bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of damage from corruption in Brazil
Authors: Sallaberry Jonatas Dutra , Quaesner Liz Spinello , Costa Mayla Cristina , Flach Leonardo
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to analyse and measure the damage caused by acts of corruption in the largest investigation in Brazil, known as the “Lava Jato” operation.

Design/methodology/approach

For the analysis of financial flows, documentary research was carried into denunciation and judicial decisions. Based on the “Follow the Money” methodology, it was possible to follow the inverse trail of money, from the indications of benefits to public agents, financial operators and fake companies up to the deviation of refinery construction.

Findings

The analysis allowed the identification of damages from acts of corruption that reached 17.8% of the value of the oil refineries built, while the benefit of the corrupting agents was 13.7% of the damage caused. The analysis shows several other characteristics of the movements and the identification strategy of financial crimes.

Research limitations/implications

Research enabled the development of a strategy to identify and measure the flow of corruption and money laundering.

Practical implications

Based on the identified financial parameters, it will be possible to estimate the damage caused by a corrupt act for a certain benefit.

Originality/value

The research identified financial parameters of damages and benefits from acts of corruption in the largest fraud that occurred in the country, which was replicated in modus operandi in several works and countries in Latin America.
Measuring the effectiveness of English Medium Instruction Shipping courses
Authors: Tseng Po-Hsing , Pilcher Nick , Richards Kendall
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Shipping courses contain much technical and specialist knowledge and present particular challenges for English medium instruction (EMI). This paper aims to investigate both student perceptions of the importance and satisfaction level of EMI in shipping courses in higher education in Taiwan and the perceptions of expert stakeholders through qualitative interviews.

Design/methodology/approach

Importance-performance analysis (IPA) is used to gather data on participants’ perceptions of what is (un)important and (un)satisfactory. Based on past studies, four dimensions with 20 items were developed and 121 effective questionnaires were collected. Further, qualitative interviews with expert stakeholders (n = 9) are undertaken to gather data to contextualize and complement the quantitative student data.

Findings

Findings show students attributed high importance but low satisfaction to items such as course learning objectives and students’ English level, and low importance and high satisfaction to items such as electronic teaching platform and relevance of subject to practice. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to divide samples into three groups. Qualitative interview results confirm many of the quantitative findings but also show where some quantitative findings require more attention or investment when delivering EMI programmes.

Research limitations/implications

Questionnaire samples focus on university students. Other related field samples (e.g. EMI teachers, shipping teachers, English teachers, etc.) could be surveyed and compared in future studies. Qualitative interviews could also be expanded to other stakeholders such as government policymakers.

Practical implications

The findings of IPA in the shipping courses and the qualitative interviews can be used for both teaching design and implementation in related courses by university lecturers and other stakeholders (e.g. policy and decision-makers). Such approaches can enhance students’ learning motivation and teaching performance.

Social implications

This paper provides important guidance and diagnosis for how to introduce English teaching in shipping courses. Related courses can be further applied in higher education to popularize and promote EMI teaching in shipping and related fields.

Originality/value

EMI has seldom been studied in the context of shipping courses in the past. This paper adopts IPA method and qualitative interviews to complement previous studies and address gaps in recent research. It is expected that the research findings could be adapted and applied in other fields.
Antecedents to firm performance and competitiveness using the lens of big data analytics: a cross-cultural study
Authors: Behl Abhishek
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The study aims to understand how big data analytics capabilities of tech startups help them gain competitive advantage and improve their firm performance. The study is performed for two countries: India and China. A comparative analysis is also discussed in the study.

Design/methodology/approach

The study collected responses from tech startups from both India and China. A total of 502 responses were collected with 269 from India and 233 from China. The results were analyzed using Warp PLS 6.0 after testing for common method bias, endogeneity and reliability of data. The study tested five primary hypotheses and also tested the effect of two control variables: country of origin of startup and age of the startup.

Findings

We found that big data analytics capabilities have a positive and significant impact on the firm performance and competitive advantage of tech startups. While organizational culture proved to have a positive impact as a moderator, innovation was found to have non-significant effect. The results also found to have non-significant effect of age of the firm while its country of origin does play an important role in defining its success.

Originality/value

The study offer key insights for the tech startups operating in two countries which are geographically neighbors but differ in the tech expertise from each other. Moreover, the study offers key insights on how does the origin of the country contributes significantly to explaining the success and competitiveness of the firm.
The perspective of a coworking space model in scholarly settings
Authors: Orel Marko , Bennis Will
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to define coworking in juxtaposition to open, collaborative workspaces that have already long existed at companies and universities and to establish that this model of coworking has taken off in the business world, but has not taken off at education institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature and existing resources on flexible work arrangement in academic settings are reviewed to explore the possible applications of a coworking model to higher education. Because of minimal empirical research on the topic, the paper opens up a much-needed discussion on coworking in a scholarly context and its potential benefits for institutions of higher education.

Findings

Establishing scholarly coworking units on a broader scale could enhance the development of a cross-regional dimension in education by encouraging mobility of both students and scholars and promote cooperation among educational institutions. The implementation of coworking spaces for universities has occurred at a much lower rate than business-oriented coworking spaces, and several potential reasons for this asymmetry are considered.

Originality/value

While establishing an on- or off-campus coworking environment for graduate and postgraduate pupils is explored to some extent, the possibility and beneficial role of a scholarly coworking space model are poorly understood and under-studied. This conceptual paper provides a framework for applying the coworking model to scholarly settings, with the potential to facilitate more open and inclusive scientific collaboration, research and education, addressing one of the central problems of geographic and institutional barriers to scholarship.
Revisiting the relevance of strategic management accounting research
Authors: Rashid Md Mamunur , Ali Md Mohobbot , Hossain Dewan Mahboob
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a review of the literature on strategic management accounting (SMA). Specifically, it focuses on the trend of SMA research since the publication of Langfield-Smith’s (2008) influential paper “Strategic management accounting: how far have we come in 25 years?” which raised the question of relevance of further SMA research.

Design/methodology/approach

The study reviewed articles published on SMA as a whole (comprising a set of advanced management accounting techniques) and its specific techniques for the period of 2008 to 2019 in 23 leading accounting journals.

Findings

The review finds that research on SMA has focused on the contingencies influencing the adoption and implementation of SMA techniques and the effects of such adoption on various aspects of firm and employee performance. The renovation and modification of existing practices in attempt to match with the organizational context has also attracted the attention of several SMA scholars. In addition, a noticeable shift to the strategic management theory and case study method was observed during the study period.

Originality/value

The study focuses on the trend of SMA research in an attempt to revisit the relevance of further research in this arena, particularly as a response to the criticism raised by Langfield-Smith (2008).
Investigating self–settled Syrian refugees’ agency and informality in southern cities greater Cairo: a case study
Authors: Montaser Marwa Sobhy
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This paper aims at contributing to our understanding of how self-settled Syrian refugees (registered and non-registered) use informal practices to forge their non-political agency and how this agency could be considered as political acts.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper was conducted per the qualitative data analysis (in-depth interviews and participant observation), attributed to the critical ethnographic approach, through which refugees’ everyday struggle is explored, additionally, that was incorporated with the analysis of Syrians’ Facebook groups and formal sources.

Findings

The research paper concluded that everyday struggle strategies are considered as political acts by acquiring rights that many self-settled Syrian refugees are stripped of by international humanitarian agencies and host government. Hence, registered and unregistered refugees equally forge what is called “informal citizenship” through their presence via a blend of agency forms ranging from hidden agency to explicit one and via their incorporating into the informal contexts, leading them to carve a position of semi-legality that help them to circumvent the formal structural hardship.

Originality/value

This paper endeavors to study how urban refugees as change agents can convert their illegal presence to “probably refugeeness” to unsettle the prominent recognition of them as illegal non-citizens in southern cities.
Countering tropical cyclonic storm impacts on low-rise houses
Authors: Ghosh Satyajit , Rajasekeran Krishna Siddharth , Joseph Vitus Billton , Aswin Srikanth Sai , Mohandas Suhaas , Ganesh Monikantan Ashwin , Kulin Contractor Shiv
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study investigates the aerodynamics of the airflow over low-rise houses subjected to turbulent cyclonic winds along the South-eastern peninsular India, routinely afflicted by tropical cyclones. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the power of modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and its engineering application accentuate decision-making at the planning stage of house designing in vulnerable areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used for first simulating the landfall of cyclone Hudhud, a real storm, and its effect in extant and new house designs. Results from the WRF model were utilized to configure further CFD simulations of airflow around house designs. The analyses yielded deep insights, often non-intuitive, into airflow patterns around these houses with disparate roof forms indicating new possibilities in redesigning houses along Indian coastal areas.

Findings

This study shows that storm-induced high TKE values warranted a fuller CFD-based study. The second major finding showed that for a 90° angle of attack, arguably the most destructive attack angle, a pitched roof (with a pitch angle of 10°) worked best – this is about half the recommended angle sourced from earlier empirical estimates dating back to the British Raj period. There is a thin layer of padded air cushion shielding the roof's vulnerable surface from the storm's most energetic parts.

Originality/value

The originality of this research lies in its discourse to systematically resolve the TKE distribution of a cyclone impacting a standalone house. In particular, the study presents a lucid demonstration of all the probable scenarios connecting cyclonic stresses with a roof response, inferred from a careful combination of results garnered from cyclonic storm modelling coupled with CFD analysis. Additionally, the paper also shows a graphic visual representation of the forces induced on different roof designs, presented as a checklist for the first time. This should serve as a ready reckoner for civic authorities involved in disaster management over cyclone-ravaged areas.
Event and city image: the effect on revisit intention
Authors: Li Hui , Lien Che-Hui , Wang Stephen W. , Wang Tien , Dong Weiwei
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of three sources of social representation (i.e. direct experience of an event, the media and social interaction) on tourists’ formation of event image; to examine the effect of event image, satisfaction and city image on tourists’ revisit intentions to the host city; and to explore the mediating role of city image.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the 28th Qingdao International Beer Festival (QIBF) as the case for verifying the relationships in the proposed model. The survey was conducted in Qingdao and 366 valid observations were collected. Structural equation modeling was used to validate the research model.

Findings

Event image is found to be significantly and positively influenced by direct experience of an event and social interaction. City image and satisfaction are important predictors of revisit intention. The meaning of event image is transferred to city image. City image plays a pivotal role in mediating the effect of event image and satisfaction on revisit intention to the host city.

Research limitations/implications

This study surveyed Chinese tourists attending QIBF in Qingdao and consequently the outcomes may lack generalizability. This research did not survey foreign tourists. Thus, the differences of attitudes and behaviors between Chinese and foreign tourists are not compared.

Practical implications

The outcomes provide insights into how a city manager can organize an event to enhance tourists’ intentions to revisit the city.

Originality/value

This study represents one of the few studies that use both social representation theory and the theory of brand image transfer in examining the influence of external social contexts on tourists’ formation of event image and investigates how the unique meaning of event activities is transferred to city image. In addition, the mediating role of city image is fully explored in this research.
An insight into curcumin‐based photosensitization as a promising and green food preservation technology
Authors: Seidi Damyeh Maral , Mereddy Ram , Netzel Michael E. , Sultanbawa Yasmina
Published: June 2020

Consumer awareness on the side effects of chemical preservatives has increased the demand for natural preservation technologies. An efficient and sustainable alternative to current conventional preservation techniques should guarantee food safety and retain its quality with minimal side effects. Photosensitization, utilizing light and a natural photosensitizer, has been postulated as a viable and green alternative to the current conventional preservation techniques. The potential of curcumin as a natural photosensitizer is reviewed in this paper as a practical guide to develop a safe and effective decontamination tool for industrial use. The fundamentals of the photosensitization mechanism are discussed, with the main emphasis on the natural photosensitizer, curcumin, and its application to inactivate microorganisms as well as to enhance the shelf life of foods. Photosensitization has shown promising results in inactivating a wide spectrum of microorganisms with no reported microbial resistance due to its particular lethal mode of targeting nucleic acids. Curcumin as a natural photosensitizer has recently been investigated and demonstrated efficacy in decontamination and delaying spoilage. Moreover, studies have shown the beneficial impact of an appropriate encapsulation technique to enhance the cellular uptake of photosensitizers, and therefore, the phototoxicity. Further studies relating to improved delivery of natural photosensitizers with inherent poor solubility should be conducted. Also, detailed studies on various food products are warranted to better understand the impact of encapsulation on curcumin photophysical properties, photo‐driven release mechanism, and nutritional and organoleptic properties of treated foods.
Recommendations for Maintaining a Dermestid Beetle Colony (Dermestes maculatus) for Processing Human Remains
Authors: Sanger Ciarleglio Jessica E. , Perez Kristen M. , Motola Haley L. , DiGangi Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2020

Dermestid beetles (Dermestes maculatus De Geer 1774) are small carrion insects characterized by a rounded or oval‐shaped body and white abdomen with black markings. Given their natural propensity to consume soft tissue throughout various stages of decomposition, biological anthropologists have sought to use dermestids as a forensic processing method in addition to traditional chemical tissue removal techniques. Although useful, most of the existing academic literature regarding the upkeep of dermestid colonies for skeletal remains processing either lack specificity or are outdated. Additionally, nonacademic sources that contain information regarding dermestid maintenance are often disjointed, resulting in a difficulty to replicate habitat construction and ideal environmental conditions. Therefore, this technical note presents recommendations for anthropologists interested in establishing and maintaining a D. maculatus population. These recommendations are based on our experiences using several dermestid colonies to process five unembalmed human heads, procured from an anatomical gift company for a larger study on gunshot trauma. Aspects of the dermestids’ environment that are crucial for the management of a healthy colony include the type of bedding, food, water, and containment method used, in addition to maintaining appropriate temperature ranges (24–27°C) and humidity levels (35–73%). Although habitat construction and dermestid maintenance involve materials that are relatively inexpensive and readily available, setting up and maintaining a D. maculatus colony can be laborious and time consuming and should only be undertaken when the volume of casework is such that this investment would be offset.
The endolysin of the Acinetobacter baumannii phage vB_AbaP_D2 shows broad antibacterial activity
Authors: Yuan Yuyu , Li Xiaoyu , Wang Lili , Li Gen , Cong Cong , Li Ruihua , Cui Huijing , Murtaza Bilal , Xu Yongping
Published: June 2020

The emergence and rapid spread of multidrug‐resistant bacteria has induced intense research for novel therapeutic approaches. In this study, the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteriophage D2 (vB_AbaP_D2) was isolated, characterized and sequenced. The endolysin of bacteriophage D2, namely Abtn‐4, contains an amphipathic helix and was found to have activity against multidrug‐resistant Gram‐negative strains. By more than 3 log units, A. baumannii were killed by Abtn‐4 (5 µM) in 2 h. In absence of outer membrane permeabilizers, Abtn‐4 exhibited broad antimicrobial activity against several Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterococcus and Salmonella. Furthermore, Abtn‐4 had the ability to reduce biofilm formation. Interestingly, Abtn‐4 showed antimicrobial activity against phage‐resistant bacterial mutants. Based on these results, endolysin Abtn‐4 may be a promising candidate therapeutic agent for multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections.
The Role of Realistic Channel Geometry Representation in Hydrological Model Predictions
Authors: Brackins John , Moragoda Nishani , Rahman Azbina , Cohen Sagy , Lowry Christopher
Published: June 2020

A key element in hydraulic and hydrologic modeling is the specification of representative channel geometry. For continental‐scale modeling, the large amount of high‐resolution data required, as well as the considerable computational effort needed to incorporate such data, has led to simplifying assumptions such as rectangular or trapezoidal channels for river reaches. The National Water Model (NWM) uses a trapezoidal channel representation for 2.7 million river reaches to forecast water discharge for the entire continental United States. This has created uncertainties in when to initiate hydraulic predictions. The aim of this study is to: (1) evaluate the impact of simplified (NWM trapezoidal) channel geometry representation on hydrological model predictions and (2) suggest an improved representation of channel geometry while maintaining parsimony in model input and runtime. The Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System model was used to simulate hydraulic dynamics in three study sites under varying streamflow conditions (including flooding) with four different geometry representations at each site: NWM (trapezoidal), surveyed, and two proposed generalized geometries. Statistical analyses show that more realistic channel geometry improves simulated Muskingum‐Cunge routing parameters and stage/discharge predictions, indicating potential for geometric improvements to enhance hydrological models like the NWM.
Assessment of CFSR and CMADS Weather Data for Capturing Extreme Hydrologic Events in the Fuhe River Basin of the Poyang Lake
Authors: Lu Jianzhong , Liu Zixuan , Liu Weizhe , Chen Xiaoling , Zhang Ling
Published: June 2020

Evaluating the accuracy of gridded weather data is important because these data significantly affect the results of hydrologic simulations. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) and China Meteorological Assimilation Driving Datasets for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model (CMADS) datasets for capturing the hydrologic extreme events in the Fuhe River Basin (FRB) of the Poyang Lake, a typical humid area in eastern China. First, both the CFSR and CMADS temperature and precipitation data obtained from 2008 to 2013 were validated using ground‐based meteorological station data. Then, the SWAT model was driven by the CFSR and CMADS datasets for hydrologic predictions. The results show that both CFSR and CMADS temperature data are of high quality. The CMADS data underestimate precipitation, whereas CFSR data overestimate precipitation. Both datasets have their own advantage and disadvantage to detect extreme rainfall events. For the FRB case study, SWAT models driven by two datasets yield good streamflow simulation results. The CMADS‐driven model performs slightly better than CFSR‐driven model in predicting extreme streamflow events in the simulation time‐period (2009–2013). In general, both the CFSR and CMADS data can be used to obtain satisfactory simulation results for hydrologic predictions. They provide alternatives that enable quickly implementing a hydrologic model in data‐scarce areas.
More affordable and effective noninvasive single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping using high‐throughput amplicon sequencing
Authors: Eriksson Charlotte E. , Ruprecht Joel , Levi Taal
Published: June 2020

Noninvasive genotyping methods have become key elements of wildlife research over the last two decades, but their widespread adoption is limited by high costs, low success rates and high error rates. The information lost when genotyping success is low may lead to decreased precision in animal population densities, which could misguide conservation and management actions. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) provide a promising alternative to traditionally used microsatellites as SNPs allow amplification of shorter DNA fragments, are less prone to genotyping errors and produce results that are easily shared among laboratories. Here, we outline a detailed protocol for cost‐effective and accurate noninvasive SNP genotyping using multiplexed amplicon sequencing optimized for degraded DNA. We validated this method for individual identification by genotyping 216 scats, 18 hairs and 15 tissues from coyotes (Canis latrans) using 26 SNPs. Our genotyping success rate for scat samples was 93%, and 100% for hair and tissue, representing a substantial increase compared to previous microsatellite‐based studies while remaining at a low cost of under $5 per PCR replicate (excluding labour). The accuracy of the genotypes was further corroborated in that genotypes from scats matching known, GPS‐collared coyotes were always located within the territory of the known individual. We also show that different levels of multiplexing produced similar results, but that PCR product cleanup strategies can have substantial effects on genotyping success. By making noninvasive genotyping more affordable, accurate and efficient, this research may allow for a substantial increase in the use of noninvasive methods to monitor and conserve free‐ranging wildlife populations.
Complementary sampling methods for coral histology, metabolomics and microbiome
Authors: Greene Austin , Leggat William , Donahue Megan J. , Raymundo Laurie J. , Caldwell Jamie M. , Moriarty Tess , Heron Scott F. , Ainsworth Tracy D.
Published: June 2020

Underwater visual surveys of coral reefs are the primary method managers use to monitor coral health. However, these surveys are limited to visual signs, such as bleaching and tissue loss lesions, which occur only after significant stress has accumulated. More holistic characterization of coral health can allow for better monitoring of reef changes across natural environmental gradients, in response to anthropogenic stress and after disturbance events (e.g. disease outbreaks, mass bleaching, dredging, run‐off events).

Various methods exist to evaluate the health of the coral holobiont that do not depend on visual signs, including histological assessment, microbiome dysbiosis and metabolic profiles, yet these tools are rarely deployed concurrently. We present a clear, readily deployable protocol for sampling and preserving coral fragments, including (a) extraction of coral metabolites for analysis, (b) preservation of microbiome DNA for sequencing and (c) preservation of coral tissues for histopathology. Combined with visual surveys, these methods provide an unparalleled, holistic characterization of coral health.

We provide a field‐tested, optimized protocol for conducting coral sampling. This protocol guides the user through concurrent assessments of coral tissue structure and the holobiont microbiome and metabolome, and directs the user to useful resources for downstream data analysis.

This protocol facilitates quantitative characterization of coral health beyond visual surveys alone, which is a valuable step forward in reef research and management and will improve our ability to describe, model and mediate impacts to coral reefs.
Evaluating a novel formula for noninvasive estimation of arterial carbon dioxide during post‐resuscitation care
Authors: Rentola Raisa R. , Skrifvars Markus B. , Heinonen Erkki , Häggblom Tom , Hästbacka Johanna
Published: June 2020

Background

Controlling arterial carbon dioxide is paramount in mechanically ventilated patients, and an accurate and continuous noninvasive monitoring method would optimize management in dynamic situations. In this study, we validated and further refined formulas for estimating partial pressure of carbon dioxide with respiratory gas and pulse oximetry data in mechanically ventilated cardiac arrest patients.

Methods

A total of 4741 data sets were collected retrospectively from 233 resuscitated patients undergoing therapeutic hypothermia. The original formula used to analyze the data is PaCO2‐est1 = PETCO2 + k[(PIO2 − PETCO2) − PaO2]. To achieve better accuracy, we further modified the formula to PaCO2‐est2 = k1*PETCO2 + k2*(PIO2 − PETCO2) + k3*(100‐SpO2). The coefficients were determined by identifying the minimal difference between the measured and calculated arterial carbon dioxide values in a development set. The accuracy of these two methods was compared with the estimation of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide using end‐tidal carbon dioxide.

Results

With PaCO2‐est1, the mean difference between the partial pressure of carbon dioxide, and the estimated carbon dioxide was 0.08 kPa (SE ±0.003); with PaCO2‐est2 the difference was 0.036 kPa (SE ±0.009). The mean difference between the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and end‐tidal carbon dioxide was 0.72 kPa (SE ±0.01). In a mixed linear model, there was a significant difference between the estimation using end‐tidal carbon dioxide and PaCO2‐est1 (P < .001) and PaCO2‐est2 (P < .001) respectively.

Conclusions

This novel formula appears to provide an accurate, continuous, and noninvasive estimation of arterial carbon dioxide.
Imperialism, Internationalism, and Archaeology in the Un/Making of the Middle East
Authors: Meskell Lynn
Published: June 2020

Archaeological materialities and imaginaries have been deeply entwined in colonial rivalries and struggles for self‐determination that have lasting legacies across the Middle East. Neoimperial ambitions and conflict over territory, religion, oil, and antiquities have similarly been accompanied by heritage claims and the rhetoric of high cultural humanism. Throughout the twentieth century, foreign occupation and military adventurism emboldened archaeological elites, including Hogarth, Kenyon, Lawrence, Woolley, and Bell, to implement expansive new designs for a one‐world archaeology. Whether situated in London or Jerusalem, Western archaeologists were instrumental in the colonial carve‐up that extended to historical sites, concessions, collections, and even the creation of new states, often working through international agencies, such as the League of Nations and UNESCO, under a banner of salvage and uplift. The connected histories of archaeology, espionage, and the end of empire have cast a long shadow, prompting deeper analysis of archaeologists’ role as participants and beneficiaries. It is thus timely to reconsider disciplinary histories and interventions—from the colonial era through two World Wars to recent regional conflicts with the attendant international responses—and to interrogate archaeology's century‐old ambitions and practices that are replicated in new technics of “oversight.” [espionage, war, archaeology, military‐industrial‐academic complex, Middle East]
“Me” versus “We” in moral dilemmas: Group composition and social influence effects on group utilitarianism
Authors: Curşeu Petru Lucian , Fodor Oana C. , A. Pavelea Anișoara , Meslec Nicoleta
Published: June 2020

The paper is one of the first empirical attempts that builds on the moral dilemmas and group rationality literature to explore the way in which group composition with respect to group members’ individual choices in moral dilemmas and social influence processes impact on group moral choices. First individually and then, in small groups, 221 participants were asked to decide on 10 moral dilemmas. Our results show that emergent group level utilitarianism is higher than the average individual utilitarianism, yet, lower than the highest individual utilitarianism within groups. We also show that average individual utilitarianism positively predicts group utilitarianism while group fragmentation in individual utilitarianism has a negative effect on group utilitarianism. Next to group composition, minority influence processes explain additional variance in group utilitarianism, cognitive dissent having a positive influence, while normative deviance a negative influence on group utilitarianism. Majority influence has no significant influence on group utilitarianism. Finally, our results show that the relationship between group fragmentation in individual utilitarianism and emergent group utilitarianism is mediated by the two forms of minority influence.
Pro‐resolving mediator protectin D1 promotes epimorphic regeneration by controlling immune cell function in vertebrates
Authors: Nguyen‐Chi Mai , Luz‐Crawford Patricia , Balas Laurence , Sipka Tamara , Contreras‐López Rafael , Barthelaix Audrey , Lutfalla Georges , Durand Thierry , Jorgensen Christian , Djouad Farida
Published: June 2020

Background and Purpose

Specialized pro‐resolving mediators (SPMs) are a family of lipids controlling the resolution of inflammation and playing a role in many processes including organ protection and tissue repair. While SPMs are potent bioactive molecules in vivo, their role in epimorphic regeneration of organs in vertebrates has not been tested. Using the zebrafish larva as a robust regenerative vertebrate system, we studied the role of the SPM neuroprotectin/protectin D1 (PD1) during the caudal fin fold regeneration.

Experimental Approach

Regeneration of the fin fold was analysed when exposed to a synthetic PD1. The effect of PD1 on immune cell recruitment and activation was further investigated using live imaging combined with fluorescent reporter lines. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we dissected the role of neutrophils and macrophages on driving the pro‐regenerative effect of PD1.

Key Results

We showed that PD1 improves fin fold regeneration. Acting in a narrow time window during regeneration, PD1 accelerates the resolution of inflammation without affecting the initial kinetic of neutrophil recruitment but instead, promotes their reverse migration potential. In addition, PD1 induces macrophage polarization switch towards non‐inflammatory states in both zebrafish and mammalian system. Finally, macrophages but not neutrophils are essential for PD1‐mediated regeneration.

Conclusion and Implications

These results reveal the pro‐regenerative action of PD1 and its role in regulating neutrophil and macrophage response in vertebrates. These findings strongly support the development of pro‐resolving mediators as natural therapeutic candidates for degenerative disorders and the use of the zebrafish as a tool to investigate pro‐regenerative drugs.
The potential of cannabidiol in the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Esposito Giuseppe , Pesce Marcella , Seguella Luisa , Sanseverino Walter , Lu Jie , Corpetti Chiara , Sarnelli Giovanni
Published: June 2020

Identifying drugs effective in the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is crucial, pending a vaccine against SARS‐CoV2. We suggest the hypothesis that cannabidiol (CBD), a non‐psychotropic phytocannabinoid, has the potential to limit the severity and progression of the disease for several reasons:‐ (a) High‐cannabidiol Cannabis sativa extracts are able to down‐regulate the expression of the two key receptors for SARS‐CoV2 in several models of human epithelia, (b) cannabidiol exerts a wide range of immunomodulatory and anti‐inflammatory effects and it can mitigate the uncontrolled cytokine production responsible for acute lung injury, (c) being a PPARγ agonist, it can display a direct antiviral activity and (d) PPARγ agonists are regulators of fibroblast/myofibroblast activation and can inhibit the development of pulmonary fibrosis, thus ameliorating lung function in recovered patients. We hope our hypothesis, corroborated by preclinical evidence, will inspire further targeted studies to test cannabidiol as a support drug against the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed issue on The Pharmacology of COVID‐19. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.21/issuetoc
Sirtuin 3‐mediated deacetylation of acyl‐CoA synthetase family member 3 by protocatechuic acid attenuates non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Sun Ruimin , Kang Xiaohui , Zhao Yan , Wang Zhanyu , Wang Ruiwen , Fu Rong , Li Yang , Hu Yan , Wang Zhecheng , Shan Wen , Zhou Junjun , Tian Xiaofeng , Yao Jihong
Published: June 2020

Background and Purpose

Hepatic fatty acid metabolism disorder, a key pathogenic mechanism underlying non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is associated with the hyperacetylation of mitochondrial enzymes. Acyl‐CoA synthetase family member 3 (ACSF3), which is involved in the regulation of fatty acid metabolism, was predicted to contain lysine acetylation sites related to the mitochondrial deacetylase sirtuin 3 (SIRT3). The purpose of this study was to explore the underlying mechanism by which SIRT3 deacetylates ACSF3 in NAFLD and the protective effect of the natural phenolic compound protocatechuic acid (PCA) against fatty acid metabolism disorder via the SIRT3/ACSF3 pathway.

Experimental Approach

The role of protocatechuic acid and its molecular mechanism in NAFLD were detected in rats and SIRT3‐knockout mice fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) and in AML‐12 cells treated with palmitic acid (PA).

Key Results

Pharmacological treatment with protocatechuic acid significantly attenuated high‐fat diet‐induced fatty acid metabolism disorder in NAFLD. Molecular docking assays showed that protocatechuic acid specifically bound SIRT3 as a substrate and increased SIRT3 protein expression. However, the protective role of protocatechuic acid was abolished by SIRT3 knockdown, which increased ACSF3 expression and exacerbated fatty acid metabolism disorder. Mechanistically, SIRT3 was shown to specifically regulate the acetylation and degradation of ACSF3, which govern the capacity of ACSF3 to mediate fatty acid metabolism disorder during NAFLD.

Conclusion and Implications

SIRT3‐mediated ACSF3 deacetylation is a novel molecular mechanism in NAFLD therapy and protocatechuic acid confers protection against high‐fat diet‐ and palmitic acid‐induced hepatic fatty acid metabolism disorder through the SIRT3/ACSF3 pathway.
A novel aberration of COL1A1‐PDGFB fusion as an insertion in chromosome 15 in one case of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans involving a rare location
Authors: Daoud Alexander , Cunningham Christopher R. , Kozel Jessica A. , Slutsky Jordan B. , Varade Reena , Batanian Jacqueline R.
Published: June 2020

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare sarcoma of the skin arising from the dermis. Its location is most commonly presented on the trunk of middle‐aged adults and rarely on the face. The characteristic genetic aberration in the form of a reciprocal translocation t(17;22)(q21;q13) or a ring fusing the COL1A1 and PDGFB genes is found in 90% of DFSP. We present a case of a 42‐year‐old man who presented with a DFSP on the left cheek with foci of myxoid‐fibrosarcomatous transformation. A conventional chromosomal analysis revealed a complex karyotype without a supernumerary ring chromosome or a linear translocation t(17;22). Comparative genome hybridization and fluorescence in‐situ hybridization revealed the fusion of COL1A1 and PDGFB probes inserted in chromosome 15. This is a unique case of DFSP characterized by a rare body location, unique histopathological features, and novel chromosome COL1A1‐PDGFB insertion, and may help guide future diagnostic and patient care modalities.
LMNA‐NTRK1 rearranged mesenchymal tumor (lipofibromatosis‐like neural tumor) mimicking pigmented dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
Authors: Panse Gauri , Reisenbichler Emily , Snuderl Matija , Wang Wei‐Lien , Laskin William , Jour George
Published: June 2020

We present the case of a 31‐year‐old female with a 1.5 cm pigmented nodule on the scalp. Histopathological examination revealed a proliferation of relatively bland spindle cells and pigmented dendritic cells, with interspersed lymphoid follicles diffusely infiltrating the adipose tissue. The microscopic differential diagnosis included pigmented dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). The spindle cells showed S‐100 and CD34 labeling but were negative for SOX‐10. Immunohistochemical stain for pan‐TRK was positive, while fluorescence in‐situ hybridization for PDGFB gene rearrangement was negative. Targeted RNA sequencing revealed an LMNA‐NTRK1 (exon2/exon10) fusion. This molecular result coupled with the histopathological findings and immunohistochemical profile supported the diagnosis of the recently characterized NTRK‐rearranged spindle cell neoplasm termed “lipofibromatosis‐like neural tumor (LPF‐NT).” These neoplasms typically occur in superficial soft tissue and are characterized by a distinctive immunoprofile (CD34+, S‐100+, SOX10−). Histopathological differential diagnosis for LPF‐NT tumors includes lipofibromatosis, DFSP, low‐grade malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, and spindle cell/desmoplastic melanoma. The pigmented dendritic cells reminiscent of pigmented DFSP and lymphoid follicles noted in our case have not been previously reported in LPF‐NT, thus expanding the morphological spectrum of this entity. LMNA‐NTRK1 fusion serves both as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker, as cases with advanced disease may be amenable to targeted therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Psoriasis 2.0: Facebook als Quelle krankheitsbezogener Informationen für Patienten mit Psoriasis
Authors: Schuster Barbara , Ziehfreund Stefanie , Biedermann Tilo , Zink Alexander
Published: June 2020

Hintergrund und Ziele

Das Internet ist eine gängige Informationsquelle bezüglich gesundheitlicher Themen. Soziale Medien ermöglichen es Patienten mit Psoriasis, Informationen über ihre Erkrankung zu suchen und auszutauschen. Ihre Nutzung geht jedoch auch mit Risiken wie Fehlinformation und Neid einher. Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Relevanz und Eignung von Facebook als Quelle krankheitsbezogener Informationen für Patienten mit Psoriasis zu untersuchen.

Material und Methodik

Querschnittsstudie in Form einer Online‐Befragung (11/2017–01/2018). Der Link wurde auf einer deutschen Psoriasis‐Informationswebsite veröffentlicht. Daten über die allgemeine und krankheitsbezogene Facebook‐Nutzung der Teilnehmer sowie deren Einschätzung der Chancen und Risiken von Facebook in Bezug auf Psoriasis wurden erhoben.

Ergebnisse

101 Teilnehmer mit Psoriasis haben den Fragebogen vollständig ausgefüllt. 75 % von ihnen berichteten, Facebook mindestens einmal pro Monat zu nutzen, und 72 % der Facebook‐Nutzer gaben an, auf Facebook nach krankheitsbezogenen Informationen zu suchen. Aktive Mitglieder von Facebook‐Gruppen mit Bezug zu Psoriasis bewerteten Facebook als nützlicher im Umgang mit der Erkrankung als andere Nutzer. 60 % der Facebook‐Nutzer berichteten auf Facebook fragwürdigen Informationen über Psoriasis und 57 % Werbung mit Bezügen zu Psoriasis ausgesetzt zu sein.

Schlussfolgerungen

Laut den Ergebnissen dieser Studie ist Facebook eine relevante Informationsquelle für Patienten mit Psoriasis. Die Qualität der Informationen erscheint jedoch unzureichend und sollte deshalb verbessert werden.
Nebenwirkungsmanagement bei Immun‐Checkpoint‐Blockade durch CTLA‐4‐ und PD‐1‐Antikörper beim metastasierten Melanom – ein Update
Authors: Kähler Katharina C. , Hassel Jessica C. , Heinzerling Lucie , Loquai Carmen , Thoms Kai‐Martin , Ugurel Selma , Zimmer Lisa , Gutzmer Ralf ,   für das Komitee „Kutane Nebenwirkungen“ der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Onkologie (ADO)
Published: June 2020

CTLA‐4 und PD‐1 spielen für eine tumorbedingte Herunterregulation lymphozytärer Immunantworten eine Rolle. Immun‐Checkpoint‐Inhibitoren verändern die Immunantwort gegen viele Tumorentitäten. CTLA‐4‐ und PD‐1‐Antikörper greifen in die Interaktion von Tumor, Antigen‐präsentierenden Zellen und T‐Lymphozyten ein. Die Behandlung mit dem CTLA‐4‐Antikörper Ipilimumab und den PD‐1‐Antikörpern Nivolumab und Pembrolizumab konnte in klinischen Studien beim Melanom einen Nutzen für das Gesamtüberleben zeigen. Durch die kombinierte Gabe von Ipilimumab und Nivolumab kann ein Fünf‐Jahres‐Überleben von 52 % erreicht werden. Eine so intensivierte Immunantwort bringt unvermeidlich auch Nebenwirkungen mit sich. Das Wissen um dieses Nebenwirkungsspektrum ist für die Prophylaxe und das Management notwendig. Es kommt zu Nebenwirkungen wie Colitis, Dermatitis, Hypophysitis, Thyreoiditis, Hepatitis und weiteren, selteneren Autoimmunphänomenen. Die Erkennung und Therapie der genannten Autoimmunnebenwirkungen sind inzwischen gut bekannt. Insbesondere die frühe Diagnose seltener, aber mit einer höheren Letalität verbundenen neurologischen oder kardiologischen Nebenwirkungen ist häufig schwierig. Dieses Update beschreibt das aktuelle Nebenwirkungsspektrum und ‐Management unter Immun‐Checkpoint‐Inhibition sowie neue Erkenntnisse zu diesem Themenfeld.
Composite landscape predictors improve distribution models of ecosystem types
Authors: Simensen Trond , Horvath Peter , Vollering Julien , Erikstad Lars , Halvorsen Rune , Bryn Anders
Published: June 2020

Aim

Distribution modelling is a useful approach to obtain knowledge about the spatial distribution of biodiversity, required for, for example, red‐list assessments. While distribution modelling methods have been applied mostly to single species, modelling of communities and ecosystems (EDM; ecosystem‐level distribution modelling) produces results that are more directly relevant for management and decision‐making. Although the choice of predictors is a pivotal part of the modelling process, few studies have compared the suitability of different sets of predictors for EDM. In this study, we compare the performance of 50 single environmental variables with that of 11 composite landscape gradients (CLGs) for prediction of ecosystem types. The CLGs represent gradients in landscape element composition derived from multivariate analyses, for example “inner‐outer coast” and “land use intensity.”

Location

Norway.

Methods

We used data from field‐based ecosystem‐type mapping of nine ecosystem types, and environmental variables with a resolution of 100 × 100 m. We built nine models for each ecosystem type with variables from different predictor sets. Logistic regression with forward selection of variables was used for EDM. Models were evaluated with independently collected data.

Results

Most ecosystem types could be predicted reliably, although model performance differed among ecosystem types. We identified significant differences in predictive power and model parsimony across models built from different predictor sets. Climatic variables alone performed poorly, indicating that the current climate alone is not sufficient to predict the current distribution of ecosystems. Used alone, the CLGs resulted in parsimonious models with relatively high predictive power. Used together with other variables, they consistently improved the models.

Main conclusions

Our study highlights the importance of variable selection in EDM. We argue that the use of composite variables as proxies for complex environmental gradients has the potential to improve predictions from EDMs and thus to inform conservation planning as well as improve the precision and credibility of red lists and global change assessments.