bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of different ethylene‐vinyl acetate brands used for custom‐fitted mouthguard fabrication on the stress and strain during an impact
Authors: Firmiano Tainah Costa , de Oliveira Amanda Alves , Costa Paulo Victor de Moura , Cardoso Luiza Santos , Pereira Rodrigo Dantas , Veríssimo Crisnicaw
Published: March 2022

Background/Aim

The use of custom‐fitted mouthguards can effectively prevent dentoalveolar trauma during sports practice. The aims of this study were to (1) Evaluate the elastic modulus of different EVA commercial brands used for custom‐fitted mouthguards, and (2) Evaluate whether the different EVA brands can influence the stress and strain generated during an impact simulated by three‐dimensional finite element analysis.

Methods

The elastic modulus of five EVA commercial brands (Essence®, Bio‐Art®, Proform®, PolyShok®, and Erkodent®) were calculated through uniaxial tensile tests. The obtained values were evaluated statistically by Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn's test. A three‐dimensional model of the anterior maxilla was created using the Rhinoceros 5.0. A 3 mm custom‐fitted mouthguard was simulated. The three‐dimensional volumetric mesh was generated using the Patran software (MSC.Software) with isoparametrics, 4‐noded tetrahedral elements, and exported to Marc/Mentat (MSC.Software) as element number 134. A non‐linear dynamic impact analysis was performed in which a rigid object struck the central incisor at a speed of 5 m/s. The stresses were evaluated by the modified von Mises criteria, and the strains were also recorded.

Results

Statistically significant differences were observed for elastic modulus values (p < .001). Median values and the results of the Dunn's test were Essence® (38.1 A), Bio‐Art® (34.9 AB), Proform® (20.8 BC), PolyShok® (17.4 CD), and Erkodent® (15.0 D) (different capital letters mean statistical differences among the groups). Stresses and strains generated in the model with mouthguards were significantly lower than the model without a mouthguard regardless of the commercial brand. There was no significant difference in the stress and strain on the enamel and dentin with the different EVA brands. The shock absorption ability was high for all the brands (more than 80%).

Conclusion

The custom‐fitted mouthguards, independently of the commercial brand, reduced stresses and strains during the impact.
Chemotaxis and parasitism of the Neotropical fruit fly parasitoidGanaspis pelleranoican be altered by pre‐imaginal and imaginal conditioning to fruit volatiles
Authors: Pires Patricia Daniela da Silva , Sant' Ana Josué , Redaelli Luiza Rodrigues , Leite Natália Alves
Published: March 2022

Search behavior of parasitoids can be triggered by fruit volatiles’ perception and modified through pre‐imaginal and/or imaginal conditioning.Ganaspis pelleranoi(Brèthes) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) is an endoparasitoid of tephritid fruit flies of economic importance. Despite its relevance to agroecosystems, no studies about its learning processes have been done. Therefore, we conducted chemotaxis and parasitism bioassays to evaluate pre‐imaginal and imaginal learning, and memory retention ofG. pelleranoifemales to volatiles of guava (Psidium guajavaL., Myrtaceae) and apple (Malus domesticaBorkh., Rosaceae). Parasitoids conditioned as immatures were obtained fromAnastrepha fraterculus(Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) larvae reared in apple or artificial diet. Parasitoids conditioned as adults were exposed to an apple substrate for 24 or 48 h, and tested after 1, 12, and 24 h. In the olfactometer, parasitoids were given a choice between guava and apple fruits (infested and uninfested). To assess parasitism, three units of parasitism were offered, which consisted ofA.fraterculuslarvae brushed with water, or with apple or guava pulp. Females preferred guava volatiles regardless of their pre‐imaginal conditioning. When adults were exposed to an apple substrate for 48 h, they preferred volatiles from this fruit for up to 12 h. Females that were conditioned for 24 or 48 h on apple volatiles parasitized more larvae in units with this substrate. Also, the number of flies that emerged from units with apple was lower for females conditioned for 48 h on the same fruit. Therefore, we conclude that pre‐imaginal conditioning in infested fruits was less important than the parasitoid experience to chemicals of fruit volatiles during the adult stage. Also, the longer the exposure of adults to odors, the greater the attraction to those odors and memory retention. Conditioning ofG.pelleranoifemales could be used as a strategy to improve future biocontrol programs of fruit flies.
Inhibition of TRPM7 with carvacrol suppresses glioblastoma functions in vivo
Authors: Alanazi Rahmah , Nakatogawa Hirokazu , Wang Haitao , Ji Delphine , Luo Zhengwei , Golbourn Brian , Feng Zhong‐Ping , Rutka James T. , Sun Hong‐Shuo
Published: March 2022

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent and aggressive type of primary human brain tumours originating in the central nervous system. Despite the fact that current treatments involve surgery, chemotherapy (Temozolomide), and radiation therapy, the prognosis for patients diagnosed with GBM remains extremely poor. The standard treatment is not only unable to completely eradicate the tumour cells, but also tumour recurrence after surgical resection presents a major challenge. Furthermore, adjuvant therapies including radiation and chemotherapy have high cytotoxicity which causes extensive damage to surrounding healthy tissues and treatment is usually halted before GBM is fully eradicated. Finally, most GBM cases demonstrate temozolomide resistance, a common reason for GBM treatment failure. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a suitable alternative therapy that targets GBM specifically and has low cytotoxicity for healthy cells. We previously reported that transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channels are aberrantly upregulated in GBM, and inhibition of TRPM7 reduced GBM cellular functions including proliferation, migration, and invasion. This suggests TRPM7 is a potential therapeutic target for GBM treatment. In this study, we investigated the effects of the TRPM7 inhibitor, carvacrol, on human GBM cell lines U87 and U251 in vivo. With the use of a flank xenograft GBM mouse model, we demonstrated that carvacrol significantly reduced the tumour size in both mice injected with U87 and U251 cells, decreased p‐Akt protein level and increased p‐GSK3β protein levels. Therefore, these results suggest that carvacrol may have therapeutic potential for GBM treatment.
Modified Lamport Merkle Digital Signature blockchain framework for authentication of internet of things healthcare data
Authors: Mehbodniya Abolfazl , Webber Julian L. , Neware Rahul , Arslan Farrukh , Pamba Raja Varma , Shabaz Mohammad
Published: March 2022

Medical internet of things (IoT) includes various devices, sensor, machines, equipment which exchange data over wide network. Industry 5.0 and 5G technology have ramped mIoT data and cost‐effective sensors. There is sudden upsurge in the medical IoT for enhancing the medical care. Integration of cloud server for data storage and cloud computing has led to the emergence of time and cost‐effective management of medical resources and improved patient lifestyle. However, cloud data is always at risk of data leak and malicious attack by unwanted users for their personal gains and agenda. With the increase of data exchange in the medical field, there is an urgency of keeping all the transaction safe and secure. There is a growing malicious data attacks and vulnerability. Therefore, to overcome such situations, the proposed model is a step towards sustainable technology. Keeping the focus on cost effective data security, the present work has developed a framework of modified Lamport Merkle Digital Signature method for signature generation and verification. It makes use of central healthcare controller (CHC) which determine the root of generated signature along with verification and authentication. For verification, the validation hash public key with generate key is required to validate the signature. This led to the efficient, cost effective and faster security when compared to the existing methods.
The emerging role of dipeptidyl peptidase 3 in pathophysiology
Authors: Malovan Grazia , Hierzberger Bettina , Suraci Samuele , Schaefer Maximilian , Santos Karine , Jha Shalinee , Macheroux Peter
Published: March 2022

Dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3), a zinc‐dependent aminopeptidase, is a highly conserved enzyme among higher animals. The enzyme cleaves dipeptides from the N‐terminus of tetra‐ to decapeptides, thereby taking part in activation as well as degradation of signalling peptides critical in physiological and pathological processes such as blood pressure regulation, nociception, inflammation and cancer. Besides its catalytic activity, DPP3 moonlights as a regulator of the cellular oxidative stress response pathway, e.g., the Keap1‐Nrf2 mediated antioxidative response. The enzyme is also recognized as a key modulator of the renin‐angiotensin system. Recently, DPP3 has been attracting growing attention within the scientific community, which has significantly augmented our knowledge of its physiological relevance. Herein, we review recent advances in our understanding of the structure and catalytic activity of DPP3, with a focus on attributing its molecular architecture and catalytic mechanism to its wide‐ranging biological functions. We further highlight recent intriguing reports that implicate a broader role for DPP3 as a valuable biomarker in cardiovascular and renal pathologies and furthermore discuss its potential as a promising drug target.
Shrinking return forecasts
Authors: Liu Li , Pan Zhiyuan , Wang Yudong
Published: March 2022

We develop a new approach that shrinks a given model forecast to the benchmark model forecast in order to improve forecasting performance. Simulation results show the superior performance of our approach, relative to popular methods such as forecast combination and the robustness to model misspecification. We apply our method to forecasting the returns on the S&P 500 index and find significant predictability when shrinking the principal component (PC) regression forecasts based on statistical and economic evaluation criteria. The forecast improvement from our shrinkage approach can be explained by the ability of its hyperparameters to be better predict real economic changes.
Genomic signatures of adaptive divergence in lacustrine copepods
Authors: Ortega‐Mayagoitia Elizabeth , Alcántara‐Rodríguez José Arturo , Urbán‐Olivares Javier , Campos Jorge E. , Ciros‐Pérez Jorge
Published: March 2022

Ecological speciation, the formation of reproductive barriers as a consequence of adaptive divergence, can be a widespread diversification process in lacustrine landscapes, where the interplay of multiple biotic and abiotic factors generates a lavish array of divergent environments. Copepods are a major component of aquatic ecosystems and have remarkable evolvability, but the effects of adaptation to divergent environments at the genomic level and their implications for diversification in lakes are unknown.

We studied four populations of calanoid copepods (Leptodiaptomus group sicilis) inhabiting three permanent deep lakes and one ephemeral playa lake; despite their geographical closeness, they display adaptation to local conditions of salinity, potential immigrant inviability and divergent life‐history traits. Using a reduced representation of the genome, we describe the genomic signatures of ecological divergence (salinity and habitat permanence), genome‐wide differentiation and population structure.

We found that the four populations are genetically well‐differentiated and constitute four monophyletic lineages with individual evolutionary trajectories. Candidate adaptive loci showed clear signatures of diversifying selection, and the relationship between neutral and adaptive genetic variation suggested a pattern of isolation‐by‐adaptation. Interestingly, most neutral and adaptive differentiation was associated with habitat permanence, not with salinity divergence.

We concluded that local adaptation to salinity promoted reduced gene flow via immigrant inviability, reinforcing the adaptation to other factors associated with the permanence/ephemerality of lakes and fostering the accumulation of genomic differentiation due to neutral evolution, ultimately leading to speciation.

Our results show how divergent ecological conditions such as salinity and permanence/ephemerality of water regime produce significant genomic differentiation in copepod populations, paving the way for their diversification and speciation.
The aesthetic turn in border studies: Visual geographies of power, contestation and subversion
Authors: Moze Francesco , Spiegel Samuel J.
Published: March 2022

In recent years, critical border studies have developed sophisticated concepts and methodologies for exploring the multifaceted spatialities, sociologies and temporalities of contemporary borders. In this article, we consider how the “aesthetic turn” that has gained prominence in the scholarship can further inform thinking in border studies. Specifically, we focus on the role of the visual in the construction as well as subversion of borders, suggesting possible avenues for future critical aesthetics‐engaged research on COVID‐19 era border reconfigurations. To do so, we first briefly outline the theoretical evolution of border studies, paying attention to recent conceptualisations of borders as dynamic processes of social and spatial differentiation. We then build on the borderscapes concept to unpack research on border aesthetics, with particular attention to the heterogeneous roles played by visual objects such as maps, photographs and videos in shaping both hegemonic and counter‐hegemonic processes of bordering. Finally, we bring these contributions into discussion with recent insights on the COVID‐19 pandemic, sketching several ways to advance aesthetic concepts and methodologies in academic research on borderscapes that are emerging with, and will likely outlast, the pandemic. We suggest that border studies and affiliated sub‐fields can gain useful insights from attending more explicitly and robustly to dynamic visual geographies of power, contestation and subversion.
Co‐financing community‐driven development through informal taxation: Evidence from south‐central Somalia
Authors: van den Boogaard Vanessa , Santoro Fabrizio
Published: March 2022

Community contributions are often required as part of community‐driven development programs, with contributions encouraged through matching grants. However, little remains known about the impact of matching grants or the implications of requiring community contributions—also known as informal taxation. We explore this research gap through a randomized control trial of a matching grant program in Gedo region in south‐central Somalia. We find that matching grants can increase informal taxation and serve as an effective means of delivering public goods. Moreover, we find that the program strengthened local government legitimacy, despite the local government playing no direct role in the program. These findings deepen our understanding of how matching grants may contribute to community‐driven development in a context of weak institutional capacity, while pointing to potential complementarities between state and non‐state actors in governance and service provision, formal and informal institutions, and formal and informal taxation.
Development zones and urban economic performance in China: Direct impact and channel effects
Authors: Wang Zehong , Wang Shaojian , Wang Jieyu , Wang Yuqu
Published: March 2022

Development zones constitute a special type of place‐based policy that has been implemented worldwide. As an essential economic development engine, Chinese National Economic and Technological Development Zones (NETDZs) are perceived as a successful example. However, few studies have looked into the channel effects at work in development zones concerning industrialization and urbanization, despite the crucial nature of such effects with regard to sustainable development of development zones. Following a brief description of NETDZs and their theoretical mechanisms with urban economic performance, industrialization, and urbanization, this study used a simultaneous equation model to generate empirical evidence of the impact of the establishment of NETDZs on urban economic performance and its channel effects through industrialization and urbanization. The results confirm that NETDZs exerts a positive and significant impact on urban economic performance, and NETDZs also show indirect influence in urban growth through urbanization. Although significant and positive intermediation of industrialization remains invalid, foreign direct investment and investment in fixed assets are still crucial in Chinese industrialization. Both industrialization and urbanization play an important role in Chinese urban economic development. Meanwhile, compared with eastern regions more influenced by urbanization, industrialization still acts as a major impetus in inland China.
The spillover effect of senior neighbors on housing prices: Evidence from Beijing, China
Authors: Zhou Xiaoping , Lei Tong , Wang Yuyao , Zhang Tianzheng , Zhang Yingjie , Song Yan , Zeng Yingxiang
Published: March 2022

The spillover effect of seniors on housing prices has become a hot issue. Previous studies focused on the macro impact of aging on housing prices, paying less attention to the characteristics of seniors in micro‐community. This study attempts to fill this gap by assessing the spillover effect of the number, education levels, and occupations of senior neighbors on housing prices. Based on seniors’ characteristics in 3,565 neighborhood committees within the Sixth Ring Road in Beijing and 247,079 housing transactions from 2011 to 2019, this study utilized the hedonic price model and reached the following conclusions. (1) Housing prices decreased slightly with an increase in the total number of seniors in neighborhoods. (2) The spillover effects of some specific socioeconomic characteristics of seniors significantly improved housing prices. For every 10% increase in the proportion of well‐educated seniors or seniors who worked in government institutions, the housing price premium was 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively, with a comprehensive effect stronger than that of the total number of seniors. (3) The total number of seniors in neighborhoods had a nonlinear spillover effect on housing prices. (4) The characteristics of seniors have heterogeneous effects on housing prices based on location, housing price, and building age.
Etoricoxib and celecoxib sensitive indomethacin‐responsive headache disorders
Authors: Farag Mena , Bahra Anish
Published: March 2022

Indomethacin‐responsive headaches encompass a group of disorders which include a subset of the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias and other paroxysmal, often precipitated primary headaches. Many patients show a rapid therapeutic response to indomethacin, which is limited by intolerability. Etoricoxib and celecoxib, selective inhibitors of cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), spare gastroduodenal COX‐1 activity and are less likely to cause gastrointestinal adverse effects than indomethacin. We report a case series of eight patients, seven who responded to etoricoxib and one patient who responded to celecoxib.
Chronic systemic corticosteroid therapy influences the development of pulp necrosis and experimental apical periodontitis, exacerbating the inflammatory process and bone resorption in rats
Authors: do Nascimento Isabelly Vidal , Rodrigues Maria Imaculada de Queiroz , Isaias Pedro Henrique Chaves , Barros‐Silva Paulo Goberlânio , Sousa Fabricio Bitu , Nunes Alves Ana Paula Negreiros , Mota Mário Rogério Lima
Published: March 2022

Aim

The main aim of the study was to evaluate the inflammatory response and development of apical periodontitis in rats chronically treated with glucocorticoids.

Methodology

Male Wistar rats (Rattus novergicus) were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group, which was treated with prednisone (5 mg/kg/day) and a control group, which was administered saline solution for 30 days before induction of apical periodontitis, continuing until the day of euthanasia days 0, 7, 14 and 28 after injury induction. The mandibles were subjected to histological evaluation to determine the size of the lesion, was also performed for the presence and absence of pulp necrosis, bone resorption and micro abscesses, and histomorphometric analyses were performed based on the number of polymorphonuclear cells and mononuclear cells. Histochemical analysis was also performed to assess the percentage of collagen fibres and their typification, in addition to immunohistochemistry for the inflammatory markers interleukin IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α and TRAP.

Results

Despite after 7 days, there was no differences between groups, a significant increase in the root pulp necrosis (p = .001), micro‐abscesses (p = .026) and the size of the apical lesion on the 14th day of treatment with prednisone (p = .008). On the same day, there was also an increase in the number of polymorphonuclear cells (p = .042) and cells immunostained for IL‐1β (p = .006), IL‐6 (p < .001) and TRAP (p = .002) in animals treated with prednisone. The numbers of mononuclear cells also increase in 28 days (p = .025) and TNF‐α ± increases in the prednisone group on the 7th day (p = .041). The prednisone group also showed a decrease in collagen after 14 (both type I [p = .041] and type III [p = .046]) and 28 type III (p = .002) days after the coronary opening.

Conclusions

The glucocorticoids modified the development of experimental apical periodontitis induced in rats, causing an early increase in periapical bone resorption and pulp necrosis. These effects are associated with alterations in cytokine levels, in the inflammatory response and in collagen deposition, in the 14th day after injury induction.
Thermal radiative properties of zirconium oxide films in the near‐infrared wavelengths
Authors: Wang Yao , Hsu Pei‐feng , Wu Yingsang
Published: March 2022

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) using yttria‐stabilized zirconium dioxide (YSZ) are widely used in gas turbines to protect metal components against the high combustion product temperature. Increasing combustion temperature and pressure, radiative heat transfer becomes an essential portion of the overall heat transfer in TBCs. This necessitates a greater understanding of the thermal radiative properties of YSZ films, especially in the near‐infrared wavelength range. The commonly used Kubelka–Munk (KM) method in the radiative property reduction from the measured transmittance and reflectance spectra of YSZ films can incur inaccurate results when the coating optical thickness is not sufficiently large. The discrete ordinates method with the asymmetric spherical ring angular quadrature can solve the radiative transfer equation with good accuracy in optically thin media. Considering the solution accuracy and computational efficiency, a hybrid approach of combining the KM and discrete ordinate methods is used to invert radiative properties. The absorption and scattering coefficients of air plasma sprayed YSZ films are determined over the wavelength range from 1 to 2.6 μm at room temperature. Over this near‐infrared wavelength range, the scattering coefficient decreases with the increasing wavelength, and the absorption coefficient is very small overall.
The determinants of retail customers' purchase intent
Authors: Menidjel Choukri , Bilgihan Anil
Published: March 2022

Despite the growing attention on enhancing purchase intent, there is no coherent framework for determining retail customers’ purchase intent. This study aims to contribute to marketing theory and practice by proposing and testing a comprehensive theoretical model that incorporates direct, mediating, and moderating relationships among preeminent constructs to produce decisive insight into purchase intent. Partial least squares‐based structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) was deployed to test research hypotheses and analyse the data collected from 515 customers. The findings reveal that customer relationship proneness has a positive impact on customer satisfaction, customer trust, and purchase intent. In addition, customer satisfaction is found to have a positive effect on customer trust. Customer trust, in turn, positively affects customer purchase intent. Customer trust fully mediates the association of customer satisfaction and purchase intent and partially mediates the association of relationship proneness and purchase intent. Of our seven selected moderators, only marital status and income moderate the association of customer relationship proneness and customer satisfaction. A customer's tendency to engage in relationships with retailers or brands depends on various factors that are related to customer characteristics. To develop customer loyalty and cultivate long‐term relationships, retailers are recommended to segment their customers based on their respective relationship proneness and relevant demographic characteristics, in particular, marital status and income, and target each segment with customized relationship marketing activities.
Effects of particle size in wasted bread flour properties
Authors: Guerra‐Oliveira Priscila , Fernández‐Peláez Juan , Gallego Cristina , Gómez Manuel
Published: March 2022

Bread is wasted at different stages in the food value chain, mainly in industry and retail markets. Wasted bread can be milled into flour to be used in the elaboration of other food products. Milling can generate flours with different particle sizes that influence their properties. This study analysed the effect of particle size (200, 500 and 1000 μm) on the hydration, pasting and gel properties of flours elaborated with four different stale breads. Bread flours show a higher cold water absorption capacity and a lower oil absorption capacity than wheat flour. No differences in water absorption properties after heating were observed. The viscosity curves of bread flours presented lower values than wheat flour curves, and the gels obtained were weaker. Bread flour properties were not influenced by different particle sizes. Therefore, a less aggressive milling, with a lower energy cost, can generates flours with properties similar to finer flours.
Inventions on phosphates for chemical leavening
Authors: Gélinas Pierre
Published: March 2022

Baking powders contain leavening acids that activate gas‐releasing agents such as sodium bicarbonate. This is a review of the patent literature on phosphate‐based leavening acids developed between 1856 and 2019. Overall, 174 patented inventions were found on 28 phosphate‐based compounds, which corresponded to more than half of the inventions disclosed on leavening acids. Inventors had a strong interest in monocalcium phosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate and, to a lesser extent, sodium aluminium phosphate and miscellaneous acid phosphates. As cheap alternatives to tartrates, most early phosphate‐based leavening acids were difficult to keep because they had a high affinity for moisture and tended to react prematurely with gas‐releasing agents in baking powders. The evolution of phosphates in chemical leavening reflected changes in the consumption of bakery foods, especially in the United States where chemical leavening has been very popular for food preparations like prepared flours, ready‐to‐use bakery mixes and refrigerated doughs. Sodium‐free phosphates are solutions to reduce salt intake in food. Alternatives to phosphates are searched due to potential health issues.
Effect of pH on betalain–anthocyanin mixture in bayberry juice: influences on pigments, colour, and antioxidant capacity
Authors: Ju Changxin , Lv Jimin , Wu Andi , Wang Yiwen , Zhu Yanyun , Chen Jianchu
Published: March 2022

Betalains (mainly betanin, isobetanin, and phyllocactin) extracted from red–purple pitaya were blended with Chinese bayberry juice (rich in anthocyanins) to explore variation trends of two natural pigments in one system. The mixture showed higher anthocyanin contents at pH 4, 4.5, and 5. In this process, redness and colour saturation were also maintained to a greater extent compared to the control. The coexisting betalains and anthocyanins increased colour acceptability of the juice matrix and expanded the pH tolerance range. Interestingly, colour change (ΔE) showed the opposite trend. Besides, betalains showed the function of improving the antioxidant activity of juice matrix at pH 3, 4, and 4.5, which confirmed their biological activity. Betalain‐added bayberry juice obtained a satisfactory ABTS (2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) radical scavenging capacity for 62.52% at pH 5.
Preparation and characterisation of curcumin‐loaded pea protein‐zein nanocomplexes using pH‐driven method
Authors: Zhao Yilin , Han Xinxin , Yin Huanhuan , Li Qi , Zhou Jingyi , Zhang Hao , Zhang Wenge , Zhao Chengbin , Liu Jingsheng
Published: March 2022

The nanocomplexes of hydrophilic pea protein (Pp) and hydrophobic zein were prepared to encapsulate curcumin (Cur) by the pH‐driven method. The properties of pea protein‐zein complex were affected by many factors, of which mass ratio was one of the most important factors. The nanocomplexes with a mass ratio Pp to zein of 8:2 showed a smaller size (near 100 nm) and a higher stability than individual Pp nanoparticles. The solubility of Cur was significantly improved by the nanocomplexes prepared by this method. In neutral aqueous solution, the solubility of Cur encapsulated with the nanocomplex reached 652 μg mL−1, and the nanocomplexes had excellent re‐dispersibility. The main forces for the formation of nanocomplexes were hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds, and the Cur existed in amorphous state in the nanocomplexes. The Cur coated with protein complexes had higher storage stability and thermal stability than Cur loaded with single protein, indicating the stronger protection on Cur provided by protein complexes. Furthermore, the nanocomplexes exhibited an improved antioxidant activity after in vitro simulated digestion. Thus, the nanocomplexes prepared by a simple and safe pH‐driven method could be used for functional protection and delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds.
Development of nanocomposite biodegradable film containing iron nanoparticles biosynthesised by Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Al‐Hayali Jazaer Hasan Darweesh , Cagrı‐Mehmetoglu Arzu
Published: March 2022

The use of nanoparticles in biodegradable films has been shown to improve their characteristics in food packaging. The study was designed to investigate the effect of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and lysed yeast cells residue (YSR) on the properties of whey protein concentrate (WPC) films. IONPs (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm) biosynthesised by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and YSR were used to prepare WPC films. The addition of IONPs and YSR increased the tensile strength (TS) of the films by approximately 2.6 MPa compared with the control films (P < 0.05). Percent elongation and water vapour permeability of the films decreased significantly (P < 0.05) by the contribution of IONPs. All the films did not inhibit the growth of tested microorganisms. The incorporation of YSR in the film also did not make a significant change in any properties of the film (P > 0.05). The results indicated the usefulness of IONPs incorporation into WPC films to enhance mechanical but not antimicrobial properties.
¿Quién carga con los costes de las crisis en las cadenas mundiales de suministro? El caso de los proveedores y trabajadores de la confección durante la pandemia de COVID‐19
Authors: ANNER Mark
Published: March 2022

A principios de 2020, marcas de ropa y minoristas cancelaron pedidos por valor de 40 000 millones de dólares de los Estados Unidos, con consecuencias drásticas para proveedores y trabajadores. Con datos de encuestas originales, cuestionarios a proveedores, entrevistas y análisis cronológico y de datos comerciales se exploran las asimetrías de poder y la distribución de los costes de las crisis en las cadenas mundiales de suministro. Se observa un menor poder de los compradores, en parte por campañas de colaboración entre proveedores y trabajadores como #PayUp, pero los compradores siguen presionando a los proveedores, en detrimento de los trabajadores. Se recomiendan acuerdos vinculantes.
Abdominal‐B contributes to abdominal identity in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)
Authors: Chen Sun‐Jie , Liu Xin‐Yang , Zhang Jin‐Li , Yang Zhang‐Nv , Xu Hai‐Jun
Published: March 2022

The homeotic complex gene Abdominal‐B (Abd‐B) is involved in regulating the development of posterior abdomens and has been extensively studied in holometabolous insects. However, the function of Abd‐B in hemimetabolous insects is not fully understood. Here, we functionally characterize an Abd‐B homologue in the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. The full‐length cDNA of the N. lugens Abd‐B homologue (NlAbd‐B) is 2334 nt, with an open reading frame of 1113 bp. NlAbd‐B has the highest expression level at the egg stage relative to the nymphal and adult stages and is mainly expressed in the fourth to the ninth abdominal segment of embryos. RNA interference (RNAi)‐mediated knockdown of NlAbd‐B in nymphs disrupted the development of genitalia both in females and males and caused a genitalia‐to‐leg transformation. Parental RNAi of NlAbd‐B in both female and male adults caused an extra abdominal segment in offspring nymphs, while parental RNAi of the N. lugens abdominal‐A homologue in both female and males adults led to embryos with leg‐like appendages on the second to the eighth abdominal segment. These findings suggest that NlAbd‐B plays a pivotal role in genital development and posterior abdominal patterning and thus highlight the conservational role of Abd‐B in holometabolous and hemimetabolous insects.
Prevalence and influencing factors of posttraumatic growth among nurses suffering from workplace violence: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zeng Li , Zhang Xiangeng , Wang Fang , Yun Jie , Lai Li , Jin Man , Liu Guiling , Qiu Yinong , Wang Jialin
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this study was to (i) identify the level of posttraumatic growth among nurses suffering from workplace violence, (ii) clarify the relationship between nurses' posttraumatic growth and compassion satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and (iii) determine the influencing factors for posttraumatic growth among nurses suffering from workplace violence. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to investigate 726 nurses suffering from workplace violence in 10 tertiary hospitals by using demographic, work‐related information, lifestyle questionnaire, simplified Chinese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and professional quality of life scale. In the findings, (i) the participants’ posttraumatic growth scores were 57.29 ± 21.56, while the compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress scores were 32.82 ± 6.80, 27.17 ± 5.53, and 26.67 ± 5.29, respectively, (ii) posttraumatic growth was positively correlated with compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress, and negatively correlated with burnout, and (iii) compassion satisfaction, sleep hours per day, department, scheduling, alcohol, secondary traumatic stress, children, and work hours per day were influencing factors of posttraumatic growth, which explained 36.3% of the total variance. Our study indicates that Chinese nurses may experience moderate levels of compassionate satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and low levels of posttraumatic growth after suffering from workplace violence, while the posttraumatic growth of nurses suffering from workplace violence is more affected by work‐related variables and lifestyle‐related variables, but less affected by other sociodemographic variables. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the psychological evaluation of nurses and adopt targeted strategies to promote nurses' posttraumatic growth.
Measuring mental health recovery: Cross‐cultural adaptation of the 15‐item Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery in Spain (QPR‐15‐SP)
Authors: Goodman‐Casanova Jessica Marian , Cuesta‐Lozano Daniel , Garcia‐Gallardo Marta , Duran‐Jimenez Francisco Javier , Mayoral‐Cleries Fermin , Guzman‐Parra Jose
Published: March 2022

Mental health services need reliable and valid instruments to measure mental health recovery outcomes, and the only available one in Spanish is arduous. Adapting an instrument is more efficient than creating a new one as it enables international comparison research. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross‐cultural adaptation of the 15‐item Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery.

Fifty‐four participants engaged in a five‐stage systematic and standardized process carried out from November 2019 to November 2020. Professional translators (n = 4) from the Translation Service Center for Foreign Languages of the Universidad de Alcalá participated in the direct translation, synthesis and back translation stages, and mental health professionals (n = 33) and service users (n = 17) from the Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga and the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria in Andalucía (Spain), with an average of 19.2 (SD 12.86) years of experience in mental health, participated in the committee of experts and pilot debriefing stages. Additionally, legibility was assessed.

Out of the 15‐items of the questionnaire, three (20%) were equal amongst translations, three items (20%) of the back translations matched the original questionnaire and discrepancies identified were adapted accordingly. Seven items (46.7%) were approved online by experts and consensus of alternative translations was reached for the rest. The average time spent completing the questionnaire by service users during the face‐to‐face pilot was 4.12 min (SD 2.25). Internal consistency obtained was ω = 0.95 and α = 0.91. Debriefing findings reported the questionnaire as comprehensible (97.1%), adequate in wording (91.2%), formal in language (55.9%) and adequate in terms of length (100%). The questionnaire scored 65.53, ‘normal’ readability, on the Inflesz scale.

The adapted instrument has conceptual, linguistic, cultural and metric equivalence to the original instrument.
Consequences of changing spatial configuration at sowing in the transitions between crop and pasture phases
Authors: Hayes Richard C. , Newell Matthew T. , Swan Anthony D. , Peoples Mark B. , Pembleton Keith G. , Li Guangdi D.
Published: March 2022

Prospects for improving the productivity of species mixtures in transitions between phases by changing row configuration at sowing were examined in two series of field experiments in rain‐fed, semi‐arid environments in south‐eastern Australia. The first series explored how the choice of cover crop and use of alternate drill row configurations affected establishment and yields of sward components in the transition from a cropping into a pasture phase. Cover‐crop species included wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), canola (Brassica napus L.) and lupins (Lupinus augustifolius L.), each sown in mixed or alternate drill rows with lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.). The second series of experiments examined the productivity implications when returning from the pasture phase back into cropping following 10 contrasting pastures sown to various combinations of lucerne, subterranean clover or phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) sown in mixed, alternate (1:1) or double skip (1:2) row configurations in the absence of cover crops. All experiments were sown on a 0.25‐m row spacing. In the transition into the pasture phase, grain yields of cover crops in the mixed drill row treatment were similar to those achieved by crops grown in the absence of pasture species but were reduced by an average of 24% in the alternate drill row configuration. Canola and lupin crop biomass were lower, compared with wheat and barley, leading to increased pasture yields in year 1, highlighting an opportunity for increased use of these species as cover/companion crops in semi‐arid environments. Pasture yields beyond year 1 were reduced by ~20% in the alternate drill row treatments compared with where species were sown in mixed drill rows, with greater yield differences under more favourable growing conditions. This response largely reflected yield reductions in lucerne where it was concentrated in fewer drill rows. The alternate drill row configuration increased the abundance of subterranean clover in year 1, but this species remained a minor component of all swards beyond the establishment year. In the transition into the cropping phase, effects on grain quality could only be attributed to row configuration of the previous pasture to the extent that row configuration changed pasture composition. Grain size was smallest and protein concentration highest where previous pastures contained both lucerne and subterranean clover without phalaris. Taken together, there was little advantage in total productivity attributable to spatially separating species in drill rows at sowing.
A carvacrol-based product reduces Campylobacter jejuni load and alters microbiota composition in the caeca of chickens
Authors: Allaoua Marion , Bonnafé Elsa , Etienne Pierre , Noirot Virginie , Gabarrou Jean-François , Castinel Adrien , Pascal Géraldine , Darbot Vincent , Treilhou Michel , Combes Sylvie
Published: March 2022

Aim

This study was conducted to test the ability of a carvacrol-based formulation (Phodé, France) to decrease the C. jejuni caecal load in inoculated broiler chickens and to study the impact of the C. jejuni inoculation alone or combined with the product, on the caecal microbiota.

Methods and Results

On day 1, chickens were either fed a control feed or the same diet supplemented with a carvacrol-based product. On day 21, the carvacrol-supplemented chickens and half of the non-supplemented chickens were inoculated with C. jejuni (108 CFU). Quantitative PCR was used to quantify C. jejuni in chicken caecal samples and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was carried out at 25, 31 and 35 days of age. A significant decrease of 1.4 log of the C. jejuni caecal load was observed in 35-day-old chickens supplemented with the product, compared to the inoculated and unsupplemented group (p < 0.05). The inoculation with C. jejuni significantly increased the population richness, Shannon and Simpson diversity and altered beta-diversity. Compared to the control group, the C. jejuni inoculation causes significant changes in the microbiota. The carvacrol-based product associated with C. jejuni inoculation increased the diversity and strongly modified the structure of the microbial community. Functional analysis by 16S rRNA gene-based predictions further revealed that the product up-regulated the pathways involved in the antimicrobial synthesis, which could explain its shaping effect on the caecal microbiota.

Conclusions

Our study confirmed the impairment of the caecal bacterial community after inoculation and demonstrated the ability of the product to reduce the C. jejuni load in chickens. Further investigations are needed to better understand the mode of action of this product to promote the installation of a beneficial microbiota to its host.

Significance and Impact of the Study

Results suggested that this product could be promising to control C. jejuni contamination of broilers.
Identifying key components of a web‐based long term care planning intervention for family caregivers of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities
Authors: Chicas Vanessa E. , Steinway Caren , Chen Jack , Schwartz Matthew C. , Wright Charmaine , Cornacchia Michelle , Davis Thomas W. , Berens John C. , Riddle Ilka , Woodward Jason F. , Jan Sophia
Published: March 2022

Background

Few family caregivers of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities develop long‐term care (LTC) plans for their relative. Web‐based interventions promoting LTC planning have potential for widespread adoption into clinical practice.

Methods

We conducted focus groups with 49 primary caregivers of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in NY, PA, OH, DE, and TX to identify barriers and facilitators of LTC planning, review existing tools, and identify critical features for web‐based LTC planning interventions. Participants also answered questions on demographic characteristics and functional status.

Results

NVivo qualitative analysis software was used to analyse focus groups using a grounded theory approach. Caregivers identified web tool accessibility and topics such as finances, housing, and government benefits as critical. Caregivers also described desired features for a LTC planning tool.

Conclusions

This study identified desired characteristics of web‐based LTC planning tools and ways in which existing web‐based interventions might be adapted or enhanced.
Political connections, tacit power and corporate misconduct
Authors: McCarten Matthew , Diaz‐Rainey Ivan , Roberts Helen , Tan Eric K. M.
Published: March 2022

This paper examines the impact of political connections (i.e., lobbying and political contributions) on the time it takes to detect corporate misconduct and the size of penalties following securities class actions (SCAs), restatements and Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases (AAERs). We find firms with political connections exhibit longer misconduct periods for SCAs, and such ability to conceal misconduct for longer translates into a larger settlement size. In addition, we find politically connected firms are associated with greater shareholder losses and are less likely to be involved in Securities Exchange Commission enforcement actions on restatements. Finally, while we do not find any relation between political connections and the likelihood of AAERs being settled, we find political connections are associated with lower AAER settlement size.
Does corporate governance have a differential effect on downside and upside risk?
Authors: Ali Searat , Liu Benjamin , Su Jen Je
Published: March 2022

We investigate whether corporate governance has differential effects on downside and upside risk. Intuitively, strong corporate governance should decrease the downside risk but increase the upside risk. However, using a large panel of 1164 non‐financial Australian firms from 2001 to 2013, we find that strong corporate governance relates negatively not only to downside risk but also to upside risk. These findings are robust to alternative risk‐taking and corporate governance proxies and alternative sample specifications. We also show that our main results are unaffected due to endogeneity bias by using firm and industry‐year fixed effects, lagged independent variables, generalized method of moments and entropy balancing estimation techniques. In additional analyses, we document that our main results are homogeneous across different industries and for firms with varying levels of boardroom gender diversity. However, we find that our main results are driven by firms with lower ownership concentration as well as by older and more mature firms. Finally, we document that while reducing risk‐taking (downside and upside risk), corporate governance reduces firm value. From a regulatory perspective, these findings raise questions on the design of monitoring‐focused corporate governance recommendations and have implications for risk management.