bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical and biological behaviour of additive manufactured biomimetic biodegradable orthopaedic cortical screws
Authors: Agarwal Raj , Gupta Vishal , Singh Jaskaran
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The complications caused by metallic orthopaedic bone screws like stress-shielding effect, screw loosening, screw migration, higher density difference, painful reoperation and revision surgery for screw extraction can be overcome with the bioabsorbable bone screws. This study aims to use additive manufacturing (AM) technology to fabricate orthopaedic biodegradable cortical screws to reduce the bone-screw-related-complications.

Design/methodology/approach

The fused filament fabrication technology (FFFT)-based AM technique is used to fabricate orthopaedic cortical screws. The influence of various process parameters like infill pattern, infill percentage, layer height, wall thickness and different biological solutions were observed on the compressive strength and degradation behaviour of cortical screws.

Findings

The porous lattice structures in cortical screws using the rapid prototyping technique were found to be better as porous screws can enhance bone growth and accelerate the osseointegration process with sufficient mechanical strength. The compressive strength and degradation rate of the screw is highly dependent on process parameters used during the fabrication of the screw. The compressive strength of screw is inversely proportional to the degradation rate of the cortical screw.

Research limitations/implications

The present study is focused on cortical screws. Further different orthopaedic screws can be modified with the use of different rapid prototyping techniques.

Originality/value

The use of rapid prototyping techniques for patient-specific bone screw designs is scantly reported. This study uses FFFT-based AM technique to fabricate various infill patterns and porosity of cortical screws to enhance the design of orthopaedic cortical screws.
Effect of home-country corruption on sustainable resource management and innovation
Authors: Orudzheva Leyla , Sluhan Anne
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to better understand how firms integrate sustainable resource management dimensions into their strategy as these firms reexamine how to support sustainability in our global business environment. To that end, the authors empirically investigate the relationship between firm-level research and development (R&D) and sustainable resource management, with particular consideration of how home-country corruption impacts this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a pooled regression to test the hypotheses on an unbalanced panel data set of 307 observations across six years.

Findings

The results show a positive relationship between innovation capacity and sustainable resource management. When moderated by home-country corruption, this positive relationship weakens in countries with lower corruption levels.

Practical implications

Firms interested in moving towards sustainable resource management must be deliberate and strategic about its R&D investments.

Originality/value

This paper extends extant literature on sustainable resource management, innovation and corruption by investigating the relationships hitherto under-researched despite the abundance of studies on the overall corporate social responsibility.
A module for digital conservation of medicinal plants used by tribal communities living in selected villages of Anuppur district, Madhya Pradesh, Central India
Authors: Kareti Srinivasa Rao , Rajpoot Vivek Singh , Ramar Hari Haran
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop a suitable module for digital conservation of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants (MPs) used by tribal communities living in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, Central India.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used a qualitative approach to gather the data of MPs through the use of literature review and field survey. Based on the acquired data, a prototype digital learning system was constructed and assessed. This study used digital learning technologies to assess the requirements for transmitting traditional knowledge of important MPs used by tribal communities so that people can absorb and conserve them.

Findings

Over time, the focus on the digital conservation of traditional MP’s knowledge has progressively increased globally. Despite the rise in this field of study, information technology methods to preserve and distribute traditional knowledge of MPs have remained a few. When adopting digital learning to maintain traditional knowledge of MPs, it was discovered that it would be necessary to engage with relevant knowledge keepers, use multimedia, and provide content in local languages.

Research limitations/implications

This study helps in conservation of important MP species that are having biologically important therapeutic compounds meant for treating various ailments. Older generations of various tribal communities mainly hold traditional knowledge of important MPs, and unless it is preserved, it will perish along with its caretakers.

Originality/value

It is worth looking at a digital platform that can help future generations to maintain traditional knowledge of MPs, as it is a dynamic and ever-changing, it must involve a digital tool for its future conservation. Current methods for maintaining traditional knowledge of MPs were ineffective and constrained by space and time.
Macro- and micro-level connections between work–life balance, quality of life and circular economic thinking as drivers of sustainability
Authors: Diamantis Dimitrios , Puhr Ruth
Published: April 2022

Purpose

This study aims to summarize and review the contributions made to the theme issue and observe that synergistic relationships between micro and macro levels of corporate social responsibility initiatives are needed to enable quality of life measures to be embedded in circular economic thinking and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviews the contributions made by each article in the theme issue with reference to case study examples of contemporary corporate social responsibility initiatives implemented in hospitality and tourism settings.

Findings

This theme issue sought to showcase how work–life balance provisions help to stabilize employee turnover, and that further to this, quality of life enhancements via corporate social responsibility initiatives at the micro or company level can stimulate circular economic strategies at the macro or societal level. This can play a key role in securing the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal number 3 (good health and well-being).

Originality/value

This summary argues that enhanced corporate social responsibility initiatives could shorten the journey to sustainability by focusing on improving societal and personal levels of quality of life. Only then will work–life balance measurements become more transferable from micro to macro perspectives through circular economic thinking and action. Hence, it is clear that work–life provisions are powerful drivers in the journey toward sustainability.
What determines the willingness of older Polish employees to learn?
Authors: Pawłowska-Cyprysiak Karolina , Hildt-Ciupińska Katarzyna
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The issue of educational activity of elderly people is very important. It is an area not only closely related to the productivity of the employees in the company and their retention but also to the broadly understood quality of life of the elderly. The purpose of this study was to develop a model of conditions for the willingness to learn in the case of older employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The study group consisted of employees aged 50+, the so-called older employees. The selection of the group was intentional. The questionnaires were completed by employees of companies that agreed to participate in the survey.

Findings

To identify the direct predictors of the willingness to participate in training, a logistic regression analysis was carried out. The model allows to explain 19.1% of the variance of the dependent variable. Higher age value reduces the chance that a person will want to participate in training, while higher number of employees in the company, the need to learn new things at work, greater emotional demands and a greater sense of effectiveness increase these chances.

Originality/value

Research on training and the willingness to learn is more often carried out among younger employees than the group of employees 50+. Defining what influences the willingness to learn among this group allows to design activities aimed on development and satisfying needs of older employees in this area.
Assessment of malignant melanoma lesions using violet‐light dermoscopy: A case report
Authors: Shu Juri , Yamamoto Yosuke , Aoyama Kazuhiro , Togawa Yaei , Kishimoto Takashi , Matsue Hiroyuki
Published: April 2022

Malignant melanomas often present with irregular shapes and in multiple shades of brown under white light. Dermoscopy is used to diagnose malignant melanomas; nevertheless, it is often difficult to differentiate malignant melanoma from healthy pigmented skin. The DZ‐D100 dermoscope (Casio Computer) is a digital camera equipped with a white light‐emitting diode (LED) and a violet LED, which can capture non‐polarized/polarized conventional dermoscopy images (CDS) as well as violet‐light dermoscopy (VLD) images. Since the absorption wavelength of melanin approaches that of ultraviolet rays, VLD with a wavelength of 405 nm can be used to visualize it. This camera allows three images with the same composition to be captured simultaneously. In this case, we performed dermoscopy with DZ‐D100 to determine the surgical resection margins of a melanoma of the heel in a 76‐year‐old woman. The pale‐colored lesions that were difficult to demarcate by CDS were clearly visible by VLD, presenting as dark areas in the grayscale images. Preoperatively determined lesion boundaries with CDS in combination with VLD were histologically more accurate than those with conventional CDS alone. Therefore, the combination of CDS and VLD may reveal the distribution of subtle pigmentation of fine melanin in the skin, making it easier to distinguish between lesions and healthy skin. As one of the limitations, parts of the heel with thick stratum corneum were also observed to be dark gray in the VLD images. Therefore, the evaluation of pigment lesion should be performed by comparing both CDS and VLD.
Gene expression plasticity, genetic variation and fatty acid remodelling in divergent populations of a tropical bivalve species
Authors: Le Luyer Jérémy , Monaco Cristian J. , Milhade Léo , Reisser Céline , Soyez Claude , Raapoto Hirohiti , Belliard Corinne , Le Moullac Gilles , Ky Chin‐Long , Pernet Fabrice
Published: April 2022

Ocean warming challenges marine organisms' resilience, especially for species experiencing temperatures close to their upper thermal limits. A potential increase in thermal tolerance might significantly reduce the risk of population decline, which is intrinsically linked to variability in local habitat temperatures.

Our goal was to assess the plastic and genetic potential of response to elevated temperatures in a tropical bivalve model,Pinctada margaritifera. We benefit from two ecotypes for which local environmental conditions are characterized by either large diurnal variations in the tide pools (Marquesas archipelago) or low mean temperature with stable to moderate seasonal variations (Gambier archipelago).

We explored the physiological basis of individual responses to elevated temperature, genetic divergence as well as plasticity and acclimation by combining lipidomic and transcriptomic approaches.

We show thatP. margaritiferahas certain capacities to adjust to long‐term elevated temperatures that was thus far largely underestimated. Genetic variation across populations overlaps with gene expression and involves the mitochondrial respiration machinery, a central physiological process that contributes to species thermal sensitivity and their distribution ranges.

Our results present evidence for acclimation potential inP. margaritiferaand urge for longer term studies to assess populations resilience in the face of climate change.
Outcrossing syndrome in alpine plants: Implications for flowering phenology and pollination success
Authors: Kudo Gaku
Published: April 2022

This study aims to clarify the community‐wide mating systems and pollination success of alpine plants. Selfing abilities and fruit‐set success of entomophilous alpine plants were compared using a dataset of 46 species that were obtained during the last 30 years in the Taisetsu Mountains, northern Japan. Almost all species showed self‐incompatibility or weak self‐compatibility, indicating that obligate outcrossing is a common mating system in alpine plants. This mating property leads to a clear seasonal pattern of fruit‐set success responding to the seasonal dynamics of pollinator activity. Most species are visited by bumble bees and/or flies, and the seasonal trend of pollination success was shown to vary among pollinator types. Pollen limitation in bee‐pollinated plants was intense early in the season and tended to decrease as the season progressed, reflecting the colony development cycle of bumble bees. Thus, the fruit‐set success of bee‐pollinated plants increased with the delay of flowering time. In contrast, seasonal trends in the pollen limitation and fruit‐set success of fly‐pollinated species were less clear. Mixed‐type plants visited by both bees and flies showed a pattern intermediate to that of bee‐type and fly‐type plants. The flowering phenology of alpine plant communities was greatly regulated by snowmelt patterns, and the pollination success of single species varied greatly among local populations distributed in different snowmelt habitats. These heterogeneous landscape features create diverse plant–pollinator interactions in alpine ecosystems. Based on these results, the ecological and evolutionary significance of the outcrossing syndrome in alpine plants is discussed.
Investigating the impact of at‐home learning on secondary school‐aged children with ADHD: a qualitative study
Authors: Hatton Brad , Powell Lauren
Published: April 2022

Students with ADHD can benefit from at‐home learning in terms of managing their symptoms; however, lockdown restrictions due to the pandemic are having negative impacts on the student population. This study was designed to ascertain how students with ADHD have been impacted by at‐home learning under lockdown restrictions. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted using semi‐structured interviews from students, parents and teaching staff. These interviews were used to identify three main themes (anxiety caused by at‐home learning, change in social interaction and academic impact of at‐home learning) that best identified the participants' experiences. The results suggested that whilst supportive home environments helped students with ADHD to better manage their symptoms, social anxiety was a significant problem, and not all schools allowed students with ADHD to take full advantage of at‐home learning for their students with ADHD.
Twice exceptionality in neoliberal education cultures: Implications for special educational needs co‐ordinators
Authors: Demir Yunus , Done Elizabeth J.
Published: April 2022

‘Twice exceptionality’ describes the coexistence of a learning difficulty or disability (SEN/D) and exceptional performance in one area of learning. A popular discourse around autism and savantism in the United States promotes a hierarchical differentiation of the ‘twice exceptional’ based on measured intelligence and commodifies support for this group. Such support is designed to appeal to a neoliberal ethos of seeking competitive advantage in a marketised system. Alternatively, special educational needs co‐ordinators (SENCOs) could raise awareness and promote a non‐hierarchical understanding of ‘twice exceptionality’ in schools, thereby highlighting what is missed when allegedly science‐based discourses become hegemonic within education and when governmentally mandated accountability practices are prioritised over professional judgement and the interests of individual students. Calls for ‘twice exceptionality’ to be recognised as a SEN/D category risk additional pressures on SENCOs at a time when governmental demands on SENCOs throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic have served to heighten existing tensions associated with the neoliberalisation of education (commercialisation, commodification, decentralisation, and residualisation). Nevertheless, SENCOs could play a key role in addressing longer‐term processes affecting children with dis/abilities and learning difficulties such as stigmatisation and, in this instance, discriminatory configurations of ‘giftedness’.
Quantitative Method of Classification and Discrimination of a Porous Carbonate Reservoir Integrating K‐means Clustering and Bayesian Theory
Authors: FANG Xinxin , ZHU Guotao , YANG Yiming , LI Fengling , FENG Hong
Published: April 2022

Reservoir classification is a key link in reservoir evaluation. However, traditional manual means are inefficient, subjective, and classification standards are not uniform. Therefore, taking the Mishrif Formation of the Western Iraq as an example, a new reservoir classification and discrimination method is established by using the K‐means clustering method and the Bayesian discrimination method. These methods are applied to non‐cored wells to calculate the discrimination accuracy of the reservoir type, and thus the main reasons for low accuracy of reservoir discrimination are clarified. The results show that the discrimination accuracy of reservoir type based on K‐means clustering and Bayesian stepwise discrimination is strongly related to the accuracy of the core data. The discrimination accuracy rate of Type I, Type II, and Type V reservoirs is found to be significantly higher than that of Type III and Type IV reservoirs using the method of combining K‐means clustering and Bayesian theory based on logging data. Although the recognition accuracy of the new methodology for the Type IV reservoir is low, with average accuracy the new method has reached more than 82% in the entire study area, which lays a good foundation for rapid and accurate discrimination of reservoir types and the fine evaluation of a reservoir.
Determinants and consequences of polypharmacy in patients with a depressive disorder in later life
Authors: Wiersema Carlijn , Oude Voshaar Richard C. , van den Brink Rob H. S. , Wouters Hans , Verhaak Peter , Comijs Hannie C. , Jeuring Hans W.
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Polypharmacy and late‐life depression often congregate in the geriatric population. The primary objective is to identify determinants of polypharmacy in patients with depression, and second to examine polypharmacy in relation to various clinical phenotypes of depression and its course.

Methods

A longitudinal observational study using data of the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older persons (NESDO) including 375 patients with depression 60 years and 132 non‐depressed comparisons. Linear and logistic regression were used to analyze both polypharmacy (dichotomous: ≥5 medications) and number of prescribed drugs (continuous) in relation to depression, various clinical phenotypes, and depression course.

Results

Polypharmacy was more prevalent among patients with depression (46.9%) versus non‐depressed comparisons (19.7%). A lower level of education, lower cognitive functioning, and more chronic diseases were independently associated with polypharmacy. Adjusted for these determinants, polypharmacy was associated with a higher level of motivational problems, anxiety, pain, and an earlier age of onset. A higher number of drugs was associated with a worse course of late‐life depression (OR = 1.24 [95% CI: 1.03–1.49], p = 0.022).

Conclusion

Older patients with depression have a huge risk of polypharmacy, in particular among those with an early onset depression. As an independent risk factor for chronic depression, polypharmacy needs to be identified and managed appropriately. Findings suggest that depression moderates polypharmacy through shared risk factors, including motivational problems, anxiety, and pain. The complex interaction with somatic health burden requires physicians to prescribe medications with care.
Temporal and regional differences in the incidence of hospital‐diagnosed endometriosis: a Danish population‐based study
Authors: Illum Louise Ruby Høj , Forman Axel , Melgaard Anna , Hansen Karina E. , Hansen Stefan N. , Nyegaard Mette , Hummelshoj Lone , Rytter Dorte
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Due to diagnostic challenges, normalization of symptoms and an overall lack of awareness among both patients and physicians, endometriosis is an underdiagnosed disease. This can result in delayed treatment and potentially worsening of the disease. Despite initiatives, such as patients' support organizations and specialized endometriosis referral centers, differences in awareness, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle, combined with varying distances to specialized referral centers, could result in regional differences in the degree of underdiagnosing. This study aims to explore temporal and regional variations in the incidence of endometriosis based on the Danish hospital discharge register, and shed light on the degree of underdiagnosing of endometriosis in Denmark.

Material and methods

This registry‐based cohort study included all women aged 15–55 living in Denmark from 1990–2017. Participants were identified through the Danish Civil Registration system and endometriosis diagnoses received at a hospital were obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry. Incidence rates of diagnosed endometriosis were calculated for each year of the study period and for each municipality in Denmark. A Cox regression analysis, stratified by calendar time and adjusted for ethnic origin, household composition, highest educational level and family socioeconomic status, was performed to estimate the association between residence and likelihood of receiving a hospital‐based diagnosis of endometriosis.

Results

The nationwide incidence rate of hospital‐diagnosed endometriosis was 7.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.80–7.99) per 10 000 person‐years and the prevalence in 2017 was 1.63%. The results showed an overall increase in the incidence of diagnosed endometriosis of 46.8% (95% CI 32.9–62.2) during the study period and also displayed significant regional differences. After adjustments, women living in northern Jutland had the highest probability of receiving a hospital‐based diagnosis of endometriosis (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% CI 1.09–1.18), whereas women living in northern Zealand had the lowest probability (hazard ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.60–0.67) compared with eastern Jutland. These regional differences have become more evident over time.

Conclusions

Our results reveal significant regional differences in the incidence of hospital‐diagnosed endometriosis, suggesting that a significant number of women may be left behind without a diagnosis. Further studies are needed to assess the underlying reasons for the significant regional differences.
The influence of non‐conformal grid interfaces on the results of large eddy simulation of centrifugal blood pumps
Authors: Wu Peng , Huo Jia‐Dong , Zhang Zi‐Jian , Wang Chun‐Ju
Published: April 2022

Background

Computational fluid dynamics has been widely used to assist the design and evaluation of blood pumps. Discretization errors associated with computational grid may influence the credibility of numerical simulations. Non‐conformal grid interfaces commonly exist in rotary machines, including rotary blood pumps. Should grid size across the interface differ greatly, large errors may occur.

Methods

This study explored the effects of non‐conformal grid interface on the prediction of the flow field and hemolysis in blood pumps using large eddy simulation (LES). Two benchmarks, a nozzle model and a centrifugal blood pump were chosen as test cases.

Results

This study found that non‐conformal grid interfaces with considerable change of grid sizes led to discontinuities of flow variables and brought errors to metrics such as pressure head (7%) and hemolysis (up to 14%).

Conclusions

The results on the full unstructured grid are more accurate with negligible changes of flow variables across the non‐conformal grid interface. A full unstructured grid should be employed for centrifugal blood pumps to minimize the influence of non‐conformal grid interfaces for LES simulations.
Artificial oxygen carriers in organ preservation: Dose dependency in a rat model of ex‐vivo normothermic kidney perfusion
Authors: Jägers Johannes , Kirsch Michael , Cantore Miriam , Karaman Ozan , Ferenz Katja Bettina
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Organ preservation through ex‐vivo normothermic perfusion (EVNP) with albumin‐derived perfluorocarbon‐based artificial oxygen carriers (A‐AOCs) consisting of albumin‐derived perfluorodecalin‐filled nanocapsules prior to transplantation would be a promising approach to avoid hypoxic tissue injury during organ storage.

Methods

The kidneys of 16 rats underwent EVNP for 2 h with plasma‐like solution (5% bovine serum albumin, Ringer‐Saline, inulin) with or without A‐AOCs in different volume fractions (0%, 2%, 4%, or 8%). Cell death was determined using TdT‐mediated dUTP‐biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). Aspartate transaminase (AST) activity in both perfusate and urine as well as the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were determined. The hypoxia inducible factors 1α and 2α (HIF‐1α und ‐2α) were quantified in tissue homogenates.

Results

GFR was substantially decreased in the presence of 0%, 2%, and 8% A‐AOC but not of 4%. In accordance, hypoxia‐mediated cell death, as indicated by both AST activity and TUNEL‐positive cells, was significantly decreased in the 4% group compared to the control group. The stabilization of HIF‐1α and 2α decreased with 4% and 8% but not with 2% A‐AOCs.

Conclusion

The dosage of 4% A‐AOCs in EVNP was most effective in maintaining the physiological renal function.
Does environmental underperformance duration affect firms' green innovation? Evidence from China
Authors: Xue Shan , Zhang Lin , Chen Honghui , Yin Juelin
Published: April 2022

Does the length of a firm's environmental underperformance shape its green innovation? Drawing on the behavioral theory of the firm, we argue that the duration of a firm's environmental underperformance plays an important role in shaping its green innovation activities. Using the data from Chinese publicly listed firms spanning from 2010 to 2018, we find that the duration of environmental underperformance has a U‐shaped effect on a firm's green innovation, possibly due to competing short‐ and long‐term solutions to regain legitimacy. We also find that this relationship is moderated by environmental underperformance intensity and analyst recommendation pressure. Our study contributes to the literature on green innovation and the behavioral theory of the firm. We discuss the implications for policymakers and managers.
Inhibition of the Sec61 translocon overcomes cytokine‐induced glucocorticoid resistance in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Meyer Lauren K. , Delgado‐Martin Cristina , Sharp Phillip P. , Huang Benjamin J. , McMinn Dustin , Vincent Tiffaney L. , Ryan Theresa , Horton Terzah M. , Wood Brent L. , Teachey David T. , Taunton Jack , Kirk Christopher J. , Hermiston Michelle L.
Published: April 2022

Glucocorticoid (GC) resistance is a poor prognostic factor in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T‐ALL). Interleukin‐7 (IL‐7) mediates GC resistance via GC‐induced upregulation of IL‐7 receptor (IL‐7R) expression, leading to increased pro‐survival signalling. IL‐7R reaches the cell surface via the secretory pathway, so we hypothesized that inhibiting the translocation of IL‐7R into the secretory pathway would overcome GC resistance. Sec61 is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) channel that is required for insertion of polypeptides into the ER. Here, we demonstrate that KZR‐445, a novel inhibitor of Sec61, potently attenuates the dexamethasone (DEX)‐induced increase in cell surface IL‐7R and overcomes IL‐7‐induced DEX resistance.
Parents’ daily involvement in children’s math homework and activities during early elementary school
Authors: Wu Jiawen , Barger Michael M. , Oh Dajung (Diana) , Pomerantz Eva M.
Published: April 2022

This research examined parents’ involvement in children’s math homework and activities. During 2017 to 2019, American parents (N = 483; 80% mothers; 67% white) of young elementary school children (Mage = 7.47 years; 50% girls) reported on their math helping self‐efficacy; they also reported on their involvement in children’s math homework and activities daily for 12 days. At this time and a year later, children’s math motivation and achievement were assessed. Parents’ involvement in homework (vs. activities) was more affectively negative (d = .34), particularly among parents low in self‐efficacy (d = .23). The more affectively negative parents’ involvement, particularly in homework, the poorer children’s later math motivation and achievement (βs = −.09 to .20).
Prioritizing conservation in sub‐Saharan African lakes based on freshwater biodiversity and algal bloom metrics
Authors: Danaher Cody , Newbold Tim , Cardille Jeffrey , Chapman Abbie S. A.
Published: April 2022

As agricultural land use and climate change continue to pose increasing threats to biodiversity in sub‐Saharan Africa, efforts are being made to identify areas where trade‐offs between future agricultural development and terrestrial biodiversity conservation are expected to be greatest. However, little research so far has focused on freshwater biodiversity conservation in the context of agricultural development in sub‐Saharan Africa. We aimed to identify lakes and lake areas where freshwater biodiversity is most likely to be affected by eutrophication and Harmful Algal Blooms (i.e., when algae multiply to the extent that they have toxic effects on people and freshwater fauna), some of the most important emerging threats to freshwater ecosystems worldwide, especially with the onset of climate change. Using novel remote‐sensing techniques, we identified lakes that demonstrated high biodiversity and algal bloom levels. We calculated the richness of freshwater species and the normalized difference chlorophyll index (NDCI) to prioritize lakes in Ghana, Ethiopia, Zambia, and bordering countries, of high priority for conservation. We identified 169 priority lakes and lake areas for conservation, based on high levels of biodiversity exposed to potentially harmful algal blooms. Zambia had the most lakes identified as conservation priorities (76% of its small lakes and five 100‐km2 areas in large lakes). Many of the conservation priority lakes and lake areas identified in this study were in transboundary watersheds; thus, collaborative water resource management and conservation at the watershed scale is needed. The use of remote‐sensing tools to prioritize freshwater systems for conservation according to algal‐bloom risk is vital in remote, undersampled world regions, especially given the increasing threat posed to freshwater biodiversity by rapidly expanding agriculture and climate change.
Conceptual frameworks and key questions for assessing the contribution of marine protected areas to shark and ray conservation
Authors: Chin Andrew , Molloy Fergus John , Cameron Darren , Day Jon C. , Cramp Jessica , Gerhardt Karin Leeann , Heupel Michelle R. , Read Mark , Simpfendorfer Colin A.
Published: April 2022

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are key tools in addressing the global decline of sharks and rays, and marine parks and shark sanctuaries of various configurations have been established to conserve shark populations. However, assessments of their efficacy are compromised by inconsistent terminology, lack of standardized approaches to assess how MPAs contribute to shark and ray conservation, and ambiguity about how to integrate movement data in assessment processes. We devised a conceptual framework to standardize key terms (e.g., protection, contribution, potential impact, risk, threat) and used the concept of portfolio risk to identify key attributes of sharks and rays (assets), the threats they face (portfolio risk), and the specific role of MPAs in risk mitigation (insurance). Movement data can be integrated into the process by informing risk exposure and mitigation through MPAs. The framework is operationalized by posing 8 key questions that prompt practitioners to consider the assessment scope, MPA type and purpose, range of existing and potential threats, species biology and ecology, and management and operational contexts. Ultimately, MPA contributions to shark and ray conservation differ according to a complex set of human and natural factors and interactions that should be carefully considered in MPA design, implementation, and evaluation.
The college admissions contribution to the labor market beauty premium
Authors: Ong David
Published: April 2022

We investigate the contribution of college admissions to the labor market beauty premium. We sampled 1800 social media profiles of students from universities ranked from 1 to 200 in China and the US. Chinese universities use standardized test scores for admissions. US universities use also extracurricular activities. Consistent with beauty‐blind admissions, alumni's beauty is uncorrelated with the rank of the school they attended in China. In the US, White men who attended high‐ranked schools are better looking, especially attendees of private schools. A one percentage point increase in beauty rank corresponds to a half‐point increase in the school rank.
Investigating classification performance of hybrid deep learning and machine learning architectures on activity recognition
Authors: Uzunhisarcıklı Esma , Kavuncuoğlu Erhan , Özdemir Ahmet Turan
Published: April 2022

Human activity recognition (HAR) has become a popular field to recognize people's activities from signals obtained using various types of body placed sensors. The increase in the elderly population will increase cognitive and physical decline due to aging and may cause to serious injuries and deaths if immediate assistance is not provided. For this reason, temporal dynamics and important features should automatically be extracted in order to support the daily life of the elderly and to recognize their physical activities correctly and real time. In the study, the classification performances of deep models (CNNLSTM: CNN long short‐term memory network, ConvLSTM: convolutional LSTM, LSTM: long short‐term memory network) and four other machine learning algorithms (SMVs: support vector machines, k‐NN: k‐nearest neighbor classifier, DT: decision tree classifier, ERF: ensemble random forest) which are known to be successful in HAR were investigated. Features used features used in deep models are automatically generated however in machine learning models were generated by hand. The deep models are developed using with a huge set of activities containing 2520 tests. In the tests, each activity of the volunteers was recorded with three axis accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer sensors placed in the waist region of body. As a result, ConvLSTM reached the highest accuracy with 99.86% in deep models, while SVMs achieved the highest accuracy in fall detection among machine learning algorithms with 98.47%. When the classification of 36 activities was examined, the highest accuracy was obtained with CNNLSTM and SVMs with 86.94% and 74.58%, respectively. Deep models proposed in this study are considered to be more applicable in real‐world HAR scenarios where sensors' data of indefinite length are obtained.
Sensitivity of liquid‐based cytology in the diagnosis of mucormycosis in COVID‐19 treated patients
Authors: Kumar Rabish , Singh Meeta , Sagar Tanu , Bharanidharan   , Khurana Nita , Kumar Vikas , Meher Ravi , Malhotra Vikas , Goel Ruchi , Saxena Sonal , Kumar Jyoti
Published: April 2022

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is associated with a wide range of disease patterns, ranging from mild to life‐threatening pneumonia. COVID‐19 can be associated with a suppressed immune response and/or hyperinflammatory state due to a cytokine storm. Reduced immunity, combined with steroid usage to prevent a cytokine storm along with various pre‐existing comorbidities can prove to be fertile ground for various secondary bacterial and fungal infection, including mucormycosis. Diagnosis of Mucor is a challenging task given the high negativity rate of various detection methods. While histopathology is considered the gold standard, the acquisition of necessary tissue biopsy specimens requires invasive procedures and is time consuming.

Method

In this study five different methods of Mucor detection, namely conventional cytopathology, liquid‐based cytology (LBC, BD SurePath™), potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation, culture, and histopathology were analysed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for all five methods.

Results

LBC had values for sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 72.4%, 100%, 100%, and 38.4%, respectively, closely matching histopathology in sensitivity (75.9%). The sensitivity of culture, conventional cytopathology, and KOH were very low compared to histopathology and LBC.

Conclusion

This study showed that LBC, can be a rapid and effective alternative to histopathology in Mucor diagnosis.
Cardiovascular and renal outcomes of initial combination therapy with glucose‐lowering agents versus a stepwise approach in newly diagnosed or treatment‐naïve type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Seidu Samuel , Almaqhawi Abdullah , Abdool Mohammad , Kunutsor Setor K. , Davies Melanie J. , Khunti Kamlesh
Published: April 2022

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the initial combination therapy versus a stepwise approach in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) by conducting a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

Studies were identified from MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and through search of bibliographies to January 2022. Study‐specific risk ratios (RRs) and mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled. Quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

Results

Eight articles including four unique RCTs (n = 5527 participants) and one observational cohort study (n = 200) that compared initial combination therapy versus stepwise therapy were included. The RR for myocardial infarction comparing initial combination therapy versus stepwise therapy was 1.21 (95% CI 0.74‐2.00). Initial combination therapy reduced levels of fasting plasma glucose and glycated haemoglobin: mean differences −0.97 mmol/L (95% CI −1.41, −0.53) and −24.92 mmol/mol (95% CI −25.67, −24.27), respectively. Initial combination therapy versus stepwise therapy reduced lipid levels, blood pressure and intima media thickness, with no differences in body composition variables, neuropathy, retinopathy or adverse events. Single‐study results showed that initial combination therapy reduced creatinine levels and urine albumin excretion rate. The quality of the evidence ranged from moderate to very low.

Conclusions

Except for improving cardiometabolic and glycaemic variables, a limited number of studies characterized by small sample sizes show that initial combination therapy for newly diagnosed T2D may be similar in efficacy and safety to stepwise therapy with respect to cardio‐renal outcomes. There is a lack of sufficient evidence to recommend initial combination therapy with glucose‐lowering agents in newly diagnosed T2D with the aim of preventing cardio‐renal outcomes. Definitive RCTs are warranted.
Microfinance and Diversification
Authors: Bandiera Oriana , Burgess Robin , Deserranno Erika , Morel Ricardo , Rasul Imran , Sulaiman Munshi , Thiemel Jack
Published: April 2022

The bulk of the world's extreme poor work in subsistence agriculture. Diversification out of this activity is often seen as the sine qua non of economic development. We evaluate whether the roll‐out of a mainstay development intervention—microfinance—into poor, agricultural and largely unbanked populations in rural Uganda helps borrowers to diversify into non‐agricultural labour activities. The new microfinance product is targeted to women, and differs from existing sources of formal and informal credit in that it allows them to borrow larger amounts but has inflexible repayment dates and the use of funds is monitored. We find that the arrival of microfinance enables women to diversify out of agriculture and into service‐based activities such as small‐scale trading. This low‐level structural change, however, is not transformative in that it does not lead—at least after two years—to significant uplifts in earnings, consumption, savings, investment and overall wealth.
A new approach of non‐invasive hemodynamic assessment by echocardiography in the intensive care unit: The right intercostal transhepatic window
Authors: Cheong Issac , Bermeo Milton , Merlo Pablo M. , Tamagnone Francisco M.
Published: April 2022

Echocardiography has gained great acceptance in the management of critically ill patients, allowing non‐invasive hemodynamic assessment, through conventional cardiac windows such as the parasternal, apical and subxiphoid views. However, it is not always possible to get good quality images because of the interposition of the lung or the presence of surgical drainages at the thoracic region. Based on these issues, we described a case in which echocardiographic assessment was possible through a novel approach: the right intercostal transhepatic window (RITW), through which we diagnosed significant aortic regurgitation in a patient with pulmonary edema.
The effect of the Mahathir regime on the Malaysian economy
Authors: Adisa Abidemi , Farmer Michael , Pavlik Jamie Bologna
Published: April 2022

Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad is often credited with Malaysia's dramatic economic success post‐1980. It is well known that the Mahathir regime installed centralized power in the Office of the Prime Minister (PM) and greatly extended state capacity through a far‐reaching clientelist system. Prima Facie, the Malaysian experience appears to validate power centralization and state capacity as complementary to economic development. Though these changes did make Malaysia more susceptible to corruption, dramatically exhibited in 2015 with the 1MDB 5 billion dollar scandal, it has been argued that the clientelist political structure installed in Malaysia generally manages corruption at tolerable levels in order to provide the state the capacity needed to implement controls for economic development that began in the 1980s. While Malaysia experienced impressive economic growth during the Mahathir administration, our test using the Synthetic Control Method finds that GDP per capita fell well below what would have been expected under the governing structures in place in the 1970s, before Mahathir took office—a loss of approximately $4000 per capita below its potential. This study provides evidence of powerful negative economic consequences attributable to greater power centralization and enhanced state capacity inaugurated under Mahathir.
Embedded autonomy, political institutions, and access orders
Authors: Lyu Weicheng , Singh Nirvikar
Published: April 2022

We construct a model of “embedded autonomy,” the idea that the closeness of bureaucrats and business people may lead to growth‐promoting policies by the government, though at the risk of leading to crony capitalism. We analyze how the level of monitoring to control corruption and the weight given to the future affect the nature of the possible outcomes. We explore possible tradeoffs between growth and inclusiveness and discuss how our model relates to more general concepts of inclusiveness of institutions, as framed by Acemoglu and Robinson, or the nature of “access orders,” as introduced by North, Wallis, and Weingast.
Isolation and identification of Rahnella victoriana associated with bacterial canker of Eucalyptus in Iran
Authors: Basavand Esmaeil , Khodaygan Pejman , Ghelardini Luisa , Rahimian Heshmatollah
Published: April 2022

Eucalypts are cultivated in many regions of the world because of their amenability to intensive plantation forestry (environmental adaptability and plasticity of clones, fast growth, easiness of rooting and strong re‐sprouting after coppicing), quality of the timber for multiple uses and high economic performance. Symptomatic Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees were sampled at two sites in the Mazandaran province of Iran. Plants showed trunk bark cracking and cankers accompanied by dark‐brown watery exudation from damaged tissues. Isolation, purification along with phenotypic and genotypic characterization of isolates were performed using routine bacteriological methods. Finally, the bacterial isolates obtained from cankers on symptomatic eucalyptus plants were identified as Rahnella victoriana based on results of biochemical tests in combination with analyses of partial sequences of the 16S rRNA, gyrB,rpoB, and atpD gene regions. When representative isolates were inoculated into the stem of 1‐year‐old E. camaldulensis saplings, necrotic lesions were visible in external and internal bark tissues 30 days after inoculation. The bacteria were re‐isolated from lesions up to 2 months post‐inoculation. This is the first report of bacterial canker of Eucalyptus caused by R. victoriana in Iran and in the world.