bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the potential of a graph attention network in money laundering detection
Authors: Sheu Guang-Yih , Li Chang-Yu
Published: October 2021

Purpose

In a classroom, a support vector machines model with a linear kernel, a neural network and the k-nearest neighbors algorithm failed to detect simulated money laundering accounts generated from the Panama papers data set of the offshore leak database. This study aims to resolve this failure.

Design/methodology/approach

Build a graph attention network having three modules as a new money laundering detection tool. A feature extraction module encodes these input data to create a weighted graph structure. In it, directed edges and their end vertices denote financial transactions. Each directed edge has weights for storing the frequency of money transactions and other significant features. Social network metrics are features of nodes for characterizing an account’s roles in a money laundering typology. A graph attention module implements a self-attention mechanism for highlighting target nodes. A classification module further filters out such targets using the biased rectified linear unit function.

Findings

Resulted from the highlighting of nodes using a self-attention mechanism, the proposed graph attention network outperforms a Naïve Bayes classifier, the random forest method and a support vector machines model with a radial kernel in detecting money laundering accounts. The Naïve Bayes classifier produces second accurate classifications.

Originality/value

This paper develops a new money laundering detection tool, which outperforms existing methods. This new tool produces more accurate detections of money laundering, perfects warns of money laundering accounts or links and provides sharp efficiency in processing financial transaction records without being afraid of their amount.
A learning method of trust building: beyond the performance management of artistic events
Authors: Liboriussen Jakob Mathias , Nørreklit Hanne , Trenca Mihaela
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to address a dilemma raised in the accounting literature on how managers of creative practices can produce and use accounting measurements that support employees’ self-determination to create whilst also building trust in them to work for the interests of the organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

Using pragmatic constructivism as a paradigmatic setting, the paper develops a learning method of trust building as a way for organisations to produce and use accounting measurements. Empirical analysis of the European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017 demonstrates the method in action.

Findings

The study displays a learning method of trust building as an effective way for organisations to account for their creative practices without intruding on the creative process of the people involved. The method involves proactive judgement and pragmatic observation of the trustworthiness of the actors’ language games, construction of quality in the conceptual structures of management narratives and measurement models, and learning that narrows the gap between the actors’ proactive judgement and the pragmatic observation of trustworthiness. Through such processes, including principles of truth, dialogical interactions, ongoing reflections and co-authorship, trust can be built in self-determining, creative actors to drive intentional results.

Research limitations/implications

The learning method of trust building extends the literature on trust building and on knowledge processes of performance measurement of actors in creative practices.

Originality/value

This is the first attempt in the accounting literature to develop a learning method of trust building.
Contingent workforce management: a holistic overview
Authors: Santra Sayoni
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate a simple, holistic overview of contingent workforce management.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper’s viewpoint outlines benefits and challenges that employers and employees encounter with contingent work arrangements and highlights relevant human resource (HR) practices to effectively manage contingent workforce.

Findings

Benefits to employers are cost-effective hiring solutions, filling-up skill requirements, increasing numerical flexibility and diversity and broadened talent pool. Challenges include legal ramifications, hidden costs, confidentiality and security issues, low organisational commitment and productivity. For employees, benefits are working flexibility and financial gain and gaining work experience. Challenges include dependence on economy, irregular work hours, health risks and exploitation and differential treatment by employers. “Value-adding” practices of holistic hiring, onboarding, performance management, workplace training and developing resilient organisational culture can effectively manage contingent workforce.

Research limitations/implications

This paper provides a broader outline of benefits and challenges, both from employers’ and employees’ perspectives, linked with precarious employment. Further investigations on employers’ and employee’s perspectives based on specific types of contingent work arrangements (e.g. temporary agency workers and gig workers) can give in-depth insights.

Originality/value

This paper provides a simplified framework of pros and cons of contingent employment, along with practical HR remedies to manage contingent workforce.
Assessing value of a digital company: Uber’s IPO 2019
Authors: Kandinskaia Olga , López Lubián Francisco
Published: October 2021

Theoretical basis

Via this case, students are introduced to several alternative methods of valuation, including the valuation based on the “real options” theory. The novelty of the case is the link between valuation and the type of innovation that the company represents. The suggested valuation frameworks, which include both quantitative and qualitative assessments, are applicable not only in the context of an IPO valuation but also in the context of any kind of M&A activity.

Research methodology

This case was prepared mostly via secondary research. All the information about Uber and the industry was collected via publicly available sources. No internal documents of the company were used in the preparation of this case. The primary research consisted of an interview with the protagonist Catherine (whose name is disguised). Other disguised elements in the case include the name of the Value Investor conference organizer (Spyros Spyrou, not his real name), the country of the Value Investor conference (omitted) and the conference venue (Princess hotel, not any actual venue).

Case overview/synopsis

In 2019, Uber, the famous ride-sharing company, made waves in financial markets as the most controversial IPO valuation. With a wide range of proposed values, Uber puzzled investors, once again living up to its fame of a rebel and a disruptor. When Uber finally went public in May 2019, its IPO valuation stood at $82.4bn. The heated discussion in the media continued even after the IPO: “Is Uber worth this amount? Is there an upside potential for the investors who bought shares at the IPO price? What if this is a hype and markets are simply embracing higher valuations?”

Complexity academic level

This case can be used at the undergraduate, graduate (MBA) or executive level in finance-related courses such as Company Valuation or Valuing Innovation, which cover the topic of valuation and specifically the topic of valuing innovative companies.
Development of a new pharmacokinetic model for target‐concentration controlled infusion of vancomycin in critically ill patients
Authors: Bang Ji‐Yeon , Kang Hyun Il , Lee Hak‐Jae , Chong Yong Pil , Hong Suk‐Kyung , Lee Eun‐Kyung , Choi Byung‐Moon , Noh Gyu‐Jeong
Published: October 2021

The aim of this prospective study was to construct a new pharmacokinetic model of vancomycin for target‐concentration controlled infusion (TCI). As the first loading dose, 25 mg/kg of vancomycin was administered during 60–90 min. Arterial blood samples were obtained at pre‐set intervals to measure the serum concentrations of vancomycin. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using the NONMEM software (ICON Development Solutions). In total, 197 serum concentration measurements from 22 patients were used to characterise the pharmacokinetics of vancomycin. A three‐compartment mammillary model best described the pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in critically ill patients. The ideal body weight was a significant covariate for the central and slow peripheral volume of distribution. The weight and age converted to categorical variables at a cut‐off of 65 years were a significant covariate for the clearance. Based on the results of stochastic simulation, the TCI method maintained the therapeutic concentration range for the longest duration. In addition, assuming that vancomycin was administered by the TCI method for 7 days, the dose was reduced by about 15% compared with the standard administration methods. The daily area under the curve values were maintained between 500 mg·h/L and 600 mg·h/L. TCI has the potential to become a new infusion method for patient‐tailored dosing in critically ill patients. To administer vancomycin via TCI in clinical practice, the newly constructed pharmacokinetic model should undergo proper external validation.
What drives income inequality in sub‐Saharan Africa and its sub‐regions? An examination of long‐run and short‐run effects
Authors: Jonathan Gimba Obadiah , Seraj Mehdi , Ozdeser Huseyin
Published: October 2021

This paper contributes to the understanding of the long‐run and short‐run drivers of income inequality in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and its sub‐regions based on the evidence from bootstrap cointegration and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. The findings from the bootstrap cointegration test reveal a long‐run relationship exists for almost the entire SSA and its sub‐regions for the dependent variable, independent variables and the overall models. The exception being West Africa where the dependent variable was not statistically significant but the independent variables and overall model were cointegrated. The results from the ARDL show that for SSA, in the long run, economic growth decreases the uneven distribution of income whereas in the short run economic growth increases inequality. A reduction in corruption in the short run and long run makes inequality fall. Population growth in the long run and short run aggravates the distribution of income. A rise in the rate of unemployment in the short run and long run has a positive relationship with income inequality. Trade globalization in the long run heightens inequality but is not significant in the short run.
The rise and fall of Brick Lane's ‘Curry Capital’
Authors: Carey Seán
Published: October 2021

For two decades, Brick Lane‐Banglatown has been the semi‐official ‘Curry Capital’ of the UK. In 2010, there were nearly 70 curry cafés and restaurants, most of them Bangladeshi‐owned. However, by the summer of 2020, the number of such venues had fallen to 25. Fieldwork has revealed that the causes of this decline are complex and multifaceted. However, the post‐Covid‐19 pandemic era offers a singular opportunity for local Bangladeshi restaurateurs as footfall will dramatically increase with a new Town Hall and a Crossrail station opening in nearby Whitechapel.
Climbing heritage: The lines and aesthetics of rock climbing
Authors: Wierciński Hubert
Published: October 2021

Climbing is an experience born of the interplay of aesthetics and heritage. Nowadays, climbing attracts people in droves, all eager to join the contest between body and rock. In this article, the author addresses the refined social background of climbing. He asks how the intangible heritage left behind in rocks by generations of climbers manifests itself in the aesthetics of movement and the experiences embedded in the lines that form the climbing routes. How might anthropologists study the mind‐body experiences and traces left by generations of rock users? How are we to understand the multisensory craft of climbing?
Mobilising support when the stakes are high: Mass emails affect constituent‐to‐legislator lobbying
Authors: TURNBULL‐DUGARTE STUART J. , TOWNSLEY JOSHUA , FOOS FLORIAN , BARON DENISE
Published: October 2021

Mass emails are frequently used by advocacy groups to mobilise supporters to lobby legislators. But how effective are they at inducing constituent‐to‐legislator lobbying when the stakes are high? We test the efficacy of a large‐scale email campaign conducted by the UK's main anti‐Brexit organisation. In 2019, the group prominently displayed a ‘Write to your MP’ tool on their website and assigned 119,362 supporters represented by legislators with incongruent views to one of four email messages encouraging them to write to their MP or a control condition (no email). Messages varied across two factors: whether the MP's incongruent position was highlighted, and if urgency was emphasised. We find that 3.4 per cent of treatment subjects contacted their representative, compared to 0.1 per cent of those in the control, representing an additional 3,344 emails sent to MPs. We show that there was no substitution away from the most frequently used online legislator contact platform in the United Kingdom. While, on average, position and urgency cues had no marginal effects above the standard email, the most engaged supporters were more mobilised when informed that their MP held incongruent views. This study shows that advocacy groups can use low‐cost communication techniques to mobilise supporters to lobby representatives when the stakes are high.
Rapid point‐of‐need detection of bacteria and their toxins in food using gold nanoparticles
Authors: Marin Marco , Nikolic Maria Vesna , Vidic Jasmina
Published: October 2021

Biosensors need to meet the rising food industry demand for sensitive, selective, safe, and fast food safety quality control. Disposable colorimetric sensors based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and localized surface plasmon resonance are low‐cost and easy‐to‐perform devices intended for rapid point‐of‐need measurements. Recent studies demonstrate various facile and versatile AuNPs‐based analytical platforms for the detection of bacteria and their toxins in milk, meat, and other foods. In this review, we introduce the general characteristics and mechanisms of AuNPs calorimetric biosensors, and highlight optimizations needed to strengthen and improve the quality of devices for their application in food matrices.
Reaction pathways and factors influencing nonenzymatic browning in shelf‐stable fruit juices during storage
Authors: Buvé Carolien , Pham Huong Tran Thuy , Hendrickx Marc , Grauwet Tara , Van Loey Ann
Published: October 2021

The occurrence of nonenzymaticbrowning in fruit juices during storage is a major quality defect. It negatively affects consumer acceptance and consumption behavior and determines the shelf‐life of these products. Although nonenzymatic browning of fruit juices has been the subject of research for a long time, the exact mechanism of the nonenzymatic browning reactions is not yet completely understood. This review paper aims to give an overview of the compounds and reactions playing a key role in nonenzymatic browning during the storage of fruit juices. The chemistry of the plausible reactions and their relative importance will be discussed. To better understand nonenzymatic browning, factors affecting these reactions will be reviewed and several strategies and methods to evaluate color changes and browning will be discussed. Nonenzymatic browning involves three main reactions: ascorbic acid degradation, acid‐catalyzed sugar degradation, and Maillard‐associated reactions. The most important NEB pathway depends on the matrix. Nonenzymatic browning is affected by many factors, such as the juice composition, the pH, the oxygen availability (packaging material), and the storage conditions. Nonenzymatic browning can thus be considered as a complex problem. To characterize color changes and browning and obtain insight into the browning mechanism of fruit juices, food scientists applied several approaches and strategies. These included the use of model systems with/without the addition of labeled compound and real systems as well as advanced analytical methods.
The impact of estimator choice: Disagreement in clustering solutions across K estimators for Bayesian analysis of population genetic structure across a wide range of empirical data sets
Authors: Stankiewicz Kathryn H. , Vasquez Kuntz Kate L. ,   Coral Microsatellite Group, Baums Iliana B.
Published: October 2021

The software program STRUCTURE is one of the most cited tools for determining population structure. To infer the optimal number of clusters from STRUCTURE output, the ΔK method is often applied. However, a recent study relying on simulated microsatellite data suggested that this method has a downward bias in its estimation of K and is sensitive to uneven sampling. If this finding holds for empirical data sets, conclusions about the scale of gene flow may have to be revised for a large number of studies. To determine the impact of method choice, we applied recently described estimators of K to re‐estimate genetic structure in 41 empirical microsatellite data sets; 15 from a broad range of taxa and 26 from one phylogenetic group, coral. We compared alternative estimates of K (Puechmaille statistics) with traditional (ΔK and posterior probability) estimates and found widespread disagreement of estimators across data sets. Thus, one estimator alone is insufficient for determining the optimal number of clusters; this was regardless of study organism or evenness of sampling scheme. Subsequent analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) did not necessarily clarify which clustering solution was best. To better infer population structure, we suggest a combination of visual inspection of STRUCTURE plots and calculation of the alternative estimators at various thresholds in addition to ΔK. Disagreement between traditional and recent estimators may have important biological implications, such as previously unrecognized population structure, as was the case for many studies reanalysed here.
Season determines the efficiency of a rapid sampling protocol for non‐acarine arachnids (Chelicerata: Arachnida) in Afrotemperate grassland biotopes
Authors: Booysen Ruan , Haddad Charles R
Published: October 2021

The Grassland Biome covers large parts of the inland plateau of South Africa, but many areas have historically been poorly sampled for arachnids. This study aimed to survey non‐acarine arachnids in western KwaZulu‐Natal and compare their biodiversity during winter (June and July 2015) and summer (December 2015 and January 2016). A standardised rapid sampling protocol was used to collect specimens from four biotopes (riparian bush, montane grasslands, lowland grasslands and Eucalyptus plantations). In total, 4623 non‐acarine arachnids were collected, representing five orders, of which 185 spp. were represented by adult specimens (n = 774). Although overall abundance (including immatures) was higher in winter, more adult individuals and species were collected in summer (n = 425, 139 spp.) than in winter (n = 349, 89 spp.). Day hand collecting yielded the highest abundance and species richness during both seasons, and largest number of unique species overall, while Berlese–Tullgren funnels were generally the least efficient method. Seasonal changes in assemblage composition are the result of considerable differences in phenology between the dominant families, resulting in only a small degree of overlap (23.2%) in the adult arachnid fauna between seasons. Several methods collected low adult species richness, but when combined, sample completion values were above 50% for both seasons and overall. This study has highlighted the importance of implementing rapid sampling protocols in multiple seasons to broaden knowledge of local species richness, to effectively address conservation and management objectives.
Parchment characterization by multiphoton electron extraction spectrometry
Authors: Tang Shisong , Bulatov Valery , Schechter Israel , Dolgin Bella
Published: October 2021

Some historical parchments belong to the cultural heritage of humankind and possess invaluable historical significance. Therefore, development of simple and reliable methods for parchment characterization and animal species identification is of importance. Multiphoton electron extraction spectroscopy (MEES) is a new analytical method for characterization of surfaces, and this is its first application to biomaterials in general and to parchments in particular. When comparing MEES of various parchments, it was found that the spectral intensity of historical parchments was significantly higher, and the main peak was broader than for the modern and artificially aged specimens. Gaussian fitting of the spectra indicated the presence of six peaks for modern and historical samples at nearly the same positions. Significant spectral differences between historical and modern samples were clearly observed. Animal species identification (calf, sheep and goat) was also possible, based on MEES analysis of modern parchments (grain side). Correlations to the electrical conductivity of the samples were also studied.
Using experimental reintroductions to resolve the roles of habitat quality and metapopulation dynamics on patch occupancy in fragmented landscapes
Authors: Armstrong Doug P. , Boulton Rebecca L. , McArthur Nikki , Govella Susanne , Gorman Nic , Pike Rhonda , Richard Yvan
Published: October 2021

Declines of species in fragmented landscapes can potentially be reversed either by restoring connectivity or restoring local habitat quality. Models fitted to snapshot occupancy data can be used to predict the effectiveness of these actions. However, such inferences can be misleading if the reliability of the habitat and landscape metrics used is unknown. The only way to unambiguously resolve the roles of habitat quality and metapopulation dynamics is to conduct experimental reintroductions to unoccupied patches so that habitat quality can be measured directly from data on vital rates. We, therefore, conducted a 15‐year study that involved reintroducing a threatened New Zealand bird to unoccupied forest fragments to obtain reliable data on their habitat quality and reassess initial inferences made by modeling occupancy against habitat and landscape metrics. Although reproductive rates were similar among fragments, subtle differences in adult survival rates resulted in λ (finite rate of increase) estimations of <0.9 for 9 of the 12 fragments that were previously unoccupied. This was the case for only 1 of 14 naturally occupied fragments. This variation in λ largely explained the original occupancy pattern, reversing our original conclusion from occupancy modeling that this occupancy pattern was isolation driven and suggesting that it would be detrimental to increase connectivity without improving local habitat quality. These results illustrate that inferences from snapshot occupancy should be treated with caution and subjected to testing through experimental reintroductions in selected model systems.
Extra‐pair paternity in Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) depends on the combination of social partners' age
Authors: Arct Aneta , Drobniak Szymon M. , Mellinger Samantha , Martyka Rafał , Gustafsson Lars , Cichoń Mariusz
Published: October 2021

There is growing evidence that engaging in extra‐pair copulations may be a strategy by which females can modify their initial mate choice if they are constrained by primary choice of the social mate. Several factors such as genetic similarity and adult phenotypic traits can affect extra‐pair paternity (EPP) patterns, but the relative importance of these factors may vary among species. Moreover, interactive effects of male and female characteristics have rarely been considered. Here, we aimed to study how multiple parameters characterizing a breeding pair (i.e. genetic similarity between mates, partners’ age and laying date) predict the occurrence of EPP at the brood level. The study uses 4 years of data from a wild population of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus. Contrary to predictions of the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis, we did not find a positive relationship between the occurrence of EPP and the relatedness of social mates. We also found that the probability of EPP was unrelated to laying date. However, EPP was predicted by an interaction of social partners' ages. Specifically, EPP was less likely when old females were paired with old males in comparison to old females paired to young males. Our study suggests that the occurrence of EPP may be the result of behavioural interactions in which both male and female age are important for determining the outcome. Our results confirm the importance of considering the interactions of male and female characteristics in studies investigating EPP patterns.
Stress relaxation properties of bananas during drying
Authors: Abedi Fidele M. , Takhar Pawan S.
Published: October 2021

Bananas' mechanical properties are affected by the ripening and the drying processes since they induce profound microstructural changes. In this study, first, the interacting effect of the ripening and the drying processes on the mode of viscoelastic behavior of bananas was investigated. Second, the stress relaxation properties of fully ripe bananas were measured as a function of the hot air drying conditions. Finally, the two‐element generalized Maxwell model was fitted to the experimental data. Thus, this study clarified the dependence of the mode of rheological behavior on both the ripening stage and the moisture content. It showed that bananas start softening at the onset of the drying when the fruit moisture content is high. The softening is reversed at a critical value, at which the bananas start regaining stiffness with further moisture reduction. The critical moisture content value decreases with ripening from 1.4 g/g solids for green bananas (5–11% Brix percentage) to 1.23 g/g solids for half‐ripe bananas (15–20% Brix percentage) and eventually vanishes when the bananas are fully ripe (25–31% Brix percentage). The stress relaxation properties measured with fully ripe bananas substantiated the initial findings on the influence of the ripening stage on the mode of rheological behavior. The relaxation moduli displayed a decreasing trend with decrease in the moisture content for 40, 60, and 80°C drying temperatures and decayed with time as expected for viscoelastic bodies. Lastly, the two‐element generalized Maxwell model fitted well to the experimental data with the root mean square error varying between 0.06 × 10−5 and 90.6 × 10−5MPa.
A social‐psychological reconstruction of Amartya Sen’s measures of inequality and social welfare
Authors: Stark Oded , Budzinski Wiktor
Published: October 2021

The Gini coefficient features prominently in Amartya Sen’s 1973 and 1997 seminal work on income inequality and social welfare. We construct the Gini coefficient from social‐psychological building blocks, reformulating it as a ratio between a measure of social stress and aggregate income. We determine when as a consequence of an income gain by an individual, an increase in the social stress measure dominates a concurrent increase in the aggregate income, such that the magnitude of the Gini coefficient increases. By integrating our approach to the construction of the Gini coefficient with Sen’s social welfare function, we are able to endow the function with a social‐psychological underpinning, showing that this function, too, is a composite of a measure of social stress and aggregate income. We reveal a dual role played by aggregate income as a booster of social welfare in Sen’s social welfare function. Quite surprisingly, we find that a marginal increase of income for any individual, regardless of the position of the individual in the hierarchy of incomes, improves welfare as measured by Sen’s social welfare function.
Image‐based deep learning reveals the responses of human motor neurons to stress and VCP‐related ALS
Authors: Verzat Colombine , Harley Jasmine , Patani Rickie , Luisier Raphaëlle
Published: October 2021

Aims

Although morphological attributes of cells and their substructures are recognised readouts of physiological or pathophysiological states, these have been relatively understudied in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research.

Methods

In this study, we integrate multichannel fluorescence high‐content microscopy data with deep learning imaging methods to reveal—directly from unsegmented images—novel neurite‐associated morphological perturbations associated with (ALS‐causing) VCP‐mutant human motor neurons (MNs).

Results

Surprisingly, we reveal that previously unrecognised disease‐relevant information is withheld in broadly used and often considered ‘generic’ biological markers of nuclei (DAPI) and neurons (
III‐tubulin). Additionally, we identify changes within the information content of ALS‐related RNA binding protein (RBP) immunofluorescence imaging that is captured in VCP‐mutant MN cultures. Furthermore, by analysing MN cultures exposed to different extrinsic stressors, we show that heat stress recapitulates key aspects of ALS.

Conclusions

Our study therefore reveals disease‐relevant information contained in a range of both generic and more specific fluorescent markers and establishes the use of image‐based deep learning methods for rapid, automated and unbiased identification of biological hypotheses.
ISSR analysis of Tulipa suaveolens (Liliaceae) populations from throughout the European part of the species range reveal genetic patterns shaped by Pleistocene transgressions of the Caspian Sea
Authors: Kritskaya Tatyana A. , Kashin Alexander S. , Petrova Nadezhda A. , Leweke Mathias
Published: October 2021

Tulipa suaveolens Roth is a decorative bulbous, polycarpic species in the Liliaceae family. Currently, the species populations are declining due to the degradation of natural steppes. In the present article, we evaluated the genetic diversity of 216 specimens from 22 natural T. suaveolens localities in the European part of the species range using 10 inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) yielded 250 unambiguous and reproducible polymorphic bands with a mean polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.27. Neither the principal component analysis nor the clustering method split the dataset. However, the Bayesian model‐based STRUCTURE analysis detected two genetic clusters of T. suaveolens. The analysis of the biogeographical distributional pattern of the revealed genetic groups confirmed our hypothesis that the evolution and distribution of T. suaveolens were likely affected by the Early Khvalynian transgression of the Caspian Sea and the following Enotayevsk regression. Furthermore, this hypothesis was supported by the results of the NEW HYBRIDS analysis identifying the specimens from the populations located outside the Early Khvalynian flooding limit as pure parents, while the specimens of the populations within the flooding limit were classified as backcrosses and second generation hybrids.
A new species of Opilionanthe (Pleurothallidinae, Orchidaceae) and new records in the Lepanthes clade for Perú
Authors: Parizaca Alexander Damián , Mitidieri Rivera Nicole , Rimarachin Leyda
Published: October 2021

A new species of Opilionanthe, viz O. magdalenae, from the montane forest of Perú is described and illustrated. Opilionanthe magdalenae is the second species of the genus and is distinguished from its congener O. manningii by its narrow leaves (only 0.7 mm wide), reddish flowers with petals about half the length of the sepals, and a lip with rounded lateral lobes. Additionally, eleven new country records of species in the Lepanthes clade are presented based on field explorations and herbarium revision. Information about the habitat and distribution of all species treated are provided.
Comparison of Outcomes between Robot‐Assisted Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion in Single‐Level Lumbar Spondylolisthesis
Authors: Han Xiao‐guang , Tang Guo‐qing , Han Xiao , Xing Yong‐gang , Zhang Qi , He Da , Tian Wei
Published: October 2021

Objective

To compare the safety and effectiveness of robot‐assisted minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (Mis‐TLIF) and oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) for the treatment of single‐level lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (LDS).

Methods

This is a retrospective study. Between April 2018 and April 2020, a total of 61 patients with single‐level lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and treated with robot‐assisted OLIF (28 cases, 16 females, 12 males, mean age 50.4 years) or robot‐assisted Mis‐TLIF (33 cases, 18 females, 15 males, mean age 53.6 years) were enrolled and evaluated. All the pedicle screws were implanted percutaneously assisted by the TiRobot system. Surgical data included the operation time, blood loss, and length of postoperative hospital stay. The clinical and functional outcomes included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog scores (VAS) for back and leg pain, complication, and patient's satisfaction. Radiographic outcomes include pedicle screw accuracy, fusion status, and disc height. These data were collected before surgery, at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively.

Results

There were no significantly different results in preoperative measurement between the two groups. There was significantly less blood loss (142.4 ± 89.4 vs 291.5 ± 72.3 mL, P < 0.01), shorter hospital stays (3.2 ± 1.8 vs 4.2 ± 2.5 days, P < 0.01), and longer operative time (164.9 ± 56.0 vs 121.5 ± 48.2 min, P < 0.01) in OLIF group compared with Mis‐TLIF group. The postoperative VAS scores and ODI scores in both groups were significantly improved compared with preoperative data (P < 0.05). VAS scores for back pain were significantly lower in OLIF group than Mis‐TLIF group at 1 week (2.8 ± 1.2 vs 3.5 ± 1.6, P < 0.05) and 3 months postoperatively (1.6 ± 1.0 vs 2.1 ± 1.1, P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference at further follow‐ups. ODI score was also significantly lower in OLIF group than Mis‐TLIF group at 3 months postoperatively (22.3 ± 10.0 vs 26.1 ± 12.8, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the proportion of clinically acceptable screws between the two groups (97.3% vs 96.2%, P = 0.90). At 1 year, the OLIF group had a higher interbody fusion rate compared with Mis‐TLIF group (96.0% vs 87%, P < 0.01). Disc height was significantly higher in the OLIF group than Mis‐TLIF group (12.4 ± 3.2 vs 11.2 ± 1.3 mm, P < 0.01). Satisfaction rates at 1 year exceeded 90% in both groups and there was no significant difference (92.6% for OLIF vs 91.2% for Mis‐TLIF, P = 0.263).

Conclusion

Robot‐assisted OLIF and Mis‐TLIF both have similar good clinical outcomes, but OLIF has the additional benefits of less blood loss, less postoperative hospital stays, higher disc height, and higher fusion rates. Robots are an effective tool for minimally invasive spine surgery.
Development of individuals with thanatophoric dysplasia surviving beyond infancy
Authors: Ushioda Mariko , Sawai Hideaki , Numabe Hironao , Nishimura Gen , Shibahara Hiroaki
Published: October 2021

Background

This study aimed to analyze the physical and psychosocial development of long‐term survivors (age >1 year) of thanatophoric dysplasia (TD).

Methods

The participants were 20 long‐term survivors recruited from a cohort obtained through a nationwide survey for TD conducted across 147 pediatric departments in Japan between 2012 and 2016. Their guardians consented to participate in this study. Medical and psychosocial information was collected through questionnaires and interviews with primary physicians and guardians.

Results

The participants were 1.2–27.8 years old, and all showed marked growth deficiency. The mean length at birth was 36 cm (−3.4 SD to −7.9 SD). The adult height (age >16 years) was <−15.2 SD. All individuals showed severely delayed psychomotor development. The highest level of psychosocial development was equivalent to that at 2 years of age. Skin disorders (acanthosis nigricans and seborrheic keratoses) were common. Eleven subjects had been hospitalized or institutionalized consistently after birth, and nine had been moved to home care, and four were exclusively orally fed. All individuals required assisted ventilation.

Conclusions

Long‐term survival of TD individuals is common. Some individuals enjoy home‐based lives; however, they are severely psychosocially and physically disabled and require meticulous respiratory and nutritional support.
Thymus satureioides and Origanum majorana essential oils improve the quality of Beni Arouss buck semen during storage at 4°C
Authors: Kchikich A. , Kirschvink N. , El Kadili S. , Raes M. , El Otmani S. , Bister J. L. , El Amiri B. , Barrijal S. , Chentouf M.
Published: October 2021

This study aims to investigate the effects of essential oils (EOs), extracted from Thymus satureioides (TS) and Origanum majorana (OM), on Beni Arouss buck semen quality stored in skimmed milk at 4°C. EOs were extracted by hydro‐distillation, and the chemical compounds were determined. Ejaculates were collected from six Beni Arouss bucks, once a week for 10 weeks, and they were pooled, divided into five equal aliquots and diluted to 400 × 106 sperm/ml with skimmed milk supplemented with 0.01% of OM EO, 0.01% of TS EO, 0.05% of OM EO and 0.05% of TS EO. Non‐supplemented skimmed milk was considered as a control. Semen motility, kinematic parameters, viability, abnormality, membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation were evaluated at 0, 4, 8, 24, 28, 32 and 48 hr of liquid storage at 4°C. The main EO components were carvacrol (31.7%), thymol (28.0%) and borneol (14.4%) for TS, and terpinene‐4‐ol (31.2%), γ‐terpinene (17.4%) and α‐terpinene (12.7%) for OM. The results highlighted a dose‐dependent effect of TS and OM EOs on all semen quality parameters. 0.01% of both EOs had a beneficial effect on the sperm preservation stored at 4°C compared with control (p < .05) excepted for the straight‐line velocity. The 0.05% EO addition had harmful effects during storage particularly for TS EO. In conclusion, 0.01% of TS and OM EOs are recommended to improve the Beni Arouss buck semen preservation at 4°C.
Cerebral, cardiac and skeletal muscle stress associated with a series of static and dynamic apnoeas
Authors: Elia Antonis , Woods David R. , Barlow Matthew J. , Lees Matthew J. , O'Hara John P.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study sought to explore, for the first time, the effects of repeated maximal static and dynamic apnoeic attempts on the physiological milieu by assessing cerebral, cardiac and striatal muscle stress‐related biomarkers in a group of elite breath‐hold divers (EBHD).

Methods

Sixteen healthy males were recruited (EBHD = 8; controls = 8). On two separate occasions, EBHD performed two sets of five repeated maximal static apnoeas (STA) or five repeated maximal dynamic apnoeas (DYN). Controls performed a static eupnoeic protocol to negate any effects of water immersion and diurnal variation on haematology (CTL). Venous blood samples were drawn at 30, 90, and 180 min after each protocol to determine S100β, neuron‐specific enolase (NSE), myoglobin, and high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hscTNT) concentrations.

Results

S100β and myoglobin concentrations were elevated following both apnoeic interventions (p < 0.001; p ≤ 0.028, respectively) but not after CTL (p ≥ 0.348). S100β increased from baseline (0.024 ± 0.005 µg/L) at 30 (STA, +149%, p < 0.001; DYN, +166%, p < 0.001) and 90 min (STA, +129%, p < 0.001; DYN, +132%, p = 0.008) following the last apnoeic repetition. Myoglobin was higher than baseline (22.3 ± 2.7 ng/ml) at 30 (+42%, p = 0.04), 90 (+64%, p < 0.001) and 180 min (+49%, p = 0.013) post‐STA and at 90 min (+63%, p = 0.016) post‐DYN. Post‐apnoeic S100β and myoglobin concentrations were higher than CTL (STA, p < 0.001; DYN, p ≤ 0.004). NSE and hscTNT did not change from basal concentrations after the apnoeic (p ≥ 0.146) nor following the eupnoeic (p ≥ 0.553) intervention.

Conclusions

This study suggests that a series of repeated maximal static and dynamic apnoeas transiently disrupt the blood‐brain barrier and instigate muscle injury but do not induce neuronal‐parenchymal damage or myocardial damage.
The heart of whiteness: On the study of whiteness and White Americans
Authors: Torkelson Jason , Hartmann Douglas
Published: October 2021

From the nation's first non‐white President, to prevalent narratives of demographic change, a surging reactionary Right and emerging social awareness of white identity, the social context in which white Americans relate to whiteness and white privilege has changed since the early 1990s foundations of whiteness studies. In this article we review work on white Americans and whiteness generally to grapple with their (dis)positions within, and provide a roadmap for sense‐making through, recent cultural and racial‐political developments. We begin with an overview of now canonical critical‐theoretical scholarship, set in the context of other (more limited) empirical work about specific white American subgroups. We highlight how these related, frequently overlapping, though certainly non‐synonymous tracks of inquiry into whiteness and white Americans have since evolved, emphasizing that iterative exchange between them may best situate potentially different, cross‐cutting orientations toward whiteness and privilege held by various contemporary American whites. We then focus our discussion on several socio‐historical developments that will have significant, if somewhat uncertain implications for the reproduction, possible transformation, and study of white America in coming years. Specifically, we detail literatures surrounding recent questions upon the shapes of the white color line, contemporary white nationalisms, and prospects for white antiracism.
Aspects ofbale(‘yes’) in Persian Discourse: Its Functions, Positions, and Evolution*
Authors: Ghaderi Soleiman , Amouzadeh Mohammad
Published: October 2021

This paper examines the different functions ofbale(‘yes’) in Persian by identifying its positions in the syntagmatic chain. As such, it reveals a significant correlation exists between the function types, various positions, and the frequency ofbale, which appears on the left periphery (LP), on the right periphery (RP), and in the medial, detached or free‐standing mode at a rate of 20.5%, 9.5, 2.1%, and 67.9%, respectively. On LP, it can function for all the three types (e.g. propositional, textual, and interpersonal) involved in it. Besides, on LP it is generally associated with textual and subjective usages, but its position on RP can be explained in terms of intersubjectivity. The function ofbaleas a detached thetical is argued to be predominant in an intersubjective phenomenon motivated by paying attention to/from the addressee. Furthermore, a diachronic survey of thebaledevelopment suggests that it has started as a connective, a confirmative, or an emphatic response markers on LP; then, it has moved to RP to fulfill more intersubjective usages.
Demonstration of a U.S. nationwide reduction in transfusion in general surgery and a review of published transfusion reduction methodologies
Authors: Hamilton Courtney M. , Davenport Daniel L. , Bernard Andrew C.
Published: October 2021

Background

Red blood cell transfusions in surgical procedures can be lifesaving. However, recent studies show transfusions are associated with a dose‐dependent increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality; hospitals and physicians have attempted to reduce them. We sought to determine the success of these efforts and review and summarize published reduction methods employed.

Study Design/Methods

An analysis of transfusion data from ACS‐NSQIP public use files of general surgical procedures for 2012 and 2018; a retrospective review of the literature surrounding general surgical transfusion reduction from 2008 to 2018.

Results

The rate of general surgical transfusion in the NSQIP dataset decreased from 5.5% in 2012 to 4.0% in 2018, a 27% relative reduction in transfusion. After extensive multivariable adjustment for patient risk and operative complexity, this effect remained (Odds ratio 0.65, 95% CI 0.63–0.67, p < .001). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between specific procedure decreases in transfusion and decreases in 30‐day morbidity (rho =0.41, p = .003) and mortality (rho = 0.37, p = .007).

There were 866 published studies matching our search term “red blood cell transfusion reduction.” Forty‐four were relevant to general surgery. Seven dominant strategies for transfusion reduction by descending frequency of report included restrictive transfusion thresholds, management of preoperative anemia, perioperative interventions, educational programs, electronic clinical decision support, waste reduction, and audits of transfusion practices.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates a 27% decrease in general surgery transfusion between 2012 and 2018 with associated reductions in morbidity and mortality, suggesting published employed strategies have been successful and safely implemented.
Transformative Leadership and Teachers Loneliness in the Educational Environment
Authors: Pašková Lucia
Published: October 2021

The transformation of education is taking place all over the world, with priority given to the "level" of school management in terms of improving the quality and results of education. Despite this enormous interest, the literature currently does not offer a sufficient theoretical understanding of leadership concepts, especially in the school environment neither in Slovakia. In this paper, we try to characterize one of the most current styles of transformative leadership. This concept is currently the most discussed in professional circles, as the dominant influence of the transformative leader is based on building a relationship between the leader and his followers. And it is thebuilding of a relationship that can be the prevention of employee loneliness manifested in their performance. It is a specific negative emotion that has received little theoretical or empirical attention. The research was carried out in 2020. The research group consisted of 181 teachers of traditional primary schools in central Slovakia. Transformative leadership was measured through the Leadership Behavior Inventory (LPI) and loneliness using the Scale of Loneliness Inventory (LAWS). The SPSS program was used to process the research data. The study is correlated. Our findings clearly show the positive impact of transformative leadership on reducing the loneliness of employees in the school environment, which implies the need to develop the competencies of a transformative leader in teachers and managers in education.
Didactics in Vocational Education in the Czech Republic – Current Situation and Perspectives
Authors: Pecina Pavel , Marinič Peter
Published: October 2021

This review study focuses on the current state and development of didactics in vocational education in the Czech Republic. The study aims to evaluate the current state of didactics of vocational subjects and didactics of practical training at secondary schools in the Czech Republic with an overlap with Slovakia. Furthermore, to indicate further possible development of this broader discipline didactics. In the first part, we defined the discourse of the problem. The second part is devoted to the analysis of the progress of individual groups of subject didactics in vocational education. The third part is focused on possible perspectives of the development of relevant didactics.