bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of adaptive sliding mode controller applied to ultrasonic motor
Authors: Yan Gangfeng
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to achieve high-precision sliding mode control without chattering; the control parameters are easy to adjust, and the entire controller is easy to use in engineering practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Using double sliding mode surfaces, the gain of the control signal can be adjusted adaptively according to the error signal. A kind of sliding mode controller without chattering is designed and applied to the control of ultrasonic motors.

Findings

The results show that for a position signal with a tracking amplitude of 35 mm, the traditional sliding mode control method has a maximum tracking error of 0.3326 mm under the premise of small chattering; the boundary layer sliding mode control method has a maximum tracking error of 0.3927 mm without chattering, and the maximum tracking error of continuous switching adaptive sliding mode control is 0.1589 mm, and there is no chattering. Under the same control parameters, after adding a load of 0.5 kg, the maximum tracking errors of the traditional sliding mode control method, the boundary layer sliding mode control method and the continuous switching adaptive sliding mode control are 0.4292 mm, 0.5111 mm and 0.1848 mm, respectively.

Originality/value

The proposed method not only switches continuously, but also the amplitude of the switching signal is adaptive, while maintaining the robustness of the conventional sliding mode control method, which has strong engineering application value.
The unfolding rationales surrounding management accounting innovations: a balanced scorecard case
Authors: Wanderley Claudio de Araujo , Cullen John , Tsamenyi Mathew
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) possesses an inherent duality, as it has been described as a carrier of institutions (i.e. the BSC is a “management ideology” or “mode of thinking”) and a flexibly interpretive boundary object at the same time. This study examines how this inherent duality of the BSC may influence the unfolding rationales surrounding its implementation and use.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical support for this investigation is gathered from an in-depth field study. The focal firm is a Brazilian electricity distribution company that transitioned from state to private ownership under hyper-regulation, and whose holding company experienced strategic and structural changes.

Findings

The study identified a misalignment between the characteristics of the firm (e.g. organizational logics) and the perceived BSC features. This misalignment initially produced tensions and institutional logics complexity for the organization forcing the BSC implementers to rationalize it to provide meaning regarding its implementation in the firm. The findings also show why and how the promoters of the BSC conducted its “strategy of translation” in order to disentangle and reassemble both the material and symbolic components of the BSC to facilitate its implementation and use. It was found that promoters of the BSC engaged in contextualization work, which featured two main actions: a combination of coupling and selective decoupling and a change of meaning.

Originality/value

This paper advances current understanding of the process of the unfolding rationales surrounding management accounting innovations (e.g. the BSC). The study shows that the BSC unfolds in more complex, time-related and simultaneous ways than has previously been reported in the literature. Moreover, the paper contributes by explaining how the management's rationales, relating to their historical understanding, perception of legitimation needs and social skills, contributed to the continuous unfolding of the BSC. In addition, four potentially interesting areas for further research were identified.
Sensory quality and shelf-life of locally produced British butters compared to large-scale, industrially produced butters
Authors: Dudkiewicz Agnieszka , Hayes William , Onarinde Bukola
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this pilot-scale study was to compare the quality of traditionally manufactured butters from local, small British producers with the quality of butters that are produced industrially.

Design/methodology/approach

Butter samples were obtained after supervised site inspections of three traditional-butter manufacturers and one large-scale butter producer. The samples were subject to initial microbiological, chemical and sensory testing, followed by a refrigerated shelf-life study over 24 weeks.

Findings

Traditional butters matched or exceeded the sensory quality of industrial butters, but spoilage microorganisms tended to grow faster on traditional butters. This seemed to be related to poorer water droplet dispersion in the manufacture of some of the traditionally made butters. Visible mould appeared on two of the traditional butters after eight weeks, but this occurred well after the nominal “best before” date.

Originality/value

Prolonged lockdowns due to the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic pose a threat to the food supply chain, and food produced by local manufacturers may become increasingly important. However, are foods produced by local small-scale manufacturers of a quality comparable to that produced using large-scale production facilities? To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no comparative study of the quality and shelf-life of traditionally-produced and industrially-produced butters. The current work presents such a comparison together with an outline of how the process of traditional butter-making differs from commercial production in Britain.
Torsional vibrations in a shaft train of an air compressor: modification, calculation and measurement
Authors: Humer Matthias , Habel Stefan
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Due to the installation of the new, more powerful gearbox and the dismantling of the exciter machine, the vibration characteristics of the shaft train will be changed. Therefore, it is necessary to reassess the shaft train. It is to be investigated if the shaft train of the compressor meets the general requirements for bending and torsional vibrations and can be safely operated within the electrical network. The purpose of this paper is to show the necessary alignment of modification, calculation and measurement in such a project..

Design/methodology/approach

After some modification work on the shaft train of an air compressor, it was necessary to do some engineering calculations regarding the bending natural and torsional natural frequencies and their mode shapes. The correctness of the calculated values was proven by vibration measurements performed at the shaft train in operation.

Findings

It can be concluded that the change and replacement of rotating equipment in a shaft train never should be done without any engineering calculations in advance and measurements after the component modification. Most important is that the calculation results have to be compared with the measurement results for verifying the calculation assumptions. In the case described above, one can see that theory and practice match well. In addition to this, the very low damping of torsional vibrations is proved again, which can be a significant problem in some situations.

Originality/value

Also, today one can find torsional vibration measurements of rotating machines, including frequency, magnitude and damping factor, very seldom. Especially for smaller machines, there are no real comparisons between calculation and measurement are usual. This paper shows that an alignment between theoretical and practical approaches is necessary to avoid operational problems for rotating machines.
The importance of context-relevant feminist perspectives in disaster studies. The case of a research on forest fires with the Atikamekw First Nation
Authors: Gonzalez Bautista Noémie
Published: November 2021

Purpose

My research is a study of forest fires that occurred near the Atikamekw community of Wemotaci (Quebec, Canada). This article focuses on the gendered aspects of two forest fire situations experienced by the people of Wemotaci, as I realized during fieldwork that men and women had different experiences and roles during the fires that did not seem to be valued the same. As a result, I decided to mobilize Indigenous feminist theories to understand the entanglement of multiple oppressions especially colonialism and the patriarchy in disaster situations.

Design/methodology/approach

I used interviews, participant observation and focus-groups during several stays in Wemotaci. I drew on methodologies developed by Indigenous researchers who aim to decolonize research. In this approach, I built respectful relationships with participants, conscious that I was part of the network I was studying.

Findings

This research reveals the importance in disaster research to adapt our methodology to the participants realities while factoring our positionality in. More specifically, I show how the use of an Indigenous feminist perspective allows me to understand how patriarchal-colonialism manifests during forest fire situations intertwined with traditional Atikamekw gender roles. This understanding makes it possible to see ways of managing and studying disasters that challenge systemic oppressions by rethinking the notion of vulnerability and making space for Indigenous people agency, knowledge and experiences.

Originality/value

The use of a feminist framework in this male-dominated field is still innovative, especially mobilizing a feminist approach that is consistent with the participants' realities while acknowledging the researcher's positionality which translate here in the use of Indigenous feminist theories.
An optimized Parkinson's disorder identification through evolutionary fast learning network
Authors: Ayoub Bouslah , Nora Taleb
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a well-known complex neurodegenerative disease. Typically, its identification is based on motor disorders, while the computer estimation of its main symptoms with computational machine learning (ML) has a high exposure which is supported by researches conducted. Nevertheless, ML approaches required first to refine their parameters and then to work with the best model generated. This process often requires an expert user to oversee the performance of the algorithm. Therefore, an attention is required towards new approaches for better forecasting accuracy.

Design/methodology/approach

To provide an available identification model for Parkinson disease as an auxiliary function for clinicians, the authors suggest a new evolutionary classification model. The core of the prediction model is a fast learning network (FLN) optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA). To get a better subset of features and parameters, a new coding architecture is introduced to improve GA for obtaining an optimal FLN model.

Findings

The proposed model is intensively evaluated through a series of experiments based on Speech and HandPD benchmark datasets. The very popular wrappers induction models such as support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbors (KNN) have been tested in the same condition. The results support that the proposed model can achieve the best performances in terms of accuracy and g-mean.

Originality/value

A novel efficient PD detection model is proposed, which is called A-W-FLN. The A-W-FLN utilizes FLN as the base classifier; in order to take its higher generalization ability, and identification capability is also embedded to discover the most suitable feature model in the detection process. Moreover, the proposed method automatically optimizes the FLN's architecture to a smaller number of hidden nodes and solid connecting weights. This helps the network to train on complex PD datasets with non-linear features and yields superior result.
Corporate governance and innovation investment in publicly listed firms: the moderating effect of ownership type and legal jurisdiction
Authors: Xu Ella Guangxin , Graves Chris , Shan Yuan George , Yang Joey W.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the effect of corporate governance (CG) on innovation investment, with consideration of ownership types and legal jurisdictions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors' empirical analysis is based on a sample of publicly listed family businesses (FBs) from the top-500-list that matched worldwide with non-family counterparts from 2009 to 2018. The study uses a holistic measure of CG to mitigate the conflicting impact of individual CG components found in prior studies. This measure is applied to examine the moderating role of firm ownership type and legal jurisdiction.

Findings

The authors' results demonstrate that CG positively influences innovation investment. This positive relationship is more pronounced in FBs than in non-family businesses (NFBs) and is more prevalent in civil law economies than in common law economies.

Originality/value

The study holistically examines the effect of CG, capturing the combination of all individual governance mechanisms and their influence on innovation investment. The study further shows that comprehensive CG has diverse impacts on innovation investment when considering family control and legal jurisdiction.
Workplace productivity loss as a result of absenteeism and presenteeism in chronic and episodic migraine: a scoping review
Authors: Papakonstantinou Doxa , Tomos Constantinos
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Migraine consists of a chronic neurological disorder with episodic attacks. Migraine prevails in people of their most productive working age, followed by difficulties at work and social functions. This scoping review aims to analyze the economic burden on a workplace due to chronic migraine compared to episodic migraine by focusing on the indirect costs of absenteeism and presenteeism and addressing the research gaps in this field.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, a comprehensive electronic literature search was carried out from 2010 to 2020 using the Google Scholar and Medline/PubMed databases.

Findings

The findings confirm that chronic and episodic migraine harm the workplace's productivity, escalating with the frequency of migraine attacks. Differences occur between presenteeism and absenteeism rates among chronic and episodic migraine, and higher presenteeism than absenteeism rates.

Originality/value

This review sheds new light on the indirect burden of migraine. It shows the gaps in the explored research area and the need for more targeted and extended research that could provide a deeper understanding of the workplace's hidden costs of migraine. The issues discussed are important as they can raise awareness of the interested parties, policymakers, employers and vocational rehabilitation specialists on the work disability associated with migraine.
Salesperson grit: reducing unethical behavior and job stress
Authors: Schwepker Charles H. , Good Megan C.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between grit, unethical behavior and job stress among business-to-business salespeople.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis includes 240 business-to-business salespeople. Structural equation modeling is used to test the study’s hypotheses.

Findings

Results suggest grit is directly related to less frequent unethical behavior and customer-directed deviance. Neutralization techniques positively moderate the relationship between salesperson grit and both unethical behavior and customer-directed deviance. Grit is indirectly related to job stress through the positive relationship between unethical behavior and job stress.

Research limitations/implications

Given research on grit in sales is relatively new several opportunities to pursue additional research in this area are presented.

Practical implications

Sales leaders may benefit from administering the salesperson grit scale as part of the screening process and developing grit among salespeople through training and coaching. Sales leaders should emphasize the negative impact of adopting neutralization techniques (excuses) in condoning unethical behaviors. The indirect effect of grit in reducing job stress through ethical behaviors underscores potential ways to mitigate costly and detrimental sales outcome losses.

Originality/value

This study develops a novel framework to explore the relationships between grit and unethical behaviors as moderated by neutralization techniques (excuses); examines an additional component of grit not previously considered in some studies of salespeople; and investigates whether these relationships increase a previously unexplored outcome – job stress.
Managers’ perceptions of the accountability of corporate university programs, involvement in the corporate university programs and commitment to the organization
Authors: Tong Xiaoping , Jacobs Ronald L. , Wang Yarong
Published: November 2021

Purpose

What remains uncertain with corporate universities is the contribution they provide to their organizations, particularly when considered from the perspective of managers. Managers are important stakeholders, as they may participate in carrying out the mission and policies that govern the corporate university and participate in the programs offered. Organizations would benefit from knowing more about the perceptions of managers. The purpose of this paper is to study managers’ perceptions of the accountability of two corporate university programs in China and its relationship with the managers’ overall involvement in corporate university programs and their commitment to the organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in two state-owned organizations in China, a country in which many organizations have adopted corporate universities. A mixed-method approach was used to carry out the study.

Findings

The results showed that there was a moderate relationship between the managers’ perceptions of the accountability of corporate university programs, based on two management development programs and managers’ involvement in corporate university programs and their commitment to the organization. The results also showed a low relationship between managers’ involvement in their corporate university programs and commitment to the organization.

Originality/value

The findings provide implications for managing corporate universities in China and enhancing the accountability of these initiatives. The study serves as a basis for future studies involving corporate universities and on the accountability of and involvement in training.
The impact of work engagement and meaningful work to alleviate job burnout among social workers in New Zealand
Authors: Tan Kim-Lim , Yeap Peik Foong
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Grounding our research in the conservation of resources (COR) theory and the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, this study addresses the research gap of examining the relationship between meaningful work and dimensions of job burnout with work engagement as the mediator, especially in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also attempts to understand if age plays a role in moderating the effect of these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected data using a questionnaire protocol that was adapted and refined from the original scales in existing studies. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze data collected from 530 social workers working in New Zealand nonprofit organizations (NPO).

Findings

Results indicated that meaningful work only addressed one dimension of job burnout. Work engagement was found to have mediating effects on the relationships between meaningful work and all the dimensions of job burnout. Age does not have any moderating effect on these relationships.

Originality/value

This study addresses the lack of literature that collectively examines the constructs of meaningful work, dimensions of job burnout and work engagement in the same model. In doing so, this study provides a unique verification of job burnout as a multidimensional construct. At the same time, this study offers insights into the effect of these constructs in NPOs, unraveling the complexities that drive these NPOs' human resources (HR) processes.
Early life feeding accelerates gut microbiome maturation and suppresses acute post‐weaning stress in piglets
Authors: Choudhury R. , Middelkoop A. , Boekhorst J. , Gerrits W. J. J. , Kemp B. , Bolhuis J. E. , Kleerebezem M.
Published: November 2021

Early life microbiome perturbations can have important effects on host development, physiology and behaviour. In this longitudinal study, we evaluated the impact of early feeding on gut microbiome colonization in neonatal piglets. Early‐fed (EF) piglets had access to a customized fibrous diet from 2 days after birth until weaning in addition to mother's milk, whereas control piglets suckled mother's milk only. Rectal swabs were collected at multiple time points until 6 weeks of age to investigate microbiota development using 16S rRNA gene profiling. The dynamic pre‐weaning microbiota colonization was followed by a relatively stable post‐weaning microbiota, represented by Prevotella, Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Megasphaera, Catenibacterium and Subdoligranulum. EF piglets showed an accelerated microbiota maturation, characterized by increased microbial diversity, pre‐weaning emergence of post‐weaning‐associated microbes and a more rapid decline of typical pre‐weaning microbes. Furthermore, the individual eating behaviour scores of piglets quantitatively correlated with their accelerated microbiome. Importantly, EF piglets displayed a smoother relative weight gain and tended to reach a higher relative weight gain, in addition to reduced diarrhoea scores in the first week post‐weaning. Overall, these findings demonstrate the beneficial impact of early feeding on microbiota development as well as pig health and performance during the weaning transition.
Economy and ethics in the cosmic process⋆
Authors: Hann Chris
Published: November 2021

When T.H. Huxley lectured on evolution and ethics in 1893, his critique of the amoral laws of the ‘cosmic process’ left his audience puzzled. While Huxley paid little attention to political and economic institutions, this article draws attention to the historical materialism of that era and its twentieth‐century legacies. Empirically, it analyses the rise and fall of a Hungarian state farm with reference to the comparative literature on twentieth‐century socialist societies. Theoretically, socialism is considered as the combination of a materialist philosophy of history with an axial ethical impulse. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Eurasian socialist order in the 1990s, we can see why Huxley was right to deplore the ‘fanatical individualism’ of his age. His humanism resembles that of the early Karl Marx and he stands closer to Émile Durkheim than to contemporary currents in the anthropology of ethics.
THE PERFORMATIVITY OF METROPOLIZATION: How Material‐Discursive Practices Institutionalize the Prague Metropolitan Region
Authors: Coblence Alena , Sýkora Luděk
Published: November 2021

This article identifies a set of practices through which multiple actors, from the European Commission to local governments,performthe concept of the metropolitan region. It specifically investigates the practices and actions which brought this concept into being in the Prague metropolitan region of Czechia. We uncover how the meanings associated with the concept of the metropolitan region evolved through material‐discursive practices constitutive of regional institutionalization. The article unpacks five practices which lie behind the initial stages of regional institutionalization: advocacy, framing, customization, implementation and evaluation. It contributes to both the conceptualization and practical knowledge of metropolitan development, planning and institutionalization in three ways. First, in suggesting a set of institutionalization practices, it redirects attention towards what actorsdo. Second, it highlights the role ofmaterialitymutually intertwined withdiscursiveelements. Finally, it documents how the intersection of multiple governance levels provides key actors with the resources needed to engage in the reconceptualization and institutionalization of the metropolitan region.
Webs of reciprocity: Colonial taxation and the need for reparations
Authors: Bhambra Gurminder K.
Published: November 2021

My BJS lecture considered how dominant understandings of distributive justice and welfare have been conceptualised through the “nation” and argued that a more adequate framing requires them to be addressed also in the context of colonial and imperial relations. It argues that a just politics in the present has to account for this history and that one way of doing this effectively would be through a reparative frame. In this short response, I engage with the commentaries on my lecture.
Next steps after 15 stimulating years of human gut microbiome research
Authors: Clavel Thomas , Horz Hans‐Peter , Segata Nicola , Vehreschild Maria
Published: November 2021

Gut microbiome research has bloomed over the past 15 years. We have learnt a lot about the complex microbial communities that colonize our intestine. Promising avenues of research and microbiome‐based applications are being implemented, with the goal of sustaining host health and applying personalized disease management strategies. Despite this exciting outlook, many fundamental questions about enteric microbial ecosystems remain to be answered. Organizational measures will also need to be taken to optimize the outcome of discoveries happening at an extremely rapid pace. This article highlights our own view of the field and perspectives for the next 15 years.
Icaritin alleviates docetaxel‐induced skin injury by suppressing reactive oxygen species via estrogen receptors
Authors: Zou Jie , Xu Meng‐Xia , Li Fang , Wang Yu‐Hao , Li Xiao‐Qian , Yu Dao‐Jiang , Ma Yi‐Jia , Zhang Yuan‐Yuan , Sun Xiao‐Dong
Published: November 2021

Background

Docetaxel (DTX) exhibits antitumor effects against breast cancer by stabilizing microtubules and increasing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). DTX extravasation during infusion often causes skin injury. The present study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of icaritin (ICT) on DTX‐induced skin injury.

Methods

The effects of ICT on the viability and apoptosis of HaCaT cells were measured by SRB assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Endogenous LC3 puncta and microtubules were determined by immunofluorescence. The number of mitochondria was measured by MitoTracker orange staining. ROS were determined by dihydroethidium staining. The expression of markers of ROS and autophagy were measured by western blotting. Chloroquine, compound D, and tamoxifen were employed as the inhibitor for autophagy and AMPK, estrogen receptors (ERs) modulator, respectively.

Results

DTX inhibited the viability and decreased apoptosis of HaCaT cells, which can be rescued by ICT. ICT decreased microtubule bundles, increased the number of mitochondria, and attenuated ROS of HaCaT cells induced by DTX. ICT blocks autophagy and the autophagic flux. Compound C or tamoxifen diminished the protection effects of ICT on DTX‐treated HaCaT cells.

Conclusion

ICT alleviates DTX‐induced skin injury by suppressing ROS, reducing microtubule bundles, and blocking autophagy via ERs. Our study indicated that ICT may be a potential candidate for DTX‐induced skin injury.
A laboratory study of the effects of men's acute alcohol intoxication, perceptions of women's intoxication, and masculine gender role stress on the perpetration of sexual aggression
Authors: Leone Ruschelle M. , Haikalis Michelle , Parrott Dominic J. , Teten Tharp Andra
Published: November 2021

Background

Although research has established an association between alcohol use and sexual assault, few studies have examined how characteristics of the perpetrator may influence sexual aggression depending upon whether alcohol is consumed by the perpetrator and/or the victim. This laboratory‐based investigation was designed to disentangle the effects of individual differences in masculine gender role stress (MGRS) and the perpetration of sexual aggression as a function of (1) men's acute alcohol intoxication and (2) whether a woman was consuming alcohol or not.

Method

A community sample of 156 men participated in two laboratory sessions, during which they completed a self‐report measure of MGRS (Session 1) and a modified version of the sexual imposition paradigm after consuming an alcoholic or non‐alcoholic beverage (Session 2). In this paradigm, participants and a male friend were told that an ostensible female participant had consumed or not consumed alcohol. They were also told that she did not wish to view sexual content. Participants were then provided the opportunity to make the female confederate view a sexually or non‐sexually explicit film. Sexual aggression was operationalized by selection of the sexually explicit film.

Results

A hierarchical logistic regression showed that men higher in MGRS who were intoxicated were (1) more likely than sober men to select the sexually explicit film when the woman was intoxicated and (2) less likely than sober men to select the sexually explicit film when the woman was sober.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the perpetration of sexual aggression is most likely among men with higher MGRS when there is concordance in drinking (i.e., when either the man and woman are both drinking or are both not drinking).
Cumulative sociodemographic disadvantage partially mediates associations between childhood trauma and schizotypy
Authors: Tonini Emiliana , Quidé Yann , Whitford Thomas J. , Green Melissa J.
Published: November 2021

Objectives

Risk for psychosis in the general population is characterized by a set of multidimensional traits that are referred to as schizotypy. Higher levels of schizotypy are associated with socioeconomic disadvantage and childhood trauma, just as these risk factors are associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Here, we set out to investigate whether cumulative sociodemographic disadvantage mediates associations between childhood trauma and schizotypy in adulthood.

Methods

A sociodemographic cumulative risk (SDCR) score was derived from six risk indices spanning employment, education, income, socioeconomic status, marital, and living circumstances for 197 participants that included both healthy (n = 57) and clinical samples with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 65) or bipolar disorder (n = 75). A series of multiple linear regressions was used to examine the direct and indirect associations among childhood trauma (measured with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), the SDCR index, and levels of schizotypy (measured with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire).

Results

Schizotypy was independently associated with trauma and the SDCR index. In addition, the SDCR index partially mediated associations between trauma and schizotypy.

Conclusions

These findings in a mixed sample of healthy and clinical participants represent the full spectrum of schizotypy across health and illness and suggest that effects of childhood trauma on schizotypal personality organization may operate via cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage in adulthood.

Practitioner points

The strong associations between trauma and schizotypy suggest that systematic health screening of children exposed to early life trauma may assist to identify those at risk of developing psychosis.

Clinicians should pay attention to various indicators of sociodemographic disadvantage in patients prone to psychosis, in addition to any exposure to trauma during childhood.
Systematic review on the association between genetic polymorphisms and dental implant‐related biological complications
Authors: Dereka Xanthippi , Akcalı Aliye , Trullenque‐Eriksson Anna , Donos Nikolaos
Published: November 2021

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the association between specific genetic polymorphisms and dental implant‐related biological complications in patients having a follow‐up period of at least 12‐months post‐loading.

Material and methods

A sensitive search strategy was developed to identify implant‐related genetic‐association studies. This was performed by searching five databases. A three‐stage screening (titles, abstract, full text) was carried out in duplicate and independently by two reviewers. Assessment was carried out according to the suggested scale for quality assessment of periodontal genetic‐association studies and adapted to genetic analyses of implant‐related studies leading to an overall final score 0–20 based on the summation of positive answers.

Results

The initial search resulted in 1838 articles. Sixty‐seven full‐text articles were assessed for eligibility and four studies met the defined inclusion criteria. IL‐6 G174C, TNF‐α ‐308, IL‐1A‐889 and IL‐1B+3954 and CD14‐159 C/T polymorphisms were evaluated. The quality assessment scores ranged from 6 to 11 positive answers from out of a maximum score of 20. The great heterogeneity among the studies did not allow a meta‐analysis.

Conclusions

The published evidence on genetic predisposition and implant biologic complications is limited. The small number of identified studies evaluating the association between genetic polymorphisms and peri‐implant disease presented methodological and reporting inadequacies. Thus, the potential link between genetic polymorphisms and biological complications should be further investigated and clarified through well‐designed clinical studies on adequately powered and appropriately included study populations.
The role of hypoxia in stem cell regulation of the central nervous system: From embryonic development to adult proliferation
Authors: Li Gaifen , Liu Jia , Guan Yuying , Ji Xunming
Published: November 2021

Hypoxia is involved in the regulation of various cell functions in the body, including the regulation of stem cells. The hypoxic microenvironment is indispensable from embryonic development to the regeneration and repair of adult cells. In addition to embryonic stem cells, which need to maintain their self‐renewal properties and pluripotency in a hypoxic environment, adult stem cells, including neural stem cells (NSCs), also exist in a hypoxic microenvironment. The subventricular zone (SVZ) and hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) are the main sites of adult neurogenesis in the brain. Hypoxia can promote the proliferation, migration, and maturation of NSCs in these regions. Also, because most neurons in the brain are non‐regenerative, stem cell transplantation is considered as a promising strategy for treating central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Hypoxic treatment also increases the effectiveness of stem cell therapy. In this review, we firstly describe the role of hypoxia in different stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells, NSCs, and induced pluripotent stem cells, and discuss the role of hypoxia‐treated stem cells in CNS diseases treatment. Furthermore, we highlight the role and mechanisms of hypoxia in regulating adult neurogenesis in the SVZ and DG and adult proliferation of other cells in the CNS.
Characterizing mild cognitive impairment in prodromal Parkinson’s disease: A community‐based study in China
Authors: Pan Chenxi , Li Yuqian , Ren Jingru , Li Lanting , Huang Peiyu , Xu Pingyi , Zhang Li , Zhang Wenbing , Zhang Min‐Ming , Chen Jiu , Liu Weiguo
Published: November 2021

Objective

The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) has published research criteria for prodromal Parkinson's disease (pPD), which includes cognitive impairment as a prodromal marker. However, the clinical features of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in pPD remain unknown. Our study aimed to evaluate the frequency and clinical features of mild cognitive impairment of pPD in the elderly in China.

Methods

The cross‐sectional community‐based study recruited 2688 participants aged ≥50 years. Subjects were diagnosed with pPD according to the MDS criteria. Overall, 39 pPD and 22 healthy controls underwent comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological assessment. MCI was also diagnosed by the MDS criteria. Next, we investigated the relationship between clinical factors and cognition.

Results

Among the 2,663 dementia‐free and Parkinson disease (PD)‐free participants, 55 met the criteria for pPD (2.1%) and 23 pPD met the criteria for MCI. Memory, attention/working memory, and executive function were the most frequent impaired domains, and amnestic MCI multidomain phenotype was the most frequent MCI subtype (69.57%) in pPD. Additionally, correlation analysis revealed that the global cognitive performance was negatively related to UPDRS‐III score (r = −0.456, p = 0.004).

Conclusion

MCI, specifically impairment in memory, attention/working memory, and executive domain, is present at the prodromal stage of PD. In addition, cognitive performance is correlated with motor symptoms in pPD. Our results reflect that cognitive profile, combined with motor symptoms, can help clinicians to identify individuals with pPD early, as those would be the optimal candidates for neuroprotective therapy.
Preconception diabetes remission, a viable approach to reduce pregnancy risks in women with recent diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes: Case report and clinical discussion
Authors: Halpern Bruno , Pepe Renata Bressan
Published: November 2021

The prevalence of women diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) at fertile age has been increasing over the last few decades, and pregnancy with T2D is associated with increased maternal and foetal risks. In the last few years, studies have shown that focusing on aggressive weight loss in individuals recently diagnosed with T2D can lead to diabetes remission. Here, we present a case report of a woman who achieved diabetes remission after massive weight loss and had an uncomplicated pregnancy. Diabetes remission before pregnancy could be offered to motivated women with T2D as a safe way to reduce the risks of pregnancy. As a plausible hypothesis, dedicated studies are warranted to demonstrate if this approach can lead to reduced adverse maternal and foetal outcomes.
Development of a weight bias reduction intervention for third‐year nursing students
Authors: Oliver Tracy L. , Qi Bing‐Bing , Diewald Lisa K. , Shenkman Rebecca , Kaufmann Peter G.
Published: November 2021

To explore whether case‐based learning will enhance a weight bias reduction (WBR) programme among nursing students to improve their attitudes and beliefs towards persons with obesity. A cluster‐randomized controlled trial (CRT) among 13 medical‐surgical clinical practicum groups consisting of six to eight third‐year baccalaureate nursing students was conducted to compare a WBR training enhanced by case‐based learning (WBR‐I, n = 7) with a standard WBR control group (n = 6). All participants completed the Attitudes Towards Obese Persons (ATOP) and Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP) questionnaires before the randomized assignment and at the end of the 14‐week semester. The BAOP scores of participants in the WBR‐I group were significantly improved compared to controls (26.68 ± 7.85 and 22.93 ± 2.80, respectively; F = 18.23; p = .001 (<.01) indicating improved beliefs about the controllability of obesity. There were no significant changes to attitudes about individuals with obesity, as indicated by the ATOP scores. The findings of this pilot study suggest that a more intensive WBR programme that includes case‐based learning scenarios that elicit critical thinking coupled with a standard WBR programme may reduce some aspects of weight bias.
Liver stiffness and prediction of cardiac outcomes in patients with acute decompensated heart failure
Authors: Panchani Nishah , Schulz Philipp , Van Zyl Johanna , Felius Joost , Baxter Ronald , Yoon Eun Taek , Baldawi Harith , Bindra Amarinder , Asrani Sumeet K
Published: November 2021

Background

In acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), noninvasive markers that predict morbidity and mortality are limited. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) increases with hepatic fibrosis; however, it may be falsely elevated in patients with ADHF in the absence of liver disease. We investigated whether elevated LSM predicts cardiac outcomes in ADHF.

Methods

In a prospective study, we examined 52 ADHF patients without liver disease between 2016 and 2017. Patients underwent liver 2D shear wave elastography (SWE) and were followed for 12 months to assess the outcomes of left ventricular assist device (LVAD), heart transplant (HT) or death.

Results

The median LSM was elevated in patients who received an LVAD or HT within 30‐days compared to those who did not (median [IQR]: 55.6 [22.5 – 63.4] vs 13.8 [9.5 – 40.3] kPa, p = .049). Moreover, the risk of composite outcome was highest in the 3rd tertile (> 39.8 kPa compared to 1st and 2nd combined, HR 2.83, 95% CI 1.20‐ 6.67, p = .02). Each 1‐kPa increase in LSM was associated with a 1%‐increase in the incidence rate of readmissions (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00‐1.02, p = .01).

Conclusions

LSM may serve as a novel noninvasive tool to determine LVAD, HT, or death in patients with ADHF.
Directed movement changes coexistence outcomes in heterogeneous environments
Authors: Zhang Bo , Lam King‐Yeung , Ni Wei‐Ming , Signorelli Rossana , Collins Kevin M. , Fu Zhiyuan , Zhai Lu , Lou Yuan , DeAngelis Donald L. , Hastings Alan
Published: November 2021

Understanding mechanisms of coexistence is a central topic in ecology. Mathematical analysis of models of competition between two identical species moving at different rates of symmetric diffusion in heterogeneous environments show that the slower mover excludes the faster one. The models have not been tested empirically and lack inclusions of a component of directed movement toward favourable areas. To address these gaps, we extended previous theory by explicitly including exploitable resource dynamics and directed movement. We tested the mathematical results experimentally using laboratory populations of the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results not only support the previous theory that the species diffusing at a slower rate prevails in heterogeneous environments but also reveal that moderate levels of a directed movement component on top of the diffusive movement allow species to coexist. Our results broaden the theory of species coexistence in heterogeneous space and provide empirical confirmation of the mathematical predictions.
Effect of blood pressure variability in the randomized controlled BP TARGET trial
Authors: Maïer Benjamin , Gory Benjamin , Lapergue Bertrand , Sibon Igor , Escalard Simon , Kyheng Maeva , Labreuche Julien , de Havenon Adam , Petersen Nils , Anadani Mohammad , Gayat Etienne , Boursin Perrine , Ben Maacha Malek , Desilles Jean‐Philippe , Blanc Raphael , Piotin Michel , Halimi Jean‐Michel , Mazighi Mikael ,   BP TARGET Investigators
Published: November 2021

Background and purpose

The Blood Pressure Target in Acute Ischemic Stroke to Reduce Hemorrhage After Endovascular Therapy (BP TARGET) trial evaluated whether an intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) target resulted in reduced rates of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after successful endovascular therapy (EVT) but did not assess the effect of blood pressure variability (BPV) on functional outcomes and ICH occurrence. We sought to evaluate this question in the BP TARGET trial.

Methods

We performed a post hoc analysis of the BP TARGET trial and included patients with at least 50% of blood pressure (BP) recordings during the first 24 h after EVT. BPV parameters were SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation (SD), maximum–minimum (max–min), successive variation (SV), and time rate. The primary outcome was favorable functional outcome (3‐month modified Rankin Scale between 0 and 2); the secondary outcome was the rate of ICH at 24 h.

Results

We included 290 patients (mean number of BP measures = 30.4, SD = 8.0). BPV parameters (SBPSD, SBPmax–min, SBPCV) were higher in the intensive SBP target group. Only DBP BPV parameters were associated with worse functional outcomes in the unadjusted model (DBPSD, DBPmax–min, DBPCV, and DBPSV), but not after adjustment. Higher SBPmax–min was associated with worse functional outcomes in Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2B patients (odds ratio [OR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38–1.02), but not in patients with complete reperfusion (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.80–2.02, p for heterogeneity (phet=0.037). None of the BPV parameters was associated with ICH, regardless of the randomization group or the reperfusion grade.

Conclusions

BPV was significantly higher in the intensive SBP target group but was not associated with functional outcome or ICH.
Inherit the kingdom or storm the castle? Breeding strategies in a social carnivore
Authors: Ausband David E.
Published: November 2021

Breeding opportunities are inherently limited for animals that live and breed in groups. Turnover in breeding positions can have marked effects on groups of cooperative breeders, particularly social carnivores. We generally know little about how breeding vacancies are filled in social carnivores and what factors might influence an individual's ability to successfully fill a vacancy. I used a long‐term (11 years) genetic dataset from gray wolves to ask whether breeding vacancies were filled by individuals from within groups or by adoptees (i.e., adult animals immigrating into the group) from outside the group. Males were three times more likely than females to be adopted into breeding positions outside their group. Females typically inherited breeding positions within their natal groups (80%, n = 20), while males obtained breeding positions outside their group (76%, n = 17). Group size did not influence whether a breeding vacancy was filled by an adoptee or inherited by an individual from within the group. Prior to adoption, genetic relatedness was 30% higher in groups when females were adopted into breeding positions compared to when they inherited breeding positions from within groups. Thus, genetic relatedness within groups appears to play a role in whether females are adopted into groups or not. Because of their strong reliance on dispersal to secure a breeding position, male wolves appear to be the couriers of genetic diversity in populations of gray wolves. Many states in the United States have recently implemented hunting and trapping seasons for gray wolves. If dispersing male wolves are disproportionately harvested, genetic connectivity and diversity in populations may be affected.
Meeting report of the 4th biennial Metabolism and Cancer symposium
Authors: Abdel Hadi Nadine , Boet Emeline , Lahalle Airelle , Lauture Laura , Refeyton Alice , Reyes‐Castellanos Gabriela , Caplet Nathalie , Carrier Alice , Le Cam Laurent , Mazure Nathalie M. , Ricci Jean‐Ehrland , Rocchi Stéphane , Sarry Jean‐Emmanuel , Vasseur Sophie , Vlaski‐Lafarge Marija , Rossignol Rodrigue , Bost Frédéric
Published: November 2021

The 4th International meeting Metabolism and Cancer initially programed to take place in Bordeaux (France) was held virtually on May 27–29, 2021. The three‐day event was followed by around 600 participants daily from 47 countries around the world. The meeting hosted 21 speakers including selected talks and a keynote lecture from the Nobel Prize winner Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe (Oxford, UK). Presentations and discussions were divided in four scientific sessions: (a) Redox and energy metabolism (b) Redox and hypoxia (c) Metabolic profiling and epigenetic control and (d) Signalling, fuelling and metabolism in cancer and a general public session on cancer and nutrition. This report summarises the presentations and outcomes of the 4th annual Metabolism and Cancer symposium. We provide here a summary of the scientific highlights of this exciting meeting.