bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The need for a comprehensive facility decision-making process
Authors: Backus Erik Carl , Bruhl Jakob C.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The facility decision-making process (FDMP), as described in this paper, is a framework based on decades of proven effectiveness in analogous military applications. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate key factors which justify the need for the FDMP before describing the FDMP.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducts a literature review as it relates to facilities specific decision-making, puts forward a new concept for those processes and provides an abridged case study of the concept in application.

Findings

Facilities management is a key function for nearly every type of business or enterprise. As part of facilities management, many decisions are made about physical assets that a business or enterprise owns or maintains. Currently, there is no uniform decision-making framework, in literature or in practice, which enables consistency, robustness and scalability for facility management decisions. Such a framework would enable facility managers to effectively justify decisions related to capital and operational expenses.

Practical implications

The FDMP provides a robust procedure for facilities managers and engineers that enables enhanced strength in the face of business enterprise scrutiny as compared with the often-intuitive decision-making processes currently used in practice.

Originality/value

This novel conceptual process articulates the opportunity to provide for a comprehensive facilities decision-making process that enables better decisions especially as it relates to what are often ill-defined problem sets in facilities management.
Information technology systems implementation and processes of integration and disintegration: case study evidence from Air Greenland
Authors: Balslev Lars , Thrane Sof , Friis Ivar
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the impact of information technology (IT) system implementation on the integration of data and information between sales and accounting departments, and how data integration affects relations with supplier and customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The change between three different reservation and distribution systems in an airline company was assessed over 20 years based on qualitative data collected while events unfolded and interviews that traced events retrospectively.

Findings

This study finds that data integration challenges affect the capacity to use revenue and sales data for control purposes and integrating with suppliers and customers. The systems either facilitated the ability to integrate sales and accounting data or enabled integration in wider supplier and customer networks. The implementation of different reservation and distribution systems resulted in a trade-off between integration within the firm and into wider customer and supplier networks.

Research limitations/implications

Data were mainly obtained from the focal firm, Air Greenland. The protracted study period meant that the data were not as concentrated as they would have been had the analysis been performed over a shorter duration or had the focus been on one implementation process.

Originality/value

Extant research suggests that integration challenges when implementing IT systems are caused by differences in information needs between groups with different logics. The authors illustrate how data integration is also a crucial challenge when implementing IT systems.
Profits to opportunistic insider trading before and after the Dodd-Frank act of 2010
Authors: Gangopadhyay Partha , Yook Ken
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The authors examine if opportunistic insider trading profits decrease after the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act (DFA) in 2010. The DFA expands legal prohibitions on insider trading in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify opportunistic insider trades following a method that is outlined in Cohen et al. (2012). The authors examine univariate statistics and perform multivariate regression tests to examine opportunistic trading profits before and after the DFA. Similar multivariate regression tests have been used widely in the literature to examine the profitability of insider trades.

Findings

The authors find that opportunistic insider purchases were highly profitable before the DFA. Profits after opportunistic purchases were significantly lower after the DFA. Opportunistic insider sales were contrarian trades both before and after the DFA. However, share prices kept increasing after insiders sold their shares.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the paper is the first study that compares the profitability of opportunistic insider trades, as identified by Cohen et al., before and after the DFA. The study contributes to the literature that finds that insiders change their strategic trading behavior when the potential costs of the illegal trading increase due to regulatory action.
Current perspectives on public mental health training provision: a scoping review
Authors: Ortega Vega Marta , Attoe Chris , Iannelli Hannah , Saunders Aleks , Cross Sean
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Public mental health training can effectively support well-being at a population level. The application of this type of training is increasingly prevalent, however, training evaluation is currently limited and inconsistent. This paper aims to summarise the characteristics of public mental health training available in England, presents key quality criteria for this training and identifies gaps in training provision.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a pragmatic mixed-methods approach including database and Google Searches, focus groups and survey methods. The data analysis included a structured data extraction template for the training availability scoping and thematic analysis of the survey and focus groups.

Findings

This paper identifies a total of 74 training courses targeting workplace employees, young people and the general population. Most courses were delivered face-to-face (54), followed by e-learning (16) and blended modalities (4). This paper derives four core quality principles, focussing on the training approach, key features of training, trainer attributes and evaluation. There were no significant gaps in training provision, although areas for future development included consistency in public mental health terminology, systems and populations requiring additional training and the logistics of training delivery, etc.

Originality/value

The results contribute to the evidence base of interventions that are currently available, supporting the efforts to evaluate the impact of training provision in this area. This paper provides a novel approach to assessing training quality and discuss areas for development and innovation in this field.
Internal audit use, earnings quality and external audit fees
Authors: Prasad Nishaal , Hay David , Chen Li
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of internal audit function (IAF) use on earnings quality and external audit fees using empirical data collected from the New Zealand (NZ) setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Applying institutional theory as the underlying framework, this study examines an IAF’s ability to demonstrate legitimacy, which will shed light to the functions long-term survival. Using a unique data set from the NZ setting, which combines information obtained from “The Institute of Internal Auditors of New Zealand” with empirical firm data collected from publicly available sources, multivariate analysis is performed to test the prediction that IAF use is associated with earnings quality, measured using discretionary accruals, and external audit fees.

Findings

There is strong positive association between IAF use and external audit fees, which supports the complementary controls view, where better internal controls increase audit fees by increasing the demand for scope of external audit work. The authors find no significant relationship between IAF use and earnings quality, which is not entirely surprising.

Research limitations/implications

The aim is to empirically test the IAF value proposition and to delve deeper into the black box of IAF value drivers. Given the size of the NZ economy and limitations of data availability, total sample size used in this study is relatively modest. However, the analysis does yield significant results. Apart from academic contribution to knowledge, this study offers a profound list of practical contributions. Practitioners will be interested to learn about the IAF value proposition from an empirical viewpoint. Senior management (SM) will obtain value from the outcomes when contemplating IAF investment and sourcing decisions. Regulators will be inherently interested in whether IAFs should be mandated.

Originality/value

The aim is to empirically test IAF value proposition and to delve deeper into the black box of IAF value drivers. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first NZ-based academic investigation which examines the relationship between IAF use and earnings quality. Apart from academic contribution to knowledge, this study offers a profound list of practical contributions. Practitioners will be interested to learn about the IAF value proposition from an empirical viewpoint. SM will obtain value from the outcomes when contemplating IAF investment and sourcing decisions. Regulators will be inherently interested in whether IAFs should be mandated.
University as a vehicle to achieve social innovation and development: repositioning the role of the university in the society
Authors: Mdleleni Lwando
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the role of university in promoting, generating and sustaining social innovation (SI). It aimed to understand how higher education institutions have extended their contribution beyond the traditional function of teaching and research to perform in socio-economic problem-solving. It looks at the kinds of contributions which universities potentially make to SI processes, and the effects that this has on the direction and magnitude of SI, and by implication social development. This was done by drawing lessons from a SI project that the University of the Western Cape has been involved in, i.e. Zenzeleni Networks Project.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the research question with this framework, the author adopted an exploratory research design using a case study. This research is qualitative, exploratory and descriptive, based on a case study built with secondary data.

Findings

This paper submits that universities can potentially function as key role players in promoting SI initiatives and fostering social transformations. Universities contribute with different kinds of resources and inputs to foster new SI ideas.

Originality/value

The paper suggests that socially innovative university projects may contribute to community social sustainability maintaining social cohesion by increasing social capital and providing resources for the empowerment of the marginalised communities. In so doing, they contribute to overcome social exclusion and promote more sustainable forms of development at community level. More research is needed on how universities can build community networks with local community partners, who can use the insights of academic research to replicate interventions and move to scale.
Resource limitation, intra‐group aggression and brain neuropeptide expression in a social wasp
Authors: Walton Alexander , Toth Amy L.
Published: July 2021

Nourishment can have profound effects on social behaviour, including aggressive interactions between individuals. The prevailing theoretical and empirical understanding is that when nutritional resources are limited, inter‐individual competition and aggression will increase. Alternatively, studies from some group‐living species suggest limited nutrition can lead to increased cooperation, including by a reduction in inter‐individual aggression. Thus, a general model for understanding how and why nutritional resource limitation affects aggressive behaviour remains elusive.

We suggest that the link between nourishment and future reproductive potential may be a key missing element of models that predict how nutritional resource availability affects inter‐individual aggression in social animals.

We investigated how nourishment influenced intra‐colony aggression and its molecular correlates in colonies of the social paper wasp Polistes fuscatus, which contain workers that maintain flexible reproductive potential as adults. We subjected colonies to either a high or low feeding treatment, and examined subsequent effects on behaviour, nutritional/reproductive physiology and brain gene expression.

We found that nutritional restriction reduced aggressive interactions. Thus, resource limitation was linked to reduced intra‐group conflict. Thus, individual worker paper wasps appear to have the capacity to adjust their behaviour (e.g. reduced aggression) in response to nutritional stress; this suggests they may invest nutritional resources in the colony when resources are limiting, and in the self (and possible future reproduction) when resources are abundant.

Differential brain gene expression results implicate two well‐known neuropeptides associated with aggression and/or nutrient signalling across taxa, Tachykinin and Neuropeptide F, as possible mediators of nutritionally dependent intra‐colony aggression. This adds to a growing understanding that deeply conserved genes associated with core, conserved behaviours such as feeding and aggression in solitary insects can play a role in the regulation of social plasticity in more highly social species.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
OF CROWDED HISTORIES AND URBAN THEORY: A Feminist Critique of Temporal Closure and Patrimonial Claims to the Urban
Authors: Collins Erin
Published: July 2021

This article contributes a feminist analysis of temporal closure to lively debates within critical urban theory. I argue that in both urban politics and urban theory, claims to a singular and totalizing historical arc flatten the heterotemporalities integral to urban life and ultimately contribute to the evacuation of a diversity of lived experience from the center of each. This argument is grounded in the empirics of contentious land politics in and around Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Through my analysis I demonstrate that the erasure of women's histories through temporal closure and the fixation on their bodies through patrimonial claim making are two sides of an urban politics that seeks to foreclose, name and claim. In this article, written in critical dialogue with planetary urban theory, I advance from this situated analysis to advocate for a crowded field of urban theory, animated by embodied analyses of time built from the heterotemporal and polyvalent lived reality of diverse urban contexts. Crowded urban theory, I argue, makes space for theory building and theory repurposing without scripting the story in advance.
Assessing the added value of group B Streptococcus maternal immunisation in preventing maternal infection and fetal harm: population surveillance study
Authors: Lamagni T , Wloch C , Broughton K , Collin SM , Chalker V , Coelho J , Ladhani SN , Brown CS , Shetty N , Johnson AP
Published: July 2021

Objective

To assess the incidence of maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection in England.

Design

Population surveillance augmented through data linkage.

Setting

England.

Population

All pregnant women accessing the National Health Service (NHS) in England.

Methods

Invasive GBS (iGBS) infections during pregnancy or within 6 weeks of childbirth were identified by linking Public Health England (PHE) national microbiology surveillance data for 2014 to NHS hospital admission records. Capsular serotypes of GBS were determined by reference laboratory typing of clinical isolates from women aged 15–44 years. Post‐caesarean section surgical site infection (SSI) caused by GBS was identified in 21 hospitals participating in PHE SSI surveillance (2009–2015).

Main outcome measures

iGBS rate per 1000 maternities; risk of GBS SSI per 1000 caesarean sections.

Results

Of 1601 patients diagnosed with iGBS infections in England in 2014, 185 (12%) were identified as maternal infections, a rate of 0.29 (95% CI 0.25–0.33) per 1000 maternities and representing 83% of all iGBS cases in women aged 18–44 years. Seven (3.8%) were associated with miscarriage. Fetal outcome identified excess rates of stillbirth (3.4 versus 0.5%) and extreme prematurity (<28 weeks of gestation, 3.7 versus 0.5%) compared with national averages (P < 0.001). Caesarean section surveillance in 27 860 women (21 hospitals) identified 47 cases of GBS SSI, with an estimated 4.24 (3.51–5.07) per 1000 caesarean sections, a median time‐to‐onset of 10 days (IQR 7–13 days) and ten infections that required readmission. Capsular serotype analysis identified a diverse array of strains with serotype III as the most common (43%).

Conclusions

Our assessment of maternal GBS infection in England indicates the potential additional benefit of GBS vaccination in preventing adverse maternal and fetal outcomes.
Alternaria toxins—Still emerging?
Authors: Aichinger Georg , Del Favero Giorgia , Warth Benedikt , Marko Doris
Published: July 2021

Alternaria molds are known to cause the contamination of food with their secondary metabolites, a chemically very heterogeneous group of compounds. Yet, after decades of research on the occurrence and the toxicity of Alternaria toxins in academia, no regulation has been implemented yet, thus leaving these potential food contaminants in the status of so‐called “emerging mycotoxins”. However, research on this topic has been far from static, leading to the European Food Safety Authority repeatedly calling for more data on the occurrence and toxicity of genotoxic metabolites such as alternariol (AOH) and its monomethyl ether (AME). To give an overview on recent developments in the field, this comprehensive review summarizes published data and addresses current challenges arising from the chemical complexity of Alternaria’s metabolome, mixture effects and the emergence of novel biological targets like cell membranes or the interaction with different receptors. Besides toxicodynamics, we review recent research on toxicokinetics, including the first in vivo studies which incorporated the rarely investigated—but highly genotoxic—perylene quinones. Furthermore, a particular focus lies on the advances of liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS)‐based analytical tools for determining a broader spectrum of Alternaria toxins including modified/masked forms and assessing exposure via human biomonitoring (HBM).
1 Introduction: Urban Commerce in Ancient Mesoamerica
Authors: Paris Elizabeth H.
Published: July 2021

Nearly three decades of research have identified evidence of commercial institutions and exchange at cities throughout Mesoamerica. This introduction examines three major areas of investigation for commercial institutions in ancient Mesoamerican cities: marketplaces and urban geography; currencies, standards and credit; and the social dimensions of urban commerce. It discusses the different ways in which the contributing authors examine different commercial economies of ancient Mesoamerica through the prism of its urban centers, and the potential of this approach for further archaeological research.
11 Implications of the Marketplace at Maax Na, Belize
Authors: King Eleanor M.
Published: July 2021

Within the last decade a new economic paradigm has emerged that emphasizes the variability in economic strategies the pre‐Hispanic Maya employed. Among the most important developments is the discovery of marketplaces at several Classic Maya (250–900 CE) sites. Investigations into them and into market systems continue to fuel research, but invite broader consideration of what the presence of marketplaces might mean for regional systems of provision and control. The settlement densities revealed by new lidar data add urgency to this quest. Researchers should also consider the role of merchants, which is looming larger in our views of the pre‐Hispanic Maya world. This article examines the implications of the preliminary identification of a marketplace at the city of Maax Na for economic activities, actors, and market systems in the Three Rivers Region of Guatemala and Belize.
Wound complications and bleeding with new oral anticoagulants in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wang Mengying , Xie Jinwei , Zheng Hongchen , Wang Siyue , Zhou Ren , Li Wenyong , Xue Enci , Wang Xueheng , Jiang Jin , Wu Tao , Zhan Siyan
Published: July 2021

Aims

The results of associations between new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and wound complications after total joint arthroplasty remain inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials to make comparisons with low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) on the clinical outcomes of total wound complications, together with other efficacy and safety endpoints to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of NOACs.

Methods

This meta‐analysis was conducted based on a published protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42019140841). We searched for available articles in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library through Jun 62 021. Random‐effects meta‐analyses, including subgroup analyses, were conducted to estimate the pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for specific doses of NOACs.

Results

We retrieved 1683 studies, of which 20 were eligible for inclusion. We found that apixaban was associated with a lower incidence of total wound complications compared with LMWH (RR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.65–1.00), while dabigatran and rivaroxaban did not increase the risk of total wound complications. In addition, apixaban was associated with a reduction in the risk of major/clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding events compared to LMWH (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.65–0.99), while rivaroxaban increased the risk for major/clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding events (RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02–1.50). Moreover, all 4 NOACs were associated with lower incidences of major venous thromboembolism compared with LMWH.

Conclusion

A lower risk of wound complications was detected for apixaban, while dabigatran and rivaroxaban did not increase the risk when compared with LMWH. The efficacy of 4 NOACs was broadly similar.
Brain GLP‐1 and the regulation of food intake: GLP‐1 action in the brain and its implications for GLP‐1 receptor agonists in obesity treatment
Authors: Trapp Stefan , Brierley Daniel I.
Published: July 2021

This review considers the similarities and differences between the physiological systems regulated by gut‐derived and neuronally produced glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1). It addresses the questions of whether peripheral and central GLP‐1 sources constitute separate, linked or redundant systems and whether the brain GLP‐1 system consists of disparate sections or is a homogenous entity. This review also explores the implications of the answers to these questions for the use of GLP‐1 receptor agonists as anti‐obesity drugs.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue on GLP1 receptor ligands (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.4/issuetoc
Class, partisanship and the great recession: the conflicting influences on attitudes towards inequality during economic crises
Authors: Haddon Edward
Published: July 2021

While some scholars suggest that critical attitudes towards inequality follow the class gradient during recessions, others find that classes are largely unresponsive. In this article, I consider how party affiliation interacts with class to shape perceptions of inequality during a recession. I argue that it is important to look at the interplay between class and partisanship to better understand individual views towards inequality during times of economic crises. Leveraging data from the International Social Survey Programme before and after The Great Recession, I find that the recession did not raise awareness of inequality across classes. This is because party affiliation moderates the relationship differently according to class. Specifically, party affiliation is more important in shaping the inequality views for the upper class and less so for the working class. Future research needs to consider the interplay between class and politics when exploring how inequality attitudes respond to economic crises.
Changes in cortisol levels by continuous positive airway pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea: Meta‐analysis of 637 individuals
Authors: Ken‐Dror Gie , Fry Christopher H. , Murray Paul , Fluck David , Han Thang S.
Published: July 2021

Background

Obesity, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and hypertension frequently coexist and are associated with elevated cortisol levels. Identification and treatment of such patients is important when investigating for suspected Cushing's syndrome and hypertension. Studies of the impact of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on cortisol and blood pressure are limited by the small sample size and show conflicting findings. We conducted a meta‐analysis to document changes in the levels of cortisol and blood pressure in response to CPAP treatment of OSA.

Methods

Meta‐analysis was conducted using RevMan (v5.3) and expressed in standardized mean difference (SMD) for catecholamines and mean difference for systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The quality of the studies was evaluated using standard tools for assessing the risk of bias.

Results

A total of 22 studies met our search criteria; they consisted of 16 prospective cohort studies (PCS) that recruited 385 participants and six randomized control trials (RCT) totalling 252 participants. The range of mean age was 41–62 years and BMI 27.2–35.1 kg/m2. CPAP treatment reduced plasma cortisol levels in PCS: SMD = −0.28 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = −0.45 to −0.12], I2 = 0%, p = .79 and in RCT: SMD = −0.39 (95% CI = −0.75 to −0.03), I2 = 28.3%, p = .25. CPAP treatment reduced SBP by 5.4 mmHg (95% CI = 1.7–9.1) and DBP by 3.3 mmHg (95% CI = 1.0–5.7). Interstudy heterogeneity was low for all studies. Bias in most RCT arose from the lack of blinding of participants and personnel.

Conclusion

CPAP treatment in individuals with OSA reduces cortisol levels and blood pressure.
Contrast‐enhanced 3D‐T2‐weighted SPACE sequence for MRI detection and localization of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)‐secreting pituitary microadenomas
Authors: Wu Yue , Cai Yixin , Rui Wenting , Tang Ying , Yang Zhong , He Min , Ye Hongying , Wang Yongfei , Zhao Yao , Ma Zengyi , Yao Zhenwei
Published: July 2021

Objective

Cushing disease is a potentially fatal endocrine disorder caused by adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)‐secreting microadenomas in the pituitary gland. Accurate detection and localization of the adenomas is the key to clinical treatment. This study analysed the value of contrast‐enhanced Sampling Perfection with Application‐optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolutions (SPACE) sequence in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas.

Design and Patients

We carried out a retrospective study in which 45 patients with ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas were enrolled. Dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) coronal T1‐SE sequence was performed. A contrast‐enhanced coronal SPACE sequence was added immediately after DCE MRI finished. Two independent observers assessed the tumour existence and location, then the results were compared with surgical findings.

Results

Twenty‐four lesions (53.3%) were detected by the DCE T1‐SE sequence alone, while 35 lesions (80.0%) were detected with the addition of contrast‐enhanced SPACE sequence. The sensitivity (58.5% vs. 85.3%; p < .05) and best diagnostic accuracy (62.0% vs. 84.4%; p < .05) were significantly better for addition with SPACE sequence than DCE‐SE images alone in detection of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. For lesions <5 mm, the detected numbers were 4 (16.6%) versus 10 (27.8%) by DCE T1‐SE sequence and combined DCE T1‐SE with SPACE sequence.

Conclusions

A combination of contrast‐enhanced SPACE with DCE T1‐SE sequence could improve the detection of ACTH‐secreting pituitary microadenomas. Contrast‐enhanced SPACE sequence could be a supplementary sequence for imaging of ACTH‐secreting pituitary adenomas when T1‐SE sequence provides negative or equivocal findings.
Reactive dyes for living cells: Applications, artefacts, and some comparisons with textile dyeing
Authors: Horobin Richard W. , Stockert Juan C. , Zhang Hua
Published: July 2021

An inclusive chemical definition of “reactive” dyeing of textiles is introduced, encompassing the CI Azoic, CI Mordant, CI Reactive, CI Sulphur and CI Vat dye application classes. Such reactive dyeing increases fibre retention of dye and makes application practically possible. The analogous application of dyes and fluorescent probes as microscopic stains in biology and medicine is outlined, focussing on using reactive fluorescent probes with living cells. Parallels with textile dyeing are noted, eg, enhanced probe retention and facilitation of probe application. However, the primary purpose of using reactive probes with live cells is detection of properties of biological systems: to identify biological structures and chemical/biochemical contents; assess biological functions and physicochemical properties; and determine changes in locations of cells and cell components. Problems occurring with such probes are outlined, particularly the problematic character of many standard protocols, and localisation artefacts arising with reactive probes whose reactant and product species are physiochemically significantly different. This latter problem is explored via a case study of possible reactant/product artefacts with probes for reactive oxygen species. Comparison of experimental observations of probe localisations with the localisations predicted using quantitative structure activity (QSAR) modelling indicates that such artefacts can occur with a significant proportion of chemically diverse, widely used, commercially available probes, as well as with experimental compounds reported in the literature. A graphical flowchart is provided to assess possible occurrence of reactant/product artefacts arising with reactive fluorescent probes localising in various organelles of living cells.
A supervised learning model to identify the star potential of a basketball player
Authors: Srinivasan Ram , Balasubramanian Venki , Vidyasagar Abhishek
Published: July 2021

Basketball is a mathematical game with many abstract data interpretations. An average fan ceases to witness the revolution in sports, which is influenced using data science and analytics unless someone brings it to light. Nowadays, teams look at data and tend to make decisions on scouting the player for the team. The decision making for the coaches can be made easier using machine learning algorithms to identify the star potential of players. The paper provides a novel algorithm by building a machine learning model on all players to predict whether the player is a star or not. Besides, an interactive user interface is developed for coaches to input the player's data and to make an informed decision based on the prediction.
Ester‐linked ubiquitination by HOIL‐1 controls immune signalling by shaping the linear ubiquitin landscape
Authors: Pruneda Jonathan N. , Damgaard Rune Busk
Published: July 2021

Ester‐linked ubiquitination of serine or threonine residues – or even lipids – has emerged as a new regulatory earmark in cell signalling. Petrova et al. (2021) now reveal that ubiquitin esterification by the atypical ubiquitin ligase HOIL‐1, a component of the LUBAC complex, is critical for proper formation of linear ubiquitin chains and control of immune signalling in T cells and macrophages. Surprisingly, ester‐linked ubiquitination can either promote or inhibit linear ubiquitin conjugation and cytokine production depending on the receptor and immune cell engaged.

Comment on: https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.15896.
Hemicrania continua in a family: A report of two cases
Authors: Huang Hao , Newman Lawrence C.
Published: July 2021

Objective

To report two cases of hemicrania continua (HC) in a mother and daughter.

Background

HC is a rare primary headache disorder belonging to the family of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs). Unlike migraine, familial cases of TACs are rare, and we know relatively little of their inheritance pattern and genetic mechanisms.

Methods

We present a mother and daughter with HC. We compare the similarities and differences between this family and the first report of familial HC and discuss the implications for future studies.

Results

Both the mother and daughter presented with a constant, side‐locked headache of moderate intensity, with episodic exacerbations of more severe pain that are associated with ipsilateral cranial autonomic activation. After negative workup, both patients were started on indomethacin and achieved absolute response at different doses, confirming HC.

Conclusions

Our report further corroborates other reports of familial TACs that TACs are primary headaches possibly attributable to genetic factors, albeit detailed mechanisms remain elusive. Nevertheless, whether clinical presentation and treatment responses would be substantially different between sporadic and familial HCs remain unclear.
Sintering temperature dependency on sodium‐ion conductivity for Na2Zn2TeO6 solid electrolyte
Authors: Itaya Akihiro , Yamamoto Kazuki , Inada Ryoji
Published: July 2021

We investigated the sintering temperature dependency on the properties of Na2Zn2TeO6 (NZTO) solid electrolyte synthesized via a conventional solid‐state reaction method. Sintering temperature of calcined NZTO powder, which was obtained by the calcination of precursor at 850℃, was changed in the range from 650 to 850℃. X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that P2‐type layered NZTO phase was formed in all sintered samples without forming any secondary phases. The relative densities of sintered NZTO samples were approximately 83%−85% for the samples sintered at 700℃ or higher. The all sintered samples showed sodium‐ion conductivity above 10−4 S cm−1 at room temperature and the highest conductivity of 4.0 × 10−4 S cm−1 in the sample sintered at 750℃. The sintering temperature to obtain the highest room temperature conductivity is 100℃ lower than that used in previous works. Such low sintering temperature compared to other Na‐based oxide solid electrolytes could be useful for co‐sintering with electrode active materials for fabrication of all‐solid‐state sodium‐ion battery.
Synthesis of three‐dimensional mesoporous Ni2Fe2N nanocube by micro‐NaCl matrix
Authors: Wu Shengyuan , Choi Hyung Wook , Jeong Dong In , Kim Jiwon , Kang Bong Kyun , Yoon Dae Ho
Published: July 2021

In this study, 3D nanostructured nickel and iron‐based Prussian blue analogue (Ni‐Fe PBA)‐based nitride nanoparticles with uniform morphology and excellent monodispersity were prepared by salt‐matrix annealing method. We tried to let the PBA‐based nitrides maintain the high specific surface area structure with a well‐nitride surface by this method. Unlike Ni‐Fe PBA particles annealed without NaCl, the obtained particles have a similar size as precursors, uniform morphology, and an N‐doped carbon shell covered. The surface area and pore size were calculated to be 94.02 m2g−1 and 3.76 nm.
Polymer‐derived FexSiy/SiC@SiOC ceramic nanocomposites with tunable microwave absorption behavior
Authors: Zhou Cong , Li Shuang , Yu Zhaoju
Published: July 2021

Iron‐containing PSO precursors (FePSO) were synthesized by modification of polysiloxane with different amounts of ferric acetylacetonate [Fe(acac)3], then porous SiFeCO ceramics were successfully prepared by subsequent pyrolysis. The chemical modification and ceramization process of PFSO precursors were studied by FT‐IR and TGA measurements. XRD patterns imply that the SiC crystalline can be easily observed when PFSO was exposed to 1200℃ in nitrogen atmosphere, while pure PSO exhibited broad diffraction peaks of SiC at 1500℃, meaning that the grain coarsening of SiC was accelerated by adding iron. The crystallization behavior of ferric silicide (FexSiy) is complex due to the variation of iron content in feed and annealing temperature, and FexSiy/SiC@SiOC nanocomposites were produced after annealing. Because of the in‐situ formation of SiC, FexSiy, and carbon strips in nanocomposites, PFSO‐derived ceramics demonstrate enhanced microwave absorption performance. The best effective absorption bandwidth (<−10 dB) and the minimum reflection loss are 2.6 GHz and −38 dB, respectively, which are achieved in the sample PFSO‐3–1300℃. FexSiy/SiC@SiOC nanocomposites synthesized in this work exhibit potential application in the field of electromagnetic interference, the carbon content and the crystallization behavior of FexSiy are the critical factors for the performance optimization.
Inhibition of Janus Kinase 1 synergizes docetaxel sensitivity in prostate cancer cells
Authors: Nalairndran Geetha , Chung Ivy , Abdul Razack Azad Hassan , Chung Felicia Fei‐Lei , Hii Ling‐Wei , Lim Wei‐Meng , Looi Chin King , Mai Chun‐Wai , Leong Chee‐Onn
Published: July 2021

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common malignancy and is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality among men globally. Docetaxel‐based therapy remains the first‐line treatment for metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer. However, dose‐limiting toxicity including neutropenia, myelosuppression and neurotoxicity is the major reason for docetaxel dose reductions and fewer cycles administered, despite a recent study showing a clear survival benefit with increased total number of docetaxel cycles in PCa patients. Although previous studies have attempted to improve the efficacy and reduce docetaxel toxicity through drug combination, no drug has yet demonstrated improved overall survival in clinical trial, highlighting the challenges of improving the activity of docetaxel monotherapy in PCa. Herein, we identified 15 lethality hits for which inhibition could enhance docetaxel sensitivity in PCa cells via a high‐throughput kinome‐wide loss‐of‐function screen. Further drug‐gene interactions analyses identified Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) as a viable druggable target with existing experimental inhibitors and FDA‐approved drugs. We demonstrated that depletion of endogenous JAK1 enhanced docetaxel‐induced apoptosis in PCa cells. Furthermore, inhibition of JAK1/2 by baricitinib and ruxolitinib synergizes docetaxel sensitivity in both androgen receptor (AR)–negative DU145 and PC3 cells, but not in the AR‐positive LNCaP cells. In contrast, no synergistic effects were observed in cells treated with JAK2‐specific inhibitor, fedratinib, suggesting that the synergistic effects are mainly mediated through JAK1 inhibition. In conclusion, the combination therapy with JAK1 inhibitors and docetaxel could be a useful therapeutic strategy in the treatment of prostate cancers.
Ten‐year questionnaire study on human papillomavirus vaccination targeting new female medical school students: Follow‐up to the 2015 report
Authors: Sukegawa Akiko , Ohshige Kenji , Suzuki Yukio , Mizushima Taichi , Ueda Yutaka , Sekine Masayuki , Enomoto Takayuki , Miyagi Etsuko
Published: July 2021

Aim

We aimed to conduct a fixed‐point observation questionnaire survey of changes in young women's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination status over the course of 10 years. We also investigated the influence of suspension of governmental recommendation for HPV vaccination since June 2013.

Methods

During 2011–2020, we conducted a self‐completed questionnaire survey among newly enrolled female medical school students in Yokohama, Japan. The questionnaire featured items regarding HPV vaccination status, age, previous sex education, and knowledge about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination.

Results

HPV vaccine uptake rates in 2011 (5.4%) and 2012 (13.5%), when vaccination was self‐funded, increased after 2013 (48.7%), when vaccination fees were subsidized. The rate dropped drastically in 2019 (14.3%) and 2020 (5.1%), after suspension of recommendation by the government. Comparisons between new students in 2015/2016, who had high vaccination rates (65.2%), and new students in 2019/2020, who had low vaccination rates (9.8%), showed decreased levels of HPV vaccination awareness, with fewer students having covered cervical cancer prevention in sex education and with respondents having less knowledge about the details of HPV vaccination.

Conclusions

After the suspension of proactive HPV vaccine recommendation, markedly fewer students have been vaccinated against HPV, even those at the vaccination target age. This situation has substantially influenced the lower awareness about cervical cancer prevention, even among medical school students. To protect young women from cervical cancer in Japan, it is crucial for the government to resume proactive recommendation of HPV vaccines as soon as possible.
Effect of systemic atherosclerosis on overactive bladder symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia
Authors: Lee Dongu , Koo Kyo Chul , Yoo Jeong Woo , Lee Kwang Suk
Published: July 2021

Objective

Symptoms of male overactive bladder (OAB) may be caused by several systemic pathophysiological factors rather than a single‐source etiology. We investigated the clinical factors associated with the severity of OAB symptoms in treatment‐naïve men with coexisting benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Methods

We obtained records from a health promotion center database of male patients who visited between March 2019 and February 2020. Men without a history of treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, transrectal ultrasonography, medical history, and carotid duplex ultrasound for the evaluation of atherosclerosis. Benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptoms (BPH/LUTS) was defined as an IPSS of eight points or higher. Patients with comorbidities that may affect their voiding function were excluded.

Results

A total of 764 patients were divided into two groups based on their diagnosis: an OAB group and a non‐OAB group. The non‐OAB group consisted of 627 patients (82.1%) and the OAB group consisted of 137 patients (17.9%). Using multivariable analysis BPH/LUTS was identified as an independent risk factor for OAB. In the OAB group without BPH/LUTS, carotid atherosclerosis was significantly associated with the severity of OAB symptoms. A history of diabetes mellitus was the only variable that was associated with the severity of urinary urgency. Systolic blood pressure was associated with severity of urinary urgency in the OAB group with BPH/LUTS.

Conclusions

Factors associated with male OAB exhibit different pathophysiology in the severity of symptoms depending on the presence of BPH/LUTS. Treatment for atherosclerosis and associated systemic pathophysiological factors could lower OAB symptom severity in male patients without BPH/LUTS.
Acquittal from Knowledge Laundering
Authors: Piñeros Glasscock Juan S.
Published: July 2021

Subject‐sensitive invariantism (SSI), the view that whether a subject knows depends on the practical stakes, has been charged with ‘knowledge laundering’: together with widely held knowledge‐transmission principles, SSI appears to allow improper knowledge acquisition. I argue that this objection fails because it depends on faulty versions of transmission principles that would raise problems for any view. When transmission principles are properly understood, they are shown to be compatible with SSI because they do not give rise to improper knowledge acquisition. The upshot is a better understanding of the nature and structure of these transmission principles.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in infants: A quarter century of nationwide efforts in Japan
Authors: Tomizawa Daisuke , Miyamura Takako , Koh Katsuyoshi , Ishii Eiichi
Published: July 2021

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with KMT2A gene rearrangement (KMT2A‐r) in infants is a biologically and clinically unique disease and one of the most difficult to cure forms of pediatric leukemia. Multicenter clinical trials have been carried out in Japan since the mid‐1990s by introducing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in first remission, which led to a modest improvement in outcome of infants with KMT2A‐r ALL. Because of the emerging evidence that HSCT does not benefit every infant with KMT2A‐r ALL, the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group trial MLL‐10 introduced risk stratification using age and presence of central nervous system leukemia, and introduced intensive chemotherapy, including high‐dose cytarabine in early consolidation; indication of HSCT was restricted to the patients with high‐risk features. The trial resulted in excellent 3‐year event‐free survival of 66.2% (standard error, 5.6%) and overall survival of 83.9% (standard error, 4.3%) for 75 patients with KMT2A‐r ALL recruited between 2011 and 2015. This Japanese experience and the results of the infant ALL trials worldwide suggest the importance of introducing effective therapy in the early phase of therapy, thus clearing minimal residual disease as rapidly as possible. However, further improvement in outcome is unlikely with conventional treatment approaches. Introduction of biology‐driven novel agents and/or immunotherapies through international collaboration would be key solutions to overcome the disease.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐C*04:451 allele by sequencing‐based typing
Authors: Blandin Lucie , Visentin Jonathan , Ralazamahaleo Mamy , Lemal Richard , Rouzaire Paul
Published: July 2021

HLA‐C*04:451 differs from HLA‐C*04:01:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 229 in exon 4.
Identification of the novel HLA‐DPA1, DPA1*01:56 by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: T. Galluccio , P. Giustiniani , A. Guagnano , A. Di Luzio , M. Andreani
Published: July 2021

The novel HLA‐DPA1*01:56 allele differs from HLA‐DPA1*01:03:01:04 by one nucleotide substitution in Exon 3.
Immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients with Covid‐19: More data, but still complicated
Authors: Heldman Madeleine R. , Kates Olivia S. , Fisher Cynthia E. , Limaye Ajit P.
Published: July 2021

“Outcomes of COVID‐19 in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients: a matched cohort study” by Pereira et al found similar 28 day mortality among hospitalized SOT recipients and comorbidity matched controls, shedding light on the relationship between immunosuppression and Covid‐19 outcomes.