bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of RNA and RNA:DNA hybrid strand displacement
Authors: Liu Hao , Hong Fan , Smith Francesca , Goertz John , Ouldridge Thomas E. , Yan Hao , Šulc Petr
Published: April 2021

In dynamic nucleic acids nanotechnology, strand displacement is a widely used mechanism where one strand from a hybridized duplex is exchanged with an invading strand which binds to a toehold, a single-stranded region on the duplex. With proper design and kinetic control, strand displacement is used to perform logic operations on molecular level to trigger the conformational change in nanostructures, initiate cascaded reactions, or even for in vivo diagnostics and treatments. While systematic experimental studies have been carried out to probe the kinetics of strand displacement in DNA, there has not been a comparable systematic work done for RNA or RNA-DNA hybrid systems. Here, we experimentally study how toehold length, toehold location (5′ or 3′ end of the strand) and mismatches influence the strand displacement kinetics. Through comparing the reaction rates, combined with previous theoretical studies, we observed reaction acceleration with increasing toehold length and placement of toehold at 5′end of the substrate. We find that mismatches closer to the interface of toehold and duplex slow down the reaction more than remote mismatches. Comparison of RNA displacement and DNA displacement with hybrid displacement (RNA invading DNA or DNA invading RNA) is in part explainable by the thermodynamic stabilities of the respective toehold regions, but also suggest that the rearrangement from B-form to A-form helix in case of RNA invading DNA might play a role in the kinetics. The measured kinetics of toehold-mediated strand displacement will be important in understanding and construction of more complex dynamic nucleic acid systems.
Noradrenergic alpha-2A receptor activation suppresses courtship vocalization in male Japanese quail
Authors: Tobari Yasuko , Masuzawa Ami , Harada Norika , Suzuki Kenta , Meddle Simone L.
Published: April 2021

Male Japanese quail produce high-frequency crow vocalizations to attract females during the breeding season. The nucleus of intercollicularis (ICo) is the midbrain vocal center in birds and electrical stimulation of the ICo produces calls that include crowing. Noradrenaline plays a significant role in sexual behavior but the contribution of noradrenaline in the control of courtship vocalizations in quail has not been well established. Using dose-dependent intracerebroventricular injection of clonidine, an α2-adrenergic receptor- specific agonist, crowing vocalization was immediately suppressed. At the same time as crow suppression by clonidine there was a reduction of immediate early gene, zenk mRNA, in the ICo; no zenk mRNA expression was detected in the dorsomedial division of the nucleus. Using histochemistry, we determined that the ICo receives noradrenergic innervation and expresses α2A-adrenergic receptor mRNA. Taken together, these data suggest that noradrenaline regulates courtship vocalization in quail, possibly via the alpha2A- adrenergic receptor expressed on ICo neurons.
Title: Multi-Scale LM/EM Neuronal Imaging from Brain to Synapse with a Tissue Clearing Method, ScaleSF
Authors: Furuta Takahiro , Yamauchi Kenta , Okamoto Shinichiro , Takahashi Megumu , Kakuta Soichiro , Ishida Yoko , Takenaka Aya , Yoshida Atsushi , Uchiyama Yasuo , Koike Masato , Isa Kaoru , Isa Tadashi , Hioki Hiroyuki
Published: April 2021

The mammalian brain is organized over sizes that span several orders of magnitude, from synapses to the entire brain. Thus, a technique to visualize neural circuits across multiple spatial scales (multi-scale neuronal imaging) is vital for deciphering brain-wide connectivity. Here, we developed this technique by coupling successive light microscope/electron microscope (LM/EM) imaging with an ultrastructurally-preserved tissue clearing method, ScaleSF. Our multi-scale neuronal imaging incorporates 1) brain-wide macroscopic observation, 2) mesoscopic circuit mapping, 3) microscopic subcellular imaging, and 4) EM imaging of nanoscopic structures, allowing seamless integration of structural information from the brain to synapses. We applied the technique to three neural circuits of two different species, mouse striatofugal, mouse callosal, and marmoset corticostriatal projection systems, and succeeded in the simultaneous interrogation of their circuit structure and synaptic connectivity in a targeted way. Our multi-scale neuronal imaging will significantly advance the understanding of brain-wide connectivity by expanding the scales of objects.
A prediction: granule cells can perform linearly non-separable computations
Authors: Cazé Romain D.
Published: April 2021

Multiple studies show how dendrites might extend some neurons’ computational capacity. Past works most often focus on pyramidal cells which have an extended dendritic tree where voltage can vary independently; pyramidal neurons’ dendrites emit local spikes turning dendritic branches into local non-linear subunits. However, these studies leave a large fraction of the nervous system unexplored. Here, we study a neuron with a modest dendritic and non-spiking dendrites. Granule cells’ dendrites do not spike and these cells’ membrane voltage remain constant over the neuron. This study uses a conjunction of Boolean algebra and biophysical modelling to predict that Granule cells can perform linearly non-separable computations. In a previous study, we found a linearly non-separable Boolean function possible to implement without dendritic spikes, we coined this computation the feature binding problem. In the present work, we use the intrinsic saturation of synaptic conductance to implement this computation in a biophysical model. An integrate and fire, cannot perform such type of computations. Confirming our prediction would change how we understand the nervous system.
Mechanism of transcription modulation by the transcription-repair coupling factor
Authors: Paudel Bishnu P , Xu Zhi-Qiang , Jergic Slobodan , Oakley Aaron J , Sharma Nischal , Brown Simon HJ , Bouwer James C , Lewis Peter J , Dixon Nicholas E , van Oijen Antoine M , Ghodke Harshad
Published: April 2021

Elongation by RNA polymerase is dynamically modulated by accessory factors. The transcription-repair coupling factor (TRCF) recognizes distressed RNAPs and either rescues transcription or initiates transcription termination. Precisely how TRCFs choose to execute either outcome remains unclear. WithEscherichia colias a model, we used single-molecule assays to study dynamic modulation of elongation by Mfd, the bacterial TRCF. We found that nucleotide-bound Mfd converts the elongation complex (EC) into a catalytically poised state, presenting the EC with an opportunity to restart transcription. After long-lived residence in this catalytically poised state, ATP hydrolysis by Mfd remodels the EC through an irreversible process leading to loss of the RNA transcript. Further, biophysical studies revealed that the motor domain of Mfd binds and partially melts DNA containing a template strand overhang. The results explain pathway choice determining the fate of the EC and provide a molecular mechanism for transcription modulation by TRCF.
A description of novel variants and review of phenotypic spectrum in UBA5-related early epileptic encephalopathy
Authors: Briere Lauren C. , Walker Melissa A. , High Frances A. , Cooper Cynthia , Rogers Cassandra A. , Callahan Christine J. , Ishimura Ryosuke , Ichimura Yoshinobu , Caruso Paul A. , Sharma Nutan , Brokamp Elly , Koziura Mary E. , Mohammad Shekeeb S. , Dale Russell C. , Riley Lisa G. ,   Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Phillips John A. , Komatsu Masaaki , Sweetser David A.
Published: April 2021

Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy-44 (EIEE44, MIM: 617132) is a previously described condition resulting from biallelic variants in UBA5, a gene involved in a ubiquitin-like post-translational modification system called UFMylation. Here we report five children from four families with biallelic pathogenic variants in UBA5. All five children presented with global developmental delay, epilepsy, axial hypotonia, appendicular hypertonia, and a movement disorder, including dystonia in four. Affected individuals in all four families have compound heterozygous pathogenic variants in UBA5. All have the recurrent mild c.1111G > A (p.Ala371Thr) variant in trans with a second UBA5 variant. One patient has the previously described c.562C > T (p. Arg188*) variant, two other unrelated patients have a novel missense variant, c.907T > C (p.Cys303Arg), and the two siblings have a novel missense variant, c.761T > C (p.Leu254Pro). Functional analyses demonstrate that both the p.Cys303Arg variant and the p.Leu254Pro variants result in a significant decrease in protein function. We also review the phenotypes and genotypes of all 15 previously reported families with biallelic UBA5 variants, of which two families have presented with distinct phenotypes, and we describe evidence for some limited genotype–phenotype correlation. The overlap of motor and developmental phenotypes noted in our cohort and literature review adds to the increasing understanding of genetic syndromes with movement disorders-epilepsy.
Can business model innovation help SMEs in the food and beverage industry to respond to crises? Findings from a Swiss brewery during COVID-19
Authors: Bivona Enzo , Cruz Margarita
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how different business model innovations (BMIs) help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage industry to navigate turbulent and uncertain environments such as the coronavirus economic crisis (COVID-19).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts an in-depth case study approach and uses a dynamic business modeling (DBM) approach to analyze how a pioneer craft brewery in Switzerland implemented innovative actions undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

The paper offers a novel framework describing three processes helping SMEs to implement innovations in their business model (BM) to respond in an effective way to crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The first process refers to SMEs' ability to leverage readily available resources and allows SMEs to rapidly use their current knowledge to react to the changing environment amid the crisis. The second process points at SMEs' ability to transform existing resources into novel products or solutions. Finally, by mobilizing distant resources from their network, SMEs can obtain new resources and knowledge that facilitate the implementation of major changes in their BM.

Originality/value

Unlike previous studies, this research adopts a cause-and-effect perspective to make explicit how SMEs' BM changes affect strategic resources, key drivers and processes, thereby impacting performance. The analysis of the multiple reinforcing and balancing feedback loops resulting from the DBM approach can help SME entrepreneurs learn how and what changes are required in their BM to effectively face turbulent times, such as the COVID-19 crisis. From such an analysis, it emerged that the ability of SMEs to effectively implement innovations amid a crisis depends in large part on their collaborations with business partners and their ability to use and transform internal and external knowledge. In addition, as the future evolution of the COVID-19 crisis is still ongoing and uncertain, this study offers a unique perspective for SMEs in the food and beverage industry as the situation unfolds rather than after the fact.
Perceived stress and psychological well-being of working mothers during COVID-19: a mediated moderated roles of teleworking and resilience
Authors: Kapoor Vartika , Yadav Jaya , Bajpai Lata , Srivastava Shalini
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The present study examines the mediating role of teleworking and the moderating role of resilience in explaining the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being of working mothers in India. Conservation of resource theory (COR) is taken to support the present study.

Design/methodology/approach

The data of 326 respondents has been collected from working mothers in various sectors of Delhi NCR region of India. Confirmatory factor analysis was used for construct validity, and SPSS Macro Process (Hayes) was used for testing the hypotheses.

Findings

The results of the study found an inverse association between perceived stress and psychological well-being. Teleworking acted as a partial mediator and resilience proved to be a significant moderator for teleworking-well-being relationship.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based at Delhi NCR of India, and future studies may be based on a diverse population within the country to generalize the findings in different cultural and industrial contexts. The present work is based only on the psychological well-being of the working mothers, it can be extended to study the organizational stress for both the genders and other demographic variables.

Practical implications

The study extends the research on perceived stress and teleworking by empirically testing the association between perceived stress and psychological well-being in the presence of teleworking as a mediating variable. The findings suggest some practical implications for HR managers and OD Practitioners. The organizations must develop a plan to support working mothers by providing flexible working hours and arranging online stress management programs for them.

Originality/value

Although teleworking is studied previously, there is a scarcity of research examining the impact of teleworking on psychological well-being of working mothers in Asian context. It would help in understanding the process that how teleworking has been stressful for working mothers and also deliberate the role of resilience in the relationship between teleworking and psychological well-being due to perceived stress, as it seems a ray of hope in new normal work situations.
On the link between policy uncertainty and housing permits: asymmetric evidence from state-level data in the USA
Authors: Bahaman-Oskooee Mohsen , Ghodsi Hesam , Hadzic Muris
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the symmetric and asymmetric impact of a measure of policy uncertainty on house permits issued in each state of the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

To assess the symmetric effects, the authors use Pesaran et al.’s (2001) linear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to error-correction modeling. To assess the asymmetric effects, they rely upon Shin et al.’s (2014) nonlinear ARDL approach to error-correction modeling. Both approaches have the advantage of producing short-run and long-run effects in one step.

Findings

The authors find short-run symmetric effects of policy uncertainty on house permits issued in 22 states that lasted into the long run in three states only. However, the numbers were much higher when they estimated the possibility of asymmetric effects of policy uncertainty. Indeed, they found short-run asymmetric effects in 38 states and long-run asymmetric effects in 18 states.

Originality/value

Some previous studies assessed the effects of a measure of policy uncertainty on house prices. In this paper, the authors extend the same analysis to the supply side of the housing market by assessing the effects of policy uncertainty on house permits in each state of the USA.
A hedonic assessment of the relative importance of structural, locational and neighbourhood factors on advertised rents in Malta
Authors: Micallef Brian , Ellul Reuben , Debono Nathaniel
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The private rental market in Malta has expanded significantly in recent years, but as at 2020, no official rent index is yet published. This paper aims to construct such an index and explores the relative importance of structural, locational and neighbourhood factors to advertised rents.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors compile hedonic indices for advertised rents in Malta collected from publicly available sources using webscraping techniques. The database comprises more than 25,000 listings with information on various property attributes. Hedonic regressions are estimated using ordinary least squares and rent indices are computed using three alternative methods: the time dummy method, the rolling time dummy method and the average characteristics method. For the latter, indices are computed using the Laspeyres, Paasche and Fisher methods.

Findings

The results from the hedonic indices indicate that the annual growth rate in advertised rents was slowing down during 2019, albeit still remaining relatively high, while in 2020, advertised rents contracted sharply, amplified by the effects of COVID-19. The findings also reveal that advertised rental prices are significantly influenced by various structural, locational and neighbourhood factors.

Originality/value

This paper introduces the first rent index in Malta that will be used to monitor developments in the rental segment of the housing market and for financial stability purposes given the share of buy-to-let properties. It also provides various elasticities on the impact of property attributes on advertised rents in Malta. Finally, the study contributes to the literature on the effect of foreign-born residents on advertised rents.
Effect of background music and hierarchy-of-effects in watching women's running shoes advertisements
Authors: Uhm Jun-Phil , Lee Hyun-Woo , Han Jin-Wook , Kim Dong-Kyu
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of background music on consumer's psychological and physiological responses when watching sports advertisements. We investigated how consumers' exposure to background music affects emotional arousal, attention, brand attitude and purchase intentions; and further tested consumers' information processing by using the same measures. Effects of music on viewer responses were hypothesized using arousal theory while the information processing was hypothesized using hierarchy-of-effects model.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed a between-subjects experimental design with random assignment. Fifty-four participants were recruited with 27 in an experimental group and 27 in a control group. Quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and self-report measures were used to assess information processing. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to compare the mean differences of variables between the groups. Partial least squares algorithm and bootstrapping were performed to further explore the relationships among the measures.

Findings

Mean differences indicated that the background music exposed group's emotional arousal, attention, brand attitude and purchase intention were significantly higher than those of the non-exposure group. Path analysis showed that the level of arousal induced by watching sports advertisements affected attention, attention affected brand attitude and brand attitude affected purchase intention. Indirect paths from arousal to brand attitude and attention to purchase intention were significant.

Originality/value

This study provides practical implications for sports marketers regarding methods to increase the effectiveness of sport advertisement. Results might contribute theoretically to the sports advertisement field by demonstrating the relationship between physiological and marketing-effect factors. Our method of measuring physiological response using qEEG is also expected to influence physiological measurement in sports marketing.
Identifying the future direction of legal deposit in the United Kingdom: The Digital Library Futures approach
Authors: Gooding Paul , Terras Melissa , Berube Linda
Published: April 2021

Purpose

To date, there has been little research into users of the Legal Deposit Libraries (Non-Print Works) Regulations 2013. This paper addresses that gap by presenting key findings from the AHRC-funded Digital Library Futures project. Its purpose is to present a “user-centric” perspective on the potential future impact of the digital collections that are being created under electronic legal deposit regulations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilises a mixed methods case study of two academic legal deposit libraries in the United Kingdom: The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford; and Cambridge University Library. It combines surveys of users, web log analysis and expert interviews with librarians and cognate professionals.

Findings

User perspectives on NPLD were not fully considered in the planning and implementation of the 2013 regulations. The authors present findings from their user survey to show how contemporary tensions between user behaviour and access protocols risk limiting the instrumental value of NPLD collections, which have high perceived legacy value.

Originality/value

This is the first study to address the user context for UK Non-Print Legal Deposit. Its value lies in presenting a research-led user assessment of NPLD and in proposing “user-centric” analysis as an addition to the existing “four pillars” of legal deposit research.
The impact of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies preferential credit on household welfare in Vietnam: a panel data analysis
Authors: Duong An , Antriyandarti Ernoiz
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The study examines the impact of the preferential credit provided by the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies on poverty reduction in Ninh Binh province, Vietnam. It also identifies and ranks the barriers of accessing the credit.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies fixed-effects method to handle the panel data to examine the impact of the credit on poverty reduction. It also uses face-to-face interviews and group discussions to identify and rank the barriers of accessing to the credit.

Findings

The results show that the credit (represented by loan volume) positively and significantly helps improve household income, but does not help to improve household consumption. The major barriers include the time spent to get to the nearest bank branch, banking support services provided to clients and the transparency of household poverty status assessment.

Research limitations/implications

Data are collected in three years and the number of the observations is limited to 300 households.

Practical implications

The VBSP preferential credit may need to be modified to significantly help reduce poverty and the VBSP and involved parties may need to eliminate the barriers so that the poor can have a better access to the credit.

Social implications

The VBSP preferential credit is one of the reasonable sources that can help eliminate poverty though increasing household income.

Originality/value

The VBSP preferential credit can help increase household income, but does not really help improve household consumption due to the small volume of loans. In addition, banking support services and the household poverty assessment are seen as barriers to the access of the poor.
Opportunity zones: do tax benefits go to the most distressed communities?
Authors: Barth James R. , Sun Yanfei , Zhang Shen
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The exact criteria used by state governors for choosing opportunity zones (OZs) are not publicly available. This paper aims to examine whether state governors selected the most distressed communities, or those with the highest proportions of minorities, as OZs.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper compares the distressed communities chosen as OZs in states throughout the country to an equal number of those eligible distressed communities but not selected. Moreover, this paper uses regression analysis to determine whether the poverty rate, median family income, population, percentage of population that is minority and the percentage of population that is African American are significant explanatory factors in the choice of OZs.

Findings

After describing the tax incentives for investing in OZs, this paper documents that governors did not select many of the most distressed communities, or those with high proportions of minorities, in their individual states.

Originality/value

This paper describes in some detail the way in which investors may generate tax benefits by investing in eligible property or businesses in OZs. It also examines the extent to which the degree of poverty and the percentage of the population that is minority (and African American) were key factors in the selection of OZs. It arises an issue that the chosen communities are not necessarily those most in need of more investment or those heavily populated by minorities, particularly African Americans.
Accessible charts are part of the equation of accessible papers: a heuristic evaluation of the highest impact LIS journals
Authors: Alcaraz Martínez Rubén , Ribera Mireia , Roig Marcelino Jordi , Pascual Almenara Afra , Granollers Saltiveri Toni
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Statistical charts are an essential source of information in academic papers. Charts have an important role in conveying, clarifying and simplifying the research results provided by the authors, but they present some accessibility barriers for people with low vision. This article aims to evaluate the accessibility of the statistical charts published in the library and information science (LIS) journals with the greatest impact factor.

Design/methodology/approach

A list of heuristic indicators developed by the authors has been used to assess the accessibility of statistical charts for people with low vision. The heuristics have been applied to a sample of charts from 2019 issues of ten LIS journals with the highest impact factor according to the ranking of the JCR.

Findings

The current practices of image submission do not follow the basic recommended guidelines on accessibility like color contrast or the use of textual alternatives. On the other hand, some incongruities between the technical suggestions of image submission and their application in analyzed charts also emerged. The main problems identified are: poor text alternatives, insufficient contrast ratio between adjacent colors and the inexistence of customization options. Authoring tools do not help authors to fulfill these requirements.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is not very extensive; nonetheless, it is representative of common practices and the most frequent accessibility problems in this context.

Social implications

The heuristics proposed are a good starting point to generate guidelines for authors when preparing their papers for publication and to guide journal publishers in creating accessible documents. Low-vision users, a highly prevalent condition, will benefit from the improvements.

Originality/value

The results of this research provide key insights into low-vision accessibility barriers, not considered in previous literature and can be a starting point for their solution.
Bibliometric and content analysis of the internet of things research: a social science perspective
Authors: Leong Yee Rock , Tajudeen Farzana Parveen , Yeong Wai Chung
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The aim is to reveal contemporary research trends and patterns in Internet of Things (IoTs) so that social scientists who are new to the discipline may be steered towards rightful directions when examining this phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 169 IoT articles indexed in the Web of Science database were analyzed via bibliometric analysis and content analysis. The VOSViewer software was used to identify popular keywords of the IoT topics, its publication productivity, the most relevant journals, and the most prolific authors within. Content analysis was conducted manually to determine the most popular research methods used, the most frequently studied contexts, the most popular IoT application areas, the most highly examined user perspectives, and the most often employed theories.

Findings

The synthesis of both the bibliometric and content analysis results suggest the necessity of investigating the post-adoption technology usage behavior of IoT technology in developing countries, particularly in smart home. This is especially so from new landscapes using other theories or models, apart from the overwhelmed Technology Adoption Model (TAM) and its variants.

Originality/value

With a focus on addressing the state-of-the-art of IoT in social science, and to synthesize its future research directions systematically, this study was conducted with both bibliometric and content analysis, in order to enhance the overall analysis for higher accuracy and more reliable results.
The effect of ink formulation on colorimetric properties of inkjet printing considering the impact of substrates
Authors: Ewaznezhad Fard Darya , Gorji Kandi Saeideh , Khatibzadeh Marziyeh
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in the performance of ink formulations caused by the addition of compounds that improve the ink’s physical properties to achieve an optimum formulation for inkjet printing, because of the importance and simplicity of this method.

Design/methodology/approach

Ink samples were formulated using Acid Red 14 as ink colorant, different percentages of polymeric compounds including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinylpyrrolidone and Carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) as viscosity modifier compounds and surfactant as the surface tension enhancer. Formulated samples were adjusted in terms of fluid physical properties e.g. viscosity, density and surface tension, and the effect of used compounds on the improvement of both physical and colorimetric properties such as viscosity, surface tension, colorimetric coordinates and lightfastness has been evaluated to achieve the optimum printing inks to be printed on three different substrates.

Findings

The experimental observations showed that CMC was the most compatible compound as the viscosity modifier as its viscosity value was in the printable range of 2–22 cP. Moreover, a flow-curve test was applied to the ink samples and their Newtonian behavior was approved. Based on the spectrophotometric test results of printed samples, the samples containing PVA provided acceptable lightfastness in comparison to other ink samples on every used substrate.

Originality/value

An optimum relation between colorimetric coordinates of the printed samples and ink formulation could be considered and achieved.
To what extent are the underlying concepts of integrated reporting applicable for hi-tech knowledge-based organizations?
Authors: Mirsadri Seyed Mohsen , Bardinet-Evraert Frédérique , Evraert Serge
Published: April 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the proper structure for the integrated reporting of hi-tech knowledge-based organizations (KBOs); in particular, the authors evaluate the appropriateness of the concept and elements of integrated reporting for hi-tech KBOs.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses an exploratory sequential mixed-method approach, including an initial qualitative case study, then an instrument development phase (Delphi), and finally, a quantitative survey.

Findings

The resulting analysis concluded that hi-tech KBOs have the potential to prepare a simplified, integrated report. The organization overview, governance, business model, strategies and resource allocation, performance, opportunities and risks are the content elements relevant to be included in the hi-tech KBOs annual report. However, the organization’s future outlook is not confirmed to be included. Due to liability and competitive concerns, organizations do not provide targets, forecasts, projections or even scenarios.

Research limitations/implications

Focus on a single country and a small sample of interviewees participated.

Practical implications

This paper concludes that the existing integrated reporting framework is useful for different types of organizations, but with some modifications. In addition, it analyzes how directors of Iranian hi-tech KBOs perceive and value content elements of integrated reporting.

Social implications

This paper suggests that the fulfillment of corporate transparency for Iranian hi-tech KBOs can be achieved by the policymaker’s support on integrated reporting.

Originality/value

Iran is swiftly moving toward a knowledge-based economy, and hi-tech KBOs will become the powerhouse of the economy. It is important to understand how managers of Iranian hi-tech KBOs perceive and value integrated reporting. The previous practical studies are not focused on Iranian firms and the impacts of integrated reporting on hi-tech KBOs and its implementation and effectiveness had not been studied before.
Investigation of Hydrous Pyrolysis on Type‐II Kerogen‐bearing Source Rocks from Iran and its Application in Geochemical and Kinetic Analyses of Hydrocarbon Products
Authors: KASHI Shahryar , SABERI Mohammad Hossein , HORMOZI Faramarz
Published: April 2021

Hydrous pyrolysis (HP) practiced on type‐II kerogen‐bearing oil shale samples from the Sargelu Formation in the Ghali‐Kuh Area, western Iran, using a specially designed apparatus was performed at different temperatures (250–350°C), with hydrocarbon generation evaluated at each temperature. For comparison, the samples subjected to Rock‐Eval pyrolysis before proceeding to HP resulted in Tmax = 418°C, HI = 102, and TOC = 4.33%, indicating immaturity and hence remarkable hydrocarbon (especially oil) generation potential, making them appropriate for HP. Moreover, the samples were deposited in a low‐energy reductive marine environment, with maximum oil and gas generation (739 mg and 348 mg out of 50 g of rock sample, respectively) observed at 330°C and 350°C, respectively. The oil generated at 330°C was subjected to gas chromatography (GC) and isotopic analyses to assess hydrocarbon quality and composition. The hydrocarbon generation data was devised to estimate kinetic indices of the Arrhenius equation and to investigate the gas–oil ratio (GOR) and overall conversion yield. Based on the producible hydrocarbon quantity and quality, the findings contribute to the economic assessment of oil shales across the study area. The developed kinetic model indicates the history of hydrocarbon generation and organic matter (OM) maturity.
Epigenetic clock and methylation study of oocytes from a bovine model of reproductive aging
Authors: Kordowitzki Paweł , Haghani Amin , Zoller Joseph A. , Li Caesar Z. , Raj Ken , Spangler Matthew L. , Horvath Steve
Published: April 2021

Cattle are an attractive animal model of fertility in women due to their high degree of similarity relative to follicle selection, embryo cleavage, blastocyst formation, and gestation length. To facilitate future studies of the epigenetic underpinnings of aging effects in the female reproductive axis, several DNA methylation‐based biomarkers of aging (epigenetic clocks) for bovine oocytes are presented. One such clock was germane to only oocytes, while a dual‐tissue clock was highly predictive of age in both oocytes and blood. Dual species clocks that apply to both humans and cattle were also developed and evaluated. These epigenetic clocks can be used to accurately estimate the biological age of oocytes. Both epigenetic clock studies and epigenome‐wide association studies revealed that blood and oocytes differ substantially with respect to aging and the underlying epigenetic signatures that potentially influence the aging process. The rate of epigenetic aging was found to be slower in oocytes compared to blood; however, oocytes appeared to begin at an older epigenetic age. The epigenetic clocks for oocytes are expected to address questions in the field of reproductive aging, including the central question: how to slow aging of oocytes.
Predicting new cases of COVID‐19 and the application to population sustainability analysis
Authors: Bei Chengcheng , Liu Shiping , Liao Yin , Tian Gaoliang , Tian Zichen
Published: April 2021

We propose a new spatio‐temporal point process model to predict infectious cases of COVID‐19. We illustrate its practical use with data from six key cities in China, and we analyse the effects of natural and social factors on the occurrence and spread of COVID‐19. We show that large‐scale testing and strict containment are key factors for the successful suppression of the COVID‐19 contagion. This study provides an effective tool to develop early warning systems for major infectious diseases, offering insights on how to develop prevention and control strategies to reduce the impact of disease and maintain population sustainability.
Persistence of Operant Responding for Food After Prior Cocaine Exposure in Fischer 344 But Not Lewis Rats
Authors: Forouzan Shadab , Nieto Steven J. , Kosten Therese A.
Published: April 2021

Background and Objectives

Chronic cocaine exposure has differential neural effects in Fischer 344 (F344) vs Lewis inbred rats that may explain strain‐dependent differences during acquisition vs maintenance of cocaine self‐administration. We assessed whether prior cocaine exposure alters operant responding for food across various phases (acquisition, maintenance, extinction, spontaneous recovery, reinitiation) in these strains.

Methods

Lewis and F344 rats (N = 12) were administered three cocaine (15 mg/kg) or saline injections at hourly intervals for 3 consecutive days. Beginning the next day for 24 days, rats had access to operant chambers in which one lever depression resulted in the delivery of a food pellet. Then, four extinction sessions were conducted in which food was no longer available, but other stimulus conditions remained the same. After a 2‐day break, spontaneous recovery was assessed over four sessions. Food delivery was then restored for 3 days to test reinitiation followed by a progressive ratio session.

Results

Lewis rats acquired the operant faster than F344 rats. F344 rats showed lower maintenance rates than Lewis rats but higher spontaneous recovery responding. Cocaine exposure caused persistence of responding during extinction in F344 but not Lewis rats. All groups reinitiated responding when food was available again and did not differ in final ratios completed under the progressive ratio schedule.

Discussion and Conclusions

That prior cocaine exposure led to persistence of responding in F344 rats during extinction may reflect heightened contextual conditioning that interferes with the ability to extinguish responding.

Scientific Significance

Results have implications for the genetic contribution to relapse‐like behaviors. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00–00)
Expectant management for early pregnancy miscarriage after radical trachelectomy: A single hospital‐based study
Authors: Kasuga Yoshifumi , Ikenoue Satoru , Tanaka Yuya , Tamagawa Masumi , Hasegawa Keita , Oishi Maki , Endo Toyohide , Sato Yu , Tanaka Mamoru , Ochiai Daigo
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Women who have undergone radical trachelectomy as a fertility‐sparing treatment for early‐stage cervical cancer may be at higher risk for retained tissues after early‐term miscarriage due to cervical cerclage or cervical necrosis. Dilatation and curettage or aspiration may present additional risks in these women. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of expectant management for early pregnancy miscarriage after radical trachelectomy.

Material and methods

Keio University Hospital records were reviewed for women who conceived after abdominal radical trachelectomy and received perinatal care between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2020. A total of 62 women (76 pregnancies) were identified, and 13 of these women experienced miscarriage before 12 gestational weeks. The management and outcome of these cases were reviewed in detail.

Results

The median maternal age at miscarriage was 39 years (range 31–42 years) and the median duration from abdominal radical trachelectomy to conception was 2.60 years (range 0.49–7.30 years). Cervical necrosis before conception occurred in one case (8%). One patient requested treatment with aspiration and the remaining 12 cases were managed with observation for a median of 23 days (range 7–50 days). There were no cases of endometritis or cases requiring dilatation and curettage for residue tissue. Further, no cases developed laceration of the residual cervix and no loss of cerclage sutures after discharge was noted.

Conclusions

Expectant management seems to be safe and appropriate for first trimester miscarriage after abdominal radical trachelectomy.
Assessment of urinary podocalyxin as a marker of glomerular injury in obesity‐related kidney disease in children and adolescents with obesity compared to urinary albumin creatinine ratio
Authors: Musa Noha , Ramzy Tarek , Hamdy Ahmed , Arafa Noha , Hassan Mona
Published: April 2021

Obesity increases the risk of chronic kidney disease in children. Our aim was to assess urinary podocalyxin (PCX) in children and adolescents with obesity as a potential marker of obesity‐related kidney disease (ORKD). The current case‐control study included 128 children with obesity compared to 60 non‐obese age and sex matched controls. Study population were subjected to full history taking as well as thorough physical examination. Urine samples for albumin creatinine ratio (uACR) and PCX were collected from the study population as well as blood samples for assessment of serum creatinine and fasting lipid profile. A statistically significant difference was found between cases and controls regarding urinary PCX (P < .001) and uACR (P = .021). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between uACR and weight SD score (SDS), body mass index SDS, waist circumference, estimated glomerular filtration rate, triglycerides (TG) as well as urinary PCX, whilst urinary PCX correlated significantly with obesity duration and uACR. Cases with microalbuminuria had a statistically significant higher waist circumference, waist‐hip ratio, fat percentage, TG and urinary PCX compared to those with normal uACR (P = .042, .034, .05, .018 and .036 respectively). Urinary PCX showed 83.3% sensitivity and 74% specificity in detection of albuminuria. Urinary PCX was increased significantly in children with obesity making it a potential sensitive marker of ORKD in children.
Cystic duct stone removal using a biliary dilation balloon catheter in a patient who underwent total gastrectomy
Authors: Ogawa Tomoya , Ryozawa Shomei , Tanisaka Yuki
Published: April 2021

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Dietary influence on adiponectin in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Bozzetto Lutgarda , Polito Rita , Nigro Ersilia , Prinster Anna , Della Pepa Giuseppe , Costabile Giuseppina , Vetrani Claudia , Vitale Marilena , Daniele Aurora , Rivellese Angela Albarosa , Annuzzi Giovanni
Published: April 2021

Background

Here, we evaluate the effects of a diet rich in low‐glycaemic index carbohydrates and fibre (CHO/Fibre diet) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA diet), on fasting and postprandial adiponectin concentrations and their relationship with the beneficial effects of the experimental diets on postprandial glucose metabolism and liver fat in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods

Fasting and postprandial adiponectin plasma concentrations were measured before and after dietary interventions in the participants to a randomized controlled trial (NCT01025856), wherein 37 men and 8 women with T2D, aged 35‐70 years, followed a CHO/Fibre diet or a MUFA diet for an 8‐week period. Hepatic fat content by 1H NMR and fasting and postprandial plasma glucose and insulin measurements were also available.

Results

Fasting adiponectin plasma levels did not change after both diets. Postprandial adiponectin significantly increased after the CHO/fibre diet (9.9 ± 1.6 μg/mL vs. 10.8 ± 2.3 μg/mL; P = .033) but not after the MUFA diet (10.6 ± 1.8 μg/mL vs. 10.6 ± 1.6 μg/mL; P = .935) with a significant difference between changes (P = .035). In the combined CHO/Fibre and MUFA groups, fasting and postprandial adiponectin significantly and inversely correlated with postprandial insulin iAUC at baseline and after intervention, and with liver fat content after intervention.

Conclusions

A diet rich in CHO/Fibre increased postprandial plasma adiponectin significantly more than a MUFA diet in patients with T2D. Independently of diet, adiponectin levels associated with postprandial insulin concentrations. The dietary interventions modulated the relationship between adiponectin and liver fat.
Hospital at Home services: An inventory of fee‐for‐service payments to inform Medicare reimbursement
Authors: DeCherrie Linda V. , Wardlow Liane , Ornstein Katherine A. , Crowley Christopher , Lubetsky Sara , Stuck Amy R. , Siu Albert L.
Published: April 2021

Background

Hospital at Home (HaH) is a growing model of care with proven patient benefits. However, for the types of services required to provide an episode of HaH, full Medicare reimbursement is traditionally paid only if care is provided in inpatient facilities.

Design

This project identifies HaH services that could be reimbursable under Medicare to inform episodic care within fee‐for‐service (FFS) Medicare.

Setting

All data are derived from acute services provided from the Mount Sinai HaH program between 2014 and 2017 as part of a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) demonstration program.

Participants

The sample was limited to patients with one of the following five admitting diagnoses: urinary tract infection (n = 70), pneumonia (n = 60), cellulitis (n = 45), heart failure (n = 37), and chronic lung disease (n = 24) for a total of 236 acute episodes.

Measurements

HaH services were inventoried from three sources: electronic medical records, Medicare billing and itemized vendor billing. For each admitting diagnosis, four reimbursement scenarios were evaluated: (1) FFS Medicare without a home health episode, (2) FFS Medicare with a home health episode, (3) two‐sided risk ACO with a home health episode, and (4) two‐sided risk ACO without a home health episode.

Results

Across diagnoses, there were 1.5–1.9 MD visits and 1.5–2.7 nursing visits per episode. The Medicare FFS model without home health care had the lowest reimbursement potential ($964–$1604) per episode. The Medicare fee‐for‐service within ACO models with home health care had the greatest potential for reimbursement $4519–$4718. There was limited variation in costs by diagnosis.

Conclusion and Relevance

Though existing payment models might be used to pay for many HaH acute services, significant gaps in reimbursement remain. Extending the benefits of HaH to the Medicare beneficiaries that are likely to derive the greatest benefit will require new payment models for FFS Medicare.
Psychiatric basics of alopecia areata in pediatric patients: Evaluation of emotion dysregulation, somatization, depression, and anxiety levels
Authors: Altunisik Nihal , Ucuz Ilknur , Turkmen Dursun
Published: April 2021

Background/Objective

Alopecia areata (AA) is a skin disease characterized by sudden‐onset hair loss. The relationship between psychiatric status and AA has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate emotion dysregulation, somatization, depression, and anxiety levels in children and adolescents with AA.

Methods

The study included 27 patients aged 8–18 years diagnosed with AA, and an age and gender‐matched control group consisting of 30 cases without a known chronic medical disease. All individuals were screened for existing psychiatric illnesses by a pediatric psychiatrist through the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School‐Age Children Present and Lifetime Version (K‐SADS‐PL). The patients were then evaluated using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Screen for Child Anxiety‐Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI‐C), and Children Somatization Inventory (CSI‐24). In addition, the patients' parents were asked to complete the Emotion Regulation Checklist‐Family Form (ERC).

Results

When comparing the scale scores of the AA and control group, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the Emotional Lability/Negativity subscale scores on ERC. K‐SADSPL ratios denoted features of at least one psychiatric condition in 62.9% and 16.6% of the AA group and control group, respectively.

Conclusions

Our results emphasize the importance of psychiatric evaluation in patients with AA. Our study also reveals the need for further studies with a larger sample of AA patients being evaluated in terms of emotion regulation.