bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Earnings growth, marketability and the role of Islamic financial literacy and inclusion in Indonesia
Authors: Abbas Ahmad , Triani Neks , Rayyani Wa Ode , Muchran Muchriana
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to describe earnings growth and marketability generated by Islamic banks in Indonesia and to find the effects of a moderated mediation model on the nexus between Islamic financial inclusion and literacy, marketability and earnings growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of this research was Islamic commercial banks in Indonesia listed on the Financial Services Authority and Bank Indonesia using time-series data of financial statements from 2014 to 2021. This research was designed using the model of moderated mediation.

Findings

Earnings growth experienced by Islamic banks in Indonesia has a positive average value followed by a positive marketability. Based on the significance test, the level of earnings growth is positively affected by marketability. The result indicates that the higher the marketability, the higher the earnings growth of Islamic banks. In a moderated mediation model, the result has found a positive effect on the nexus between inclusion supported by the role of literacy, marketability and earnings growth. It indicates that Islamic financial inclusion moderated purely by the role of literacy enhances Islamic banking marketability so that earnings growth continuously increases.

Practical implications

The increase of literacy is an empirically proven way to strengthen market power, so the finding obtained in this research can be feedback from the scheme made by the Indonesian government in supporting the Islamic business and for the corporate area being eager to grow greater and faster in competing and equalizing its power in the banking industry. In addition, this research implies that other countries continuously promote and increase the role of Islamic financial literacy and inclusion to enhance market power and increase the growth in Islamic banking.

Originality/value

This research extends the limited scholarly work on the role of Islamic financial literacy and inclusion using a different design from prior studies. The framework of market power theory has been elaborated to find the effect of Islamic financial inclusion supported by the role of literacy on earnings growth through marketability. This research is a trailblazer in testing the nexus model between variables allowing the path analysis using the moderated mediation model.
Institutional pressures for SDGs in Indian food supply chains
Authors: Jacob-John Jubin , D’Souza Clare , Marjoribanks Timothy , Singaraju Stephen Pragasam
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the influence of institutional pressures on Indian Food Supply Chain (FSC) actors’ intention to adopt strategies for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By focusing on an agrarian state, this paper explores the prioritizations of SDGs by FSC actors and analyzes the relative impact of institutional pressures in adopting strategies for SDGs.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires from 303 respondents engaged in the food industry in an agrarian state in India.

Findings

The SDG prioritizations of FSC actors are evidenced using SDG models, thereby suggesting the presence of tradeoffs and synergies within SDGs in FSCs. By using institutional theory, this study defines the impact of sustainability drivers on Indian FSCs, and contrary to previous studies, normative institutional pressures are found not significant – this paper explicates the reasons for this.

Originality/value

Differing stakeholder groups and their prioritizations can result in ranking one SDG over another, thereby resulting in SDG tradeoffs. Such tradeoffs imply that the achievement of one SDG could negate the achievement of another SDG, and therefore, this study explicates the need for a holistic managerial approach to adopting SDGs.
Practicing citizenship privately: ethical self-fashioning and citizen-making in the revival of “Chinese Traditional Culture”
Authors: Zhang Liangliang
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationship between ethical self-fashioning and citizenship practices in the ongoing revival of “Chinese Traditional Culture” pursued in tandem by the party-state and by private actors in present-day China.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting an anthropological approach, the author draws from three sets of resources: (1) research literature on China’s political history and key texts of early Chinese thought, (2) contemporary state discourses on citizen formation, and (3) participant observation notes and interviews with organizers and followers of the Wu-Wei School (a pseudonym). The author conducts a textual analysis of primary and secondary literature and a critical discourse analysis of the ethnographic data and examines emerging themes.

Findings

Firstly, the author identifies a crucial dimension in the historical and cultural roots of Chinese citizenship practices: an enduring conception that binds individual ethical self-improvement with socio-political flourishing. Secondly, examining contemporary state discourses on “citizen quality” and “reviving China’s outstanding traditional culture”, the author showcases how party-state authorities call on individuals to self-reform for national rejuvenation. Thirdly, the author investigates how members of the Wu-Wei School construe their individual pursuits of ethical self-improvement as significant for societal progress.

Originality/value

Based on these findings, the author demonstrates the ways in which autochthonous conceptions of Chinese citizenship give a central place to private acts of self-fashioning. The author argues that the entanglement between individual ethics and citizenship practices constitutes a crucial but largely understudied dimension of Chinese citizenship.
Improving structural performance of concrete beams by U-wrapped basalt fibre: a retrofitting approach
Authors: Kannan Hamsavathi , Prakash K. Soorya , Kavimani V. Kavimani V.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The aim of the work is to investigate structural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RF) beam retrofitted with basalt fibre (BF) fabric. The incorporation of BF showed enhancement in bending strength, to increase confinement and to repair damages caused by cracking. In the early decades, using BF for composite materials shaped BF as an excellent physical substance with necessary mechanical properties, highlighting the significant procedures ability.

Design/methodology/approach

Specimens were casted with U-wrapped BF and then evaluated based on flexural tests. In the test carried over for flexural fortifying assessment, BF reinforcements demonstrated a definitive quality improvement in the case of the subjected control sample; ultimately, the end impacts depend upon the applied test parameters. From the outcomes introduced in this comparison, for the double-wrapped sample, the modifications improved by 12% than that of the single-wrapped beam, which is identified to subsist for a better strengthening of new-age retrofitting designs.

Findings

The current research deals with the retrofitting of RC beam by conducting a comparative experiment on wrapping of BF (single or double BF wrapping) in improving the mechanical behavior of concrete.

Originality/value

It can be shown from the experimental results that increasing the number of layers has significant effect on basalt strengthened beams.
Transforming the Australian agricultural biosecurity framework: The role of institutional logics
Authors: Bryant Melanie , Higgins Vaughan , Hernández‐Jover Marta , Warman Russell
Published: December 2022

The Australian government has transformed the national biosecurity framework by shifting from a quarantine to a shared responsibility approach. This reflects a move from centralised to network‐based governance. While network governance enables the development of private and public networks needed to enact a shared responsibility approach, it can sit in tension with this approach, which requires the sharing of risk and legitimacy across an array of non‐government actors. Further, little is known about how the beliefs and values of individuals involved in biosecurity decision‐making influence whether or how a shared responsibility approach is enacted. We use an institutional logics framework to investigate these issues and found that despite risk‐shifting and scale and efficiency logics underpinning a shared responsibility approach, a bureaucracy logic has remained dominant. While a dominant bureaucracy logic can enable a shared responsibility approach by providing clear guidelines around biosecurity compliance, it can also create barriers by creating ambiguity, or increasing reliance of actors on government in the event of a biosecurity outbreak. It can also reflect shadows of hierarchy in which governments moving to network‐based governance are either not ready to share power or seek to retain authority over the direction of their policy intention.

Points for practitioners

Enacting a shared responsibility approach is subject to an array of challenges. However, little is known about how the beliefs and values of individuals involved in biosecurity decision‐making influence whether or how a shared responsibility approach is enacted.

Problems can arise with implementation of a shared responsibility approach particularly related to the different and conflicting ways in which decision makers can interpret and understand a policy intention.

Despite efforts from public and private partners to work together, a shared responsibility approach is dominated by a bureaucracy logic. This can provide clear guidelines for actors around compliance but can also create further dependence on government in the event of a biosecurity outbreak.
Teachers of learners with ASD in mainstream schools and classrooms in Spain: attitudes towards inclusive education
Authors: Muñoz Martínez Yolanda , Simón Rueda Cecilia , de Dios Pérez Mª José
Published: December 2022

This study analyses the attitudes of teachers in Spain towards the inclusion of learners with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream education settings and their relationship with the perceived benefits of inclusion. The ex post facto prospective design included 180 teachers from 14 schools. Data were collected using a questionnaire on teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education and a second questionnaire on the benefits of inclusion developed for the specific purposes of this study. The results show teachers' positive attitudes towards inclusion as well as the benefits perceived. This study demonstrates the fundamental role of teachers' previous experience. Implications for inclusive cultures and practices in schools are discussed.
Occupational accidental injury deaths in Tokyo and Chiba prefectures, Japan: A 10‐year study (2011–2020) of forensic institute evaluations
Authors: Yamaguchi Rutsuko , Makino Yohsuke , Torimitsu Suguru , Inokuchi Go , Chiba Fumiko , Yoshida Maiko , Tsuneya Shigeki , Oya Yukiko , Yajima Daisuke , Iwase Hirotaro
Published: December 2022

Occupational accidental injury deaths (OAIDs) are a major social problem, and the analysis of individual cases is important for developing injury prevention measures. In this study, OAIDs with autopsies performed at forensic facilities in the metropolitan area of Japan (Tokyo and Chiba prefectures) from 2011 to 2020 were reviewed. The epidemiological characteristics of these OAIDs (n = 136), which accounted for 13.5% of OAIDs reported in the region during the study period, were compared with those of non‐occupational accidental injury deaths (non‐OAID) cases (n = 3926). Among OAID cases, 134 (98.5%) were men and 13 (9.6%) were foreign‐born workers, which was significantly more than in non‐OAID cases (p < 0.001, respectively). OAIDs were most frequent in construction (39.0%) followed by the manufacturing category (21.3%). The percentage of OAIDs in workers aged 65 and over showed an increasing trend. Most accidents occurred just after the start of work or just before the workday ended, as well as during the peak months of the year. The most common type of accident was fall/crash from a height (25.0%), and the most common injury site was the chest; none of these cases were confirmed to have been wearing a safety belt properly. Among foreign‐born workers, the most common type of accident was caught in/between. As the working population is expected to change in the future, and an increase in the number of older adults and foreign workers is expected, it is necessary to take preventive measures such as improving the work environment based on ergonomics and providing safety education.
Eggshell waste separation process assisted with pressure‐vacuum: Process conditions and optimization
Authors: Chi Yuan , Lin Mengmeng , Zuo Daming , Wang Hailing , Chi Yujie
Published: December 2022

Eggshells and eggshell membranes have high‐value recycling applications and have been widely used in pharmaceutical, chemical, and food research. The separation of eggshells and eggshell membranes is a prerequisite to efficiently using both. Therefore, the pressure‐vacuum experiment equipment was designed. In this study, research on the separation of eggshells and eggshell membranes from waste eggshells using the pressure‐vacuum experiment equipment was carried out. The flash evaporation experiment process controlled the experimental factors to obtain a sufficient moisture content between the eggshell and eggshell membrane with vigorous flash evaporation. The effects of experimental factors such as superheat (5–10°C), temperature (50–70°C), initial pressure (0.6–0.8 MPa), pressurization time (0–40 min), and particle size (6–8 mm) on the separation rate were investigated in the pressure‐vacuum experiment process. Through single‐factor and orthogonal experiments, it was found that the separation rate was most affected by changes in temperature, initial pressure, and particle size, followed by the interaction of temperature and particle size. The experimental results suggested that the optimum separation of eggshell membranes from eggshells was achieved at higher superheat, higher temperature, higher initial pressure, medium pressurization time, and smaller particle size. Through optimization by response surface methodology, the optimal conditions for the separation of eggshells and eggshell membranes using the flash evaporation method were determined as 15°C of superheat, 70°C of temperature, 0.8 MPa of initial pressure, and 6 mm of particle size. Flash evaporation method is an effective and environmentally friendly method, which provides a new solution for the recycling of waste eggshells.

Practical Application

In this study, pressure‐vacuum experiment equipment was utilized to reuse of waste eggshells, and an innovative and environmentally friendly method of eggshell membrane and eggshell separation was established. The pressure‐vacuum experiment equipment has a simple structure and low energy consumption. The results of flash evaporation experiments are instructive for further in‐depth studies on the separation of eggshells and eggshell membranes. Furthermore, the separation of eggshells and egg membranes by flash evaporation is of great research value. Most importantly, the separated eggshells and eggshell membrane are available for high‐value applications in food, chemical, and biological fields.
First chromosome scale genomes of ithomiine butterflies (Nymphalidae: Ithomiini): Comparative models for mimicry genetic studies
Authors: Gauthier Jérémy , Meier Joana , Legeai Fabrice , McClure Melanie , Whibley Annabel , Bretaudeau Anthony , Boulain Hélène , Parrinello Hugues , Mugford Sam T. , Durbin Richard , Zhou Chenxi , McCarthy Shane , Wheat Christopher W. , Piron‐Prunier Florence , Monsempes Christelle , François Marie‐Christine , Jay Paul , Noûs Camille , Persyn Emma , Jacquin‐Joly Emmanuelle , Meslin Camille , Montagné Nicolas , Lemaitre Claire , Elias Marianne
Published: December 2022

The ithomiine butterflies (Nymphalidae: Danainae) represent the largest known radiation of Müllerian mimetic butterflies. They dominate by number the mimetic butterfly communities, which include species such as the iconic neotropical Heliconius genus. Recent studies on the ecology and genetics of speciation in Ithomiini have suggested that sexual pheromones, colour pattern and perhaps hostplant could drive reproductive isolation. However, no reference genome was available for Ithomiini, which has hindered further exploration on the genetic architecture of these candidate traits, and more generally on the genomic patterns of divergence. Here, we generated high‐quality, chromosome‐scale genome assemblies for two Melinaea species, M. marsaeus and M. menophilus, and a draft genome of the species Ithomia salapia. We obtained genomes with a size ranging from 396 to 503 Mb across the three species and scaffold N50 of 40.5 and 23.2 Mb for the two chromosome‐scale assemblies. Using collinearity analyses we identified massive rearrangements between the two closely related Melinaea species. An annotation of transposable elements and gene content was performed, as well as a specialist annotation to target chemosensory genes, which is crucial for host plant detection and mate recognition in mimetic species. A comparative genomic approach revealed independent gene expansions in ithomiines and particularly in gustatory receptor genes. These first three genomes of ithomiine mimetic butterflies constitute a valuable addition and a welcome comparison to existing biological models such as Heliconius, and will enable further understanding of the mechanisms of adaptation in butterflies.
Epidemiology of eczema in South‐Eastern Australia
Authors: Zeleke Berihun M. , Lowe Adrian J. , Dharmage Shyamali C. , Lopez Diego J. , Koplin Jennifer J. , Peters Rachel L. , Soriano Victoria X. , Tang Mimi L. K. , Walters E. Haydn , Varigos George A. , Lodge Caroline J. , Perret Jennifer L. , Abramson Michael J.
Published: December 2022

Background/Objectives

Eczema is a common chronic debilitating skin condition in childhood. Data on the epidemiology and natural history of eczema across the life course are lacking. This analysis aimed to describe these epidemiological features in Australian children and adults.

Methods

Data collected on eczema from four Australian cohort studies were analysed: namely HealthNuts, Melbourne Atopic Cohort Study (MACS), Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS) and the Australian arm of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS).

Results

Among children aged under 6 years, 28.8%–35.6% have ever‐had eczema, and 16.7%–26.6% had ‘current eczema’. Among those aged 6–12 years, 14.6%–24.7% had ‘current eczema’ with 12.0%–18.5% of those at ages of 6 and 10 years classified as having moderate‐to‐severe eczema according to the Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. In adults, the prevalence of ‘eczema ever’ ranged between 13.8% and 48.4%. The 12‐month period prevalence of eczema was 15.1% at age 18, while current eczema was 8.5% at an average age of 51, and 8.8% at an average age 53 years. Eczema was more common among young boys, but this difference became non‐significant for older children and early adolescents. In contrast, eczema was more common for adult women than men.

Conclusions

Eczema is common both in children and adults. The proportion of severe eczema in children was substantial.
The Visitor
Authors: Wood John Colman
Published: December 2022

The following story—based on several years of fieldwork in a southern Appalachian city with an ugly Jim Crow past—is a fiction about place and identity. The city, despite its progressive reputation, remains deeply segregated. Its segregation is obscured, at least for some, by a veneer of gentrification and Black Lives Matter yard signs. When bodies begin turning up in unexpected places, the White narrator, a retired folklorist, uses French Structuralist theory to interpret events as though they were part of a single story. Over time, however, he realizes that his interpretations do not fit the facts, prompting him to shift his thinking from the structural to the idiographic. The story is an allegory, a contemporary fable, about the ultimate inscrutability of others—but also about the possibility, with sufficient imagination, of understanding.
A feedback loop between NONHSAT024276 and PTBP1 inhibits tumor progression and glycolysis in HCC by increasing the PKM1/PKM2 ratio
Authors: Li Yuwei , Chen Xia , Huang Hengliu , Liao Ling , Chong Huimin , Li Guangyao , Yuan Tao , Lu Weiping , Deng Shaoli , Huang Qing
Published: December 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies with a hallmark of aberrant metabolism. The mechanism of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) underlying the aggressive behaviors and glycolysis of HCC is poorly understood. In this study, we identified, via microarray, novel lncRNA NONHSAT024276 as a potential tumor suppressor in HCC. The downregulation of NONHSAT024276 closely correlated with larger tumor volume and higher aspartate transaminase levels. Functional experiments were performed to verify the role of NONHSAT024276 in HCC progression, and the negative effects of NONHSAT024276 expression on cell proliferation and migration were identified. Mechanistically, NONHSAT024276 directly bound to polypyrimidine tract–binding protein 1 (PTBP1), downregulating it and forming a feedback loop. Furthermore, NONHSAT024276 increased the ratio of M1 and M2 isoforms of pyruvate kinase (PKM1/PKM2) and also obstructed the PTBP1/PKM‐mediated glycolysis. Finally, the rescue assays confirmed that NONHSAT024276 functioned in HCC via downregulating PTBP1 to increase the PKM1/PKM2 ratio. Hence, this study supported a model in which NONHSAT024276 downregulated PTBP1 and formed a feedback loop to increase the PKM1/PKM2 ratio to inhibit glycolysis and progression of HCC, opening new prospects for preventing or treating HCC.
Mature dendritic cells enriched in regulatory molecules may control regulatory T cells and the prognosis of head and neck cancer
Authors: Minohara Kiyoshi , Imai Masaki , Matoba Takuma , Wing James Badger , Shime Hiroaki , Odanaka Mizuyu , Uraki Ryuta , Kawakita Daisuke , Toyama Tatsuya , Takahashi Satoru , Morita Akimichi , Murakami Shingo , Ohkura Naganari , Sakaguchi Shimon , Iwasaki Shinichi , Yamazaki Sayuri
Published: December 2022

We previously reported that regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing CTLA‐4 on the cell surface are abundant in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The role of expanded Treg cells in the tumor microenvironment of HNSCC remains unclear. In this study, we reveal that the tumor microenvironment of HNSCC is characterized by the high expression of genes related to Treg cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and interleukin (IL)‐17‐related molecules. Increased expression of IL17A, IL17F, or IL23A contributes to a favorable prognosis of HNSCC. In the tumor microenvironment of HNSCC, IL23A and IL12B are expressed in mature dendritic cells enriched in regulatory molecules (mregDCs). The mregDCs in HNSCC are a migratory and mature phenotype; their signature genes strongly correlate with Treg signature genes in HNSCC. We also observed that IL17A was highly expressed in Th17 cells and exhausted CD8+ T cells in HNSCC. These data suggest that mregDCs in HNSCC may contribute to the prognosis by balancing Treg cells and effector T cells that produce IL‐17. Targeting mregDCs may be a novel strategy for developing new immune therapies against HNSCC.
ANGPTL8 links inflammation and poor differentiation, which are characteristics of malignant renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Matsukawa Takuo , Doi Tomomitsu , Obayashi Kunie , Sumida Kazuhiro , Fujimoto Naohiro , Endo Motoyoshi
Published: December 2022

Inflammation is observed in many tumors, which affects metastasis, infiltration, and immune escape and causes poor differentiation of the cancer cells. However, the molecular basis underlying the relationship between inflammation and poor differentiation in tumors has not been identified. In this study, we demonstrate that angiopoietin‐like protein‐8 (ANGPTL8), which is induced by stress stimuli such as inflammation, is involved in the maintenance of the undifferentiated state of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cells. ANGPTL8 is also involved in the production of chemokines that attract immune suppressor cells to the tumor microenvironment. ANGPTL8 sustains the continuous production of chemokines by activating the NF‐κB signaling pathway and maintains the undifferentiated state of ccRCC cells. Finally, ANGPTL8 is induced by STAT3 signaling, which is activated by immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. These results support a role for ANGPTL8 in determining the properties of ccRCC by hampering tumor cell differentiation and establishing the tumor microenvironment.
Molecular target interactions of quinoline derivatives as anticancer agents: A review
Authors: Pradhan Vikas ,   Salahuddin , Kumar Rajnish , Mazumder Avijit , Abdullah Mohammad Mustaqeem , Shahar Yar Mohammad , Ahsan Mohamed Jawed , Ullah Zabih
Published: December 2022

One of the leading causes of death worldwide is cancer, which poses substantial risks to both society and an individual's life. Cancer therapy is still challenging, despite developments in the field and continued research into cancer prevention. The search for novel anticancer active agents with a broader cytotoxicity range is therefore continuously ongoing. The benzene ring gets fused to a pyridine ring at two carbon atoms close to one another to form the double ring structure of the heterocyclic aromatic nitrogen molecule known as quinoline (1‐azanaphthalene). Quinoline derivatives contain a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antitubercular, antifungal, antibacterial, and antimalarial properties. Quinoline derivatives have also been shown to have anticancer properties. There are many quinoline derivatives widely available as anticancer drugs that act via a variety of mechanisms on various molecular targets, such as inhibition of topoisomerase, inhibition of tyrosine kinases, inhibition of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs), inhibition of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and inhibition of tubulin polymerization.
Left atrial contraction strain during a Valsalva manoeuvre: A study in healthy humans
Authors: Gottfridsson Peter , Law Lucy , A'roch Roman , Myrberg Tomi , Hultin Magnus , Lindqvist Per , Haney Michael
Published: December 2022

Background

Cardiac mechanics are influenced by loading conditions as well as sympathetic tone. Left atrial (LA) contractile function assessed by two‐dimensional (2D) strain has been described in the setting of controlled preload alterations; however, studies show conflicting findings about change or direction of change. We hypothesized that the controlled preload reduction and the sympathetic nervous system activation that occurs during a standardized Valsalva manoeuvre would bring about a change in LA contraction strain.

Methods

Healthy young adults of both sexes were recruited. Transthoracic echocardiographic ultrasound images were collected before and during a Valsalva manoeuvre. Standard imaging windows for LA strain assessment were used and the images were copied and stored for later offline analysis. These were assessed for adequate atrial wall visualization in 2D strain assessment. Paired comparisons were carried out using Student's T test.

Result

Thirty‐eight participants were included and there were 22 complete studies with paired pre‐ and during Valsalva manoeuvre. LA contraction strain at baseline was 10.5 ± 2.8% (standard deviation) and during the Valsalva manoeuvre 10.6 ± 4.6%, p = 0.86.

Conclusion

The Valsalva manoeuvre, a combination of preload reduction and sympathetic nervous system activation, seems not to be associated with a change in LA contraction strain in healthy young individuals. LA contraction strain should be interpreted in the context of both atrial loading conditions and prevailing autonomic nervous system activity.
Safety and feasibility of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in head and neck cancer survivors
Authors: Midgley Adrian W. , Levy Andrew R. , Cunha Felipe A. , Key Angela , Patterson Joanne M. , Rogers Simon N.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Assess safety and feasibility of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) for evaluating head and neck cancer (HaNC) survivors. Also compare their cardiorespiratory fitness to age and sex‐matched norms and establish current physical activity levels.

Methods

Fifty HaNC survivors [29 male; mean (SD) age, 62 (8) years], who had completed treatment up to 1 year previously, were recruited. Participants performed a CPET on a cycle ergometer to symptom‐limited tolerance. Participants completed a questionnaire to report contributory factors they perceived as influencing test termination. Physical activity levels were determined using a self‐reported physical activity questionnaire.

Results

Three participants did not complete the CPET because (1) poor fitting mouthpiece and naso‐oral mask due to facial disfiguration from surgery; (2) knee pain elicited by cycling; and (3) early CPET termination due to electrocardiogram artefacts. Participants reached a mean peak oxygen uptake that was 34% lower than predicted and the mean (SD) CPET duration of 7:52 (2:29) min:s was significantly lower than the target test duration of 10 min (p < 0.001). Leg muscle aches and/or breathing discomfort were major contributory factors influencing test termination for 78% of participants, compared to 13% for dry mouth/throat and/or drainage in the mouth/throat. No major adverse events occurred. Participants were categorised as 26% active, 8% moderately active, and 66% insufficiently active.

Conclusion

These preliminary data suggest the CPET appears safe and feasible for most HaNC survivors when strict exclusion criteria are applied; however, low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness should be considered when calculating an appropriate ramp rate.
Time‐frequency comovement among green financial assets and cryptocurrency uncertainties
Authors: Haq Inzamam Ul
Published: December 2022

The high energy consumption and carbon footprints have raised environmental and sustainable concerns of green investors and policymakers. This study explores comovements between three green and socially responsible financial assets, S&P global clean energy index (GCEI), S&P green bonds index (GB), DJ sustainability world index (DJSWI) and four cryptocurrency uncertainty/attention indices cryptocurrency policy uncertainty index, Central Bank Digital Currencies Uncertainty Index, Central Bank Digital Currencies Attentions Index and Index of Cryptocurrency Environmental Attention using the bivariate wavelet coherence approach. The findings show that GCEI, GB, DJSWI returns have consistent positive comovement with all cryptocurrency uncertainty/attention indices in the medium‐term, suggesting their time‐varying leading role. Evidence of negative coherences shows that higher cryptocurrency uncertainties/attentions lead to lower green financial asset returns, reflecting the adverse impact of higher uncertainties/attention on the trust of green and sustainable investors. The above empirical findings offer up‐to‐date insights for guiding policymakers, and regulators, enabling them in environmental policy development. Furthermore, socially responsible investors can make better investment judgments by considering the environmental concerns in the cryptocurrency marketplaces.
The rationality of qualified lotteries
Authors: Frey Bruno S. , Osterloh Margit , Rost Katja
Published: December 2022

A lottery (or random selection) is often considered to be irrational. However, a qualified lottery can lead to a second‐order rationality on an institutional level. The main idea is to make use of uncertainty, either by exploiting existing fundamental uncertainty or by deliberately enlarging uncertainty through lotteries. In both cases, decision quality may be enhanced by increasing diversity and risk diversification, by decreasing biases and noise, and through a strong disempowering effect by the shadow of uncertainty. The paper shows the different ways in which qualified lotteries have been used in history, analyses why this procedure has been forgotten despite its clear advantages, and compares it with competitive selection mechanisms.
The diagenetic fate of collagen as revealed by analytical pyrolysis of fossil fish scales from deep time
Authors: Umamaheswaran Raman , Dutta Suryendu , Prasad Guntupalli V. R. , Khan Mahasin Ali , Kumar Sumit , Bera Subir , Patnaik Rajeev
Published: December 2022

The mechanism of protein degradation has remained a topic of debate (specifically concerning their preservation in deep time), which has recently been invigorated due to multiple published reports of preservation ranging from Miocene to the Triassic that potentially challenge the convention that protein preservation beyond the Cenozoic is extremely uncommon or is expected to be absent altogether, and thus have attracted skepticism. In this paper, we analyze fossil fish scales from the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic using comprehensive pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled with time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and compare the pyrolytic products so obtained with a well‐preserved fish scale from Late Pliocene, in an attempt to better understand the effects of diagenesis on protein degradation at the molecular level through deep time. We find that the Pliocene fish scale displays a large number of N‐bearing pyrolytic products, including abundant substituted cyclic 2,5‐diketopiperazines (2,5‐DKPs) which are diagnostic products of peptide and amino acid pyrolysis. We identify N‐bearing compounds in the Mesozoic fish scales—however, among the 2,5‐DKPs that were identified in the Pliocene scale, only diketodipyrrole (or cyclo (Pyr‐Pyr)) is present in the Mesozoic scales. We discuss the implications of N‐bearing pyrolytic products with emphasis on 2,5‐DKPs in geological samples and conclude that the discrepancy in abundance and variety of N‐bearing products between Pliocene and Mesozoic scales indicates that the protein component in the latter has been extensively diagenetically altered, while a suite of DKPs such as in the former would imply stronger evidence to indicate preservation of protein. We conclude that analytical pyrolysis is an effective tool for detecting preservation of intact proteins, as well as for providing insights into their degradation mechanisms, and can potentially be utilized to assign proteinaceous origin to a fossil sample of unknown affinity.
Future supply of boreal forest ecosystem services is driven by management rather than by climate change
Authors: Triviño María , Morán‐Ordoñez Alejandra , Eyvindson Kyle , Blattert Clemens , Burgas Daniel , Repo Anna , Pohjanmies Tähti , Brotons Lluís , Snäll Tord , Mönkkönen Mikko
Published: December 2022

Forests provide a wide variety of ecosystem services (ES) to society. The boreal biome is experiencing the highest rates of warming on the planet and increasing demand for forest products. To foresee how to maximize the adaptation of boreal forests to future warmer conditions and growing demands of forest products, we need a better understanding of the relative importance of forest management and climate change on the supply of ecosystem services. Here, using Finland as a boreal forest case study, we assessed the potential supply of a wide range of ES (timber, bilberry, cowberry, mushrooms, carbon storage, scenic beauty, species habitat availability and deadwood) given seven management regimes and four climate change scenarios. We used the forest simulator SIMO to project forest dynamics for 100 years into the future (2016–2116) and estimate the potential supply of each service using published models. Then, we tested the relative importance of management and climate change as drivers of the future supply of these services using generalized linear mixed models. Our results show that the effects of management on the future supply of these ES were, on average, 11 times higher than the effects of climate change across all services, but greatly differed among them (from 0.53 to 24 times higher for timber and cowberry, respectively). Notably, the importance of these drivers substantially differed among biogeographical zones within the boreal biome. The effects of climate change were 1.6 times higher in northern Finland than in southern Finland, whereas the effects of management were the opposite—they were three times higher in the south compared to the north. We conclude that new guidelines for adapting forests to global change should account for regional differences and the variation in the effects of climate change and management on different forest ES.
Contemporizing island biogeography theory with anthropogenic drivers of species richness
Authors: Gleditsch Jason M. , Behm Jocelyn E. , Ellers Jacintha , Jesse Wendy A. M. , Helmus Matthew R.
Published: December 2022

Aim

Island biogeography theory states that species richness increases with habitat diversity and decreases with isolation from source pools. However, ecological theory must incorporate effects of human activity to explain contemporary patterns of biodiversity. We contemporized island biogeography theory by conceptualizing island trajectories of how species richness changes over time with accelerating land development and economic trade, which increase extinction and immigration rates, respectively. With this contemporized theory, we then articulate and empirically assess expected relationships of native, introduced and total species richness with natural and anthropogenic metrics of habitat diversity and isolation from source pools.

Location

Greater Caribbean region.

Time period

Database finalized in 2020.

Methods

We built a database of 1,042 native and introduced reptiles and amphibians (herps) for 840 Caribbean islands. For each island, we calculated natural and anthropogenic metrics of island habitat diversity and isolation from source pools and used linear model averaging to assess the expected relationships under the contemporized theory for 15 major herp clades.

Results

Natural habitat diversity metrics exhibited positive relationships with native and introduced species richness, strengthening total species richness–area relationships across herp clades. Geographic isolation exhibited negative relationships with native and positive relationships with introduced species richness, weakening total species richness–isolation relationships. Economic area, based on developed land, and economic isolation, based on maritime trade, exhibited negative relationships with native species richness, but positive and negative relationships, respectively, with introduced species richness. Total species richness relationships with these two anthropogenic metrics were strongest in clades with many introduced species.

Main conclusions

A contemporized island biogeography theory that includes the effects of land development and economic trade on species extinction and immigration explained current Caribbean herp species richness patterns. As human activity continues to accelerate, the contemporized theory we articulate here will increasingly predict island biogeography of the Anthropocene.
Modulation of factor VIII pharmacokinetics by genetic components in factor VIII receptors
Authors: Lunghi Barbara , Morfini Massimo , Martinelli Nicola , Branchini Alessio , Linari Silvia , Castaman Giancarlo , Bernardi Francesco
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Gene variation in receptors for circulating factor VIII (FVIII) is candidate to explain the large inter‐patient variability of infused FVIII pharmacokinetics (PK) in haemophilia A (HA).

Aim

To compare in an Italian HA cohort (n = 26) the influence on FVIII PK of genetic components in four von Willebrand factor (VWF)/FVIII receptors.

Methods

Genotypes of low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), asialoglycoprotein receptor minor subunit (ASGR2), family 4 member M (CLEC4M), stabilin2 (STAB2) and ABO blood‐group, and VWF:Ag levels were included as independent variables in linear regression analyses of two‐compartment model (TCM) – standard half‐life (SHL) FVIII PK parameters.

Results

In the initial FVIII distribution phase, the STAB2 rs4981022 AA, ASGR2 rs2289645 TT and LDLR rs688 TT genotypes may contribute to increase Cmax, and prolong or shorten AlphaHL. In the elimination phase, a shorter BetaHL was associated with the CLEC4M rs868875 GG (beta‐coefficient .366, p = .025) and ASGR2 rs2289645 TC (beta‐coefficient .456, p = .006) genotypes, which also showed shorter mean residence time (MRT) than TT genotypes (p = .021). The alpha and beta phase effects were independent of ABO and VWF:Ag levels at baseline. The association of the LDLR rs2228671 genotypes with clearance was independent of ABO (beta‐coefficient −.363, p = .035) but not of other receptors or VWF:Ag, which may point out multiple and competing interactions.

Conclusions

With the limitation of the small number of HA patients, these observations highlight multiple genetic components acting in distinct phases of FVIII PK and contributing to explain FVIII PK variability. This analysis provides candidates for genotype‐based, individual tailoring of FVIII substitutive treatment.
The effect of nursing interventions on urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction among post‐radical prostatectomy patients
Authors: Taleb Fuad Radman , Sameh Wael Mohammed , Tolba Kawthar Gaber , Hegazi Soheir AbuElfadhl , Altaheri Asmaa Taha
Published: December 2022

Prostate cancer is one of the commonest types of cancer in men worldwide. The primary treatment option for localized prostate cancer is radical prostatectomy. Unfortunately, a considerable proportion of men may experience long‐term post‐surgical sequelae is to determine the effect of nursing interventions on urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction among post‐radical prostatectomy patients. A quasi‐experimental (one group, pre‐test–post‐test) research design. We included 30 post‐radical prostatectomy patients in this study. Each patient was interviewed in five sessions. During these sessions, the information about the complications of RP, pelvic floor exercise training and sexual rehabilitation was given. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Urinary Incontinence‐Short Form (ICIQ‐UI‐SF), The Revised Faecal Incontinence Scale (RFIS) and Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) were used to evaluate the effect of nursing interventions. The study results demonstrate that the incidence of urinary and sexual dysfunction is high among patients post‐radical prostatectomy patients. Fortunately, urinary and sexual dysfunctions were improved post‐implementation of nursing intervention with statistically significant differences (p‐value <0.05). The incidence of faecal incontinence was 16.7% while it was 13.3% post‐nursing implementation with no statistically significant differences. Nursing intervention is effective in the management of urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy within a short period time while the improvement in sexual dysfunction may need more time.
New‐onset type 1 diabetes and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection
Authors: Anindya Roy , Rutter Guy A , Meur Gargi
Published: December 2022

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a condition characterized by an absolute deficiency of insulin. Loss of insulin‐producing pancreatic islet β cells is one of the many causes of T1D. Viral infections have long been associated with new‐onset T1D and the balance between virulence and host immunity determines whether the viral infection would lead to T1D. Herein, we detail the dynamic interaction of pancreatic β cells with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and the host immune system with respect to new‐onset T1D. Importantly, β cells express the crucial entry receptors and multiple studies confirmed that β cells are infected by SARS‐CoV‐2. Innate immune system effectors, such as natural killer cells, can eliminate such infected β cells. Although CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T (TREG) cells provide immune tolerance to prevent the destruction of the islet β‐cell population by autoantigen‐specific CD8+ T cells, it can be speculated that SARS‐CoV‐2 infection may compromise self‐tolerance by depleting TREG‐cell numbers or diminishing TREG‐cell functions by repressing Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) expression. However, the expansion of β cells by self‐duplication, and regeneration from progenitor cells, could effectively replace lost β cells. Appearance of islet autoantibodies following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was reported in a few cases, which could imply a breakdown of immune tolerance in the pancreatic islets. However, many of the cases with newly diagnosed autoimmune response following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection also presented with significantly high HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) levels that indicated progression of an already set diabetes, rather than new‐onset T1D. Here we review the potential underlying mechanisms behind loss of functional β‐cell mass as a result of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection that can trigger new‐onset T1D.
Do welfare policies matter for immigrant entrepreneurship? An analysis in the context of France
Authors: Samers Michael
Published: December 2022

There is little research on the relationship between welfare policies and immigrant entrepreneurship. Accordingly, this paper examines changes in three welfare domains: child‐care, health/medical insurance, and unemployment insurance in the context of France since roughly the 1980s, but with a focus on the 21st century. Given changes in French welfare policy, I show that immigrants' greater access to fluctuating, sometimes declining, but overall increasing spending in the three domains, can be positively correlated with slowly increasing immigrant entrepreneurship since the early 2000s. However, I also argue that welfare policies do not seem to have a significant effect on the levels and survival of immigrant‐owned firms in France. The findings of this paper should nonetheless be taken with extreme caution in light of the obstacles to analyzing this relationship. As a consequence, I provide an assessment of three possible research designs as a route towards better understanding this relationship.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of WB2–B4C composites fabricated by boro/carbothermal reduction and SPS
Authors: Long Ying , Zhang Guihao , Lin Shiming , Lin Hua‐Tay
Published: December 2022

The phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the WB2–B4C composites fabricated by a combination of boro/carbothermal reduction and spark plasma sintering (SPS) method with WO3, B4C, and graphite as raw materials were investigated in this study. The experimental results showed that the relative density of the as‐sintered WB2–B4C composites was ∼93.1% and ∼99.5%, respectively, after being SPS sintered at 1600°C under the applied load of 30 MPa for 10 min. Scanning electron microscope analysis showed that a network structure with WB2 grains surrounded by B4C grains was observed after sintering. Analyses of high‐resolution TEM showed semi‐coherent interface and lattice distortion transition region between WB2 and B4C grains. The Vickers hardness of WB2–B4C composite increased to 22.3 ± 0.9 GPa at 9.8 N owing to the fully dense, solid solution of C, and three‐dimensional network structure. Moreover, the fracture toughness and flexural strength of WB2–B4C composite reach 6.04 ± 0.81 MPa m1/2 and 750 ± 80 MPa, respectively, which could be attributed to the semi‐coherent interface between WB2 and B4C grains.