bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Money laundering – the gold method
Authors: Teichmann Fabian Maximilian Johannes , Falker Marie-Christin
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how illicit funds are laundered by using the gold method in German-speaking European countries.

Design/methodology/approach

To identify approaches to money laundering via gold, 60 semi-standardized interviews with money launderers and compliance officers were conducted. Further, a quantitative survey of 200 compliance officers was administered.

Findings

The gold trade in European German-speaking countries remains extraordinarily suitable for money laundering. In particular, it may be used for placement and layering.

Research limitations/implications

The implications are based on the statements of 60 interviewees, including both money launderers and compliance officers. Thus, the derived results are limited to the perspectives of these 60 persons.

Practical implications

Based on this study’s findings, gaps in the existing anti-money laundering measures are identified. Documenting these inconsistencies should provide compliance officers, law enforcement agencies and legislators with valuable insights into the minds of money launderers.

Originality/value

As this study explores the perspectives of both compliance officers and money launderers, it provides a broad overview of the issues. Most existing literature fails to observe money laundering from the launderers’ perspective, focusing instead on methods to prevent money laundering. Effective prevention requires profound knowledge of how criminals operate. Only by adopting criminals’ perspective can compliance officers effectively spot money-laundering methods.
Challenges in customer due diligence for banks in the UAE
Authors: ElYacoubi Dina
Published: March 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to unpack the customer due diligence (CDD) vulnerabilities and to examine and analyze the UAE specific dynamics that make the country exposed to these threats. This research also intends to put on the table suitable solutions and remedial action steps that the UAE government, regulators and financial institutions (FIs) can adopt.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is qualitative in nature.

Findings

Despite the impressive regulatory framework and the satisfactory practices by FIs, there still remains some UAE specific challenges that make it difficult to undertake CDD for certain customers. The challenges that were identified include difficulties in Arabic names, complications in identifying the beneficial owners, impediments in establishing the source of wealth/funds, concerns with politically exposed persons, the increasing cost of compliance that resulted in a pattern of de-risking within FIs.

Research limitations/implications

The international bodies whose mandate is to formulate the necessary anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism policies and regulations for global implementation together with Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) have published sufficient studies on CDD-related issues in the UAE. Yet on the other hand, very limited literature was found by independent scholars. This paper will, therefore, largely reference publications by Financial Action Task Force, the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report and ACAMS. It will also include works by respected law firms that have operations in the UAE, local publications, government documents, academic papers by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, legal journals and others.

Originality/value

Illicit actors exploit the UAE’s relatively open business environment, a multitude of global banks and exchange houses and global transportation links to undertake illicit financial activity […] the UAE does not have any major anti-money laundering (AML) deficiencies. However, the monitoring of FIs for AML purposes, particularly in the area of CDD, could be improved. This paper unpacks the CDD vulnerabilities and analyzes the UAE specific dynamics that make the country exposed to these threats. This research also puts on the table suitable remedial action steps that the UAE government, regulators and FIs can adopt.
Green conversion of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural to furan‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid by heterogeneous expression of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural oxidase in Pseudomonas putida S12
Authors: Hsu Chih‐Ting , Kuo Yang‐Cheng , Liu Yu‐Cheng , Tsai Shen‐Long
Published: March 2020

Transforming petrochemical processes into bioprocesses has become an important goal of sustainable development. The chemical synthesis of 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is expensive and environmentally unfavourable. The study aims to investigate a whole‐cell biocatalyst for efficient biotransformation of HMF to FDCA. For the first time, a genetically engineered Pseudomonas putida S12 strain expressing 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural oxidase (HMFO) was developed for the biocatalytic conversion of HMF to FDCA. This whole‐cell biocatalyst produced 35.7 mM FDCA from 50 mM HMF in 24 h without notable inhibition. However, when the initial HMF concentration was elevated to 100 mM, remarkable inhibition on FDCA production was observed, resulting in a reduction of FDCA yield to 42%. We solve this substrate inhibition difficulty by increasing the inoculum density. Subsequently, we used a fed‐batch strategy by maintaining low HMF concentration in the culture to maximize the final FDCA titre. Using this approach, 545 mM of FDCA was accumulatively produced after 72 hs, which is the highest production rate per unit mass of cells to the best of our knowledge.
Critical care transition programs on readmission or death: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Österlind Jonas , Gerhardsson Jakob , Myrberg Tomi
Published: March 2020

Background

Deterioration after ICU discharge may lead to readmission or even death. Interventions (eg, critical care transition programs) have been developed to improve the clinical handover between the ICU and the ward. We conducted a systematic review with meta‐analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) according to Cochrane Handbook and Grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE) methodology to assess the impact of these interventions on readmission and death (PROSPERO, no CRD42019121746).

Methods

We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials from inception until January 2019. We included historically controlled studies that evaluated critical care transition programs in adults discharged from the ICU. Readmission and in‐hospital mortality were the primary outcomes. Risk of bias, publications bias, and the quality of evidence were assessed with the ROBINS‐Itool, funnel plot and GRADE, respectively.

Results

Fifteen observational studies were included (11 in meta‐analysis). All studies had at least serious risk of bias. ICU discharge within a critical care transition program modestly reduced the risk of readmission (RR 0.78; 95% CI: 0.64‐0.96; TSA‐adjusted 95% CI: 0.59‐1.03) but not in‐hospital mortality (RR 0.82; 95% CI: 0.64‐1.06; TSA‐adjusted 95% CI: 0.49‐1.37). There was substantial heterogeneity among studies. TSA indicated lack of firm evidence. The GRADE quality of evidence on outcomes was very low.

Conclusions

We found no clear benefit in terms of reducing risk of readmission or death after ICU discharge, however, with overall very low certainty of evidence.
Outcomes With the Use of Bag–Valve–Mask Ventilation During Out‐of‐hospital Cardiac Arrest in the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial
Authors: Lupton Joshua R. , Schmicker Robert H. , Stephens Shannon , Carlson Jestin N. , Callaway Clifton , Herren Heather , Idris Ahamed H. , Sopko George , Puyana Juan C. J. , Daya Mohamud R. , Wang Henry , Hansen Matt
Published: March 2020

Background

While emergency medical services (EMS) often use endotracheal intubation (ETI) or supraglottic airways (SGA), some patients receive only bag–valve–mask (BVM) ventilation during out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA). Our objective was to compare patient characteristics and outcomes for BVM ventilation to advanced airway management (AAM) in adults with OHCA.

Methods

Using data from the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial, we identified patients receiving AAM (ETI or a SGA), BVM ventilation only (BVM‐only), and BVM ventilation as a rescue after at least one failed attempt at advanced airway placement (BVM‐rescue). The outcomes were return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 72‐hour survival, survival to hospital discharge, neurologically intact survival (Modified Rankin Scale ≤ 3), and the presence of aspiration on a chest radiograph. Comparisons were made using generalized mixed‐effects models while adjusting for age, sex, initial rhythm, EMS‐witnessed status, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, response time, study cluster, and advanced life support first on scene.

Results

Of 3,004 patients enrolled, there were 282 BVM‐only, 2,129 AAM, and 156 BVM‐rescue patients with complete covariates. Shockable initial rhythms (34% vs. 18.6%) and EMS‐witnessed arrests (21.6% vs. 11.3%) were more likely in BVM‐only than AAM but similar between BVM‐rescue and AAM. Compared to AAM, BVM‐only patients had similar ROSC (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96 to 1.73), but higher 72‐hour survival (OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.42 to 2.69), survival to discharge (OR = 4.47, 95% CI = 3.03 to 6.59), and neurologically intact survival (OR = 7.05, 95% CI = 4.40 to 11.3). Compared to AAM, BVM‐rescue patients had similar ROSC (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.47 to 1.12) and 72‐hour survival (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.66 to 1.77) but higher survival to discharge (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.17 to 3.95) and neurologically intact survival (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.20 to 5.81). Aspiration incidence was similar.

Conclusions

Bag–valve–mask‐only ventilation is associated with improved OHCA outcomes. Despite similar rates of ROSC and 72‐hour survival, BVM‐rescue ventilation was associated with improved survival to discharge and neurologically intact survival compared to successful AAM.
Effects of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on flying insect visitor behaviour and fruit production in açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Martius)
Authors: Belém Sávio O , Guia Brendo P , Campbell Alistair J , Maués Marcia Motta , Viana Jessica H
Published: March 2020

Açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) production in the Amazon region has grown rapidly in recent decades to meet both domestic and international demand for the fruit. Understanding functional roles of different insects in açaí fruit production is essential for the development of sustainable management practices and the conservation of associated biodiversity in plantations. Ants play a variety of key roles in agroecosystems, particularly as predators, but may also influence crop pollination, either directly (as legitimate pollinators) or indirectly by altering behaviour/density of other flower visitors. Here, we compare flower visitor communities, behavioural interactions between ants and flying insects and fruit production in açaí inflorescences, under the experimental exclusion of ants. Flying insects differed in their response to experimental exclusion of ants, with bees and flies found in higher abundance on inflorescences where ants had been excluded. In contrast, beetles and wasps were unaffected by ant exclosure. Among bees, only medium‐sized species, but not small‐sized and large‐sized species, were affected by the presence of ants. However, fruit production on inflorescences did not differ among ant exclosure treatments. We found clear evidence that ants interfere with flying insects visiting açaí inflorescences, but these changes do not affect açaí fruit production, likely due to the large diversity of flying insects that contribute to pollination services. Therefore, given their potential role as pest natural enemies, control of ant colonies in plantations is not recommended.
Clinicopathologic and genetic features of multiple system atrophy with Lewy body disease
Authors: Koga Shunsuke , Li Fuyao , Zhao Na , Roemer Shanu F. , Ferman Tanis J. , Wernick Anna I. , Walton Ronald L. , Faroqi Ayman H. , Graff‐Radford Neill R. , Cheshire William P. , Ross Owen A. , Dickson Dennis W.
Published: March 2020

Background: Abnormal aggregates of α‐synuclein are pathologic hallmarks of multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Lewy body disease (LBD). LBD sometimes coexists with MSA, but the impact of co‐pathology, particularly diffuse LBD, on presentation of MSA has not been studied. We aimed to determine the frequency and clinicopathologic features of MSA with LBD (MSA+LBD). Methods: Using hematoxylin & eosin and α‐synuclein‐immunostained slides, we assessed the distribution and severity of LBD in 230 autopsy‐confirmed MSA patients collected from 1998 to 2018. Alzheimer‐type pathology was assessed to assign the likelihood of clinical presentations of dementia with Lewy body (DLB) using the consensus criteria for DLB. We reviewed medical records to characterize clinicopathologic features of MSA+LBD. Genetic risk factors for LBD, including APOE ε4 allele and mutations in GBA, SNCA, LRRK2, and VPS35, were analyzed. Results: LBD was observed in 11 MSA patients (5%); seven were brainstem type, three were transitional type, and one was diffuse type. The latter four had an intermediate or high likelihood of DLB. Three of the four had an antemortem diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease with dementia (PDD) or clinically probable DLB. Two patients had neuronal loss in the substantia nigra, but not in striatal or olivocerebellar systems with widespread glial cytoplasmic inclusions, consistent with minimal change MSA. In these cases, LBD was considered the primary pathology, and MSA was considered coincidental. APOE ε4 allele frequency was not different between MSA+LBD and MSA without LBD. Two of nine MSA+LBD patients had a risk variant of GBA (p.T408M and p.E365K). Conclusions: Although rare, MSA with transitional or diffuse LBD can develop clinical features of PDD or DLB. Minimal change MSA can be interpreted as a coincidental, but distinct, α‐synucleinopathy in a subset of patients with diffuse LBD.
Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein immunoglobulin G‐associated disease
Authors: Kaneko Kimihiko , Takahashi Toshiyuki , Misu Tatsuro , Nakashima Ichiro , Fujihara Kazuo
Published: March 2020

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a minor myelin protein localized at the outermost layer of the myelin sheath. Cell‐based assays to detect conformation‐sensitive MOG‐immunoglobulin G (IgG) have identified a unique group of patients with optic neuritis, acute/multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis, encephalitides (brainstem and cerebral cortical), myelitis and aquaporin‐4 IgG‐negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. MOG‐IgG‐associated disease affects both children and adults, and the female : male ratio is almost 1:1. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination shows pleocytosis of mononuclear or polymorphonuclear cells during acute exacerbation, but oligoclonal IgG bands are usually negative. CSF‐myelin basic protein levels are high, but CSF‐glial fibrillary acidic protein is not elevated, suggesting demyelination. CSF‐cytokines related to T helper cell‐17, B cells and neutrophils are remarkably upregulated, which is similar to aquaporin‐4 IgG‐positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, but distinct from multiple sclerosis. As for treatment of MOG‐IgG‐associated disease, high‐dose intravenous methylprednisolone is commonly used in the acute phase, but it has not been established which patients require long‐term immunosuppression and which drugs should be chosen to prevent relapse. There have been some recent studies to support the pathogenicity of MOG‐IgG in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, MOG‐IgG‐associated disease seems to be a unique inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, but further research is required to clarify the clinical and epidemiological features, treatment strategy, and the underlying pathology.
Bridging information domains to improve ecological understanding of biological invasions in a marine ecosystem
Authors: Rothenberger Megan , Armstrong Andrea , Gaugler Trent , Massaro Sarah , Pfadenhauer William , Ventresca Juliana
Published: March 2020

We devised a practical method for integrating information on 2 marine invasive species using 3 different approaches: standardized ecological monitoring, online‐reporting databases, and surveys of anglers and crabbers. Focusing on 2 recently introduced species with different characteristics, the Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) and Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), in the Hudson‐Raritan watershed of New York and New Jersey, we used sensitivity analyses to explore the relative contribution of each information source to knowledge of species abundance and distribution. All 3 information sources contributed something unique to understanding abundance and distribution of the introduced crabs. Online and survey data on Asian shore crabs significantly affected predictions of abundance, whereas monitoring data did not. When survey data were omitted, abundance estimates were unchanged over time, but when they were included, the model predicted an increased abundance in 2012. All 3 data sets for the Asian shore crab significantly affected estimates of species coverage; surveys had the biggest influence, increasing range size by 4097.25 km2. For the catadromous Chinese mitten crab, ecological monitoring data collected in freshwater shortly after the original sighting significantly shaped model estimates for abundance and documented the establishment phase of the mitten crab in an area outside the spatial scope of the surveyed resource users. However, the survey data significantly enlarged mitten crab range‐size estimates by 6498.01 km2. By demonstrating that data integration produced an image of the invasion process that would not have emerged had we used any 1 method individually, model results provide evidence for the advantages of an interdisciplinary approach.
Selecting effective features on prediction of delay in servicing ships arriving to ports using a combination of Clonal Selection and Grey Wolf Optimization algorithms—Case study: Shahid Rajaee port in Bandar Abbas
Authors: Golzari Shahram , Shabani Haji Mojtaba , Khalili Abdullah
Published: March 2020

Predicting the delay in servicing incoming ships to ports is crucial for maritime transportation. In this study, we use support vector regression (SVR) in order to accurately predict this delay for ships arriving to the terminal No. 1 of Shahid Rajaee's port in Bandar Abbas. To achieve this goal, a combination of Clonal Selection and Grey Wolf Optimization algorithms (named as CLOGWO) is used for two purposes: (i) selecting the most important features among the features that affect prediction of this delay and (ii) optimizing SVR parameters for a more accurate prediction. Performance of the proposed method was compared with Genetic Algorithm (GA), Clonal Selection (CS), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithms on the following metrics: correlation, rate of feature reduction, root mean square error (RMSE), and normalized RMSE (NRMSE). Evaluations on Shahid Rajaee dataset showed that the mean value of these metrics in 10 independent runs of the proposed method were 0.867, 74.45%, 0.080, and 9.02, respectively. These results and evaluations on standard datasets indicate that the proposed method provides competitive results with other evolutionary algorithms.
‘Chancing on a spectacle:’ co‐occurring animal migrations and interspecific interactions
Authors: Cohen Emily B. , Satterfield Dara A.
Published: March 2020

Migrations of diverse wildlife species often converge in space and time, with their journeys shaped by similar forces (i.e. geographic barriers and seasonal resources and conditions); we term this ‘co‐migration’. Recent studies have illuminated multi‐speciesmigrations by land and sea including the simultaneous movements of numerous insects, birds, bats and of fish invertebrates marine predators. Beyond their significance as natural wonders, species with overlapping migrations may interact ecologically, with potential effects on population and community dynamics. Direct and indirect ecological interactions (including predation and competition) between migrant species remain poorly understood, in part because migration is the least‐studied phase of animals’ annual cycles. To address this gap, we conducted a literature review to examine whether animal migration studies incorporate multiple species and to what extent they investigate interspecific interactions between co‐migrants. Following a key word search, we read all migration research papers in 23 relevant peer‐reviewed journals during 2008–2017. Thirty percent of animal migration papers reported two or more species with coinciding migrations, suggesting that co‐migrations are common, although few studies investigated or discussed these mixed‐species migrations further. Synthesizing these, we present examples and describe five types of ecological interactions between migrating species, including predator–prey, host–parasite and commensal relationships. Considering migratory animals as interacting with migrant communities will enhance understanding of the drivers of migration and could improve predictions about wildlife responses to global change. Further research focused on multi‐species migrations could also inform conservation efforts for migratory animal populations, many of which are declining or shifting, with unexplored consequences for other co‐migratory species.
Immigration, policing, and the politics of time
Authors: Boyce Geoffrey A.
Published: March 2020

This article argues for time and temporality as a critical dimension in the dialectical articulation of im/migration struggles. To make this case, the article draws on an emerging body of interdisciplinary scholarship on the temporal dimensions of im/migration and of im/migration policing. It then uses this framework to explore a host of anti‐im/migrant initiatives currently unfolding in North America under the geopolitical leadership of Donald J. Trump. Contextualizing these initiatives within a longer genealogy of im/migration and im/migration policing across the continent, the article affirms scholarly characterizations of im/migrants' desires and aspirations as a “creative force” that “structurally exceed” border controls (The contested politics of mobility: Borderzones and irregularity); but it also argues a need for greater scholarly attention to how the violence associated with im/migration policing generates nonlinear im/migration dynamics and recursive pressures on nation‐state borders and their police apparatus over the long durée. The article concludes by considering the theoretical, political, and empirical stakes of a conceptual shift in emphasis from space to time in the study of im/migration and im/migration policing, and then offers several concrete suggestions for further inquiry.
Multiple Cranial Nerve Blocks as an Alternative Preventative Therapy for Chronic Migraine
Authors: Fernandes Linford , Khan Nashaba , Dobson Jessica , Randall Marc , Idrovo Luis
Published: March 2020

Objective

The objective of this prospective cohort study is to evaluate the efficacy of multiple cranial nerve blocks (MCNBs) as a preventative therapy for chronic migraine.

Background

MCNBs, namely greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks, are frequently used for the acute and transitional treatment of migraine. There is little evidence on the efficacy of repeated MCNBs as a preventative treatment for chronic migraine.

Design

This single‐center, prospective cohort study collected demographic and outcome data on chronic migraine patients who had MCNBs in the headache service between June 2017 and March 2019. Outcome measures included reduction in headache days, Headache Impact Test 6 (HIT6) scores and patient‐reported effectiveness of the blocks.

Results

Outcomes for 64 patients with a diagnosis of chronic migraine or chronic migraine with aura (MWA) were collected. Average age at first block procedure was 41 years (range 21‐72) with a female predominance of 54/64 patients (84%). About 37/64 patients (58%) had repetitive occipital nerve blocks only, and 27/64 patients (42%) had occipital and trigeminal nerve blocks. Mean (±SD) reduction in headache days post‐MCNBs was 5.4 (±5.0) days and mean (±SD) reduction in HIT6 scores was 5.3 (±10.3). About 42/64 patients (66%) responded to the MCNBs with at least a 30% reduction in headache days. Mean (±SD) duration of effect was 5.7 (±5.4) weeks. About 13/64 of the patients transformed to low‐frequency episodic migraine on follow‐up. About 22/64 patients (34%) showed no reduction in headache days or HIT6 scores. About 9/112 (8%) instances of minor post block complications were documented with a total of 501 injections.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that repetitive MCNBs could provide effective prevention in patients with chronic migraine.
TGF‐β/Smad and JAK/STAT pathways are involved in the anti‐fibrotic effects of propylene glycol alginate sodium sulphate on hepatic fibrosis
Authors: Xu Shizan , Mao Yuqing , Wu Jianye , Feng Jiao , Li Jingjing , Wu Liwei , Yu Qiang , Zhou Yuting , Zhang Jie , Chen Jiaojiao , Ji Jie , Chen Kan , Wang Fan , Dai Weiqi , Fan Xiaoming , Guo Chuanyong
Published: March 2020

Liver fibrosis, a consequence of unhealthy modern lifestyles, has a growing impact on human health, particularly in developed countries. Here, we have explored the anti‐fibrotic effects of propylene glycol alginate sodium sulphate (PSS), a natural extract from brown algae, in fibrotic mice and cell models. Thus, we established bile duct ligature and carbon tetrachloride mouse models and LX‐2 cell models with or without PSS treatment. Liver pathological sections and the relevant indicators in serum and liver tissues were examined. PSS prevented hepatic injury and fibrosis to a significant extent, and induced up‐regulation of matrix metalloproteinase‐2 and down‐regulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 through suppressing the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1)/Smad pathway. PSS additionally exerted an anti‐autophagy effect through suppressing the Janus kinase (JAK) 2/transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway. In conclusion, PSS prevents hepatic fibrosis by suppressing inflammation, promoting extracellular matrix (ECM) decomposition and inactivating hepatic stellate cells through mechanisms involving the TGF‐β1/Smad2/3 and JAK2/STAT3 pathways in vivo and in vitro.
Passive smoking and type 2 diabetes among never‐smoking women: The Japan Public Health Center‐based Prospective Study
Authors: Oba Shino , Goto Atsushi , Mizoue Tetsuya , Inoue Manami , Sawada Norie , Noda Mitsuhiko , Tsugane Shoichiro
Published: March 2020

Aims/Introduction

The aim of the current study was to prospectively evaluate the association between passive smoking from a spouse and the risk of diabetes among never‐smoking Japanese women. Passive smoking at a workplace (or public facilities) was assessed as a secondary measure.

Materials and Methods

In the Japan Public Health Center‐based Prospective Study (baseline 1990 or 1993), we followed 25,391 never‐smoking women aged 40–69 years and without diabetes. Passive smoking was defined as having a husband who was a self‐reported smoker, and the exposure at a workplace (or public facilities) was self‐reported by women. The development of diabetes was identified in questionnaires administered at the 5‐year and 10‐year surveys. A pooled logistic regression model was used to assess the association between passive smoking and the development of diabetes with adjustment for age and possible confounders.

Results

Compared with women whose husbands had never smoked, women whose husband smoked ≥40 cigarettes/day had significantly higher odds of developing diabetes in an age‐adjusted model, but the association was attenuated in a multivariable model (odds ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval 0.96–1.87). There was a dose–response trend between the number of cigarettes smoked by a husband and the odds of developing diabetes (P = 0.02). Women reporting daily passive smoking at a workplace (or public facilities) had higher odds of developing diabetes than women reporting no such exposure (odds ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval 0.995–1.53).

Conclusions

Our results indicated a higher risk of diabetes among never‐smoking Japanese women with higher exposure to passive smoking from a spouse.
Effect of cultivars and irrigation waters on persistence of indicator bacteria on lettuce grown in high tunnel
Authors: Yin Hsin‐Bai , Chen Chi‐Hung , Karanth Shraddha , Byun Suyeun , Mayer Christine , Harriger Dana , Pradhan Abani , Patel Jitendra
Published: March 2020

Effect of irrigation with groundwater (GW), primary‐treated wastewater (PTWW), secondary‐treated wastewater (STWW), and roof‐collected rainwater (RCR) on the microbial quality of lettuce cultivars “Annapolis,” “Celinet,” and “Coastline” grown in high tunnel was investigated. Lettuce plants were spray irrigated with irrigation waters once a week for 2 weeks and analyzed for indicator and pathogenic bacteria. PTWW irrigation resulted in the highest Escherichia coli recovery on the lettuce plants (4.7 log MPN/g) as compared to irrigation with other three waters on 0 day postirrigation (dpi). Lettuce cultivars affected the bacterial die‐off rate, where E. coli populations reduced the most by 1.5 log MPN/g on “Annapolis” lettuce on 2 dpi. The STWW and RCR irrigation did not significantly influence indicator bacterial populations on lettuce as compared to GW irrigation. The STWW and RCR containing low populations of indicator bacteria may be suitable for lettuce irrigation in Mid‐Atlantic area without affecting its microbial quality.
Converging Subjective and Psychophysiological Measures of Cognitive Load to Study the Effects of Instructor‐Present Video
Authors: Wang Jiahui , Antonenko Pavlo , Keil Andreas , Dawson Kara
Published: March 2020

Many online videos feature an instructor on the screen to improve learners' engagement; however, the influence of this design on learners' cognitive load is underexplored. This study investigates the effects of instructor presence on learners' processing of information using both subjective and psychophysiological measures of cognitive load. Sixty university students watched a statistics instructional video either with or without instructor presence, while the spontaneous electrical activity of their brain was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). At the conclusion of the video, they also self‐reported overall load, intrinsic load, extraneous load, and germane load they experienced during the video. Learning from the video was assessed via tests of retention and transfer. Results suggested the instructor‐present video improved learners' ability to transfer information and was associated with a lower self‐reported intrinsic and extraneous load. Event‐related changes in theta band activity also indicated lower cognitive load with instructor‐present video.
Paternally‐biased gene expression follows kin‐selected predictions in female honey bee embryos
Authors: Smith Nicholas M. A. , Yagound Boris , Remnant Emily J. , Foster Charles S. P. , Buchmann Gabriele , Allsopp Michael H. , Kent Clement F. , Zayed Amro , Rose Stephen A. , Lo Kitty , Ashe Alyson , Harpur Brock A. , Beekman Madeleine , Oldroyd Benjamin P.
Published: March 2020

The Kinship Theory of Genomic Imprinting (KTGI) posits that, in species where females mate with multiple males, there is selection for a male to enhance the reproductive success of his offspring at the expense of other males and his mating partner. Reciprocal crosses between honey bee subspecies show parent‐of‐origin effects for reproductive traits, suggesting that males modify the expression of genes related to female function in their female offspring. This effect is likely to be greater in the Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis), because a male's daughters have the unique ability to produce female offspring that can develop into reproductive workers or the next queen without mating. We generated reciprocal crosses between Capensis and another subspecies and used RNA‐seq to identify transcripts that are over‐ or underexpressed in the embryos, depending on the parental origin of the gene. As predicted, 21 genes showed expression bias towards the Capensis father's allele in colonies with a Capensis father, with no such bias in the reciprocal cross. A further six genes showed a consistent bias towards expression of the father's allele across all eight colonies examined, regardless of the direction of the cross. Consistent with predictions of the KTGI, six of the 21 genes are associated with female reproduction. No gene consistently showed overexpression of the maternal allele.
Metastatic lesions of atrial myxoma. A pathologist can clinch them all
Authors: Rajeshwari Madhu , Subramanian Priyadarsani , Suri Vaishali , Nambirajan Aruna , Garg Ajay , Vibha Deepti , Phalak Manoj , Sharma Mehar Chand
Published: March 2020

Atrial myxomas are the most common primary benign cardiac tumors. The embolization of tumor particles is not infrequent, and in nearly half of them, the cerebral arteries are affected, usually leading to embolic ischemic stroke. Formation of intracranial aneurysms, development of parenchymal brain metastasis, and intracerebral hemorrhage due to ruptured aneurysms are rarer. Diagnosis of such lesions in a previously undiagnosed case of myxoma may be challenging for a pathologist. Herein, we present two patients of cardiac myxoma with varied neurological manifestations and their pathological findings.
Electroencephalographic analysis in soman‐exposed 21‐day‐old rats and the effects of midazolam or LY293558 with caramiphen
Authors: De Araujo Furtado Marcio , Aroniadou‐Anderjaska Vassiliki , Figueiredo Taiza H. , Apland James P. , Braga Maria F. M.
Published: March 2020

Acute nerve agent exposure induces status epilepticus (SE), which can cause brain damage or death. Research aiming at developing effective therapies for controlling nerve agent–induced SE is commonly performed in adult rats. The characteristics of nerve agent–induced SE in young rats are less clear; relevant knowledge is necessary for developing effective pediatric therapies. Here, we have used electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings and analysis to study seizures in postnatal day 21 rats exposed to 1.2 × LD50 of soman, and compared the antiseizure efficacy of midazolam (MDZ)—currently considered by the Food and Drug Administration to replace diazepam for treating SE in victims of nerve agent exposure—with that of LY293558, an AMPA/GluK1 receptor antagonist, administered in combination with caramiphen, an antimuscarinic with N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antagonistic properties. Prolonged SE developed in 80% of the rats and was reflected in behavioral seizures/convulsions. Both MDZ and LY293558 + caramiphen stopped the SE induced by soman, but there was a significant recurrence of seizures within 24 h postexposure only in the MDZ‐treated group, as revealed in the raw EEG data and their representation in the frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform and in spectral analysis over 24 hours. In contrast to the high efficacy of LY293558 + caramiphen, MDZ is not an effective treatment for SE induced by soman in young animals.
Identifying barriers to New Zealanders obtaining Australian citizenship
Authors: Morey Madeleine
Published: March 2020

Increasing migration regulation affects long‐term resident non‐citizen populations. Using New Zealanders living in Australia as an example, this paper explores the effect increasing migration regulation has had on this population and their ability to obtain Australian citizenship. Results from an online survey found that although 44.7% of respondents want to become a citizen, the eligibility requirements, cost and the application process were the main barriers to them doing so. Leaving them unable to secure their legal status in Australia.
Molecular signatures of extracellular vesicles in oral fluids of periodontitis patients
Authors: Chaparro Padilla Alejandra , Weber Aracena Laura , Realini Fuentes Ornella , Albers Busquetts Daniela , Hernández Ríos Marcela , Ramírez Lobos Valeria , Pascual La Rocca Andrés , Nart Molina José , Beltrán Varas Victor , Acuña‐Gallardo Stephanie , Sanz Ruiz Antonio
Published: March 2020

Objective

To characterize extracellular vesicles (EVs) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva samples from healthy/gingivitis and periodontitis patients and correlate them with clinical inflammatory periodontal parameters.

Material and Method

An exploratory study, including 86 subjects, was conducted. Clinical and periodontal data were recorded, and oral fluid samples were obtained. EVs were precipitated by ExoQuick‐TC™ and characterized by nanoparticle tracking (NanoSight™), Western blot (WB), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ELISA analysis.

Results

TEM showed nanoparticles morphologically compatible with EVs, and WB analysis revealed bands of specific EV markers (CD9, TSG101, and Alix) in both oral fluids of periodontitis and healthy/gingivitis subjects. The total concentration of EVs in GCF was increased in periodontitis patients compared to healthy/gingivitis subjects (p = .017). However, we did not observe differences in the EV concentration of saliva samples (p = .190). The size of GCF‐EVs was 144.2 nm in periodontitis and 160.35 nm in healthy/gingivitis patients (p = .038). The CD63 exosome marker was increased in GCF of periodontitis patients (p = .00001). The total concentration of EVs in GCF was correlated with bleeding on probing (rho = 0.63, p = .002), periodontal probing depth (rho = 0.56, p = .009), and clinical attachment level (rho = 0.48, p = .030).

Conclusion

Periodontitis patients have an increased concentration of EVs in GCF, and their role in periodontitis should be clarified.
ΑN EXPATRIATED ‘COLLECTION’ OF MESOLITHIC NORWEGIAN LITHICS AT HERAKLION ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM AND WORLD WAR II LEGACIES
Authors: Flouda G.
Published: March 2020

The paper presents a previously undocumented group of 22 lithics held at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which were recently identified as provenanced from the Mesolithic site of Smelroren in Norway. Their provenance is attested by a handwritten paper label that accompanied the assemblage, and further substantiated by three of these pieces presented in the 1936 publication of Smelroren. Archival testimonies allow one to tentatively formulate the hypothesis that these artefacts were possibly expatriated from Norway under unknown circumstances and transferred to Crete in 1941 by the Austrian archaeologist August Schörgendorfer, who was assigned with the safekeeping of cultural heritage in the occupied island. The main aim of the paper is to explore the historical background of this orphaned collection, as this is so far the only known case whereby an officer of the ‘Art Protection’ unit (Kunstschutz) of the Wehrmacht introduced foreign archaeological objects into a Greek archaeological instituition. Moreover, I examine the shifting agency of this Smelroren collection as a result of its mobility, after Schörgendorfer donated the lithics to Heraklion Museum. The discussion is framed by consideration of the changing meanings regarding another displaced collection of Cretan pottery sherds, which the archaeologist loaned to the University of Graz. It is suggested that the two collections be ultimately perceived as assemblages of affective memory objects, with the intent to engage public opinion on the interaction between archaeology and politics as well as to contribute to memory negotiation of World War II microhistories in the twenty‐first century.
Event‐Predictive Cognition: Underspecification and Interaction With Language
Authors: Warren Tessa , Dresang Haley C.
Published: March 2020

Warren and Dresang comment on the contributions from a psycholinguistic perspective, highlighting close relations between the respective research on events and proposing that, for example, verbs may indeed directly pre‐activate templates of the typically involved event participants.
Fibrosarcoma with sarcomatosis and metastasis in a FeLV‐negative cat
Authors: White Mary E. , Yang Ching , Hokamp Jessica A. , Wellman Maxey L.
Published: March 2020

A 6‐year‐old, spayed female, mixed shorthair cat presented to the emergency service at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center for evaluation of hypercalcemia, a right eye mass, and multiple intrathoracic and intra‐abdominal masses. Cytologic evaluation of one of the abdominal masses revealed a uniform population of large, anaplastic mesenchymal cells found individually, in loose aggregates, and occasionally associated with pink, extracellular matrix. The cytology was consistent with a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm, with primary consideration given to fibrosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma. The cat was euthanized and histopathology confirmed disseminated fibrosarcoma. Fibrosarcoma comprises 12%‐41% of feline cutaneous tumors and affects cats at a mean age of 9.6 years. Three manifestations of fibrosarcoma predominate in cats: spontaneous solitary fibrosarcoma, vaccine‐induced/injection site fibrosarcoma, and oncogene‐induced (FSV) fibrosarcoma. The history, signalment, and results from diagnostics performed did not support solitary fibrosarcoma or injection‐induced sarcoma. Although some criteria fit with virally induced fibrosarcoma, such as age and the presence of multiple fibrosarcomas, the neoplastic population was negative for FeLV IHC. The presence of fibrosarcomas throughout the pleural and peritoneal cavity was most compatible with sarcomatosis and the distant metastasis of an unidentified primary neoplasm. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of sarcomatosis in a FeLV‐negative cat.
The Impact of the Electronic Health Record on Moving New Evidence‐Based Nursing Practices Forward
Authors: Chipps Esther , Tucker Sharon , Labardee Ruth , Thomas Bindu , Weber Michele , Gallagher‐Ford Lynn , Melnyk Bernadette Mazurek
Published: March 2020

Background

Anecdotal reports from across the country highlight the fact that nurses are facing major challenges in moving new evidence‐based practice (EBP) initiatives into the electronic health record (EHR).

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to: (a) learn current processes for embedding EBP into EHRs, (b) uncover facilitators and barriers associated with rapid movement of new evidence‐based nursing practices into the EHR and (c) identify strategies and processes that have been successfully implemented in healthcare organizations across the nation.

Methods

A qualitative study design was utilized. Purposive sampling was used to recruit nurses from across the country (N = 29). Nine focus group sessions were conducted. Semistructured interview questions were developed. Focus groups were conducted by video and audio conferencing. Using an inductive approach, each transcript was read and initial codes were generated resulting in major themes and subthemes.

Results

Five major themes were identified: (a) barriers to advancing EBP secondary to the EHR, (b) organizational structure and governing processes of the EHR, (c) current processes for prioritization of EHR changes, (d) impact on ability of clinicians to implement EBP and (e) wait times and delays.

Linking Evidence to Action

Delays in moving new EBP practice changes into the EHR are significant. These delays are sources of frustration and job dissatisfaction. Our results underscore the importance of a priori planning for anticipated changes and building expected delays into the timeline for EBP projects. Moreover, nurse executives must advocate for greater representation of nursing within informatics technology governance structures and additional resources to hire nurse informaticians.
Insulating regions in a TiO2 thin film defined by laser irradiation
Authors: Ahmed Syeed E. , Huso Jesse , Ritter Jacob R. , Igo John , Gu Yi , McCluskey Matthew D.
Published: March 2020

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has a range of applications including catalysis, hydrogen production, and water purification. In this work, anatase TiO2 was annealed in vacuum at 800 °C, resulting in a conductive thin film. Exposure to subgap laser light (532 nm wavelength) caused a seven order-of-magnitude increase in resistance. Laser-irradiated regions showed an increase in optical transmission, consistent with a reduction in oxygen vacancy concentration. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy indicate that laser irradiation did not change the morphology, composition, or phase of the material.
Study of pit formation in MBE grown GaP on misoriented Si
Authors: Murali Srinath , Zhang Chaomin , Goryll Michael , King Richard R. , Honsberg Christiana B.
Published: March 2020

GaP-based alloys can be grown lattice-matched to Si, making them an attractive choice for use in Si-based multijunction solar cells. This work focuses on the growth of GaP on Si with the aim to improve the surface quality of GaP. The Si wafers used in this study were of precise (001), (001) 4° offcut toward [110], and (001) 6° offcut toward [110] orientations. GaP of high crystalline quality was grown, and high-resolution x-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements revealed the presence of pits on the surface of GaP. Similar pits were also observed on surface of Si post growth when AFM imaging was done after chemically etching the GaP layers. The use of offcut wafers demonstrated a reduction in the pit density from over 100 μm−2 to values less than 1 μm−2 in both GaP and Si.
Nonclinical Pharmacokinetics, Protein Binding, and Elimination of KBP-7072, an Aminomethylcycline Antibiotic, in Animal Models
Authors: Tan Xiaojuan , Zhang Min , Liu Qingmei , Wang Ping , Zhou Tian , Zhu Yuanju , Chen Bin , Wang Meng , Xia Yong , Benn Vincent , Yang Fred , Zhang Jay
Published: March 2020

KBP-7072 is a semisynthetic aminomethylcycline with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. The pharmacokinetics (PK) of KBP-7072 after oral and intravenous (i.v.) administrations of single and multiple doses were investigated in animal models, including during fed and fasted states, and the protein binding and excretion characteristics were also evaluated. In Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, beagle dogs, and CD-1 mice, KBP-7072 demonstrated a linear PK profile after the administration of single oral and i.
A Sample-to-Report Solution for Taxonomic Identification of Cultured Bacteria in the Clinical Setting Based on Nanopore Sequencing
Authors: Neuenschwander Stefan Moritz , Terrazos Miani Miguel Angel , Amlang Heiko , Perroulaz Carmen , Bittel Pascal , Casanova Carlo , Droz Sara , Flandrois Jean-Pierre , Leib Stephen L. , Suter-Riniker Franziska , Ramette Alban
Published: March 2020

Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene is commonly used for the identification of bacterial isolates in diagnostic laboratories and mostly relies on the Sanger sequencing method. The latter, however, suffers from a number of limitations, with the most significant being the inability to resolve mixed amplicons when closely related species are coamplified from a mixed culture. This often leads to either increased turnaround time or absence of usable sequence data. Short-read next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies could solve the mixed amplicon issue but would lack both cost efficiency at low throughput and fast turnaround times.
Symptomatic scalp fistula present in a 14-month-old toddler
Authors: Gramacy Jacob , Sanford Sarah , Beaty Narlin B , Hollis Lutheria
Published: March 2020

This case report covers the resection of a pulsatile scalp fistula, in a 14-month-old toddler. We discuss the patient diagnosis, imaging techniques used, as well as the patient’s surgical intervention. We highlight the aetiology of arteriovenous fistulas, while comparing and contrasting previous case reports and their interventions, to our own specific case.