bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction and validation of host cleavage targets of SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease
Authors: Yucel Nora , Marchiano Silvia , Tchelepi Evan , Paterlini Germana , McAfee Quentin , Nimmagadda Nehaar , Ren Andy , Shi Sam , Murry Charles , Arany Zoltan
Published: January 2022

How SARS-CoV-2 causes the observed range of clinical manifestations and disease severity remains poorly understood. SARS-CoV-2 encodes for two proteases (3CLPro and PLPro), vital for viral production, but also promiscuous with respect to host protein targets, likely contributing to the range of disease. Pharmacological inhibition of the 3C-like3 protease has revealed remarkable reduction in hospitalization and death in phase 2/3 clinical studies. However, the mechanisms responsible for the pathology mediated by those proteases are still unclear. In this study, we develop a bioinformatic algorithm, leveraging experimental data from SARS-CoV, to predict host cleavage targets of the SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease, or 3CLPro. We capture targets of the 3CL protease described previously for SARS-CoV, and we identify hundreds of new putative targets. We experimentally validate a number of these predicted targets, including the giant sarcomeric protein Obscurin, and show that expression of 3CL protease alone recapitulates the sarcomeric disorganization seen by SARS-CoV-2 infection of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Our data provide a resource to identify putative host cleavage targets of 3CL protease that contribute to mechanisms and heterogeneity of disease in COVID-19 and future coronavirus outbreaks.
Pushing a balloon: does corporate risk disclosure matter for investment efficiency?
Authors: Khan Mubashir Ali , Yau Josephine Tan Hwang , Marsidi Asri , Ahmed Zeeshan
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of corporate risk disclosure on investment efficiency. This study also seeks to contribute to existing literature of corporate risk disclosure by investigating voluntary and mandatory risk disclosure and its effect on the investment efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used two measures of corporate risk disclosure, level and quantity of corporate risk disclosure. A content analysis approach is adopted for non-financial Malaysian firms over the period 2010–2018.

Findings

The empirical results show that level of corporate risk disclosure leads toward efficient investment, whereas quantity of corporate risk disclosure causes inefficient investment when firms disclose more voluntary risks. Further, categorizing corporate risk disclosure into mandatory and voluntary risk disclosure, this study finds that voluntary risk disclosure tends to have higher investment inefficiency, while no evidence was found for mandatory risk disclosure.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to narrow stream of research investigating corporate risk disclosure through level and quantity contributing to the understanding of the level and quantity of risk disclosure in determining organizational investment efficiency.
Innovations in entrepreneurial marketing dimensions: evidence of Halal food SMES in Ghana
Authors: Deku Wisdom Apedo , Wang Jiuhe , Das Narain
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) do not need only traditional marketing strategies in the dynamic business environment of the manufacturing sector. Entrepreneurial marketing dimension (EMD) is an alternative marketing approach for SMEs. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate whether EMD innovation has a positive and significant effect on SMEs performance on Ghanaian Halal food and beverages.

Design/methodology/approach

Correlative descriptive research method was used and 432 questionnaires with five-point Likert scale were distributed among owners-managers of manufacturing sectors of Ghanaian Halal food and beverages SMEs producers were chosen by a simple random sampling method. Structural equations modelling structural equations modelling techniques was used to analyse data.

Findings

The result of data analysis indicates a positive and significant effect of EMD on manufacturing SMEs performances of Halal food. Nevertheless, the effect of EMD on the production performance of the aforementioned companies is confirmed positive. The findings also show that production performances of Halal food SMEs result in their financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s sample is limited to Halal food SMEs manufacturing in Ghana. More research can be done investigating this relationship from different sectors and in Islamic and non-Islamic countries.

Practical implications

This research implies that Halal food SMEs manufacturing producers in a country is imperative in Muslim-minority countries. This study gives a benchmark for the non-Muslim-majority countries which endeavour to embark on the Halal SMEs manufacturing food. Muslim-minority countries that envision to succeed in the global Halal market could emulate Ghana’s approach in branding itself as a recognised non-Muslim-majority country in producing Halal foods. This can be done by implementing innovative, proactive, opportunist, risk-taking and customer-oriented initiatives to achieve better market and innovative performances and higher profits.

Originality/value

This paper fills a knowledge gap by presenting the first comprehensive overview of Halal food SMEs manufacturing performance research that enhances the ongoing discussion in hospitality, entrepreneurship and marketing fields in Islamic and non-Islamic contexts.
Impact of social media on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Muftah Muneera
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This research shows how social media has affected learning at present during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has become the largest and most convenient area of communication. In the current scenario, it seems that social networking sites not only had a profound impact on our social structure and intra-social interaction, but also affected education in general and learning English language in particular. It has been proven that these various social media platforms have created a realm of digital environment in today's new-age learning. Social media platforms are social networking sites through which people interact and communicate with each other easily and conveniently. Undoubtedly and unquestionably, social networking has been proven to be a global phenomenon that has caused a vast paradigm shift in the world of Learning and education during the current pandemic. Therefore, the present study aims to reach the extent of the impact of the various social media platforms on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic from the students' point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted at the undergraduate level for English language learners. The sample comprised 166 undergraduate students at Najran University. A survey questionnaire was administered to find out the impact of various social media platforms and social networking sites on learning English language in the academic year of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to highlight possible suggestions for improving future virtual language learning.

Findings

The findings of the study contributed to the area of online learning of English language during the COVID-19 pandemic. Final results confirmed that the utilization of social media has been significantly perceived to have positively impacted learning English language in terms of writing style, reading skills, listening and lexical variation, communication skills and grammar usage.

Practical implications

The findings of the study can serve as fundamental indicators to implement prompt pedagogical reformations, for which a number of pedagogical implications can be proposed. Another equally important pedagogical implication is to design and provide professional development and training sessions to both students and educators on the ultimate utilization of social media as instructional technologies in the context of English language teaching and learning.

Originality/value

This research provides insights in developing policies to assist with the integration and utilization of social media platforms as instructional technologies in the context of English language teaching and learning and how institutions can respond to the advent of advancing technology, especially during and after the COVID-19 era. A model to improve online English language learning process is recommended as a guideline for all educators offering online learning.
Reflection and synthesis: How moral agents learn and moral cultures evolve
Authors: Burch-Brown Joanna
Published: January 2022

One aim of moral education is to help society progress from morally imperfect conventions towards more perfect ones. According to a popular view, reflecting judgment is the vehicle of this progress. In this paper, I argue that although reflection is important, it is not enough; moral development also requires practical synthesis. Moral development takes place by securing new connections—conceptual, affective, volitional and behavioural—that bring thoughts, feelings, motivations and actions into alignment with higher reason, to instantiate respect for all who are ends in themselves. Constructing parallels from Kant's theoretical philosophy, I identify three kinds of synthesis that are central to moral practice. If I am right, then a key task for moral education is to support the development of these capacities of practical synthesis.
Farmers’ preferences toward an outcome‐based payment for ecosystem service scheme in Japan
Authors: Tanaka Katsuya , Hanley Nicholas , Kuhfuss Laure
Published: January 2022

We estimate farmers’ preferences for outcome‐based (or results‐based) payment for ecosystem service scheme in Japan. To this end, we use a two‐stage stated preference approach—the first stage models farmers’ decisions to adopt outcome‐based contracts using a discrete choice experiment. The second stage estimates the areas of land which farmers who choose to participate will enrol in the scheme. Based on a sample of 333 respondents, our results show that most farmers are willing to participate in outcome‐based contacts. A variety of contract attributes are found to influence farmers’ decisions on participation. However, once a farmer decides to participate, their decision on how much farmland to enrol in is likely to be influenced solely by the per‐hectare payment. Therefore, to encourage more farmers to participate and enrol more farmland, policy‐makers’ decisions on the level of payments offered are critically important.
Changes in key aroma‐active compounds and sensory characteristics of sunflower oils induced by seed roasting
Authors: Yin Wen‐ting , Shi Rui , Li Shi‐jia , Ma Xue‐ting , Wang Xue‐de , Wang An‐na
Published: January 2022

This study investigated the changes in aroma composition and perception of sunflower oils induced by seed roasting using sensory‐oriented flavor analysis. Volatile compounds were extracted by solvent‐assisted flavor evaporation and headspace solid‐phase microextraction. Odorants were characterized by gas chromatography‐olfactometry‐mass spectrometry and aroma extract dilution analysis. The cold‐pressed and roasted sunflower oils contained 13 and 50 odorants, respectively, with the flavor dilution factors between 1 and 256. Fifty‐six odorants were newly identified in sunflower oils. Quantification of 26 important odorants by the external standard method revealed apparent changes induced by seed roasting in loss of terpenes, formation of Maillard reaction products, and the increase in lipid oxidation products. The most important odorants (odor active values, OAVs = 1–1857) in the cold‐pressed sunflower oil included α‐pinene (11,145 µg/kg), β‐pinene (4068 µg/kg), linalool (56 µg/kg), hexanal (541 µg/kg), octanal (125 µg/kg), α‐phellandrene (36 µg/kg), and (E)‐2‐octenal (69 µg/kg), contributing to the raw sunflower seed, woody, green, earthy, and sweet aromas of the oil. The most important contributors (OAVs = 1–884) to the roasted, smoky, and burnt aromas of the roasted sunflower oil were 2‐ and 3‐methylbutanal (6726 and 714 µg/kg), 2,6‐dimethylpyrazine (2329 µg/kg), 2,5‐dimethylpyrazine (12,228 µg/kg), 2,3‐dimethylpyrazine (238 µg/kg), 2,3‐pentanedione (1456 µg/kg), 2‐pentylfuran (1332 µg/kg), 2,3‐dimethyl‐5‐ethylpyrazine (213 µg/kg), and 1‐pentanol (693 µg/kg). Aroma recombination of the key odorants in odorless sunflower oil adequately mimicked the general aroma profiles of sunflower oils. This study provides an important foundation for understanding the relationship between oil processing and aroma molecules of sunflower oils.

Practical Application

The clear changes observed in the composition and concentrations of key aroma compounds explained the changes in sensory characteristics of sunflower seed oils induced by seed roasting on a molecular basis. Characterizing the key aroma‐active composition of sunflower oil and investigating its relationship with oil processing could provide important practical applications for the sunflower oil industry in flavor regulation, quality control, product development, and process optimization.
Evaluating Data‐type Heterogeneity in Interactive Visual Analyses with Parallel Axes
Authors: Matute José , Linsen Lars
Published: January 2022

The application of parallel axes for the interactive visual analysis of multidimensional data is a widely used concept. While multidimensional data sets are commonly heterogeneous in nature, i.e. data items contain both numerical and categorical (including ordinal) attribute values, the use of parallel axes often assumes either numerical or categorical attributes. While Parallel Coordinates and their large variety of extensions focus on numerical data, Parallel Sets and related methods focus on categorical attributes. While both concepts allow for displaying heterogeneous data, no clear strategies have been defined for representing categories in Parallel Coordinates or discretization of continuous ranges in Parallel Sets. In practice, type conversion as a pre‐processing step can be used as well as coordinated views of numerical and categorical data visualizations. We evaluate traditional and state‐of‐the‐art approaches with respect to the interplay of categorical and numerical dimensions for querying probability‐based events. We also compare against a heterogeneous Parallel Coordinates/Parallel Set approach with a novel interface between categorical and numerical axes . We show that approaches for mapping categorical data to numerical axis representations can lead to lower accuracy in answering probability‐based questions and higher response times than hybrid approaches in multiple‐event scenarios.
Cemented versus screw‐retained zirconia‐based single‐implant restorations: 5‐year results of a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Lamperti Sofia T. , Wolleb Karin , Hämmerle Christoph H.F. , Jung Ronald E. , Hüsler Jürg , Thoma Daniel S.
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To compare cemented and screw‐retained one‐piece zirconia‐based restorations in terms of clinical, radiographic, and technical outcomes 5 years after insertion.

Materials and methods

Thirty‐four patients with single‐tooth implants were randomly restored with either a cemented lithium disilicate crown on a one‐piece customized zirconia abutment (CEM, 17 patients) or a screw‐retained crown based on a directly veneered one‐piece customized zirconia abutment (SCREW, 16 patients). All patients were recalled for a baseline examination (7–10 days after crown insertion) and then annually up to 5 years. The following outcomes were assessed: marginal bone level (changes), technical, and clinical (bleeding on probing, plaque control record, probing depth, and keratinized tissue) parameters. The Mann–Whitney U‐test was used to assess differences between the two groups.

Results

At 5 years, 26 patients (13 in each group) were re‐examined. The survival rates on the implant and restorative levels were 100% and 82.4% (equally for both groups), respectively. At 5 years, the median marginal bone level was located at −0.15 mm (IQR: −0.89 mm; 0.27 mm) (CEM) and −0.26 mm (IQR: −0.38 mm; 0.01 mm) (SCREW) below the implant shoulder (intergroup p = .9598). The median changes between baseline and the 5‐year follow‐up amounted to −0.23 mm (CEM; intragroup p = .0002) and −0.15 mm (SCREW; intragroup p = .1465) (intergroup p = .1690). The overall technical complication rate at 5 years was 15.4% (CEM) and 15.4% (SCREW) (intergroup p = 1.00). Clinical parameters remained stable over time (baseline to 5 years).

Conclusions

At 5 years, screw‐retained and cemented restorations rendered largely the same clinical, technical, and radiographic outcomes. Technical complications were frequent in both groups.
Forest dieback in a protected area triggers the return of the primeval forest specialistPeltis grossa(Coleoptera, Trogossitidae)
Authors: Busse Annika , Cizek Lukas , Čížková Pavla , Drag Lukas , Dvorak Vladimir , Foit Jiří , Heurich Marco , Hubený Pavel , Kašák Josef , Kittler Florian , Kozel Petr , Lettenmaier Ludwig , Nigl Ludwig , Procházka Jiří , Rothacher Julia , Straubinger Cornelia , Thorn Simon , Müller Jörg
Published: January 2022

Forest set‐aside is a commonly employed conservation strategy, but large‐scale disturbances regularly evoke discussions on its utility for biodiversity conservation in former production forests. In this study, we reconstructed the return of a primeval forest specialist, the beetlePeltis grossa(Linnaeus, 1758) of the family Trogossitidae, to two national parks after more than a century of absence. To illuminate historical processes and the role of potential refuges and species' size, we compared the beetle's current distribution collected in a large‐scale citizen science approach, with historical data and the current distribution of two closely related, smaller species. We quantified deadwood preferences and investigated the effect of benign neglect versus salvage‐logging management practices onP. grossaabundances. Our findings support the view thatP. grossasurvived in the southern Bohemian Forest, which enabled its recolonization of the landscapes. However, a build‐up of the population was dependent upon a massive supply of deadwood by bark beetles within the refuge area. In a large area in the north of the study region that >20 years ago contained ample amounts of deadwood, forest succession outpaced colonization byP. grossa. The current probability of the species' presence decreased with distance to the presumed refuge area from 70% to 5% at 40 km. In the present core distribution area ofP. grossa, salvage logging reduced its abundance by the factor 20. These results provide three important lessons on the potential of natural disturbances as a biodiversity restoration tool in forest set‐asides: First, large supply of deadwood by disturbance can trigger the return of locally extinct primeval forest specialists. Second, the species must survive within a critical distance (forP. grossa < 10–40 km). Third, salvage logging significantly reduces the population densities of forest specialists by reducing habitat amount.
The last continuous grasslands on Earth: Identification and conservation importance
Authors: Scholtz Rheinhardt , Twidwell Dirac
Published: January 2022

Grasslands are the most threatened and least protected biome. Yet, no study has been conducted to identify the last remaining continuous grasslands on Earth. Here, we used World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifications to measure the degree of intactness remaining for the world's grassland ecoregions. This analysis revealed three findings of critical conservation importance. First, only a few large, intact grasslands remain. Second, every continent with a grassland ecoregion considered in this study contains at least one relatively intact grassland ecoregion. Third, the largest remaining continuous grasslands identified in this analysis have persisted despite last centuries anthropogenic pressures and have the best chance to withstand 21st century pressures of global change. We discuss how these regions are of critical conservation importance to global grassland conservation efforts under anthropogenically driven global change. They provide essential ecosystem services, play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change, serve as critical repositories for grassland biodiversity, are foundational for continental migration pathways, hold unique cultural heritage, and people's livelihoods depend upon their persistence.
The prevalence and associated factors of motoric cognitive risk syndrome in multiple ethnic middle‐aged to older adults in west China: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Sun Xuelian , Harris Kiyana Elizabeth , Hou Lisha , Xia Xin , Liu Xiaolei , Ge Meiling , Jia Shuli , Zhou Lixing , Zhao Wanyu , Zhang Yan , Zhao Yunli , Mei Yang , Zhang Gongchang , Xin Liuyi , Hao Qiukui , Shen Yanjiao , Xiao Chun , Yue Jirong , Ge Ning , Li Ying , Dong Birong , Xue Qianli
Published: January 2022

Background and purpose

Motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome characterized by subjective cognitive complaints and slow gait has been proposed and validated as a pre‐dementia syndrome. The overall and specific ethnic prevalence of MCR and the associated factors are poorly understood in middle‐aged to older community‐dwelling residents in west China.

Methods

The present study included 6091 samples from the prospective cohort study, West China Health and Aging Trend (WCHAT). Multidimensional factors of demography, lifestyle, social support, anthropometrics and body components, and clinical status were investigated and analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Lasso regression and K‐fold cross‐validation were conducted to construct the most predictive model with fitted factors.

Results

The overall prevalence of MCR was 9.74%, and ethnically the prevalence was 14.25% in Tibetan, 11.03% in Yi, 10.72% in Han, 5.18% in Uighur and 4.55% in Qiang, respectively. In the adjusted models, the positively associated risk factors included diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] = 1.51, p = 0.007), osteoarthritis (OR = 1.50, p = 0.002), depression (OR = 1.36, p = 0.005), poor sleep (OR = 1.21, p = 0.045), comorbidity (OR = 1.49, p = 0.001) and falls in the last 12 months (OR = 1.34, p = 0.031). Of note, every 1‐unit increase of value in stroke was associated with an approximate 3‐fold higher risk of having MCR, whilst in high‐density lipoprotein with a 30% lower risk of MCR,respectively.

Conclusions

Profiles of MCR from the aspects of ethnicity and the presenium stage need further exploration. It is a promising strategy to apply MCR as a primary prevention tool to prevent dementia.
Complications, outcome and owner satisfaction after Callicrate Bander phallectomy and perineal urethrostomy in 14 equids
Authors: Maurer T. , Brünisholz H. P. , O'Brien T. , Coleridge M. , Klopfenstein‐Bregger M. D. , Koch C.
Published: January 2022

Background

The use of a bander castration device (Callicrate Bander) to perform partial phallectomy in combination with a perineal urethrostomy (PU) has previously been described to be an effective and well‐tolerated procedure in standing sedated horses.

Objectives

The main objective of the present report is to share our experiences with the combined Callicrate Bander phallectomy (CBP) and PU (CBP/PU) focussing on potential complications, outcome and owner satisfaction.

Study design

Retrospective case series.

Methods

Medical records of 14 male equids that underwent CBP/PU at two different equine referral hospitals between 2012 and 2020 were reviewed. A long‐term follow‐up was conducted by telephone interview with the owners using a standardised questionnaire.

Results

Equids underwent CBP/PU to treat penile and preputial squamous cell carcinomas (11/14), equine sarcoids (2/14) and penile abscessation and paraphimosis after trauma (1/14). Early post‐operative complications were mild and included transient post‐urination haemorrhage, perineal or preputial oedema and partial dehiscence of the PU. Complications that required further veterinary care in the immediate post‐operative period occurred in one animal, which had haemorrhage at the amputation site with subsequent haematoma and oedema formation, causing moderate signs of post‐operative pain. Complications encountered after discharge from the clinic comprised transient urine leakage at the amputation site, transient purulent preputial discharge, abscessation of the penile remnant and urine staining of the hind legs, tail and/or perineum. Four equids were euthanased because of tumour recurrence.

Main limitations

Variable case details provided in the medical records, and information regarding the post‐operative healing process were mainly based on owner assessment.

Conclusions

Callicrate Bander phallectomy/perineal urethrostomy is a well‐tolerated salvage procedure for male equids with debilitating conditions of the penis and prepuce. Severe post‐operative complications are rare. If advanced stages of penile SCC are expected, careful case selection based on a rigorous preoperative examination is mandatory. Owner satisfaction with the post‐operative result is high.
Natural sources of melanogenic inhibitors: A systematic review
Authors: Goelzer Neto Cláudio Fernando , do Nascimento Pamela , da Silveira Verônica Cristina , de Mattos Alexandra Brugnera Nunes , Bertol Charise Dallazem
Published: January 2022

Objective

Melanin gives some natural protection against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation; however, excessive production of melanin causes skin hyperpigmentation. Depigmenting cosmetics can be used to control this process; however, depigmenting agents commonly used have some disadvantages, such as low bioavailability, photosensitization, cellular toxicity, and insolubility. Natural sources of melanogenic inhibitors have become important alternatives to synthetic ones. The objective of this review was to summarize the results of studies on natural extracts that have been reported in the literature to inhibit the process of melanogenesis, giving a view on their suitability for potential use in new cosmetic formulations for skin‐lightening.

Data sources

A systematic literature search was carried out using the descriptors: “melanogenesis”, “tyrosinase”, “tyrosinase inhibition”, and “natural agents”.

Study selection

Publications were selected based on our designated inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a total of 15 studies met these criteria.

Data extraction

The following were used in the review of each paper which met the criteria: the name of the plant (all of the natural extracts turned out to be from plants), the method used to obtain the plant extract, the method for evaluating anti‐tyrosinase activity, the main results, and the conclusions.

Data synthesis

All evaluated natural agents demonstrated anti‐tyrosinase effect. The species Leathesia difformis, Morus alba, Orostachys japonicus, Heracleum moellendorffii, Coix lacryma‐jobi (adlay), Inula brittanica, and Gailardia aristata stood out from the others due to their application as potential inhibitors of more than three proteins related to melanogenesis, including the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element‐binding protein, microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, tyrosinase‐related protein‐1, tyrosinase‐related protein‐2, and dopachrome tautomerase.

Conclusion

The plants present an anti‐tyrosinase effect that must be better explored in the new cosmetic formulations. The anti‐melanogenic effects of the plant are mainly related to the presence of phenolic and antioxidant compounds.
Efficacy of one‐ and two‐stage segment urethroplasty for severe chordee with congenital short urethra
Authors: Zhou Guanglun , Yin Jianchun , Sun Junjie , Yang Zhilin , Li Shoulin
Published: January 2022

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of segment urethroplasty to treat severe chordee with congenital short urethra and compared one‐stage and two‐stage segment urethroplasty. This procedure involved urethral transection to correct the chordee, and urethroplasty was performed to restore natural penile length.

Methods

We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients with severe chordee and congenital short urethra who underwent one‐ or two‐stage segment urethroplasty at our institution between February 2006 and May 2020. We evaluated the efficacy of the procedures based on the incidence of complications.

Results

A total of 37 children were included in this study: 25 were treated with two‐stage segment urethroplasty and 12 were treated with one‐stage segment urethroplasty. The median length of neourethra in the one‐stage repair group (3.21 cm) was similar to that in the two‐stage repair group (3.23 cm; P > 0.05). Of the 37 patients, 32 (86.5%) were cured after urethroplasty. There were three patients with complications in the one‐stage repair group (one urethral fistula and two urethral strictures) and two patients with fistula in the two‐stage repair group. Among the five patients with complications, the three fistulas were successfully repaired through reoperation and the two urethral strictures were cured after urethral dilatation. No patient had diverticulum or recurrent chordee.

Conclusions

Segment urethroplasty achieved satisfactory outcomes in the treatment of severe chordee with congenital short urethra. This can restore natural penile length, and the recurrence rate of severe chordee is low. The overall success rate of the two‐stage procedure tends to be better than that of the one‐stage procedure.
Central Bank Digital Currency, Credit Supply, and Financial Stability
Authors: KIM YOUNG SIK , KWON OHIK
Published: January 2022

We examine the implications of central bank digital currency (CBDC) for credit supply and financial stability using a monetary general equilibrium model. The introduction of deposits in CBDC account decreases credit supply by banks, raising the nominal interest rate and lowering a bank's reserve‐deposit ratio. This increases the likelihood of bank panic in which banks exhaust cash reserves. However, once the central bank can lend all the deposits in CBDC account to banks, an increase in the quantity of CBDC which does not require reserve holdings can enhance financial stability by increasing credit supply and lowering nominal interest rate.
The effect of parental job loss on youth transition to employment in Turkey
Authors: Karaoglan Deniz , Okten Cagla
Published: January 2022

This article analyses the impact of household head's involuntary job loss on young person's (15–24 years old) likelihood to transition from non‐employment to employment. We construct twelve two‐year pseudo‐panels based on previous year's labour market outcomes using Turkish Household Labor Force Surveys (THLFS) from 2005 to 2016 and then pool the twelve pseudo‐panels for analysis. We examine youth's labour market responses according to education levels and gender. We show that a female with at least a high school degree is about 8.7 percentage points more likely to transition to from non‐employment to employment in the group where the head experienced an unexpected job loss than a female in the group where the head remained employed. Furthermore, for females, the probability of transitioning to employment increases by education level. For males, although we find positive and statistically significant effect of head's job loss on the transition probability, we do not find any differences according to education level.
Structural Rationality and the Property of Coherence
Authors: Daoust Marc‐Kevin
Published: January 2022

What is structural rationality? Specifically, what is the distinctive feature of structural requirements of rationality? Some philosophers have argued, roughly, that the distinctive feature of structural requirements is coherence. But what does coherence mean, exactly? Or, at least, what do structuralists about rationality have in mind when they claim that structural rationality is coherence? This issue matters for making progress in various active debates concerning rationality. In this paper, I analyze three strategies for figuring out what coherence means in the debates on structural rationality. I argue that these strategies face problems.
“Figuring out how to be normal”: Exploring how young people and parents make sense of voice‐hearing in the family context
Authors: Mayer Claire , Dodgson Guy , Woods Angela , Alderson‐Day Ben
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Making sense of voice‐hearing—exploring the purpose, cause, and relationship with voices—is seen as therapeutically valuable for adults, but there is a paucity of research with adolescents. Family intervention is recommended for young people, yet little is known about families’ perspectives on, or role in, a child's voice‐hearing. This study therefore aimed to explore how both young people and parents had made sense of voice‐hearing in the family context.

Method

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with seven young people who hear voices (six females, one male, age M = 17 years) and six parents of young people who hear voices (five females, one male). Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results

The young people struggled to reconcile their voice‐hearing experiences within themselves, wanted control, ‘normality’, and not to let their mental health hold them back. Parents saw the voices as separate to their child, who they were protective of, and came to an acceptance and hope for the future amidst continued uncertainty. Pragmatism, and shame, ran through parents’ and young people's accounts. Tensions between them, such as autonomy versus involvement, were also apparent.

Conclusions

Few participants had made sense of their experiences in any concrete form, yet hope, control, and getting on with their lives were not conditional on having done so. Young people valued the family as a safe, non‐enquiring space to be ‘normal’ and not to talk about their experiences. While all had been challenged by their experiences, an energy and strength ran through their accounts.
Distinct soil microbial communities under Ageratina adenophora invasions
Authors: Li Q. , Wan F. , Zhao M.
Published: January 2022

Ageratina adenophora is one of the most hazardous invasive weeds in China. It can form a single species community quickly and cause extensive ecological harm. The belowground microbial community can participate in nutrient transformation in soil and plays an important role in the invasiveness of exotic plant species.

We selected sampling sites with different invasion levels of A. adenophora. The soil property and soil biogeochemical activity were measured in both bulk and rhizosphere soil under the aggressive weed A. adenophora and under adjacent native plants. The composition of bacterial communities was investigated using high‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

We found that the rhizosphere habitat selectively accumulated Sphingomonas and Steroidobacter and reduced the abundance of Gaiella and Gp6 regardless of plant host. The presence of A. adenophora caused a switch in microbial composition from Aeromicrobium and Marmoricola to Reyranella and Bradyrhizobium in the bulk soil, and from Gp4, Pirellula, Lysobacter and Aridibacterrae to Reyranella and Streptomyces in the rhizosphere soil. We also revealed specific microbes that closely related with N‐cycling processes. In addition, soil pH was the main factor affecting microbial communities in both bulk and rhizosphere soil.

Our study confirmed that the rhizosphere environment imposed homogenous microbial communities. The invasion of A. adenophora selected specialized bacterial communities in soils and specific microbes that potentially mediated soil nutrition cycling. Our findings provide ecological explanation to explain how the underground microbes help A. adenophora invasive.
When preemptive risk mitigation is insufficient: The effectiveness of continuity and resilience techniques during COVID‐19
Authors: Dohmen Anne E. , Merrick Jason R. W. , Saunders Lance W. , Stank Theodore P. , Goldsby Thomas J.
Published: January 2022

The extreme demand volatility caused by corona virus 2019 (COVID‐19) overwhelmed most preemptive measures enacted by firms to mitigate disruptions in their supply chains. This led to the rapid implementation of reactive measures to provide business continuity. The operations and supply chain management literature has grouped these reactive techniques into those that involve the reconfiguration of firm resources and those that involve changes to its decision‐making processes. Unfortunately, little of this work has empirically assessed the efficacy of individual reactive techniques on business continuity after the onset of a disruption such as COVID‐19. The research reported in this paper addresses this gap through an experimental design and discrete‐event simulation to empirically test the impact on firm outcomes of resource reconfiguration techniques versus those related to adaptive decision‐making processes. Data from a canned foods manufacturer is used to populate the simulation and isolate the impact of these reactive changes implemented in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID‐19 disruption on the attainment of business continuity in the 3 months following the COVID‐19 disruption. The results show that for this company, decision‐making changes—specifically changes to planning process cadence and time horizon—had more impact on business continuity than those focused on resource reconfiguration (increasing capacity through stock keeping unit (SKU) prioritization and increasing the number of shifts). These results, in addition to qualitative data collected from company executives to provide context for the modeling results, are used to provide insights that are generalizable to many firms.
Some Parents Survive and Some Don't: The Army and the Family as “Greedy Institutions”
Authors: Strader Eiko , Smith Margaret
Published: January 2022

The military and the family are “greedy institutions” that require the full attention of their members. Being aware of the tension between work and family, the United States military has developed family support policies that are more generous than legally required to ensure personnel readiness. However, family formation remains a major obstacle for recruitment, retention, and integration of women. Using administrative data, this research shows that fathers were more likely to leave prematurely for family reasons than childless men, particularly among non‐Hispanic Black and American Indian/Alaska Native men. However, women who gave birth while in service were much less likely to leave for work–family reasons than childless women, while the same could not be said for women who joined as mothers and had no additional children. The results reflect the gendered logic of the organization and the narrow conceptualization of work–family conflict, both of which perpetuate gender‐role stereotypes.
WHAT IS NATURAL THEOLOGY? (AND SHOULD WE DISPENSE WITH IT?)
Authors: Harrison Peter
Published: January 2022

In a series of impressive works, Alister McGrath has made a major contribution to contemporary natural theology. The natural theology he has in mind is not the “established” variety, which seeks to provide rational support for religious beliefs from nonreligious premises. Rather, it is an explicitly Christian natural theology that involves “seeing” the world through the lens of Christian revelation. Nevertheless, McGrath seems to hold that a sufficiently capacious understanding of natural theology can encompass both the established version and the broader vision that constitutes his own project. This article suggests that there is a significant tension between these two conceptions of natural theology. It argues that the supposedly “established” version of natural theology was never really established within the Christian tradition to any significant degree, but was instead belatedly projected onto it for various reasons. The historical tradition comports with McGrath's project, but not with his generous comprehension of the established conception within a genuinely Christian natural theology.
Estimation of Vehicle–Trailer Hitch-Forces and Lateral Tire Forces Independent of Trailer Type and Geometry
Authors: Habibnejad Korayem Amin , Hashemi Ehsan , Khajepour Amir , Fidan Baris
Published: January 2022

In this paper, a new approach in estimating the lateral tire forces and hitch-forces of a vehicle–trailer system is introduced. It is shown that the proposed hitch-force estimation is independent of trailer mass and geometry, by utilizing the vehicle velocity, acceleration, torque engine, wheel's speed, and steering angle measurements. The designed lateral tire forces and hitch-force estimations' algorithm can be used for any ball type trailer without any priori information on the trailer parameters. A vehicle–trailer dynamic model is proposed to design an observer for the estimation of the hitch-forces and lateral tire forces. Simulations' studies in carsim along with experimental tests are used to validate the presented method. The results confirm the accuracy of the developed observer, and the experimental tests' results show that there is a good agreement between the estimated and actual lateral tire forces as well as the hitch-forces.
The global nitrogen-phosphorus imbalance
Authors: Peñuelas Josep , Sardans Jordi
Published: January 2022

The imbalance has grave consequences for natural ecosystems and global food security
Supplemental Material: Giant sheath-folded nappe stack demonstrates extreme subhorizontal shear strain in an Archean orogen
Authors: Zhong Yating , Kusky Timothy M. , al. et
Published: January 2022

Table S1 (global examples of subhorizontal mega-scale sheath folds).
SARS-CoV-2 detection from the built environment and wastewater and its use for hospital surveillance
Authors: Hinz Aaron , Xing Lydia , Doukhanine Evgueni , Hug Laura A. , Kassen Rees , Ormeci Banu , Kibbee Richard J. , Wong Alex , MacFadden Derek , Nott Caroline
Published: January 2022

Patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infections are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in health care settings. Our understanding of the distribution of this virus in the built health care environment and wastewater, and relationship to disease burden, is limited. We performed a prospective multi-center study of environmental sampling of SARS-CoV-2 from hospital surfaces and wastewater and evaluated their relationships with regional and hospital COVID-19 burden. We validated a qPCR-based approach to surface sampling and collected swab samples weekly from different locations and surfaces across two tertiary care hospital campuses for a 10-week period during the pandemic, along with wastewater samples. Over the 10-week period, 963 swab samples were collected and analyzed. We found 61 (6%) swabs positive for SARS-CoV-2, with the majority of these ( n = 51) originating from floor samples. Wards that actively managed patients with COVID-19 had the highest frequency of positive samples. Detection frequency in built environment swabs was significantly associated with active cases in the hospital throughout the study. Wastewater viral signal changes appeared to predate change in case burden. Our results indicate that environment sampling for SARS-CoV-2, in particular from floors, may offer a unique and resolved approach to surveillance of COVID-19.
A Capital-Labor Compact and Green Production
Authors: Correa Romar
Published: January 2022

The relation between Capital and Labor is well known to comprise of cooperation and noncooperation. Greater profits mean a lower wage bill. At the same time, increasing output brings expanding employment. We confine ourselves to class conflict or cooperation between Capital and Labor in the context of climate change. Our ‘socio-technical’ setup incorporates green technical change. We provide a macro-growth dynamic game with outcomes on output, employment, accumulation, and the use of a ‘solar technology’ between the classes.
ENTREPRENEURIAL OUTCOMES AND THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND R&D: EVIDENCE FROM MEXICO
Authors: RAMÍREZ-URQUIDY MARTÍN , MUNGARAY ALEJANDRO , FUENTES ROBERTO
Published: January 2022

This paper studies the evolution of some higher education and R&D variables in Mexico during 2007–2017 and determines their effects on different entrepreneurial outcomes. It is shown that these variables affect the entrepreneurial outcomes heterogeneously depending on the type of venture. They do not explain the overall entrepreneurship; however, they do explain higher education and knowledge-based entrepreneurship. The research also suggests that, despite the general improvement of the performance indicators in the higher education institutions and the R&D variables enabled by the public policy, its scope is still limited, distributed unequally across states and ambiguous in innovative outcomes. Some insights for policy applicable to developing countries are provided.
Mean field analysis for bike and e-bike sharing systems
Authors: Ancel Julien , Fricker Christine , Mohamed Hanene
Published: January 2022

Electric bikes are deployed massively in preexisting bike sharing system in order to attract new users and replace cars on a larger scale (see [2]). But this causes interactions between the two populations of bikes. In this paper, we analyze a model of an homogeneous bike sharing system where two classes of bikes interact only through the finite capacity of stations. It models systems with both electric and normal bikes, these classes requiring different subscriptions. As far as we know (see [7]), it is the first stochastic large-scale analysis for integrated e-bike and bike sharing systems. The aim of the paper is to derive explicitly the limiting stationary distribution of the state of a station when the number of stations and the fleet size of each class increase at the same rate. Analysis for a spatially heterogeneous network is in preparation and discussed in Section 4.
QWI
Authors: Robledo Francisco , Borkar Vivek , Ayesta Urtzi , Avrachenkov Konstantin
Published: January 2022

The Whittle index policy is a heuristic that has shown remarkable good performance (with guaranted asymptotic optimality) when applied to the class of problems known as multi-armed restless bandits. In this paper we develop QWI, an algorithm based on Q-learning in order to learn theWhittle indices. The key feature is the deployment of two timescales, a relatively faster one to update the state-action Qfunctions, and a relatively slower one to update the Whittle indices. In our main result, we show that the algorithm converges to the Whittle indices of the problem. Numerical computations show that our algorithm converges much faster than both the standard Q-learning algorithm as well as neural-network based approximate Q-learning.
ACM SIGMETRICS 2021 Student Research Competition
Authors: Fanti Giulia
Published: January 2022

Every year, the Association for Computation Machinery (ACM) spearheads a series of Student Research Competitions (SRCs) at ACM-sponsored or co-sponsored conferences. These SRCs, which are sponsored by Microsoft Research, provide undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to present their original research to a panel of judges. Participating students present posters and oral presentations of their research for the opportunity to win cash prizes. In each category (graduate and undergraduate), the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners receive prizes of $500, $300, and $200, respectively. Additionally, first place undergraduate and graduate (Masters or PhD program) student winners from the SRCs held during the year are invited to present their work at the SRC Grand Finals, where a different panel of judges evaluates these winners against each other. To date, Microsoft Research has generously provided $120,000 per competition year since 2003.
Relearnit Reexamines online program management (OPM): An interview with Dr. Ronald Wagner
Authors: Carr-Chellman Ali
Published: January 2022

This article reports on an interview with Dr. Ronald Wagner founder and CEO of Relearnit OPM.