bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk profiles in two different alpine rock climbing styles
Authors: Gabl Markus , Kaiser Peter , Benedikt Stefan , Schmidle Gernot , Haselbacher Matthias , Arora Rohit
Published: August 2022

Introduction The aim of this study is to evaluate the injury risk profile of the two different styles of rock climbing, alpine climbing with minor route protection (AC) and alpine sport climbing on well-protected routes (SC), in order to develop preventive strategies for risk management. 

Patients and Methods 18 SC and 12 AC rock climbing accidents were evaluated retrospectively with a focus on climbers` demographics (age, experience, training intensity, performance level), accident demographics (unforeseen events preceding the injury, ascending or descending, fall height), injury patterns (injury severity, pathologies, pathomechanism) and environmental conditions (rock characteristics, route frequency, route grade, weather). 

Results Injuries were mainly sustained by male lead climbers during ascent (80%). The lower extremity was injured in 46%, the upper extremity in 40%, the pelvis in 6% and the head, chest and spine in 3%. Climbers were significantly older (43 vs. 31 years; p=0.03) and more experienced (21.5 vs. 5.7 climbing years) in AC. Falling height was significantly greater in AC (14.8 vs. 4.7m). Unforeseen events preceding the injury differed significantly between both groups. Slipping off and letting go preceded the fall in 78% in SC, while rock dislodging occurred only in AC. There was a tendency that climbers in SC climbed near or above their performance level, while climbers in AC climbed below their level. SC climbers tended to show more ankle fractures while AC climbers tended to present more cases with multiple injuries.

Discussion AC and SC climbers differ in their risk profiles. Poorer route protection in AC resulted in more severe injuries. Yet in SC routes, good protection alone was not enough to avoid severe injuries. For prevention, climbers should be aware of the specific risks in AC and SC routes and should adjust their behaviour accordingly. Athletic skills were overestimated in SC, while alpine demands were underestimated in AC. A higher focus on visual and haptic grip control may help to prevent loss of hold. A careful lining of the rope into solid rock can reduce rockfalls for the seconder. Continuous attention is mandatory in rope handling and belaying. Applying more mobile pros is recommended in AC because they may shorten fall heights.
Dynamics retrieval from stochastically weighted incomplete data by low-pass spectral analysis
Authors: Casadei Cecilia M. , Hosseinizadeh Ahmad , Schertler Gebhard F. X. , Ourmazd Abbas , Santra Robin
Published: August 2022

Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) provides access to protein dynamics on sub-picosecond timescales, and with atomic resolution. Due to the nature of the experiment, these datasets are often highly incomplete and the measured diffracted intensities are affected by partiality. To tackle these issues, one established procedure is that of splitting the data into time bins, and averaging the multiple measurements of equivalent reflections within each bin. This binning and averaging often involve a loss of information. Here, we propose an alternative approach, which we call low-pass spectral analysis (LPSA). In this method, the data are projected onto the subspace defined by a set of trigonometric functions, with frequencies up to a certain cutoff. This approach attenuates undesirable high-frequency features and facilitates retrieving the underlying dynamics. A time-lagged embedding step can be included prior to subspace projection to improve the stability of the results with respect to the parameters involved. Subsequent modal decomposition allows to produce a low-rank description of the system's evolution. Using a synthetic time-evolving model with incomplete and partial observations, we analyze the LPSA results in terms of quality of the retrieved signal, as a function of the parameters involved. We compare the performance of LPSA to that of a range of other sophisticated data analysis techniques. We show that LPSA allows to achieve excellent dynamics reconstruction at modest computational cost. Finally, we demonstrate the superiority of dynamics retrieval by LPSA compared to time binning and merging, which is, to date, the most commonly used method to extract dynamical information from TR-SFX data.
Computational single-objective scanning light sheet (cSOLS)
Authors: Xu Tienan , Lin Hanqi , Lim Yean J. , Nicovich Philip R. , Gaus Katharina , Lee Woei Ming
Published: August 2022

Single-objective scanning light sheet (SOLS) imaging has fueled major advances in volumetric bioimaging because it supports low phototoxic, high-resolution imaging over an extended period. The remote imaging unit in the SOLS does not use a conventional epifluorescence image detection scheme (a single tube lens). In this paper, we propose a technique called the computational SOLS (cSOLS) that achieves light sheet imaging without the remote imaging unit. Using a single microlens array after the tube lens (lightfield imaging), the cSOLS is immediately compatible with conventional epifluorescence detection. The core of cSOLS is a Fast Optical Ray (FOR) model. FOR generates 3D imaging volume (40 × 40 × 14 µm3) using 2D lightfield images taken under SOLS illumination within 0.5 s on a standard central processing unit (CPU) without multicore parallel processing. In comparison with traditional lightfield retrieval approaches, FOR reassigns fluorescence photons and removes out-of-focus light to improve optical sectioning by a factor of 2, thereby achieving a spatial resolution of 1.59 × 1.92 × 1.39 µm3. cSOLS with FOR can be tuned over a range of oblique illumination angles and directions and, therefore, paves the way for next-generation SOLS imaging. cSOLS marks an important and exciting development of SOLS imaging with computational imaging capabilities.
Maternity research priorities in country Western Australia: a Delphi study
Authors: Bradfield Zoe , O’Connor Giselle , Sharp Tarryn , Reynolds Kate , Moore Sarah , Watts Jared , Coyle Karen , Gliddon Janinne , Hauck Yvonne
Published: August 2022

Objective Health research priorities are commonly identified and resourced by strategic leaders. The importance of recognising the expertise of clinician-researchers is being prioritised by a national funding shift towards applied research. There is a dearth of evidence regarding research priorities for maternity care in rural and remote health in Australia. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based consensus of maternity research priorities in regional, rural, and remote areas of Australia’s largest rural health service (by land area) in Western Australia. Methods A three-phased Delphi method was selected to achieve an interdisciplinary, evidence-based consensus on maternity research priorities within Western Australian Country Health Service. Results Across three study phases, 432 participants responded. Representation was from seven regions and all stakeholder roles within the regions. Phase 1 included 173 responses yielding 53 concepts categorised under five domains. Phase 2 involved 161 participants who prioritised concepts under domains of (i) workforce and education; (ii) health equity; (iii) Aboriginal health; (iv) logistics and health systems; and (v) clinical. Phase 3 included 96 participants revealing 15 maternity research priorities with the top four ranked concepts: ‘recruitment and retention of staff’; ‘care for women and families with vulnerabilities’, ‘models of care offering continuity’ and ‘systems efficiencies’. Conclusions The novel evidence provided in this study, in conjunction with a strong consensus on research priorities and an interdisciplinary approach, strengthens the findings of this study and amplifies the mandate of action without delay.
Lack of fire rather than pollinator absence may drive population decline in the critically endangered
Authors: Bell Stephen A. J. , Hunter Nigel , Steed Andrew
Published: August 2022

Context and aim Stands of the critically endangered Banksia conferta in north-eastern New South Wales show low recruitment and were examined to elucidate whether pollinator absence or fire history best explained this. Methods Motion-detection cameras were deployed at three sites to identify potential pollinators, and age structure within stands and past follicle production were assessed through tree measurements and follicle counts. Key results In total, 691 fauna-triggered image sequences were recorded between June and December 2019. Six mammal and 10 bird species were detected, but only 10 of these were observed probing inflorescences. White-cheeked Honeyeater and Sugar Glider combined comprised 66% of all fauna interactions, and of all 400 Banksia probes, 45% were from White-cheeked Honeyeaters and 18% were by Sugar Gliders. Different size structures of B. conferta were evident at each site, consistent with older and younger populations post-fire. Significantly more Banksia individuals (5×) were present at the younger site, likely governing pollinator composition through interspecific competition within pollinator guilds, and past follicle production was also greater here. Conclusions Pollinator absence is not the cause of low recruitment in this population, and current stand structure and follicle production reflect past fire history. The three sites differed in their dominant fauna foragers, suggesting that B. conferta is a pollinator-generalist. Birds appear to operate as the key pollinating species during the day but are replaced by small mammals at night. Follicle production is higher in younger post-fire plants. Implications The absence of fire from older populations for over 55 years is of concern, and population decline seems likely without fire intervention.
Correlations between alignment gaps and nucleotide substitution or amino acid replacement
Authors: Seo Tae-Kun , Redelings Benjamin D. , Thorne Jeffrey L.
Published: August 2022

To assess the conventional treatment in evolutionary inference of alignment gaps as missing data, we propose a simple nonparametric test of the null hypothesis that the locations of alignment gaps are independent of the nucleotide substitution or amino acid replacement process. When we apply the test to 1,390 protein alignments that are informed by protein tertiary structure and use a 5% significance level, the null hypothesis of independence between amino acid replacement and gap location is rejected for ∼65% of datasets. Via simulations that include substitution and insertion–deletion, we show that the test performs well with true alignments. When we simulate according to the null hypothesis and then apply the test to optimal alignments that are inferred by each of four widely used software packages, the null hypothesis is rejected too frequently. Via further simulations and analyses, we show that the overly frequent rejections of the null hypothesis are not solely due to weaknesses of widely used software for finding optimal alignments. Instead, our evidence suggests that optimal alignments are unrepresentative of true alignments and that biased evolutionary inferences may result from relying upon individual optimal alignments.
Updates for automatic analysis and post-processing of JET neutral particle analysers for TT and DT campaigns
Authors: Sirén P. , Beaumont P. , Weisen H.
Published: August 2022

The data processing from both JET Neutral Particle Analysers (NPAs), high energy and low energy detector systems, has been updated for needs of operating in different scenarios with several isotopes in tritium and deuterium plasmas in the 2021 campaigns. The new automatic processing allows quick routine analysis of NPA data during JET experiments and enables efficient further analysis of large data sets with the help of coupling to the JETPEAK database. The analysis of the NPA data can be now performed as a standard way reliably in intershot and avoid misunderstanding and misusing the data. The NPA data analysis workflow has been systematically applied and demonstrated during scenario development experiments in 2020. This contribution introduces the capability and efficiency of the coupled analysis chain in fast particle diagnostics data checks and post-processing by using JET DTE2 reference pulse sub-database.
Light yield non-proportionality of inorganic crystals and its effect on cosmic-ray measurements
Authors: Adriani O. , Berti E. , Betti P. , Bigongiari G. , Bonechi L. , Bongi M. , Bottai S. , Brogi P. , Castellini G. , Checchia C. , D'Alessandro R. , Detti S. , Finetti N. , Maestro P. , Marrocchesi P.S. , Mori N. , Olmi M. , Pacini L. , Papini P. , Poggiali C. , Ricciarini S. , Spillantini P. , Starodubtsev O. , Stolzi F. , Tiberio A. , Vannuccini E.
Published: August 2022

The multi-TeV energy region of the cosmic-ray spectra has
been recently explored by direct detection experiments that used
calorimetric techniques to measure the energy of the cosmic
particles. Interesting spectral features have been observed in both
all-electron and nuclei spectra. However, the interpretation of the
results is compromised by the disagreements between the data
obtained from the various experiments, that are not reconcilable
with the quoted experimental uncertainties. Understanding the
reason for the discrepancy among the measurements is of fundamental
importance in view of the forthcoming high-energy cosmic-ray
experiments planned for space, as well as for the correct
interpretation of the available results.

The purpose of this work is to investigate the possibility that a
systematic effect may derive from the non-proportionality of the
light response of inorganic crystals, typically used in high-energy
calorimetry due to their excellent energy-resolution performance.
The main reason for the non-proportionality of the crystals is that
scintillation light yield depends on ionisation density.
Experimental data obtained with ion beams were used to characterize
the light response of various scintillator materials. The obtained
luminous efficiencies were used as input of a Monte Carlo simulation
to perform a comparative study of the effect of the light-yield
non-proportionality on the detection of high-energy electromagnetic
and hadronic showers. The result of this study indicates that, if
the calorimeter response is calibrated by using the energy deposit
of minimum ionizing particles, the measured shower energy might be
affected by a significant systematic shift, at the level of few
percent, whose sign and magnitude depend specifically on the type of
scintillator material used.
Three-dimensional (3D) optical imaging of electron beam and X-rays from medical linear accelerators (LINAC) using a plastic scintillator plate in water
Authors: Yamamoto Seiichi , Hiramatsu Airi , Shimizu Yui , Yabe Takuya , Yogo Katsunori , Kataoka Jun
Published: August 2022

Although optical imaging of electron beams and X-rays from
medical linear accelerators (LINAC) is a possible method for dose
distribution measurements, it has been limited to two-dimensional
(2D) projection images. For the precise measurement of an optical
image of electron beams and X-rays, three-dimensional (3D) imaging
is desired. To measure 3D dose distributions, we conducted imaging
of electron beams and X-rays using a plastic scintillator plate set
in a water phantom. When this plate was immersed in the water
phantom, irradiation with electron beams or X-rays was carried out
from along the plate's sides. Optical images of the scintillator
plate were acquired using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera from
the side during irradiation with electron beams and
X-rays. Measurements were conducted at 6 MeV, 9 MeV and 12 MeV
for electron beams and at 6 MV and 10 MV for X-rays. The imaging
system was set on the bed of the LINAC and moved at 10-mm steps
perpendicular to the beam direction to acquire a set of sliced
optical images of the beams. A set of these sliced images were
stacked and interpolated to form 3D optical images. For the 3D
images, after the correction of the Cherenkov-light component in the
images, the relative depth and lateral doses were evaluated. From
the relative depth doses of electron beams, the half-value depths
could be evaluated within an error of 1.3 mm. Lateral widths could
be evaluated within an error of less than 2 mm parallel to the
plastic scintillator and less than 6.5 mm perpendicular to it. From
the relative depth doses of X-rays, the average difference between
the measured value and that by a planning system was within an error
of 2 %. Lateral widths could be evaluated within an error of less
than 0.68 mm parallel to the plastic scintillator and less than
2.6 mm perpendicular to it. We confirmed that 3D imaging of
electron beams and X-rays using plastic scintillator plate is
feasible and is a promising method for measuring dose images at any
position.
Utilisation of gelatin as nitrogen source for N-doped carbon nanotubes and its performance for the oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Nugroho Agung , Nursanto Eduardus Budi , Curie Catia Angli , Oktaviano Haryo Satriya , Ainurrachma Firda , Trisunaryanti Wega
Published: August 2022

Gelatin is utilised as a nitrogen source to synthesise nitrogen (N)-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The N-doped CNT was prepared by mixing gelatin and CNT, followed by calcination at 500 °C and 800 °C under N2 atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the higher gelatin weight ratio results in a decrease of the crystallisation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy deconvolution analysis confirms that pyridinic-N and pyrrolic-N have appeared at the surface of the samples. The higher calcination temperature affects the surface properties of N-doped CNT which tend to shift the pyrrolic-N to the pyridinic-N. Cyclic voltammetry analysis reveals that the presences of pyridinic-N and graphitic-N configuration have higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity compared to the N-pyrrolic structure.
Investigation of cyclohexane catalytic degradation driven by N atoms from N2 discharges
Authors: LI Yuying , XU Jiacheng , ZHANG Chunle , YAO Shuiliang , LI Jing , WU Zuliang , GAO Erhao , ZHU Jiali
Published: August 2022

The effect of N2 discharge products on cyclohexane degradation over a MnO2/γ-Al2O3 catalyst has been evaluated by feeding N2 discharge products to the catalyst using a specially designed dielectric barrier discharge reactor. At a reaction temperature of 100 °C, the cyclohexane conversion increased from 2.46% (without N2 discharge products) to 26.3% (with N2 discharge products). N- and O-containing by-product (3, 4-dehydroproline) was found on the catalyst surface using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry identification, in which C=N–C and C=N–H bonds were also confirmed from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis results. Operando analysis results using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy revealed that N atoms can react with surface H2O possibly to NH and OH reactive species that have reactivities to promote CO oxidation to CO2. The mechanism of N-atom-driven cyclohexane degradation to CO and CO2 is proposed.
Immunogenicity of a Three-Dose Primary Series of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients With Lymphoid Malignancies
Authors: Sherman Amy C , Crombie Jennifer L , Cheng ChiAn , Desjardins Michaël , Zhou Guohai , Ometoruwa Omolola , Rooks Rebecca , Senussi Yasmeen , McDonough Mikaela , Guerrero Liliana I , Kupelian John , Doss-Gollin Simon , Smolen Kinga K , van Haren Simon D , Armand Philippe , Levy Ofer , Walt David R , Baden Lindsey R , Issa Nicolas C
Published: August 2022

Background

Patients with lymphoid malignancies are at risk for poor coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related outcomes and have reduced vaccine-induced immune responses. Currently, a 3-dose primary regimen of mRNA vaccines is recommended in the United States for immunocompromised hosts.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of healthy adults (n = 27) and patients with lymphoid malignancies (n = 94) was conducted, with longitudinal follow-up through completion of a 2- or 3-dose primary mRNA COVID vaccine series, respectively. Humoral responses were assessed in all participants, and cellular immunity was assessed in a subset of participants.

Results

The rate of seroconversion (68.1% vs 100%) and the magnitude of peak anti-S immunoglobulin G (IgG) titer (median anti-S IgG = 32.4, IQR = 0.48–75.0 vs median anti-S IgG = 72.6, IQR 51.1–100.1; P = .0202) were both significantly lower in patients with lymphoid malignancies compared to the healthy cohort. However, peak titers of patients with lymphoid malignancies who responded to vaccination were similar to healthy cohort titers (median anti-S IgG = 64.3; IQR, 23.7–161.5; P = .7424). The third dose seroconverted 7 of 41 (17.1%) patients who were seronegative after the first 2 doses. Although most patients with lymphoid malignancies produced vaccine-induced T-cell responses in the subset studied, B-cell frequencies were low with minimal memory cell formation.

Conclusions

A 3-dose primary mRNA series enhanced anti-S IgG responses to titers equivalent to healthy adults in patients with lymphoid malignancies who were seropositive after the first 2 doses and seroconverted 17.1% who were seronegative after the first 2 doses. T-cell responses were present, raising the possibility that the vaccines may confer some cell-based protection even if not measurable by anti-S IgG.
Homologous and Heterologous Boosting of the Chadox1-S1-S COVID-19 Vaccine With the SCB-2019 Vaccine Candidate: A Randomized, Controlled, Phase 2 Study
Authors: Costa Clemens Sue Ann , Milan Eveline Pipolo , Sprinz Eduardo , Neto José Cerbino , Pacciarini Filippo , Li Ping , Chen Hui Ling , Smolenov Igor , Pollard Andrew , Clemens Ralf
Published: August 2022

Background

Ongoing outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are driven by waning immunity following primary immunizations and emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that escape vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. It has been suggested that heterologous boosters could enhance and potentially maintain population immunity.

Methods

We assessed the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of booster doses of different formulations of aluminium hydroxide–adjuvanted SCB-2019 vaccine (9 μg of SCB-2019, with or without CpG-1018 adjuvant, or 30 μg of SCB-2019 with CpG-1018) in Brazilian adults primed with ChAdOx1-S vector vaccine. S-protein antibodies and ACE2-binding inhibition were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on days 1, 15, and 29. Participants self-reported solicited adverse events and reactions.

Results

All SCB-2019 formulations increased S-protein ELISA antibodies and ACE2 binding inhibition to a greater extent than ChAdOx1-S. After 30 μg of SCB-2019 + CpG + aluminium hydroxide, titers against wild-type S-protein were significantly higher than after ChAdOx1-S on days 15 and 29, as were titers of neutralizing antibodies against the wild-type strain and Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants. Boosting with SCB-2019 or ChAdOx1-S was well tolerated, with no vaccine-related serious or severe adverse events.

Conclusions

Boosting ChAdOx1-S-primed adults with SCB-2019 induced higher levels of antibodies against a wild-type strain and SARS-CoV-2 variants than a homologous ChAdOx1-S booster, with the highest responses being with the 30-μg SCB-2019 + CpG + aluminium hydroxide formulation.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT05087368
Delegated Investment Management in Alternative Assets
Authors: Andonov Aleksandar
Published: August 2022

Institutional investors can be segmented into investors that hold simple portfolios of traditional equities and bonds, and investors that manage complex strategies in public and private markets. Investors implementing active portfolio management and holding diversified portfolios of equities and bonds are more likely to invest in alternative asset classes. The performance of institutional investors in alternative assets is significantly lower than in equities, suggesting that investors accept lower returns in exchange for diversification benefits. Institutions delegate 90% of their alternative investments to external managers and funds-of-funds. These intermediaries capture large part of the potential diversification benefits through higher fees and lower returns. (JEL G11, G23)

Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
The overlooked building blocks of secured transactions law reforms: policing and the role of organized industries
Authors: Tajti (Thaythy) Tibor
Published: August 2022

Two interlinked building blocks of secured transactions law have often been overlooked during the most recent round of secured transactions law reforms: the role of policing (monitoring) of the debtor and its affairs, and the role of institutionalized industries in the efficient working of secured transactions systems. Policing is often ignored because Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)—the top global benchmark—made policing optional by discarding the ‘Benedict rule’, which had conditioned the validity of liens upon the secured creditor’s strict monitoring the debtor’s affairs. This shift was perceived as a positive development because it made the recognition of the most comprehensive security device—the floating (blanket) lien—possible. However, what many sources overlook is that parallel with this volte face, the risks corollary to the failure to monitor were transferred entirely onto secured creditors (banks and other financiers). In the USA, professional industries offering policing services were developed prior to the promulgation of the UCC, thanks precisely to the 1925 Benedict v Ratner case from whence the Benedict rule was derived. Moreover, these policing practices—the so-called ‘Benedict ritual’—had already become customary in the industries that were reliant on secure transactions law. This ‘know-how’ and the act of professional industries implementing it simply do not exist in many recipient reform countries. Similar to policing, equally disregarded is that the success of US secured transaction law is fundamentally attributable to the existence of ‘non-banking financial organizations’ specialized in various financing practices that exploit this branch of law, from the industries specializing in independent equipment leasing to those engaged in receivables financing. In contrast, the financial systems of countries interested in implementing major reforms tend to be dominated by conservative universal banks with limited capabilities. This article aims to cast a closer light on these neglected yet pivotal corollaries of secured transactions law.
Exosomal miR‐7002‐5p derived from highglucose‐induced macrophages suppresses autophagy in tubular epithelial cells by targeting Atg9b
Authors: Zhao Jing , Chen Juan , Zhu Wei , Qi Xiang‐ming , Wu Yong‐gui
Published: August 2022

Macrophage infiltration plays an important role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Previously, we demonstrated that highglucose‐stimulated macrophage‐derived exosomes (HG‐exo) induces proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation in glomerular mesangial cells, but its effect on tubular cells is unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of HG‐exo on renal tubular injury in DN. The results show that HG‐exo could induce dysfunction, autophagy inhibition, and inflammation in mouse tubular epithelial cell (mTEC) and C57 mouse kidney. Moreover, miR‐7002‐5p was differentially expressed in HG‐exo based on miRNAs sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. A dual‐luciferase reporter assay confirmed that Atg9b was the direct target gene of miR‐7002‐5p. Further experimentation showed that miR‐7002‐5p inhibition in vivo and vitro reserves HG‐exo effects. These results demonstrated that HG‐exo carries excessive miR‐7002‐5p and inhibits autophagy through targeting Atg9b; this process then induces renal tubular dysfunction and inflammation. In conclusion, our study clarifies the important role of macrophage‐derived exosomes in DN and is expected to provide new insight on DN prevention and treatment.
Studying the Association Between Occupational Stress and Urinary Levels of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers (8-OHdG and Biopyrrins) in Brickfield Workers
Authors: Mourad Basma Hussein , Gaballah Inas Fawzy
Published: August 2022

Objectives

The aims of the study are to measure the prevalence and level of occupational stress (OS) and to explore its association with oxidative stress among some brickfield workers.

Methods

Eighty-six brickfield workers and 90 administrative controls were assessed using the Arabic validated version of the Occupational Stress Index. The urinary levels of oxidative biomarkers; 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and biopyrrins were also measured.

Results

The prevalence of moderate and severe OS in addition to the urinary levels of both oxidative biomarkers was significantly higher among the brickfield workers compared with their controls. Both biomarkers levels were significantly and positively correlated with scores of Occupational Stress Index, duration of employment, and with each other. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed significant specificity and sensitivity of both biomarkers for determining the level of OS.

Conclusions

A significant association between occupational and oxidative stresses was detected in brickfield workers.
Crystal structures of the Lewis acid–base adducts {[(C6H11)2N]3Ti–LB}+[MeB(C6F5)3]−·1.5C7H8; LB = (C6H5)3PO (1), p-F—C6H4CN (2)
Authors: Fitschen Kerstin , Frerichs Nils , Yusufzadeh Zainab , Schmidtmann Marc , Beckhaus Rüdiger
Published: August 2022

The reaction of [(C6H11)2N]3Ti—CH3 with the Lewis acid B(C6F5)3, followed by addition of the Lewis bases (C6H5)3PO and p-F—C6H4CN led to the complex salts tris(dicyclohexylamido)(triphenylphosphine oxide)titanium methyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate toluene sesquisolvate, [Ti(C12H22N)3(C18H15OP)](C19H3F15B)·1.5C7H8, (1), and tris(dicyclohexylamido)(4-fluorobenzonitrile)titanium methyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate toluene sesquisolvate, [Ti(C12H22N)3(C7H4FN)](C19H3F15B)·1.5C7H8, (2), both crystallizing with 1.5 equivalents of toluene solvent molecules. The Lewis acid–base adducts (1) and (2) can be described by dative donor bonds. The packing of the complex cations, anions and solvent molecules in the crystal structure is consolidated by an intricate three-dimensional network of non-classical C—H...F interactions. Disorder of some of the cyclohexyl groups and the toluene solvent molecules is observed.
Effect of methylene versus ethylene linkers on structural properties of tert-butyl and mesityl bis(imidazolium) bromide salts
Authors: Thompson Emily S. , Olivas Elisa M. , Torres Adrian , Arreaga Briana C. , Alarcon Hector L. , Dolberry Deandrea , Brannon Jacob P. , Stieber S. Chantal E.
Published: August 2022

The crystal structures of ligand precursor bis(imidazolium) salts 1,1′-methylenebis(3-tert-butylimidazolium) dibromide monohydrate, C15H26N4
+·2Br−·H2O or [
tBuNHC2Me][Br]2·H2O, 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-tert-butylimidazolium) dibromide dihydrate, C16H28N4
+·2Br−·2H2O or [
tBuNHC2Et][Br]2·2H2O, 1,1′-methylenebis[3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolium] dibromide dihydrate, C25H30N4
2+·2Br−·2H2O or [MesNHC2Me][Br]2·2H2O, and 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolium] dibromide tetrahydrate, C26H32N4
2+·2Br−·4H2O or [MesNHC2Et][Br]2·4H2O, are reported. At 293 K, [
tBuNHC2Me][Br]2·H2O crystallizes in the P21/c space group, while [
tBuNHC2Et][Br]2·2H2O crystallizes in the P21/n space group at 100 K. At 112 K, [MesNHC2Me][Br]2·2H2O crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pccn while [MesNHC2Et][Br]2·4H2O crystallizes in the P21/c space group at 100 K. Bond distances and angles within the imidazolium rings are generally comparable among the four structures. All four bis(imidazolium) salts co-crystallize with one to four molecules of water.
N-(2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoropyridin-4-yl)formamide
Authors: Newell Bailey D. , McMillen Colin D. , Lee John P.
Published: August 2022

The title compound, C6H2F4N2O, displays amide bond lengths of 1.218 (3) Å and 1.366 (3) Å for the C=O and C—N bonds, respectively. The Cp—N—C—O (p = pyridine) torsion angle of 179.0 (2)° indicates an anti-conformation for the grouping. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding is observed between the amine N—H group and the carbonyl O atom, which generates chains of molecules propagating along the b-axis direction.
Beyond local food consumption: the impact of local food consumption experience on cultural competence, eudaimonia and behavioral intention
Authors: Lin Bingna , Wang Saerom , Fu Xiaoxiao , Yi Xiaoli
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the relationships among local food consumption experience, cultural competence, eudaimonia, and behavioral intention. Building upon acculturation theory, need hierarchy theory and self-determination theory, the current study develops a conceptual model of local food consumption as international tourists’ acculturation process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collects data from 305 Chinese outbound tourists and uses partial least squares-structural equation modeling to examine the developed model.

Findings

The findings reveal a significant effect of the local food consumption experience, consisting of novel, authentic, sensory and social dimensions, on cultural competence, which subsequently evokes eudaimonia and behavioral response toward local food. The mediating effect of cultural competence is also confirmed.

Practical implications

Destination marketers and restaurant managers should recognize local food consumption as a meaningful tool that contributes to tourists’ cultural competence and eudaimonic well-being during travel. They should strive to craft an indigenous consumption setting and provide employee training on the history and culture of local food, helping tourists understand local food customs and embrace different food cultures.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, very few studies have attempted to examine the meaningful consequences of local food consumption through the theoretical lens of acculturation. This study dives into international tourists’ local food consumption and pioneers a conceptual model to capture how local food consumption experience provokes their eudaimonia and behavioral desires through the mechanism of cultural competence.
Conceptualising the relationship between green dynamic capability and SME sustainability performance: the role of green innovation, organisational creativity and agility
Authors: Kiranantawat Bhuk , Ahmad Syed Zamberi
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework that establishes the linkages among green dynamic capability (GDC), green innovation (GI), organisational creativity (OC) and organisational agility (OA), which influence small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sustainability performance (SP) in trade and service sectors in Thailand.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducts a search of existing literature regarding SMEs SP. A conceptual framework is provided that can be used by SMEs to enhance their SP driving sustainable business growth.

Findings

A framework for SMEs sustainability is proposed, which demonstrates the connection between GDC and SME SP, with GI and OC as mediators and OA as a moderator.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is limited in terms of the scope of SME sustainability in the context of the trade and service sector. Future empirical study should be conducted to validate the proposed framework and hypotheses in this study.

Practical implications

This study forms the basis for the enhancement of SMEs SP in relation to boosting their GDC, GI, creativity and agility.

Originality/value

This paper presents a comprehensive framework that leads to the conceptualisation of SME SP. It will help practitioners and academics to better understand the causes of SMEs SP.
Impact of IT identity on consumer negatively-valenced engagement in mobile medical consultation: from consumer experience perspective
Authors: Zhang Wenjing , Li Dong
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The mobile medical consultation (MMC) service is growing rapidly, but not all consumers are always willing to actively engage with it. To address this issue, based on IT identity theory, this study explores the underlying mechanism of how two types of platform-related consumer experience influence MMC platform identity, in turn, result in consumer negatively-valenced engagement in MMC.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected from 400 consumers with the experience of MMC and analyzed by the partial least square (PLS) method.

Findings

The findings unfold that these two distinct consumer experience, servicescape experience (i.e. perceived telepresence and perceived platform surveillance) and service search experience (i.e. perceived diagnosticity and perceived serendipity), are associated with MMC platform identity and consumer negatively valenced engagement with MMC.

Originality/value

Research on consumer negatively-valenced engagement in the field of MMC is still in a nascent stage. The study identifies consumer experience in accordance with the unique context of the MMC platform and fills the research gap on the role of IT identity in consumer negatively valenced engagement.
The influence of market power on liquidity creation of commercial banks in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Tran Thai Ha , Phan Gia Quyen , Wong Wing-Keung , Moslehpour Massoud
Published: August 2022

Purpose

This research examines the relationship between market power and liquidity creation in the specific context of bank profitability in the Vietnamese banking sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies the methodology proposed by Berger and Bouwman (2009) to demonstrate the creation of bank liquidity through a three-step procedure for investigating the relationship between market power and liquidity creation. The three steps include non-fat liquidity (NFLC), fat liquidity (FLC) and system generalized method of moments estimation for panel data.

Findings

This study finds that liquidity creation increases when a bank has high market power. Further, highly profitable banks positively impact the market power of banks with regard to liquidity creation, relative to less profitable banks. Moreover, bank size, capital, economic growth and interest rate negatively influence bank liquidity creation, while credit risk positively relates to bank liquidity creation.

Research limitations/implications

Measurements used in this study are based on the works of Berger and Bouwman (2009). There are specific variations, relative to Basel III. In addition, other variables significantly impact bank liquidity creation that have not been considered in the models, and a quadratic model should have been considered to measure market power and bank liquidity creation.

Practical implications

This study suggests that managers should control the liquidity of their banks by supervising vulnerable characteristics that have been mentioned herein and emphasizing improvements in profitability. Further, the government may consider encouraging banks to generate more liquidity by modifying regulations concerned with market power or reinforcing policies about improving the transparent business environment.

Originality/value

This study characterizes an attempt to examine the influence of market power on the liquidity creation of banks in Vietnam, which represents one of the most dynamic systems in Asia, with several varied participating banks. The current study also examines the same within the specific context of the modifying impact of the profitability of banks.
An efficient CRISPR/Cas9‐based genome editing system for alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16‐5 and application in engineering xylose utilization for D‐lactic acid production
Authors: Huang Shiyong , Xue Yanfen , Zhou Cheng , Ma Yanhe
Published: August 2022

Alkaliphiles are considered more suitable chassis than traditional neutrophiles due to their excellent resistance to microbial contamination. Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16‐5, an industrially interesting strain with great potential for the production of lactic acid and alkaline polysaccharide hydrolases, can only be engineered genetically by the laborious and time‐consuming homologous recombination. In this study, we reported the successful development of a CRISPR/Cas9‐based genome editing system with high efficiency for single‐gene deletion, large gene fragment deletion and exogenous DNA chromosomal insertion. Moreover, based on a catalytically dead variant of Cas9 (dCas9), we also developed a CRISPRi system to efficiently regulate gene expression. Finally, this efficient genome editing system was successfully applied to engineer the xylose metabolic pathway for the efficient bioproduction of D‐lactic acid. Compared with the wild‐type Bacillus sp. N16‐5, the final engineered strain with XylR deletion and AraE overexpression achieved 34.3% and 27.7% increases in xylose consumption and D‐lactic acid production respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the development and application of CRISPR/Cas9‐based genome editing system in alkaliphilic Bacillus, and this study will significantly facilitate functional genomic studies and genome manipulation in alkaliphilic Bacillus, laying a foundation for the development of more robust microbial chassis.
Common and differential neural mechanisms underlying mood disorders
Authors: Rai Sabina , Griffiths Kristi R. , Breukelaar Isabella A. , Barreiros Ana R. , Boyce Philip , Hazell Philip , Foster Sheryl L. , Malhi Gin S. , Harris Anthony W. F. , Korgaonkar Mayuresh S.
Published: August 2022

Background

Despite homogenous clinical presentations between bipolar and unipolar disorders, there are distinct neurobiological differences. Chronicity of illness may be a factor impacting and sustaining certain neural features. The goal of this study was to investigate common and shared neural mechanisms underlying mood disorders, and possible sustained neural changes relating to illness chronicity by investigating a cohort of euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD), unipolar depression who had responded to treatment (treatment‐sensitive depression, TSD), and a chronically treatment‐resistant depressed (TRD) group.

Methods

One hundred and seventy‐two participants (40 BD, 39 TSD, 40 TRD, and 53 age–gender‐matched healthy controls) underwent resting‐state fMRI scans. Seed‐based and independent component analyses were performed to investigate group differences in resting‐state connectivity between the four groups.

Results

All three clinical groups had significantly lower connectivity within the frontoparietal network (FPN) relative to controls. TRD and BD were significantly different from TSD (TRD, BD > TSD) but were not significantly different from each other. TRDs were also significantly different from both BD and TSD for salience network connectivity with the posterior cingulate (DMN) and the FPN with frontal pole (DMN). Additionally, the BD group exhibited greater DMN‐FPN (sgACC‐RDLPFC) connectivity relative to TRD, TSD, and controls, which was correlated with a previous number of depressive episodes, in the BD group only.

Conclusions

BD demonstrated shared and differential connectivity features relative to symptomatic TRD and euthymic TSD groups. The increased sgACC‐RDLPFC connectivity in BD and its correlation with a number of depressive episodes could be a neural feature associated with illness chronicity.
Delivering Spatially Comparable Inference on the Risks of Multiple Severities of Respiratory Disease from Spatially Misaligned Disease Count Data
Authors: Lee Duncan , Anderson Craig
Published: August 2022

Population-level disease risk varies between communities, and public health professionals are interested in mapping this spatial variation to monitor the locations of high-risk areas and the magnitudes of health inequalities. Almost all of these risk maps relate to a single severity of disease outcome, such as hospitalization, which thus ignores any cases of disease of a different severity, such as a mild case treated in a primary care setting. These spatially-varying risk maps are estimated from spatially aggregated disease count data, but the set of areal units to which these disease counts relate often varies by severity. Thus, the statistical challenge is to provide spatially comparable inference from multiple sets of spatially misaligned disease count data, and an additional complexity is that the spatial extents of the areal units for some severities are partially unknown. This paper thus proposes a novel spatial realignment approach for multivariate misaligned count data, and applies it to the first study delivering spatially comparable inference for multiple severities of the same disease. Inference is via a novel spatially smoothed data augmented MCMC algorithm, and the methods are motivated by a new study of respiratory disease risk in Scotland in 2017.
The immune response as a double‐edged sword: The lesson learnt during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Agrati Chiara , Carsetti Rita , Bordoni Veronica , Sacchi Alessandra , Quintarelli Concetta , Locatelli Franco , Ippolito Giuseppe , Capobianchi Maria R.
Published: August 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has represented an unprecedented challenge for the humanity, and scientists around the world provided a huge effort to elucidate critical aspects in the fight against the pathogen, useful in designing public health strategies, vaccines and therapeutic approaches. One of the first pieces of evidence characterizing the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection has been its breadth of clinical presentation, ranging from asymptomatic to severe/deadly disease, and the indication of the key role played by the immune response in influencing disease severity. This review is aimed at summarizing what the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection taught us about the immune response, highlighting its features of a double‐edged sword mediating both protective and pathogenic processes. We will discuss the protective role of soluble and cellular innate immunity and the detrimental power of a hyper‐inflammation‐shaped immune response, resulting in tissue injury and immunothrombotic events. We will review the importance of B‐ and T‐cell immunity in reducing the clinical severity and their ability to cross‐recognize viral variants.
Bubble rise in molten glasses and silicate melts during heating and cooling cycles
Authors: Jackson Lucy E. , Wadsworth Fabian B. , Mitchell Joanne , Rennie Colin , Llewellin Edward W. , Hess Kai‐Uwe , Dingwell Donald B.
Published: August 2022

The Hadamard–Rybczynski equation describes the steady‐state buoyant rise velocity of an unconfined spherical bubble in a viscous liquid. This solution has been experimentally validated for the case where the liquid viscosity is held constant. Here, we extend this result for non‐isothermal conditions, by developing a solution for bubble position in which we account for the time‐dependent liquid viscosity, liquid and gas densities, and bubble radius. We validate this solution using experiments in which spherical bubbles are created in a molten silicate liquid by cutting gas cavities into glass sheets, which are stacked, then heated through the glass transition interval. The bubble‐bearing liquid, which has a strongly temperature‐dependent viscosity, is subjected to various heating and cooling programs such that the bubble rise velocity varies through the experiment. We find that our predictions match the final observed position of the bubble measured in blocks of cooled glass to within the experimental uncertainty, even after the application of a complex temperature–time pathway. We explore applications of this solution for industrial, artistic, and natural volcanological applied problems.