We analyzed 17 porocarcinoma and 50 poroma samples for the presence of MCPyV using LT antigen immunostaining and DNA detection methods. In addition, 180 MCC samples served as controls.

Results

MCPyV LT antigen immunostaining was detected in 10% of poroma and 18% of porocarcinoma samples; on the other hand, it was present in 65% of MCC samples. MCPyV DNA was detected in only 10% of poroma and porocarcinoma samples compared with 96% of MCC samples. The viral DNA copy number in all MCPyV DNA‐positive MCCs was at least 25 times higher than that in porocarcinoma or poroma samples with the highest MCPyV DNA‐to‐PTPRG ratio.

Conclusions

The low number of viral DNA copies in poroma and porocarcinoma samples, together with the negative LT expression of MCPyV DNA‐positive tumors, indicates that MCPyV is simply a passenger virus rather than an oncogenic driver of porocarcinoma.
A brief primer on the PhD supervision relationship
Authors: Madan Christopher R.
Published: July 2021

Becoming a successful academic and securing a principal investigator (PI) position at a research‐intensive university requires many distinct skills. Beyond some form of technical skills and domain‐specific knowledge, some of these skills include time management, scientific writing, public speaking, and project management. Training prior to the PI position involved some of these latter skills, and perhaps even some degree of trainee supervision, but PhD‐level supervision and the associated responsibilities do not arrive until one becomes a PI. Many academic skills are learned ‘on the job’, but few more so than PhD supervision. While I myself have limited PhD supervision experience, I have reviewed the literature on PhD student‐supervisor relationship and here present a brief primer.
Quality of life following formation of an ileal conduit due to urinary bladder neoplasm: A systematic review
Authors: Donegan Breege , Kingston Liz
Published: July 2021

Aim

To present the findings of a systematic review on reported quality of life following the formation of a urinary diversion as a result of cystectomy due to urinary bladder neoplasm.

Background

Bladder cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer of the urological system. Treatment often involves undergoing a radical cystectomy with an ileal conduit formation. Quality of life issues associated with this surgery are complex and varied.

Design

A systematic review using thematic synthesis.

Data Sources

A comprehensive search, using The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed and PsycInfo databases, focusing on the years from 2007 to 2020.

Review methods

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses was the chosen checklist used. Studies were critically appraised using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool.

Results

The formation of an ileal conduit negatively affects respondent's quality of life particularly regarding body image, social distress, reduced sexual activity and employment. Poor research focus on the impact of ileal conduit formation on sexual well‐being postoperatively was apparent.

Conclusions

Further research using qualitative methodologies is needed to gain a deeper understanding of how this life‐changing procedure impacts quality of life.
Information Geometry
Authors: Amari Shun‐ichi
Published: July 2021

Statistical inference is constructed upon a statistical model consisting of a parameterised family of probability distributions, which forms a manifold. It is important to study the geometry of the manifold. It was Professor C. R. Rao who initiated information geometry in his monumental paper published in 1945. It not only included fundamentals of statistical inference such as the Cramér–Rao theorem and Rao–Blackwell theorem but also proposed differential geometry of a manifold of probability distributions. It is a Riemannian manifold where Fisher–Rao information plays the role of the metric tensor. It took decades for the importance of the geometrical structure to be recognised. The present article reviews the structure of the manifold of probability distributions and its applications and shows how the original idea of Professor Rao has been developed and popularised in the wide sense of statistical sciences including AI, signal processing, physical sciences and others.
A lightweight backpack harness for tracking hummingbirds
Authors: Williamson Jessie L. , Witt Christopher C.
Published: July 2021

Hummingbirds and other lightweight bird species are challenging to track because they have limited capacity to carry devices for data‐logging. We present a simple and customizable three‐loop ‘backpack' harness for studying hummingbird migration and movement, with step‐by‐step instructions for harness construction and attachment. The harness has negligible weight and cost (< $0.50 USD/each), is easy for a single person to make and apply in the field, and it requires no complicated setup or equipment. We have field‐tested this harness on 74 giant hummingbirds Patagona gigas with three different types of tracking devices (geolocators, GPS tags and satellite transmitters) in Chile and Peru from 2017 to 2020. Based on recaptures to date, we report that harnesses last for at least two years, even under high UV‐light conditions. We found no evidence of adverse effects of the harnesses on birds after one to two years and apparent survival of geolocator‐tracked giant hummingbirds was in line with published estimates for other hummingbird species. This harness method is a practical and effective option for mounting ultra‐light devices on hummingbirds, and it can be readily modified for other species with short legs, prominent sternal keels and long wings.
Novel polysaccharide extracted from Sipunculus nudus inhibits HepG2 tumour growth in vivo by enhancing immune function and inducing tumour cell apoptosis
Authors: Su Jie , Liao Dengyuan , Su Yongchang , Liu Shuji , Jiang Linlin , Wu Jingna , Liu Zhiyu , Wu Yuping
Published: July 2021

A novel polysaccharide was extracted from Sipunculus nudus (SNP). The molecular weight (MW) of SNP was determined to be 9223 Da by high‐performance gel permeation chromatography analyses, and the structure of the SNP repeat units was determined to be →3,4‐β‐D‐GlcpNAC (1→ and →4) ‐α‐D‐Glcp (1→ in the ratio of 15:1; →2) ‐α ‐D‐Galp ‐ (1→ as a side chain; and β‐D‐Galp‐(1→ and α‐ D‐Glcp ‐ (1→ as end groups by GC‐MS analysis and NMR assays. The effect of SNP on hepatoma HepG2‐bearing mice was analysed to verify its potential in the clinical treatment of liver cancer. A total of 90 male athymic nu/nu mice were divided into therapeutic and preventive groups and fed with different amounts of SNP. The antitumour effect of SNP on HepG2‐bearing mice and mechanism of such were studied by analysing the tumour size, spleen index, thymus index, immune factors in the blood, tumour apoptosis factors, etc. The results suggest that SNP not only increased the index of immune organs in the body, but also enhanced the secretion of immune factors, including interleukin‐2, interferon gamma and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha in the serum. SNP induced the apoptosis of tumour cells via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, which upregulated caspase‐3, caspase‐8, caspase‐9 and BCL2‐associated X, but downregulated B‐cell lymphoma‐2 and vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression. In conclusion, SNP inhibited tumour growth by enhancing immune function and inducing tumour cell apoptosis in HepG2‐bearing mice. Therefore, SNP may be further investigated as a promising candidate for future antitumour drugs.
Influences of the feature extraction area of duck egg image for the identification accuracy on the unfertilized duck eggs on the hatching tray
Authors: Dong Jun , He Ke , Sun Qinming , Tang Xiuying
Published: July 2021

However, feature parameter extraction region of duck egg image could affect the identification results of model and the speed of image processing. Therefore, the image skeleton‐maximum inscribed circle algorithm and Hough gradient algorithm (2‐1HT) were proposed to segment duck egg image feature paramer region. Support vector machine (SVM) and naive bayes (NB) models were established to evaluate accuracy of feature parameters extracted by different algorithms. The comparison shows that the SVM model based on feature parameters extracted by image skeleton maximum inscribed circle algorithm has the best discriminant performance, with the value of Q, SE, and SP being 98.81%, 98.44%, and 100.00%, respectively. Moreover, the process speed and prediction accuracy of image skeleton‐maximum inscribed circle algorithm were much higher than that of Hough gradient algorithm.

Practical Applications

Therefore, optimizing the image feature parameter extraction algorithm of a single duck egg in grouped duck eggs was of great significance to improve the discrimination accuracy of the model and realize the automatic recognition of infertile duck eggs.
Urban pluvial flood adaptation: Results of a household survey across four German municipalities
Authors: Dillenardt Lisa , Hudson Paul , Thieken Annegret H.
Published: July 2021

In recent years, German cities were heavily impacted by pluvial flooding and related damage is projected to increase due to climate change and urbanisation. It is important to ask how to improve urban pluvial flood risk management. To understand the current state of property level adaptation, a survey was conducted in four municipalities that had recently been impacted by pluvial flooding. A hybrid framework based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the Protection Action Decision Model (PADM) was used to investigate drivers of adaptive behaviour through both descriptive and regression analyses. Descriptive statistics revealed that participants tended to instal more low‐ and medium‐cost measures than high‐cost measures. Regression analyses showed that coping appraisal increased protection motivation, but that the adaptive behaviour also depends on framing factors, particularly homeownership. We further found that, while threat appraisal solely affects protection motivation and responsibility appraisal affects solely maladaptive thinking, coping appraisal affects both. Our results indicate that PMT is a solid starting point to study adaptive behaviours in the context of pluvial flooding, but we need to go beyond that by, for instance, considering factors of the PADM, such as responsibility, ownership, or respondent age, to fully understand this complex decision‐making process.
Efficacy of Ginger in Preventing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Zhu Wei , Dai Yan , Huang Mingjun , Li Jiping
Published: July 2021

Purpose

We aimed to synthesize the published evidence to evaluate the preventive efficacy of ginger on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

Design

A systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted in this study.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were systematically searched from their outset to October 2020, without language limitation. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of ginger and prophylactic antiemetics or placebo on PONV were included. Data were analyzed by the fixed effects model or random effects models regarding the results of heterogeneity.

Findings

A total of 14 studies involving 1417 participants were included. Compared with placebo, the ginger group had significantly lower nausea severity (MD = −0.71, 95% CI = −1.37 to −0.06, p = 0.03) and lower proportion of rescue antiemetic use (RR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.62–0.82, p < 0.001; RR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.56–0.91, p < 0.001). The ginger group had significantly lower incidence of nausea and vomiting over 6 h after operation (RR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.55–0.85, p < 0.001; RR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.42–1.44, p = 0.43) compared with placebo. When compared with the prophylactic antiemetic group, the ginger group had significantly lower incidence of nausea (RR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.56–0.99, p = 0.04), but no significant differences in the incidence of vomiting and proportion of rescue antiemetic use were found.

Conclusions

Ginger was effective for the prevention of PONV. More RCTs comparing ginger and other prophylactic antiemetics are needed to evaluate whether ginger could replace the traditional prophylactic antiemetics.

Clinical Relevance

This study’s results could be used as an evidence for all patients following surgery who are at risk of PONV without allergy to ginger.
The 1960s Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter: Social Protest from a Negotiation Perspective
Authors: McKersie Robert B.
Published: July 2021

Today’s Black Lives Matter movement rests on the foundation of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and lessons from that earlier period are relevant to advancing racial justice today. Both movements provide rich material for understanding how social protests can be viewed as negotiation stories. This article uses a negotiations lens to (1) interpret key events and features of these two movements and (2) suggest how the current movement might be sustained in ways that advance racial justice.
Aesthetic Autonomy and Norms of Exposure
Authors: Matherne Samantha
Published: July 2021

Is there tension in a view of the conditions of being in a proper position to make aesthetic evaluations that is committed to aesthetic autonomy and norms of exposure? I define ‘aesthetic autonomy’ in terms of the Kantian idea that in order to make a proper aesthetic evaluation, one must rely on oneself rather than on any outside source. I define ‘norms of exposure’ in terms of the Humean idea that practice and aesthetic education are conditions of proper aesthetic evaluation.Prima facie, these two commitments point toward competing accounts of whether exposure is a condition of being in a position to make proper aesthetic evaluations. However, I argue that a closer look at the Kantian position reveals that aesthetic exposure is a condition of being able to make aesthetic evaluations in an autonomous way in the Kantian framework.
Against normativism about mental attitudes
Authors: Bergamaschi Ganapini Marianna
Published: July 2021

Normativists argue that the mind is essentially normative and any adequate account of our mental attitudes must involve normative terms and judgments. In particular, one brand of Normativism defends the claim that mental attitudes are defined by constitutive norms. Against this, Anti‐normativists have offered non‐normative accounts of mental states.The goal of this paper is to bolster Anti‐normativism by undermining one key argument in favor of Normativism.
Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes LcXTH4/7/19 are involved in fruitlet abscission and are activated by LcEIL2/3 in litchi
Authors: Ma Xingshuai , Li Caiqin , Yuan Ye , Zhao Minglei , Li Jianguo
Published: July 2021

Organ abscission in plants requires the hydrolysis of cell wall components, mainly including celluloses, pectins, and xyloglucans. However, how the genes that encode those hydrolytic enzymes are regulated and their function in abscission remains unclear. Previously we revealed that two cellulase genes LcCEL2/8 and two polygalacturonase genes LcPG1/2 were responsible for the degradation of celluloses and pectins, respectively, during fruitlet abscission in litchi. Here, we further identified three xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes (LcXTH4, LcXTH7, LcXTH19) that are also involved in this process. Nineteen LcXTHs, named LcXTH1‐19, were identified in the litchi genome. Transcriptome data and qRT‐PCR confirmed that LcXTH4/7/19 were significantly induced at the abscission zone (AZ) during fruitlet abscission in litchi. The GUS reporter driven by each promoter of LcXTH4/7/19 was specifically expressed at the floral abscission zone of Arabidopsis, and importantly ectopic expression of LcXTH19 in Arabidopsis resulted in precocious floral organ abscission. Moreover, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and dual‐luciferase reporter analysis showed that the expression of LcXTH4/7/19 could be directly activated by two ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3‐like (EIL) transcription factors LcEIL2/3. Collectively, we propose that LcXTH4/7/19 are involved in fruitlet abscission, and LcEIL2/3‐mediated transcriptional regulation of diverse cell wall hydrolytic genes is responsible for this process in litchi.
Selection and performance in post‐compulsory education
Authors: Ahmad Uzma , McIntosh Steven , Popli Gurleen
Published: July 2021

This paper investigates the determinants of participation and performance in post‐compulsory education, controlling for selection into post‐compulsory education and prior attainment, using a unique primary data set on pupils studying in the post‐compulsory grade in 2011–2012 from one district of Punjab province in Pakistan. The main findings of this paper show that participation and performance in post‐compulsory education are two different processes, with participation being driven by the availability of post‐compulsory institutions within travel distance and performance, once in post‐compulsory education, determined by ability. The results further highlight that distance reduces participation most for those living in rural areas.
Manufacturing Capability of Three-Dimensional Printed Stereolithography Parts for Impact Applications
Authors: Schmitz Anne
Published: July 2021

Three-dimensional (3D) printing with high-resolution stereolithography (SLA) has grown in popularity for creating personalized medical devices. 3D printing is now starting to expand to weight-bearing components, e.g., prosthetic feet, as data on the dynamic properties impact and fatigue is published in the literature. The next step toward using 3D printing in impact applications is to assess the capability of the high-resolution SLA process to manufacture components of uniform impact resistance. Because impact testing is destructive, a surrogate measure to check a part's viability for resisting an impact load also needs to be established. Thirteen notched Izod specimens were printed on a Form2 SLA printer using the manufacturer's photocurable resins: clear, flexible, durable, and draft. Once all the specimens were printed, washed in isopropyl alcohol, and cured with ultraviolet light, the impact resistance was quantified using a pendulum impact tester in a notched Izod configuration. Then, the hardness of the specimens was quantified using a Shore durometer. The process capability indices of the impact resistance for the various polymers were 0.11 (clear), 0.43 (flexible), 0.65 (durable), and 1.07 (draft). Impact resistance and Shore durometer were only correlated for the flexible resin with a Spearman coefficient of r = 0.738, p < 0.005. Since the process capability index was so variable across materials, 3D printing with SLA polymers is not a viable manufacturing process for creating parts of consistent impact resistance. The current technology would lead to too many rejected parts.
Systematic and Facile Analysis of Deposits Composition: Implication on Effective Treatment of Oilfield Solid Deposits
Authors: Ricky Emanuel X. , Xu Xingguang
Published: July 2021

Oilfield solid deposits present the major flow assurance problems in the oil and gas industry. In general, the deposits need to be accurately identified and quantified for appropriate design and successful implementation of any treatments. However, few works have been reported on the establishment of a systematic analytical procedure. This work, for the first time, presents a systematic approach that may be used to identify and quantify the composition of oilfield solid deposits, with different analytical methods been jointly used. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy techniques were found very helpful in identifying the composition of the investigated oilfield solid deposit, whereas thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MIP-AES) were the most appropriate quantification techniques. The collected sample was found to contain mainly CaCO3 and consequently, the acid treatment method that involves the use of hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution was proposed to be the most applicable and cost-effective treatment method for its remediation. The exact amount of CaCO3 scale in the oilfield system, the concentration and volume of HCl solution required for the acid treatment method need to be precisely determined to ensure the effective treatment. We believe this well-established analytical procedure will be helpful and enlightening for identification and quantification of oilfield solid deposits and thus may facilitate the effective and efficient treatments on the undesirable deposits.
Carbon Dioxide Capture Using Sorbent-Loaded Hollow-Fiber Modules for Coal-Fired Power Plants
Authors: El Fil Bachir , Hoysall Dhruv C. , Garimella Srinivas
Published: July 2021

The impact of post-combustion carbon dioxide capture on the performance of a power plant is evaluated. A model of a coal power plant with post-combustion temperature swing adsorption (TSA) CO2 capture using sorbent-loaded hollow fibers is presented. The resulting performance and cost of carbon capture are compared with those of other adsorption-based technologies. A parametric analysis of the performance of the power plant with respect to key parameters in the hollow fiber module operation is presented. It is found that electrical energy consumption for the compression of CO2 is a major parasitic load (PL) common to all absorption technologies and accounts for almost half of the total parasitic load. The effect of source temperature, flue gas (FG) fan, and coupling fluid pump flowrates on overall system performance is presented. The impacts of different carbon capture technologies on the same coal-fired power plant are compared. Hollow fiber modules had the lowest parasitic load on the power plant, followed by KS-2 based carbon capture.
Detection and phylogenetic analysis of deformed wing virus (DWV) in honey bees, Apis mellifera L. and parasitic mite, Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae)
Authors: Shojaei Amin , Khanjani Mohammad , Nourian Alireza , Mahmoodi Pezhman
Published: July 2021

Deformed wing virus is one of the most common viral infections in honeybee populations around the world. In this study, a total of 30 apiaries located in different geographical regions of Hamedan, Iran were analyzed for the presence of deformed wing virus on capped larvae and workers of the honeybee, Apis mellifera (Hym: Apidae), as well as the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), using reverse-transcription PCR. Two target sequences within the putative VP1, VP4, and VP2 structural-protein genes and the RNA helicase enzyme gene, were selected for amplification and sequencing. According to the results, 36.6% of apiaries were found to be infected with deformed wing virus, including 8, 0, and 3 positive samples on capped larvae and workers, and Varroa mites, respectively. Four strains of the virus obtained from honeybees and mites were selected for analysis of genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships with other sequences deposited in GenBank. The results showed a high degree of similarity between the virus strains in honeybee and Varroa mite. The phylogenetic results highlight the higher suitability of non-structural in comparison with structural proteins for genetic diversity and phylogenetic studies of deformed wing virus strains.
New faunistical and taxonomic data on oribatid mites of the superfamily Plateremaeoidea (Acari, Oribatida) of Bolivia
Authors: Ermilov Sergey G. , Stary Josef
Published: July 2021

Two new species of the superfamily Plateremaeoidea (Acari, Oribatida) belonging to the genera Pheroliodes (Licnodamaeidae) and Plateremaeus (Plateremaeidae) are described from Bolivia. Both families as well as one known species (Plateremaeus ornatissimus) are recorded in the Bolivian fauna for the first time. Adult of Ph. bolivianus sp. nov. is similar to Ph. barringtonensis in main traits (e.g., notogaster with small, widely spaced foveolae; some notogastral setae phylliform; bothridial seta comparatively long, clavate), but differs from the latter by the smaller body length, the presence of broadly phylliform setae lp, h1 and p1 and setiform setae p2 and p3, and by a large number of transverse ridges and furrows in dorsomedial part on the prodorsum. Adult of Pl. yurtaevi sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus by the presence of clavate bothridial seta and distantly inserted adanal seta ad3 from anal aperture. The tritonymphal instar of Ph. bolivianus sp. nov. is compared to those of the other species.
Influence of irrigation regimes on yield, pomological parameters and population development of Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisd. (Acari: Tetranychidae) in strawberry
Authors: Atakan Ekrem , Sarıdaş Mehmet Ali , Pehlivan Serkan , Achiri Tange Denis , Çeliktopuz Eser , Kapur Burçak
Published: July 2021

In this study, the effect of full (IR100), 50% (IR50), 75% (IR75) and 125% (IR125) irrigation levels on population development of the carmine spider mite (CSM) as well as on yield and some pomological properties of ‘Fortuna’ strawberry cultivar grown in high tunnels were evaluated in two consecutive growing seasons (2016–2017 and 2017–2018). The numbers of CSM were significantly lower on strawberry leaves which were irrigated by IR50 and IR75 in both growing seasons. Full (IR100) and highest (IR125) irrigation levels were the most favorable for the development of CSM populations. On the other hand, in the CSM thriving period (2017), the fruit weight was generally high in the plots with the highest irrigation (IR125) level. Although there was no interaction with the CSM population, fruit acidity (%) increased in the IR100 and IR125 irrigation levels, possibly due to stress in plants, when CSM population was highest (in March). In the absence of CSM, fruit acidity was significantly high in the plots where water stress was experienced. While no significant interaction was found between the pomological characters and the CSM population, the mites affected the yield significantly in that plants were more productive under IR 75 even when there was a CSM population. This study suggests that the application of IR75 level in Fortuna strawberry is related to lower CSM population growth and significantly higher yields.