bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intelligent classification of lung malignancies using deep learning techniques
Authors: Yadlapalli Priyanka , Bhavana D. , Gunnam Suryanarayana
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Computed tomography (CT) scan can provide valuable information in the diagnosis of lung diseases. To detect the location of the cancerous lung nodules, this work uses novel deep learning methods. The majority of the early investigations used CT, magnetic resonance and mammography imaging. Using appropriate procedures, the professional doctor in this sector analyses these images to discover and diagnose the various degrees of lung cancer. All of the methods used to discover and detect cancer illnesses are time-consuming, expensive and stressful for the patients. To address all of these issues, appropriate deep learning approaches for analyzing these medical images, which included CT scan images, were utilized.

Design/methodology/approach

Radiologists currently employ chest CT scans to detect lung cancer at an early stage. In certain situations, radiologists' perception plays a critical role in identifying lung melanoma which is incorrectly detected. Deep learning is a new, capable and influential approach for predicting medical images. In this paper, the authors employed deep transfer learning algorithms for intelligent classification of lung nodules. Convolutional neural networks (VGG16, VGG19, MobileNet and DenseNet169) are used to constrain the input and output layers of a chest CT scan image dataset.

Findings

The collection includes normal chest CT scan pictures as well as images from two kinds of lung cancer, squamous and adenocarcinoma impacted chest CT scan images. According to the confusion matrix results, the VGG16 transfer learning technique has the highest accuracy in lung cancer classification with 91.28% accuracy, followed by VGG19 with 89.39%, MobileNet with 85.60% and DenseNet169 with 83.71% accuracy, which is analyzed using Google Collaborator.

Originality/value

The proposed approach using VGG16 maximizes the classification accuracy when compared to VGG19, MobileNet and DenseNet169. The results are validated by computing the confusion matrix for each network type.
Role of educational, regional and religious attributes of CEOs in performance of Indian family firms
Authors: DasGupta Ranjan , Pathak Rajesh
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The authors investigate whether community-based CEO's attributes, particularly educational attainment, regional and religious affiliation, are direct antecedents of performance in family-controlled Indian firms. The authors further examine whether CEO's education moderates the linkage of firm performance with regional and religious affiliation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ pooled Ordinary Least Square with fixed effects and Fama-Macbeth regression techniques to test their hypotheses.

Findings

The results reveal that firms with post-graduate CEOs in business and firms with doctorate CEOs, significantly outperform peer firms. The authors also find that CEOs from northern India outperform peer CEOs consistently which emanates from the risk-taking differentials of CEO's across regions. Hindu CEOs also deliver superior return on assets. However, CEO's educational attainment moderates the influence of regional and religious affiliations.

Originality/value

This study is unique as it contributes on the role of regional affiliation of top executives in determining performance which almost remains unexplored in existing literature.
Relationships among immigrant consumers' cultural orientation, innovativeness and opinion leadership
Authors: Walsh Gianfranco
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This research examines the direct and indirect effects of immigrant consumers' (heritage vs host) cultural orientation on their opinion leadership, in relation to heritage versus host culture peers. In addition to examining the potential mediation of different exhibitions of innovativeness, the research tests whether the relative size of the immigrant population in a country might affect the relationship of consumers' cultural orientation and opinion leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Tests of the theoretical arguments rely on data from three samples of more than 1,000 consumers collected from Russian immigrants to three countries–Israel, Germany and the United States.

Findings

This study offers broad support for the foundational theorizing, in that the findings confirm a mediating role of consumer innovativeness. Cultural orientation relates directly to opinion leadership, though only in two countries with a relatively small (Russian) immigrant population, that is, Germany and the United States. Accordingly, these findings have pertinent theoretical and practical implications.

Originality/value

Little research centers on opinion leaders among immigrant consumer segments or details the antecedents of opinion leadership relative to ethnic and immigrant consumer segments. This study contributes to marketing theory and practice by investigating immigrants from Russia who have migrated to Israel, Germany or the United States and by elucidating whether and to what extent their heritage versus host culture orientations exert indirect (via innovativeness) or direct impacts on their opinion leadership, expressed toward heritage and host culture peers.
Executive decision-making in fashion retail: a phenomenological exploration of resources and strategies
Authors: Testa Danielle Sponder , Karpova Elena E.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Decision-makers must be well-informed to successfully impact the future of the business. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of US fashion retail executives when making business decisions to understand what resources and strategies are utilized within the decision-making process. Additionally, the role of academic research within executive decision-making process was explored.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand the experiences of fashion retail executives when engaging in business decision-making. Fifteen US fashion retail executives participated in the study. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews and thematically coded to gain a holistic perspective of the decision-making process within the fashion retail industry.

Findings

As the result of the data analysis and interpretation, three topical areas emerged:: “Incredible Amounts of Information,” “Industry Specific Academic Research” and “Have a Clear Road Map.” The findings suggested that while the facts gleaned from internal and external data are of great importance to fashion professionals, insights gathered from social media are equally influential within the decision-making process. The authors identified five major strategies utilized consistently by fashion retail executives regardless of the type of business they represented: collaboration, adaptability, speed, gut instinct and creativity.

Research limitations/implications

The results are important to fashion retail companies for improving internal decision-making processes. The identified resources and strategies of the decision-making process can be incorporated into fashion program curricula and considered as learning outcomes when preparing future industry professionals.

Originality/value

Limited studies have explored the decision-making process specific to the fashion retail environment, an uncertain and ever-changing industry. Further, the study shed light on the opportunity for academic research use in fashion retail decision-making and contributes to the literature by developing a fashion retail decision-making model.
Optimal versioning strategy of enterprise software considering the customer cost-acceptance level
Authors: Wang Zhu-Jun , Sun Yang-Yang , Chen Zhen‐Song , Feng Geng‐Zhong , Su Qin
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The emergence of the Software-as-a-service (SaaS) licensing model dramatically changes how enterprise software is released. Especially, it is favored by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) because of the cost-friendly feature. In contrast, many large enterprises (LEs) own relatively abundant budgets and prefer the on-premise software to fulfill demands through customization. Considering the differentiated cost-acceptance level among customers, this study aims to address the versioning problem of the enterprise software faced by software firms.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-point distribution model is formulated to calculate the maximal profits software firm earned from both LEs and SMEs under three strategies (On-premise, SaaS and Hybrid). Then through profit comparison, this paper obtains the optimal versioning strategy and corresponding feasible conditions. Finally, the optimal solutions are derived concerning social welfare.

Findings

A significant finding is that moving to SaaS becomes necessary for the software firms in product releases since the on-premise strategy will not be optimal. Based on this, this paper discovers that when LEs own a cost-acceptance level close to that of SMEs, the hybrid strategy is the only optimal choice. When LEs become less sensitive to costs, the hybrid strategy is suggested if the customization cost falls below the threshold. Otherwise, the SaaS strategy becomes the optimal option. The conclusions explain why some software vendors transit to “cloud companies” thoroughly and provide practical insights for software firms’ future decisions.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first information economics study to consider consumer cost sensitivity in discussing enterprise software versioning. The differentiated cost-acceptance level is introduced to describe the customer utilities, and the results uncover the necessity of moving to SaaS under diversified customer composition. This work provides significant theoretical value and practical insights.
Subsidiaries’ behavioural responses to volatile local contexts in emerging African markets: evidence from Nigeria
Authors: Ahworegba Akiebe Humphrey , Garri Myropi , Estay Christophe
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore subsidiaries’ behavioural responses to volatile institutional pressures in the local context of the emerging Nigerian market.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors built on institutional and contingency theory to analyse previous literature on developed markets and apply it to African contexts. The authors used a context-specific volatile local context model to show how porous formal and strong informal institutions constitute international business (IB) as a contested terrain in the host country. The authors also used a qualitative methodology, involving multiple actors, to investigate this phenomenon in practice.

Findings

The findings indicated different types of institutional pressures shaping volatile local contexts, which together or separately impact subsidiaries, depending on their degree of exposure. Subsidiaries behaviourally respond to cope with these pressures through inclusive negotiations involving their home and host countries’ networks.

Originality/value

Previous research has imposed developed markets’ norms on emerging African markets, regardless of their volatility. As subsidiaries’ responses to local contexts in emerging African markets are poorly understood, the authors developed a volatile local context model, showing how IB becomes a contested terrain in host countries and the authors proposed a model that differentiates between informal institutions. The authors highlighted the impact of contextual pressures on subsidiaries, according to their levels of exposure to the local context. The authors concluded that committed alignment with a local context is necessary for presenting an effective contingent response to its volatilities.
Influence of selected factors on parameters of a cooling system with a Peltier module and forced air flow
Authors: Posobkiewicz Krzysztof , Górecki Krzysztof
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the validation of the usefulness of cooling systems containing Peltier modules for cooling power devices based on measurements of the influence of selected factors on the value of thermal resistance of such a cooling system.

Design/methodology/approach

A cooling system containing a heat-sink, a Peltier module and a fan was built by the authors and the measurements of temperatures and thermal resistance in various supply conditions of the Peltier module and the fan were carried out and discussed.

Findings

Conclusions from the research carried out answer the question if the use of Peltier modules in active cooling systems provides any benefits comparing with cooling systems containing just passive heat-sinks or conventional active heat-sinks constructed of a heat-sink and a fan.

Research limitations/implications

The research carried out is the preliminary stage to asses if a compact thermal model of the investigated cooling system can be formulated.

Originality/value

In the paper, the original results of measurements and calculations of parameters of a cooling system containing a Peltier module and an active heat-sink are presented and discussed. An influence of power dissipated in the components of the cooling system on its efficiency is investigated.
Low‐rank seismic data reconstruction and denoising by CUR matrix decompositions
Authors: Cavalcante Quézia , Porsani Milton J.
Published: November 2021

Low‐rank reconstruction methods assume that noiseless and complete seismic data can be represented as low‐rank matrices or tensors. Therefore, denoising and recovery of missing traces require a reduced‐rank approximation of the data matrix/tensor. To calculate such approximation, we explore the CUR matrix decompositions, which use actual columns and rows of the data matrix, instead of the costly singular vectors derived from singular value decomposition. By allowing oversampling columns and rows, CUR decompositions obviate the need for the exact rank. We evaluate three different procedures for randomly selecting columns and rows to obtain the CUR. Once the low‐rank approximation is estimated, data reconstruction is achieved by an iterative optimization scheme. To demonstrate the effectiveness of CUR matrix decompositions for multidimensional seismic data recovery, we present examples of 3D and 4D synthetic and field data. Results derived by CUR compare well to conventional eigenimage‐family methods.
Prognostic model for predicting survival in very preterm infants: an external validation study
Authors: van Beek PE , Groenendaal F , Onland W , Koole S , Dijk PH , Dijkman KP , van den Dungen FAM , van Heijst AFJ , Kornelisse RF , Schuerman FABA , van Westering‐Kroon E , Witlox RSGM , Andriessen P , Schuit E ,   EPI‐DAF study group
Published: November 2021

Objective

To perform a temporal and geographical validation of a prognostic model, considered of highest methodological quality in a recently published systematic review, for predicting survival in very preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. The original model was developed in the UK and included gestational age, birthweight and gender.

Design

External validation study in a population‐based cohort.

Setting

Dutch neonatal wards.

Population or sample

All admitted white, singleton infants born between 23+0 and 32+6 weeks of gestation between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019. Additionally, the model’s performance was assessed in four populations of admitted infants born between 24+0 and 31+6 weeks of gestation: white singletons, non‐white singletons, all singletons and all multiples.

Methods

The original model was applied in all five validation sets. Model performance was assessed in terms of calibration and discrimination and, if indicated, it was updated.

Main outcome measures

Calibration (calibration‐in‐the‐large and calibration slope) and discrimination (c statistic).

Results

Out of 6092 infants, 5659 (92.9%) survived. The model showed good external validity as indicated by good discrimination (c statistic 0.82, 95% CI 0.79–0.84) and calibration (calibration‐in‐the‐large 0.003, calibration slope 0.92, 95% CI 0.84–1.00). The model also showed good external validity in the other singleton populations, but required a small intercept update in the multiples population.

Conclusions

A high‐quality prognostic model predicting survival in very preterm infants had good external validity in an independent, nationwide cohort. The accurate performance of the model indicates that after impact assessment, implementation of the model in clinical practice in the neonatal intensive care unit could be considered.

Tweetable abstract

A high‐quality model predicting survival in very preterm infants is externally valid in an independent cohort.
Fatal ingestion ofTaxus baccata: English yew
Authors: Brooks‐Lim Elizabeth W. L. , Mérette Sandrine A. , Hawkins Barbara J. , Maxwell Carolyn , Washbrook Andrew , Shapiro Aaron M.
Published: November 2021

Poisoning from consumption of foraged alternative medicine products is an uncommon yet recognized occurrence. Here, presented is the case of a 40‐year‐old woman who was witnessed to collapse with labored breathing and subsequently died despite emergency medical personnel attendance and resuscitation efforts. Autopsy revealed the presence of plant matter that was visually identified as leaves fromTaxus baccata– the English Yew. Isolation of alkaloids from the plant material and subsequent identification of the same alkaloids in the decedent's blood by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry indicated a toxicological cause of death. This case illustrates a collaborative team approach among subject matter experts to unexpectedly discover and then confirm the sudden death of this woman fromT. baccatatoxicity.
An efficient method for simultaneous species, individual, and sex identification via in‐solution single nucleotide polymorphism capture from low‐quality scat samples
Authors: Parker Lillian D. , Campana Michael G. , Quinta Jessica D. , Cypher Brian , Rivera Isabel , Fleischer Robert C. , Ralls Katherine , Wilbert Tammy R. , Boarman Ryan , Boarman William I. , Maldonado Jesús E.
Published: November 2021

Understanding predator population dynamics is important for conservation management because of the critical roles predators play within ecosystems. Noninvasive genetic sampling methods are useful for the study of predators like canids that can be difficult to capture or directly observe. Here, we introduce the FAECES* method (Fast and Accurate Enrichment of Canid Excrement for Species* and other analyses) which expands the toolbox for canid researchers and conservationists by using in‐solution hybridization sequence capture to produce single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes for multiple canid species from scat‐derived DNA using a single enrichment. We designed a set of hybridization probes to genotype both coyotes (Canis latrans) and kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) at hundreds of polymorphic SNP loci and we tested the probes on both tissues and field‐collected scat samples. We enriched and genotyped by sequencing 52 coyote and 70 kit fox scats collected in and around a conservation easement in the Nevada Mojave Desert. We demonstrate that the FAECES* method produces genotypes capable of differentiating coyotes and kit foxes, identifying individuals and their sex, and estimating genetic diversity and effective population sizes, even using highly degraded, low‐quantity DNA extracted from scat. We found that the study area harbours a large and diverse population of kit foxes and a relatively smaller population of coyotes. By replicating our methods in the future, conservationists can assess the impacts of management decisions on canid populations. The method can also be adapted and applied more broadly to enrich and sequence multiple loci from any species of interest using scat or other noninvasive genetic samples.
The Disciplining Effect of Credit Default Swap Trading on the Quality of Credit Rating Agencies†
Authors: Bonsall Samuel B. , Koharki Kevin , Neamtiu Monica
Published: November 2021

This study examines whether credit default swap (CDS) trading initiation can serve as a disciplining mechanism for leading credit rating agencies. Specifically, we investigate whether rating agencies improve their rating quality when an alternative source of credit risk information from CDS threatens to expose inaccuracies in their ratings. Understanding potential drivers of credit rating quality is important given the prominence of credit rating agencies as debt market gatekeepers and perceptions that the agencies have underperformed in providing high‐quality credit risk assessments in recent decades. We hypothesize and find that the initiation of CDS trading improves the accuracy of issuer‐paid credit ratings. This evidence is robust to a number of sensitivity tests including alternative ways of measuring rating accuracy and correction for selection bias. We also find that the timeliness of credit ratings, watch list, and outlook placements improves post‐initiation—particularly for negative shocks to credit risk. This study contributes to the credit rating literature by documenting that CDS trading can help discipline rating agencies. It also contributes to the literature studying the implications of the CDS market.
Short‐term mechanical circulatory support in elderly patients
Authors: Alonso‐Fernandez‐Gatta Marta , Merchan‐Gomez Soraya , Toranzo‐Nieto Ines , Gonzalez‐Cebrian Miryam , Diego‐Nieto Alejandro , Barrio Alfredo , Martin‐Herrero Francisco , Sanchez Pedro L.
Published: November 2021

Background

Age over 70 years seems to confer poor prognosis for patients under mechanical circulatory support (MCS). Advanced age is usually a relative contraindication. Our objective was to assess the impact of age on survival of patients with short‐term MCS.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of ≥70‐year‐old patients supported with veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO) or Impella CP® due to cardiogenic shock and other situations of hemodynamic instability in a referral hospital (elderly group), compared with younger patients (<70 years). We analyze factors associated with survival in elderly group.

Results

Out of 164 short‐term MCS implants from 2013 to October 2020, 45 (27.4%) correspond to ≥70‐year‐old patients (73.3% VA‐ECMO; 26.7% Impella CP®), 80% as bridge to recovery and 15.6% for high‐risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We found no significant differences in complications developed between both groups. Survivals at discharge (40% vs. 43.7%, p = 0.403) and at follow‐up (median 13.6 [30] months) were similar in elderly and young patients (35.6% vs. 37.8%, log‐rank p = 0.061). Predictive factors of mortality in elderly patients were peripheral artery disease (p = 0.037), higher lactate (p = 0.003) and creatinine (p = 0.035) at implant, longer cardiac arrest (p = 0.003), and worse post‐implantation left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.003). Patients with indication of MCS for high‐risk PCI had higher survival compared to other indications (p = 0.013).

Conclusion

Short‐term MCS with VA‐ECMO or Impella CP® in elderly patients may be a reasonable option in hemodynamic compromise situations as bridge to recovery or elective high‐risk PCI, without a significant increase in complications or mortality. Age should not be an absolute contraindication, but careful selection of candidate patients is necessary.
Mechanosensing by Piezo1 and its implications for physiology and various pathologies
Authors: Lai Austin , Cox Charles D. , Chandra Sekar Nadia , Thurgood Peter , Jaworowski Anthony , Peter Karlheinz , Baratchi Sara
Published: November 2021

Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel with essential roles in cardiovascular, lung, urinary, and immune functions. Piezo1 is widely distributed in different tissues in the human body and its specific roles have been identified following a decade of research; however, not all are well understood. Many structural and functional characteristics of Piezo1 have been discovered and are known to differ greatly from the characteristics of other mechanosensitive ion channels. Understanding the mechanisms by which this ion channel functions may be useful in determining its physiological roles in various organ systems. This review provides insight into the signalling pathways activated by mechanical stimulation of Piezo1 in various organ systems and cell types. We discuss downstream targets of Piezo1 and the overall effects resulting from Piezo1 activation, which may provide insights into potential treatment targets for diseases involving this ion channel.
Gentrification and the an/aesthetics of digital spatial capital in Canadian “platform cities”
Authors: Leszczynski Agnieszka , Kong Vivian
Published: November 2021

This paper reports on the findings of an empirical study of the street‐level visual spatialities of urban platforms in three Canadian cities: Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Enumerating, typologizing, and spatially analyzing incidences of platforms in these three cities, we find platforms to be concentrated in neighbourhoods classified as “gentrified,” “gentrifying,” and “gentrifiable,” while being largely absent from established affluent enclaves. We theorize the significance of these spatialities in three ways. First, we suggest that the emplaced visibility of platforms functions to cue expenditures of digital spatial capital—the ability to stake claims to space through engagements with digital technologies—in neighbourhoods where these platformized materialities are visually encountered. Second, we argue that these expenditures of spatial capital are associated with the ways in which platforms glamorize mundane urban consumption practices (the aestheticization of consumption) while decoupling acts of consumption from face‐to‐face interaction (the anaestheticization of social relations). And third, we identify propositions for how these an/aesthetic dynamics may potentially influence the further densification of platforms on city streets in transitioned (gentrified) and transitional (gentrifying and gentrifiable) urban enclaves.
Retracted: High utility itemset mining using genetic algorithm assimilated with off policy reinforcement learning to adaptively calibrate crossover operation
Authors: Logeswaran K , Suresh P
Published: November 2021

Mining high utility itemsets (HUI) is a current thrust field in data mining that has received numerous methodologies for addressing it effectively. The difficulty with HUI is to locate a number of items that have a high degree of utility in comparison to other different sets in a transaction database. Traditional accurate HUIM algorithms usually have to solve the exponential problem of big search spaces when the size or number of different items in the database is quite vast. Evolutionary computation (EC)‐based algorithms have been offered as an alternate and successful technique to solving HUIM issues since they may generate a collection of approximately optimum solutions in a short amount of time. Many genetic algorithm (GA)‐based approaches have been developed in recent years to efficiently mine HUI from transaction databases. The selection technique, crossover probability, mutation probability, and finishing criteria of the genetic algorithm have an greater impact on generating a reasonably decent solution and the processing time. Particularly crossover is a convergence operation which is intended to pull the population toward a local minimum/maximum. During HUIM using GA both low and high crossover rate will have the problem of decreasing the quality of intermediate itemset and take longer time to converge to some optima and vice versa. This problem can be solved by adjusting the crossover rate adaptively depending on environmental inputs. The proposed approach describe a hybrid system that employs a reinforcement learning (RL) agent to adaptively calibrate the crossover operation to increase the performance of a genetic algorithm. To estimate state‐action utility values, the RL agent employs Q‐learning, which it then employs to execute high‐level adaptive control over the crossover operation in the genetic algorithm. To evaluate the performance of the proposed methodology, extensive experiments were conducted on a four benchmark datasets and compared with three state‐of‐art EC approaches HUPEUMU‐GRAM, Bio‐HUIF‐GA, HUIM‐BPSO, and one exact approach HUP‐Miner . The result analysis witnessed that proposed approach outperforms EC approaches in terms of execution time, discovered HUIs and convergence.
Characterization and predictive functional profiles on metagenomic 16S rRNA data of liver transplant recipients: A longitudinal study
Authors: Sivaraj Saranya , Copeland Julia K. , Malik Anshu , Pasini Elisa , Angeli Marc , Azhie Amirhossein , Husain Shahid , Kumar Deepali , Allard Johane , Guttman David S. , Humar Atul , Bhat Mamatha
Published: November 2021

Long‐term survival after Liver Transplantation (LT) is often compromised by infectious and metabolic complications. We aimed to delineate alterations in intestinal microbiome (IM) over time that could contribute to medical complications compromising long‐term survival following LT. Fecal samples from LT recipients were collected at 3 months (3 M) and 6 months (6 M) post‐LT. The bacterial DNA was extracted using E.Z.N.A. Stool DNA Kit and 16S rRNA gene sequencing at V4 hypervariable region was performed. DADA2 and Phyloseq was implemented to analyze the taxonomic composition. Differentially abundant taxa were identified by metagenomeSeq and LEfSe. Piphillin, an Inferred functional metagenomic analysis tool was used to study the bacterial functional content. For comparison, healthy samples were extracted from NCBI and analyzed similarly. The taxonomic & functional profiles of LT recipients were validated with metagenomic sequencing data from animals exposed to immunosuppressants using Venny. Our findings provide a new perspective on longitudinal increase in specific IM communities post‐LT along with an increase in bacterial genes associated with metabolic and infectious disease.
The Rightful Share: Land and Effective Claim Making in Odisha, India
Authors: Balaton‐Chrimes Samantha , Pattnaik Sandeep Kumar
Published: November 2021

Scholars James Ferguson and Tania Murray Li have recently and persuasively argued that a new politics of distribution is needed to address the needs of the growing numbers of people who are permanently landless and jobless. The authors of this article explore how land might feature in James Ferguson's idea of a ‘rightful share’. It details a case study of the Anti‐POSCO People's Movement (POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti) of farmers, fisherfolk and landless labourers in Odisha, India, which prevented South Korean steel company POSCO from acquiring land for a steel plant. The authors offer two key arguments. The first is that a sharp distinction between landed and landless, and therefore a politics of production versus distribution, is difficult to draw. If people in need of distribution are, therefore, not necessarily landed or landless, it follows that the idea of a rightful share need not necessarily reject a role for land. The second argument is that in practical politics, land's animating and mobilizing force can potentially be harnessed toward cultivating a sense of entitlement to a rightful share.
Improving the residual risk of renal and cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic kidney disease: A review of pathophysiology, mechanisms, and evidence from recent trials
Authors: Chaudhuri Ajay , Ghanim Husam , Arora Pradeep
Published: November 2021

Based on global estimates, almost 10% of adults have diabetes, of whom 40% are estimated to also have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Almost 2 decades ago, treatments targeting the renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) were shown to slow the progression of kidney disease. More recently, studies have reported the additive benefits of antihyperglycaemic sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 inhibitors in combination with RAS inhibitors on both CKD progression and cardiovascular outcomes. However, these recent data also showed that patients continue to progress to kidney failure or die from kidney‐ or cardiovascular‐related causes. Therefore, new agents are needed to address this continuing risk. Overactivation of the mineralocorticoid (MR) receptor contributes to kidney inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting that it is an appropriate treatment target in patients with diabetes and CKD. Novel, selective non‐steroidal MR antagonists are being studied in these patients, and the results of two large recently completed clinical trials have shown that one such treatment, finerenone, significantly reduces CKD progression and cardiovascular events compared with standard of care. This review summarizes the pathogenic mechanisms of CKD in type 2 diabetes and examines the potential benefit of novel disease‐modifying agents that target inflammatory and fibrotic factors in these patients.
Imagination. What if? And the Alchemy of Abundance
Authors: Kimen Shel
Published: November 2021

Imagination is the ability to see what isn't there, or what could be. And it's critical right now.

How might the world be different—and better—if we truly unlocked the power of our imaginations?
Industry 5.0—Are Designers Leading the Way?
Authors: Hirica Andreea
Published: November 2021

The aim of Industry 5.0 is to build upon the technology developed during the Industry 4.0 period and yield its benefits back to society.

Industry 5.0 will bring the human touch back to manufacturing, business, and society. Designers have a great opportunity to lead the way.
#PharosComeBack: My MBA Journey as a Designer
Authors: Attia Jomana G.
Published: November 2021

I needed to gain insight into Egyptian business culture that could not be acquired from literature alone.

An Egyptian designer ponders her country's history in education as well as her self‐confidence as she navigates getting an MBA.
Pro‐inflammatory monocytes are increased in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and suppressed with omega‐3 fatty acids: A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled pilot study
Authors: Villaldama‐Soriano Marco A. , Rodríguez‐Cruz Maricela , Hernández‐De la Cruz Sthephanie Y. , Almeida‐Becerril Tomas , Cárdenas‐Conejo Alan , Wong‐Baeza Carlos
Published: November 2021

Background

Omega‐3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) reduce circulating cytokines produced by monocytes. Nevertheless, whether the omega‐3 LCPUFA regulate the monocytes and their cytokines in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether circulating pro‐inflammatory monocytes are increased and whether omega‐3 LCPUFA selectively suppress these monocytes and their cytokines in patients with DMD.

Methods

This was a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled pilot study carried out in patients with DMD supplemented with omega‐3 LCPUFA (n = 6) or sunflower oils (placebo, n = 6) for 6 months. Monocytes and their cytokines were measured at baseline and after 1, 2, 3, and 6 months of supplementation.

Results

The anti‐inflammatory monocytes (median, [95% CI]) are increased at month 3 (−0.46 [−13.5–9.5] vs. 8.4 [5.5–12.5], p = 0.05) in the omega‐3 LCPUFA group compared with the placebo group. The pro‐inflammatory monocytes (−5.7 [−63.8–114.1] vs. −51.9 [−91.2 to −25.4], p = 0.026 and −16.4 [−50.8–50.6] vs. −57.9 [−86.9 to −18.5], p = 0.045 at months 3 and 6, respectively) and their cytokine interleukin 6 (−11.9 [−93.5–148.9] vs. −64.7 [−77.8 to −42.6], p = 0.019 at month 6) decreased in the omega‐3 LCPUFA group compared with the placebo group. Pro‐inflammatory monocytes decreased and anti‐inflammatory monocytes were augmented (p < 0.05) during the 6 months of supplementation with omega‐3 LCPUFA.

Conclusions

This pilot study suggests that supplementation with omega‐3 LCPUFA could have a selective reductive effect on pro‐inflammatory monocytes and their cytokines in patients with DMD. These findings also support the performance of studies in a significant population to explore the role of omega‐3 LCPUFA on monocyte populations and their cytokines in patients with DMD. This research was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT018264229).
Nutritional, physicochemical, and textural properties of gluten‐free extruded snacks containing cowpea and whey protein concentrate
Authors: HewaNadungodage Nadeesha Dilrukshi , Torrico Damir D. , Brennan Margaret A. , Brennan Charles S.
Published: November 2021

Ready‐to‐eat extruded snacks with high protein and fibre were developed from a composite flour comprising rice flour, cowpea flour and whey protein concentrate (WPC). Nutritional, physicochemical, and textural properties of extrudates were evaluated, at five ratios of cowpea: WPC (10:0, 15:05, 20:10, 25:15, 30:20); rice flour was used as a control. The protein and fibre content in the extrudates significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) with cowpea (10%–30%) and WPC (5%–20%) incorporation compared to the control. The extrudates with higher levels of cowpea and WPC showed a significant increase in bulk density and hardness. A slight decrease of 12% was observed in the expansion of 15% cowpea and 5% WPC fortified extrudates compared to the control. The number of peaks during compression increased with incorporations of cowpea and WPC. All cowpea and WPC containing snacks were darker than the control. Significant correlations were found between the protein, fibre, colour values and textural properties. The essential and non‐essential amino acid profiles increased in the extrudates, proportionally to the cowpea and WPC fortification.
Synthesis and stability of chitosan gold nanocomposites: Effect of time of heating and concentration of reactant
Authors: Sreelakshmi Kannanchery R. , Mohan Chitradurga O. , Anas Korpulliyil K. , Renjith Rajamma K. , Remya Sasikala , Ashraf Pachareentavita M.
Published: November 2021

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit red colour and is suitable for development of indicators based on colour change. This work investigated the influence of concentration of gold precursor and time of thermal treatment on the properties of chitosan gold nanocomposites. Three concentrations of gold, 5 mM, 10 mM, and 15 mM were used and the heating time studied were 5 min and 15 min. The UV–vis spectra, transmission electron microscopic characteristics, zeta potential, and visible colour were inspected. All the samples have shown distinct colour change and the characteristic surface plasmonic resonance peak at ~530 nm. The spectral properties, zeta potential, and particle dispersity were significantly affected by the concentration and time. Furthermore, the nanoparticles were exposed to frozen condition at −18 °C ± 2 °C. The absorbance maxima of surface plasmonic resonance peak have changed significantly in all the samples. The visible colour of chitosan gold nanocomposites has changed on freezing and the microscopic analysis demonstrated the clustering and change in shape of nanoparticles on freezing. The results suggest that the chitosan gold nanocomposites synthesised with 10 mM gold chloride and 5 min of heating can be efficiently used as freeze indicator.
The International Labour Review and gender equality: The importance of women's unpaid and paid work
Authors: FOLBRE Nancy
Published: November 2021

This introduction to the Centenary Issue of the International Labour Review (ILR) on women and gender equality reflects on the distinctive contributions included. It emphasizes the need to recognize the undervaluation of work that women have traditionally performed both in the home and in the labour market. It also highlights diverse efforts to remedy these intricately linked problems.
Lista para ser escuchada: La voz de las personas trabajadoras en el Fair Food Program
Authors: MIERES Fabiola , MCGRATH y Siobhán
Published: November 2021

El Fair Food Program (FFP), creado por la Coalición de Trabajadores de Immokalee (Florida, Estados Unidos), brinda un mecanismo a través del cual la voz colectiva de los trabajadores agrícolas se expresa, se escuchay se responde en una cadena mundial de valor. El modelo de Responsabilidad Social Impulsada por los Trabajadores del FFP ofrece una alternativa a la RSE corporativa tradicional. Se identifican aquí los componentes clave del FFP y se demuestra su resiliencia al ser aplicado a un nuevo grupo de trabajadoras y trabajadores migrantes estacionales. Se pone así de relieve el gran potencial del programa para reducir los abusos laborales en los mercados de trabajo transnacionalizados. También se proponen ideas sobre la posibilidad de reproducibilidad del FFP.
Carbon emissions and hospital pathology stewardship: a retrospective cohort analysis
Authors: McAlister Scott , Smyth Brendan , Koprivic Ivan , Luca Di Tanna Gian , McGain Forbes , Charlesworth Kate , Brown Mark A. , Konecny Pam
Published: November 2021

Background

As healthcare is responsible for 7% of Australia's carbon emissions, it was recognised that a policy implemented at St George Hospital, Sydney, to reduce non‐urgent pathology testing to 2 days per week and, on other days only if essential, would also result in a reduction in carbon emissions. The aim of the study was to measure the impact of this intervention on pathology collections and associated carbon emissions and pathology costs.

Aims

To measure the impact of an intervention to reduce unnecessary testing on pathology collections and associated carbon emissions and pathology costs.

Methods

The difference in the number of pathology collections, carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) for five common blood tests and pathology cost per admission were compared between a 6‐month reference period and 6‐month intervention period. CO2e were estimated from published pathology CO2e impacts. Cost was derived from pathology billing records. Outcomes were modelled using multivariable negative binomial, generalised linear and logistic regression.

Results

In total, 24 585 pathology collections in 5695 patients were identified. In adjusted analysis, the rate of collections was lower during the intervention period (rate ratio 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86–0.95; P < 0.001). This resulted in a reduction of 53 g CO2e (95% CI, 24–83 g; P < 0.001) and $22 (95% CI, $9–$34; P = 0.001) in pathology fees per admission. The intervention was estimated to have saved 132 kg CO2e (95% CI, 59–205 kg) and $53 573 (95% CI, 22 076–85 096).

Conclusions

Reduction in unnecessary hospital pathology collections was associated with both carbon emission and cost savings. Pathology stewardship warrants further study as a potentially scalable, cost‐effective and incentivising pathway to lowering healthcare associated greenhouse gas emissions.
Drought stress in sorghum: Mitigation strategies, breeding methods and technologies—A review
Authors: Yahaya Muhammad Ahmad , Shimelis Hussein
Published: November 2021

Agriculture accounts for 70% of the global use of available freshwater. Projections show that demand for water will increase significantly due to climate change, population growth and development of agricultural enterprises globally. There is a need to develop water‐use efficient crop cultivars for sustainable agricultural production. Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] is a powerhouse crop in drier regions supporting more than 500 million people. It is a relatively drought‐tolerant crop adapted to grow and yield in marginal environments where other dominant crops such as maize and wheat fail to survive. However, the mean yield of sorghum in the semi‐arid regions has stagnated around 1.0 ton/ha compared with the global average of 2.5 ton/ha, mainly due to recurrent droughts and heat stress. Breeding for drought‐tolerant cultivars is an economic and sustainable mitigation strategy against the current and projected drought stress. Therefore, the objectives of this review were to document the impact of drought stress and the key mitigation strategies under drought‐prone semi‐arid sorghum production systems. The first section of the review highlighted the impact of drought and its mitigation strategies emphasizing on the use of drought‐tolerant cultivars as the best strategy. This is followed by perspectives on aspects of drought‐response mechanisms, breeding methods and complementary technologies for drought tolerance. Integration of the conventional and molecular breeding technologies with rapid generation advancement methods could reduce the breeding cycle and increase the efficiency of deploying new varieties. Information presented in this review will guide agronomists and breeders to develop and deploy drought‐tolerant sorghum cultivars that are adapted to the changing production environments in the semi‐arid regions.
A critical analysis of the parameters affecting the oxidation behavior of ultra‐high‐temperature diboride ceramics
Authors: Bianco Giuseppe , Nisar Ambreen , Zhang Cheng , Boesl Benjamin , Agarwal Arvind
Published: November 2021

In the last few decades, research on the processing and properties of ultra‐high‐temperature ceramics (UHTCs) has generated a substantial base of knowledge and left several unanswered questions. There is a large scatter in the literature data associated with the processing of UHTC borides prompting the non‐reproducibility and non‐uniformity in the microstructure and, thus, desired properties. Herein, the data on the oxidation behavior of UHTC borides ubiquitous in the entire literature are analyzed to understand the effect of composition, sintering parameters, densification, grain size, and oxidation conditions. A conjunction of graphical methods has been utilized to converge the scattered data and correlate the effect of variables and testing environment on the oxidation behavior. It was concluded that high densification (>95%), large grain size (∼8 μm), and 20–30 vol.% of Si‐containing additives (SiC, Ta5Si3, and TaSi2) could augment the oxidation resistance. The study elucidates that oxide scale thickness should be preferred over mass gain in future studies as a metric for measuring oxidation. The analysis presented here will allow the UHTC community to optimize diboride materials' design for hypersonic applications. The developed database on the oxidation performance of diborides will also transfer knowledge beyond the memory banks of the experts in the field. Furthermore, well‐structured databases such as the one developed herein could be employed in data‐driven approaches to optimize the design and manufacturing of ultra‐high‐temperature materials in an efficient scheme.