bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Justice as fairness: a Rawlsian perspective in compensating regulatory land takings
Authors: Ti Edward S.W.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to articulate the inherent unfairness in compensation outcomes between landowners whose land is physically taken versus those whose land is regulated. Using Rawlsian theory as the normative standard of “fairness as justice”, the paper argues that both physical and regulatory takings should be compensated.

Design/methodology/approach

Most jurisdictions invariably provide market price compensation when land is physically acquired. When land is not physically taken but merely subject to regulation, however, there is no corresponding need to compensate, even where the economic loss suffered by the landowner is the same. Adopting Rawlsian theory, this paper explains why justice and fairness in land use planning require both physical takings and regulatory takings to be equally compensable.

Findings

Applying Rawlsian theory to compare compensable compulsory purchase with non-compensable regulatory takings of land show that the latter is not compatible with an ethical planning praxis.

Originality/value

While Rawlsian theory has been applied in urban planning research before, this would be its first application in highlighting the apparent justice paradox which now distinguishes a physical and regulatory taking of land.
Data-based modeling and identification for general nonlinear dynamical systems by the multidimensional Taylor network
Authors: Yan Hong-Sen , Bi Zhong-Tian , Zhou Bo , Wan Xiao-Qin , Zhang Jiao-Jun , Wang Guo-Biao
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The present study is intended to develop an effective approach to the real-time modeling of general dynamic nonlinear systems based on the multidimensional Taylor network (MTN).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present a detailed explanation for modeling the general discrete nonlinear dynamic system by the MTN. The weight coefficients of the network can be obtained by sampling data learning. Specifically, the least square (LS) method is adopted herein due to its desirable real-time performance and robustness.

Findings

Compared with the existing mainstream nonlinear time series analysis methods, the least square method-based multidimensional Taylor network (LSMTN) features its more desirable prediction accuracy and real-time performance. Model metric results confirm the satisfaction of modeling and identification for the generalized nonlinear system. In addition, the MTN is of simpler structure and lower computational complexity than neural networks.

Research limitations/implications

Once models of general nonlinear dynamical systems are formulated based on MTNs and their weight coefficients are identified using the data from the systems of ecosystems, society, organizations, businesses or human behavior, the forecasting, optimizing and controlling of the systems can be further studied by means of the MTN analytical models.

Practical implications

MTNs can be used as controllers, identifiers, filters, predictors, compensators and equation solvers (solving nonlinear differential equations or approximating nonlinear functions) of the systems of ecosystems, society, organizations, businesses or human behavior.

Social implications

The operating efficiency and benefits of social systems can be prominently enhanced, and their operating costs can be significantly reduced.

Originality/value

Nonlinear systems are typically impacted by a variety of factors, which makes it a challenge to build correct mathematical models for various tasks. As a result, existing modeling approaches necessitate a large number of limitations as preconditions, severely limiting their applicability. The proposed MTN methodology is believed to contribute much to the data-based modeling and identification of the general nonlinear dynamical system with no need for its prior knowledge.
Key audit matters and debt contracting: evidence from China
Authors: Liu Hui , Ning Jiaqi , Zhang Yue , Zhang Junrui
Published: June 2022

Purpose

In an effort to make audit reports more informative to users, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board adopted a standard that requires auditors to disclose key audit matters (KAMs). This paper aims to explore the impact of the risk information provided by KAMs on corporate debt contracting.

Design/methodology/approach

In China, the KAM standard went into effect for A + H cross-listing companies in 2017 and became mandatory for all listed companies in 2018. This study takes this as an exogenous shock to examine the impact of the KAM disclosures on debt contracting. This study also designs a path analysis to open the “black box” between the risk information in KAMs and the risk perception of creditors. Moreover, This study conducts a textual analysis on the KAMs information based on samples after the release of the KAM standard.

Findings

This study conducts difference-in-difference tests and find that the KAM disclosures decrease interest rates and increase the proportion of long-term debt. Path analyses reveal that the KAM disclosures lead to more favorable debt characteristics through decreasing information asymmetry. This study also finds that the more KAMs are disclosed, the more favorable debt characteristics are and that different categories of KAMs have different effects on debt contracting.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the benefits of KAM disclosures, which are consistent with the convergence argument of risk information disclosures. Investors’ reactions to KAMs are mixed because of the differences in how professional investors and nonprofessional investors interpret information. This study provides evidence of incrementally informative nature of KAMs from the perspective of debt holders, who are professional information users.
Investment decisions and project management over Indian railways: a case of freight corridors
Authors: Bhatia Vinod , Sharma Seema , Bhatia Richa
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to provide insights into the process of decision making. Indian Railways as an organization has to use the available resources based on thorough analysis and proper application of available evaluation methodologies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses an integrated group discussion – analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize capital-intensive Indian Railways projects.

Findings

Through an email-based survey, six important criteria for ranking upcoming domestic freight corridors were selected, and weights for these criteria were calculated through AHP. The sensitivity analysis of the decision model suggests that the results of this study are significant, reliable and robust.

Originality/value

This study lays a foundation for the decision-makers of Indian Railways to consider a scientific approach while finalizing the big investment projects. This paper provides essential insights on prioritizing capital-intensive transport projects and is readily applicable to any case study.
Domestic, inbound and outbound M&A activity interdependence in Brazil
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Saikia Anuradha , Mundi Hardeep Singh
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are of three types: domestic, inbound and outbound cross-border. Inbound M&As provide an inflow of foreign funds into the economy, whereas outbound M&As involve the outflow of domestic funds. This paper examines the impact of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions in Brazil on each other.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze M&A activity in Brazil and examine the impact domestic, inbound and outbound M&As have on each other. The study uses a vector auto-regressive model to test the relationships for each quarter of 2000–2018. The M&A activity is operationalized using the total number of deals and the cumulative value of the deals in a particular period.

Findings

The results depict stark contrast for M&A activity measured through incidences and monetary value. Overall, the number of deals can better explain each other than value. The authors find that, in terms of incidences, domestic M&A is Granger caused by both outbound and inbound M&As together. Further, inbound and domestic M&As together Granger cause outbound M&As in terms of aggregate monetary value. The impulse response function reveals that incidence shocks created in M&A activity are longer lasting than the value shocks.

Practical implications

The results have implications for businesses and policymakers. The study reveals the complexities of crowding effects important for businesses. The government needs to structure its future investment-promotion strategies depending on the objectives related to the number and value of M&A activity.

Originality/value

The study uses econometric tools and empirical methods to find the unexplored nature of the relationship between domestic, outbound and inbound cross-border M&As.
Internet banking intensity and bank profitability: evidence from emerging Indian economy
Authors: Ghose Biswajit , Maji Santi Gopal
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Internet banking intensity on banks' profitability performance. It also examines the deferential impact of Internet banking intensity on the profitability performance of public and private sector banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data of 67 commercial banks operating in India over 9 years from 2011–2012 to 2019–2020. The volume and value of Internet banking are used as two proxies for Internet banking intensity. Return on assets and return on equity are considered measures of banks' profitability performances. The system GMM model and the three-stage least square (3SLS) model are used to investigate the impact of Internet banking intensity on performance.

Findings

The results indicate that the volume and value of Internet banking increase the overall profitability of the banks. The results further reveal that the positive impact of Internet banking on performance is higher in the case of public sector banks which possibly indicates that there are economies of scale of operation.

Practical implications

The results suggest that banks and policymakers should strive to increase internet banking scope to improve performance. Private banks should focus on increasing their customer base to achieve economies of scale and public banks should work on the efficient utilization of resources.

Originality/value

Prior studies investigated the impact of Internet banking adoption on the performance of banks. This study attempted to examine the impact of Internet banking intensity on the profitability performance of banks in the context of an emerging economy.
Consistent convolution kernel design for missing shots interpolation using an improved U‐net
Authors: Han Dong , Wang Benfeng , Li Jiakuo
Published: June 2022

During seismic data acquisition, receivers with finer trace intervals can be distributed to record seismic signals. The distance between neighbouring shots, on the other hand, can be significant, resulting in regularly missing shots in the common receiver gathers, which may cause significant spatial aliasing and reduce the precision of later seismic imaging. Traditional interpolation algorithms have several issues and limitations for seismic data with spatial aliasing due to prior assumptions and human–computer interactions. As a result, we present a new deep learning method that includes the generation of adaptive training data and the design of a consistent convolution kernel. Deep learning has the ability to characterize seismic data in a nonlinear manner that is ideal for accurate seismic interpolation. Because the common shot gathers and common receiver gathers have similar features due to the spatial reciprocity of Green's function of the wave equation if all shots have the same physical signatures, the common shot gathers with a refined trace interval are adaptively extracted as the training dataset to guarantee the interpolation performance in the common receiver gathers. With regularly subsampled data as input an improved U‐Net is created and trained to match the desired output, that is, the completed data. The trained network can be deployed to the test common receiver gathers to rebuild regularly missing shots. We develop a novel consistent convolution kernel to ensure high accuracy of missing shot reconstruction while accounting for differences between prestack unmigrated seismic data and images. Using numerically subsampled synthetic and field data, the effectiveness and validity of the developed consistent convolution kernel and the upgraded U‐Net with adaptive training data for missing shot interpolation are demonstrated.
Specificity within bird–parasite–parasitoid food webs: A novel approach for evaluating potential biological control agents of the avian vampire fly
Authors: Ramirez Ismael E. , Causton Charlotte E. , Gutierrez George A. , Mosquera Denis A. , Piedrahita Paolo , Heimpel George E.
Published: June 2022

Quantitative food web analyses can provide insights into the specificity of consumers such as herbivores, parasites and parasitoids. Understanding such patterns can be useful in forecasting the potential benefits and risks of biological control agents being considered for introduction against invasive species.

The avian vampire fly, Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), is a neotropical bird parasite that is invasive in the Galapagos Islands, where it is causing substantial mortality of endemic bird species. We used a novel in‐field experimental food web approach within the native range of P. downsi in Ecuador to test the hypotheses that pupal parasitoids known to attack P. downsi specialize on members of the genus Philornis, which occur only in bird nests. We deployed pupae of non‐Philornis fly species adjacent to bird nests to assess specificity of the parasitoids and used two indices to assess specificity: Resource Range (RR), which evaluates the breadth of host use, and Pair Difference Index (PDI), which evaluates interaction strength.

The results revealed very strong compartmentalization within the guild of pupal fly parasitoids, with four species attacking only Philornis spp. Both specificity indices indicated significant levels of specificity towards the genus Philornis for two of these species: Conura annulifera and Trichopria sp. novus. We also assessed the specificity of the two dominant Philornis species attacking 11 bird species and preference of the two dominant parasitoid species for bird species. Although there was some significant preference for particular bird species by the Philornis spp., there was no indication that this drove specificity patterns by the parasitoids.

Policy implications. Our results confirm previous laboratory studies indicating specificity by C. annulifera and support the hypothesis that this species would produce few, if any, nontarget impacts if released into Galapagos to suppress populations of the P. downsi. These results can inform an environmental risk assessment framework to guide governmental agencies in deliberation on potential field releases of parasitoids in the Galapagos Islands.
Trait functional diversity explains mixture effects on litter decomposition at the arid end of a climate gradient
Authors: Canessa Rafaella , van den Brink Liesbeth , Berdugo Monica B. , Hättenschwiler Stephan , Rios Rodrigo S. , Saldaña Alfredo , Tielbörger Katja , Bader Maaike Y.
Published: June 2022

Litter decomposition is controlled by climate, litter quality and decomposer communities. Because the decomposition of specific litter types is also influenced by the properties of adjacent types, mixing litter types may result in non‐additive effects on overall decomposition rates. The strength of these effects seems to depend on the litter functional diversity. However, it is unclear which functional traits or combination of traits explain litter mixture effects and whether these depend on the range of trait values and the ecosystems involved. These uncertainties hamper our ability to predict decomposition in plant communities.

We aimed at understanding whether and how functional diversity (measured as functional dispersion, FDis) influences litter decomposition, and how this influence varies among different climates and across decomposition stages. We calculated FDis based on litter traits related to nutrient concentrations or to litter recalcitrance, and tested whether these diversity measures and climatic parameters (soil moisture and temperature) explained litter mixture effects on decomposition.

Additive mixture effects (i.e. decomposition of mixtures equalling the mean decomposition of the single litter types) were common in most of the evaluated climates. Non‐additive, negative effects were mainly restricted to the driest and warmest sites, and decreased with time. Non‐additive effects increased in magnitude with the mixtures' FDis, with positive effects being related to FDis in nutrient traits and negative effects being related to FDis in recalcitrance traits.

Synthesis. Litter mixing did not have strong effects on decomposition rates across the studied climatic gradient overall, and the direction and intensity of the mixture effects were context dependent. The effects were stronger and more negative in the dryer ecosystems. Where effects were found, functional diversity calculated from selected groups of traits (related to nutrients or litter recalcitrance) predicted mixture effects, especially where trait ranges were broad, though much of the variation remains unexplained. We propose that functional diversity metrics based on litter traits that are mechanistically relevant, applied to diverse site‐specific litter mixtures in different climates, can help to better understand under which conditions and in which direction litter diversity affects decomposition.
Outcomes in patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission after emergency laparotomy: A retrospective study
Authors: Ylimartimo Aura T. , Koskela Marjo , Lahtinen Sanna , Kaakinen Timo , Vakkala Merja , Liisanantti Janne
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Outcomes after emergency laparotomy (EL) are poor. These patients are often admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). This study explored outcomes in patients who were admitted to an ICU within 48 h after EL.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective single‐center registry study included all patients over 16 years of age that underwent an EL and were admitted to an ICU within 48 h after surgery in Oulu University Hospital, Finland between January 2005 and May 2015. Survival was followed until the end of 2019.

Results

We included 525 patients. Hospital mortality was 13.3%, 30‐day mortality was 17.3%, 90‐day mortality was 24.2%, 1‐year mortality was 33.0%, and 5‐year mortality was 59.4%. Survivors were younger (57 [45–70] years) than the non‐survivors (73 [62–80] years; p < .001). According to the Cox regression model, death during the follow‐up was associated with age, APACHE II‐score, lower postoperative CRP levels and platelet count of the first postoperative day, and the admission from the post‐anesthesia care unit (PACU) to the ICU instead of direct ICU admission.

Conclusion

Age, high APACHE II‐score, low CRP and platelet count, and admission from the PACU to the ICU associated with mortality after EL in patients admitted to an ICU within 48 h after EL.
The impact of interactive and diagnostic levers of eco‐control on eco‐innovation: The mediating role of employee environmental citizenship behaviour
Authors: Nuhu Nuraddeen Abubakar , Baird Kevin , Su Sophia
Published: June 2022

The study contributes to the management control system (MCS), environmental and behavioural reaction literature by examining the mediating role of employee environmental citizenship behaviour on the association between the interactive and diagnostic use of eco‐control with eco‐innovation. Based on an empirical analysis of 406 Australian organisations, the results indicate that employee environmental citizenship behaviour mediates the effect of both the interactive and diagnostic use of eco‐control on eco‐innovation (specifically, eco‐product innovation). The findings highlight the importance of eco‐controls and employee behaviour, specifically employee environmental citizenship behaviour, in influencing eco‐innovation.
Early administration of durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy increased risk of pneumonitis in patients with locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Harada Daijiro , Shimonishi Atsushi , Saeki Kazuhiko , Ninomiya Takashi , Kanzaki Hiromitsu , Nagasaki Kei , Ogura China , Tsutsui Yoko , Kojin Kazuhiro , Hamamoto Yasushi , Kozuki Toshiyuki
Published: June 2022

Aims

Durvalumab (Durva) administration after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in locally advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the standard of care, associated with relatively prolonged progression‐free (PFS) and overall survival. However, pneumonitis occurs in 73.6% of Japanese patients. This retrospective study aimed to identify factors associated with Durva efficacy and safety, specifically, the risk of pneumonitis.

Methods

This study included data from 26 consecutive patients with locally advanced NSCLC who underwent CRT followed by Durva. The rates of adverse events and PFS were examined.

Results

The median PFS time was 15.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.7‐not available). Patients developed pneumonitis of grade 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the rate of 62%, 27%, 12%, and 0%, respectively. The median PFS time was 6.4 months for patients with programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression level of <50% and not reached for patients with PD‐L1 expression level of ≥50% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.19; 95% CI: 0.04–0.89), which was significantly prolonged. The cumulative incidence of pneumonitis grade 2 or above was significantly higher when the time between the last day of thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) and the start of Durva therapy was within 14 days compared to >14 days (HR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.06–0.59). This association was statistically significant in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

The initiation of Durva therapy within 14 days after TRT may increase the risk of pneumonitis grade 2 or above. Careful observation and suitable treatment are recommended.
Meta‐analysis of ecosystem services associated with oyster restoration
Authors: Smith Rachel S. , Cheng Selina L. , Castorani Max C. N.
Published: June 2022

Restoration of foundation species promises to reverse environmental degradation and return lost ecosystem services, but a lack of standardized evaluation across projects limits understanding of recovery, especially in marine systems. Oyster reefs are restored to reverse massive global declines and reclaim valuable ecosystem services, but the success of these projects has not been systematically and comprehensively quantified. We synthesized data on ecosystem services associated with oyster restoration from 245 pairs of restored and degraded reefs and 136 pairs of restored and reference reefs across 3500 km of U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastlines. On average, restoration was associated with a 21‐fold increase in oyster production (mean log response ratio = 3.08 [95% confidence interval: 2.58–3.58]), 34–97% enhancement of habitat provisioning (mean community abundance = 0.51 [0.41–0.61], mean richness = 0.29 [0.19–0.39], and mean biomass = 0.69 [0.39–0.99]), 54% more nitrogen removal (mean = 0.43 [0.13–0.73]), and 89–95% greater sediment nutrients (mean = 0.67 [0.27–1.07]) and organic matter (mean = 0.64 [0.44–0.84]) relative to degraded habitats. Moreover, restored reefs matched reference reefs for these ecosystem services. Our results support the continued and expanded use of oyster restoration to enhance ecosystem services of degraded coastal systems and match many functions provided by reference reefs.
Parents' perceived stress and children's adjustment during the COVID‐19 lockdown in Italy: The mediating role of family resilience
Authors: Giordano Francesca , Daniilidou Athena , Cipolla Alessandra , Landoni Marta , Platsidou Maria
Published: June 2022

Objective

This study aimed to explore the role of family resilience in the relationship between parents' psychological stress and their perceptions of children's emotional and behavioral symptoms during the COVID‐19 lockdown in Italy.

Background

The COVID‐19 lockdown threatened the well‐being of parents, with a potentially cascading effect on children's adjustment. However, the negative impact of parents' stress on children's well‐being may be attenuated in resilient families.

Method

During the Italian lockdown, an online survey was administered to 649 parents of at least one child aged between 5 and 17 years. Respondents completed the survey themselves and their child(ren). The Perceived Stress Scale, the Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were administered to parents.

Results

Results show that family resilience is a key mechanism in the association of parents' perceived stress with their perceptions of children's emotional symptoms, prosocial behavior, and hyperactivity and that only parents' marital status moderates this relationship.

Conclusion

The intervening role of family resilience emphasizes the need to empower parents and families during the pandemic crisis.

Implications

By strengthening family resilience, family resources maybe strengthened to meet new challenges more effectively.
Nanoscale chemical mapping of exometabolites at fungal–mineral interfaces
Authors: Pucetaite Milda , Hitchcock Adam , Obst Martin , Persson Per , Hammer Edith C.
Published: June 2022

Mineral‐associated organic matter is an integral part of soil carbon pool. Biological processes contribute to the formation of such organo‐mineral complexes when soil microbes, and in particular soil fungi, deposit a suite of extracellular metabolic compounds and their necromass on the mineral surfaces. While studied in bulk, micro‐ to nanoscale fungal–mineral interactions remain elusive. Of particular interest are the mutual effects at the interface between the fungal exometabolites and proximal mineral particles. In this work, we have grown saprotrophic and symbiotic fungi in contact with two soil minerals with contrasting properties: quartz and goethite, on top of X‐ray transparent silicon nitride membrane windows and analyzed fungal hyphae by synchrotron‐based scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy in combination with near edge X‐ray fine structure spectroscopy at C(K) and Fe(L) absorption edges. In the resultant chemical maps, we were able to visualize and differentiate organic compounds constituting the fungal cells, their extracellular metabolites, and the exometabolites adsorbing on the minerals. We found that the composition of the exometabolites differed between the fungal functional guilds, particularly, in their sugar to protein ratio and potassium concentration. In samples with quartz and goethite, we observed adsorption of the exometabolic compounds on the mineral surfaces with variations in their chemical composition around the particles. Although we did not observe clear alteration in the exometabolite chemistry upon mineral encounters, we show that fungal–mineral interaction result in reduction of Fe(III) in goethite. This process has been demonstrated for bulk systems, but, to our knowledge, this is the first observation on a single hypha scale offering insight into its underlying biological mechanisms. This demonstrates the link between processes initiated at the single‐cell level to macroscale phenomena. Thus, spatially resolved chemical characterization of the microbial–mineral interfaces is crucial for an increased understanding of overall carbon cycling in soil.
A novel phage-displayed MilA ELISA for detection of antibodies against Myc. bovis in bovine milk
Authors: Farzaneh Mina , Derakhshandeh Abdollah , Al-Farha Abd Al-Bar Ahmed , Petrovski Kiro , Hemmatzadeh Farhid
Published: June 2022

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess a phage-displayed MilA protein of Myc. bovis in an indirect ELISA for the detection of Myc. bovis antibodies in milk samples.

Methods and Results

The desired sequence of milA gene was synthesized and cloned into pCANTAB-F12 phagemid vector. The expression of the MilA on the phage surface was confirmed by Western blotting. The recombinant phage was used in the development of an indirect ELISA to detect Myc. bovis antibodies in milk samples. There was a significant agreement between the results of phage-based ELISA and recombinant GST-MilA ELISA for the detection of Myc. bovis antibodies in milk samples.

Conclusions

The inexpensive and convenient phage-based ELISA can be used instead of recombinant protein/peptide ELISA as an initial screening of Myc. bovis-associated mastitis.

Significance and Impact of Study

Mastitis associated with Myc. bovis is a continuous and serious problem in the dairy industry. Sero-monitoring of Myc. bovis infection cases are one of the key factors for surveillance of the infections in dairy farms. Despite the existence of some commercially serological assays for Myc. bovis antibodies, they have some limitations regarding their sensitivity and availability. The development of accurate diagnosis tools could contribute to control programmes of Myc. bovis-associated mastitis in the dairy herds.
Bacillus aryabhattai enhanced proline content, stabilized membrane and improved growth of cowpea under NaCl-induced salinity stress
Authors: Abiala Moses Akindele , Sahoo Lingaraj
Published: June 2022

Aims

Salinity stress affects the growth of cowpea particularly at the stages of seed germination and early vegetative growth. This study examined the potential of particular stress-tolerant rhizospheric bacteria to improve the growth of cowpea under conditions of salinity stress.

Methods and Results

Two rhizobacillus genotypes, Bacillus filamentosus-C8 and Bacillus aryabhattai-C29 were evaluated for their potentials to protect cowpea under NaCl-induced salinity stress. At 200 mM of NaCl concentration, control (non-inoculated) cowpea was affected, C8 was not able to significantly (p ≤ 0.05) alleviate the effects of salinity stress on cowpea growth while C29 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced leaf wilting, increased chlorophyll content and improved the growth of cowpea plant under stressed condition. Interestingly, C29 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) induced high proline content and stabilized membrane by loss of electrolytes.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that stabilized membrane and enhanced proline content by Bacillus aryabhattai-C29 supported the growth of cowpea under salinity stress condition.

Significance and Impact of the Study

This study revealed that rhizospheric bacteria screened for salinity stress tolerant have potential to be used as an effective bioprotectant for sustainable growth of cowpea under salinity stress condition.
Effect of elevated CO2 and temperature on maize resistance against the Asian corn borer
Authors: Xie Haicui , Zhao Huiyuan , Sun Yu , Wang Xiuping , Lin Xiaohu
Published: June 2022

The increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature has altered the plant‐insect interactions. However, little is known about the intrinsic mechanisms between plant resistance and insect survival strategies under the combined conditions of elevated CO2 and temperature. This study investigated the effects of elevated temperature alone and in combination with CO2 enrichment on the nutrition and resistance of maize (Zea mays L.) to the Asian corn borer (ACB) (Ostrinia furnacalis [Guenée]) and feeding, survival, and physiological response of ACB over 2‐year growing seasons. The maize plants were grown in free‐air CO2 enrichment connected by infrared heating system with the ambient (control), ~4.0°C increase in air temperature (ET) and ET together with ~700 ppm concentration of atmospheric CO2 (ETEC). Elevated CO2 alleviated the effect of ET on total non‐structural carbohydrates (TNC)/N in maize, and thus ETEC did not change this parameter. ETEC enhanced the defensive enzyme activities in maize. Elevated CO2 enhanced the ET effect on increased total phenolics content in maize. ET and ETEC increased the expression levels of the jasmonic acid (JA) defence‐related genes and JA content in maize. Above insect resistance‐related secondary metabolism in maize was enhanced by ACB damage. Except for amylase, ET and ETEC had no effect on the digestive enzyme activities and food intake of ACB, but enhanced its protective enzyme activities. ET and ETEC decreased the survival rate, overwintering larval body weight and fecundity, increased supercooling point of ACB fed on maize. These findings demonstrate that the combination of elevated temperature and CO2 did not influence the nutritional metabolism, but enhanced insect resistance‐related secondary metabolism of maize, which could alleviate the occurrence and damage of ACB in maize under the context of future climate change scenarios.
Structure and biomedical applications of bioactive polyphenols from food and fruits
Authors: Chang Yuyin , He Fei , Wang Tianfu , Aisa Haji Akber
Published: June 2022

Polyphenols, a class of bioactive compounds existing in food and fruit, play an essential role in anti‐oxidation, anti‐inflammation, anticancer, anti‐atherosclerosis, and antiaging by scavenging free radicals, regulating cellular redox potential, signaling pathways, and so on. Due to the low bioavailability/high activity paradox, the functional mechanism of polyphenols in biomedicine has attracted widespread attention. This review summarizes polyphenols (especially quercetin) chemical structure and bioactive mechanism (signaling pathways, enzyme activity, cell redox potential, and gene expression) to show in‐depth biomedical functional mechanisms for the control of chronic heath diseases such as oxidation, inflammation, cancer, atherosclerosis, and aging. This study can deepen the understanding of polyphenols' effects on human health.

Novelty impact statement

Providing another perspective for the comprehensive reuse of polyphenols in food and fruit.

Summarizing the polyphenols in biomedical research progress of function mechanism.

Deeping the understanding of the effects of polyphenols on human health.
Effects of bovine milk and buffalo milk on lipid metabolism in mice
Authors: Yan Kang , Ma XiaoYu , Jiang MaoCheng , Hu ZiXuan , Yang TianYu , Zhan Kang , Zhao GuoQi
Published: June 2022

Buffalo milk contains more polyunsaturated fatty acids than bovine milk. However, it is not clear about the effects of buffalo milk and bovine milk on lipid metabolism. In this study, a mouse model was used to explore the effects of buffalo milk and bovine milk on lipid metabolism in mice. The experiment was divided into three groups: a control group on a normal diet; a bovine milk group infused with bovine milk; a buffalo milk group infused with buffalo milk. We fed three groups of mice (n = 6) for 6 weeks. These results showed that bovine milk and buffalo milk had no effect on body weight gain. Bovine milk increased the content of ApoA1, ApoB and glucose in serum, compared with the control group, but buffalo milk has no profound change in serum ApoB. Remarkably, buffalo milk decreased the content of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in the liver lipid profile, and also downregulated the expression of the carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (Cpt2) gene involved in the fatty acid oxidation in the liver. This study also found that bovine milk and buffalo milk did not cause the expression of pro‐inflammatory factors in serum and colon tissues. This experiment proved that buffalo milk has beneficial effects on the regulation of lipid metabolism, and also does not affect the normal growth and pro‐inflammatory response of the colon in mice. It provides a theoretical basis for future in‐depth research on the special functions of buffalo milk and the development of buffalo milk functional foods.
The effect of excessive elemental sulfur addition on feed intake, digestibility, rumen characteristics, blood metabolites and nitrogen balance in Thai native beef cattle fed a diet containing high fresh cassava root
Authors: Sumadong Phussorn , So Sarong , Cherdthong Anusorn , Wanapat Metha
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to study the effect of excessive elemental sulfur addition on intake, digestibility, rumen characteristics, blood metabolites and nitrogen balance in Thai native beef cattle fed diets containing high fresh cassava root (FCR) supplementation. Four Thai native beef cattle with an initial body weight (BW) of 100 ± 10.0 kg were used and randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Two levels of FCR supplementation at 15 (FCR‐1.5) and 20 g/kg of BW (FCR‐2) and two levels of sulfur supplementation in concentrate at 10 (Sulfur‐1) and 20 g/kg dry matter concentrate (Sulfur‐2) were evaluated. This study showed that sulfur and FCR in combination (p < 0.05) increased dry matter and organic matter digestibility and bacterial population. Sulfur‐2 resulted in higher (p < 0.05) sulfur intake and serum thiocyanate concentration than Sulfur‐1. FCR‐2 had a greater (p < 0.05) FCR intake, total volatile fatty acids and propionate concentration than FCR‐1.5. In conclusion, excessive elemental sulfur addition with high FCR supplementation showed no negative effect in Thai native beef cattle.
Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles as potent antibacterial effective against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Campo-Beleño C. , Villamizar-Gallardo R.A. , López-Jácome L.E. , González E.E. , Muñoz-Carranza S. , Franco B. , Morales-Espinosa R. , Coria-Jimenez R. , Franco-Cendejas R. , Hernández-Durán M. , Lara-Martínez R. , Jiménez-García L.F. , Fernández-Presas A.M. , García-Contreras R.
Published: June 2022

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most worrisome infectious bacteria due to its intrinsic and acquired resistance against several antibiotics and the recalcitrance of its infections; hence, the development of novel antimicrobials effective against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa is mandatory. In this work, silver nanoparticles obtained by green synthesis using a leaf extract and fungi were tested against a battery of clinical strains from cystic fibrosis, pneumonia and burnt patients, some of them with multidrug resistance. Both nanoparticles showed a potent antibacterial effect, causing severe damage to the cell wall, membrane and DNA, and inducing the production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, the nanoparticles derived from fungi showed synergistic antibacterial effects with the antibiotics meropenem and levofloxacin for some clinical strains and both kinds of nanoparticles were nontoxic for larvae of the moth Galleria mellonella, encouraging further research for their implementation in the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections.
Optimization of environmental factors in a dual in vitro biofilm model of Candida albicans–Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Li J. , Wu Y. , Zhang Q. , Zhao J. , Zhang H. , Chen W.
Published: June 2022

The biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans–Candida albicans is an important virulence factor for dental caries. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of some environmental conditions on the biofilm formation like inoculation concentration, temperature, sugar, amino acid, metal ions and saliva, and then establish a persistent in vitro biofilm model for further research. Based on the single factor experiment, the factors participating in the biofilm formation including sugar, inoculation concentration, and saliva increased the biofilm mass, while amino acid, metal ions, temperatures reduced biofilm mass. Optimal conditions for biofilm formation were the inoculation dosage of S. mutans and C. albicans of 108 and 107, respectively, the addition of 0·3 g l−1 sucrose and sterile saliva. These results contribute to a deep understanding of the factors involved in oral biofilm formation of the important cariogenic pathogen S. mutans and the opportunistic pathogen C. albicans to study better for biofilm and promote the design of new therapeutic approaches. The present research also provides a model for evaluating the therapeutic potential for drugs in the future.
The contribution of undergraduate medical education dress codes to systemic discrimination: A critical policy analysis
Authors: Ruzycki Shannon M. , Daodu Oluwatomilayo , Hernandez Santanna , Lithgow Kirstie C.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Critical review of institutional policies is necessary to identify and eliminate structural discrimination in medical schools. Dress code policies are well known to facilitate discrimination in other settings.

Methods

In this critical policy analysis, the authors used qualitative inquiry guided by feminist critical policy analysis (FCPA) and critical race feminism (CRF) frameworks to understand how Canadian undergraduate medical school dress code policies may contribute to discrimination and a hostile culture for marginalised groups. Dress code policies were obtained from 14 of 17 Canadian medical schools in September 2021. Deductive content analysis of dress codes was performed independently and in parallel by all four members of a racially diverse study team using Edwards and Marshalls' established framework for applying FCPA and CRF to dress code policy statements. Inductive content analysis was used to classify statements that fell outside this framework. Using a historical and contemporary legal understanding of how dress code policies have been used to discriminate against marginalised groups, the authors analysed how recommendations or restrictions may contribute to discrimination of marginalised medical students.

Results

Fourteen dress code policies were analysed. Overall, there were five feminine‐coded restrictions for every one masculine‐coded restriction (n = 77/213 and n = 16/213, respectively). Some policies prohibited feminine‐coded items (e.g. perfumes and bracelets) while specifically allowing masculine‐coded items (e.g. cologne and watches). A discourse of ‘professionalism’ based on patient preferences prioritised Eurocentric patriarchal norms for appearance, potentially penalising racially and culturally diverse students. Most policies did not include a policy for appeals or accommodations.

Conclusion

Canadian undergraduate medical school dress code policies overregulate women and gender, racially and culturally diverse students by explicitly and implicitly enforcing white patriarchal social norms. Administrators should apply best practices to these policies to avoid discrimination and a hostile culture to marginalised groups.
Special issue: Questioning the roles of resources nutritional quality in ecology
Authors: Danger Michael , Bec Alexandre , Spitz Jérôme , Perga Marie‐Elodie
Published: June 2022

Our understanding of ecosystem functioning is strongly linked to the study of predator–prey relationships and food web structures. However, trophic ecology has often focused on identifying taxonomic relationships and quantifying the biomass or energy ingested by consumers, but has often failed to integrate the importance of the nutritional quality of resources in ecological dynamics. Underlying this gap is the multi‐dimensional nature of resource quality which has hampered any consensus on the definition of resource nutritional quality. In this special issue, we aimed at gathering a subset of articles exemplifying the diversity of variables by which resources quality is quantified, the diversity of research topics that can be tackled in ecology – from physiological or evolutionary aspects to ecosystem processes – and propose some perspectives on the integration of nutritional quality within broader ecological concepts. Using a semi‐automated literature analysis, we map the current landscape of the ‘resources nutritional quality' research of the last 30 years. We depict how it has been quantified through physical, biological or chemical indicators, the use of these parameters being largely dependent on the type of ecosystem studied and on the investigated ecological process. We then position the articles published in this special issue of Oikos within this landscape, showing they cover a small but relatively well representative subset of the domains of resources quality‐related issues. Articles in this special issue browse a range of individual and population‐level approaches (embracing evolutionary questions) to community related questions, include methodological issues and ecosystem‐wide approaches using trophic quality indicators as tracers of resources origin. Based on these studies and on the literature review, we identify a non‐exhaustive list of challenges and perspectives of research that we consider of highest priority in the large topic of trophic ecology.
Second Thoughts About My Favourite Theory
Authors: Gustafsson Johan E.
Published: June 2022

A straightforward way to handle moral uncertainty is simply to follow the moral theory in which you have most credence. This approach is known as My Favourite Theory. In this paper, I argue that, in some cases, My Favourite Theory prescribes choices that are, sequentially, worse in expected moral value than the opposite choices according to each moral theory you have any credence in. In addition, this problem generalizes to other approaches that avoid intertheoretic comparisons of value, such as My Favourite Option, the Borda Rule, Variance Normalization and the Principle of Maximizing Expected Normalized Moral Value.
Time, health service utilisation and health status in Africa: Evidence from six countries
Authors: Mwabu Germano
Published: June 2022

The debate on mechanisms for health‐care financing in sub‐Saharan Africa since the pre‐independence days has focused on roles of markets and governments in mobilising resources to finance health services, with little or no awareness of the role played by the household time allocations across everyday tasks. The paper first examines the response of health service utilisation to monetary prices of care and to the time costs of fetching water and firewood. Next it estimates the effect of service usage on health status using comparable survey data from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Niger and Uganda. The main finding of the study is that health service utilisation is negatively associated with the monetary and time costs incurred to access health facilities, but the effect of service usage on health status in the study samples is generally positive. The evidence from this study and that from previous investigations in the field, both suggest that a broad‐based health‐care financing strategy in sub‐Saharan Africa should include affordable user charges, local level public provision of social insurance and water supplies, as well as investments in domestic fuel technologies and transportation infrastructure directed at reducing time poverty.