bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When midway won't do: the curvilinear relationship between intrinsic motivation and willingness to be flexible
Authors: Solberg Elizabeth , Lai Linda , Dysvik Anders
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Intrinsic motivation is held as critical for employees' willingness to be flexible (WTBF). Yet empirical research suggests that employees who find work intrinsically satisfying could resist work changes. In this study, the authors examine if a curvilinear relationship exists between these variables.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors predict that the relationship between intrinsic motivation and employees' WTBF will become more positive as intrinsic motivation advances beyond moderate levels. They examine the role developmental supervisor support plays in generating the critical threshold of intrinsic motivation needed for it to be positively related with WTBF. They test their hypotheses with survey data collected in three substantially different employee samples.

Findings

Data support the hypothesized curvilinear relationship between intrinsic motivation and WTBF. Developmental supervisor support is found to influence employee flexibility indirectly through its linear effect on intrinsic motivation and, in turn, the quadratic effect of intrinsic motivation on WTBF.

Practical implications

The study provides insight into how and when intrinsic motivation increases employees' WTBF and into the degree of developmental support needed to facilitate a positive relationship between these variables.

Originality/value

This is the first study to the author’s knowledge that empirically examines the relationship between intrinsic motivation and employees' WTBF.
The use of modified wood in the construction of wastewater treatment plants in coal mines of Kuzbass
Authors: Elesin Mikhail A. , Mashkin Nikolay A. , Krutasov Boris V. , Karmanovskaya Natalia V.
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to show an improvement in resistance (permeability) and durability (residual strength) of modified wood compared to natural wood.

Design/methodology/approach

A relevance way to increase the durability and resistance of wood is processing with polymers. Novosibirsk State Technical University, Novosibirsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Sibstrin) and the Norilsk State Industrial Institute researched the resistance of elements of mine treatment plants made of wood modified with synthetic polymers. The study was carried out according to V.A. Kucherenko. Modification of such species as birch and pine can significantly increase wood resources by extending its service life and improving its physical and mechanical properties. Latex-organosilicon modifier was used as a modifier.

Findings

Latex clogs the capillaries of wood, preventing the penetration of aggressive solutions into it, and potassium methyl silicate interacts with hydrophilic OH groups, increasing the water-repellent properties of the surface of cells and wood capillaries.

Originality/value

The results of long-term and predictive tests of modified wood in aggressive environments of treatment facilities are presented. As a result, diffusion of aggressive media into the wood becomes more difficult and its resistance and durability increase.
“Measuring up”: a systematic literature review of performance measurement in Australia and New Zealand local government
Authors: Johnsson Mary C. , Pepper Matthew , Price Oriana Milani , Richardson Lauren P.
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Measurement practices have long been considered vital for informing the management of performance in organisations. Their application to local governments is a more recent, yet multi-decade phenomenon facilitated by New Public Management trends. This paper aims to review the landscape of publications that discuss performance measurement (PM) practices in Australian and New Zealand local government contexts and identify implications for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review methodology was used to identify a shortlist of publications. Next, a rating-based researcher appraisal process was applied. Multiple iterations of search and appraisal were conducted to form the basis for inductive thematic analysis and synthesis.

Findings

Analysing 65 PM publications, two interrelated themes, namely, discourses of performance as efficiency, accountability or strategic growth and change were identified, which influence the adoption of local PM tools and frameworks. As demands for strategic growth and more complex service delivery increase, strategic and localised adaptation of PMs may be required to integrate learning and communicative competencies with technical and operational capabilities.

Research limitations/implications

The systematic review methodology has been applied to address some of the limitations of publication and reporting biases in literature. This research provides a starting point for future investigations and broadening of discourse in local government contexts.

Originality/value

This paper represents the first systematic review of 1995–2020 publications on performance management practices used by local governments in Australia and New Zealand.
Minicell‐based fungal RNAi delivery for sustainable crop protection
Authors: Islam Md Tabibul , Davis Zachery , Chen Lisa , Englaender Jacob , Zomorodi Sepehr , Frank Joseph , Bartlett Kira , Somers Elisabeth , Carballo Sergio M. , Kester Mark , Shakeel Ameer , Pourtaheri Payam , Sherif Sherif M.
Published: February 2021

Spray‐induced gene silencing (SIGS) using topical dsRNA applications has risen as a promising, target‐specific, and environmentally friendly disease management strategy against phytopathogenic fungi. However, dsRNA stability, efficacy, and scalability are still the main constraints facing SIGS broader application. Here we show that Escherichia coli‐derived anucleated minicells can be utilized as a cost‐effective, scalable platform for dsRNA production and encapsulation. We demonstrated that minicell‐encapsulated dsRNA (ME‐dsRNA) was shielded from RNase degradation and stabilized on strawberry surfaces, allowing dsRNA persistence in field‐like conditions. ME‐dsRNAs targeting chitin synthase class III (Chs3a, Chs3b) and DICER‐like proteins (DCL1 and DCL2) genes of Botryotinia fuckeliana selectively knocked‐down the target genes and led to significant fungal growth inhibition in vitro. We also observed a compensatory relationship between DCL1 and DCL2 gene transcripts, where the silencing of one gene upregulated the expression of the other. Contrary to naked‐dsRNAs, ME‐dsRNAs halted disease progression in strawberries for 12 days under greenhouse conditions. These results elucidate the potential of ME‐dsRNAs to enable the commercial application of RNAi‐based, species‐specific biocontrols comparable in efficacy to conventional synthetics. ME‐dsRNAs offer a platform that can readily be translated to large‐scale production and deployed in open‐field applications to control grey mould in strawberries.
The Persona of the Wolffian Philosopher in Early Eighteenth‐Century Germany
Authors: Rydberg Andreas
Published: February 2021

This article contributes to the scholarly discussion of identity formation and persona by focusing on the expulsion of the German philosopher Christian Wolff from Prussia in 1723, and on the wave of printed propaganda that surrounded the event. In these writings the Wolffian philosopher was depicted as a diligent practitioner in the service of the Prussian state and as a sage in the Socratic tradition. In this interpretation the tension between socio‐political reality and claims on sagehood is used to complicate the scholarly analysis of what it meant to be and live as a philosopher in the early modern period.
Clinical impact of post‐progression survival on overall survival in patients receiving nivolumab monotherapy as a second‐line treatment for advanced non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Imai Hisao , Yamaguchi Ou , Mori Keita , Hashimoto Kosuke , Akagami Tomoe , Shinomiya Shun , Miura Yu , Shiono Ayako , Mouri Atsuto , Kaira Kyoichi , Kobayashi Kunihiko , Kagamu Hiroshi
Published: February 2021

Background

The effect of second‐line treatment on overall survival (OS) may be affected by subsequent treatment in patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, in such patients, the correlation between post‐progression survival (PPS) and OS is unclear. Our study assessed the correlation of progression‐free survival (PFS) and PPS with OS, using individual patient data, in advanced NSCLC patients who were treated with second‐line nivolumab monotherapy,

Methods

Between January 2016 and March 2019, we evaluated 92 NSCLC patients who received second‐line nivolumab treatment after first‐line platinum‐based combination chemotherapy. Using individual patient data, the correlations of PFS and PPS with OS were examined.

Results

Linear regression and Spearman rank correlation analysis demonstrated that PPS was strongly correlated with OS (r= 0.85,p < 0.05,R2= 0.75), while PFS was moderately correlated with OS (r= 0.65,p < 0.05,R2= 0.42). Performance status at the beginning of second‐line treatment, immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge, and the number of treatment regimens used post‐progression, after the second‐line treatment significantly correlated with PPS (p < 0.05). In advanced NSCLC patients who underwent second‐line treatment with nivolumab, in comparison to PFS, there was a stronger correlation between PPS and OS.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that subsequent treatment for disease progression after a second‐line nivolumab treatment had a significant impact on OS.
The Shinawatra siblings: Ethnic heroes and the rise of Lanna nationalism
Authors: Selway Joel Sawat
Published: February 2021

In 2014, banners hung across Thailand's northern region called for a separate Lanna state. This rise in consciousness of a Lanna political identity stems from rumors that Thaksin—former prime minister and from the Lanna region—is the reincarnation of past Northern kings. The ethnic pride derived from these connections added to feelings of ethnic persecution as the conservative Bangkok elite attacked and lampooned Thaksin regarding these rumors and, indirectly, Lanna culture. While neither Thaksin nor his sister Yingluck have used explicit nationalist rhetoric, their political fates—both were ejected in military coups—have increasingly been interpreted in nationalist terms. I combine qualitative evidence from Thai newspapers, magazines, social media accounts, blogs, etc. that trace this development with 2015 survey data from Chiangmai, Lanna's capital. The survey shows that 40% of respondents consider the Shinawatra siblings as the most important ethnoregional figures, past or present, and this correlates with strength of Lanna identity.
Food intake rather than blood glucose levels affects the pharmacokinetic profile of insulin aspart in pigs
Authors: Gradel Anna Katrina Jógvansdóttir , Kildegaard Jonas , Porsgaard Trine , Lykkesfeldt Jens , Refsgaard Hanne Hoffman Frølund
Published: February 2021

In humans, food intake and glucose infusion have been reported to increase subcutaneous blood flow. Since local blood flow influences the rate of insulin absorption from the subcutaneous tissue, we hypothesised that an increase in blood glucose levels—occurring as the result of glucose infusion or food intake—could modulate the pharmacokinetic properties of subcutaneously administered insulin. The pharmacokinetic profile of insulin aspart was assessed in 29 domestic pigs that were examined in a fed and fasted state or included in hyperinsulinaemic clamp studies of 4 vs. 10 mmol/L glucose prior to subcutaneous (30 nmol) or intravenous (0.1 nmol/kg) insulin administration. Results showed that food intake compared to fasting accelerated absorption and decreased clearance of insulin aspart (P < 0.05). Furthermore, higher c‐peptide but also glucagon levels were observed in fed compared to fasted pigs (P < 0.05). The pharmacokinetic profile of insulin aspart did not differ between pigs clamped at 4 vs. 10 mmol/L glucose. Hence, food intake rather than blood glucose levels within normal range modulates the pharmacokinetic properties of insulin aspart upon subcutaneous and intravenous administration in pigs.
Altered immune cell profiles and impaired CD4 T‐cell activation in single and multi‐food allergic adolescents
Authors: Neeland Melanie R. , Andorf Sandra , Dang Thanh D. , McWilliam Vicki L. , Perrett Kirsten P. , Koplin Jennifer J. , Saffery Richard
Published: February 2021

Background

Approximately 5% of adolescents have a food allergy, with peanut and tree nut allergies the most common. Having two or more food allergies in adolescence also doubles the risk of any adverse food reaction, and is associated with increased dietary and social burden. Investigations of immune function in persistently food allergic children are rare.

Objective

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the immune mechanisms that underlie food allergy in adolescence.

Methods

We used high‐dimensional flow cytometry, unsupervised computational analysis and functional studies to comprehensively phenotype a range of non‐antigen‐specific immune parameters in a group of well‐characterized adolescents with clinically defined single peanut allergy, multi‐food allergy and aged‐matched non‐food allergic controls.

Results

We show that food allergic adolescents have higher circulating proportions of dendritic cells (p = .0084, FDR‐adjustedp = .087, median in no FA: 0.63% live cells, in FA: 0.93%), and higher frequency of activated, memory‐like Tregs relative to non‐food allergic adolescents (p = .011, FDR‐adjustedp = .087, median in no FA: 0.49% live cells, in FA: 0.65%). Cytokine profiling revealed that CD3/CD28 stimulated naïve CD4 T cells from food allergic adolescents produced less IL‐6 (p = .0020, FDR‐adjustedp = .018, median log2 fold change [stimulated/unstimulated] in no FA: 3.03, in FA: 1.92) and TNFα (p = .0044, FDR‐adjustedp = .020, median in no FA: 9.16, in FA: 8.64) and may secrete less IFNγ (p = .035, FDR‐adjustedp = .11, median in no FA: 6.29, in FA: 5.67) than naïve CD4 T cells from non‐food allergic controls. No differences between clinical groups were observed for LPS‐stimulated monocyte secretion of cytokines.

Conclusions

These results have important implications for understanding the evolution of the immune response in food allergy throughout childhood, revealing that dendritic cell and T‐cell signatures previously identified in early life may persist through to adolescence.
Primary cutaneousSMARCB1‐deficient carcinoma
Authors: Hui Yiang , Cotzia Paolo , Rana Satshil , Kezlarian Brie E. , Lin Oscar , Hollmann Travis J. , Dogan Snjezana
Published: February 2021

Background

SMARCB1‐deficient malignancies can arise in various sites. We describe a novel primary SMARCB1‐deficient carcinoma of skin (SDCS) and characterizeSMARCB1mutations in non‐melanoma skin cancers (NMSC).

Methods

Cases underwent immunophenotyping and targeted exome sequencing (MSK‐IMPACT) assay interrogating somatic mutations in 468 cancer‐related genes. The MSK‐IMPACT database from 2014 to 2020 encompassing 55, 000 cases was searched for NMSC withSMARCB1mutations.

Results

SDCS arose on the scalp of an 18‐year‐old woman showing homozygousSMARCB1deletion with aLATS2G963E variant. Another case arose on the temple of a 76‐year‐old man harboring aSMARCB1W206* mutation associated with loss of heterozygosity (LOH), 59 concurrent mutations, and a UV mutation signature (UV‐MS). Both tumors exhibited INI1 loss, positive CK5/6, p40, p63, and claudin‐4 with negative CD34. Of 378 NMSC cases, including 370 carcinomas, 7SMARCB1‐mutated tumors were identified: 3 squamous cell, 3 Merkel cell, and one basal cell carcinoma. Six showed UV‐MS. Five INI1‐interrogated cases retained protein expression suggesting they were SMARCB1‐proficient.

Conclusions

SDCS can be clinically aggressive, harborSMARCB1homozygous deletions or truncatingSMARCB1mutations associated with LOH, and can occur with or without UV‐MS. Overall,SMARCB1mutations in NMSC are rare with most being of undetermined significance and associated with retained INI1 and UV‐MS.
Laboratory federalism with public funds sharing
Authors: Ania Ana B. , Wagener Andreas
Published: February 2021

Laboratory federalism hypothesizes that decentralization fosters innovation and learning in multijurisdictional systems, conducing to good policies. We discuss this using evolutionary stability, focusing in this paper on public funds sharing. In a model of rich‐to‐poor redistribution with labor mobility, where policy choices based on relative success lead to drastic welfare erosion, suitably designed sharing schemes can restore efficiency. Their necessary properties are the same as in a Nash equilibrium, showing they are a powerful corrective device for different modes of government interaction. Two drawbacks appear: reduced accuracy due to large multiplicity and a tendency to overly reward inefficiently high redistribution.
Urbanization correlates with altered growth and reduced survival of a small‐bodied, imperilled freshwater fish
Authors: Burbank Jacob , Drake D. Andrew R. , Power Michael
Published: February 2021

Life‐history and other vital rate information is important for effective species conservation by informing demographic trends and aspects of population viability. However, species‐specific information is lacking for many small‐bodied freshwater fishes, which can make it difficult to relate demographic trends to threats or recovery actions. Silver Shiner (Notropis photogenis), a small‐bodied species listed as Threatened under Canada'sSpecies at Risk Act, lacks well‐informed age and vital rate information. We aged 254 Silver Shiner using opercular and otolith structures and determined that Silver Shiner is short‐lived, with a probable maximum age of 4. Three years of field collections (2017–2019) were used to parameterize growth models and to estimate adult (age 1–3+) mortality rates. Silver Shiner captured in urban reaches exhibited altered growth and higher mortality compared to non‐urban reaches, indicating that urbanization may have demographic impacts on the species. Results highlight the importance of detailed age and vital rate information for assessing threats and informing effective conservation approaches for imperilled fishes. Furthermore, the potential negative impact of urbanization on the growth and survival of this species highlights the urgency of better understanding the influence of urbanization on small‐bodied freshwater fishes in general.
Engineering soluble T‐cell receptors for therapy
Authors: Robinson Ross A. , McMurran Catriona , McCully Michelle L. , Cole David K.
Published: February 2021

Immunotherapy approaches that target peptide–human leukocyte antigen (pHLA) complexes are becoming highly attractive because of their potential to access virtually all foreign and cellular proteins. For this reason, there has been considerable interest in the development of the natural ligand for pHLA, the T‐cell receptor (TCR), as a soluble drug to target disease‐associated pHLA presented at the cell surface. However, native TCR stability is suboptimal for soluble drug development, and natural TCRs generally have weak affinities for pHLAs, limiting their potential to reach efficacious receptor occupancy levels as soluble drugs. To overcome these limitations and make full use of the TCR as a soluble drug platform, several protein engineering solutions have been applied to TCRs to enhance both their stability and affinity, with a focus on retaining target specificity and selectivity. Here, we review these advances and look to the future for the next generation of soluble TCR‐based therapies that can target monomorphic HLA‐like proteins presenting both peptide and nonpeptide antigens.
Elevated efficiency of C3 photosynthesis in bamboo grasses: A possible consequence of enhanced refixation of photorespired CO2
Authors: Peixoto Murilo M. , Sage Tammy L. , Busch Florian A. , Pacheco Haryel D. N. , Moraes Moemy G. , Portes Tomás A. , Almeida Rogério A. , Graciano‐Ribeiro Dalva , Sage Rowan F.
Published: February 2021

Bamboos are productive grasses that currently yield a high‐quality wood and potentially an abundance of lignocellulose for bioenergy. All are C3 grasses of warm habitats, where they are prone to significant photorespiratory inhibition and competitive suppression by C4 grasses. Here, we investigate whether three bamboo species from the Brazilian Cerrado (Dendrocalamus asper, Guadua angustifolia, and Guadua magna) exhibit unique adaptations that suppress photorespiratory costs and enhance photosynthetic efficiency. We evaluated photosynthetic efficiency of the bamboos and rice (Oryza sativa) by measuring C*, the CO2 compensation point in the absence of mitochondrial respiration. At 25℃, C* averaged 2.81 Pa in each of the bamboo species, which is closer to a C2 plant (2.71 Pa) than the C3 plant rice (3.31 Pa). Assuming a chloroplast CO2 concentration of 200 µmol mol−1, this represents an 18% lower cost of apparent photorespiration in bamboo than rice. Light and transmission electronic microscopy of the bamboo leaves exhibited few organelles in the bundle and mestome sheath cells, and mesophyll (M) cells are deeply lobed with 99% of the cell periphery adjacent to intercellular air space covered by chloroplast and stromules. The chloroplast layer in bamboo M cells is thick, with mitochondria adjacent to or engulfed by chloroplasts. This arrangement slows CO2 efflux and facilitates refixation of photorespired CO2, which could explain the low C* in the bamboos. The bamboos also had higher water use efficiency than rice, which may reflect efficient refixation of photorespired CO2.
Porous structures printed by fused deposition of granules processed from a novel polyamide/alumina‐based system
Authors: Hung Hung Yuk Ming X. , Talou Mariano H. , Camerucci María A.
Published: February 2021

Alumina ceramic porous structures were shaped by the fused deposition of alumina/polyamide 612 composite granules using an FDM 3D printer with a modified extruder to process granulated powder instead of a filament. The composite granules were prepared via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Firstly, in order to determine the proportion of polymer/solvent to be used in the TIPS process, different volume fractions of PA612 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were studied (0.01 to 0.20), and the granules obtained were characterized by SEM, DSC, and Raman spectroscopy. Secondly, the addition of different ceramic loadings to the PA612/DMSO solution was studied with the aim of determining the amount to be used for preparing the composite granules by TIPS. In particular, the effect of the alumina content on the morphology and size of the obtained composite granules was studied. In addition, rheological properties (oscillatory and rotational tests) of the feed materials were studied. Finally, the printing conditions, including the nozzle temperature and nozzle diameter, and the extrusion process, were optimized in order to obtain porous structures with good quality. Alumina porous structures were successfully printed, debinded, and sintered. Adequate bonding between layers was achieved, and no defects at interfaces were detected.
Recognition of foreign qualifications in Germany: Selectivity and power in re‐making professionals
Authors: Sommer Ilka
Published: February 2021

This article conceptualizes ‘qualification’ as a transnationally negotiated social construct of this period. Those moving from the global South to industrialized countries often experience downgraded institutionalized cultural capital. Taking Germany as an empirical case and drawing upon Bourdieu's concepts of social fields and symbolic violence, this article empirically reconstructs the rating practices of foreign professional qualifications and reflects the implicit assumptions. The results reveal a social field of title struggles structured by somewhat trustful relations to the rated educating states, a stress field of liberal and protectionist market interests, and a spiral of institutionalized delegation of responsibility. Recent reforms in recognition law opened the door for highly demanded qualifications while simultaneously closing it for many. The article reflects on the social mechanisms behind this selectivity based on qualitative interviews with administrative practitioners.
Reliability and agreement of instrumental skin barrier measurements in clinical pressure ulcer prevention research
Authors: Kottner Jan , Blume‐Peytavi Ulrike
Published: February 2021

In skin and wound research the instrumental measurement of skin function is established. Despite the widespread use, empirical evidence about measurement errors is widely lacking. The aim of this study was to measure reliability and agreement of skin temperature, transepidermal water loss, epidermal hydration, and erythema at the heel and sacral skin. Four experienced researchers performed skin measurements in 15 subjects. Lowest reliability was observed for transepidermal water loss at the sacral skin (ICC (1) 0.46 (95% CI 0.00‐0.78)) and highest for skin temperature at the heel skin (ICC (1) 0.99 (95% CI 0.99‐1.00)). Lowest Standard Errors of Measurement were calculated for skin temperature measurements at the heels (0.11°C) and highest for erythema measurements at the sacral skin (26.7 arbitrary units). There was a clear association between variability of estimates and reliability coefficients. Single measurements of skin temperature, stratum corneum, and epidermal hydration at the sacral and heel skin areas can be used in clinical research and practice. Means of at least two measurements should be used for estimating transepidermal water loss and erythema. Evidence is needed to inform researchers about relative and absolute measurement errors of commonly applied instruments and measurements in skin and wound research.
Synthesis method comparison of compositionally complex rare earth‐based Ruddlesden–Poppern = 1 T′‐type cuprates
Authors: Musicó Brianna L. , Wright Quinton , Delzer Cordell , Ward T. Zac , Rawn Claudia J. , Mandrus David G. , Keppens Veerle
Published: February 2021

The multicomponent approach has been successfully expanded to the Ruddlesden–Popper structure with the synthesis of two different high‐entropy cuprate compositions: (La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Tb0.2Dy0.2)2CuO4and (La0.2Pr0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Eu0.2)2CuO4. The effect of synthesis method is explored using both solid‐state reaction and polymeric steric entrapment (PSE) methods. It is found that PSE leads to more randomly distributed cation species, providing an advantageous method of synthesis for the growing field of high entropy oxides. In situ high‐temperature x‐ray diffraction tracks the amorphous to crystalline phase transformation in (La0.2Nd0.2Gd0.2Tb0.2Dy0.2)2CuO4powder, synthesized using the PSE method. Using the High‐Temperature XRD data, a method for gaining information on the kinetic behavior is also applied. Magnetometry of both compositions indicates ferrimagnetic behavior at low temperatures.
Tuning the mechanical toughness of the metal nanoparticle‐implanted glass: The effect of nanoparticle growth conditions
Authors: Ono Madoka , Miyasaka Satoshi , Takato Yoichi , Urata Shingo , Hayashi Yasuo
Published: February 2021

Recently, a novel framework for toughening brittle oxide glass by implanting a soft secondary material using an electrofloat method was proposed. Softening of a glass surface owing to the presence of metal nanoparticles as a secondary material evidenced by experiments and partially supported by numerical simulations was found to be important in the increased toughness. However, only limited experimental conditions of the process of nanoparticle growth were explored in the aforementioned study. Thus, we further investigated the experimental conditions in this study to optimize the magnitude of the applied voltage, its duration time, and the temperature during the process. We found that the crack initiation load (CIL) and the indentation fracture toughness increase at the appropriate voltage and time duration, and at a temperature higher than 1000°C. From observational analysis, the size, density, and depth of the nanoparticle‐implanted layer are related to the toughness. In particular, when metal nanoparticles in a glass matrix are larger and denser up to half the total volume fraction, the mechanical toughness of the hybrid glass seems to get higher. Additionally, implantation of a softer metal, such as silver, was conducted to consider the dependence of secondary materials, and the silver nanoparticle‐implanted glass showed the highest toughness. In the course of the investigation of the toughening mechanism for the two different materials using nanoindentation technique, a clear evidence of increased plastic deformation was observed for Cu implantation, while a decrease in Young’s modulus was only seen for Ag implantation. Peridynamics simulation was performed to examine the effect of the toughening due to the composite glass surface layer with the different Young’s modulus. It is shown that the Young’s modulus of the composite has an optimal value to maximize the toughness.
Root causes of adverse drug events in hospitals and artificial intelligence capabilities for prevention
Authors: Gordo Cristina , Núñez‐Córdoba Jorge M. , Mateo Ricardo
Published: February 2021

Aims

To identify and prioritize the root causes of adverse drug events (ADEs) in hospitals and to assess the ability of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to prevent ADEs.

Design

A mixed method design was used.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study for hospitals in Spain was carried out between February and April 2019 to identify and prioritize the root causes of ADEs. A nominal group technique was also used to assess the ability of AI capabilities to prevent ADEs.

Results

The main root cause of ADEs was a lack of adherence to safety protocols (64.8%), followed by identification errors (57.4%), and fragile and polymedicated patients (44.4%). An analysis of the AI capabilities to prevent the root causes of ADEs showed that identification and reading are two potentially useful capabilities.

Conclusion

Identification error is one of the main root causes of drug adverse events and AI capabilities could potentially prevent drug adverse events.

Impact

This study highlights the role of AI capabilities in safely identifying both patients and drugs, which is a crucial part of the medication administration process, and how this can prevent ADEs in hospitals.
TTN/OBSCN ‘Double‐Hit’ predicts favourable prognosis, ‘immune‐hot’ subtype and potentially better immunotherapeutic efficacy in colorectal cancer
Authors: Liu Zaoqu , Wang Libo , Guo Chunguang , Liu Long , Jiao Dechao , Sun Zhenqiang , Wu Kunpeng , Zhao Yanan , Han Xinwei
Published: February 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. Although treatment strategies for solid tumours have been revolutionized by immunotherapy, only a small subset of CRC patients benefit. Using two‐independent cohorts, we found the common frequently mutated genes TTN and OBSCN had the significant correlation with higher tumour mutation burden (TMB) and favourable overall survival. TTN and OBSCN also displayed significant commutation phenomenon. Therefore, based on the status of TTN and OBSCN, we stratified patients into ‘Double‐WT’ phenotype, ‘Single‐Hit’ phenotype and ‘Double‐Hit’ phenotype. Importantly, the ‘Double‐Hit’ phenotype had favourable prognosis, low malignant events propensity, and highest TMB, immune cells infiltration abundance, POLE mutation rate, microsatellite instability ratio, as well as immune checkpoints expression compared with the other two phenotypes. These results indicated that the ‘Double‐Hit’ phenotype suggested ‘immune‐hot’ tumours and potentially better immunotherapeutic efficacy. Bioinformatic algorithm assessment of immunotherapy responses also confirmed this conclusion, and the ‘Double‐Hit’ phenotype was found to be a better predictor of immunotherapy than PD‐L1, PD‐1, CTLA‐4, TMB and microsatellite status. This study revealed CRC patients with TTN/OBSCN ‘Double‐Hit’ was significantly associated favourable prognosis, ‘immune‐hot’ subtype and potentially better immunotherapeutic efficacy.
Executive function mediates the prospective association between neurostructural differences within the central executive network and anti‐social behavior after childhood traumatic brain injury
Authors: Ryan Nicholas P. , Catroppa Cathy , Hughes Nathan , Painter Felicity L. , Hearps Stephen , Beauchamp Miriam H. , Anderson Vicki A.
Published: February 2021

Background

Despite increasing evidence of a link between early life brain injury and anti‐social behavior, very few studies have assessed factors that explain this association in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). One hypothesis suggests that childhood TBI elevates risk for anti‐social behavior via disruption to anatomically distributed neural networks implicated in executive functioning (EF). In this longitudinal prospective study, we employed high‐resolution structural neuroimaging to (a) evaluate the impact of childhood TBI on regional morphometry of the central executive network (CEN) and (b) evaluate the prediction that lower EF mediates the prospective relationship between structural differences within the CEN and postinjury anti‐social behaviors.

Methods

This study involved 155 children, including 112 consecutively recruited, hospital‐confirmed cases of mild‐severe TBI and 43 typically developing control (TDC) children. T1‐weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences were acquired sub‐acutely in a subset of 137 children [TBI: n = 103; TDC: n = 34]. All participants were evaluated using direct assessment of EF 6 months postinjury, and parents provided ratings of anti‐social behavior 12 months postinjury.

Results

Severe TBI was associated with postinjury volumetric differences within the CEN and its putative hub regions. When compared with TD controls, the TBI group had significantly worse EF, which was associated with more frequent anti‐social behaviors and abnormal CEN morphometry. Mediation analysis indicated that reduced EF mediated the prospective association between postinjury volumetric differences within the CEN and more frequent anti‐social behavior.

Conclusions

Our longitudinal prospective findings suggest that detection of neurostructural abnormalities within the CEN may aid in the early identification of children at elevated risk for postinjury executive dysfunction, which may in turn contribute to chronic anti‐social behaviors after early life brain injury. Findings underscore the potential value of early surveillance and preventive measures for children presenting with neurostructural and/or neurocognitive risk factors.
Moderators of response to child‐based and parent‐based child anxiety treatment: a machine learning‐based analysis
Authors: Lebowitz Eli R. , Zilcha‐Mano Sigal , Orbach Meital , Shimshoni Yaara , Silverman Wendy K.
Published: February 2021

Background

Identifying moderators of response to treatment for childhood anxiety can inform clinical decision‐making and improve overall treatment efficacy. We examined moderators of response to child‐based cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) and parent‐based SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) in a recent randomized clinical trial.

Methods

We applied a machine learning approach to identify moderators of treatment response to CBT versus SPACE, in a clinical trial of 124 children with primary anxiety disorders. We tested the clinical benefit of prescribing treatment based on the identified moderators by comparing outcomes for children randomly assigned to their optimal and nonoptimal treatment conditions. We further applied machine learning to explore relations between moderators and shed light on how they interact to predict outcomes. Potential moderators included demographic, socioemotional, parenting, and biological variables. We examined moderation separately for child‐reported, parent‐reported, and independent‐evaluator‐reported outcomes.

Results

Parent‐reported outcomes were moderated by parent negativity and child oxytocin levels. Child‐reported outcomes were moderated by baseline anxiety, parent negativity, and parent oxytocin levels. Independent‐evaluator‐reported outcomes were moderated by baseline anxiety. Children assigned to their optimal treatment condition had significantly greater reduction in anxiety symptoms, compared with children assigned to their nonoptimal treatment. Significant interactions emerged between the identified moderators.

Conclusions

Our findings represent an important step toward optimizing treatment selection and increasing treatment efficacy.
Adolescent electronic cigarette counselling: knowledge, attitudes and perceived barriers among clinical staff in a primary care setting
Authors: McGee Lindy U. , Parker Susan , Bulsara Shaun , Escobar Betsy , Kline Kimberly N. , Jibaja‐Weiss Maria L. , Montealegre Jane R.
Published: February 2021

Objective

To assess knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers (KAP) regarding e‐cigarette use counselling among adolescent healthcare clinical staff in an urban system, and to compare results between providers and rooming staff.

Methods

Primary care clinical staff (n = 169) completed an anonymous survey. Descriptive statistics and Chi‐square tests were used to summarize data and compare KAP between medical providers and rooming staff.

Results

Staff wanted to learn more about e‐cigarettes (87.6%). The most common knowledge deficits were how to use the 5As + 5Rs model for tobacco cessation counselling (66.7%) and the chemical content of e‐liquids (55.4%), with no differences across groups. Overall, 58% of providers expressed confidence in their ability to talk with adolescent patients about e‐cigarette use. The most common barriers to counselling were low knowledge about e‐cigarettes (74.0%) and how to refer adolescent patients for cessation support (43.8%).

Conclusions

Provider and rooming staff expressed similar educational needs surrounding e‐cigarettes, counselling, and treatment for adolescent patients. Clinical staff expressed confidence in their ability to affect change. There were no differences in the identified knowledge gaps or barriers to care between rooming staff and providers, suggesting that the same educational format can be used to target both groups.
Ultrastructural Changes of the Mitochondrion During the Life Cycle of Trypanosomabrucei
Authors: Bílý Tomáš , Sheikh Shaghayegh , Mallet Adeline , Bastin Philippe , Pérez‐Morga David , Lukeš Julius , Hashimi Hassan
Published: February 2021

The mitochondrion is crucial for ATP generation by oxidative phosphorylation, among other processes. Cristae are invaginations of the mitochondrial inner membrane that house nearly all the macromolecular complexes that perform oxidative phosphorylation. The unicellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei undergoes during its life cycle extensive remodeling of its single mitochondrion, which reflects major changes in its energy metabolism. While the bloodstream form (BSF) generates ATP exclusively by substrate‐level phosphorylation and has a morphologically highly reduced mitochondrion, the insect‐dwelling procyclic form (PCF) performs oxidative phosphorylation and has an expanded and reticulated organelle. Here, we have performed high‐resolution 3D reconstruction of BSF and PCF mitochondria, with a particular focus on their cristae. By measuring the volumes and surface areas of these structures in complete or nearly complete cells, we have found that mitochondrial cristae are more prominent in BSF than previously thought and their biogenesis seems to be maintained during the cell cycle. Furthermore, PCF cristae exhibit a surprising range of volumes in situ, implying that each crista is acting as an independent bioenergetic unit. Cristae appear to be particularly enriched in the region of the organelle between the nucleus and kinetoplast, the mitochondrial genome, suggesting this part has distinctive properties.
Harmful dinoflagellateCochlodinium polykrikoidesimpairs the feeding behavior of larval sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus)
Authors: Pascucci Daniel , Gobler Christopher J. , Rountos Konstantine J.
Published: February 2021

Research evaluating the toxicity of the harmful dinoflagellateCochlodinium(a.k.a.Margalefidinium)polykrikoideshas been dominated by acute bioassays while the sublethal effects remain less well understood. This study examined the sublethal effects ofC. polykrikoidesexposure on the feeding behavior of larval estuarine fish. Sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) larvae were used in feeding experiments which assessed the total consumption of zooplankton prey (i.e.,Artemianauplii) over defined time periods. Larvae exposed to intermediate concentrations (i.e., 102 cells ml−1) of clonal cultures ofC. polykrikoidessaw statistically significant reductions (range = 10%–81%) in theArtemiaconsumed compared to controls (i.e., filtered seawater, culture media or nontoxin producing dinoflagellate). These reductions were found independent of whether the larvae were fed or starved prior to experimentation. As these concentrations are similar to those typically found during mild blooms or at the periphery of dense blooms, these findings have significant implications for the feeding behavior of ichthyoplankton.
Hybrid drying of pulped arabica coffee cherry beans (Coffea arabica L. cv. Catuai) using a hexagonal microwave dryer designed by numerical simulations
Authors: da Costa Felipe Orlando , Alvarenga Thatielle Ferreira , de Mesquita Thamara Vieira Correia , Petri Júnior Irineu
Published: February 2021

The consumption of specialty coffees has been increasing significantly in recent years. Their quality is influenced by several factors and the drying method is the most important. In order to reduce drying time and maintain the quality of the coffee, several techniques have been used, among which the microwave‐assisted convective drying stands out. In this work, a hexagonal microwave dryer was developed using numerical simulation techniques; then some parameters were evaluated in drying of special coffee using air at room temperature and microwaves heating, named hybrid drying. The results showed that the simulations reaches good results, being possible its use in the prediction of the electromagnetic fields and dimensioning of hexagonal cavities. In addition, the prototype performed well in the coffee drying, influenced by the coffee mass, temperature and time, reducing the moisture content from 50.4 to 10 g/100 g wet basis in 5 hr. The hybrid drying was advantageous compared with convective or microwave drying processes.

Practical applications

Special coffees require long drying times so that there is no loss of product quality. The application of hybrid drying by including microwave heating in the drying equipment reduces the energy cost and the processing time, providing an improvement in the processing of specialty coffees. Through this work, it was possible to verify the scale‐up potential of the microwave cavities by simulation and the hybrid drying of special coffees. The use of numerical simulation techniques for the design and scale‐up of microwave cavities will help researchers and the industry to dimension cavities for use in several scientific areas, further spreading hybrid drying via microwave.
COVID‐19 and human papillomavirus: Paradoxical immunity
Authors: Demirbaş Abdullah , Eker Hediye , Elmas Ömer Faruk , Ulutaş Demirbaş Gözde , Atasoy Mustafa , Türsen Ümit , Lotti Torello
Published: February 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a multisystemic disease that can cause progressive lung failure, organ dysfunction, and coagulation disorder associated with high mortality and morbidity. COVID‐19 is known to either primarily cause skin symptoms or increase existing skin diseases. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that can cause benign and malignant neoplasms. Mucocutaneous verruca vulgaris are common benign lesions of HPV. Here, we report a case of verruca vulgaris regressed after COVID‐19.
Sublethal biomass loss in Egregia menziesii (Phaeophyceae) reveals diffuse meristem tissue
Authors: Fulton‐Bennett Heather K.
Published: February 2021

Sublethal biomass loss has been found to have a variety of effects on marine macroalgae, from decreasing reproductive output to increasing individual survival and frond density. The ability of an individual to recover and persist through herbivore and wave damage is facilitated by the location of several meristematic growth regions throughout an individual. In kelps (Order Laminariales), meristems are found basally at the holdfast, at the base of each blade, and/or apically on each frond. In the intertidal kelp Egregia menziesii, fronds are thought to have an intercalary meristem at a transition zone between the main frond's midrib and a small terminal lamina. This study examined the effect of removing the terminal blade and transition zone on the elongation of the frond and found no significant difference in growth, contrary to expectations. Elongation occurred in the 30 cm of midrib at the apical end of fronds and was not isolated at the base of the terminal lamina as was previously thought. These results indicate the presence of a diffuse meristematic growth region that has not been reported in other kelps and may be an advantage for this intertidal species.
Molecular control of the floral transition in the mast seeding plant Celmisia lyallii (Asteraceae)
Authors: Samarth  , Lee Robyn , Kelly Dave , Turnbull Matthew H. , Macknight Richard C. , Poole Anthony M. , Jameson Paula E.
Published: February 2021

Mast flowering (or masting) is synchronous, highly variable flowering among years in populations of perennial plants. Despite having widespread consequences for seed consumers, endangered fauna and human health, masting is hard to predict. While observational studies show links to various weather patterns in different plant species, the mechanism(s) underpinning the regulation of masting is still not fully explained. We studied floral induction in Celmisia lyallii (Asteraceae), a mast flowering herbaceous alpine perennial, comparing gene expression in flowering and nonflowering plants. We performed translocation experiments to induce the floral transition in C. lyallii plants followed by both global and targeted expression analysis of flowering‐pathway genes. Differential expression analysis showed elevated expression of ClSOC1 and ClmiR172 (promoters of flowering) in leaves of plants that subsequently flowered, in contrast to elevated expression of ClAFT and ClTOE1 (repressors of flowering) in leaves of plants that did not flower. The warm summer conditions that promoted flowering led to differential regulation of age and hormonal pathway genes, including ClmiR172 and ClGA20ox2, known to repress the expression of floral repressors and permit flowering. Upregulated expression of epigenetic modifiers of floral promoters also suggests that plants may maintain a novel “summer memory” across years to induce flowering. These results provide a basic mechanistic understanding of floral induction in masting plants and evidence of their ability to imprint various environmental cues to synchronize flowering, allowing us to better predict masting events under climate change.