bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumers' self‐construal: Measurement and relevance for social media communication success
Authors: Hofmann Verena , Schwayer Lisa Marie , Stokburger‐Sauer Nicola E. , Wanisch Anna Teresa
Published: February 2021

To determine the relevance of consumers' self‐construal in social media contexts, this study investigates its effects on social media success metrics, such as sharing behaviour, as well as its influence on the relationship between social media success and other drivers, such as endorsers' emotion displays or the communication source (user vs. company). Along with an in‐depth review of consumers' self‐construal, this article reports on two quantitative panel studies, which reveal that eight items are best suited to represent consumers' self‐construal, using correlated dimensions of interdependent and independent self‐construal. The main study affirms the relevance of consumers' self‐construal and offers detailed insights. Consumers with a strong interdependent self‐construal express more positive attitudes toward social media posts, and a smiling endorser positively influences attitudes toward the post, sharing behaviour, word of mouth, and purchase intention. In combination, a strong interdependent self‐construal and smiling endorser produce even stronger effects for attitudes toward the post, purchase intention, and word of mouth. User‐generated content outperforms company‐generated content, independent of self‐construal types. These findings have important implications for social media communication management and personality research.
Approaches to Evaluate the Impact of a Small‐Molecule Binder to a Noncatalytic Site of the Proteasome
Authors: Tian Wenzhi , Maresh Marianne E. , Trader Darci J.
Published: February 2021

Proteasome activity is crucial for cell survival and proliferation. In recent years, small molecules have been discovered that can affect the catalytic activity of the proteasome. Rather than targeting the active sites of the proteasome, it might be possible to affect ubiquitin‐dependent degradation of proteins by limiting the association of the 19S regulatory particle (19S RP) with the 20S core particle (20S CP) of the proteasome. We recently described the discovery of TXS‐8, a peptoid that binds to Rpn‐6. Rpn‐6 is a proteasome‐associated protein that makes critical contacts with the 19S RP and the 20S CP. Herein, we present a general workflow to evaluate the impact of a small‐molecule binder on proteasome activity by using TXS‐8 as an example. This workflow contains three steps in which specific probes or overexpressed proteins in cells are used to determine whether the hydrolysis activity of the proteasome is affected. Although, in our case, TXS‐8 did not affect proteasome activity, our workflow is highly amenable to studying a variety of small‐molecule–proteasome subunit interactions.
Manufacture of Multilayered Artificial Cell Membranes through Sequential Bilayer Deposition on Emulsion Templates
Authors: Ip Tsoi , Li Qien , Brooks Nick , Elani Yuval
Published: February 2021

Efforts to manufacture artificial cells that replicate the architectures, processes and behaviours of biological cells are rapidly increasing. Perhaps the most commonly reconstructed cellular structure is the membrane, through the use of unilamellar vesicles as models. However, many cellular membranes, including bacterial double membranes, nuclear envelopes, and organelle membranes, are multilamellar. Due to a lack of technologies available for their controlled construction, multilayered membranes are not part of the repertoire of cell‐mimetic motifs used in bottom‐up synthetic biology. To address this, we developed emulsion‐based technologies that allow cell‐sized multilayered vesicles to be produced layer‐by‐layer, with compositional control over each layer, thus enabling studies that would otherwise remain inaccessible. We discovered that bending rigidities scale with the number of layers and demonstrate inter‐bilayer registration between coexisting liquid–liquid domains. These technologies will contribute to the exploitation of multilayered membrane structures, paving the way for incorporating protein complexes that span multiple bilayers.
Transcatheter aortic valve thrombosis: Data from a French multicenter cohort analysis
Authors: Mouyen Thomas , Manigold Thibaut , Collet Jean‐Philippe , Durand Eric , Barbey Christophe , Lhermusier Thibault , Tchetche Didier , Chollet Thomas , Mulliez Aurélien , Motreff Pascal , Combaret Nicolas , Souteyrand Géraud
Published: February 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of anticoagulant therapies in patients with clinical transcatheter heart valve (THV) thrombosis, to describe complications, and to assess their risk profile was the objectives.

Background

Little research has been conducted on clinical THV thrombosis.

Methods

Patients with clinical THV thrombosis were identified based on greater than 50% increased transvalvular gradient on transthoracic echocardiogram confirmed by 4‐dimensional computed tomography, transesophageal echocardiogram, or regression with anticoagulant therapy. A cohort free from thrombosis for more than 1,100 days postprocedure was used for comparison.

Results

Fifty‐four patients with clinical THV thrombosis were identified. Most subjects (98.1%) received anticoagulant therapy which was effective (≥50% reduction in transvalvular gradient or return to postprocedure value) in 96%. The rate of serious hemodynamic or embolic complications in the thrombosis population was 31.5%. A multivariate analysis of subjects with and without thrombosis indicated a significantly increased risk of thrombosis from preexisting thrombocytopenia (odds ratio [OR] 9.96), absence of predilatation (OR = 5.67), renal insufficiency (OR = 4.84), and >10 mmHg mean transvalvular gradient postprocedure (OR = 3.36). No recurrence of thrombosis was identified during on average 685 days follow‐up.

Conclusions

These data, from one of the largest cohorts with clinical THV thrombosis confirm anticoagulants appear effective. The rate of serious associated complications was high. The findings underline the importance of recognizing risk factors for thrombosis.
Cooperative Effects in Multimetallic Complexes Applied in Catalysis
Authors: Maity Ramananda , Birenheide Bernhard S. , Breher Frank , Sarkar Biprajit
Published: February 2021

The field of multimetallic catalysis is rapidly developing and some multimetallic complexes catalyze organic transformations to yield the desired products in more efficient ways owing to the combined action of different metals in a cooperative fashion. This Concept article describes the recent advances of cooperative catalysis playing in multimetallic systems such as homo‐multimetallic complexes with short metal‐metal distances, homo‐multimetallic complexes with long metal‐metal distances, hetero‐multimetallic complexes and metallocene‐based multimetallic complexes with special attention towards redox‐switchable catalysis. Examples are illustrated in which the use of multimetallic complexes show clear enhancement of catalytic outcomes when compared with the sum of their corresponding mononuclear counterparts. Furthermore, several examples are discussed showing the effects of electronic communication in cooperative systems.
De Novo Design of Selective Quadruplex–Duplex Junction Ligands and Structural Characterisation of Their Binding Mode: Targeting the G4 Hot‐Spot
Authors: Díaz‐Casado Laura , Serrano‐Chacón Israel , Montalvillo‐Jiménez Laura , Corzana Francisco , Bastida Agatha , Santana Andrés G. , González Carlos , Asensio Juan Luis
Published: February 2021

Invited for the cover of this issue are Andrés G. Santana, Carlos González, Juan Luis Asensio and co‐workers at Instituto de Química Orgánica General, Instituto de Química‐Física Rocasolano and Universidad de La Rioja. The image depicts drug selectivity using a metaphor of an arrow hitting a target. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202005026.
Thermally Responsive Poly(ethylene oxide)‐Based Polyrotaxanes Bearing Hydrogen‐Bonding Pillar[5]arene Rings
Authors: Kato Kenichi , Onishi Katsuto , Maeda Koki , Yagyu Masafumi , Fa Shixin , Ichikawa Takahiro , Mizuno Motohiro , Kakuta Takahiro , Yamagishi Tada‐aki , Ogoshi Tomoki
Published: February 2021

Invited for the cover of this issue are Tomoki Ogoshi and co‐workers at Kyoto University, Kanazawa University and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. The image depicts musical notation to represent hydrogen bond networks and poly(ethylene oxide) chains. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202005099.
From Catalytic Test Reaction to Modern Chemical Descriptors in Zeolite Catalysis Research
Authors: Prodinger Sebastian , Beato Pablo , Svelle Stian
Published: February 2021

For the successful implementation of catalysts in industrial processes, three overall goals are optimized: activity, selectivity, and stability. This review will address the role of chemical descriptors in aiding and guiding the development of optimal zeolite catalyst designs with the above performance criteria in mind. It will focus on both gas‐phase and liquid‐phase catalysis with a special focus on methanol to hydrocarbon, and biomass valorization reactions. By way of preface, the research on constraint and spaciousness indices is discussed. These indices can be considered the original chemical descriptors of catalysis research.
Determining the Diffusion Coefficient of Lithium Insertion Cathodes from GITT measurements: Theoretical Analysis for low Temperatures**
Authors: Schied Thomas , Nickol Alexander , Heubner Christian , Schneider Michael , Michaelis Alexander , Bobeth Manfred , Cuniberti Gianaurelio
Published: February 2021

Accurate knowledge of transport properties of Li‐insertion materials in application‐relevant temperature ranges is of crucial importance for the targeted optimization of Li‐ion batteries (LIBs). Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) is a widely applied method to determine Li‐ion diffusion coefficients of electrode materials. The well‐known calculation formulas based on Weppner's and Huggins’ approach, imply a square‐root time dependence of the potential during a GITT pulse. Charging the electrochemical double layer capacitance at the beginning of a GITT pulse usually takes less than one second. However, at lower temperatures down to −40 °C, the double layer charging time strongly increases due to an increase of the charge transfer resistance. The charging time can become comparable with the pulse duration, impeding the conventional GITT diffusion analysis. We propose a model to describe the potential change during a galvanostatic current pulse, which includes an initial, relatively long‐lasting double layer charging, and analyze the accuracy of the lithium diffusion coefficient, derived by using the Weppner‐Huggins method within a suitably chosen time interval of the pulse. Effects leading to an inaccurate determination of the diffusion coefficient are discussed and suggestions to improve GITT analyses at low temperature are derived.
Assuring Access to Safe Medicines in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Authors: Nooney Janet , Thor Shannon , de Vries Corinne , Clements John , Sahin Leyla , Hua Wei , Everett Darcie , Zaccaria Cosimo , Ball Robert , Saint‐Raymond Agnes , Yao Lynne , Raine June , Kweder Sandra
Published: February 2021

Scientists and regulators in Europe and the United States continue to seek methods and strategies to improve knowledge on rational use of medicines for pregnant and breastfeeding populations, an important subset of women’s health. Regulatory agencies have made strides toward improvement, but much more is needed. Recognizing the importance of international collaboration, we have begun to consider how to address these important public health issues more globally. The health of the child begins with the health of the mother.
Defining Clinically Relevant Target Populations Using Real‐World Data to Guide the Design of Representative Antidiabetic Drug Trials
Authors: Pradhan Richeek , Abrahami Devin , Yin Hui , Yu Oriana H.Y. , Sahasrabudhe Vaishali , Baumfeld Andre Elodie , Azoulay Laurent
Published: February 2021

The US Food and Drug Administration is considering replacing cardiovascular outcome trials of antidiabetic drugs with trials that better represent patients with type 2 diabetes. However, designing such representative trials requires understanding the underlying target populations (i.e., populations intended to receive the drug in the real‐world setting). Thus, we used the Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcome Results (LEADER) trial as a motivating example to illustrate how different target populations impact trial representativeness. Using the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we identified three target populations: (i) all patients with type 2 diabetes; (ii) patients prescribed liraglutide; and (iii) patients who would have been eligible to receive liraglutide based on treatment stage (i.e., patients with poorly controlled diabetes eligible to receive a second‐to‐fifth line antidiabetic drug). We then examined the representativeness of the LEADER trial by applying its eligibility criteria to each target population. The target populations of patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 279,763), those prescribed liraglutide (n = 14,421), and those eligible to receive liraglutide based on the treatment stage (n = 85,610) differed substantially in terms of hemoglobin A1c, body mass index, prevalence of heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Applying the LEADER trial eligibility criteria to these target populations resulted in the inclusion of 19.1%, 20.7%, and 34.8% patients, respectively. This study highlights how real‐world data can be used to define different target populations. Explicitly defining these target populations can help in the design of future trials of antidiabetic drugs.
Building a reference transcriptome for the hexaploid hard fescue turfgrass (Festuca brevipila) using a combination of PacBio Isoseq and Illumina sequencing
Authors: Qiu Yinjie , Yang Ya , Hirsch Cory D. , Watkins Eric
Published: February 2021

Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila Tracey; 2n = 6x = 42) is a cool season turfgrass with a fine leaf texture that performs well under low‐input management. Breeding and genetics studies of F. brevipila have been limited due to the complexity of its hexaploid genome. To advance our knowledge of F. brevipila genomics, we used PacBio isoform sequencing to develop a reference transcriptome for this species. Here we report the F. brevipila reference transcriptome generated from root, crown, leaf, and inflorescence tissues. We obtained 59,510 full‐length transcripts, of which 38,556 were nonredundant full‐length transcripts. The longest and shortest transcripts were 11,487 and 58 bp, respectively. Distribution of synonymous distances among paralogs within F. brevipila suggested highly similar subgenomes that are difficult to distinguish from sequencing errors. To evaluate the phylogenetic relationships among F. brevipila and close relatives, we sequenced three additional transcriptomes using closely related species on an Illumina platform. The results of our phylotranscriptomic analysis supported the close relationships among F. brevipila (6x), Festuca ovina (4x), Festuca ovina subsp. ovina (2x), and Festuca valesiaca (2x), with high levels of discordance among gene trees. Overall, the F. brevipila PacBio Isoseq reference transcriptome provides the foundation for transcriptome studies and offers breeders a resource for gene discovery in this important turfgrass species.
Optical sorter–augmented genomic selection lowers deoxynivalenol accumulation in wheat
Authors: Carmack W. Jesse , Clark Anthony J. , Lyerly H. Jeanette , Dong Yanhong , Brown‐Guedira Gina , Van Sanford David Anthony
Published: February 2021

Previous results from our laboratory have shown that optical sorter–based indirect selection reduced deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation in soft red winter wheat (SRWW). In this paper we evaluate the efficacy of optical sorter–augmented genomic selection (OSA‐GS) for lowering DON accumulation at three selection intensities across 2 yr. In total, 758 SRWW breeding lines were genotyped and then phenotyped in an inoculated Fusarium head blight (FHB) nursery. Accumulation of DON was measured on all breeding lines. The proportion of Fusarium‐damaged kernels estimated using an optical sorter (FDKos) was measured on 120 lines; these data were used to train a genomic prediction model. Genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for FDKos were computed for all lines without actual FDKos data. The top 20, 30, and 40% of lines without actual FDKos data were selected based on FDKos GEBVs. The same was done using actual measured DON values. Both strategies lowered DON, but traditional direct phenotypic selection based on actual DON values outperformed OSA‐GS. In other words, phenotypic selection was necessary to achieve the greatest reductions in DON. However, using previously published cost estimates for the price of an optical sorter, DON analysis, and genotyping, we determined that OSA‐GS required less financial investment than phenotypic selection based on measured DON. Taken together, our findings indicate that OSA‐GS is a cost‐effective method for lowering DON accumulation and support the usefulness of an optical sorter as a tool for FHB resistance breeding in SRWW.
Power‐efficient voltage up level shifter with low power–delay product
Authors: Baba Fayaz D , Sreehari Rao Patri
Published: February 2021

In this article, a power‐efficient hybrid voltage up level shifter (LS) is designed. By using a combination of a current mirror (CM) and a cross‐coupled pMOS pair in a pull‐up circuitry, the dynamic power is reduced significantly even at boosted switching speed. The designed LS circuit, which occupies a small silicon area, consists of 10 transistors and is mainly suitable for ultra‐low‐power applications, such as wireless sensor nodes and biomedical appliances. Moreover, it can convert extreme low‐level input voltages to the high supply voltage levels. The results obtained from post‐layout simulations in a standard 180‐nm CMOS process illustrate that the designed LS circuit has total power consumption, static power dissipation, and propagation delay of 33.93 nW, 253 pW, and 9.09 ns, respectively, at 1 MHz with a minimum supply voltage (VDDL) of 0.4 V and nominal supply voltage (VDDH) of 1.8 V. Also, the designed LS can convert an input voltage of 0.12–1.8 V at 10 kHz.
Maternal experiences of childhood maltreatment moderate patterns of mother–infant cortisol regulation under stress
Authors: Khoury Jennifer E. , Beeney Joseph , Shiff Ilana , Bosquet Enlow Michelle , Lyons‐Ruth Karlen
Published: February 2021

The relation between maternal and infant cortisol responses has been a subject of intense research over the past decade. Relatedly, it has been hypothesized that maternal history of childhood maltreatment (MCM) impacts stress regulation across generations. The current study employed four statistical approaches to determine how MCM influences the cortisol responses of 150 mothers and their 4‐month‐old infants during the Still‐Face Paradigm. Results indicated that MCM moderated cortisol patterns in several ways. First, lower MCM mothers and infants had strong positive associations between cortisol levels measured at the same time point, whereas higher MCM mothers and infants did not show an association. Second, infants of higher MCM mothers had cortisol levels that were moderately high and remained elevated over the procedure, whereas infants of lower MCM mothers had decreasing cortisol levels over time. Third, higher MCM mothers and infants showed increasingly divergent cortisol levels over time, compared to lower MCM dyads. Finally, patterns of cross‐lagged influence of infant cortisol on subsequent maternal cortisol were moderated by MCM, such that lower MCM mothers were influenced by their infants' cortisol levels at earlier time points than higher MCM mothers. These findings highlight MCM as one contributor to processes of stress regulation in the mother–infant dyad.
Adrenocortical interdependence in father‐infant and mother‐infant dyads: Attunement or something more?
Authors: Bader Lauren R. , Tan Lin , Gonzalez Richard , Saini Ekjyot K. , Bae Yeonjee , Provenzi Livio , Volling Brenda L.
Published: February 2021

Father‐infant and mother‐infant (one‐year‐olds) adrenocortical attunement was explored during the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) among 125 father‐infant and 141 mother‐infant dyads. Cortisol was assessed at baseline (T1), 20 (T2), and 40 minutes (T3) after the first parent‐infant separation. Initial correlations indicated significant associations between father‐infant and mother‐infant cortisol at each time. Cortisol interdependence was further explored using Actor‐Partner Interdependence Models. There was no evidence supporting cortisol interdependence based on within‐time residual correlations between parent‐infant cortisol, once stability and cross‐lagged paths were controlled. Infant cortisol at T2 predicted T3 cortisol for fathers and mothers resulting in a series of follow‐up exploratory analyses to examine mediating processes which revealed that infant distress during the SSP predicted infant T2 cortisol, which, in turn, predicted infant negativity during the 15‐min mother‐infant teaching task that followed the SSP. Among father‐infant dyads, infant T2 cortisol predicted infant negativity during father‐infant interaction, with infants expressing more negativity having less sensitive fathers. Findings provide little support of parent‐infant adrenocortical attunement across either father‐infant or mother‐infant dyads during the SSP, but preliminary evidence indicates infant distress as a potential mediator. Future research may want to focus on affective and behavioral processes that underlie the concept of parent‐infant adrenocortical attunement.
Efficient utilization of date palm waste for the bioethanol production through Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain
Authors: Ahmad Arslan , Naqvi Summar A. , Jaskani Muhammad J. , Waseem Muhammad , Ali Ehsan , Khan Iqrar A. , Faisal Manzoor Muhammad , Siddeeg Azhari , Aadil Rana Muhammad
Published: February 2021

Dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) are rich in nutritional compounds, particularly in sugars. Sugars offer anaerobic fermentation, used for bioethanol production. Recently, researchers and industrialists finding ways to produce low‐cost bioethanol on large scale using agricultural wastes. Date palm residual is the largest agricultural waste in Pakistan, which can be the cheapest source for bioethanol production, whereas the current study was designed to explore the possible utilization and the potential of date palm waste for bioethanol production through Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in yeast extract, Bacto peptone, and d‐glucose medium. The fermentation process resulted in the production of 15% (v/v) ethanol under the optimum condition of an incubation period of 72 hr and three sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) were found in date waste. The functional group of ethanol (C2H5OH) was also found via Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Therefore, S. cerevisiae could be recommended for ethanol production due to short fermentation time at 25% inoculum in 30°C and reduced the processing cost. Common date varieties of low market value are a preferred substrate for the process of producing industrial ethanol. Additionally, proximate analysis of date fruit by near‐infrared spectroscopy revealed moisture contents (16.84%), crude protein (0.3%), ash (9.8%), crude fat (2.6%), and neutral detergent fibers (13.4%). So, date fruit contains various nutrients for microbial growth for ethanol production.
A Robust, Safe, and Scalable Magnetic Nanoparticle Workflow for RNA Extraction of Pathogens from Clinical and Wastewater Samples
Authors: Ramos‐Mandujano Gerardo , Salunke Rahul , Mfarrej Sara , Rachmadi Andri Taruna , Hala Sharif , Xu Jinna , Alofi Fadwa S. , Khogeer Asim , Hashem Anwar M. , Almontashiri Naif A. M. , Alsomali Afrah , Shinde Digambar B. , Hamdan Samir , Hong Pei‐Ying , Pain Arnab , Li Mo
Published: February 2021

Molecular diagnosis and surveillance of pathogens such as SARS‐CoV‐2 depend on nucleic acid isolation. Pandemics at the scale of COVID‐19 can cause a global shortage of proprietary commercial reagents and BSL‐2 laboratories to safely perform testing. Therefore, alternative solutions are urgently needed to address these challenges. An open‐source method, magnetic‐nanoparticle‐aided viral RNA isolation from contagious samples (MAVRICS), built upon readily available reagents, and easily assembled in any basically equipped laboratory, is thus developed. The performance of MAVRICS is evaluated using validated pathogen detection assays and real‐world and contrived samples. Unlike conventional methods, MAVRICS works directly in samples inactivated in phenol‐chloroform (e.g., TRIzol), thus allowing infectious samples to be handled safely without biocontainment facilities. MAVRICS allows wastewater biomass immobilized on membranes to be directly inactivated and lysed in TRIzol followed by RNA extraction by magnetic nanoparticles, thereby greatly reducing biohazard risk and simplifying processing procedures. Using 39 COVID‐19 patient samples and two wastewater samples, it is shown that MAVRICS rivals commercial kits in detection of SARS‐CoV‐2, influenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus. Therefore, MAVRICS is safe, fast, and scalable. It is field‐deployable with minimal equipment requirements and could become an enabling technology for widespread testing and wastewater monitoring of diverse pathogens.
From paper to practice: an exploratory study of policy making and implementation in alternative forms of healthcare public‐private partnership in Ghana
Authors: Dugle Gordon , Kpinpuo Stephen Debar , Ghartey Benjamin Baisie
Published: February 2021

There has been growing advocacy for public‐private partnership (PPP) in healthcare in both policy and academic circles over the last 3 decades. However, our understanding of the tensions between the policy cycle and critical organisational trade‐offs that characterise alternative forms of healthcare PPPs remains limited. In this paper, we use Walt and Gilson's policy analysis triangle to explore the policy and practice of two alternative models of healthcare PPPs–autonomous and integrative partnerships–at the sub‐national level in Ghana, a typical case of a polycentric health management structure. The study is a sequential exploratory qualitative design, consisting of review of four policy documents and in‐depth interviews with 13 key informants, comprising health managers from the regional and district health directorates, and medical directors of selected private health facilities. Our findings reveal that in spite of the natural potential of integrative PPP models to present a relatively stronger policy capacity to the private partner than autonomous models, the capacity of sub‐national level public‐private actors to participate in policy making and implementation remains very limited across both models. We further find that effective policy making and implementation requires significant governance attention to building the policy capacity of actors across vertical and horizontal levels of the partnership, regardless of the model of engagement. We suggest that this is achievable through instrumental multistakeholderism in PPP policy, planning and management. The paper contributes to developing understanding of the policy and practice of healthcare PPP in polycentric institutional settings.
Gender diversity of boards and executives on real earnings management in the bull or bear period: Empirical evidence from China
Authors: Li XiaoJiao , Than Ei Thuzar , Ahmed Rizwan , Ishaque Maria , Huynh Toan Luu Duc
Published: February 2021

This study investigates whether gender diversity in the roles of executives, boards of supervisors and management impacts real earnings management during the bullish and bearish periods from 2000 to 2017. The sample is separated by bullish (11,616 firm‐year observations) and bearish (14,436 firm‐year observations) periods. The results suggest that female participation on supervisory boards and executives tend to kerb real earnings management during bearish and bullish periods. Another important finding is that female CEOs are more cautious in real earnings manipulation due to their risk‐averse nature during the bearish period, while female CFOs are more likely to constrain real earnings management in the bullish period. This study failed to find the relation of gender diversity on boards of management to real earnings management; however, the study has found that female executives (excluding CEOs and CFOs) who are also directors are more likely to limit earnings manipulation.
Retracted: Misoprostol versus expectant management in women with incomplete first‐trimester miscarriage after failed primary misoprostol treatment: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Ali Mohammed K. , Emam Samar M. , Abdel‐Aleem Mahmoud A. , Sobh Ahmed M.A.
Published: February 2021

Objective

To compare the effectiveness and safety of repeat misoprostol versus expectant management in women with first‐trimester incomplete miscarriage who have been initially treated with misoprostol.

Methods

The study was an open‐labeled randomized controlled trial including women with an incomplete first‐trimester miscarriage after administration of misoprostol. The participants were randomly assigned to vaginal misoprostol or expectant management using a computer‐generated table of random numbers. The primary outcome was the number of women with a complete miscarriage at 1 week.

Results

Eighty‐eight women (44 women in each group) were analyzed. The rate of complete miscarriage at 1 week was significantly higher in the misoprostol group than the expectant management group—29 (69.0%) versus 7 (16.7%) (P < 0.001), respectively. Women in the misoprostol group were more satisfied (7.00 ± 0.77 vs 4.57 ± 1.61, P < 0.001) but reported more pain (7.95 ± 1.85 vs 5.26 ± 1.08, P < 0.001) than women in the expectant group. The misoprostol group reported more adverse effects than the expectant management group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In women with an incomplete first‐trimester miscarriage who were initially treated with misoprostol, repeat administration of misoprostol was more effective than expectant management for achieving complete miscarriage at 1 week. However, misoprostol was associated with more adverse effects.

Registration site and number

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03148561.
Putting the social back into physical distancing: The role of digital connections in a pandemic crisis
Authors: Kluck Jan P. , Stoyanova Filipa , Krämer Nicole C.
Published: February 2021

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, physical distancing is necessary to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. To compensate for the lack of social encounters, people have been advised to connect with others via digital communication channels. Drawing on a psychological framework combined with assumptions from communication science, we therefore investigated whether technology‐mediated communication can actually meet individuals' social needs to foster compliance with distancing measures and whether there are differences between distinct communication channels. Based on an online survey (N = 301) during the first national lockdown in Germany, we found that the impact of audio‐visual communication is limited. Instead, the data showed that text‐based communication indirectly fostered willingness to adhere to physical distancing through the pathway of increased feelings of social support and life satisfaction. Three follow‐up surveys (N = 180) revealed that while feelings of social support increased, people's technology‐based communication and willingness to adhere to distancing measures decreased. Our results challenge the assumption that audio‐visual communication compensates for lack of physical contact more effectively than text‐based communication. This study highlights the potential of text‐based communication to increase feelings of social support, which may be particularly important during a pandemic.
A semantic contour based segmentation of lungs from chest x‐rays for the classification of tuberculosis using Naïve Bayes classifier
Authors: Geetha Pavani P. , Biswal Birendra , Sairam M. V. S. , Bala Subrahmanyam N.
Published: February 2021

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. If the TB is left undiagnosed in its early stage, it may affect other body parts leading to sudden death. A posterior anterior chest radiographs are used to diagnose pulmonary TB. This work presents a novel automatic system for the early detection of pulmonary TB. Initially, the Chan‐Vese active contour model is generated to segment the lung region from the preprocessed chest x‐rays. Different textural, statistical, and morphological features are extracted from the segmented lungs. Finally, the pertinent feature vector is considered for the classification of chest x‐rays using the Naïve Bayes classifier (NBC). The NBC is trained using 10‐fold cross validation technique. The proposed method achieves an average accuracy, the area under the curve, specificity, and sensitivity as 95.5%, 98%, 93.3%, and 94.6% respectively, when tested on different available datasets. Comparison results reveals that the Naïve Bayes classifier outperforms than the multinomial Naïve Bayes classifier and Bernoulli's Naïve Bayes classifier in classifying the chest x‐rays into healthy and TB.
The mechanism of sitagliptin inhibition of colorectal cancer cell lines' metastatic functionalities
Authors: Varela‐Calviño Rubén , Rodríguez‐Quiroga Marta , Dias Carvalho Patrícia , Martins Flavia , Serra‐Roma André , Vázquez‐Iglesias Lorena , Páez de la Cadena María , Velho Sérgia , Cordero Oscar J.
Published: February 2021

The cell membrane glycoprotein CD26 with peptidase activity (DPP4) and/or its soluble CD26/DPP4 counterpart expression and/or activity are altered in several cancers. Its role in metastasis development was recently highlighted by the discovery of CD26+ cancer stem cell subsets and the fact that clinical DPP4 inhibitors showed antimetastatic effects in animal models. Also, diabetic patients treated with the DPP4 inhibitor sitagliptin showed greater overall survival after colorectal or lung cancer surgery than patients under other diabetic therapies. However, the mechanism of action of these inhibitors in this context is unclear. We studied the role of CD26 and its DPP4 enzymatic activity in malignant cell features such as cell‐to‐cell homotypic aggregation, cancer cell motility, and invasion in a panel of human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines, avoiding models that include the physiological role of DPP4 in chemotaxis. Present results indicate that CD26 participates in the induction of cell invasion, motility, and aggregation of CD26‐positive CRC cell lines. Moreover, only invasion and motility assays, which are collagen matrix‐dependent, showed a decrease upon treatment with the DPP4 inhibitor sitagliptin. Sitagliptin showed opposite effects to those of transforming growth factor‐β1 on epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and cell cycle, but this result does not explain its CD26/DPP4‐dependent effect. These results contribute to the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms behind sitagliptin inhibition of metastatic traits. At the same time, this role of sitagliptin may help to define areas of medicine where DPP4 inhibitors might be introduced. However, they also suggest that additional tools against CD26 as a target might be used or developed for metastasis prevention in addition to gliptins.
Increase in C‐Reactive Protein Predicts Increase in Rate of Bone Mineral Density Loss: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation
Authors: Greendale Gail A , Jackson Nicholas J , Han Weijuan , Huang MeiHua , Cauley Jane A , Karvonen‐Gutierrez Carrie , Karlamangla Arun S
Published: February 2021

This longitudinal cohort study's aim was to detect whether larger increases in C‐reactive protein (CRP) predict greater amounts of subsequent bone loss in women transitioning from premenopause to postmenopause. Participants were initially 42 to 52 years of age and premenopausal or early perimenopausal. The sample included 1431 women who were not using hormone therapy and whose CRP values were not consistent with acute inflammation. Individual fixed effects (IFE) models estimated the association of log2 CRP with subsequent bone mineral density (BMD) decline rate, adjusted for menopause transition (MT) stage (1: premenopausal or early perimenopausal; 2: late perimenopausal or early postmenopausal; or 3: late postmenopausal), body mass index, diabetes, smoking, alcohol, bone active medications, and anti‐inflammatory medications. BMD decline at both the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN) was faster for observations made in MT stage 2 than that during other stages (all p < .001). In adjusted IFE models, MT stage modified the relation between increase in CRP and BMD decline rate (interaction p values <.05). Each within‐woman doubling of CRP was associated with a 0.09% faster yearly decline in FN BMD in MT stages 1 (p = .006) and 3 (p = .03), and 0.10% faster decline in LS BMD in MT stage 3 only (p = .007). Within‐woman increases in CRP in premenopause and early perimenopause and in late postmenopause predict faster BMD decline in the next ~2 years, but the magnitude of CRP's effect is small. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Height Loss in Old Age and Fracture Risk Among Men in Late Life: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ensrud Kristine E , Schousboe John T , Kats Allyson M , Vo Tien N , Taylor Brent C , Cawthon Peggy M , Cauley Jane A , Lane Nancy E , Hoffman Andrew R , Langsetmo Lisa ,   for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Research Group
Published: February 2021

To assess the association of height loss in old age with subsequent risk of hip and any clinical fracture in men late in life while accounting for the competing risk of mortality, we used data from 3491 community-dwelling men (mean age 79.2 years). Height loss between baseline and follow-up (mean 7.0 years between examinations) was categorized as <1 cm (referent group), ≥1 to <2 cm, ≥2 to <3 cm, and ≥3 cm. Men were contacted every 4 months after the follow-up examination to ask about fractures (confirmed by radiographic reports) and ascertain vital status (deaths verified by death certificates). Competing risk methods were used to estimate absolute probabilities of fracture outcomes by height loss category and calculate adjusted risks of fracture outcomes by height loss. During an average of 7.8 years, 158 (4.5%) men experienced a hip fracture and 1414 (40.5%) died before experiencing this event. The absolute 10-year probability of fracture events accounting for the competing risk of death increased with greater height loss. For example, the hip fracture probability was 2.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9–3.8%) among men with height loss <1 cm increasing to 11.6% (95% CI 8.0–16.0%) among men with height loss ≥3 cm. After adjustment for demographics, fall history, multimorbidity, baseline height, weight change, and femoral neck bone mineral density and considering competing mortality risk, men with height loss ≥3 cm versus <1 cm had a nearly twofold (subdistribution hazard ratio [HR] = 1.94, 95% CI 1.06–3.55) higher risk of hip fracture and a 1.4-fold (subdistribution HR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.05–1.91) increased risk of any clinical fracture. Height loss ≥3 cm in men during old age was associated with higher subsequent risk of clinical fractures, especially hip fractures, even after accounting for the competing risk of death and traditional skeletal and non-skeletal risk factors. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR)
“The worst time of my life”: Treatment‐related stress and unmet needs of women living with infertility
Authors: Öztürk Ruşen , Herbell Kayla , Morton Jamie , Bloom Tina
Published: February 2021

Approximately 12% of women in the United States have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term (i.e., infertility). Infertility permeates women's lives and is psychologically, socially and financially burdensome. This study aimed to describe women's experiences regarding infertility and explore factors that women find helpful to alleviate their fertility‐related stressors. Using purposive sample, we conducted in‐depth qualitative interviews with infertile women. Participants reported multiple infertility treatment‐related stressors including (a) difficulty accessing infertility treatment due to financial issues, geographic disparities, and healthcare provider factors; (b) challenges during infertility treatment related to painful, embarrassing, confusing treatments, side effects, and healthcare providers' failures to fully address women's needs. The stories and findings add to a body of literature that elucidate significant stressors that women encounter in their fertility journey including a desire for empathetic, understandable, and effective treatment and support, and the crucial role of healthcare providers.
Impact of changes in the topographic classification of Klatskin tumor on incidence of intra‐ and extrahepatic bile duct cancer: A population‐based national cancer registry study
Authors: Kang Mee Joo , Lim Jiwon , Han Sung‐Sik , Park Hyeong Min , Kim Sun‐Whe , Won Young‐Joo , Park Sang‐Jae
Published: February 2021

Background

Misclassification of Klatskin tumor as intrahepatic rather than extrahepatic bile duct cancer (eBDC) may overestimate the incidence of intrahepatic BDC (iBDC). This study aimed to investigate the impact of misclassified Klatskin tumor on iBDC and eBDC incidences in Korea, where BDC is highly endemic.

Methods

The data of incidence, topography and morphology code of BDC from 1999 to 2017 were obtained from the Korea Central Cancer Registry, which covers the entire 51.6 million Korean population. For misclassification analysis, all Klatskin tumors were reclassified as eBDC.

Results

Klatskin tumors accounted for 13.5% of all 81 414 BDC cases. In the registry, an average of 59.7% of Klatskin tumors were classified as iBDC, gradually decreasing from 95.5% to 16.9%. Misclassification led to a 17.3% overestimation of iBDC cases and a 15.0% underestimation of eBDC cases on average. After reclassification, age standardized rate (ASR) of incidence per 100 000 population decreased in iBDC from 3.4 to 2.9 and increased in eBDC from 2.8 to 3.2. Average annual percentage change of iBDC and eBDC incidences were 2.0% and 1.2%, respectively, but ASR of iBDC significantly decreased since 2012 (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Misclassification of Klatskin tumors has remarkable impact on the incidence of iBDC and eBDC in a highly endemic country.
Microbial biofilm: A matter of grave concern for human health and food industry
Authors: Rather Muzamil A. , Gupta Kuldeep , Bardhan Pritam , Borah Munmi , Sarkar Anupama , Eldiehy Khalifa S. H. , Bhuyan Shuvam , Mandal Manabendra
Published: February 2021

Pathogenic microorganisms have adapted different strategies during the course of time to invade host defense mechanisms and overcome the effect of potent antibiotics. The formation of biofilm on both biotic and abiotic surfaces by microorganisms is one such strategy to resist and survive even in presence of antibiotics and other adverse environmental conditions. Biofilm is a safe home of microorganisms embedded within self‐produced extracellular polymeric substances comprising of polysaccharides, extracellular proteins, nucleic acid, and water. It is because of this adaptation strategy that pathogenic microorganisms are taking a heavy toll on the health and life of organisms. In this review, we discuss the colonization of pathogenic microorganisms on tissues and medically implanted devices in human beings. We also focus on food spoilage, disease outbreaks, biofilm‐associated deaths, burden on economy, and other major concerns of biofilm‐forming pathogenic microorganisms in food industries like dairy, poultry, ready‐to‐eat food, meat, and aquaculture.
Radiomics Analysis Based on Ultrasound Images to Distinguish the Tumor Stage and Pathological Grade of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Gao Rui‐zhi , Wen Rong , Wen Dong‐yue , Huang Jing , Qin Hui , Li Xin , Wang Xin‐rong , He Yun , Yang Hong
Published: February 2021

Objectives

To identify the clinical value of ultrasound radiomic features in the preoperative prediction of tumor stage and pathological grade of bladder cancer (BLCA) patients.

Methods

We retrospectively collected patients who had been diagnosed with BLCA by pathology. Ultrasound‐based radiomic features were extracted from manually segmented regions of interest. Participants were randomly assigned to a training cohort and a validation cohort at a ratio of 7:3. Radiomic features were Z‐score normalized and submitted to dimensional reduction analysis (including Spearman's correlation coefficient analysis, the random forest algorithm, and statistical testing) for core feature selection. Classifiers for tumor stage and pathological grade prediction were then constructed. Prediction performance was estimated by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve and was verified by the validation cohort.

Results

A total of 5936 radiomic features were extracted from each of the ultrasound images obtained from 157 patients. The BLCA tumor stage and pathological grade prediction models were developed based on 30 and 35 features, respectively. Both models showed good predictive ability. For the tumor stage prediction model, the AUC was 0.94 in the training cohort and 0.84 in the validation cohort. For the pathological grade model, the AUCs obtained were 0.84 in the training cohort and 0.75 in the validation cohort.

Conclusions

The ultrasound‐based radiomics models performed well in the preoperative tumor staging and pathological grading of BLCA. These findings should be applied clinically to optimize treatment and to assess prognoses for BLCA.
Relationships among Amphibian Assemblage Structure, Wetland pH, and Forest Cover
Authors: Simpson Duncan S. , Forester Don C. , Snodgrass Joel W. , Smith Scott A.
Published: February 2021

A common mesofilter approach to conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem function used in agricultural and urban landscapes is maintenance of wetlands and an undisturbed terrestrial buffer surrounding wetlands. Although it is generally accepted that forest buffers protect wetland‐associated biological diversity and ecosystem function, the effectiveness and optimal spatial extent of buffers is still an area of debate. During 2007 and 2008 we surveyed amphibians and environmental conditions associated with 54 depression wetlands on the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland, USA, to examine the role of forest buffers and wetland characteristics in structuring amphibian communities. Forest cover within a 50‐m buffer surrounding wetlands was correlated (r = −0.81) with wetland pH but no other wetland characteristics. Wetland pH, canopy cover, hydroperiod, and adjacent forest cover were important predictors of wetland use by individual amphibian species, with many species more likely to occur at wetlands that dried late in the hydrological year and with open canopies. At least one common species preferred circumneutral pH and several restricted‐distribution species preferred lower pH (<5). Contrary to expectations, relationships between species occurrence and adjacent forest cover were negative. Our results suggest that current regulations that provide buffers of 30 m or less do not provide adequate protection of wetland water chemistry but that forest encroachment into wetlands may be a threat to the integrity of amphibian communities and should be the target of monitoring, future research, and management efforts. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.