bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-construal types and organizational citizenship behavior for the environment of employees in a university
Authors: Ojedokun Oluyinka
Published: March 2021

Purpose

In researching into workplace pro-environmental behaviors, there is sparse evidence on self-construals with dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior for the environment (OCBE), particularly among university employees. To fill this gap, the purpose of the study is to investigate the associations of self-construals with eco-civic engagement, eco-helping and eco-initiatives among 256 (men = 139 and women = 117) employees of a University.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the use of cross-sectional survey method, data were collected to investigate theoretically deduced hypotheses. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Results showed that independent self-construal was positively associated with eco-civic engagement,β = 0.25,t = 2.55,p < 0.01, eco-helping, β = 0.42,t = 4.51,p < 0.01 and eco-initiatives,β = 0.36,t = 3.73,p < 0.01, whereas interdependent self-construal had significant positive relationship with eco-civic engagement only,β = 0.27,t = 2.73,p < 0.01.

Research limitations/implications

Future research can manipulate self-construal and collect observational data on eco-civic engagement, eco-helping and eco-initiatives. The findings should be further developed using larger samples among other higher education institutions (HEIs).

Practical implications

This study provides a basis that self-construction can influence OCBE, particularly, focusing on independence can drive eco-civic engagement, eco-helping and eco-initiatives while focusing on interdependence can motivate eco-civic engagement. The findings may guide future development of workplace environmental sustainability programs and policies to aid university managers, practitioners, organizers and promoters of environmental sustainability on the university campuses.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to environmental sustainability literature in HEIs by providing information on the usefulness of self-construal types in motivating employee participation in OCBE.
How fitness consequences of early‐life conditions vary with age in a long‐lived seabird: A Bayesian multivariate analysis of age‐specific reproductive values
Authors: Vedder Oscar , Pen Ido , Bouwhuis Sandra
Published: March 2021

Evolutionary theory suggests that individuals can benefit from deferring the fitness cost of developing under poor conditions to later in life. Although empirical evidence for delayed fitness costs of poor developmental conditions is abundant, individuals that die prematurely have not often been incorporated when estimating fitness, such that age‐specific fitness costs, and therefore therelative importanceof delayed fitness costs are actually unknown.

We developed a Bayesian statistical framework to estimate age‐specific reproductive values in relation to developmental conditions. We applied it to data obtained from a long‐term longitudinal study of common ternsSterna hirundo, using sibling rank to describe variation in developmental conditions. Common terns have a maximum of three chicks, and later hatching chicks acquire less food, grow more slowly and have a lower fledging probability than their earlier hatched siblings.

We estimated fitness costs in adulthood to constitutec. 45% and 70% of the total fitness costs of hatching third and second, respectively, compared to hatching first. This was due to third‐ranked hatchlings experiencing especially high pre‐fledging mortality, while second‐ranked hatchlings had lower reproductive success in adulthood. Both groups had slightly lower adult survival. There was, however, no evidence for sibling rank‐specific rates of senescence.

We additionally found years with low fledgling production to be associated with particularly strong pre‐fledging selection on sibling rank, and with increased adult survival to the next breeding season. This suggests that adults reduce parental allocation to reproduction in poor years, which disproportionately impacts low‐ranked offspring.

Interpreting these results, we suggest that selection at the level of the individual offspring for delaying fitness costs is counteracted by selection for parental reduction in brood size when resources are limiting.
Future prospects of insects as a biological resource in India: Potential biological products utilizing insects with reference to the frontier countries
Authors: Ghosh Sampat , Gahukar Ruparao T. , Meyer‐Rochow Victor Benno , Jung Chuleui
Published: March 2021

The semi‐organized insect industry of India primarily includes apiculture, sericulture and lac culture. In the last two decades the production of raw silk, including mulberry and “vanya silk”, has doubled. An increasing trend for the country has also been observed with regard to honey and beeswax production. India, moreover, stands in the frontline for lac production, but there is immense scope to expand insect‐based ventures. For example, sericultural products other than silk come to mind and with regard to apiculture honey, and beeswax need not be the only bee‐based commercial items. Insects other than honey bees can be used as food and feed or in the decomposition of waste; some species can be reared and even domesticated as pollinators. In this paper we discuss these unexplored sections, which could open up promising possibilities for the insect‐based industry in India as well as other countries.
Comparative microbial antibiotic resistome between urban and deep forest environments
Authors: Zheng Yongchang , Yu Si , Wang Guanqun , Xie Fucun , Xu Haifeng , Du Shunda , Zhao Haitao , Sang Xinting , Lu Jizhou , Jiang Wenjun
Published: March 2021

A paradoxical result of using antibiotics to eradicate microbial pathogens is the emergence of a vast number of resistant microbes in various environments. The concern that environmental microbes will inevitably become resistant to virtually every clinically usable antibiotics has been exacerbated by the spread of these resistance genes across different environments and the emergence of multidrug resistant phenotypes. Here, we provide metagenomic insights into the microbiomes and resistomes of 16 soil samples collected from hospitals, residential areas, and forest parks in the megacity of Beijing and deep forests in the Yunnan province. Using Illumina HiSeq sequencing, we investigated the microbial diversity within the metagenomic shotgun reads and identified 486 antibiotic‐resistant genes (ARGs) classified into 30 types from these samples, among which multidrug resistance genes were the most abundant. Our results present an important reference and direct comparison of microbial antibiotic resistomes of soil samples from a megacity and deep forests and extend our understanding of the spread of ARGs in modern urban and natural environments.
The silence of prey: Hummingbirds do not respond to potential ambush predators on flowers
Authors: de Alcantara Viana João Vitor , Massufaro Giffu Murilo , Hachuy‐Filho Leandro
Published: March 2021

Predation is one of the most important ecological factors determining the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Among the various strategies used by predators to obtain food, there are those in which they take advantage of the vulnerability of the prey during its foraging bouts. An unexplored example of this strategy is the interaction between vertebrate pollinators and ambush predators. Despite the reports of arboreal tarantulas preying on hummingbirds, little is known about the behaviour of these birds in the presence of their predators. Thus, our study sought to investigate hummingbird behaviour against potential opportunist predators during their search for food resources. We used Heliconia velloziana as a mutualist model, in which, we separated plant flowers in two groups – plants with predators and plants without predators – in order to observe the behaviour of pollinators during their foraging activity. The rate of visitation was also indirectly estimated based on residual nectar and pollen. Our results show that hummingbirds initially avoided contact with the predator, but later they visited both groups indiscriminately. The results suggest that these birds do not have counter‐adaptations to identify invertebrate ambush predators as a threat. Since such predators are generalists and the events of predation are sporadic, they do not exert selective pressures strong enough to lead to the development of evasive behaviours. We conclude that hummingbirds are potential prey for opportunistic ambush predators.
Is the increase in postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal birth because of altered clinical practice?: A register‐based cohort study
Authors: Graugaard Hanne Lønstrup , Maimburg Rikke Damkjær
Published: March 2021

Background

To identify risk factors for severe postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) ≥1000 ml in women giving birth vaginally.

Method

A register‐based cohort study including women with singleton pregnancies giving birth vaginally at term to a live‐born child at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2012. Logistic multivariable regression was used to analyze data.

Results

In 31 837 births, 1832 women (5.7%) experienced severe PPH. Maternal age, smoking during pregnancy, and prepregnancy body mass index did not increase the risk of severe PPH. However, nulliparous and multiparous women with a previous cesarean birth had an increased risk of severe PPH. Antepartum and intrapartum risk factors for severe PPH included gestational age >40 weeks, induction of labor, augmentation of labor, irregular fetal position, instrumental birth, and birthweight >4000 g. In particular, the combination of induction and augmentation of labor doubled the risk of severe PPH. Among genital tract tears, vaginal tears >3 cm were associated with the highest risk of severe PPH.

Conclusions

Maternal characteristics did not increase the risk of severe PPH, except for nulliparous and multiparous women with a previous cesarean birth. Obstetric interventions such as induction of labor, augmentation of labor, and a birthweight higher than 4000 g increased the risk of severe PPH. Larger vaginal tears presented the highest risk of severe PPH. Clinical practice with rigorous indications for obstetric interventions and timely identification and management of genital tract tears may reduce risk of severe PPH.
The predictive value of regulatory T cells on glucocorticoid sensitivity in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: a multicentre, prospective clinical study
Authors: Li Li , Zhao Yanhong , Tong Xiwen , Li Yi , Huang Lifang , Hui Yan , Mao Xia , Wei Jia , Shang Zhen , Wang Long , Xiang Hang , Guo Jingming , Chang Wei , Zhang Xinhua , Liu Longlong , Gao Kaibo , Zhang Donghua
Published: March 2021

Glucocorticoids (GC) are used as the first‐line treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), but 10–20% of patients are insensitive to them. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) can maintain immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases. The present research pooled 55 patients with newly diagnosed ITP and 44 healthy volunteers from seven hospitals. All patients received GC treatment and were divided into GC‐sensitive and GC‐insensitive groups according to the curative effect after 2 weeks of treatment. The levels of lymphocyte subgroups and Tregs were recorded. As the results indicated, the levels of CD8+CD25str+ Tregs in the GC‐sensitive group were significantly higher than that of the GC‐insensitive group (P = 0·005). The optimal critical value of CD8+CD25str+ Tregs to distinguish GC sensitivity was 0·09%. With GC therapy the level of CD45RO+/CD8+CD25str+ Tregs (activated type) decreased after treatment (P = 0·02) and the level of CD45RO−/CD8+CD25str+ Tregs (initial type) increased slightly (P = 0·11). There were no obvious changes in the level of CD4+ Tregs. These findings support that the level of CD8+CD25str+ Tregs and its subgroups have a predictive value in judging the sensitivity to GC among patients with ITP.

Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn; ChiCTR‐OON‐17014165.
Recombinant human thyroid‐stimulating hormone versus thyroid hormone withdrawal preparation for radioiodine ablation in differentiated thyroid cancer in children, adolescents and young adults
Authors: Schumm Max A. , Pyo Howard Q. , Kim Jiyoon , Tseng Chi‐Hong , Yeh Michael W. , Leung Angela M. , Chiu Harvey K.
Published: March 2021

Objective

Recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) is commonly used to prepare patients for postoperative radioiodine (I‐131) ablation after surgery for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). In adults, rhTSH is associated with equivalent oncologic efficacy in comparison to thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW), but its use has not been well studied in children.

We aimed to measure time to disease progression after rhTSH stimulation vs. THW in paediatric patients under the age of 21 with DTC following total thyroidectomy.

Design

Retrospective cohort study (March 2001–July 2018).

Patients

Sixteen children and adolescents (75% female, median age, 17.4 years) who received rhTSH were compared to 29 historical controls (72% female, median age, 18.5 years) prepared with THW, followed for a median of 2.4 years (range, 0.5–14).

Measurements

Stimulated serum TSH concentrations prior to I‐131 ablation and time to disease progression, as determined by a component outcome variable encompassing both structural and biochemical disease persistence/recurrence.

Results

No differences were observed in tumour characteristics and I‐131 dose (median 2.3 [1.8–2.90] mCi/kg rhTSH) between groups. Patients who received rhTSH achieved a similar median stimulated TSH level (163 [127–184] mU/L), compared to those who underwent THW (136 [94.5–197] mU/L; p = .20). Both groups exhibited similar time to progression (p = .13) and disease persistence/recurrence rates (rhTSH 31% vs. THW 59%, p = .14).

Conclusion

In this cohort of children and adolescents with DTC, we observed similar time to disease progression among those who received rhTSH or underwent THW prior to postoperative I‐131 ablation.
Firefly tourism: Advancing a global phenomenon toward a brighter future
Authors: Lewis Sara M. , Thancharoen Anchana , Wong Choong Hay , López‐Palafox Tania , Santos Paola Velasco , Wu Chiahsiung , Faust Lynn , De Cock Raphaël , Owens Avalon C. S. , Lemelin R. Harvey , Gurung Hum , Jusoh Wan F. A. , Trujillo Daniel , Yiu Vor , López Pablo Jaramillo , Jaikla Soraya , Reed J. Michael
Published: March 2021

Fireflies are charismatic beetles with attractive bioluminescent courtship displays that have recently been swept onto the global stage of nature tourism. Here, we provide the first comprehensive review of the geographic scope, magnitude, focal species, and other attributes of the major firefly tourism sites worldwide. Through targeted interviews and surveys, we estimate that in recent years over one million tourists travelled annually to sites located in at least 12 countries for firefly‐watching. Rapid proliferation of firefly tourism provides a timely opportunity to examine how such activities may impact local firefly populations, and to highlight the biological factors that make certain species especially vulnerable to tourism‐associated threats. We offer science‐based best practices for firefly ecotourism that can be tailored to fit local circumstances, including recommendations to: (1) Conserve the habitats required for all life stages to thrive, (2) involve local communities as key stakeholders, and (3) provide training programs for guides and interpretive materials for visitors. Finally, we provide suggestions for transforming tourist behavior to minimize impact on firefly populations. By developing management plans that incorporate these recommendations, firefly tourist sites can enhance the visitor experience, protect natural resources, benefit local communities, and help promote the conservation of invertebrate biodiversity.
Chimpanzees surviving in a fragmented high‐altitude forest landscape of the Congolese Albertine Rift
Authors: Laudisoit Anne , Huyghe Pierre , Willie Jacob , Ndjoku Bienvenu , Scholier Tiffany , Dz'na Jérôme , Tagg Nikki , Maher Samantha , Mande Claude , Hoda Tara , Hicks Thurston Cleveland , Baelo Pascal , Kpanyogo Oti , Ndjango Ngbathe Gustave , Crispin Gembu Guy , Omatoko Joseph , Asimonyio Anio Justin , Leirs Herwig , Verheyen Erik
Published: March 2021

This paper documents a community of eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthiiGiglioli, 1872) inhabiting three relict forest fragments situated on the Lake Albert escarpment, down the Ituri highlands, of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The area explored had a combined forested surface of ±18.15 km2in 2017, shrinking by 1.2% per year between 2010 and 2015. Between 2015 and 2017, we found 160 chimpanzee nests along 37.6 km of pilot walks, some up to 2,000 m altitude. Another 123 nests logged along 6.7 km transects led to an estimate of chimpanzee density of 4.62 weaned individuals per square kilometer of forest habitat. Camera‐trap images and direct observations revealed that this community is comprised of a minimum of 42 weaned individuals, which translates into an estimated density of 2.3 chimpanzees per square kilometer. The increasing rate of forest degradation threatens to erode the cultural and genetic diversity of nonhuman primates in eastern DRC; the local people however exhibit willingness to establish a community managed reserve. We hope that this report will lead to the recognition of this site as a Chimpanzee Conservation Unit, facilitating further research in these “Relict Altitude Forests Fragments of the Albert Lake Escarpment” (or RAFALE landscape) and the Ituri highlands where other undocumented chimpanzee communities occur.
Increasing aridity will not offset CO2fertilization in fast‐growing eucalypts with access to deep soil water
Authors: Nadal‐Sala Daniel , Medlyn Belinda E. , Ruehr Nadine K. , Barton Craig V. M. , Ellsworth David S. , Gracia Carles , Tissue David T. , Tjoelker Mark G. , Sabaté Santi
Published: March 2021

Rising atmospheric [CO2] (Ca) generally enhances tree growth if nutrients are not limiting. However, reduced water availability and elevated evaporative demand may offset such fertilization. Trees with access to deep soil water may be able to mitigate such stresses and respond more positively toCa. Here, we sought to evaluate how increased vapor pressure deficit and reduced precipitation are likely to modify the impact of elevatedCa(eCa) on tree productivity in an AustralianEucalyptus salignaSm. plantation with access to deep soil water. We parameterized a forest growth simulation model (GOTILWA+) using data from two field experiments onE. saligna: a 2‐year whole‐tree chamber experiment with factorialCa(ambient =380, elevated =620 μmol mol−1) and watering treatments, and a 10‐year stand‐scale irrigation experiment. Model evaluation showed that GOTILWA+ can capture the responses of canopy C uptake to (1) rising vapor pressure deficit (D) under bothCatreatments; (2) alterations in tree water uptake from shallow and deep soil layers during soil dry‐down; and (3) the impact of irrigation on tree growth. Simulations suggest that increasingCaup to 700 μmol mol−1alone would result in a 33% increase in annual gross primary production (GPP) and a 62% increase in biomass over 10 years. However, a combined 48% increase inDand a 20% reduction in precipitation would halve these values. Our simulations identify highDconditions as a key limiting factor for GPP. They also suggest that risingCawill compensate for increasing aridity limitations inE. salignatrees with access to deep soil water under non‐nutrient limiting conditions, thereby reducing the negative impacts of global warming upon this eucalypt species. Simulation models not accounting for water sources available to deep‐rooting trees are likely to overestimate aridity impacts on forest productivity and C stocks.
Managing liquid digestate to support the sustainable biogas industry in China: Maximizing biogas‐linked agro‐ecosystem balance
Authors: Wang Wenguo , Zhang Yunhong , Liu Yi , Jiang Na , Zhao Qi , Deng Liangwei
Published: March 2021

Biogas industry in China is developing rapidly. This is particularly the case for livestock farm biogas plants, which are built to treat manure and wastewater. Managing the liquid digestate (LD) generated by anaerobic digestion of livestock wastes is becoming a bottleneck, restricting the sustainable development of the biogas industry in China. The separation of livestock breeding and arable farming, caused by rapid intensive animal husbandry development, is the main reason for the LD problem. Researchers, government representatives, and biogas plant operators in China have invested significant research efforts to maximize biogas‐linked agro‐ecosystem balance, which is considered as an important solution to the LD problem. This article reviewed these studies and proposed several solutions from the following four aspects: breeding mode, waste treatment mode, LD transportation mode, and LD utilization mode. One proposal is to reduce the scale of newly built livestock farms and disperse them in farmland, by promoting the “company + agent” livestock breeding mode. In this approach, farm scale would be based on the size of available farmland, and would allow for the use of LD in the near farmland. The second approach involves the intense separation of the livestock slurry and further transportation of the LD produced by the thick slurry. The third one is to expand the possible distances for transferring LD, using a pipe network or vehicle supervised by a professional third party. Finally, the development of high value‐added products and bringing them to market is the ultimate solution for the future.
A cognitive approach to the decision to trust or distrust phishing emails
Authors: Arduin Pierre‐Emmanuel
Published: March 2021

When interacting with computers or digital artifacts, individuals tend to replicate interpersonal trust and distrust mechanisms to calibrate their trust. Such mechanisms involve cognitive processes that individuals rely on before making a decision to trust or distrust. With the worldwide increase in email traffic, both the academic literature and professionals warn of insider threats, that is, coming from inside an organization, in particular those created by legitimate users who have decided to trust a phishing email. This article offers a cognitive approach to the decision whether to trust a phishing email. After reviewing the literature on decision making concerning a cognitive perspective, interpretation, trust, distrust, online deception, and insider threats, we present a study conducted on 249 participants designed to ascertain how they interpreted phishing emails and decided whether or not to trust them. We noted that certain elements eliciting trust or distrust remained invariable regardless of the participant. We show examples of phishing emails designed to maximize (or minimize) the decision to trust (or distrust), and lastly consider the limitations and ethical questions raised by this research.
Effect of topical application of nanoencapsulated eugenol on dental sensitivity reduction after in‐office dental bleaching: a randomized, triple‐blind clinical trial
Authors: Vilela Ana Paula , Rezende Márcia , Terra Renata Maria Oleniki , da Silva Karine Letícia , Sutil Elisama , Calixto Abraham L. , Reis Alessandra , D Loguercio Alessandro , Farago Paulo Vitor
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This randomized, split‐mouth, triple‐blind clinical study evaluated the effect of application of nanoencapsulated eugenol (NE) on the absolute risk and intensity of tooth sensitivity (TS) resulting from in‐office bleaching.

Methods

Fifty‐six patients received a NE in one hemiarch and a placebo gel in the other hemiarch, determined by random sequence, before in‐office bleaching. A visual analogue scale (VAS) (0–10) and a numeric rating scale (NRS) (0–4) were used to record TS during bleaching and 1 and 48 h after bleaching. The tooth color was performed from baseline to 2 weeks after bleaching with shade guides (ΔSGU) and a spectrophotometer (∆Eab, ∆E00, and WID). The TS was assessed through the McNemar test (α = 0.05) and by the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test (NRS) and paired t‐test (VAS). The paired test‐t was employed to compare the color changes (ΔSGU and ΔEab, ∆E00, and WID). The significance level was 5%.

Results

No statistically significant difference was found in the absolute risk or intensity of TS between both groups (p > 0.05). A significant color change was observed in both groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Administration of the gel containing NE before the in‐office dental bleaching did not reduce the TS and did not interfere in the bleaching effect.

Clinical relevance statement

The use of desensitizing gel containing NE did not reduce in‐office bleaching‐induced tooth sensitivity.
Copper, iron, zinc and tannin concentrations throughout the digestive tract of tropical goats and sheep fed a high‐fibre tannin‐rich diet
Authors: Kebede Biruk , Van De Wiel Kim , Derix Jill , Tolemariam Taye , Dermauw Veronique , Lourenço Marta , Paul Jules Janssens Geert
Published: March 2021

The dry season in tropical regions urges livestock to feed on nutritionally very poor diets. It has not been explored how tropical sheep—assumed grazers—and tropical goats—intermediate browsers—cope with a high‐fibre tannin‐rich diet. This study was designed to determine the effects of a high‐fibre and tannin‐rich diet on the flow of important microminerals iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) throughout the digestive tract of tropical sheep and goats. The feeding trial was set up with twelve adult male animals, six sheep with mean body weight (BW) of 30.3 ± 1.6 kg and six goats with mean BW of 26.4 ± 2.2 kg. The feed consisted of 36% leaves ofMillettia ferruginea, 61% hay and 3% concentrate and was offered at 3% of BW (all on dry matter (DM) basis). The total faecal collection was carried out for 7 consecutive days. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered to collect liver and digesta samples from the gastrointestinal tract. Feed, digesta and faecal samples underwent analysis of Fe, Zn, and Cu and total tannins (TT). Goats had significantly higher reticulum Cu concentrations expressed on DM as compared to sheep. Faecal Cu concentrations were higher for goats compared to sheep. Reticulum and colon digesta Zn levels were higher in goats than sheep. Abomasum and colon Fe levels were higher in sheep than goats when expressed on DM. These results suggest differences in feed intake, micromineral absorption, secretion and excretion between sheep and goats, pointing to a divergent mineral metabolism as an adaptation to the challenge of a dry season diet having very low nutritive value.
Doing things together: Development of cooperation through cultural participation
Authors: Siekiera Natalia , Białek Arkadiusz
Published: March 2021

Cooperative behaviour paves our development and accompanies us in our daily activities. This article suggests a possible way of exploring cooperation from a cultural perspective under the process‐relational worldview. Firstly, a theoretical framework is proposed that combines a process‐relational worldview with a cultural perspective in psychology and an enactive approach to social cognition in collaborative research. Next, a pathway from comparative studies on cooperative behaviours to cultural approaches looking into what cooperation means and how it is expressed is presented on the basis of the research conducted so far. A critique of previous research has been undertaken, with a focus on their limitations. The aim is to show that the theoretical framework of an embodied, embedded and enactive approach in contemporary developmental sciences along with cultural psychology complement each other, expanding the scope for the study of the development of cooperative behaviours. Research proposals embedded in theoretical reasoning are presented with their scientific value emphasised.
Bisacodyl: A review of pharmacology and clinical evidence to guide use in clinical practice in patients with constipation
Authors: Corsetti Maura , Landes Sabine , Lange Robert
Published: March 2021

Background

Bisacodyl is a member of the diphenylmethane family and is considered to be a stimulant laxative. It has a dual prokinetic and secretory action and needs to be converted into the active metabolite bis‐(p‐hydroxyphenyl)‐pyridyl‐2‐methane (BHPM) in the gut to achieve the desired laxative effect. Bisacodyl acts locally in the large bowel by directly enhancing the motility, reducing transit time, and increasing the water content of the stool. A recent network meta‐analysis concluded that bisacodyl showed similar efficacy to prucalopride, lubiprostone, linaclotide, tegaserod, velusetrag, elobixibat, and sodium picosulfate for the primary endpoint of ≥3 complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBM)/week and an increase of ≥1 CSBM/week over baseline. The meta‐analysis also found that bisacodyl may be superior to the other laxatives for the secondary endpoint of change from baseline in the number of spontaneous bowel movements per week in patients with chronic constipation. This observation stimulated the authors to review the available literature on bisacodyl, which has been available on the market since the 1950 s.

Purpose

The aim of the current review was to provide an overview of the historic background, structure, function, and mechanism of action of bisacodyl. Additionally, we discuss the important features and studies for bisacodyl to understand its peculiar characteristics and guide its use in clinical practice, but also stimulate research on open questions.
Variation among stallions in sperm quality after single layer centrifugation
Authors: Al‐Kass Ziyad , Brown Alexander , Johannisson Anders , Ntallaris Theodoros , Morrell Jane M.
Published: March 2021

Although single layer centrifugation (SLC) selects robust spermatozoa from stallion semen, the effect of individual variation has not been studied in detail. The objective of this study was to determine the variation among stallions in the effects of SLC on sperm quality during cooled storage for up to 48 hr. Semen samples from seven stallions (18 ejaculates) were split, with one portion being used for SLC and the other serving as a control (CON). Sperm quality (kinematics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, membrane integrity (MI) and chromatin integrity) were analysed at 0, 24 and 48 hr using computer‐assisted sperm analysis and flow cytometry. Sperm quality was better in SLC than in CON at all timepoints, especially chromatin integrity and MI (p < .0001 for both), and some categories of ROS production (e.g. proportion of live hydrogen peroxide negative spermatozoa, p < .0001), but the degree of improvement varied among stallions and type of ROS (p < .05–p < .0001). Total and progressive motility were also better in SLC samples than in CON at 24 and 48 hr (p < .0001), although the effect on sperm kinematics varied. The interaction of treatment, time and stallion was not significant. In conclusion, sperm quality was better in SLC samples than in CON, although there was considerable individual variation among stallions. The improvement in sperm quality, particularly in chromatin integrity, was clearly beneficial, and therefore the use of this technique would be warranted for all stallion semen samples.
Return migrants in Albania: The determinants of “entrepreneurial gain”
Authors: Zulfiu Alili Merita , Adnett Nick
Published: March 2021

Return migrants bring the prospects of an entrepreneurship gain to their country of origin. In this paper the key determinants of returnees becoming entrepreneurs in Albania are investigated. The survey data utilized enables returnees’ characteristics before their migration, during their stay abroad, and after returning to be assessed as facilitators of entrepreneurship. There is evidence of significant entrepreneurial gain among Albanian returnees. The incidence of self‐employment after return was 2–3 times higher than it had been before migration and was nearly 15 times higher than the percentage of self‐employed in the Albanian labor force as a whole. However, the analysis suggests that self‐employment is a poor proxy for entrepreneurship among returnees. There is a need to distinguish between the planned/opportunity self‐employed (the entrepreneurs) and the unintended/necessity self‐employed, the latter largely becoming self‐employed as a means of addressing economic hardship. We find that women, those trained during migration and returnees who remitted more per year, were more likely to become entrepreneurs after returning, whereas men, those in self‐employment before leaving, those spending more time abroad, those who were forced to return, migrants who returned back to their place of birth and residence, and those who returned from Greece, were more likely to be self‐employed.
La Comunicación en México: un análisis de la producción científica disciplinaria en el contexto iberoamericano
Authors: Flores García Daniel Francisco , Becerril García Arianna
Published: March 2021

Se analiza la disciplina de Comunicación en Iberoamérica en lo relativo a sus dinámicas de publicación y colaboración, identificando las comunidades que han participado en la narrativa científica de la disciplina. Se enfatiza el desempeño de México en contexto con los principales países que han aportado a la consolidación de la Comunicación como campo de conocimiento. El universo de estudio lo constituyen 8,989 artículos científicos publicados entre 2005 y 2018 en las 27 revistas de Comunicación integradas a Redalyc y se recurre a su metodología e indicadores para la evaluación de la producción científica. El análisis identifica la relevancia de las revistas regionales en la consolidación de la disciplina, así como la centralidad de España, Brasil y México, en la aportación de literatura científica. El análisis registra la presencia de redes de colaboración primordialmente institucional, mientras que en la colaboración internacional resalta el fuerte vínculo entre Latinoamérica y España.
Buckling Under Locally Hydrostatic Pressure
Authors: Handelman G. H.
Published: March 2021

The instability of a simple pin-supported beam when subject to a locally hydrostatic pressure distribution, the intensity of which is a function of distance along the beam only, is discussed in this paper. In particular, the pressure is assumed to follow a polynomial law given by Equation [1]. The problem, basic assumptions, and precise definition of locally hydrostatic pressure are stated in the first section of the paper. The second section contains a discussion of the equations of equilibrium from which the basic differential equation is derived. The solutions of this differential equation satisfy the boundary conditions only for certain discrete values of the parameters involved, and these values in turn define the buckling loads. In the third section the buckling loads are tabulated for several cases in comparison with the buckling loads for the same beam subject only to an end thrust. The appendix contains a mathematical discussion of the solution of the basic differential equation and a derivation of the formula for the buckling loads.
Determination of the Natural Frequencies of the Bending Vibrations of Beams
Authors: Bellin A. I.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a method for determining the natural frequencies of lateral vibrations for elastic beams. The beams may be of variable cross section and may have any number of spans. The five-moment equation is developed and is then applied to beams supported in various ways. The author reduces the necessary calculations to a simple tabular scheme. Several illustrative examples are included to demonstrate the method of computation.
The Design of Vibration-Isolating Bases for Machinery
Authors: Crede Charles E. , Walsh J. Paul
Published: March 2021

The isolation of rotating or reciprocating machinery to reduce the magnitude of oscillating forces transmitted to adjacent structures is common practice. Where operating speeds are high and the oscillating forces are of moderate intensity, the solution is relatively easy because little care need be taken in design to obtain a sufficiently efficient isolator. However, a vibration testing machine requires careful design of the isolator because the forces to be isolated are of great magnitude and because such machines operate over a wide range of speed. This paper describes the technique used at the Naval Research Laboratory for mounting vibration testing machines. The machine is secured rigidly to a relatively heavy mounting base and the mounted machine is supported upon helical springs. This method is generally applicable to the design of machinery bases and will be found to be of particular value where low-speed machines are involved.
Static-Load Tests on an Aircraft Gas Turbine to Simulate Loads Produced by Rapid Plane Maneuvers
Authors: Brunot A. W. , Goddard W. B.
Published: March 2021

This paper describes a method of loading statically an aircraft gas turbine to produce loads in the turbine structure similar to those produced by rapid plane maneuvers, such as pull-outs and spins. The method consists in applying a finite number of loads to the whole power-plant structure simultaneously in such a manner that these loads produce the same bending and shear, and restraints in the structural members as would be encountered in actual flight. Stresses and deflections can be measured directly on the unit, and these load stresses can be combined with thermal and internal load stresses to establish margins of safety. Static-load tests on a specific gas turbine are described in detail with results to illustrate the method used.
Maximum Performance of Helical Springs
Authors: Shobert E. I.
Published: March 2021

A method has been derived for determining the way the spring material influences the volume of space required for a particular application for a helical spring. It is found that this volume is proportional to the material constants of the spring in the following manner V α G 7 S 11 5 where G is the torsional modulus of elasticity and S is the limit of maximum stress. Using a multiplier to give this factor a value of 1.00 for music wire, it is found that the value for stainless steel is 1.06, beryllium copper 1.34, and phosphor bronze 2.66, for the springs on the brushes of small motors where springs must operate at temperatures up to 100 C. Different fields of application requiring different limits of maximum stress will change these values but the method still remains the same.
D-C Network-Analyzer Determination of Fluid-Flow Pattern in a Centrifugal Impeller
Authors: Concordia C. , Carter G. K.
Published: March 2021

The objects of this paper are, first, to describe an electrical method of determining the flow pattern for the flow of an incompressible ideal fluid through a two-dimensional centrifugal impeller, and second, to present the results obtained for a particular impeller. The method can be and has been applied to impellers with blades of arbitrary shape, as distinguished from analytical methods which can be applied directly only to blades of special shape (1).
Polar Strain
Authors: Harris C. W.
Published: March 2021

In solving spring problems, involving mechanical rubber goods, for example, elastomers do not obey Hooke’s law in shear. Difficulties of calculation are avoided by introducing “polar strain” as a substitute for shear strain. Polar stress-strain curves may be derived directly from any spring of the type described and permit the direct calculation of any other such spring with no integration.
An Introduction to an Analysis of Gas Vibrations in Engine Manifolds
Authors: Binder R. C. , Hall A. S.
Published: March 2021

The performance of an internal-combustion engine may be influenced favorably or unfavorably by the vibration of the gas in the manifold. The analysis of this complicated action involves techniques which are not generally established nor widely known. This paper gives an introduction to these various techniques and their co-ordination. Included is a discussion of the vibration characteristics with damping for a tube, details as to numerical computations, and an outline of the analysis for a simple induction system.
The Swelling of an Orthotropic Circular Tube
Authors: Gurney C. , Hammond A.
Published: March 2021

Many organic sheet materials swell owing to moisture absorption, more in thickness than in directions in the plane of the sheet. An example is laminated synthetic-resin sheet in which thickness swelling is usually between 5 and 10 times the swelling in the plane of the sheet. When a wrapped circular tube is formed of such materials and caused to swell until equilibrium is reached, a state of stress results. If the tube were stress-free, the radial strain would equal the swelling strain of the sheet across the thickness, and the circumferential strain would equal the swelling strain in the plane of the sheet. Geometrical considerations compel the radial and circumferential strains to be related and hence a state of stress is set up. The calculation of the stresses and displacements in a swollen ring is the subject of this paper. The problem is solved in a general form in which swelling strain, Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio have different values in the radial and tangential directions. Three boundary conditions are treated: namely, stress-free peripheries, constant internal diameter, and constant external diameter. Hooke’s law and zero stress coefficient of swelling are assumed throughout. The solution has application to wrapped fabric plastic bushings and bearings.
Note on the Tightness of Expanded Tube Joints
Authors: Sachs G.
Published: March 2021

A simple theoretical evaluation of the conditions conducive to maximum tightness of a tube joint is presented. The residual pressure between tube and plate, which can be considered as a measure of the tightness, possesses a maximum at certain tube dimensions. If tube and plate are of the same material, the tightness increases with increasing ratio of outside to inside diameter of the tube, up to a ratio of 1.4. If the tube is made from a metal sufficiently stronger than that of the plate, the residual pressure becomes larger, possessing a maximum at a ratio of 1.65 of the tube diameters.
Deflections and Moments of a Rectangular Plate Clamped on All Edges and Under Hydrostatic Pressure
Authors: Odley Ezra G.
Published: March 2021

Two solutions of the problem of the clamped rectangular plate under hydrostatic pressure are given in this paper. The first solution is based on the usual procedures employed in solving problems of bending of thin plates, and the second is the method developed by H. Marcus. Since Marcus’ method is quite general and is applicable to plates with various types of edge conditions and loadings, and since it is apparently but little known in this country, it was thought desirable to present the analysis in full. Tables of moments given herein are for side ratios of 0.6 to 2 at intervals of 0.2 and were computed by means of the Marcus method. The values of the moments computed in this manner for a square plate were checked using the analysis developed in this paper. The tabular values for the side ratios of 1 and 2 are also in substantial agreement with the values given by Lippa.
Approximate Solutions for Symmetrically Loaded Thick-Walled Cylinders
Authors: MacGregor C. W. , Coffin L. F.
Published: March 2021

Based upon an extension of the theory of a bar on an elastic foundation, a simple approximate solution is given in closed form for the analysis of the stresses and strains in a thick-walled cylinder loaded either internally or externally by an axially symmetrical system of forces. The analysis avoids the tedious computation of stresses inherent in exact solutions of this problem by the Fourier series or Fourier integral methods and is in a form which can easily be used by designers. The approximate solution for both semi-infinite pressure distributions and shorter bands of internal pressure are compared with the mathematically exact solutions and with experiment. Good agreement is found in all cases for external strains, while for internal strains the agreement is good except very close to the discontinuity in pressure. Since it is doubtful in practice that an abrupt discontinuity in pressure is often realized in such cases, the approximate solution may also be useful near this discontinuity. More important, however, is the fact that the effective stresses (based upon the distortion-energy theory of yielding), as determined both by the exact and approximate solutions, are in close agreement.
Number of Repetitions Performed Before and After Reaching Velocity Loss Thresholds: First Repetition Versus Fastest Repetition—Mean Velocity Versus Peak Velocity
Authors: García-Ramos Amador , Weakley Jonathon , Janicijevic Danica , Jukic Ivan
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To explore the effect of several methodological factors on the number of repetitions performed before and after reaching certain velocity loss thresholds (VLTs). Method: Fifteen resistance-trained men (bench press 1-repetition maximum = 1.25 [0.16] kg·kg−1) performed with maximum intent a total of 182 sets (77 short sets [≤12 repetitions] and 105 long sets [>12 repetitions]) leading to failure during the Smith machine bench press exercise. Fifteen percent, 30%, and 45% VLTs were calculated, considering 2 reference repetitions (first and fastest repetitions) and 2 velocity variables (mean velocity [MV] and peak velocity [PV]). Results: The number of repetitions performed before reaching all VLTs were affected by the reference repetition and velocity variable (P ≤ .001). The fastest MV and PV during the short sets (75.3%) and PV during the long sets (72.4%) were predominantly observed during the first repetition, while the fastest MV during long sets was almost equally distributed between the first (37.1%) and second repetition (40.0%). Failure occurred before reaching the VLTs more frequently using PV (4, 8, and 33 occasions for 15%, 30%, and 45% VLTs, respectively) than MV (only 1 occasion for the 45% VLT). The participants rarely produced a velocity output above a VLT once this threshold was exceeded for the first time (≈10% and 30% of occasions during the short and long sets, respectively). Conclusions: The reference repetition and velocity variable are important factors to consider when implementing VLTs during resistance training. The fastest repetition (instead of the first repetition) and MV (instead of PV) are recommended.
α-Synuclein–induced Kv4 channelopathy in mouse vagal motoneurons drives nonmotor parkinsonian symptoms
Authors: Chiu Wei-Hua , Kovacheva Lora , Musgrove Ruth E. , Arien-Zakay Hadar , Koprich James B. , Brotchie Jonathan M. , Yaka Rami , Ben-Zvi Danny , Hanani Menachem , Roeper Jochen , Goldberg Joshua A.
Published: March 2021

Targeting α-synuclein to intact brainstem neurons drives gastrointestinal dysregulation seen in prodromal Parkinson’s disease.
Deciphering epiblast lumenogenesis reveals proamniotic cavity control of embryo growth and patterning
Authors: Kim Yung Su , Fan Rui , Kremer Ludmila , Kuempel-Rink Nannette , Mildner Karina , Zeuschner Dagmar , Hekking Liesbeth , Stehling Martin , Bedzhov Ivan
Published: March 2021

Dissecting the mechanisms of lumen formation in the epiblast revealed that the proamniotic cavity acts as a central signaling hub.
Microneedle-assisted genome editing: A transdermal strategy of targeting
NLRP3
by CRISPR-Cas9 for synergistic therapy of inflammatory skin disorders
Authors: Wan Tao , Pan Qi , Ping Yuan
Published: March 2021

Transdermal delivery of genome-editing agents by microneedle promotes the glucocorticoid therapy of inflammatory skin disorders.
A stable immature lattice packages IP
6
for HIV capsid maturation
Authors: Mallery Donna L. , Kleinpeter Alex B. , Renner Nadine , Faysal K. M. Rifat , Novikova Mariia , Kiss Leo , Wilson Miranda S. C. , Ahsan Bilal , Ke Zunlong , Briggs John A. G. , Saiardi Adolfo , Böcking Till , Freed Eric O. , James Leo C.
Published: March 2021

HIV immature lattice stability affects capsid maturation by altering IP
6
packaging.