bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new structure for line-start non-slotted axial-flux permanent magnet motor, proposing a novel 3D FEA-based demagnetization reduction approach
Authors: Karimi Aliabad Hadi , Baghayipour Mohammadreza
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a novel simple and efficient structure for line-start axial-flux permanent magnet (LSAFPM) synchronous motor, especially regarding the permanent magnets (PMs) demagnetization reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

At first, a primitive raw scheme of the new structure for the LSAFPM motor is introduced. Considering this raw scheme, the levels of irreversible demagnetization in various regions throughout the entire volume of each PM are evaluated using 3 dimensional (3D) finite elements analysis (3D FEA) in full loading condition during startup until reaching steady state. Based on the results of these analyses, the primitive structural scheme is then modified through segmenting (cutting into four pieces) each PM from where the worst irreversible demagnetization levels occurred.

Findings

As will be demonstrated by the results of 3D FEA, the proposed modified structure is not only capable of successful startup and synchronization of the motor but also it considerably reduces the PM demagnetization level. Thus, the performance of the motor is significantly improved.

Originality/value

The demagnetization of PMs is an important effect in PM synchronous motors, which can greatly affect motor performance. Therefore, it is necessary to be considered in the motor design processes. This effect becomes much more significant in the line-start PM motors because the usual high-magnitude startup induction current produces a strong armature-reaction magnetic field, which may cause the PMs to be irreversibly demagnetized. The approach proposed in this paper provides a structural solution to mitigate the PM demagnetization effect and thereby improve the performance of an LSAFPM motor through modifying the structure of the LSAFPM motor according to an FEA-based PM demagnetization analysis. As a considerable contribution, in this analysis, the variation of demagnetization level between different areas inside each PM is computed and is considered as a basis for proposing an appropriate structural modification to mitigate the PM demagnetization effect as much as possible.
The differential impact of user- and firm-generated content on online brand advocacy: customer engagement and brand familiarity matter
Authors: Aljarah Ahmad , Sawaftah Dima , Ibrahim Blend , Lahuerta-Otero Eva
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study is first, to investigate the relative effect of user-generated content (UGC) and firm-generated content (FGC) on online brand advocacy, and second, to examine the mediation effect of customer engagement and the moderation effect of brand familiarity in the relationship between UGC and FGC and online brand advocacy. The differential impact of UGC and FGC on consumer behavior has yet to receive sufficient academic attention among hospitality scholars.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on social learning theory, cognitive consistency theory and schema theory, this study established an integrated research framework to explain the relationship between the constructs of the study. This study adopts a scenario-based experimental design in two separate studies within contexts to examine the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results revealed that UGC is a stronger predictor of online brand advocacy than FGC. A mediation analysis supported that the effect of digital content marketing types on online brand advocacy occurs because of customer engagement. Further, when the brand was familiar, participants showed a higher level of online brand advocacy than when they were exposed to FGC (vs. unfamiliar brand), whereas the effect of familiar and unfamiliar brands on online brand advocacy remains slightly close to each other when the participants were exposed to UGC. Brand familiarity positively enhanced participants’ engagement when they were exposed to UGC. Further, customer engagement is only a significant mediator when the brand is unfamiliar.

Practical implications

This paper presents significant managerial implications for hospitality companies about how they can effectively enhance brand advocacy in the online medium.

Originality/value

This research provides a novel contribution by examining the differential impact of UGC and FGC on online brand advocacy as well as uncovering the underlying mechanism of how and under what conditions user- and firm-generated content promotes online brand advocacy in the hospitality context.
Impact of big data analytics on banking: a case study
Authors: He Wu , Hung Jui-Long , Liu Lixin
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The paper aims to help enterprises gain valuable knowledge about big data implementation in practice and improve their information management ability, as they accumulate experience, to reuse or adapt the proposed method to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by the theory of technological frames of reference (TFR) and transaction cost theory (TCT), this paper describes a real-world case study in the banking industry to explain how to help enterprises leverage big data analytics for changes. Through close integration with bank's daily operations and strategic planning, the case study shows how the analytics team frame the challenge and analyze the data with two analytic models – customer segmentation (unsupervised) and product affinity prediction (supervised), to initiate the adoption of big data analytics in precise marketing.

Findings

The study reported relevant findings from a longitudinal data analysis and identified some key success factors. First, non-technical factors, for example intuitive analytics results, appropriate evaluation baseline, multiple-wave implementation and selection of marketing channels critically influence big data implementation progress in organizations. Second, a successful campaign also relies on technical factors. For example, the clustering analytics could promote customers' response rates, and the product affinity prediction model could boost efficient transaction and lower time costs.

Originality/value

For theoretical contribution, this paper verified that the outstanding characteristics of online mutual fund platforms brought up by Nagle, Seamans and Tadelis (2010) could not guarantee organizations' competitive advantages from the aspect of TCT.
Automating tourism online reviews: a neural network based aspect-oriented sentiment classification
Authors: Li Nao , Yang Xiaoyu , Wong IpKin Anthony , Law Rob , Xu Jing Yang , Zhang Binru
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to classify the sentiment of online tourism-hospitality reviews at an aspect level. A new aspect-oriented sentiment classification method is proposed based on a neural network model.

Design/methodology/approach

This study constructs an aspect-oriented sentiment classification model using an integrated four-layer neural network: the bidirectional encoder representation from transformers (BERT) word vector model, long short-term memory, interactive attention-over-attention (IAOA) mechanism and a linear output layer. The model was trained, tested and validated on an open training data set and 92,905 reviews extrapolated from restaurants in Tokyo.

Findings

The model achieves significantly better performance compared with other neural networks. The findings provide empirical evidence to validate the suitability of this new approach in the tourism-hospitality domain.

Research limitations/implications

More sentiments should be identified to measure more fine-grained tourism-hospitality experience, and new aspects are recommended that can be automatically added into the aspect set to provide dynamic support for new dining experiences.

Originality/value

This study provides an update to the literature with respect to how a neural network could improve the performance of aspect-oriented sentiment classification for tourism-hospitality online reviews.
The future of work post Covid-19: key perceived HR implications of hybrid workplaces in India
Authors: Verma Anju , Venkatesan M. , Kumar Mallika , Verma Jyoti
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Human history observed an arduous time fighting the novel infectious respiratory disease Covid-19 coronavirus, which started in Wuhan, China and spread rapidly across the globe in 2020. Economies and the countries including India around the world experienced dismay with nationwide lockdowns and the fear of the unknowing. The unforeseen circumstances enforced immediate transitions in the organizations' work environment through remote working, digital infrastructure, online collaborations and new ways of interaction. The pandemic altered the workplace trajectories in lasting ways as the employees settled into a new routine of working from home more quickly than imagined. Now, as India and many other countries slowly move beyond the crisis, there exists a need to realize the implications of the pandemic on the workplace and articulate the future of work. This article, therefore, investigates the key perceived benefits and the HR implications of the new and emerging concept of hybrid workplaces and presents an HRM framework for their successful adoption in India. The findings may prove crucial in framing new workplace norms and shaping them. Moreover, this research would provide practitioners, policymakers, business leaders and HR professionals insights about the need to review the existing workplaces and successfully roll out hybrid work models in accordance with HR strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology of Systematic Review of Literature (SLR) was adopted to study the key perceived benefits and the HR implications of hybrid workplaces.

Findings

The findings of the study would help business leaders, HR professionals, policymakers and researchers in developing HR policies and approaches for the adoption of the hybrid workplace as they chart the path toward the post-pandemic future.

Research limitations/implications

The study stresses the HR implications of the future of work as the hybrid workplace paradigm evolves. The approach is explorative and would require quantitative validation in different sectors and countries.

Originality/value

The study makes a direct link between the hybrid workplaces and the impetus for the transformation of HR strategies. It also examines the changing role of the human resources (HR) functions and professionals after the pandemic.
The ecosystem of research tools for scholarly communication
Authors: Rao Purnima , Kumar Satish , Lim Weng Marc , Rao Akshat Aditya
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Numerous research tools exist but their usage among researchers across the different phases of the research cycle of scholarly communication remains unknown. This research aims to address this knowledge gap by mapping the research tools frequently used by global researchers against the various phases of the research cycle of scholarly communication.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts a descriptive research design and conducts a cross-tabulation of secondary data consisting of 20,663 useable responses in a global survey of research tools for scholarly communication. This research also administered a survey to academic experts to classify the research tools according to traditional, modern, innovative and experimental categories.

Findings

This research reveals the six phases of the research cycle (i.e. discovery, analysis, writing, publication, outreach and assessment) and the research tools of scholarly communication frequently used by researchers worldwide in each phase as a whole and by roles, disciplines, regions and career stages. Notably, this research indicates that most of the research tools used by researchers are classified as “modern” and “innovative”.

Originality/value

The original insights herein should be useful for both established and early career researchers to gain and share research insights, as well as policymakers and existing and aspiring service providers who wish to improve the utility and usage of research tools for scholarly communication. Notably, this research represents a seminal endeavor at enhancing a global survey (secondary research) using a follow-up expert survey (primary research), which enabled the organization of research tools for scholarly communication into four refined categories. In doing so, this research contributes finer-grained insights that showcase the importance of keeping up with the advancement of technology through the use of modern, innovative and experimental research tools, thereby highlighting the need to go beyond traditional research tools for scholarly communication.
An assessment of human resource capabilities in supporting digital records preservation: a case of RAMD and RITA, Tanzania
Authors: Daniel Jacquiline , Ndumbaro Faraja
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Human resource capability is an important factor in determining institutional capacities in digital records preservation. This study aims to assess human resource capabilities in supporting digital records preservation in Tanzania, with special reference to the Records and Archives Management Department (RAMD) and Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA).

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a descriptive case study design with multiple cases to generate insights into the topic under inquiry. Simple random and purposive sampling methods were used to select study respondents. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and documentary review. Qualitative data collected were subjected to content analysis, whereas quantitative data were analysed using international business machine-corporation-statistical packages and service solution.

Findings

RAMD and RITA have minimal human resource capabilities, as they contend with a shortage of qualified staff and technical personnel for digital records preservation. The shortage of funds, lack of management commitment to preserving digital records, lack of staff awareness on digital records preservation and inadequate participation of records practitioners in digital records preservation emerged as pressing challenges the two agencies contended with.

Practical implications

This study’s recommendations include finding alternative sources of funding, employing digital records specialists and provision of training on digital records preservation. Furthermore, this study proposes a framework that institutions can use in assessing human resource capabilities for digital records preservation.

Originality/value

This study contributes new knowledge and insights on the role of human resource capabilities in supporting digital records preservation in a resource-poor country.
Prevalence of alopecia areata in Japan: Estimates from a nationally representative sample
Authors: Aranishi Toshihiko , Ito Taisuke , Fukuyama Masahiro , Isaka Yoshitaka , Mackie DeMauri S. , King‐Concialdi Kristen , Senglaub Steven S. , Jaffe Dena H. , Shimomura Yutaka , Ohyama Manabu
Published: November 2022

Data on the prevalence of alopecia areata (AA) in Japan is limited and the epidemiology of the disease there is not well understood; therefore, it is critical to examine the prevalence and severity of AA in Japan to inform the need for future treatments and research. A cross‐sectional, web‐based survey was conducted in Japan from January through March 2021. A total of 45 006 participants were identified through general population survey panels and asked about their experience with AA and hair loss. The Alopecia Assessment Tool and the Scalp Hair Assessment PROTM were adopted to screen for history of AA and assess disease severity, respectively. Eligible participants submitted photos of their scalp, which were reviewed by three board‐certified dermatologists to evaluate the presence and severity of AA. Prevalence and severity estimates were calculated using participants' self‐reported data and verified through the dermatologists' assessments. The participant‐reported point prevalence of AA was 2.18%. The adjusted point prevalence following physician adjudication using participant‐submitted photos was 1.45%. Topical corticosteroids were the most commonly used treatments, with 34.6% of participants diagnosed with AA reported having ever used them. Participants also reported negative impacts on their mood (70.2%), self‐esteem (55.8%), and social interactions (48.9%). Despite the social and emotional impact of hair loss, more than one third of those reporting a physician diagnosis of AA were not currently seeking treatment. The current study identified an estimated prevalence of AA in Japan between 1.45% and 2.18% based on the survey results and physician‐adjudication of those findings. Considering the impactful psychological burden of AA, the survey results showing that 38.90% of surveyed patients do not currently seek treatment may indicate an unmet need for remedies.
The expression of prolyl isomerase Pin1 is expanded in the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis and facilitates IL‐33 expression in HaCaT cells
Authors: Kanamoto Mayu , Takahagi Shunsuke , Aoyama Shunya , Kido Yuri , Nakanishi Mikako , Naito Miki , Kanna Machi , Yamamotoya Takeshi , Tanaka Akio , Hide Michihiro , Asano Tomoichiro , Nakatsu Yusuke
Published: November 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is attributable to both a genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Among numerous cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of AD, interleukin‐33 (IL‐33), reportedly escaping exocytotically in response to a scratch, is abundantly expressed in the skin tissues of patients with AD and is postulated to induce inflammatory and autoimmune responses. In this study, we first demonstrated that peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase, NIMA‐interacting 1 (Pin1), a unique enzyme which isomerizes the proline residues of target proteins, is abundantly expressed in keratinocytes, and that the areas where it is present in the skin tissues of AD patients became expanded due to hyperkeratosis. Thus, we investigated the effects of Pin1 on the regulation of IL‐33 expression using the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. Interestingly, silencing of the Pin1 gene or treatment with Pin1 inhibitors dramatically reduced IL‐33 expressions in HaCaT cells, although Pin1 overexpression did not elevate it. Subsequently, we showed that Pin1 binds to STAT1 and the nuclear factor‐kappaB (NF‐κB) subunit p65. Silencing the Pin1 gene with small interfering RNAs significantly reduced the phosphorylation of p65, while no marked effects of Pin1 on the STAT1 pathway were detected. Thus, it is likely that Pin1 contributes to increased expression of IL‐33 via the NF‐κB subunit p65 in HaCaT cells, at least modestly. Nevertheless, further study is necessary to demonstrate the pathogenic roles of Pin1 and IL‐33 in AD development.
Causal association between atopic eczema and inflammatory bowel disease: A two‐sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study of the East Asian population
Authors: Wang Lijuan , Wang Yihui , Wang Xi E. , Chen Bin , Zhang Lei , Lu Xixue
Published: November 2022

Observation studies have postulated that atopic eczema is associated with a risk of inflammatory bowel disease in the East Asian population; however, this association does not obviate the biases resulting from confounding effects and reverse causation. This study aimed to determine whether this association is causal in the East Asian population using a bidirectional two‐sample Mendelian randomization design. Independent genetic variants obtained from public genome‐wide association studies for atopic eczema (4296 cases, 163 807 controls) were extracted to estimate the causal effects on inflammatory bowel disease (2824 cases, 3719 controls) and its two main conditions: Crohn's disease (1690 cases, 3719 controls) and ulcerative colitis (1134 cases, 3719 controls). Atopic eczema was found to be strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.520 [1.179, 1.959]; p = 0.001), but not vice versa. Subtype analyses revealed that atopic eczema is significantly associated with Crohn's disease (1.650 [1.293, 2.106]; p = 0.000) but not with ulcerative colitis. Both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were found to be causally related to atopic eczema; Crohn's disease could reduce the risk of atopic eczema (0.866 [0.807, 0.930]; p = 0.000) while ulcerative colitis could increase the risk of atopic eczema (1.112 [1.021, 1.212]; p = 0.015). In conclusion, this study revealed that statistically causal relationships are present between atopic eczema and inflammatory bowel disease in the East Asian population. These findings are significant for guiding the treatment of atopic eczema and inflammatory bowel disease in clinical practice.
What's new in the pathogeneses and triggering factors of bullous pemphigoid
Authors: Ujiie Hideyuki
Published: November 2022

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a subepidermal blistering disease induced by autoantibodies to type XVII collagen (COL17, also called BP180) and BP230. Previous studies using patients' samples and animal disease models elucidated the complement‐dependent and complement‐independent pathways of blister formation, the pathogenic roles of immune cells (T and B cells, macrophages, mast cells, neutrophils, eosinophils), and the pathogenicity of IgE autoantibodies in BP. This review introduces the recent progress on the mechanism behind the epitope‐spreading phenomenon in BP, which is considered to be important to understand the chronic and intractable disease course of BP, and the pathogenicity of anti‐BP230 autoantibodies, mainly focusing on studies that used active disease models. To clarify the pathogenesis of BP, the mechanism behind the breakdown of immune tolerance to BP antigens should be investigated. Recent studies using various experimental models have revealed important roles for regulatory T cells in the maintenance of self‐tolerance to COL17 and BP230 as well as in the suppression of inflammation triggered by the binding of antibodies to COL17. Notably, physical stresses such as trauma, thermal burns, bone fractures, irradiation and ultraviolet exposure, some pathologic conditions such as neurological diseases and hematological malignancies, and the use of dipeptidyl peptidase‐IV inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been reported as triggering factors for BP. These factors and certain underlying conditions such as genetic background, regulatory T‐cell dysfunction or aging might synergistically affect some individuals and eventually induce BP. Further studies on the breakdown of self‐tolerance and on the identification of key molecules that are relevant to blister formation and inflammation may expand our understanding of BP's etiology and may lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Nutrient addition drives declines in grassland species richness primarily via enhanced species loss
Authors: Muehleisen Andrew J. , Watkins Carmen R. E. , Altmire Gabriella R. , Shaw E. Ashley , Case Madelon F. , Aoyama Lina , Brambila Alejandro , Reed Paul B. , LaForgia Marina , Borer Elizabeth T. , Seabloom Eric W. , Bakker Jonathan D. , Arnillas Carlos Alberto , Biederman Lori , Chen Qingqing , Cleland Elsa E. , Eskelinen Anu , Fay Philip A. , Hagenah Nicole , Harpole Stan , Hautier Yann , Henning Jeremiah A. , Knops Johannes M. H. , Komatsu Kimberly J. , Ladouceur Emma , Laungani Ramesh , MacDougall Andrew , McCulley Rebecca L. , Moore Joslin L. , Ohlert Tim , Power Sally A. , Raynaud Xavier , Stevens Carly J. , Virtanen Risto , Wilfahrt Peter , Hallett Lauren M.
Published: November 2022

Declines in grassland diversity in response to nutrient addition are a general consequence of global change. This decline in species richness may be driven by multiple underlying processes operating at different time‐scales. Nutrient addition can reduce diversity by enhancing the rate of local extinction via competitive exclusion, or by reducing the rate of colonization by constraining the pool of species able to colonize under new conditions. Partitioning net change into extinction and colonization rates will better delineate the long‐term effect of global change in grasslands.

We synthesized changes in richness in response to experimental fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium with micronutrients across 30 grasslands. We quantified changes in local richness, colonization, and extinction over 8–10 years of nutrient addition, and compared these rates against control conditions to isolate the effect of nutrient addition from background dynamics.

Total richness at steady state in the control plots was the sum of equal, relatively high rates of local colonization and extinction. On aggregate, 30%–35% of initial species were lost and the same proportion of new species were gained at least once over a decade. Absolute turnover increased with site‐level richness but was proportionately greater at lower‐richness sites relative to starting richness. Loss of total richness with nutrient addition, especially N in combination with P or K, was driven by enhanced rates of extinction with a smaller contribution from reduced colonization. Enhanced extinction and reduced colonization were disproportionately among native species, perennials, and forbs. Reduced colonization plateaued after the first few (<5) years after nutrient addition, while enhanced extinction continued throughout the first decade.

Synthesis. Our results indicate a high rate of colonizations and extinctions underlying the richness of ambient communities and that nutrient enhancement drives overall declines in diversity primarily by exclusion of previously established species. Moreover, enhanced extinction continues over long time‐scales, suggesting continuous, long‐term community responses and a need for long‐term study to fully realize the extinction impact of increased nutrients on grassland composition.
Marital status and hospital use in older adults
Authors: Mu Chunzhou , Hall Jane
Published: November 2022

The proportion of single person households is increasing with population ageing. At older ages living in a single person household is more likely to be due to bereavement or separation than at younger ages. We examine the association between marital status and the likelihood and the length of hospitalisations, with particular emphasis on whether and how this association varies by different types of hospitalisations with a distinct nature of care. Using a large survey linked to multiple years of detailed administrative records enables us to better control for individual heterogeneity and allows us to conduct a finer classification of hospitalisations. A two‐part model is used for estimation. We also investigate the relationship between marital status and the presentations to emergency department. The results show singles have an increased probability of hospitalisation and length of stay, with a substantial heterogeneity revealed in the association between marital status and different types of hospitalisations. The findings are consistent with the lesser availability of informal care for those being single and point to the need to develop appropriate and targeted strategies to reduce hospitalisation in this group.
Gender, Food and ‘The Right to the City’ in the Ghanaian Marketplace
Authors: King Arianna
Published: November 2022

This article combines ethnographic fieldwork in Cape Coast's Kotokuraba Market with theories of ‘the right to the city’ and historical literature on gender and space in West Africa to highlight the connections between women's food labour and the social production of market space in Ghana. In identifying two critical moments from Ghana's history that exemplify the influence of economic policy on the gender arrangement of the marketplace, this article argues that although women have historically dominated Ghana's public marketplaces, their ‘right to the city’ – the collective and individual rights to determine the form and function of market space – remains out of reach.
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum L67 probiotics vs paraprobiotics for reducing pro‐inflammatory responses in colitis mice
Authors: Song Sooyeon , Jeong Anna , Lim Jina , Kim Bum‐Keun , Park Dong‐June , Oh Sejong
Published: November 2022

Probiotics improve intestinal symptoms and reduce damage in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, live bacteria are not consistently effective for IBD patients because of their weaker immune system and damaged intestinal epithelial cells. This study compared the suppression effect of probiotic (L67) and paraprobiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum L67 (PPL67) cells on dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)‐treated Institute of Cancer Research mice. The results showed that the administration of PPL67 to DSS‐treated mice mitigated the symptoms of colitis as evidenced by reductions in DAI define levels and the pro‐inflammatory factors. So, these results indicate that L. plantarum L67 may prevent the pathogenesis of chronic colitis in a safer and more stable way.
Exploring the value of microorganisms in the appendix for inferring postmortem interval in Sprague–Dawley rats using high‐throughput sequencing
Authors: Li Weihan , Xing Yu , Gan Li , Peng Wenli , Deng Shixiong
Published: November 2022

Various microorganisms play an important role in daily functions in the body and continue to flourish after death. Our prior investigation using frozen cadavers revealed that the appendix, rather than the transverse colon, was a superior sampling site for intestinal bacteria because the appendiceal flora had higher diversity than that in the transverse colon in the majority of experimental periods after death. We sought to explore out more about whether the appendicular flora is significantly related to postmortem interval (PMI) at natural temperatures following the host's death. In this work, we employed high‐throughput sequencing to evaluate the contents of rats' appendices within 2 weeks after death and then utilized the random forest algorithm to build a PMI prediction model after completing basic visual analyses on the sequencing data. The findings revealed that Firmicutes was the absolute dominant species of appendicular flora; alpha‐diversity of appendix flora first increased and then decreased, with the highest point appearing at 36 h after death; and the primary metabolic functions were carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, as well as cofactors and vitamin metabolism. Finally, a random forest regression model for PMI prediction was built by the training data at the family level, with the mean absolute error of 10.27 h for prediction within 14 days postmortem, and the test set data subsequently proved the model's reliability. Changes in appendicular flora were strongly related to the PMI following rats’ deaths, so we have reason to believe that the appendicular flora is valuable in predicting PMI.
Late‐onset acute type 1 diabetes mellitus 7 months after discontinuation of pembrolizumab against lung cancer
Authors: Ichihara Seiya , Kunishige Michihiro , Kadota Naoki , Okano Yoshio , Machida Hisanori , Hatakeyama Nobuo , Naruse Keishi , Shinohara Tsutomu , Takeuchi Eiji
Published: November 2022

Immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) occur in rare cases, even after the completion of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. We encountered a lung cancer patient diagnosed with acute‐onset type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) 7 months after the cessation of ICI. A 68‐year‐old woman was referred to our hospital for chest abnormalities. She was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma cT4N2M1c, stage IVB. Immunostaining showed that the expression of programmed death ligand 1 in tumor cells was negative. A genetic analysis using the Oncomine Dx Target Test Multi‐CDx System revealed that the primary tumor was positive for ERBB2. Combined immunotherapy with carboplatin, pemetrexed, and pembrolizumab was performed as first‐line therapy, followed by maintenance therapy with pemetrexed plus pembrolizumab, which was successful. After the seventh course, maintenance therapy was stopped because only the primary tumor showed local enlargement. Local chest radiotherapy (66 Gy/33 Fr) was performed, and the patient was followed up. HbA1c was 4.9% 3 months after the completion of pembrolizumab, and dry mouth and polyuria occurred after 5 months. Seven months later, the patient developed diabetic ketoacidosis with a blood glucose of 348 mg/dL and an HbA1c of 11.3%. Antiglutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies were negative and urinary C‐peptide was 9.3 μg/day. The patient was diagnosed with acute‐onset type 1 diabetes and received insulin therapy. There has been no case report of type 1 diabetes diagnosed 7 months after the last administration of an ICI. These results indicate that irAE needs to be considered even after the cessation of ICI.
Prenatal exposure to alcohol impairs responses of cerebral arterioles to activation of potassium channels: Role of oxidative stress
Authors: Saha Partha S. , Knecht Tiffany M. , Arrick Denise M. , Watt Michael J. , Scholl Jamie L. , Mayhan William G.
Published: November 2022

Background

Potassium channels play an important role in the basal tone and dilation of cerebral resistance arterioles in response to many stimuli. However, the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on specific potassium channel function remains unknown. The first goal of this study was to determine the influence of PAE on the reactivity of cerebral arterioles to activation of ATP‐sensitive potassium (KATP) and BK channels. Our second goal was to determine whether oxidative stress contributed to potassium channel dysfunction of cerebral arterioles following PAE.

Methods

We fed Sprague–Dawley dams a liquid diet with or without alcohol (3% EtOH) for the duration of their pregnancy (21 to 23 days). We examined in vivo responses of cerebral arterioles in control and PAE male and female offspring (14 to 16 weeks after birth) to activators of potassium channels (Iloprost [BK channels] and pinacidil [KATP channels]), before and following inhibition of oxidative stress with apocynin.

Results

We found that PAE impaired dilation of cerebral arterioles in response to activation of potassium channels with iloprost and pinacidil, and this impairment was similar in male and female rats. In addition, treatment with apocynin reversed the impaired vasodilation to iloprost and pinacidil in PAE rats to levels observed in control rats. This effect of apocynin also was similar in male and female rats.

Conclusions

PAE induces dysfunction in the ability of specific potassium channels to dilate cerebral arterioles which appears to be mediated by an increase in oxidative stress. We suggest that these alterations in potassium channel function may contribute to the pathogenesis of cerebral vascular abnormalities and/or behavioral/cognitive deficits observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Ineffectiveness of ants in protecting two sympatric myrmecophilous plants against endophytic beetles
Authors: Mendes‐Silva Isamara , Queiroga Drielly , Calixto Eduardo Soares , Torezan‐Silingardi Helena Maura , Del‐Claro Kleber
Published: November 2022

Extrafloral nectarized plants attract ants, which may protect them against herbivory and increase plant fruit set production. In some cases, however, ants are ineffective against herbivores. Such events occur, for instance, when herbivores present adaptations to avoid ant predation. Thus, the outputs of these interactions depend on factors such as ant identity, plant phenology and herbivore features. Here, we investigated the endophytic florivorous beetles' impact on the reproductive success of their host plants, two sympatric Banisteriopsis (Malpighiaceae) species, depending on the action of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) visiting ants. We experimentally manipulated the presence of ants and herbivores on B. malifolia and B. laevifolia species during their reproductive period to test the effectiveness of ants‐EFNs mutualism on plant fruit set production. We performed treatments where three similar inflorescences were selected to be (I) control branch, with no manipulations, (II) beetle‐free branch, isolated with textile cover and (III) ant‐free branch, isolated at the base with atoxic wax. We hypothesized that endophytic herbivores have a negative impact on the plant reproductive success because they escape the action of ants (biotic defences). As a result, we observed (i) that florivorous Anthonomus beetles have a negative impact on Banisteriopsis reproductive success; (ii) ants fail in protecting plants against floral endophytic beetles; and (iii) most of the results were species‐specific. Our results indicate that these systems present very conditional outcomes that depend on the intrinsic factors of each plant species.
Micro‐Politics of a Makeshift Refugee Camp: The Grafosrem Factory in Šid, Serbia
Authors: Jordan Joanna , Minca Claudio
Published: November 2022

With the EU's increasingly militarised and violent external borders, makeshift refugee camps have developed into crucial nodes along the “Balkan Route” where refugees reside between their clandestine border‐crossing attempts. Though a rich body of scholarship has recently emerged on the makeshift camp, there remains limited engagement on the complex and dynamic social and political lives produced within these spaces. Building upon ethnographic fieldwork in the makeshift camp of the abandoned Grafosrem factory in the border town of Šid, Serbia, this paper examines, in particular, the micro‐politics produced by the camp's different actors (leaders, residents, outcasts, volunteers). This paper also emphasises how aspects such as race, gender, age, class, and language are at play in dictating the differential access, power, privileges, violence, and exclusion taking place among Grafosrem's diverse subjects, and in generating a multiplicity of lived experiences of the makeshift camp and the corridor more generally.
Systematic review: early feeding practices and the risk of coeliac disease. A 2022 update and revision
Authors: Szajewska Hania , Shamir Raanan , Stróżyk Agata , Chmielewska Anna , Zalewski Bartłomiej M. , Auricchio Renata , Koletzko Sibylle , Korponay‐Szabo Ilma R. , Mearin M. Luisa , Meijer Caroline , Ribes‐Koninckx Carmen , Troncone Riccardo ,   the PreventCD project group
Published: November 2022

Background

The effects of early feeding practices on the risk of coeliac disease (CD) remain debated.

Aims

To update evidence on these practices on the risk of CD and/or CD‐related autoimmunity (CDA), defined as anti‐transglutaminase or anti‐endomysial antibody positivity

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library to May 2022 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies.

Results

We included 36 publications (30 studies). In the population at genetic risk of developing CD (HLA DQ2/DQ8‐positive), exclusive or any breastfeeding and longer breastfeeding duration did not reduce the risk of developing CD/CDA during childhood. While a meta‐analysis of four case–control studies showed a decreased risk for CD when gluten was introduced during breastfeeding, this was not shown in RCTs and cohort studies. Age at gluten introduction was not associated with cumulative CD/CDA risk, although two RCTs suggested that earlier gluten introduction was associated with earlier CDA appearance. Evidence from six observational studies suggests that consumption of a higher amount of gluten at weaning and/or thereafter may increase CD risk. There is insufficient evidence to determine the amount of gluten associated with an increased CD/CDA risk. Regarding whether infant feeding practices modulate the risk conferred by different HLA genotypes results were inconsistent.

Conclusions

For the population at genetic risk of CD, breastfeeding and age at gluten introduction have no effect on its cumulative incidence during childhood. There is some evidence for an effect of the amount of gluten consumed at weaning and/or thereafter on CD/CDA risk.
Prednisolone pharmacokinetics after oral prednisone administration in paediatric patients with kidney transplant
Authors: de Truchis Camille , Bouazza Naïm , Foissac Frantz , Charbit Marina , Dehoux Laurène , Lui Gabrielle , Ribot Mégane , Briand Nelly , Zheng Yi , Tréluyer Jean‐Marc , Boyer Olivia
Published: November 2022

Aims

Glucocorticoids are 1 of the primary treatments in paediatric kidney transplantation. The aims of this study were: (i) to build a population pharmacokinetics (PPK) model of free prednisolone, which is the active form of prednisone, in paediatric kidney transplant recipients; (ii) to identify covariates accounting for interindividual variability (IIV) of pharmacokinetics (PK) parameters; and (iii) to investigate drug exposure–safety relationships.

Methods

Ninety‐seven samples were obtained from 39 paediatric kidney transplant recipients (aged 3.4–17.2 years) in order to investigate prednisone PPK. We selected children receiving oral prednisone as part of their immunosuppressive regimen. A PPK analysis was performed using Monolix.

Results

A 1‐compartment model best described prednisolone concentrations. Large IIV was observed as prednisolone was undetectable at H12 in some patients but could still be detected at H24 in others. Both bodyweight and ciclosporin cotreatment influenced the PK. The clearance (CLU) and volume of distribution of free prednisolone allometrically scaled to 70 kg were 27.6 L/h and 101 L. Ciclosporin cotreatment decreased CLU by 67%. High blood pressure and new onset diabetes after transplantation were associated with daily free prednisolone exposure.

Conclusion

This study is the first analysis of prednisolone PPK in kidney‐transplanted children. Some of the IIV in the PK parameters was explained by bodyweight and ciclosporin cotreatment. These data suggest that dose adjustment is required after identifying variability factors to optimize efficacy and limit side effects. The use of therapeutic drug monitoring in kidney‐transplanted children may be useful, especially with respect to safety issues.
Testicular heat stress, a historical perspective and two postulates for why male germ cells are heat sensitive
Authors: Robinson Benjamin R. , Netherton Jacob K. , Ogle Rachel A. , Baker Mark A.
Published: November 2022

Herein, we compare the different experimental regimes used to induce testicular heat stress and summarise their impact on sperm production and male fertility. Irrespective of the protocol used, scrotal heat stress causes loss of sperm production. This is first seen 1–2 weeks post heat stress, peaking 4–5 weeks thereafter. The higher the temperature, or the longer the duration of heat, the more pronounced germ cell loss becomes, within extreme cases this leads to azoospermia. The second, and often underappreciated impact of testicular hyperthermia is the production of poor‐quality spermatozoa. Typically, those cells that survive hyperthermia develop into morphologically abnormal and poorly motile spermatozoa. While both apoptotic and non‐apoptotic pathways are known to contribute to hyperthermic germ cell loss, the mechanisms leading to formation of poor‐quality sperm remain unclear.

Mechanistically, it is unlikely that testicular hyperthermia affects messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance, as a comparison of four different mammalian studies shows no consistent single gene changes. Using available evidence, we propose two novel models to explain how testicular hyperthermia impairs sperm formation. Our first model suggests aberrant alternative splicing, while the second model proposes a loss of RNA repression. Importantly, neither model requires consistent changes in RNA species.
An in silico comparative study of curcumin and 2‐deoxyuridine nucleoside derivatives: Reveals the role of angiogenin in ER stress‐induced apoptosis signaling
Authors: Ahmad Faizan , Lakshmi Palanisamy Thanga Velan
Published: November 2022

Angiogenin (ANG) protein plays a crucial role in angiogenesis, neovascularization, and cancer metastasis in NSCLC (non‐small cell lung cancer) via non‐coding tiRNA. It protects the cell under ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress‐induced apoptosis through the translational reprogramming process. Although B82 (Curcumin derivatives) induces ER stress‐induced apoptosis, its mechanism of action was not studied. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the ribonucleolytic activity of ANG may be regulated by B82, resulting in modulated ER stress signaling for apoptosis. Hence, we designed and proposed a synthesis scheme for RNA‐based anti‐angiogenic derivatives of 2‐deoxyuridine nucleoside forming peptide bond with amino acids like serine (Ser‐3) and para‐hydroxy‐phenyl glycine (Normtyr‐1) and compared B82 with them to know the binding affinity with ANG, anti‐angiogenic potential, and its probable mechanism of anti‐RNase activity through MD simulation study. Therefore, using Gromos96 43a1 and 43a2 force fields, MD simulation was performed to investigate binding affinity, ligand‐induced molecular surface area change, conformational change, and dynamics of catalytic site residues to predict ligand binding to ANG in this study. The obtained binding free energy (∆Gbind) result showed the total average ∆Gbind as −113.480 ± 1.682 (Normtyr‐1) > −53.038 ± 33.069 (B82) > −27.909 ± 16.438 (Ser‐3) kJ/mole specify role of B82 in regulating ER stress signaling induced apoptosis through ANG ribonucleolytic activity inhibition, suitability of 43a2 force fields and methodology in ligand screening. It shows the crucial role of Leu115 and His13 residue involvement in total ∆Gbind contribution. Hence, based on the MD result, novel conformation of catalytic residues, and ∆Gbind, a promising combination candidate could be proposed for metastatic NSCLC therapy.
Identification of nonfunctional SPATA20 causing acephalic spermatozoa syndrome in humans
Authors: Wang Xiang , Jiang Chuan , Dai Siyu , Shen Gan , Yang Yihong , Shen Ying
Published: November 2022

Acephalic spermatozoa syndrome (ASS) is a rare and severe type of teratozoospermia characterized by the predominance of headless spermatozoa in the ejaculate. However, knowledge about the causative genes associated with ASS in humans is limited. Loss‐of‐function of SPATA20 has been suggested to result in the separation of the sperm head and flagellum in mice, whereas there have been no cases reporting SPATA20 variants leading to human male infertility. In this study, a nonsense mutation in SPATA20 (c.619C > T, p.Arg207*) was first identified in an ASS patient. Moreover, this variant contributed to the degradation of SPATA20 and was associated with decreased expression of SPATA6, which plays a vital role in the assembly of the sperm head‐tail conjunction in humans. In addition, the infertility caused by loss‐of‐function mutation of SPATA20 might not be rescued by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Collectively, our findings suggested that SPATA20 might be required for sperm head‐tail conjunction formation in humans, the nonfunction of which may lead to male infertility related to ASS. The discovery of the loss‐of‐function mutation in SPATA20 enriches the gene variant spectrum of human ASS, further contributing to improved diagnosis, genetic counseling and prognosis for male infertility.