bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of membership fluidity on the coevolution of the social and knowledge systems in online knowledge communities
Authors: Qiu Jiangnan , Gu Wenjing , Ma Zhongming , You Yue , Cai Chengjie , Zhang Meihui
Published: February 2023

Purpose

In the extant research on online knowledge communities (OKCs), little attention has been paid to the influence of membership fluidity on the coevolution of the social and knowledge systems. This article aims to fill this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the attraction-selection-attrition (ASA) framework, this paper constructs a simulation model to study the coevolution of these two systems under different levels of membership fluidity.

Findings

By analyzing the evolution of these systems with the vector autoregression (VAR) method, we find that social and knowledge systems become more orderly as the coevolution progresses. Furthermore, in communities with low membership fluidity, the microlevel of the social system (i.e. users) drives the coevolution, whereas in communities with high membership fluidity, the microlevel of the knowledge system (i.e. users' views) drives the coevolution.

Originality/value

This paper extends the application of the ASA framework and enriches the literature on membership fluidity of online communities and the literature on driving factors for coevolution of the social and knowledge systems in OKCs. On a practical level, our work suggests that community administrators should adopt different strategies for different membership fluidity to efficiently promote the coevolution of the social and knowledge systems in OKCs.
“We adapted because we had to”: how domestic violence perpetrator programmes adapted to work under COVID-19 in the UK, the USA and Australia
Authors: Bellini Rosanna , Westmarland Nicole
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study explores responses by domestic violence perpetrator programme (DVPP) providers of three Western countries (UK, USA and Australia) to the COVID-19 pandemic and population movement control measures on their practice. The purpose of this paper was to offer an evidence base for changes to programme and intervention delivery around domestic violence to sustain integrity of safe, effective working practices with perpetrators, survivors and staff.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on 36 semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted from July to September 2020, the authors mapped the experiences of changes in service with frontline staff, managers and sector-wide representatives.

Findings

The findings focus on how providers of DVPPs adapted to the increase in referrals and workload that had a positive impact on service delivery innovation but an adverse impact on staff wellbeing. Digital services were reported to be adopted into mainstream approaches but introduced new barriers to service access and group dynamics. Integrated safety support for survivors, if not adequately connected to programmes pre-pandemic, risked being disconnected from DVPP that may undermine positive programme outcomes.

Originality/value

The paper provides a documentation of changes in DVPPs, and a cross-comparison of services across three Western countries during the first wave of COVID-19. The work offers implications of the development of digital modes of service delivery for DVPPs and highlights the need for focus on resource management and integration of safety services for survivors in DVPP services.
Can salespeople use social media to enhance brand awareness and sales performance? The role of manager empowerment and creativity
Authors: Kalra Ashish , Itani Omar S. , Rostami Amin
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Although research analyzing the consequences of salesperson social media use in driving sales behaviors and performance outcomes has proliferated in the recent past, there are significant research gaps in the domain. Grounded in task-technology fit theory, this paper aims to propose a conceptual framework that integrates between previously disjointed areas of research and analyzes the relationships between salesperson social media use, brand awareness, creativity, manager empowerment and company performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey responses were collected from a multi-industry sample of 158 business-to-business salespeople. Structural relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The analysis shows that salesperson social media use positively affects brand awareness. The relationship between social media and brand awareness is magnified with the increase in salesperson creativity. Findings also show that manager empowerment increases salesperson creativity. Finally, brand awareness positively affects company performance.

Practical implications

Sales organizations should focus on developing digital strategies, especially focusing on salesperson social media use to enhance company’s brand awareness, which in turn increases company performance. Moreover, sales managers should also follow empowering leader behaviors to enhance creativity.

Originality/value

The authors amalgamate salesperson social media use literature and branding literature by proposing salesperson social media use’s positive effects on brand awareness. This study also expands the knowledge by exploring the moderating effect of individual-level variables such as salesperson creativity on driving the effects of salesperson social media use.
Thinking of how you think of me: working cancer survivors' metaperceptions of competence and why they matter
Authors: Zheng Dianhan , Marbut Alexander R. , Zhang Jing , Britt Avery , Nwadike David
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Cancer-related stigma is a troubling challenge faced by working cancer survivors and organizations aiming to promote inclusive work environments. Research suggests that a harmful stereotype faced by cancer survivors is that the cancer survivors are low in competence. Leveraging the concept of the looking glass self and social cognitive theory, the authors develop a theoretical model about psychological processes through which cancer survivors' competence metaperceptions are related to work outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors recruited 200 working cancer survivors from online research panels and empirically test a theoretical model on how cancer survivors' metaperceptions of competence are related to the survivors' turnover intention and vigor at work. The authors additionally conducted an experimental vignette study among a sample of 133 students to examine confounds concerning causal order.

Findings

The authors found that favorable competence metaperceptions were related to decreased turnover intentions and increased vigor through cancer survivors' enhanced self-efficacy, especially for survivors high in need for emotional support.

Practical implications

This study suggests that inclusive organizations should pay attention to employees with cancer histories as a hidden disadvantaged group. To protect and motivate working cancer survivors, managers need to create a positive socio-cognitive working environment where cancer survivors are respected and valued.

Originality/value

By examining cancer survivors' metaperceptions and showing that survivors may internalize others' stereotype about individuals with a history of cancer, the authors advance the understanding about cancer survivors' return-to-work challenges.
The impact of digital finance on stock price crash risk: evidence from China
Authors: Wang Wenjing , Wang Moting , Dong Yizhi
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The paper's purpose is to investigate the effects of digital finance on the risk of stock price crashes and the underlying transmission mechanisms, and to provide suggestions to inhibit the stock crash risk (CR).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper selects all companies that were listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2020. It then uses the two-way fixed effect model and the intermediary effect model to verify such effects.

Findings

The overall outcomes demonstrate such a result that the CR of listed companies in China can be significantly reduced by the development of digital finance, and the overall transparency of business financial information and the equity pledge of controlling shareholders are the two underlying transmission mechanisms that digital finance can cause effects on the CR of stocks.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations are that there may exist some problems in the method for evaluating the CR of stocks. And there may be a problem of endogeneity caused by the empirical model cannot control all correlation variables.

Practical implications

This paper would provide policy implications, for different roles, to inhibit the stock CR and to make the development of the economy more stabilize.

Social implications

Digital finance can promote economic development while restraining financial risks at the same time. Therefore, although this study is based on the relevant data from China, it can also provide a reference for other economies with different basic conditions from China, to promote the overall development of the world economy.

Originality/value

The current academic research on digital finance or stock price CR has been relatively sufficient, but there are few papers that combined both. By combining digital finance with stock CR, this paper researches the influence of digital finance on the CR of stocks through empirical analysis. So, this paper would provide new research ideas and evidence for potential influence factors of the CR of stocks, fill the gap in this research field and provide certain help for subsequent scholars to conduct relevant research.
Integrating channel design and assessment methods based on sediment transport capacity in gravel bed streams
Authors: Yaryan Hall Holly R. , Bledsoe Brian P.
Published: February 2023

Natural channel design (NCD) and analytical channel design (ACD) are two competing approaches to stable channel design that share fundamental similarities in accounting for sediment transport processes with designs based on hybrid fluvial geomorphology and hydraulic engineering methods. In this paper, we highlight the linkage between ACD's capacity/supply ratio (CSR) and NCD's sediment capacity models (FLOWSED/POWERSED), illustrating how ACD and NCD have reached a point of convergent evolution within the stream restoration toolbox. We modified an existing CSR analytical spreadsheet tool which enabled us to predict relative channel stability using both conventional bed load transport equations and regional sediment regression curves. The stable channel design solutions based on measured data most closely matched the Parker (ACD) and/or Pagosa good/fair (NCD) relationships, which also showed the greatest CSR sensitivity in response to channel alterations. We found that CSR differences among the transport relationships became more extreme the further the design width deviated from the supply reach, suggesting that a stable upstream supply reach may serve as the best design analog. With this paper, we take a step toward resolving lingering controversy in the field of stream restoration, advancing the science and practice by reconciling key differences between ACD and NCD in the context of reach scale morphodynamics.
Patterns of new glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist use in patients with type 2 diabetes during 2014–2019 from a US database: prescriber and patient characteristics
Authors: Lingvay Ildiko , Aroda Vanita R. , Honoré Julie Broe , Ersbøll Anne S. , Nystrup Husemoen Lise Lotte , Jensen Anders Boeck , Sommer Matthiessen Kasper , Kosiborod Mikhail Naum
Published: February 2023

Highlights This study demonstrates that initiation of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), including those with concomitant atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), has remained low in the United States between 2014 and 2019, despite clinical evidence supporting their use for cardiovascular risk reduction. These findings add to the existing literature to highlight a gap in adherence to current practice guidelines, which suggests that most patients with T2D and ASCVD in the United States may not be receiving optimal risk‐reducing therapies.
Other iatrogenic immunodeficiency‐associated lymphoproliferative disorders in a patient with anti‐melanoma differentiation‐associated gene 5‐positive dermatomyositis: A case report and systematic literature review
Authors: Nishimura Nozomi , Niwamoto Takafumi , Arai Yasuyuki , Nakashima Ran , Terada Kazuhiro , Yoshizawa Akihiko , Sakamoto Ryo , Tanizawa Kiminobu , Handa Tomohiro , Morinobu Akio , Hirai Toyohiro
Published: February 2023

A 58‐year‐old man with anti‐melanoma differentiation‐associated gene 5‐positive dermatomyositis (MDA5‐DM) developed Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐associated malignant lymphoma as other iatrogenic immunodeficiency‐associated lymphoproliferative disorders (OIIA‐LPD) during the combined immunosuppressive therapy of high‐dose prednisolone, tacrolimus, and intravenous cyclophosphamide for MDA5‐DM. Serum EBV DNA was detected, and EBV‐encoded small RNA was positive in the tissue sample of LPD, indicating that EBV reactivation contributed to the pathogenesis of LPD in our case. The patient underwent chemotherapy, including rituximab, promptly after discontinuation of tacrolimus and cyclophosphamide, resulting in complete remission of the malignant lymphoma, and MDA5‐DM has not recurred with 3.5 mg/d of prednisolone monotherapy. We reviewed 19 cases of OIIA‐LPD in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and herein report the first case of MDA5‐DM complicated with OIIA‐LPD. Among the 19 patients, 7 showed regression of LPD only following withdrawal of immunosuppressants, 9 took chemotherapy for LPD, and 5 died. It should be noted that patients with MDA5‐DM‐associated rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease could develop OIIA‐LPD because they receive aggressive immunosuppressive therapy.
Endosomal trafficking protein TBC‐2 modulates stress resistance and lifespan through DAF‐16‐dependent and independent mechanisms
Authors: Traa Annika , Soo Sonja K. , AlOkda Abdelrahman , Ko Bokang , Rocheleau Christian E. , Van Raamsdonk Jeremy M.
Published: February 2023

The FOXO transcription factor, DAF‐16, plays an integral role in insulin/IGF‐1 signaling (IIS) and stress response. In conditions of stress or decreased IIS, DAF‐16 moves to the nucleus where it activates genes that promote survival. To gain insight into the role of endosomal trafficking in resistance to stress, we disrupted tbc‐2, which encodes a GTPase activating protein that inhibits RAB‐5 and RAB‐7. We found that tbc‐2 mutants have decreased nuclear localization of DAF‐16 in response to heat stress, anoxia, and bacterial pathogen stress, but increased nuclear localization of DAF‐16 in response to chronic oxidative stress and osmotic stress. tbc‐2 mutants also exhibit decreased upregulation of DAF‐16 target genes in response to stress. To determine whether the rate of nuclear localization of DAF‐16 affected stress resistance in these animals, we examined survival after exposure to multiple exogenous stressors. Disruption of tbc‐2 decreased resistance to heat stress, anoxia, and bacterial pathogen stress in both wild‐type worms and stress‐resistant daf‐2 insulin/IGF‐1 receptor mutants. Similarly, deletion of tbc‐2 decreases lifespan in both wild‐type worms and daf‐2 mutants. When DAF‐16 is absent, the loss of tbc‐2 is still able to decrease lifespan but has little or no impact on resistance to most stresses. Combined, this suggests that disruption of tbc‐2 affects lifespan through both DAF‐16‐dependent and DAF‐16‐independent pathways, while the effect of tbc‐2 deletion on resistance to stress is primarily DAF‐16‐dependent. Overall, this work demonstrates the importance of endosomal trafficking for the proper nuclear localization of DAF‐16 during stress and that perturbation of normal endosomal trafficking is sufficient to decrease both stress resistance and lifespan.
A population pharmacokinetic model to guide clozapine dose selection, based on age, sex, ethnicity, body weight and smoking status
Authors: Reeves Suzanne , Bertrand Julie , Obee Stephen John , Hunter Samora , Howard Robert , Flanagan Robert James
Published: February 2023

Aims

Guidance on clozapine dosing in treatment‐resistant schizophrenia is based largely on data from White young adult males. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetic profiles of clozapine and N‐desmethylclozapine (norclozapine) across the age range, accounting for sex, ethnicity, smoking status and body weight.

Methods

A population pharmacokinetic model, implemented in Monolix, that linked plasma clozapine and norclozapine via a metabolic rate constant, was used to analyse data from a clozapine therapeutic drug monitoring service, 1993–2017.

Results

There were 17 787 measurements from 5960 patients (4315 male) aged 18–86 years. The estimated clozapine plasma clearance was reduced from 20.2 to 12.0 L h−1 between 20 and 80 years. Model‐based dose predictions to attain a predose plasma clozapine concentration of 0.35 mg L−1 was 275 (90% prediction interval 125, 625) mg day−1 in nonsmoking, White males weighing 70 kg and aged 40 years. The corresponding predicted dose was increased by 30% in smokers, decreased by 18% in females, and was 10% higher and 14% lower in otherwise analogous Afro‐Caribbean and Asian patients, respectively. Overall, the predicted dose decreased by 56% between 20 and 80 years.

Conclusion

The large sample size and wide age range of the patients studied allowed precise estimation of dose requirements to attain predose clozapine concentration of 0.35 mg L−1. The analysis was, however, limited by the absence of data on clinical outcome and future studies are required to determine optimal predose concentrations specifically in those aged over 65 years.
Pontine control of rapid eye movement sleep and fear memory
Authors: Wen Yu Jun , Yang Wen Jia , Guo Chun Ni , Qiu Mei Hong , Kroeger Daniel , Niu Jian Guo , Zhan Shu Qin , Yang Xi Fei , Gisabella Barbara , Vetrivelan Ramalingam , Lu Jun
Published: February 2023

Aims

We often experience dreams of strong irrational and negative emotional contents with postural muscle paralysis during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but how REM sleep is generated and its function remain unclear. In this study, we investigate whether the dorsal pontine sub‐laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (SLD) is necessary and sufficient for REM sleep and whether REM sleep elimination alters fear memory.

Methods

To investigate whether activation of SLD neurons is sufficient for REM sleep induction, we expressed channelrhodopsin‐2 (ChR2) in SLD neurons by bilaterally injecting AAV1‐hSyn‐ChR2‐YFP in rats. We next selectively ablated either glutamatergic or GABAergic neurons from the SLD in mice in order to identify the neuronal subset crucial for REM sleep. We finally  investigated the role of REM sleep in consolidation of fear memory using rat model with complete SLD lesions.

Results

We demonstrate the sufficiency of the SLD for REM sleep by showing that photo‐activation of ChR2 transfected SLD neurons selectively promotes transitions from non‐REM (NREM) sleep to REM sleep in rats. Diphtheria toxin‐A (DTA) induced lesions of the SLD in rats or specific deletion of SLD glutamatergic neurons but not GABAergic neurons in mice completely abolish REM sleep, demonstrating the necessity of SLD glutamatergic neurons for REM sleep. We then show that REM sleep elimination by SLD lesions in rats significantly enhances contextual and cued fear memory consolidation by 2.5 and 1.0 folds, respectively, for at least 9 months. Conversely, fear conditioning and fear memory trigger doubled amounts of REM sleep in the following night, and chemo‐activation of SLD neurons projecting to the medial septum (MS) selectively enhances hippocampal theta activity in REM sleep; this stimulation immediately after fear acquisition reduces contextual and cued fear memory consolidation by 60% and 30%, respectively.

Conclusion

SLD glutamatergic neurons generate REM sleep and REM sleep and SLD via the hippocampus particularly down‐regulate contextual fear memory.
Effect of bee bread on Africanized honey bees infected with spores of Nosema spp.
Authors: Pérez‐Morfi Alejandro , Canto Azucena , Feldman Richard E. , Medina‐Medina Luis A. , Estrella‐Maldonado Humberto , Rodríguez Rosalina , Andrade José Luis
Published: February 2023

Floral diversity allows honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (including its hybrids between subspecies) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), to meet their nutritional requirements. However, infection by Nosema spp. (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) destroys a bee's digestive epithelium, hindering the ability to absorb nutrients. In some subtropical regions, such as the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, nosemosis is one of the most widespread diseases in commercial apiaries. To date, there have been no reports of colony deaths attributable to the disease. It is possible that the naturally occurring diet in the Yucatan Peninsula sustains honey bee health. We tested this hypothesis by evaluating the effect of four diets – bee bread collected in the Yucatan's rainy and dry seasons, sucrose syrup, and a pollen substitute – on the response of caged Africanized honey bees (A. m. scutellata × A. m. adansonii × A. mellifera) to nosemosis infection (treatment with spores of Nosema apis Zander and Nosema ceranae Fries). We found that infected and uninfected bees consumed food in similar amounts regardless of the diet, although, overall, they fed at significantly lower rates when provided the pollen‐substitute diet. Bees fed either of the bee bread diets had relatively low fat‐body weight and expression of Vg, proPO, and GOx genes, three genes related to immune function. Bees fed sucrose syrup had low fat‐body weight but relatively high gene expression. Infection from Nosema spores only reduced the individual survival probability for bees fed the bee bread collected in the dry season, yet bees fed the dry‐season bee bread had the lowest infection rates. Our results indicate that natural stored bee bread in honey bee colonies from the Yucatan Peninsula could be one of the main factors influencing their survival and reducing Nosema spp. spore load.
Adjunctive cenobamate in highly active and ultra‐refractory focal epilepsy: A “real‐world” retrospective study
Authors: Peña‐Ceballos Javier , Moloney Patrick B. , Munteanu Tudor , Doyle Michael , Colleran Niamh , Liggan Brenda , Breen Annette , Murphy Sinead , El‐Naggar Hany , Widdess‐Walsh Peter , Delanty Norman
Published: February 2023

Objective

Recent clinical trials have shown that cenobamate substantially improves seizure control in focal‐onset drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE). However, little is known about cenobamate's performance in highly active (≥20 seizures/month) and ultra‐refractory focal epilepsy (≥6 failed epilepsy treatments, including antiseizure medications [ASMs], epilepsy surgery, and vagus nerve stimulation). Here, we studied cenobamate's efficacy and tolerability in a “real‐world” severe DRE cohort.

Methods

We conducted a single‐center retrospective analysis of consecutive adults treated with cenobamate between October 2020 and September 2022. All patients received cenobamate through an Early Access Program. Cenobamate retention, seizure outcomes, treatment‐emergent adverse events, and adjustments to concomitant ASMs were analyzed.

Results

Fifty‐seven patients received cenobamate for at least 3 months (median duration, 11 months). The median cenobamate dose was 250 mg/day (range 75–350 mg). Baseline demographics were consistent with highly active (median seizure frequency, 60/month) and ultra‐refractory epilepsy (median previously failed ASMs, nine). Most (87.8%) had prior epilepsy surgery and/or vagus nerve stimulation. Six patients stopped cenobamate due to lack of efficacy and/or adverse events. One patient died from factors unrelated to cenobamate. Among patients who continued cenobamate, three achieved seizure freedom (5.3% of cohort), 24 had a 75%–99% reduction in seizures (42.1% of cohort), and 16 had a 50%–74% reduction (28.1% of cohort). Cenobamate led to abolition of focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures in 55.6% (20/36) of patients. Among treatment responders, 67.4% (29/43) were treated with cenobamate doses of ≥250 mg/day. Three‐fourths of patients reported at least one side‐effect, most commonly fatigue and somnolence. Adverse events most commonly emerged at cenobamate doses of ≥250 mg/day. Side‐effects were partially manageable by reducing the overall ASM burden, most often clobazam, eslicarbazepine, and perampanel.

Significance

Patients with highly active and ultra‐refractory focal epilepsy experienced meaningful seizure outcomes on cenobamate. Emergence of adverse events at doses above 250 mg/day may limit the potential for further improvements in seizure control at higher cenobamate doses.
Pustular psoriasis in Malaysia: A review of the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry 2007–2018
Authors: Teoh Xin Yun , Suganthy Robinson , Voo Sook Yee Michelle , Tang Min Moon ,   The Malaysian Psoriasis Registry Working Group
Published: February 2023

Pustular psoriasis (PP) is an uncommon subtype of psoriasis with distinct genetic features and clinical phenotypes. Patients with PP tend to experience frequent flares and significant morbidity. This study aims to determine the clinical characteristics, co‐morbidities and treatment of PP patients in Malaysia. This was a cross‐sectional study of patients with PP notified to the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry (MPR) between January 2007 and December 2018. Of 21 735 psoriasis patients, 148 (0.7%) had pustular psoriasis. Of these, 93 (62.8%) were diagnosed with generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) and 55 (37.2%) with localized PP (LPP). The mean age for pustular psoriasis onset was 31.71 ± 18.33 years with a male to female ratio of 1:2.1. Patients with PP were more likely to have dyslipidaemia (23.6% vs. 16.5%, p = 0.022), severe disease (Body surface area >10 and/or Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] >10) (64.8% vs. 50%, p = 0.003) and require systemic therapy (51.4% vs. 13.9%, p < 0.001) compared to non‐PP patients. Patients with PP also suffered greater impairment to their quality of life (DLQI >10, 48.9% vs. 40.3%, p = 0.046), had more days off school/work (2.06 ± 6.09 vs. 0.5 ± 4.91, p = 0.004) and a higher mean number of hospitalizations (0.31 ± 0.95 vs. 0.05 ± 1.22, p = 0.001) in 6 months compared to non‐PP patients. Overall, 0.7% of psoriasis patients in the MPR had pustular psoriasis. Patients with PP had a higher rate of dyslipidaemia, severe disease, greater impairment of quality of life and systemic therapy usage compared to other psoriasis subtypes.
Root traits of perennial C4 grasses contribute to cultivar variations in soil chemistry and species patterns in particulate and mineral‐associated carbon pool formation
Authors: Kelly‐Slatten Megan J. , Stewart Catherine E. , Tfaily Malak M. , Jastrow Julie D. , Sasso Abigail , de Graaff Marie‐Anne
Published: February 2023

Recent studies have indicated that the C4 perennial bioenergy crops switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) accumulate significant amounts of soil carbon (C) owing to their extensive root systems. Soil C accumulation is likely driven by inter‐ and intraspecific variability in plant traits, but the mechanisms that underpin this variability remain unresolved. In this study we evaluated how inter‐ and intraspecific variation in root traits of cultivars from switchgrass (Cave‐in‐Rock, Kanlow, Southlow) and big bluestem (Bonanza, Southlow, Suther) affected the associations of soil C accumulation across soil fractions using stable isotope techniques. Our experimental field site was established in June 2008 at Fermilab in Batavia, IL. In 2018, soil cores were collected (30 cm depth) from all cultivars. We measured root biomass, root diameter, specific root length, bulk soil C, C associated with coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) and fine particulate organic matter plus silt‐ and clay‐sized fractions, and characterized organic matter chemical class composition in soil using high‐resolution Fourier‐transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. C4 species were established on soils that supported C3 grassland for 36 years before planting, which allowed us to use differences in the natural abundance of stable C isotopes to quantify C4 plant‐derived C. We found that big bluestem had 36.9% higher C4 plant‐derived C compared to switchgrass in the CPOM fraction in the 0–10 cm depth, while switchgrass had 60.7% higher C4 plant‐derived C compared to big bluestem in the clay fraction in the 10–20 cm depth. Our findings suggest that the large root system in big bluestem helps increase POM‐C formation quickly, while switchgrass root structure and chemistry build a mineral‐bound clay C pool through time. Thus, both species and cultivar selection can help improve bioenergy management to maximize soil carbon gains and lower CO2 emissions.
On the Duty of Scholars to Aid Their Persecuted Peers
Authors: O'Dwyer Shaun
Published: February 2023

Global threats to academic freedom are multiplying not only in an era of authoritarian resurgence, but also – less overtly – in an era of increasingly managerial governance of higher‐education sectors in democratic nations, where protection of institutional revenue streams, and of institutional reputation, may take priority over protection of scholars' and students' academic freedoms. In such circumstances, justifications for rendering aid to at‐risk scholars and students have become obscured. This article argues that the Kantian concept of imperfect duty can be adapted to theorizing collective, institutional obligations to aid those scholars and students, undertaken in light of academic freedom as a constitutive institutional value.
Captioning and repetition for Chinese students' immediate and delayed retention of English‐speaking multimedia lessons
Authors: Liu Yinan
Published: February 2023

Background Studies

Captioning and repetition are widely used multimedia instructional devices for non‐native students. Generally, studies in this area have tended to focus on second language literacy skills rather than on learning new content knowledge. Additionally, posttests were administered immediately after the treatments, while the delayed influences of captioning and repetition have never been investigated.

Objectives

This paper addressed these research gaps in two separate studies. More specifically, this study attempted to examine the influences of captioning and repetition on non‐native students' immediate and relayed retention.

Methods

In Study One, three captioning conditions; word‐by‐word captions, closed captions, and no‐captions; were compared to examine their efficacies in immediate and delayed content knowledge retention on 82 Chinese university students. To address the limitations in Study One as the multimedia lesson was short and played only once, Study Two incorporated captioning and two repetition types in its design. One hundred and eleven Chinese university students watch a video lesson in one of four captioning and repetition conditions.

Results

The statistical analyses of Study One indicated that there were no significant differences in both immediate and delayed retention test scores across the three captioning condition. Similarly, in Study Two, there were no significant differences in retention tests scores across the four captioning and repetition conditions.

Findings

Neither the availability of captions nor the repetition types had any impact on the Chinese students' immediate or delayed content knowledge retention, which lent support to existing studies. Based on the research results, the limitations and future study possibilities are discussed.
Association between pulse wave velocity and the 10‐year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the Chinese population: A community‐based study
Authors: Yi Tieci , Gao Lan , Fan Fangfang , Jiang Yimeng , Jia Jia , Zhang Yan , Li Jianping , Huo Yong
Published: February 2023

Accumulated evidence has shown that carotid‐femoral and brachial‐ankle PWV well predict cardiovascular events but it is still unclear if the predictability is same or not. In this cross‐sectional study based on a community atherosclerosis cohort in Beijing, China, a total of 5282 participants without previous coronary heart disease and stroke were enrolled from a community atherosclerosis cohort in Beijing, China. The 10‐year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk were calculated by the China‐PAR model, and < 5%, 5%–10% and > 10% were defined as low, intermediate, and high risk, respectively. The average baPWV and cfPWV values were 16.63 ± 3.35 m/s and 8.45 ± 1.78 m/s, respectively. The mean 10‐year ASCVD risk was 6.98% (interquartile range: 3.90%–12.01%). The patients with low, intermediate, and high 10‐year ASCVD risk accounted for 34.84% (1840), 31.94% (1687),, and 33.23% (1755) respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that for every 1 m/s increase in baPWV and cfPWV, the 10‐year ASCVD risk increased by 0.60% (95% confidence interval: 0.56%–0.65%, p < .001) and 1.17% (95% confidence interval: 1.09%–1.25%, p < .001), respectively. The diagnostic ability of the baPWV was comparable to the cfPWV (area under the curve: 0.870 [0.860–0.879] vs. 0.871 [0.861–0.881], p = .497). In conclusion, baPWV and cfPWV are positively associated with the 10‐year risk of ASCVD in the Chinese community‐based population, with a nearly identical association with a high 10‐year risk of ASCVD.
Handgrip strength is associated with 12‐month survival in male patients suffering with advanced chronic liver disease
Authors: Côrtes Daniela M. , Boulhosa Ramona S. da S. B. , L. da S. L. Paz Cláudio , Cunha Carla de M. , de Oliveira Lucivalda P. M. , Lyra André C. , Bueno Allain A. , de Jesus Rosângela P.
Published: February 2023

Background

Advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) patients are usually malnourished, and both conditions in combination increase the likelihood of unfavourable clinical outcomes. Handgrip strength (HGS) has been suggested as a relevant parameter for nutritional assessment and predictor of adverse clinical outcomes in ACLD. However, the HGS cut‐off values for ACLD patients have not yet been reliably established. The aims of this study were to preliminarily identify HGS reference values in a sample population of ACLD male patients and to assess their association with survival over a 12‐month follow‐up period.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study with preliminary analysis of outpatients and inpatients. A total of 185 male patients with a medical diagnosis of ACLD met the inclusion criteria and were invited to participate in the study. The physiological variation in muscle strength related to the age of the individuals included in the study was considered to obtain cut‐off values.

Results

After categorising HGS by age group (adults: 18–60 years; elderly: ≥60 years), the reference values obtained were 32.5 kg for the adults and 16.5 kg for the elderly. During the 12‐month follow‐up, 20.5% of the patients died, and 76.3% of those had been identified with reduced HGS.

Conclusions

Patients with adequate HGS showed significantly higher 12‐month survival than those with reduced HGS within the same period. Our findings show that HGS is an important predictive parameter for clinical and nutritional follow‐up in ACLD male patients.
Online but unlawful sales of unapproved and misbranded prescription drugs: Internet pharmacy compliance with Food and Drug Administration warning letters
Authors: Limbu Yam B. , Huhmann Bruce A.
Published: February 2023

Consumers increasingly use online pharmacies. However, illicit online pharmacies endanger consumer welfare with unapproved and counterfeit drugs. By linking Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter content with observations of the 1108 websites cited in those letters, we identify factors associated with FDA‐requested compliance and active/inactive website status. One in five online pharmacies failed to comply with FDA recommendations. Findings support the cost/benefit, social norm, and instrumental theories of compliance. Compliance declines with cost (e.g., when the FDA requests changes to more drug categories). Organized crime's social norms encourage law breaking; thus, illicit pharmacies comply less than other online pharmacies. Instrumental theory suggests perceived severity and certainty of penalties influences compliance. In support, when political will and attention focused on the opioid crisis, the FDA cited primarily opioid‐related violations and these opioid‐related letters increased compliance and website closures. Finally, we recommend improved consumer protection efforts to address internet pharmaceutical distribution challenges.
Efficacy of Endolift laser for arm and under abdomen fat reduction
Authors: Nilforoushzadeh Mohammad Ali , Heidari‐Kharaji Maryam , Fakhim Tannaz , Behrangi Elham , Shahverdi Mohammadhasan , Rafiee Shohreh , Nobari Niloufar Najar
Published: February 2023

Background

Noninvasive laser for body fat contouring is a quickly growing field in the cosmetic dermatology. Surgical options carry disadvantages, such as the usage of anesthetics, swelling, pain and long time for recovery, so there is a growing public request for the techniques with fewer side effects and shorter recovery periods. Several new noninvasive body contouring ways have been advanced such as, cryolipolysis radiofrequency energy, suction‐massage, high‐frequency focused ultrasound, and laser therapy. Noninvasive laser improves the body's appearance by the elimination of excess adipose tissue, specifically in areas in which fat perseveres in spite of diet and exercise.

Methods

In this study the efficacy of Endolift laser was evaluated for reduction of excess fat in the arms and under abdomen. Ten patients with excess fat in the arms and under abdomen were enrolled in this study. The patients were treated by Endolift laser in the arms and under abdomen areas. The outcomes were evaluated by two blinded board certified dermatologists and by patients' satisfaction. The circumference of each arm and under abdomen was measured using a flexible tape measure.

Results

The results showed reduction in the fat and circumference of arms and under abdomen after treatment. The treatment was considered as effective methods with high patient satisfaction. Also no severe adverse effects were reported.

Conclusion

Endolift laser can be a good alternative to surgical body fat contouring due to its efficacy, safety, minimal recovery time, low cost. Also Endolift laser does not require general anesthetics.
Operation early‐bird: Investigating altered light exposure in military barracks on sleep and performance—a placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Edgar David T. , Beaven C. Martyn , Gill Nicholas D. , Zaslona Jennifer L. , Driller Matthew W.
Published: February 2023

The manipulation of light exposure in the evening has been shown to modulate sleep, and may be beneficial in a military setting where sleep is reported to be problematic. This study investigated the efficacy of low‐temperature lighting on objective sleep measures and physical performance in military trainees. Sixty‐four officer‐trainees (52 male/12 female, mean ± SD age: 25 ± 5 years) wore wrist‐actigraphs for 6 weeks during military training to quantify sleep metrics. Trainee 2.4‐km run time and upper‐body muscular‐endurance were assessed before and after the training course. Participants were randomly assigned to either: low‐temperature lighting (LOW, n = 19), standard‐temperature lighting with a placebo “sleep‐enhancing” device (PLA, n = 17), or standard‐temperature lighting (CON, n = 28) groups in their military barracks for the duration of the course. Repeated‐measures ANOVAs were run to identify significant differences with post hoc analyses and effect size calculations performed where indicated. No significant interaction effect was observed for the sleep metrics; however, there was a significant effect of time for average sleep duration, and small benefits of LOW when compared with CON (d = 0.41–0.44). A significant interaction was observed for the 2.4‐km run, with the improvement in LOW (Δ92.3 s) associated with a large improvement when compared with CON (Δ35.9 s; p = 0.003; d = 0.95 ± 0.60), but not PLA (Δ68.6 s). Similarly, curl‐up improvement resulted in a moderate effect in favour of LOW (Δ14 repetitions) compared with CON (Δ6; p = 0.063; d = 0.68 ± 0.72). Chronic exposure to low‐temperature lighting was associated with benefits to aerobic fitness across a 6‐week training period, with minimal effects on sleep measures.
Effect of Artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum on the functional properties of pork batters
Authors: Liu Yu , Yang Liu , Zhao Shengming , Zhao Yanyan , Kang Zhuangli , Zhu Mingming , He Hongju , Ma Hanjun
Published: February 2023

The influence of the incorporation of Artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum (ASK gum; 0–0.18%) on the water holding capability (WHC), texture, color, rheological property, water distribution, protein conformation and microstructure of pork batters was investigated. The results showed that the cooking yield, WHC and L* value of pork batter gels significantly increased (p < .05) with the increasing incorporation of ASK gum, and the highest value were observed at 0.15%; the a* value decreased significantly (p < .05) and no significance was obtained in b* value (p > .05); the hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness and chewiness increased first and then decreased, and reached the highest value at 0.15%. The rheological results showed that the higher G′ value was obtained in pork batters by the incorporation of ASK gum; the low field NMR analysis indicated that ASK gum significantly increased the proportion of P2b and P21 (p < .05) and decreased the proportion of P22; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the ASK gum significantly reduced the α‐helix content and increased the β‐sheet content (p < .05). Scanning electron microscopy results suggested that the incorporation of ASK gum could promote the formation of a more homogeneous and stable microstructure of pork batter gels. Therefore, appropriate incorporation (0.15%) of ASK gum may improve the gel properties of pork batters, and while excessive incorporation (0.18%) could weaken the gel properties.
Designing artificial intelligence policy: Comparing design spaces in Latin America
Authors: Filgueiras Fernando
Published: February 2023

Governments are designing policies for artificial intelligence to facilitate the digital transformation and respond to the diverse ethical and regulatory challenges that emerge with the penetration of this technology in society. This article aims to analyze the policy design dynamics focusing on national strategies for artificial intelligence in Latin America. It starts from the premise that different dynamics of political regimes and governance modes shape different design spaces, which create action situations that assign different dynamics of policy design. The article compares national strategies for artificial intelligence in Latin America, through a documentary analysis of the national strategies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay, to identify the characteristics and dynamics of the design spaces applied to Artificial Intelligence policies in Latin America. The research findings indicate that the dynamics between political regimes and governance modes in Latin American countries delimit different outcomes for Artificial Intelligence policy.
The Kurdish Janus: The intersocietal construction of nations
Authors: Matin Kamran , Mahmoudi Jahangir
Published: February 2023

Existing accounts of Kurdish nationalism can be mapped onto the main theories of nationalism, that is, primordialism, ethnosymbolism and modernism. These theories, however, suffer, respectively, from essentialism, circularity and aporia, manifest in their common inability to digest the Janus‐like character of nations, that is, their display of simultaneous modernity and antiquity. This paper develops an alternative account through a critical application of the theory of ‘uneven and combined development’ (UCD) to the Republic of Kurdistan of 1946. The argument unfolds in three steps. First, we argue that the failure of mainstream theories of nationalism to explain the nation's historical ambiguity lies in their ‘internalism’. Second, we show that UCD overcomes internalism through its plural social ontology and enables a retheorising of nations as interactive products of the geopolitical mediation of historical capitalism's expansion through societal multiplicity. Central to this process was the emergence of nationalism as a defensive and emulative ideology of geopolitical self‐preservation. This involved reversing the sociological and political moments of the originary formation of the British imperial nation. We argue that this historical reversal underpins the Janus‐like form of nations, including the Kurdish nation. Third, we substantiate the argument through a brief case study of the Republic of Kurdistan.
Foreign body reactions related to orofacial esthetic fillers: A systematic review
Authors: Santos Lucas Gonçalves , Jardim Luísa Comerlato , Schuch Lauren Frenzel , Silveira Felipe Martins , Wagner Vivian Petersen , Pires Fábio Ramos , Santos Jean Nunes Dos , Martins Manoela Domingues
Published: February 2023

The aim of this study was to systematically review the clinicopathological data regarding foreign body reactions (FBR) related to esthetic procedures in the orofacial region. Electronic searches were performed in six databases and in gray literature using PEO acronym for the review question. Case series and case reports describing FBR related to esthetic procedures in the orofacial region were included. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist–University of Adelaide tool was used for measuring the risk of bias. Eighty‐six studies reporting 139 cases of FBR were identified. The mean age at diagnosis was 54.12 years (14–85 years), with most of the cases reported in America, North America (n = 42/30.70%) and Latin America (n = 33/23.60%), mainly occurring in women (n = 131/94.40%). Asymptomatic (n = 60/43.40%) nodules (n = 71/50.60%) were the main clinical characteristics. The lower lip represented the most affected anatomical location (n = 28/22.20%), followed by the upper lip (n = 27/21.60%). Surgical removal was the treatment of choice (n = 53/35.70%). Twelve different dermal fillers were reported in the study, and the microscopic characteristics of the cases varied according to the material used. The results based on case series and case reports showed that nodule and swelling were the main clinical characteristics of FBR related to orofacial esthetic fillers. The histological characteristics depended on the type of the filler material used.
Atrial echo beats as a novel mechanism of periodic fluctuation in cycle length of atrial tachycardia
Authors: Sekimoto Satoru , Murakami Yoshimasa , Seo Yoshihiro
Published: February 2023

Atrial echo beats due to a dual‐atrioventricular nodal pathway are a possible cause of fluctuating tachycardia in cycle length (CL) but have not been reported so far. Here, we present a case of an 82‐year‐old man with symptomatic atrial tachycardia (AT), which was accompanied by periodic fluctuations in atrial sequence at the coronary sinus. Electrophysiological study (EPS) for atrioventricular conduction and three‐dimensional (3D) electro‐anatomical mapping system explained that the mechanism of periodic fluctuations was due to atrial echo beats through a dual‐atrioventricular nodal pathway.