bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interference oscillations in the optical response of a hybrid-aligned nematic with a surface disclination line to a pulsed magnetic field
Authors: Parshin Alexander M. , Zyryanov Victor Y. , Shabanov Vasily F.
Published: September 2021

The propagation of light through a hybrid-aligned nematic layer with a surface disclination line is investigated in a pulsed magnetic field. The experimental dependences of light intensityIon timetaccompanied by interference oscillations are presented. The shift and expansion of the interference extrema as functions of the magnetic field pulse length during the reaction are shown. TheI(t)dependence for the relaxation process is calculated with allowance for scattering. The calculatedI(t)dependence agrees well with the experimental dependence over the entire hybrid-aligned nematic layer, except for the surface layer.
Compact magneto-optical trap of thulium atoms for a transportable optical clock
Authors: Golovizin A. , Tregubov D. , Mishin D. , Provorchenko D. , Kolachevsky N.
Published: September 2021

We have developed a compact vacuum system for laser cooling and spectroscopy of neutral thulium atoms. Compactness is achieved by obviating a classical Zeeman slower section and placing an atomic oven close to a magneto-optical trap (MOT), specifically at the distance of 11 cm. In this configuration, we significantly gained in solid angle of an atomic beam, which is affected by MOT laser beams, and reached 1 million atoms loaded directly in the MOT with only 15 mW of MOT cooling beams net power. By exploiting Zeeman-like deceleration of atoms with an additional laser beam and tailoring the MOT magnetic field gradient with a small magnetic coil, we demonstrated trapping of up to 13 million atoms. These results show great perspective of the developed setup for realizing a compact high-performance optical atomic clock based on thulium atoms.
Inter-trial effects in priming of pop-out: Comparison of computational updating models
Authors: Allenmark Fredrik , Gokce Ahu , Geyer Thomas , Zinchenko Artyom , Müller Hermann J. , Shi Zhuanghua
Published: September 2021

In visual search tasks, repeating features or the position of the target results in faster response times. Such inter-trial ‘priming’ effects occur not just for repetitions from the immediately preceding trial but also from trials further back. A paradigm known to produce particularly long-lasting inter-trial effects–of the target-defining feature, target position, and response (feature)–is the ‘priming of pop-out’ (PoP) paradigm, which typically uses sparse search displays and random swapping across trials of target- and distractor-defining features. However, the mechanisms underlying these inter-trial effects are still not well understood. To address this, we applied a modeling framework combining an evidence accumulation (EA) model with different computational updating rules of the model parameters (i.e., the drift rate and starting point of EA) for different aspects of stimulus history, to data from a (previously published) PoP study that had revealed significant inter-trial effects from several trials back for repetitions of the target color, the target position, and (response-critical) target feature. By performing a systematic model comparison, we aimed to determine which EA model parameter and which updating rule for that parameter best accounts for each inter-trial effect and the associated n-back temporal profile. We found that, in general, our modeling framework could accurately predict the n-back temporal profiles. Further, target color- and position-based inter-trial effects were best understood as arising from redistribution of a limited-capacity weight resource which determines the EA rate. In contrast, response-based inter-trial effects were best explained by a bias of the starting point towards the response associated with a previous target; this bias appeared largely tied to the position of the target. These findings elucidate how our cognitive system continually tracks, and updates an internal predictive model of, a number of separable stimulus and response parameters in order to optimize task performance.
Dynamic neurogenomic responses to social interactions and dominance outcomes in female paper wasps
Authors: Uy Floria M. K. , Jernigan Christopher M. , Zaba Natalie C. , Mehrotra Eshan , Miller Sara E. , Sheehan Michael J.
Published: September 2021

Social interactions have large effects on individual physiology and fitness. In the immediate sense, social stimuli are often highly salient and engaging. Over longer time scales, competitive interactions often lead to distinct social ranks and differences in physiology and behavior. Understanding how initial responses lead to longer-term effects of social interactions requires examining the changes in responses over time. Here we examined the effects of social interactions on transcriptomic signatures at two times, at the end of a 45-minute interaction and 4 hours later, in female Polistes fuscatus paper wasp foundresses. Female P. fuscatus have variable facial patterns that are used for visual individual recognition, so we separately examined the transcriptional dynamics in the optic lobe and the non-visual brain. Results demonstrate much stronger transcriptional responses to social interactions in the non-visual brain compared to the optic lobe. Differentially regulated genes in response to social interactions are enriched for memory-related transcripts. Comparisons between winners and losers of the encounters revealed similar overall transcriptional profiles at the end of an interaction, which significantly diverged over the course of 4 hours, with losers showing changes in expression levels of genes associated with aggression and reproduction in paper wasps. On nests, subordinate foundresses are less aggressive, do more foraging and lay fewer eggs compared to dominant foundresses and we find losers shift expression of many genes in the non-visual brain, including vitellogenin, related to aggression, worker behavior, and reproduction within hours of losing an encounter. These results highlight the early neurogenomic changes that likely contribute to behavioral and physiological effects of social status changes in a social insect.
Longitudinal analysis of human humoral responses after vaccination with a live attenuated V. cholerae vaccine
Authors: Adekunle Oluwaseyi , Dretler Alexandra , Kauffman Robert C. , Cho Alice , Rouphael Nadine , Wrammert Jens
Published: September 2021

Vibrio choleraeis a bacterial pathogen which causes the severe acute diarrheal disease cholera. Given that a symptomatic incident of cholera can lead to long term protection, a thorough understanding of the immune response to this pathogen is needed to identify parameters critical to the generation and durability of immunity. To approach this, we utilized a live attenuated cholera vaccine to model the response toV.choleraeinfection in 12 naïve subjects. We found that this live attenuated vaccine induced durable vibriocidal antibody titers that were maintained at least one year after vaccination. Similar to what we previously reported in infected patients from Bangladesh, we found that vaccination induced plasmablast responses were primarily specific to the two immunodominant antigens lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cholera toxin (CT). Interestingly, the magnitude of the early plasmablast response at day 7 predicted the serological outcome of vaccination at day 30. However, this correlation was no longer present at later timepoints. The acute responses displayed preferential immunoglobulin isotype usage, with LPS specific cells being largely IgM or IgA producing, while cholera toxin responses were predominantly IgG. Finally, CCR9 was highly expressed on vaccine induced plasmablasts, especially on IgM and IgA producing cells, suggesting a role in migration to the gastrointestinal tract. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the use of a live attenuated cholera vaccine is an effective tool to examine the primary and long-term immune response followingV.choleraeexposure. Additionally, it provides insight into the phenotype and specificity of the cells which likely return to and mediate immunity at the intestinal mucosa. A thorough understanding of these properties both in peripheral blood and in the intestinal mucosae will inform future vaccine development against both cholera and other mucosal pathogens.

Trial Registration:NCT03251495.
Prenatal cadmium exposure does not induce greater incidence or earlier onset of autoimmunity in the offspring
Authors: McCall Jamie L. , Blair Harry C. , Blethen Kathryn E. , Hall Casey , Elliott Meenal , Barnett John B.
Published: September 2021

We previously demonstrated that exposure of adult mice to environmental levels of cadmium (Cd) alters immune cell development and function with increases in anti-streptococcal antibody levels, as well as decreases in splenic natural regulatory T cells (nTreg) in the adult female offspring. Based on these data, we hypothesized that prenatal Cd exposure could predispose an individual to developing autoimmunity as adults. To test this hypothesis, the effects of prenatal Cd on the development of autoimmune diabetes and arthritis were investigated. Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice were exposed to Cd in a manner identical to our previous studies, and the onset of diabetes was assessed in the offspring. Our results showed a similar time-to-onset and severity of disease to historical data, and there were no statistical differences between Cd-exposed and control offspring. Numerous other immune parameters were measured and none of these parameters showed biologically-relevant differences between Cd-exposed and control animals. To test whether prenatal Cd-exposure affected development of autoimmune arthritis, we used SKG mice. While the levels of arthritis were similar between Cd-exposed and control offspring of both sexes, the pathology of arthritis determined by micro-computed tomography (μCT) between Cd-exposed and control animals, showed some statistically different values, especially in the female offspring. However, the differences were small and thus, the biological significance of these changes is open to speculation. Overall, based on the results from two autoimmune models, we conclude that prenatal exposure to Cd did not lead to a measurable propensity to develop autoimmune disease later in life.
The competitiveness analysis of shallot in Indonesia: A Policy Analysis Matrix
Authors: Saptana  , Gunawan Endro , Perwita Atika Dyah , Sukmaya Syahrul Ganda , Darwis Valeriana , Ariningsih Ening , Ashari
Published: September 2021

Shallot is a national strategic commodity in Indonesia, but it is development has a fundamental technical, socioeconomic, and policy support problems. Therefore, it is essential to know the competitiveness of shallot in Indonesia and the incentive policy to implement the comparative advantage to become a sustainable competitive advantage. The purposes of this study are to (1) analyze the profitability of shallot farming privately and socially, (2) analyze the competitiveness of shallot farming from a competitive and comparative advantage perspective, (3) review the impact of government policy on shallot farming, and (4) formulate incentive policies in the development of shallot commodities. The empirical results of the Policy Analysis Matrix revealed that shallot farming in production centers in Indonesia has both competitive and comparative advantages. The highest competitive and comparative advantages were found in the dry season in the upland of Malang district with the coefficient values of PCR (Private Cost Ratio) of 0.268–0.508 and DRCR (Domestic Resource Cost Ratio) of 0.208–0.323. The lowest competitive advantage was found in the lowland of East Lombok district in the dry season with a coefficient value of PCR 0.728–0.844. The lowest comparative advantage in the dry season was found in East Lombok district with a DRCR of 0.448, while in the rainy season, it was found in Wonosobo district with a DRCR of 0.522. These results mean that it is more profitable for Indonesia to increase domestic shallot production than to import. Improving shallot competitiveness can be carried out by implementing advanced technology, agricultural infrastructure, capacity building of farmers’ resources, and government incentive policies to increase productivity and competitiveness sustainability.
Classification of soybean frogeye leaf spot disease using leaf hyperspectral reflectance
Authors: Liu Shuang , Yu Haiye , Sui Yuanyuan , Zhou Haigen , Zhang Junhe , Kong Lijuan , Dang Jingmin , Zhang Lei
Published: September 2021

In this study, the feasibility of classifying soybean frogeye leaf spot (FLS) is investigated. Leaf images and hyperspectral reflectance data of healthy and FLS diseased soybean leaves were acquired. First, image processing was used to classify FLS to create a reference for subsequent analysis of hyperspectral data. Then, dimensionality reduction methods of hyperspectral data were used to obtain the relevant information pertaining to FLS. Three single methods, namely spectral index (SI), principal component analysis (PCA), and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), along with a PCA and SI combined method, were included. PCA was used to select the effective principal components (PCs), and evaluate SIs. Characteristic wavelengths (CWs) were selected using CARS. Finally, the full wavelengths, CWs, effective PCs, SIs, and significant SIs were divided into 14 datasets (DS1–DS14) and used as inputs to build the classification models. Models’ performances were evaluated based on the classification accuracy for both the overall and individual classes. Our results suggest that the FLS comprised of five classes based on the proportion of total leaf surface covered with FLS. In the PCA and SI combination model, 5 PCs and 20 SIs with higher weight coefficient of each PC were extracted. For hyperspectral data, 20 CWs and 26 effective PCs were also selected. Out of the 14 datasets, the model input variables provided by five datasets (DS2, DS3, DS4, DS10, and DS11) were more superior than those of full wavelengths (DS1) both in support vector machine (SVM) and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) classifiers. The models developed using these five datasets achieved overall accuracies ranging from 91.8% to 94.5% in SVM, and 94.5% to 97.3% in LS-SVM. In addition, they improved the classification accuracies by 0.9% to 3.6% (SVM) and 0.9% to 3.7% (LS-SVM).
Use of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder in Manitoba, Canada: A whole-population cohort study
Authors: Konrad Geoffrey , Leong Christine , Bolton James M. , Prior Heather J. , Paillé Michael T. , Nepon Josh , Singal Deepa , Ekuma Okechukwu , Enns Jennifer E. , Nickel Nathan C.
Published: September 2021

Objective

Update the evidence on use of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder in a Canadian population.

Methods

Using whole-population administrative data from Manitoba, Canada, we identified all residents age 12+ who were first diagnosed with alcohol use disorder between April 1, 1996 and March 31, 2015, and compared characteristics of those who filled a prescription for naltrexone, acamprosate or disulfiram at least once during that period to those who did not fill a prescription for an alcohol use disorder medication.

Results

Only 1.3% of individuals with alcohol use disorder received pharmacotherapy (62.3% of prescriptions were for naltrexone, 39.4% for acamprosate, 7.5% for disulfiram). Most prescriptions came from family physicians in urban alcohol use disorder (53.6%) and psychiatrists (22.3%). Individuals were more likely to fill a prescription for alcohol use disorder medication if they lived in an urban vs rural environment (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.83–2.77) or had a mood/anxiety disorder diagnosis vs no diagnosis (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.98–2.90) in the five years before being diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.

Conclusion

Despite established evidence for the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder, these medications continue to be profoundly underutilized in Canada.
Extrafine HFA-beclomethasone-formoterol vs. nonextrafine combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and a long acting β2-agonist in patients with persistent asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Ting , Yang Dan , Liu Chuntao
Published: September 2021

Objective

Airway inflammation in asthma involves not only the central airways but extends to peripheral airways. Lung deposition may be key for an appropriate treatment of asthma. We compared the clinical effects of extrafine hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-beclomethasone-formoterol (BDP-F) versus equipotent doses of nonextrafine combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and a long acting β2-agonist (ICS-LABA) in asthma.

Methods

We identified eligible studies by a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Data analysis was performed with the Review Manager 5.3.5 software (Cochrane IMS, 2014).

Results

A total of 2326 patients with asthma from ten published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were enrolled for analysis. Change from baseline in morning pre-dose peak expiratory flow (PEF), evening pre-dose PEF and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were detected no significant differences between extrafine HFA-BDP-F and nonextrafine ICS-LABAs (p = 0.23, p = 0.99 and p = 0.23, respectively). Extrafine HFA-BDP-F did not show any greater benefit in forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF25-75%), the parameter concerning peripheral airways (MD 0.03L/s, p = 0.65; n = 877). There were no substantial differences between interventions in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels or in its alveolar fraction. The overall analysis showed no significant benefit of extrafine HFA-BDP-F over nonextrafine ICS-LABA in improving Asthma Control Test (ACT) score (p = 0.30) or decreasing the number of puffs of rescue medication use (p = 0.16). Extrafine HFA-BDP-F did not lead to less exacerbations than nonextrafine ICS-LABA (RR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.31 to 1.20; I2 = 0; p = 0.15).

Conclusion

Enrolled RCTs of extrafine HFA-BDP-F have demonstrated no significant advantages over the equivalent combination of nonextrafine ICS-LABA in improving pulmonary function concerning central airways or peripheral airways, improving asthma symptom control or reducing exacerbation rate.
Mitochondria are specifically vulnerable to 420nm light in drosophila which undermines their function and is associated with reduced fly mobility
Authors: Kam Jaimie Hoh , Hogg Chris , Fosbury Robert , Shinhmar Harpreet , Jeffery Glen
Published: September 2021

Increased blue light exposure has become a matter of concern as it has a range of detrimental effects, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Mitochondria absorb short wavelength light but have a specific absorbance at 420nm at the lower end of the human visual range. This 420nm absorption is probably due to the presence of porphyrin. We examine the impact of 420nm exposure on drosophila melanogaster mitochondria and its impact on fly mobility. Daily 15 mins exposures for a week significantly reduced mitochondrial complex activities and increased mitochondrial inner membrane permeability, which is a key metric of mitochondrial health. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels were not significantly reduced and mobility was unchanged. There are multiple options for energy/time exposure combinations, but we then applied single 420nm exposure of 3h to increase the probability of an effect on ATP and mobility, and both were significantly reduced. ATP and mitochondrial membrane permeability recovered and over corrected at 72h post exposure. However, despite this, normal mobility did not return. Hence, the effect of short wavelengths on mitochondrial function is to reduce complex activity and increasing membrane permeability, but light exposure to reduce ATP and to translate into reduced mobility needs to be sustained.
Elucidating the mechanism by which synthetic helper peptides sensitize Pseudomonas aeruginosa to multiple antibiotics
Authors: Xia Yushan , Cebrián Rubén , Xu Congjuan , Jong Anne de , Wu Weihui , Kuipers Oscar P.
Published: September 2021

The emergence and rapid spread of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria pose a serious threat to the global healthcare. There is an urgent need for new antibacterial substances or new treatment strategies to deal with the infections by MDR bacterial pathogens, especially the Gram-negative pathogens. In this study, we show that a number of synthetic cationic peptides display strong synergistic antimicrobial effects with multiple antibiotics against the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We found that an all-D amino acid containing peptide called D-11 increases membrane permeability by attaching to LPS and membrane phospholipids, thereby facilitating the uptake of antibiotics. Subsequently, the peptide can dissipate the proton motive force (PMF) (reducing ATP production and inhibiting the activity of efflux pumps), impairs the respiration chain, promotes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bacterial cells and induces intracellular antibiotics accumulation, ultimately resulting in cell death. By using a P. aeruginosa abscess infection model, we demonstrate enhanced therapeutic efficacies of the combination of D-11 with various antibiotics. In addition, we found that the combination of D-11 and azithromycin enhanced the inhibition of biofilm formation and the elimination of established biofilms. Our study provides a realistic treatment option for combining close-to-nature synthetic peptide adjuvants with existing antibiotics to combat infections caused by P. aeruginosa.
Molecular characterization and pathological identification of a novel strain of delta papillomavirus-4 (bovine papillomavirus-2) in Egypt
Authors: Hassanien Rabab T. , Hamdy Mervat E. , Elnomrosy Sara M. , Hussein Heba A. , Afify Ahmed F. , Darwish Fatma M. , Shehab Gehan , Emran Rawhya , Abd-El-Moniem Mervat I. I. , Habashi Ahmed R. , Fahmy Hanan A. , Ibraheem Essam M. , Shahein Momtaz A. , Attya Mohamed , Abdelhakim Ali M.M. , Hagag Naglaa M.
Published: September 2021

Background and Aim: Bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) are a heterogeneous group of oncoviruses, distributed globally, which produce major economic losses. In the current study, we compared the results of different diagnostic approaches and compared the strains identified in this study with previously characterized strains at local and international levels. Materials and Methods: Samples of skin warts were collected from five bovines with generalized papillomatosis from two Egyptian provinces, Menya and Ismailia, in 2020. Electron microscopy, molecular characterization, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examination were performed. Results: BPV was detected using electron microscopy in the collected samples. Using molecular characterization, BPV-2 was successfully identified for 1st time in Egypt. The strain has 99.6% identity with the BPV-2 reference strains obtained from GenBank. These results were supported by histopathology and immunohistochemistry examination. Partial nucleotide sequences of the L1 gene were submitted to GenBank with accession numbers MW289843 and MW289844. Conclusion: BPV-2 was reported for 1st time in the current study. The strain was identified grossly, microscopically, and pathologically and confirmed using molecular approaches. All results were consistent. The sequence analysis revealed that this strain has high sequence similarity to the reference Deltapapillomavirus-4, BPV-2 strains from Brazil and China.
L’architecture à l’Université : une promesse à tenir !
Authors: Stillemans Jean
Published: September 2021

Une décision politique et scientifique forte a été prise à l’Université de Louvain en 2009 : la création d’une nouvelle faculté destinée à accueillir la migration des Instituts supérieurs d’architecture et à rassembler avec cohérence l’ensemble des disciplines dédiées à la connaissance et à la conception des habitats (l’architecture, l’ingénierie architecturale, l’urbanisme). La Communauté française de Belgique venait de rejoindre les pays qui placent l’exercice de l’architecture dans le cercle des exigences et des responsabilités portées par les universités en matière d’enseignement et de recherche. La mise en oeuvre de cette décision a cependant rencontré des difficultés et des obstacles liés aux divers contextes institutionnels, ainsi qu’aux traditions portées par les collectivités engagées à agir et à construire de concert de nouvelles donnes disciplinaires. Ces difficultés et obstacles se sont avérés constituer autant de défis à relever.
Stock Market Crashes in Australia: A Brief Technical Note
Authors: Christie John
Published: September 2021

This paper analyses the three stock market crashes in Australia which have occurred since the All Ordinaries Index was established in 1980. The index behaves in an approximately exponential manner leading up to each market crash and this behaviour can be interpreted as a sign of a looming market crash.
Corporate Social Performance and Use of Debt: an Examination of Australian Companies
Authors: Yarram Subba Reddy , Fisher Josie
Published: September 2021

This study examines whether the corporate social performance (CSP) activities of firms influence the structure of debt in the Australian context. Long-term debt is often associated with higher monitoring by lenders, which suggests that firms may benefit from using long-term debt strategically. Short-term debt arises from regular business dealings with a number of primary stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees and lenders. We propose in this study that businesses that are committed to improving CSP outcomes may reduce use of short-term debt contributing to building sustainable long-term relationships with the primary stakeholders. We therefore investigate whether firms that prioritise CSP favour long-term debt or short-term debt. Using a sample of Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed firms, this study finds that the level of CSP is not associated with long-term debt use, but there is a significant negative association between CSP and the short-term debt usage. This finding suggests that firms with stakeholder-friendly policies reduce their use of short-term debt rather than long-term debt. The reduced use of short-term debt helps resolve possible conflicts between the primary stakeholders and a firm, thus this study presents evidence supporting stakeholder theory and conflict-resolution hypothesis.
Does Corporate Governance Have a Say on Dividends in Australian Listed Companies?
Authors: Farooque Omar Al , Hamid Ali , Sun Lan
Published: September 2021

This paper investigates whether corporate governance has an impact on dividend policy in Australian listed firms. The empirical studies of corporate governance and dividend policy in the Australian context tend to have a limited scope and the findings are mixed. Unlike the existing literature, this paper provides a more comprehensive examination of the relationship between dividend policy and corporate governance mechanisms. Using a sample of 1,438 firm-year observations for the period of 2005 to 2011 and the panel data approach, this study finds that dividend payout is significantly positively (negatively) correlated with board size, board independence, institutional ownership and use of a Big-4 audit firm (CEO duality and managerial ownership). Moreover, dividend yield is significantly positively (negatively) correlated with managerial ownership (foreign ownership). These findings suggest that dividend policy and corporate governance mechanisms are complementary i.e. firms paying higher dividends are more likely to engage in good governance practices as well as having strong monitoring and control systems in place and therefore both dividend policy and corporate governance are considered as effective tools in reducing agency costs.
Analysis of Family SMEs Default Risk: the Portuguese Case
Authors: Lisboa Inês Margarida Cadima , Costa Magali , Santos Filipa
Published: September 2021

This work aims to study the default risk of family SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in Portugal, more specifically in the Leiria region. For this purpose, a panel data of 2,658 firms over the period 2012-2017 is analyzed. Using an ex-ante classification of defaulting, results suggest that there are more compliant firms and the number of defaulting firms have decreased over the period analyzed. Then, using a logit regression technique and six variables to predict default obtained through the stepwise methodology, results show that defaulting firms compared to compliant firms are usually younger, with higher difficulties in generating return and in being efficient, and more indebted. The Z’-score model was used as a robustness test, and results suggest that this model is inaccurate to the present reality and this specific sample. Therefore, new coefficients were estimated to increase the model’s efficiency. The proposed and the modified Z’-score models have an accuracy of 88.74% and 85.49%, respectively.
Human Rights from a Social Accounting Perspective in a Post-conflict Environment: The Case of Sri Lanka
Authors: Siriwardhane Pavithra , Yapa Prem W.S.
Published: September 2021

This paper examines how three decades of civil conflict in Sri Lanka has impacted the perceptions of the accounting practitioners with regard to human rights (both during and post-conflict). Using the legitimacy lens in social accounting and the role of the state-supported accountancy body - Institute of Chartered Accountants Sr Lanka (CASL) human rights case is investigated. Specifically, the study’s scope is on rights and the degree of legitimacy formation for which accounting associations are accountable for human rights disclosure in a post-conflict environment in an emerging economy. The study interprets documentary evidence and a survey data that was administered among the members of the CASL. The findings reveal that the civil conflict had not hindered the accountants being in parallel with the legitimacy of social accounting notions adopted by the Western world in the disclosure of human rights. At the individual response level, they perceive that the accounting discipline as agents to promote human rights disclosure in business entities. Despite the fact, that this study has a low response rate, what is generalisable is an understanding of the processes and mechanisms which relate to the way the accountants perceived human rights by themselves. The practical implication indicates that urgent measures need to be undertaken to mainstream the legitimate human rights obligations of business entities since there is no one-size-fits-all strategy in a post-conflict environment. The social implication is that awareness of human rights issues, especially among the next generation of accountants is vital since this transformation would enable them not only to be technically competent but also to be ethical in a post-conflict environment. The study contributes to the literature on perceptions of human rights in a post-conflict environment from a social accounting perspective in an emerging economy.
The Shape of Water: Analysis of Corporate Water Disclosure in Indonesia
Authors: Adhariani Desi
Published: September 2021

Indonesia is facing a water crisis in terms of the scarcity and quality of its water resources. Considering this water-constrained future, it is important that several parties, including companies in Indonesia as one of the significant actors, pay attention to the pristine management and reporting of this scarce resource. This study evaluates the reporting and disclosure requirements of water of Indonesian listed companies in 2014 - 2016. Content analysis was used as the research method to analyse the water disclosure and to evaluate the adequacy of the disclosure against the global disclosure requirement from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4. The findings of the study show that most of the companies have illustrated the commitment toward water stewardship by reporting on water-related aspects. However, when compared to the global standard, the level of disclosure is still low, which might reflect the lack of demand from stakeholders or the low necessity to seek legitimacy from water reporting. This also implies future opportunities for companies to better perform water management and present a more complete water disclosure for stakeholders.
Impact of Foreign Exchange Administration Rule on the Nexus between Country-Specific FDI and Malaysian Currency
Authors: Lau Wee-Yeap , Yip Tien-Ming
Published: September 2021

In the aftermath of the US Presidential election on 8 November 2016, the Malaysian currency Ringgit (MYR) had witnessed unprecedented volatility in its value relative to the USD. As a policy response, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) implemented a Supplemental Foreign Exchange Administration (SFEA) Rule in December 2016. Exporters are required to convert 75 per cent of foreign currency proceeds from the exports of goods into MYR with a licensed onshore bank. This study evaluates the impact of the new SFEA Rule on the relationship between country-specific FDI and MYR. Based on the data of five major inward FDI countries from 2015 to 2018, our results show: Firstly, Japanese FDI strengthens MYR in post-SFEA Rule; Secondly, FDI from Singapore is found to exert downward pressure on MYR; Thirdly, FDI from China, the Netherlands and the US are insignificant in influencing the MYR; Finally, inward FDI from different countries responds differently to the Rule. Notably, the results obtained are robust to different measures of the exchange rate. On policy suggestion, the Foreign Exchange Rule should also target non-export oriented inward FDIs to achieve the policy target. The result also highlights the importance of export-oriented FDIs for the long-run benefit of the Malaysian economy.
The Moderating Effect of Audit Quality on the Links Between Stock Market Segmentations, Surplus Free Cash Flow, and Income-increasing Discretionary Accruals
Authors: Toumeh Ahmad A. , Yahya Sofri , Yassin Mohammed M. , Ayoush Maha D.
Published: September 2021

The objective of this paper is to examine the impacts of stock market segmentations (SMS) and surplus free cash flow (SFCF) on income-increasing discretionary accruals. The study also provides the initial evidence regarding the influence of audit quality (AQ) as a moderating variable on those relationships. A sample of non-financial firms was taken from the list of Amman Stock Exchange over the period 2013-2019. Using Huber-White’s sandwich estimator for pooled OLS regression, the current research presents empirical evidence harmonious with the prediction in all hypotheses. Further, the findings document that a Big 4 auditor weakens the SMS-DAC and SFCF-DAC associations, which suggests that the role of Big 4 audit firms is effective in mitigating management’s opportunistic behaviour. However, the reported results provide beneficial information to investors, regulators, external auditors, policymakers, shareholders, and other countries with similar institutional environment.
Caecal bacterial composition of broiler chickens affected by porang glucomannan
Authors: Larasati Y. N. , Harmayani E. , Widada J. , Nurliyani N. , Perdinan A.
Published: September 2021

Glucomannan is consisted of D-glucose and D-mannose with β-1.4 linkages. Poultry had no enzyme to digest β linkage so that porang (Amorphophallus onchophyllus) glucomannan could be a prebiotic candidate. The study purposed to determine the effect of porang glucomannan on caecum bacterial composition (similarity, diversity, grouping of bacteria) using Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms method and performance (body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio) of broiler chickens. One hundred and eighty unsexed day old chicks (DOC) were divided into 6 treat-ments and 3 replicates (10 birds each) using completely randomized design (CRD). The treatments were P0 (basal feed), P1 (basal feed + 0.05% porang glucomannan), P2 (basal feed + 0.1% porang glu-comannan), P3 (basal feed + 0.15% porang glucomannan), KJ (basal feed + 0.1% commercial konjac glucomannan), and KM (commercial feed). The results showed that caecal bacterial composition of porang glucomannan treatment had similarity with konjac glucomannan and basal feed. Diversity index and species number of porang glucomannan treatment was higher than konjac glucomannan. Gluco-mannan prebiotics had higher Lactobacillus while the lowest Clostridium was obtained in 0.1% porang glucomannan treatment. The inclusion of glucomannan prebiotics gave no negative effect on the per-formance of broilers.
The effects of different types of bedding on the performance, skeletal and behavioral characteristics, hygienic and immunity conditions of suckling Holstein calves
Authors: Hosseini S. M. J. , Tanha T. , Maghsoodi H.
Published: September 2021

To investigate the effects of bedding types on the performance, skeletal and behavioral characteristics, health and immunity conditions of suckling Holstein calves, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design using 80 Holstein calves. The calves were distributed over 5 treatments and 4 replicates (each replicate included 2 male and 2 female calves). The 5 experimental treatments werechaff, straw, bagasse, sand, or mat. The results showed that the highest feed intake was related to the sand and chaff beddings and the highest weight gain (P<0.05) was found for the chaff, straw and sandbeddings . Withers height was highest and lowest for straw and mat treatments, respectively (P<0.05). The longest standing and resting times in calf behavior (P<0.05) were found for the sand and straw treatments, respectively. In cleanness, nose, eye, and joint scorings, the highest amount of con-tamination was related (P<0.05) to the mat and sand treatments . For immunity parameters, bagasse treatment showed the highest level of eosinophils (P<0.05) compared to the other treatments. Accord-ing to the results, it can be concluded that the straw bedding has better characteristics for growth, be-havior, and health of calves compared to the other beddings.
Features of comorbid pathology spectrum and age structure of oxygen-dependent patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) depending on outcomes of the disease
Authors: Riabokon O. V. , Cherkaskyi V. V. , Onishchenkо T. Ye. , Riabokon Yu. Yu.
Published: September 2021

The aim was to analyze spectrum of comorbid pathology and age structure of oxygen-dependent patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) depending on outcomes of the disease.
Materials and methods. The study included 85 oxygen-dependent patients with severe COVID-19. The patients were divided into groups: I – 70 patients with recovery; II – 15 patients in whom the disease was fatal. Statistical data processing was performed in the program Statistica for Windows 13 (StatSoft Inc., No. JPZ804I382130ARCN10-J).
Results. Among the patients with fatal outcomes of the disease, elderly and senile were dominated – 93.3 % (14 of 15) versus 67.1 % (47 of 70) among patients who recovered (P < 0.05). Analysis of comorbid pathology structure in oxygen-dependent patients with severe COVID-19 showed that patients who died more often had hypertension (93.3 % vs. 30.0 %, P < 0.001), postinfarction cardiosclerosis (26.7 % vs. 2.9 %, P < 0.001), rhythm disturbance as persistent atrial fibrillation (20.0 % vs. 1.4 %, P < 0.01) as compared to those who survived. The patients of group II were more commonly diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (20.0 % vs. 4.3 %, P < 0.05) as the comorbid pathology. The presence of ischemic stroke in COVID-19 infection influenced the disease outcome (20.0 % vs. 4.3 %, P < 0.05). Fatal outcomes in the patients with COVID-19 were associated with a combination of 3 or more comorbid conditions in 46.7 % versus 17.4 % among oxygen-dependent survivors with severe disease (P < 0.01).
Conclusions. Elderly and senile oxygen-dependent patients are more likely to die from severe COVID-19 (P < 0.05). Comorbid hypertension, postinfarction cardiosclerosis, arrhythmia in the form of persistent atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease and ischemic stroke or the combination of 3 or more comorbid conditions listed are more common among patients with COVID-19 who died (P < 0.05) as compared to survivors.
Importance of 3D CT imaging of the skull in diagnosis of maxillofacial anomalies
Authors: Kovach I. V. , Khaletska V. M. , Aleksieienko N. V. , Shcherbyna I. M.
Published: September 2021

Knowledge of radiological diagnostic capabilities and application of the principles designed to minimize exposure to radiation nowadays are the basics of qualified dentistry. At the present stage, radiographic methods occupy a leading place in the complex of patient examination to diagnose dental diseases.
The aim of the work is to optimize the diagnosis of maxillofacial anomalies by a comprehensive examination of anatomical structures and parameters of the skull using 3D computed tomography.
Materials and methods. In total, 39 patients aged 10 to 23 years with maxillofacial anomalies were examined. The study used clinical and radiographic methods of examination. Radiography included only orthopantomogram and lateral teleradiography in 28 patients, 3D CT scanning of the skull was performed in 11 patients.
Results. The conducted study has revealed that 3D CT imaging of the skull can be used for the most complete diagnosis of maxillofacial anomalies, reveal sensitive differential diagnostic signs of pathological conditions as well as allow the principle of continuity between specialists to be adhered to at the stage of planning individual complex treatment for patients with maxillofacial anomalies.
Conclusions. 3D CT scanning of the skull is an integrated imaging technique that allows obtaining a complete image of the jaws, teeth, temporal-mandible joints, sinuses in one single examination, assessing the respiratory tract and chewing apparatus state as a whole, as well as carrying out cephalometric measurements of lateral and frontal teleradiography. This method is the most informative as it provides the possibility to precisely diagnose dental anomalies and choose an optimal treatment plan.
The impact of mobilization protocols on the length of postoperative hospitalization among cardiac surgery patients
Authors: Vitomskyi V. V. , Lazarieva O. B. , Doroshenko E. Yu. , Vitomskа M. V. , Kovalenko T. М. , Hertsyk A. М. , Gavreliuk S. V.
Published: September 2021

The aim. To determine the impact of implementing the extra early mobilization protocol (EEM) on the length of intensive care unit (LICU) stay and postoperative unit (LPOU) stay and to assess the role of age, heart contractility, functional class and surgical outcomes.
Materials and methods. Participants – adult patients of 2018–2019 with less than 24-hour artificial lung ventilation (ALV). The first group were treated according to the early mobilization protocol (EM, patients of 2018); the second group were treated according to the EEM protocol (patients of 2019). Design: a retrospective analysis. Settings: cardiosurgical unit. Interventions: the major difference is that the resources of patient mobilization team have expanded since 2019, namely it included a physical therapist, which made it possible to modify the EM protocol (standing on the 2 postoperative day (POD), activation with the help of medical staff, respiratory exercise) to the EEM protocol (standing on the 1 POD following consultation with an anesthesiologist, exercises with a physical therapist, respiratory exercise). The main outcomes: LICU, LPOU and total postoperative hospitalization (LTPO) (number of nights).
Results. There were no differences between the EEM and EM groups in LICU (3 (2; 4) vs. 2 (2; 4); P = 0.182), LPOU (7 (6; 10) vs. 8 (6; 10); P = 0.118), LTPO (10 (8; 13) vs. 10 (9; 13); P = 0.308). Correlation analysis revealed absence, weak and very weak relations between the LICU, LPOU, LTPO indicators and other criteria, including age, ejection fraction, ALV.
Conclusions. The effectiveness of the EEM protocol seems doubtful to reduce LICU, LPOU, and LTPO as compared to the EM protocol. The obtained results also raise the importance of physical therapist time management.
Potential role of acetylsalicilic acid and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in cancer risk reduction (literature review)
Authors: Buheruk V. V. , Voloshyna O. B. , Kovalchuk L. I. , Balashova I. V. , Naidionova O. V.
Published: September 2021

The aim of this review is to analyze and summarize the existing evidence regarding the possibilities of using acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce cancer risk.
Conclusions. Chronic inflammation facilitates the onset and progress of tumour growth. Anti-cancer properties of acetylsalicylic acid and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are mediated via cyclooxygenase COX-dependent mechanisms, as well as other tumorigenic pathways. Current systematic review addresses potential role of ASA and other NSAIDs in reduction of cancer risk for the following localizations: head and neck, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, breast, ovaries, prostate, and skin. The role of ASA in primary prevention of colorectal cancer in specific populations is presented in 2016 U. S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. Studies indicate heterogeneous protective potential of ASA against different cancer types, depending on studied population, duration of intake and dose. Influence of non-aspirin NSAIDs on cancer morbidity and mortality is more controversial.
Association study between BGLAP RS1800247-polymorphic variant and type 2 diabetes mellitus development among hypertensive and non-hypertensive Ukrainians
Authors: Chumachenko Ya. D. , Kyrychenko M. O. , Ramazanova D. M. , Smiianova M. V. , Harbuzova V. Yu. , Ataman O. V.
Published: September 2021

The risk T2DM development depends on hereditary predisposition. According to the current data, skeleton enhances insulin gene expression in pancreatic β-cells as well as increases insulin sensitivity of adipocytes, myocytes and hepatocytes through the secretion of unOCN.The aim. To analyze the link between rs1800247 SNP and T2DM occurrence depending on the AH presence, as well as association between rs1800247 and systolic, diastolic, pulse, mean blood pressure among patients with diabetes.Materials and Methods. This study included 153 patients with diagnosed T2DM and 311 individuals without any carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP) was used for BGLAP rs1800247-genotyping. Logistic regression with interaction term “genotype × AH” was used to estimate the association between BGLAP rs1800247-genotypes and T2DM development under dominant, recessive, over-dominant and additive models of inheritance. Linear regression was performed to investigate the influence of minor C-allele on the arterial blood pressure. All calculations were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS, version 22.0, Chicago, IL, USA). A value of P ˂ 0,05 was considered as significant.Results. No association was found between rs1800247 single nucleotide polymorphism and T2DM development neither in AH patients, nor in subjects without AH (Paint b > 0,05). There was no impact of rs1800247 genotypes on systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean blood pressure among patients with T2DM (P > 0,05).Conclusion. It was found the lack of association between rs1800247 SNP and T2DM development as well as blood pressure parameters. Further studies with extended groups of comparison are needed for the confirmation of results. This research was a part of the scientific project “Molecular-genetic and morphological features of lower limb tissues regeneration under conditions of chronic hyperglycemia” (0117U003926).