bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Editorial: business education in profound disruption
Authors: Rosenbaum Mark Scott , Russell-Bennett Rebekah , Contreras-Ramírez Germán
Published: August 2021

Purpose

This editorial aims to discuss 11 trends that are driving changes in business education, especially for Master of Business Administration (MBA) curriculum programming.

Design/methodology/approach

The editorial provides introspection, personal reflections and conceptualization using current literature.

Findings

The authors discuss 11 drivers that are influencing graduate business education. These drivers include the demographic cliff, the K-shaped recovery, MBA degrees losing their allure, emergence of two pricing structures, the rise of online universities, certificates and micro-credentials, the massive open online course (MOOC) MBA programs, MOOCs and certification, Grow with Google, Outsourcing MBA instruction and business education relevancy.

Research limitations/implications

Traditional university and college graduate business education providers must realize that the educational industry is experiencing a revolutionary disruption and that many universities will fail to meet learners’ expectations for relevant skills and organizational demands for employees who have specific skills for employability.

Practical implications

Learners will no longer rely on traditional four-year universities to obtain business skills.

Originality/value

This work synthesizes a disparate set of drivers that are affecting all graduate business educational providers.
Hosting persons with mental illness: narrative study on the experiences of a female caregiver managing a mental home in Ghana
Authors: Amissah-Essel Salome , Ebu Enyan Nancy Innocentia , Asiedu Christiana
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Persons with mental illness (PWMI) need to be housed and cared for properly. Providing this support can be physically, financially and psychologically exhausting for the caregiver. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of a caregiver managing a mental home in Ghana and to get a deeper understanding of what it really takes to host and care for PWMI.

Design/methodology/approach

A narrative research design was used. The narrative approach was used to gather the stories of the caregiver. Data was collected through in-depth face-to-face interview, informal conversations and field notes. Thematic analysis was performed focusing on both the personal and social experiences of the participant.

Findings

Three main themes emerged from the participant’s experience as follows: stigma and rejection, burden of hosting and support from others. The study also found that what it takes to host and care for PWMI is psychological resilience as follows: determination and love. An appeal is made to individuals to also support PWMI instead of the government alone.

Originality/value

The outcomes of this study indicate that the life of a caregiver managing a mental home is a journey characterized by stigma, rejection and financial burden. It highlights the importance of support from others for the caregiver to keep providing optimal care. This paper contributes to the literature on carer resilience by providing evidence that once there is determination and love, PWMI can be housed and cared for in Ghana.
The long-term effects of section transfers on return volatility: Intraday and overnight periods
Authors: Abo Rodrigue Majoie
Published: August 2021

Purpose

Studies on transfers to a more regulated section show an increase in information disclosure and stocks’ liquidity levels. Classical theories suggest that volatility should also be reduced. This study aims to analyse the long-term effects of a section transfer to a more regulated section (TSE 1/TSE 2) on stock return volatility.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses an empirical framework relying on two-sample t-tests and panel regressions. These use robust standard errors and control for fixed effects, day effects and macroeconomic factors. The return variance of comparable stocks’ benchmark sample, instead of market variance, is used as a control variable. Comparable stocks operate within the same industry and do not transfer during the sample period. The authors test our results’ robustness using generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity estimates.

Findings

The study’s main findings show that pre-transferred stocks are more volatile than the stocks’ benchmark sample. The transfer to a more regulated section leads to a gradual decrease in the total daily stock return volatility, intraday return volatility and overnight return volatility.

Originality/value

To the best of my knowledge, this study is the first to empirically address the volatility change caused by the stocks’ transfer to a more regulated section. This study highlights the benefits of choosing section transfers to reduce volatility.
Association between hepatitis C virus infection and subsequent chronic inflammatory skin disease
Authors: Ma Sheng‐Hsiang , Tai Ying‐Hsuan , Dai Ying‐Xiu , Chang Yun‐Ting , Chen Tzeng‐Ji , Chen Mu‐Hong
Published: August 2021

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with several cutaneous manifestations, including lichen planus and psoriasis. However, its association with other chronic inflammatory skin diseases (CISD) remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HCV infection and CISD. Participants were recruited from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Altogether 23 509 patients with HCV infection and 94 036 matched controls were included to assess the risk of CISD. A Cox regression model was used for the analyses. Compared with controls, patients with HCV infection had an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 6.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.30–7.58) for CISD after adjustment for potential confounders. Regarding individual CISD, patients with HCV infection had a significantly increased risk of developing lichen planus, psoriasis, vitiligo, alopecia areata, and cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Interferon‐based antiviral therapy (IFN‐based AVT) was significantly associated with a decreased risk of CISD (aHR = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.28–0.64). Patients with HCV infection had a significantly increased risk of CISD, while IFN‐based AVT was associated with a decreased risk. These findings suggest monitoring of CISD in patients with HCV infection.
Nontargeted 1H NMR fingerprinting and multivariate statistical analysis for traceability of Greek PDO Vostizza currants
Authors: Dimitrakopoulou Maria‐Eleni , Matzarapi Konstantina , Chasapi Styliani , Vantarakis Apostolos , Spyroulias Georgios A.
Published: August 2021

In this study, non‐targeted 1H NMR fingerprinting was used in combination with multivariate statistical analyses for the classification of Greek currants based on their geographical origins (Aeghion, Nemea, Kalamata, Zante, and Amaliada). As classification techniques, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS‐DA) were carried out. To elucidate different components according to PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), products from Aeghion (Vostizza) were statistically compared with each one of the four other regions. PLS‐DA plots ensure that currants from Kalamata, Nemea, Zante, and Amaliada are well classified with respect to the PDO currants, according to differences observed in metabolites. Results suggest that composition differences in carbohydrates, amino, and organic acids of currants are sufficient to discriminate them in correlation to their geographical origin. In conclusion, currants metabolites which mostly contribute to classification performance of such discriminant analysis model present a suitable alternative technique for currants traceability. The study results contribute information to the currants’ metabolite fingerprinting by NMR spectroscopy and their geographical origin.

Practical Application

This study presents an analytical approach for a high nutritional value Greek PDO product, Vostizza currant. A further research and implementation of this method in food industry, can be the key to food fraud incidents. Thus, application of this work opens up posibilities to “farm to table” mission.
A comparative study of photoresponsive molecularly imprinted polymers with different shell thicknesses: Effects on 6‐O‐α‐maltosyl‐β‐cyclodextrin separation
Authors: Fan Haoran , Wang Jing , Xu Xueming , Jin Zhengyu , Wang Jinpeng
Published: August 2021

Photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymers (PSMIPs) with controlled nanoshell thicknesses were synthesized using different amounts of precursor materials to determine the effects of polymer shell layer thickness on the separation and purification of 6‐O‐alpha‐maltosyl‐beta‐cyclodextrin (Mal‐β‐CD). The physicochemical properties and adsorption and desorption capacities of PSMIPs with different shell thicknesses were studied. Interestingly, the uniform thickness of the imprinted polymer shell layer could be adjusted from 10 to 60 nm by varying the amount of polymerization precursors, and the average mesopore diameter of PSMIPs was not significantly affected by shell thickness. However, the removal efficiency and selective capacity of PSMIPs on Mal‐β‐CD were strongly correlated to their shell thickness. The adsorption behavior of PSMIPs on Mal‐β‐CD fitted well with the Langmuir adsorption model and pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. Based on the obtained results, PSMIPs with a 30‐nm imprinted layer were found to be an excellent adsorbent for Mal‐β‐CD separation, with an adsorption capacity of 18.12 mg/g. They can therefore be used for industrial chromatographic separations of Mal‐β‐CD in the future.

Practical Application

This article clearly demonstrated that the shell thickness of core‐shell molecularly imprinted materials affected the degree and rate of cyclodextrin separation. Determining the optimal thickness is of great significance for the material in the separation and purification of cyclodextrin.
A high‐quality genome assembly of Jasminum sambac provides insight into floral trait formation and Oleaceae genome evolution
Authors: Xu Shixiao , Ding Yongle , Sun Juntao , Zhang Zhiqiang , Wu Zhaoyun , Yang Tiezhao , Shen Fei , Xue Gang
Published: August 2021

As one of the most economically significant Oleaceae family members, Jasminum sambac is renowned for its distinct sweet, heady fragrance. Using Illumina reads, Nanopore long reads, and HiC‐sequencing, we efficiently assembled and annotated the J. sambac genome. The high‐quality genome assembly consisted of a total of 507 Mb sequence (contig N50 = 17.6 Mb) with 13 pseudomolecules. A total of 21,143 protein‐coding genes and 303 Mb repeat sequences were predicted. An ancient whole‐genome triplication event at the base of Oleaceae (~66 million years ago [Ma], Late Cretaceous) was identified and this may have contributed to the diversification of the Oleaceae ancestor and its divergence from the Lamiales. Stress‐related (e.g., WRKY) and flowering‐related (e.g., MADS‐box) genes were located in the triplicated regions, suggesting that the polyploidy event might have contributed adaptive potential. Genes related to terpenoid biosynthesis, for example, FTA and TPS, were observed to be duplicated to a great extent in the J. sambac genome, perhaps explaining the strong fragrance of the flowers. Copy number changes in distinct phylogenetic clades of the MADS‐box family were observed in J. sambac genome, for example, AGL6‐ and Mα‐ were lost and SOC‐ expanded, features that might underlie the long flowering period of J. sambac. The structural genes implicated in anthocyanin biosynthesis were depleted and this may explain the absence of vivid colours in jasmine. Collectively, assembling the J. sambac genome provides new insights into the genome evolution of the Oleaceae family and provides mechanistic insights into floral properties.
Approaches, challenges and recent advances in automated bee counting devices: A review
Authors: Odemer Richard
Published: August 2021

For nearly 100 years, electronic bee counters have been developed using various technologies to track the foraging activity of mostly honey bee colonies. These counters should enable remote monitoring of the hives without disturbing natural flight behaviour while generating precise scientific data. However, there are few counters on the market that are able to fulfil this task. One main challenge is the lack of standardised methods to validate a counter's precision, as validation is crucial to categorise and judge the data produced by the counter, especially for scientific purposes. Another challenge is the interpretation of flight data to measure the effects of environmental or anthropogenic sources. Nevertheless, recent developments in the field are promising. This review describes the historic development of automated bee flight measurements and critically compares validation methods to encourage their improvement. To increase the comparability of future analyses of bee counters, current advances in data interpretation are also presented.
Inhibition of the cGAS‐STING pathway ameliorates the premature senescence hallmarks of Ataxia‐Telangiectasia brain organoids
Authors: Aguado Julio , Chaggar Harman K. , Gómez‐Inclán Cecilia , Shaker Mohammed R. , Leeson Hannah C. , Mackay‐Sim Alan , Wolvetang Ernst J.
Published: August 2021

Ataxia‐telangiectasia (A‐T) is a genetic disorder caused by the lack of functional ATM kinase. A‐T is characterized by chronic inflammation, neurodegeneration and premature ageing features that are associated with increased genome instability, nuclear shape alterations, micronuclei accumulation, neuronal defects and premature entry into cellular senescence. The causal relationship between the detrimental inflammatory signature and the neurological deficiencies of A‐T remains elusive. Here, we utilize human pluripotent stem cell‐derived cortical brain organoids to study A‐T neuropathology. Mechanistically, we show that the cGAS‐STING pathway is required for the recognition of micronuclei and induction of a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP) in A‐T olfactory neurosphere‐derived cells and brain organoids. We further demonstrate that cGAS and STING inhibition effectively suppresses self‐DNA‐triggered SASP expression in A‐T brain organoids, inhibits astrocyte senescence and neurodegeneration, and ameliorates A‐T brain organoid neuropathology. Our study thus reveals that increased cGAS and STING activity is an important contributor to chronic inflammation and premature senescence in the central nervous system of A‐T and constitutes a novel therapeutic target for treating neuropathology in A‐T patients.
The use and usefulness of equity accounting
Authors: Bradbury Michael E. , Mehnaz Laura , Scott Tom
Published: August 2021

In this study we examine the use and usefulness (value relevance) of equity accounting. Descriptive evidence shows there is a higher frequency of disclosure about the investment in associates than the share of profits. There is also more diversity in presentation and disclosure than reported by the International Accounting Standards Board. The characteristics of firms differ for those that report ancillary disclosures such as assets and liabilities of the associate. Firm characteristics also differ on whether associate income is reported before earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). Last, we document that equity accounting is value relevant, but not when alternative accounting options (e.g., fair value or proportionate accounting) are available.
Caste Amid Aspiration and Opportunity: Everyday Struggles of Dalits to Gain Access to Education
Authors: Pankaj Ajeet Kumar
Published: August 2021

In India, there are a number of Dalit autobiographies and Bollywood movies that narrate the humiliation of Dalits in various spheres of their life. The autobiographies of Dalits and a few prominent Bollywood movies capture the struggles of Dalits to obtain a high level of education. Education has been one of the primary instruments for Dalits to achieve upward mobility. Drawing from two prominent Dalit autobiographies by Tulasi Ram and Omprakash Valmiki, two Bollywood movies—Pariksha and Arakshan, and my own fieldwork experience with Dalit students confirms the experience of Subodh, a Dalit student who is currently pursuing higher education in Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. The experiences of Subodh exemplify the humiliations a Dalit experiences in educational institutions and the struggles of Dalits to use education to achieve upward mobility.
Butyrate and propionate restore interleukin 13‐compromised esophageal epithelial barrier function
Authors: Kleuskens Mirelle T.A. , Haasnoot Maria L. , Herpers Bart M. , Ampting Marleen T. J. van , Bredenoord Albert J. , Garssen Johan , Redegeld Frank A. , van Esch Betty C.A.M.
Published: August 2021

Background

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a food allergen driven disease that is accompanied by interleukin (IL) 13 overexpression and esophageal barrier dysfunction allowing transepithelial food allergen permeation. Nutraceuticals, such as short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that restore barrier function and increase immune fitness may be a promising tool in the management of EoE. Here, we investigated the effects of the SCFAs acetate, propionate, and butyrate on an IL‐13‐compromised human esophageal epithelial barrier, including the mechanisms involved.

Methods

An air‐liquid interface culture model of differentiated human EPC2‐hTERT (EPC2) was used to study whether SCFAs could restore barrier function after IL‐13‐induced impairment. Esophageal epithelial barrier function was monitored by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and FITC‐dextran paracellular flux, and was further examined by qPCR and immunohistochemical analysis. G protein‐coupled receptor (GPR) GPR41, GPR43, GPR109a, or histone deacetylase (HDAC) (ant)agonists were used to assess mechanisms of action of SCFAs.

Results

IL‐13 stimulation decreased TEER and increased FITC flux, which was counteracted by butyrate and propionate, but not acetate treatment. Barrier proteins FLG and DSG1 mRNA expression was upregulated following butyrate and propionate treatment, whereas expression of eosinophil chemoattractant CCL26 and protease CAPN14 was downregulated. Similarly, butyrate and propionate restored FLG and DSG1 protein expression. Similar effects were observed with an HDAC antagonist but not with GPR agonists.

Conclusion

Nutraceuticals butyrate and propionate restore the barrier function of esophageal epithelial cells after an inflammatory insult and may be of therapeutic benefit in the management of EoE.
Phase 2a randomized clinical trial of dupilumab (anti‐IL‐4Rα) for alopecia areata patients
Authors: Guttman‐Yassky Emma , Renert‐Yuval Yael , Bares Jennifer , Chima Margot , Hawkes Jason E. , Gilleaudeau Patricia , Sullivan‐Whalen Mary , Singer Giselle K. , Garcet Sandra , Pavel Ana B. , Lebwohl Mark G. , Krueger James G.
Published: August 2021

Background

Treatments for alopecia areata (AA) patients with extensive scalp hair loss are limited, and recent evidence supports a role for type 2 T‐cell (Th2)‐immune response in AA. Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody inhibiting Th2 signaling, approved for type 2 diseases including atopic dermatitis, was evaluated in AA patients.

Methods

Alopecia areata patients with and without concomitant atopic dermatitis were randomized 2:1 to receive weekly subcutaneous dupilumab (300 mg) or placebo for 24 weeks, followed by another 24‐week dupilumab open‐label phase. The primary outcome was change from baseline in the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score at week 24; secondary outcomes included a range of measures of hair regrowth.

Results

Forty and 20 patients were assigned to the dupilumab and placebo arms, respectively. At week 24, disease worsening was documented in the placebo arm, with a least‐squares mean change in the SALT score of −6.5 (95% confidence‐interval [CI], −10.4 to −2.6), versus a change of 2.2 (95% CI, −0.6 to 4.94) in the dupilumab arm (p < .05). After 48 weeks of dupilumab treatment, 32.5%, 22.5% and 15% of patients achieved SALT30/SALT50/SALT75 improvement, respectively, while in patients with baseline IgE ≥ 200 IU/ml response rates increased to 53.8%, 46.2%, and 38.5%, respectively. Moreover, baseline IgE predicts treatment response with 83% accuracy. No new safety signals were detected.

Conclusions

This hypothesis‐driven trial is the first to indicate the possible pathogenic role of the Th2 axis and Th2 targeting in AA patients. Patient selection based on baseline serum IgE levels may improve treatment results (Clinicaltrials.gov number, NCT03359356).
Video‐based valve motion combined with computational fluid dynamics gives stable and accurate simulations of blood flow in the Realheart total artificial heart
Authors: Kelly Nathaniel S. , McCree Danny , Fresiello Libera , Brynedal Ignell Nils , Cookson Andrew N. , Najar Azad , Perkins Ina Laura , Fraser Katharine H.
Published: August 2021

Background

Patients with end‐stage, biventricular heart failure, and for whom heart transplantation is not an option, may be given a Total Artificial Heart (TAH). The Realheart® is a novel TAH which pumps blood by mimicking the native heart with translation of an atrioventricular plane. The aim of this work was to create a strategy for using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate haemodynamics in the Realheart®, including motion of the atrioventricular plane and valves.

Methods

The accuracies of four different computational methods for simulating fluid‐structure interaction of the prosthetic valves were assessed by comparison of chamber pressures and flow rates with experimental measurements. The four strategies were: prescribed motion of valves opening and closing at the atrioventricular plane extrema; simulation of fluid‐structure interaction of both valves; prescribed motion of the mitral valve with simulation of fluid‐structure interaction of the aortic valve; motion of both valves prescribed from video analysis of experiments.

Results

The most accurate strategy (error in ventricular pressure of 6%, error in flow rate of 5%) used video‐prescribed motion. With the Realheart operating at 80 bpm, the power consumption was 1.03 W, maximum shear stress was 15 Pa, and washout of the ventricle chamber after 4 cycles was 87%.

Conclusions

This study, the first CFD analysis of this novel TAH, demonstrates that good agreement between computational and experimental data can be achieved. This method will therefore enable future optimisation of the geometry and motion of the Realheart®.
Surgical strategies for the management of end‐stage heart failure in infants and children: A 15‐year experience with a patient‐tailored approach
Authors: Ponzoni Matteo , Frigo Anna C. , Castaldi Biagio , Cerutti Alessia , Di Salvo Giovanni , Vida Vladimiro L. , Padalino Massimo A.
Published: August 2021

End‐stage heart failure (ESHF) in pediatric age is an ongoing challenge. Heart transplantation is the final option, but its long‐term outcomes are still suboptimal in children. An alternative patient‐tailored surgical protocol to manage ESHF in children is described. Retrospective, single‐center analysis of pediatric patients admitted to our institution between April 2004 and February 2021 for ESHF. Our current protocol is as follows: (a) Patients <1 year with isolated left ventricular dysfunction due to dilated cardiomyopathy underwent pulmonary artery banding (PAB). (b) Patients <10 years and <20 kg, who did not meet previous criteria were managed with Berlin Heart EXCOR. (c) Patients >10 years or >20 kg, underwent placement of intracorporeal Heartware. Primary outcomes were survival, transplant incidence, and postoperative adverse events. A total of 24 patients (mean age 5.3 ± 5.9 years) underwent 26 procedures: PAB in 6 patients, Berlin Heart in 11, and Heartware in 7. Two patients shifted from PAB to Berlin Heart. Overall survival at 1‐year follow‐up and 5‐year follow‐up was 78.7% (95%CI = 62%‐95.4%) and 74.1% (95%CI = 56.1%‐92.1%), respectively. Berlin Heart was adopted in higher‐risk settings showing inferior outcomes, whereas a PAB enabled 67% of patients to avoid transplantation, with no mortality. An integrated, patient‐tailored surgical strategy, comprehensive of PAB and different types of ventricular assist devices, can provide satisfactory medium‐term results for bridging to transplant or recovery. The early postoperative period is critical and requires strict clinical vigilance. Selected infants can benefit from PAB that has demonstrated to be a safe bridge to recovery.
Randomised clinical trial: the effects of pregabalin vs placebo on functional dyspepsia
Authors: Kotikula Isariyaphong , Thinrungroj Nithi , Pinyopornpanish Kanokwan , Kijdamrongthum Phuripong , Leerapun Apinya , Chitapanarux Taned , Thongsawat Satawat , Praisontarangkul Ong‐Ard
Published: August 2021

Background

Currently, central neuromodulators are among the therapeutic options for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD). Pregabalin, a gabapentinoid, is a neuromodulator that could potentially improve visceral hypersensitivity in FD patients.

Aim

To assess the efficacy and safety of pregabalin for the treatment of FD

Methods

We performed a randomised placebo‐controlled study including FD patients who did not respond to proton pump inhibitors. Patients were randomly assigned to receive pregabalin (75 mg daily) or placebo for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was an adequate relief response rate. The secondary outcomes were improvement in quality of life, pain scores in divided categories, and safety profile.

Results

Of 72 patients enrolled, 34 received pregabalin and 38 received placebo. The self‐reported adequate relief rates in the pregabalin and placebo groups were 70.6% and 42.1% at week 4 (P = 0.02), and 70.6% and 44.7% at week 8 (P = 0.03), respectively. The reduction in global symptoms in the pregabalin and placebo groups were 11.7 ± 10.6 and 3.7 ± 8.9 points at week 4 (P < 0.01) and 15.1 ± 12.2 and 8.0 ± 10.2 points at week 8 (P = 0.01), respectively. Pregabalin improved the overall quality of life (P = 0.03). The most common adverse event with pregabalin was dizziness, occurring in 51.6% of patients.

Conclusions

Pregabalin led to significant alleviation of dyspeptic symptoms, especially in patients with predominant epigastric pain .

Thaiclinicaltrials.org #TCTR20200404002.
Intraoperative Multimodal Approach for Pain After Thoracoscopic Pulmonary Resection
Authors: Nakada Takeo , Nakai Aiko , Takahashi Yusuke , Sakakura Noriaki , Ohtsuka Takashi , Kuroda Hiroaki
Published: August 2021

Background

The optimal preemptive analgesia for thoracoscopic surgery remains unclear. We evaluated the utility of intraoperative intravenous analgesia on postoperative pain and the postoperative course in patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 228 consecutive patients who underwent single‐lobe thoracoscopic lobectomy for malignant pulmonary tumors between October 2017 and December 2019. Instead of epidural anesthesia, intercostal nerve blocks were performed from the thoracic cavity. We assessed the differences in the clinical and perioperative parameters including postoperative pain among the following: (1) N group (nonintraoperative intravenous analgesia), (2) A group (1000 mg acetaminophen), and (3) AF group (1000 mg acetaminophen with 50 mg flurbiprofen axetil). The numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to assess pain.

Results

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the optimal cutoff pain score for the additional analgesic within 12 h postsurgery was 3.5 (area under the curve = 0.771; sensitivity = 63%; specificity = 19.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.703–0.839; p < 0.01). Less pain scores on the surgical day were related to the AF group (NRS; N, 3 ± 2.6; A, 3 ± 2.4; AF, 2 ± 1.9; p = 0.008, respectively). No pain or mild pain (NRS = 0–2) on the operative day was strongly associated with the AF group (N = 36.4%; A = 46.4%; AF = 70.5%; p = 0.005). None of the patients experienced complications associated with intraoperative intravenous analgesia.

Conclusion

The combined use of intravenous analgesics (acetaminophen and flurbiprofen axetil) and intercostal nerve blocks is a safe and feasible preemptive analgesic approach for thoracoscopic lobectomy.
Review on target domains and natural compound‐based inhibitors of fatty acid synthase for anticancer drug discovery
Authors: Pulla Lakshmi Soukya Sai , Begum Ahil Sajeli
Published: August 2021

Cancer cells require a higher amount of energy in the form of fatty acids for their uncontrolled proliferation and growth. Fatty acid synthase (FASN) plays a crucial role in the synthesis of palmitate, which is involved in most of the critical malignant pathways. Hence, by targeting FASN, tumour growth can be controlled. By designing and developing FASN inhibitors with catalytic domain specificity, safe and potential anticancer drugs can be achieved. The article draws light towards the catalytic domains of FASN, their active site residues and interaction of some of the reported natural FASN inhibitors (resveratrol, lavandulyl flavonoids, catechins, stilbene derivatives, etc). The rationality (structure–activity relationship) behind the variation in the activity of the reported natural FASN inhibitors (butyrolactones, polyphenolics, galloyl esters and thiolactomycins) has also been covered. Selective, safe and potentially active FASN inhibitors could be developed by: (i) having proper understanding of the function of all catalytic domains of FASN (ii) studying the upstream and downstream FASN regulators (iii) identifying cancer‐specific FASN biomarkers (that are non‐essential/absent in the normal healthy cells) (iv) exploring the complete protein structure of FASN, e‐screening of the compounds prior to synthesis and study their ADME properties (v) predicting the selectivity based on their strong affinity at the catalytic site of FASN.
Evolution of the management of retrorectal masses: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Gould Laura E. , Pring Edward T. , Corr Alison , Fletcher Jordan , Warusavitarne Janindra , Burling David , Northover John M. A. , Jenkins John T. ,   the St. Mark's Retrorectal Study Group, St Mark's Hospital
Published: August 2021

Aim

Retrorectal masses are abnormalities located anatomically in the retrorectal space. A significant proportion are asymptomatic with no malignant potential while others cause symptoms due to mechanical pressure or malignant infiltration. We reviewed and categorised the retrorectal masses encountered over a 30‐year time period in a specialist colorectal hospital and describe our management algorithm for consideration by other multidisciplinary teams (MDT).

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients referred between 1984–2019. A detailed review of clinical presentation, imaging features, postoperative histology and impact on morbidity and anorectal function is reported.

Results

A total of 143 patients with median age of 46 years and female preponderance (74%) were reviewed. The commonest presenting symptom was pain (46%) and all malignant cases had symptoms (n = 17). Over the last decade, more asymptomatic patients have presented with a retrorectal mass (33%, p = 0.04) and more patients are opting for surveillance rather than resection (33%, p = 0.013). Increasing age and lesion size were associated with malignancy (p < 0.05). Radiological features associated with malignancy included: solid/heterogeneous component, lobulated borders or locally invasive. Following surgery, complications included chronic pain (40%), poor wound healing (23%) and bowel dysfunction (10%).

Conclusions

The management of retrorectal masses remains complex. There are features, both clinical and radiological, that can help determine the best management strategy. Management should be in a high‐volume tertiary centre and preferably through a complex rectal cancer MDT. Long‐term sequelae such as chronic pain must be highlighted to patients. We advocate the establishment of an international registry to further record and characterise these rare, potentially troublesome lesions.
A heterogeneous stacking ensemble based sentiment analysis framework using multiple word embeddings
Authors: Subba Basant , Kumari Simpy
Published: August 2021

Word embedding techniques have been proposed in the literature to analyze and determine the sentiments expressed in various textual documents such as social media posts, online product reviews, and so forth. However, it is difficult to capture the entire gamut of intricate inter‐dependencies among words in the textual documents using a specific word embedding technique. In this article, we aim to address this issue by proposing a computation‐efficient stacking ensemble based sentiment analysis framework using multiple word embeddings. The proposed framework uses a combination of three distinct word embeddings generated by three different state of the art word embedding techniques, namely, Word2Vec, GloVe, and BERT for performing the sentiment analysis task. It uses an explicitly trained Word2Vec model to generate the first set of 200‐dimensional word embedding. Similarly, pre‐trained GloVe and BERT models are used to generate the other two sets of 200‐dimensional and a 768‐dimensional word embeddings, respectively. These three distinct word embedding sets are then used to train a heterogeneous stacking ensemble based classifier model comprising LSTM, GRU, and Bi‐GRU based base‐level classifiers, and a LSTM based meta‐level classifier. Experimental results on four different datasets, namely, Sentiment140, IMDB Review, Twitter conversation thread, and Twitter Emotion show that the proposed framework achieves high performance with low false positive rate. The proposed framework is also shown to outperform other sentiment analysis frameworks proposed in the literature.
Macroclimatic structuring of spatial phylogenetic turnover in liverworts
Authors: Collart Flavien , Wang Jian , Patiño Jairo , Hagborg Anders , Söderström Lars , Goffinet Bernard , Magain Nicolas , Hardy Olivier J. , Vanderpoorten Alain
Published: August 2021

Phylogenetic turnover has emerged as a powerful tool to identify the mechanisms by which biological communities assemble. When significantly structured along environmental gradients, phylogenetic turnover evidences phylogenetic niche conservatism, a critical principle explaining patterns of species distributions at different spatio–temporal scales. Here, we quantify the contribution of geographic and macroclimatic drivers to explain patterns of phylogenetic turnover in an entire phylum of land plants, namely liverworts. We further determine whether climatic niche conservatism has constrained the distribution of liverworts in the course of their evolutionary history. Two datasets, one insular, focused on 60 archipelagos and including 2346 species, and the second global, including 6334 species in 451 oceanic and continental operational geographic units (OGUs) worldwide, were assembled. Phylogenetic turnover among OGUs was quantified through πststatistics. πst‐through‐time profiles were generated at 1 Myr intervals along the phylogenetic time‐scale and used to compute the correlation between πst, current geographic distance and macroclimatic variation with Mantel tests based on Moran spectral randomization to control for spatial autocorrelation. The contribution of macroclimatic variation to phylogenetic turnover was about four‐times higher than that of geographic distance, a pattern that was consistently observed in island and global geographic settings, and with datasets including or excluding species‐poor OGUs. The correlation between phylogenetic turnover and geographic distance rapidly decayed at increasing phylogenetic depth, whereas the relationship with macroclimatic variation remained constant until 100 Mya. Our analyses reveal that changes in the phylogenetic composition among liverwort floras across the globe are primarily shaped by macroclimatic variation. They demonstrate the relevance of macroclimatic niche conservatism for the assembly of liverwort floras over very large spatial and evolutionary time scales, which may explain why such a pervasive biodiversity pattern as the increase of species richness towards the tropics also applies to organisms with high dispersal capacities.
Long‐term stability of the cortical volumetric profile and the functional human connectome throughout childhood and adolescence
Authors: Sato João Ricardo , Biazoli Claudinei Eduardo , Zugman André , Pan Pedro Mario , Bueno Ana Paula Arantes , Moura Luciana Monteiro , Gadelha Ary , Picon Felipe Almeida , Amaro Edson , Salum Giovanni Abrahão , Miguel Euripedes Constantino , Rohde Luis Augusto , Bressan Rodrigo Affonseca , Jackowski Andrea Parolin
Published: August 2021

There is compelling evidence showing that between‐subject variability in several functional and structural brain features is sufficient for unique identification in adults. However, individuation of brain functional connectomes depends on the stabilization of neurodevelopmental processes during childhood and adolescence. Here, we aimed to (1) evaluate the intra‐subject functional connectome stability over time for the whole brain and for large scale functional networks and (2) determine the long‐term identification accuracy or ‘fingerprinting’ for the cortical volumetric profile and the functional connectome. For these purposes, we analysed a longitudinal cohort of 239 children and adolescents scanned in two sessions with an interval of approximately 3 years (age range 6–15 years at baseline and 9–18 years at follow‐up). Corroborating previous results using short between‐scan intervals in children and adolescents, we observed a moderate identification accuracy (38%) for the whole functional profile. In contrast, identification accuracy using cortical volumetric profile was 95%. Among the large‐scale networks, the default‐mode (26.8%), the frontoparietal (23.4%) and the dorsal‐attention (27.6%) networks were the most discriminative. Our results provide further evidence for a protracted development of specific individual structural and functional connectivity profiles.
Time dynamic climate impacts of a eucalyptus pulp product: Life cycle assessment including biogenic carbon and substitution effects
Authors: Schulte Maximilian , Hammar Torun , Stendahl Johan , Seleborg Mikaela , Hansson Per‐Anders
Published: August 2021

The forest sector can play a pivotal role in mitigating climate warming by decreasing emissions to the atmosphere and increasing carbon removals. In an expanding bioeconomy, the pulp and paper industry provides opportunities for various low‐carbon wood products with promising substitution effects. However, assessing climate effects of wood product systems is complex and requires a holistic approach. The objective of this study was to advance time dynamic climate impact assessment of a bioeconomically promising wood product from a system perspective. For this purpose, a time dynamic life cycle assessment was conducted on a pulp‐based beverage carton. The assessment included fossil value chain emissions from cradle to grave, effects from biogenic carbon in a eucalyptus plantation, and credits from substitution. A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle was considered for material substitution (MS) and differing marginal electricity and heat mixes for energy substitution. The results revealed dominating climate warming from value chain emissions and slight offsetting by biogenic carbon from standing biomass and soil organic carbon, and short‐term carbon storage in the beverage carton. MS and displacing marginal energy mixes transformed the climate warming into a substantial total cooling effect. However, substitution effects varied strongly in terms of substitution factors and temperature change with varying replacement rate of the beverage carton and different marginal energy mixes. A climate cooling range of −0.8 · 10−15 to −1.8 · 10−15 K per unit of beverage carton by 2050 was found, highlighting potential relevance for climate policy making. Thus, production and use of wood‐based beverage cartons over PET bottles can have climate cooling effects. Further assessments on alternative forestry systems (e.g., Nordic forests) are needed to identify the role of biogenic carbon in holistic climate assessments, with dynamic substitution effects included to increase the validity.
Using a robust multi‐settings inference framework on published datasets still reveals limited support for the abundant centre hypothesis: More testing needed on other datasets
Authors: Chevalier Mathieu , Broennimann Olivier , Guisan Antoine
Published: August 2021

Aim

The abundant centre hypothesis (ACH) predicts a negative relationship between species abundance and the distance to the geographical range centre. Since its formulation, empirical tests of the ACH have involved different settings (e.g. the distance to the ecological niche or to the geographical range centre), but studies found contrasting support for this hypothesis. Here, we evaluate whether these discrepancies might stem from differences regarding the context in which the ACH is tested (geographical or environmental), how distances are measured, how species envelopes are delineated, how the relationship is evaluated and which data are used.

Location

The Americas.

Time period

1800–2017.

Major taxa studied

Mammals, birds, fish, and tree seedlings.

Methods

Using published abundance data for 801 species, together with species range maps, we tested the ACH using three distance metrics in both environmental and geographical spaces with range and niche envelopes delineated using two different algorithms, totalling 12 different settings. We then evaluated the distance–abundance relationship using correlation coefficients (traditional approach) and mixed‐effect models to reduce the effect of sampling noise on parameter estimates.

Results

Similar to previous studies, correlation coefficients indicated an absence of effect of distance on abundance for all taxonomic groups and settings. In contrast, mixed‐effect models highlighted relationships of various strengths and shapes, with a tendency for more theoretically supported settings to provide stronger support for the ACH. The relationships were however not consistent across taxonomic groups and settings, and were sometimes even opposite to ACH expectations.

Main conclusions

We found mixed and inconclusive results regarding the ACH. These results corroborate recent findings, and suggest either that our ability to predict abundances from the location of populations within geographical or environmental spaces is low, or that the data used here have a poor signal‐to‐noise‐ratio. The latter calls for further testing on other datasets using the same range of settings and methodological framework.
Effects of red lentil protein addition on textural quality and starch digestibility of brown rice noodles
Authors: Geng Dong‐Hui , Liu Lu , Lin Zexue , Zhu Lin , Deng Junlin , Chen Jian , Xiang Zhuoya , Yao Hanlin , Su Xiaoping , Xia Chen , Tong Li‐Tao
Published: August 2021

In this study, the additions of red lentil, rice protein and lentil protein on the quality of brown rice (BR) noodles were investigated, aiming to develop nutritionally fortified noodles with both desirable textural quality and lower starch digestibility. The results showed that the additives reduced the hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness, and increased cooking loss and turbidity of rice noodles. The addition of lentil protein had less effect on the texture quality of rice noodles when compared with the red lentil and rice protein. Lentil protein decreased the starch digestibility of BR noodles, thereby reducing the estimated glycemic index (eGI) from 70.48 to 65.33. XRD and FTIR revealed that lentil protein increased the relative crystallinity and 1047/1022 cm−1 ratio. Ordered structure could effectively limit the interaction between amylase and starch, and reduce its digestibility. Therefore, lentil protein was more suitable to be added in BR noodles to reduce starch digestibility.
Anti‐glycation and inhibition of starch hydrolyzing enzymes by enzymatically hydrolysed djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) hull, leaf and seedling
Authors: Chen Jing‐Yu , Sridhar Kandi , Tsai Pi‐Jen
Published: August 2021

Glycation is the reaction of the carbonyl group of the reducing sugars to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are major contributors to glycation‐related diabetes. Hence, it is necessary to find an alternative approach in management of diabetes that can reduce the formation of AGEs. Therefore, we investigated the anti‐glycation and starch hydrolysing enzymes inhibition by djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) hull, leaf and seedling treated with enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) and studied the possible phenolic compounds responsible for the anti‐glycation efficacy. Djulis samples treated with EH showed a high inhibitory effect on AGEs (65.04–72.77%), methylglyoxal (80.01–90.70%), α‐amylase (86.37–93.50%) and α‐glucosidase (35.50–38.16%). Bioactive compounds were significantly contributed to the anti‐glycation potential of djulis samples. Therefore, djulis hull, leaf and seedling treated with EH could be used as a natural potential source in the prevention of glycation‐associated diabetes, health risks and to increase food productivity.
Quality assessment of corn snacks enriched with soybean ferritin among young healthy people and patient with Crohn’s disease: the effect of extrusion conditions
Authors: Szymandera‐Buszka Krystyna , Zielińska‐Dawidziak Magdalena , Makowska Agnieszka , Majcher Małgorzata , Jędrusek‐Golińska Anna , Kaczmarek Anna , Niedzielski Przemysław
Published: August 2021

Fortified extruded snacks are convenient products to supplement malnourished patients’ diet, e.g. suffering from Crohn’s disease. The snacks were extruded with different additions of iron‐biofortified sprouts under varying process conditions (temperature and humidity). The sensory profiling showed the correlation between extrusion temperature and snack stickiness (R = 0.835), crispiness (R = 0.727), hardness (R=−0.485), as well as the intensity of corn (R = 0.888), powder (R=−0.795), metallic (R=−0.606) and bitter (R=−0.901) tastes. The sprouts addition affected metallic taste (R = 0.606) and aroma (R = 0.666) intensity. The product desirability was compared between healthy people (HP) and Crohn’s patients (CP). Overall desirability positively correlated with taste desirability in both groups. In the HP group, taste desirability was associated with metallic taste (R=−0.857) and Fe(III) content (R=−0.717). Also, aroma desirability (connected with pyrazines) was more significant to HP. Higher tolerance of CP to metallic and bitter flavours was observed. This confirms that the taste and aroma preferences of CP and HP are different.
Effect of co‐fermentation and sequential fermentation of Candida versatilis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris on unsalted pork hydrolysates components
Authors: Li Xinzhi , Eu Anastasia , Liu Shao‐Quan
Published: August 2021

In this study, the effect of co‐fermentation and sequential fermentation with a typical halophilic soy sauce yeast Candida versatilis and a non‐halophilic dairy bacterium Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris in pork hydrolysates was explored for the first time with regard to their viability, physicochemical changes and volatile compound production. It was observed that the growth of C. versatilis was suppressed (only 0.6 ‐ 1.5 log CFU mL−1 increase), whilst L. lactis subsp. cremoris was stimulated (total cell counts exceeded 9.0 log CFU mL−1) in mixed‐cultures relative to the respective monocultures. There were no significant differences between co‐inoculation and sequential inoculation regarding glucose consumption, organic acid production and free amino acids utilisation. Some distinct volatile compounds such as methionol, 6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐one and gamma‐nonalactone were found in both co‐inoculated and sequentially inoculated samples, with slightly different concentrations. These results suggest that the mixed‐inoculation of C. versatilis and L. lactis have a positive impact on the volatile compounds formation in pork hydrolysates.