bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The importance of intellectual capital in networks formed by start-ups
Authors: Franco Mário , Neves Diogo , Haase Heiko , Rodrigues Margarida
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to analyse the importance of intellectual capital (IC) in networks formed by start-ups, with a view to obtaining resources that individually they would be unable to acquire.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this aim, a qualitative approach was adopted, and within this, the case study method was used. The data-collecting instrument was the semi-structured interview, held with the business-people/managers of five start-ups present in an incubator (Startup Rém) based in Portugal, and with the person in charge of this incubator, together with observation and documentary analysis.

Findings

From content analysis, the results suggest that the business people recognise the presence of IC at the moment of creating their business and that this is a means to attain sustainability and, consequently, business survival. The results also show that in the absence of network formation, the relation between the incubator and the incubated firms can be affected and limited, interfering directly with firms’ use of IC.

Practical implications

This research aimed to highlight the importance of IC as an essential resource for business survival and sustainability and to encourage start-ups to regard networks as a way to share and convey knowledge. This study also intends to help firms understand the role of cooperation and mutual assistance in seeking sustainability and economic growth.

Originality/value

This study is innovative because it has filled the gaps identified in the literature, particularly the absence of studies on the importance of IC in networks formed by start-ups, and the study of the impact of IC on firms focussing on cooperation networks.
Quality 4.0: literature review analysis, definition and impacts of the digital transformation process on quality
Authors: Dias Ana Margarida , Carvalho André M. , Sampaio Paulo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The changes brought forth by the Digital Transformation have an impact on the way we think, assess and manage Quality. While the concept of Quality 4.0 has resulted from these changes, there is still limited understanding and unclear definitions in this new era of Quality Management.

Design/methodology/approach

There is a clear opportunity to review and analyze the state-of-the-art of Quality 4.0, its main research efforts, topics and directions. To do so, a bibliometric analysis and descriptive/mapping literature review were performed.

Findings

There is a clear focus on the implications of technology for Quality, but other relevant topics include business management and strategy models and systems, as well as human or soft factors. Results reveal an increasing interest in Quality 4.0 as well as a link between topics.

Originality/value

Together with the review, analysis and digest of the literature, we offer our own contribution to a commonly accepted definition Quality 4.0.
Bayesian two-sided group chain sampling plan for beta binomial distribution under quality regions
Authors: Hafeez Waqar , Aziz Nazrina
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper introduces a Bayesian two-sided group chain sampling plan (BT-SGChSP) by using binomial distribution to estimate the average proportion of defectives. In this Bayesian approach, beta distribution is used as a suitable prior of binomial distribution. The proposed plan considers both consumer's and producer's risks. Currently, group chain sampling plans only consider the consumer's risk and do not account for the producer's risk. All existing plans are used to estimate only a single point, but this plan gives a quality region for the pre-specified values of different design parameters. In other words, instead of point wise description for the designing of sampling plan based on a range of quality by involving a novel approach called quality region.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on five phases, which are (1) operating procedure, (2) derivation of the probability of lot acceptance, (3) constructing plans for given acceptable quality level (AQL) and limiting quality level (LQL), (4) construction of quality intervals for BT-SGChSP and (5) selection of the sampling plans.

Findings

The findings show that the operating characteristic (OC) curve of BT-SGChSP is more ideal than the existing Bayesian group chain sampling plan because the quality regions for BT-SGChSP give less proportion of defectives for same consumer's and producer's risks.

Research limitations/implications

There are four limitations in this study: first is the use of binomial distribution when deriving the probability of lot acceptance. Alternatively, it can be derived by using distributions such as Poisson, weighted Poisson and weighted binomial. The second is that beta distribution is used as prior distribution. Otherwise, different prior distributions can be used like: Rayleigh, exponential and generalized exponential. The third is that we adopt mean as a quality parameter, whereas median and other quintiles can be used. Forth, this paper considers probabilistic quality region (PQR) and indifference quality region (IQR).

Practical implications

The proposed plan is an alternative of traditional group chain sampling plans that are based on only current lot information. This plan considers current lot information with preceding and succeeding lot and also considers prior information of the product.

Originality/value

This paper first time uses a tight (three acceptance criteria) and introduces a BT-SGChSP to find quality regions for both producer's and consumer's risk.
Tukad Bindu in Bali, Indonesia: ecotourism or greenwashing?
Authors: Antari Ni Putu Bayu Widhi , Connell Daniel
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to assess whether Tukad Bindu, Bali, Indonesia is a good example of ecotourism or practice in greenwashing.

Design/methodology/approach

The characteristics of ecotourism to assess Tukad Bindu were identified through a review of the existing literature. This study used Honey’s argument to determine these characteristics and supplemented them with other experts’ views to understand the global and local contexts of ecotourism. Primary data were collected from interviews with stakeholders and observations. The Tukad Bindu Foundation provided secondary data.

Findings

This study reveals that Tukad Bindu is a good example of ecotourism because it involves travelling to natural destinations. It reduces the negative effects of tourism activities – specifically environmental – thereby raising environmental awareness among local communities, tourists and the public at large. Tukad Bindu produces direct financial benefits for conservation, for empowering local communities and providing financial benefits, reverence for local cultures and positively influences the democratic movement, especially strengthening stakeholders’ participation in ecotourism.

Research limitations/implications

To accelerate the development of Tukad Bindu as an ecotourism destination, research on factors that enable and obstruct ecotourism development is required. This will help the foundation and stakeholders to develop strategies that can achieve the goals of conservation, local communities’ livelihoods and environmental education.

Practical implications

This study also has practical implications in terms of managing environmental activities, enriching Tukad Bindu’s biodiversity and attractions, and maintaining ecotourism sustainability.

Originality/value

Tukad Bindu has applied unique ecotourism practices, in terms of developing and ownership of protected areas. While Honey’s framework of ecotourism is beneficial to elaborate on the nature of ecotourism, the characteristics in this framework are not mutually exclusive in the case of Tukad Bindu. This study also has practical implications in terms of managing environmental activities, enriching Tukad Bindu’s biodiversity and attractions, and maintaining ecotourism sustainability.
A review of literature directions regarding the impact of fintech firms on the banking industry
Authors: Elsaid Haitham Mohamed
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a review of literature directions regarding the potential impact of fintech operators on the financial services market globally. This paper reviews the literature to identify possible benefits or challenges that fintech firms can have for the traditional banking system.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a review of published research papers related to fintech and digital finance. The Scopus database, SSRN database and google scholar were used to find relevant research papers. The final sample included impactful papers about the effect of fintech activities on the banking and financial services industry.

Findings

The current paper indicated that while fintech firms would take some market share away from banks, it is not expected that fintech firms would substitute banks. However, banks are required to accelerate their adoption of innovations and advanced technology to compete with fintech firms. It is also proposed that strategic partnerships and cooperation could happen between banks and fintech companies in a way that benefits both sides.

Originality/value

The present paper adds to the understanding of the effect of the fintech firms’ growth on the banking industry in light of the emerging opportunities and threats for the financial sector. The paper also provides guidance for fruitful research on the impact of fintech activities on social and economic welfare in the future.
Come hell or high water: climate action by archives, records and cultural heritage professionals in the United Kingdom
Authors: Robinson Georgina
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to evidence the perspectives of information professionals in the UK in relation to environmental sustainability and climate action to catalyse collaborative action.

Design/methodology/approach

This study takes an interpretivist stance. Research into archive and record management literature was conducted to establish key themes on climate change within the information sector. These themes informed research questions included in a survey cascaded to UK archivists, conservators, records managers and cultural heritage professionals via national mailing lists. The results were then codified and analysed. The study had research ethics and data protection approval from University College London.

Findings

Using professional ethics as a framework, this paper argues that climate action can protect records from the impact of climate change, ensuring future access. The information professionals surveyed were motivated by duties to preservation and access to mitigate the impact of the information sector on the environment. However, sector-specific climate action, such as introducing passive storage conditions or decreasing collection sizes, is limited by insufficient resources, organisational hierarchies and cultures, sector support and a perceived conflict with the duty to preservation.

Originality/value

To date, there is a growing body of literature from other countries on archival practices and the natural environment. However, the UK in general and the records management sector in particular, have not yet fully engaged in the discussion. This study reviews these knowledge gaps for the UK information sector to appropriately respond to climate change.
Strategic accountability for sustainability of natural resources – public discharge and optimism in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Asare Emmanuel Tetteh , Burton Bruce , Dunne Theresa
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to explore individual perceptions about how the government, as the main architect of policies and regulations, discharges strategic accountability in Ghana’s oil and gas sector and, in so doing, promotes resource sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

The study reports on a series of interviews with key actors using institutional theory as a lens for discussion and interpretation of results. This approach forms the basis for a number of specific contributions to knowledge regarding strategic accountability around natural resource discoveries.

Findings

Whilst many deeply-set problems appear to persist, the paper reports some favourable movement in public perceptions regarding institutional accountability that has not been identified previously. The empirical findings demonstrate how the three elements of institutional theory work together in an emerging country’s natural resource industry to drive a potentially holistic strategic institutional legitimacy, contrary to the existing pervasive picture of detrimental regulative, normative and cognitive institutionalism found within the region.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that, contrary to existing regional evidence regarding institutional financial accountability practices around natural resources, Ghana has made favourable strides in terms of strategic accountability discharge. This discovery implies that with persistence and commitment, a meaningful degree of intelligent strategic accountability can be achieved and, with appropriate empirical methodology, identified and rationalised.

Social implications

The persistent coercive pressure from the Ghanaian society that caused the government to listen to overtime and take positive steps in the institutionalisation of their strategic accountability process which translated into a holistic institutional legitimacy that has eluded the sub-region for decades, is a glimmer of hope for other societies within the sub-Saharan region that all is not lost.

Originality/value

The paper suggests an empirically driven approach to understanding the institutionalisation of strategic accountability practices and their impact on sustainability around natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa. The focus on the strategic aspect of accountability – rather than the financial as in most prior work – and the consideration of opinions at more than a single point in time permits the identification of novel evidence regarding accountability in emerging economies.
Who gets the rights to newsgathering? Media credentialing and press freedom in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia
Authors: Leung Dennis Ka Kuen
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Against the background of the 2019 anti-extradition bill protests, this paper aims to examine the legal-political negotiations over equal press rights in Hong Kong, focusing specifically on “the rights to newsgathering” – the rights of all journalistic actors to get access to certain places and events to collect first-hand news information, such as on the streets, during protests and in government events.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a comparative approach to the question of equal press rights by comparing Hong Kong’s situations with those of Taiwan and Malaysia. Drawing upon secondary sources such as existing studies and news archives, this paper attempts to delineate the legal-political negotiations over equal press rights in the three places in the past two decades.

Findings

This paper finds that in Hong Kong, there are signs of increasing suppression of press rights amidst the city’s authoritarian backlash in recent years. While the Hong Kong Government was willing to broaden the rights of online independent media a few years back, it has started to tighten its control over them after the 2019 anti-extradition bill protests. Without a constitutional guarantee of equal press rights, it remains to be seen how the online independent media would fare in the future, especially after the introduction of the national security law.

Originality/value

While Hong Kong is home to a variety of non-mainstream media, the issue of their press status has remained largely unrecognized by the public. This paper pays attention to this understudied yet important issue.
Feather corticosterone reveals developmental challenges in a long‐term study of juvenile northern spotted owls
Authors: Mikkelsen Ashlee J. , Lesmeister Damon B. , O’Reilly Kathleen M. , Dugger Katie M.
Published: October 2021

Corticosterone is a steroid hormone integral to a variety of physiological pathways and is strongly associated with the vertebrate stress response. In avian species, circulating corticosterone is sequestered into developing feathers and is used as an indicator of energy allocation during feather growth and widely applied in conservation physiology.

The northern spotted owl Strix occidentalis caurina is a federally threatened old‐growth forest obligate of conservation concern endemic to the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada. The effects of landscape characteristics and individual variation on early development in spotted owls remain unstudied despite long recognition of this knowledge gap and its potential importance to species conservation.

We quantified corticosterone concentrations in 4,720 feathers from 1,056 juvenile spotted owls across seven study areas between 2001 and 2017. We used an information‐theoretic approach to examine the environmental and individual factors related to feather corticosterone in juvenile spotted owls as an indicator of challenges during early development.

Feather corticosterone was positively related to temperature and precipitation, and negatively related to juvenile mass at banding. We found strong support for an interaction between mass and precipitation, with greater amounts of precipitation being associated with higher levels of feather corticosterone in lighter juveniles. The temperature and precipitation metric with the strongest relationship with feather corticosterone occurred during the fledging period, suggesting that this period presents an energetic challenge for juvenile spotted owls. Greater juvenile mass decreased the effect of precipitation, suggesting that greater mass was important for juveniles to maintain homeostasis during fledgling.

Feather corticosterone in juvenile spotted owls provided insights to the challenges faced during early development, adding to our understanding of spotted owl life history and potential for population recovery.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Contract rescission in the real estate presale market
Authors: Gan Quan , Hu Maggie Rong , Wan Wayne Xinwei
Published: October 2021

This study documents that over 10% of the presale contracts in the Hong Kong housing market between 1996 and 2014 were rescinded, resulting in a loss of HKD 436.67 million per year. We then investigate potential determinants of contracts rescission from a novel perspective of option theory. We find out‐of‐the‐money presale contracts (with market price being lower than the outstanding payment at settlement) have a 12.2% higher rescission rate. The rescission rate is also higher when presale homebuyers bear more of the price risk as proxied by option delta and time‐induced risk as proxied by time to maturity. Moreover, we find rescission rates drop significantly after the Hong Kong government's housing market macroprudential measures. Our findings shed light on understanding the mechanism of presale contracts rescission, homebuyers’ strategic default behavior, and the role of housing market regulation in mitigating rescissions.
Anatomical variations of the thoracic duct in the dog
Authors: Korpes Kim , Kolenc Magdalena , Trbojević Vukičević Tajana , Đuras Martina
Published: October 2021

Anatomical variations can be frequently found in the lymphatic system, which is also true for the shape and course of the thoracic duct (ductus thoracicus), the biggest lymph vessel in the body. From 2012 to 2019, the thoracic duct was successfully dissected in 43 dog carcasses that were used in the anatomy course at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. The thoracic duct originated from the cranial border of the cisterna chyli as one lymph vessel in 36 dogs (83.7%), as two vessels in six dogs (14%) and as three vessels in one dog (2.3%). We divided the observed thoracic duct variations into six groups according to their anatomical similarities. Considering the specific embryonic development, we can conclude that all observed variations are the result of minor deviations from the standard ontogenesis. However, the importance of thoracic duct variations is significant in surgical procedures done in the thoracic cavity to prevent or cure the chylothorax. Since this research showed variations in 39 out of 43 dogs (90.7%) throughout the whole course of the thoracic duct, great care must be taken while performing the ligation or embolization of the thoracic duct.
Mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiovascular diseases—Clinical trials and mechanistic insights
Authors: Bauersachs Johann , López‐Andrés Natalia
Published: October 2021

Aldosterone binds to the mineralocorticoid receptor (NR3C2), a transcription factor of the nuclear receptor family, present in the kidney and in various other non‐epithelial cells including the heart and the vasculature. Indeed, extra‐renal pathophysiological effects of this hormone have been characterized, extending its actions to the cardiovascular system. A growing body of clinical and pre‐clinical evidence suggests that mineralocorticoid receptor overactivation plays an important pathophysiological role in cardiovascular remodelling by promoting cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, arterial stiffness and in inflammation and oxidative stress. The following review article outlines the role of mineralocorticoid receptor in cardiovascular disease with a focus on myocardial remodelling and heart failure (HF) including clinical trials as well as cellular and animal studies.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on Emerging Fields for Therapeutic Targeting of the Aldosterone‐Mineralocorticoid Receptor Signaling Pathway. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.13/issuetoc
ALLIUM JUDAEUM sp. nov.: Amaryllidaceae
Authors: Ben‐Natan Dar , Fragman‐Sapir Ori
Published: October 2021

The genus Allium includes important food plants including onion, garlic, chives, and leeks, as well as cultivars traded widely in the horticultural industry. Yet species limits and diversity in the genus still require further work. The eastern Mediterranean has emerged as a centre of diversity for the genus Allium in recent years. Here we describe a new species, Allium judaeum that is a rare endemic, apparently restricted to the Judean Mountains of Israel and the West Bank, and discuss the ecology and outlook for the plant, and recommendations for its conservation.
Archaeal Hsp14 drives substrate shuttling between small heat shock proteins and thermosome: insights into a novel substrate transfer pathway
Authors: Roy Mousam , Bhakta Koustav , Bhowmick Arghya , Gupta Sayandeep , Ghosh Anupama , Ghosh Abhrajyoti
Published: October 2021

Heat shock proteins maintain protein homeostasis and facilitate the survival of an organism under stress. Archaeal heat shock machinery usually consists of only sHsps, Hsp70, and Hsp60. Moreover, Hsp70 is absent in thermophilic and hyperthermophilic archaea. In the absence of Hsp70, how aggregating protein substrates are transferred to Hsp60 for refolding remains elusive. Here, we investigated the crosstalk in the heat shock response pathway of thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. In the present study, we biophysically and biochemically characterized one of the small heat shock proteins, Hsp14, of S. acidocaldarius. Moreover, we investigated its ability to interact with Hsp20 and Hsp60 to facilitate the substrate proteins' folding under stress conditions. Like Hsp20, we demonstrated that the dimer is the active form of Hsp14, and it forms an oligomeric storage form at a higher temperature. More importantly, the dynamics of the Hsp14 oligomer are maintained by rapid subunit exchange between the dimeric states, and the rate of subunit exchange increases with increasing temperature. We also tested the ability of Hsp14 to form hetero‐oligomers via subunit exchange with Hsp20. We observed hetero‐oligomer formation only at higher temperatures (50 °C–70 °C). Furthermore, experiments were performed to investigate the interaction between small heat shock proteins and Hsp60. We demonstrated an enthalpy‐driven direct physical interaction between Hsp14 and Hsp60. Our results revealed that Hsp14 could transfer sHsp‐captured substrate proteins to Hsp60, which then refolds them back to their active form.
The Prison Population
Authors: BAILEY VICTOR
Published: October 2021

In 1921 the Howard Journal recorded a steep drop in the annual number of prisoners received into prison over the past decade. We now know that this abatement of imprisonment was but part of a remarkable, 60‐year period of ‘decarceration’ between 1880 and 1939. Yet we also know that the daily average population of prisoners rose from 11,000 in the late 1930s to 84,000 in 2008, and still hovers around the 80,000 mark today. This article explores the rise in the prison population over the last century in five stages of ascent, in conjunction with the sentencing and penal policy, and Howard League for Penal Reform advocacy, which were associated with each stage. The pressure of numbers has been the most persistent barrier to improving prison conditions and the efficacy of imprisonment. How to reverse the seemingly inexorable rise in prison population remains the key question for sentencing and penal policy.
One Hundred Years On: Have Prisons Switched from Deterrence to Reform?
Authors: DHANUKA MADHURIMA
Published: October 2021

Today over 1.5 million people are imprisoned in Commonwealth countries and the average occupancy level is 129%. The rise in prison populations is often attributed to the existence of punitive systems that have failed to fulfil the rehabilitative purpose of imprisonment. This article sets forth pertinent data on prisons in the Commonwealth nations, which have evolved from common colonial histories and traditions, to highlight perennial problems within the system. To further illustrate these concerns, it delves into a reflection from the findings of the Report of the Indian Jails Committee, 1919–20, and the Indian prison system of today. In doing this, the article encapsulates the journey of reforms implemented in the last 100 years in India.
Evidence of a shared binding site for Bacillus thuringiensisCry1Ac and Cry2Aa toxins in Cnaphalocrocis medinalis cadherin
Authors: Zhong J. , Fang S. , Gao M. , Lu L. , Zhang X. , Zhu Q. , Liu Y. , Jurat‐Fuentes J. L. , Liu X.
Published: October 2021

Insect midgut cadherins function as receptors and play critical roles as protein receptors of insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins used as biopesticides and in Bt transgenic crops worldwide. Here, we cloned and characterized the full‐length midgut cadherin (CmCad) cDNA from the rice leaffolder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis), a destructive pest of rice in many Asian countries. Expression of recombinant proteins corresponding to the extracellular domain of CmCad allowed testing binding of Cry proteins. Results from in vitro ligand blotting and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays supported that the extracellular domain of CmCad contains regions recognized by both Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa. Molecular modelling and docking simulations indicated that binding to both Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa is localized primarily within a CmCad motif corresponding to residues T1417–D1435. A recombinant CmCad protein produced without residues T1417–D1435 lacked binding to Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa, confirmed our modelling predictions that CmCad has a shared Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa binding site. The potential existence of a shared binding region in CmCad suggests that caution should be taken when using combinations of Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa in pyramided transgenic rice, as their combined use could speed the evolution of resistance to both toxins.
Photoaging factors in patients from two healthcare centers in Colombia
Authors: Yanine Zamira , Dicker Jiménez Valentina , Ortegón Pulido Luisa Fernanda , Rueda Rugeles Angélica Johana , Buitrago‐Medina Daniel‐Alejandro
Published: October 2021

Background

Exposure to solar radiation has been documented as a direct cause of skin changes associated with aging, and its effects have been categorized as photoaging.

Objective

To explore the clinical characteristics of photoaging and its relationship with external predisposing factors in a Colombian urban and rural population.

Methods

We included 350 patients on outpatient consultation at Clínica Chía in Zipaquirá (rural) and Hospital Universitario Barrios Unidos in Bogotá (urban) in an observational, cross‐sectional study with an analytical component included, between 2018 and 2019. A survey was conducted and photographs were taken. A group of experts determined the degree of photoaging.

Results

The majority of respondents worked in closed environments (n = 222). The main sociodemographic variable associated was age (p = 0.000). Factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, use of sunscreen, exercising, and sun exposure were also associated with scale progression (p < 0.05). Exercising (odds ratio (OR) 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3–0.9) and being from Bogotá (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.2–0.9) appeared as protective factors. Smoking (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0–2.6) was defined as a risk factor.

Conclusions

Changes related to photoaging and photocarcinogenesis are associated with sun exposure. However, there are environmental factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, woman's age at first delivery, and number of children, among others, that affect the degree of photoaging. It is necessary to explore these relationships in higher evidence level studies to define their causality.
Microbial population genomes from the Amazon River reveal possible modulation of the organic matter degradation process in tropical freshwaters
Authors: Santos‐Júnior Célio Dias , Logares Ramiro , Henrique‐Silva Flávio
Published: October 2021

Rivers connect the carbon cycle in land with that in aquatic ecosystems by transporting and transforming terrestrial organic matter (TeOM). The Amazon River receives huge loads of TeOM from the surrounding rainforest, promoting a substantial microbial heterotrophic activity and consequently, CO2 outgassing. In the Amazon River, microbes degrade up to 55% of the lignin present in the TeOM. Yet, the main microbial genomes involved in TeOM degradation were unknown. Here, we characterize 51 population genomes (PGs) representing some of the most abundant microbes in the Amazon River deriving from 106 metagenomes. The 51 reconstructed PGs are among the most abundant microbes in the Amazon River, and 53% of them are not able to degrade TeOM. Among the PGs capable of degrading TeOM, 20% were exclusively cellulolytic, while the others could also oxidize lignin. The transport and consumption of lignin oxidation byproducts seemed to be decoupled from the oxidation process, being apparently performed by different groups of microorganisms. By connecting the genomic features of abundant microbes in the Amazon River with the degradation machinery of TeOM, we suggest that a complex microbial consortium could explain the quick turnover of TeOM previously observed in this ecosystem.
Increasing food labelling awareness through a massive open online course (MOOC)
Authors: Mansilla Natalia , Stancu Violeta , Stickel Lisa , Grasso Simona
Published: October 2021

To choose a balanced diet, consumers need to understand what is in the food they buy. However, studies indicate that food labels may be misunderstood or not used. Understanding food labels, a massive open online course (MOOC), using concise, factual and engaging information, aimed to increase consumers' awareness around food labelling information. Course engagement and participation were assessed by the end of course feedback, learning metrics and course completion rates. A pre‐ and post‐course survey was integrated into the MOOC to assess changes in food label use frequency and understanding. Furthermore, use and understanding of nutrition labels were explored by text analysis of one of the discussion forums. The initial course run attracted 2046 Joiners, of whom 65% (1320/2046) became Learners, 44% (905/2046) became Active Learners (those who marked at least one step as complete in a course) and 31% (281/905) of Active Learners completed at least 90% of course steps. The number of learners who fully completed the course was 281 of 1320 (21%). Those who completed the MOOC reported reading food labels more frequently at food purchasing (p < 0.05), specifically reading the nutrition information more regularly (p < 0.05) and reading labels more frequently when preparing food at home than before the MOOC. In addition, after completing the course, learners reported that they found food labels easier to understand (p < 0.05) than before undertaking the course. Increasing consumer awareness, understanding and trust of food labelling could help consumers in their ability to make informed and healthier food choices.
Aseptic meningitis and myelitis as presenting features of SLE
Authors: Sharma Archana , Vibha Deepti , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Elavarasi Arunmozhimaran , Ramanujam Bhargavi , Garg Ajay , Tripathi Manjari
Published: October 2021

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder affecting multiple organs of body. We present a case having history of fever, headache, vomiting for 1 month, and quadriparesis with urinary retention and constipation for 5 days. MRI brain contrast showed T2/FLAIR hyperintensities in the region of bilateral cingulate gyri and midbrain with focal meningeal thickening in the region of falx and long segment myelitis in C2 to C7 with cord expansion. In view of atypical imaging findings, she was evaluated for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions besides infective causes and was diagnosed to have SLE. In our case, aseptic meningitis and myelitis were the presenting feature that led to the diagnosis of SLE. We should be aware of the uncommon association of aseptic meningitis and myelitis in SLE patients.
CAM photosynthesis: the acid test
Authors: Winter Klaus , Smith J. Andrew C.
Published: October 2021

There is currently considerable interest in the prospects for bioengineering crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis – or key elements associated with it, such as increased water‐use efficiency – into C3 plants. Resolving how CAM photosynthesis evolved from the ancestral C3 pathway could provide valuable insights into the targets for such bioengineering efforts. It has been proposed that the ability to accumulate organic acids at night may be common among C3 plants, and that the transition to CAM might simply require enhancement of pre‐existing fluxes, without the need for changes in circadian or diurnal regulation. We show, in a survey encompassing 40 families of vascular plants, that nocturnal acidification is a feature entirely restricted to CAM species. Although many C3 species can synthesize malate during the light period, we argue that the switch to night‐time malic acid accumulation requires a fundamental metabolic reprogramming that couples glycolytic breakdown of storage carbohydrate to the process of net dark CO2 fixation. This central element of the CAM pathway, even when expressed at a low level, represents a biochemical capability not seen in C3 plants, and so is better regarded as a discrete evolutionary innovation than as part of a metabolic continuum between C3 and CAM.
Linked selection shapes the landscape of genomic variation in three oak species
Authors: Liang Yi‐Ye , Shi Yong , Yuan Shuai , Zhou Biao‐Feng , Chen Xue‐Yan , An Qing‐Qing , Ingvarsson Pär K. , Plomion Christophe , Wang Baosheng
Published: October 2021

Natural selection shapes genome‐wide patterns of diversity within species and divergence between species. However, quantifying the efficacy of selection and elucidating the relative importance of different types of selection in shaping genomic variation remain challenging.

We sequenced whole genomes of 101 individuals of three closely related oak species to track the divergence history, and to dissect the impacts of selective sweeps and background selection on patterns of genomic variation.

We estimated that the three species diverged around the late Neogene and experienced a bottleneck during the Pleistocene. We detected genomic regions with elevated relative differentiation (‘FST‐islands’). Population genetic inferences from the site frequency spectrum and ancestral recombination graph indicated that FST‐islands were formed by selective sweeps. We also found extensive positive selection; the fixation of adaptive mutations and reduction neutral diversity around substitutions generated a signature of selective sweeps. Prevalent negative selection and background selection have reduced genetic diversity in both genic and intergenic regions, and contributed substantially to the baseline variation in genetic diversity.

Our results demonstrate the importance of linked selection in shaping genomic variation, and illustrate how the extent and strength of different selection models vary across the genome.
Diagnostic accuracy comparing OPT and CBCT in the detection of non‐vital bone changes before tooth extractions in patients with antiresorptive intake
Authors: Ristow Oliver , Schnug Gregor , Smielowksi Maximilian , Moratin Julius , Pilz Maximilian , Engel Michael , Freudlsperger Christian , Hoffmann Jürgen , Rückschloß Thomas
Published: October 2021

Objectives

To compare the diagnostic accuracy in detecting early non‐vital bone changes between orthopantomography (OPT) and cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) in correlation with histopathological findings before tooth extractions in patients with antiresorptive (AR) intake.

Subjects

Patients with an indication tooth extraction who had received OPT and CBCT preoperatively while or after undergoing AR treatment were prospectively enrolled over a 24‐month period in the progesterone in spontaneous miscarriage (PRISM) trial. Imaging studies were randomly analyzed by three examiners for early non‐vital bone changes using specific predefined characteristics and a 5‐level scale (1 definite absence of criteria to 5 definite presence of criteria). Sensitivity and specificity values were calculated in correlation with the histopathologically evaluated bone samples at the time point of tooth extraction.

Results

One hundred thirty patients with 237 treated extraction sites met the inclusion criteria. For all images evaluated by all examiners, CBCT (430/492; 87.4%; receiver operating characteristic [ROC]: area under the curve [AUC] = 0.88; p < 0.001) was more likely to detect histopathologically confirmed non‐vital bone than the OPT (132/492; 26.8%; ROC: AUC = 0.562; p = 0.115).

Conclusions

In the detection of non‐vital bone changes, CBCT is superior to OPT in both sensitivity and specificity. Specific imaging characteristics allow for the prediction of early non‐vital bone changes already at the time before tooth extractions.
New role of sertraline against Toxoplasma gondii‐induced depression‐like behaviours in mice
Authors: Lan Hui‐Wen , Lu Yu‐Nan , Zhao Xu‐Dong , Jin Guang‐Nan , Lu Jing‐Mei , Jin Cheng‐Hua , Ma Juan , Jin Xuejun , Xu Xiang , Piao Lian‐Xun
Published: October 2021

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a neurotropic protozoan parasite, which can cause mental and behavioural disorders. The present study aimed to elucidate the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of sertraline (SERT) on T. gondii‐induced depression‐like behaviours. In the present study, a mouse model and a microglial cell line (BV2 cells) model were established by infecting with the T. gondii RH strain. In in vivo and in vitro experiments, the underlying molecular mechanisms of SERT in inhibiting depression‐like behaviours and cellular perturbations caused by T. gondii infection were investigated in the mouse brain and BV2 cells. The administration of SERT significantly ameliorated depression‐like behaviours in T. gondii‐infected mice. Furthermore, SERT inhibited T. gondii proliferation. Treatment with SERT significantly inhibited the activation of microglia and decreased levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor‐alpha, and interferon‐gamma, by down‐regulating tumour necrosis factor receptor 1/nuclear factor‐kappa B signalling pathway, thereby ameliorating the depression‐like behaviours induced by T. gondii infection. Our study provides insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms of the newly discovered role of SERT against T. gondii‐induced depression‐like behaviours.
Biofilms Production from Avocado Waste
Authors: Sánchez Horacio , Ponce Wilmer , Brito Beatriz , Viera William , Baquerizo Ricardo , Riera Maria Antonieta
Published: October 2021

Objective: To obtain biofilms from starch and cellulose present in the avocado (Persea americana) peel and seed. Materials and methods: The starch characterization included humidity, gelatinization temperature, paste clarity, absorption index, solubility index, swelling power, amylose, amylopectin, amount, and starch yield. Five mixtures were made with 3 g of starch, 5 mL of 30 % NaOH (w/v), 3 g of cellulose, and different proportions for glycerin: 2 g; 2.5 g; 3 g; 3.5 g; 4 g, and PVA: 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, 5 g, and 6 g. Films were formed on acrylic plates, using the casting method. The bioplastic was characterized in terms of moisture, solubility in water, density, thickness, biodegradability, stress, deformation, and modulus of elasticity. Results and discusión: The addition of cellulose to the mixture does not contribute to film formation, unlike PVA which did. The film had the best physical appearance with a mixture of 2 g of glycerin and 6 g of PVA. The bioplastic characterization was 23.43 % humidity, 39.39 % for water solubility, 1.52 g/cm3 density, 0.58 mm thickness, 21.03 % weight loss for the biodegradability test, 1.53 MPa for tension, 21.25 % deformation, and 10,04 MPa for the modulus of elasticity. Conclusions: The bioplastic obtained did not show the resistance of traditional plastic. However, the results obtained serve as a starting point for the realization of other formulations, aimed at producing a bioplastic capable of competing with its synthetic relatives.
Finding Installed Capacity For Practical Training Of A Designated Medical Specialty At A University Hospital
Authors: Amaya-Guio Ciro Alberto , Navas Lina Patricia , Torres-Gonzalez Cesar Humberto
Published: October 2021

Objective: Propose a methodology to determine the number of medical students who can rotate, for the practice of medicine, in a university hospital, so that the quality of training processes and in-patient care are assured. Materials and Methods: A three-step procedure is presented, in order to find the number of students that the institution can accept simultaneously. Results: The method is based on an integer linear model and it was implemented to assess installed capacity of General Surgery service at Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael, increasing in two students (33 %) the training capacity. Conclusions: The proposed methodology not only guaranties the quality of training processes and in-patient care, but also generates other intangible results such as having a more agile way of planning, reducing the planification time. The methodology is easily extended to other services within hospitals.
Approche du couple dedans-dehors chez Deleuze (Bogotá/Barranquilla, août 2005)
Authors: Zourabichvili François
Published: October 2021

Le texte que nous publions ici pour la première fois fut conçu à l’origine comme une communication pour le colloque international Deleuze: una imagen del pensamiento, événement qui a eu lieu en août 2005 à Bogotá, en Colombie.
Effect of Compliance on Residual Stresses in Manufacturing With Moving Heat Sources
Authors: Grams Mitchell R. , Mendez Patricio F.
Published: October 2021

Manufacturing processes involving moving heat sources include additive manufacturing, welding, laser processing (cladding and heat treatment), machining, and grinding. These processes involve high local thermal stresses that induce plasticity and result in permanent residual stress and distortion. The residual stresses are typically calculated numerically at great computational expense despite the fact that the inelastic fraction of the domain is very small. Efforts to decouple the small plastic part from the large elastic part have led to the development of the tendon force concept. The tendon force can be predicted analytically for the case of infinitely rigid components; however, this limitation has prevented the broader use of the concept in practical applications. This work presents a rigorous mathematical treatment using dimensional analysis, asymptotics, and blending which demonstrates that the effect of geometric compliance depends on a single dimensionless group, the Okerblom number. Closed-form expressions are derived to predict the effect of compliance without the need for empirical ad-hoc fitting or calibration. The proposed expressions require input of only material properties and tabulated process parameters and are thus ideally suited for use in metamodels and design calculations, as well as incorporation into engineering codes and standards.
The Hanging Drape: a Vertex Analogy
Authors: Seffen Keith
Published: October 2021

We present a novel, rigidly folding vertex inspired by the shape of the simplest hanging drape. Fold lines in the vertex correspond to pleats and ridges in the drape, and are symmetrically arranged to enable synchronised at folding of facet pairs. We calculate the folded rotation angles exactly using a spherical image specialised for inextensible vertex folding. We show that the vertex shape is bounded by a pair of conical surfaces whose apex semi-angles directly correspond with fold-line rotations, which expresses a geometrical equivalence between the external shape and internal folding motion of the vertex. We discuss how the vertex viz. drape perform as a novel type of conical defect based on its spherical image topography; and we highlight the meaning of bistable behaviour for the vertex, in analytical- and practical terms.