bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Operational Framework to Study Diagnostic Errors in Emergency Departments: Findings From A Consensus Panel
Authors: Mahajan Prashant , Mollen Cynthia , Alpern Elizabeth R. , Baird-Cox Kelly , Boothman Richard C. , Chamberlain James M. , Cosby Karen , Epstein Helene M. , Gegenheimer-Holmes Jennifer , Gerardi Michael , Giardina Traber D. , Patel Vimla L. , Ruddy Richard , Saleem Jason , Shaw Kathy N. , Sittig Dean F. , Singh Hardeep
Published: November 2019

Objective

To create an operational definition and framework to study diagnostic error in the emergency department setting.

Methods

We convened a 17-member multidisciplinary panel with expertise in general and pediatric emergency medicine, nursing, patient safety, informatics, cognitive psychology, social sciences, human factors, and risk management and a patient/caregiver advocate. We used a modified nominal group technique to develop a shared understanding to operationally define diagnostic errors in emergency care and modify the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s conceptual process framework to this setting.

Results

The expert panel defined diagnostic errors as “a divergence from evidence-based processes that increases the risk of poor outcomes despite the availability of sufficient information to provide a timely and accurate explanation of the patient’s health problem(s).” Diagnostic processes include tasks related to (a) acuity recognition, information and synthesis, evaluation coordination, and (b) communication with patients/caregivers and other diagnostic team members. The expert panel also modified the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s diagnostic process framework to incorporate influence of mode of arrival, triage level, and interventions during emergency care and underscored the importance of outcome feedback to emergency department providers to promote learning and improvement related to diagnosis.

Conclusions

The proposed operational definition and modified diagnostic process framework can potentially inform the development of measurement tools and strategies to study the epidemiology and interventions to improve emergency care diagnosis.
Contraceptive Use in Women of Childbearing Ability With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Ingram Emily , Claus Liza , Kolfenbach Jason , Wright Garth , Borgelt Laura M.
Published: November 2019

Background/Objective

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex disease that may require treatment with one or several disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Many DMARDs have potential teratogenic effects or are newer agents with limited safety data in pregnancy. This study evaluated 20 common RA medications and the rate of contraceptive prescribing and counseling patterns in women with RA of childbearing ability.

Methods

This was an observational study of women with RA and childbearing ability aged 18 to 44 years who were seen at an academic rheumatology clinic from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2016. Descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression were used for analysis.

Results

One hundred fifty women were included in the analysis. The majority of patients were taking methotrexate (55.3%), followed by chronic prednisone (31.3%) and hydroxychloroquine (28.7%). A documented method of contraception was noted in 64/150 (42.7%). For women on contraception, most used combined oral contraceptives (31/64, 48.4%) or levonorgestrel intrauterine device (10/64, 15.6%). Of the 86 patients not on contraception, 19 (22.1%) received counseling regarding a pregnancy plan.

Conclusions

Most women with RA of childbearing age and ability were not using contraception. Among these patients, only a minority prescribed DMARD therapy had documented pregnancy or contraceptive counseling. Women with RA who were prescribed with a DMARD should discuss the use of effective contraception with their provider if sexually active and not desiring pregnancy or wanting to avoid potential teratogenic effects. Potential strategies are discussed to improve healthcare delivery to this population in hopes of avoiding unintended pregnancy and potential teratogenic effects of RA medications.
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome Mimics Pulmonary Embolism on Pulmonary Ventilation/Perfusion SPECT/CT Study
Authors: Zhang Shuxin , Wang Wei , Yang Xu , Liu Jie , Yang Ji-Gang
Published: November 2019

A 64-year-old woman with a history of cirrhosis and progressive difficulty breathing underwent pulmonary ventilation/perfusion SPECT to evaluate possible pulmonary embolism. The images demonstrated multiple mismatched ventilation/perfusion defects in both lungs, suggesting pulmonary embolism. However, there was also 99mTc-MAA radioactivity in the brain and bilateral kidney, with a right-to-left shunting rate of 8.8%. In addition, CT pulmonary angiography did not demonstrate embolus. The findings indicated that perfusion defects were caused by hepatopulmonary syndrome.
Thermaurantimonas aggregans gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic heterotrophic aggregating bacterium isolated from microbial mats at a terrestrial hot spring
Authors: Iino Takao , Kawai Shigeru , Yuki Masahiro , Dekio Itaru , Ohkuma Moriya , Haruta Shin
Published: November 2019

A moderately thermophilic and heterotrophic bacterial strain, LAT, was isolated from microbial mats sampled at a hot spring in Nakabusa, Nagano, Japan. The cells of strain LAT were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, non-sporulating, non-motile and rod-shaped (2.0–4.1 µm long). The formation of dense cell aggregates in liquid medium was a unique characteristic of the strain. Strain LAT grew optimally at 50°C and at pH 7.5. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the nearest neighbour of strain LAT was

Schleiferia thermophila

JCM 30197T with 94.1 % sequence similarity. The draft genome sequence of strain LAT (2 671 880 bp) showed 18.0 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization, 70.9 % average nucleotide identity and 72.1 % average amino acid identity (AAI) values in comparison with the genome sequence of

S. thermophila

JCM 30197T (2 606 763 bp); the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and AAI values are lower than the cutoffs used for assignment to a separate genus. On the basis of phenotypic features, major cellular fatty acid composition, genome sequencing and phylogenetic position, a novel genus and species are proposed for strain LAT, to be named Thermaurantimonas aggregans (= JCM 31826T=DSM 106522T).
Pseudooceanicola onchidii sp. nov., isolated from a marine invertebrate from the South China Sea
Authors: Yin Qi , Song Zhi-Man , Liang Jinyou , Wang Yu , Zheng Xiaoli , Li Shuangfei , Xu Ying
Published: November 2019

A novel bacterial strain, XY-99T, was isolated from the epidermis of a marine invertebrate of the genus Onchidium from seawater of the South China Sea. The cells of the strain were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, and oval-shaped (0.8–1.0 µm wide and 1.0–1.5 µm long) without a flagellum. The strain grew at temperatures of 15–37 °C (optimum, 35–37 °C), at pH 5.5–9.5 (optimum 7.5), and at NaCl concentrations of 0–12.0 % (w/v) (optimum 1.5–3.0 %). The major fatty acids (>10 %) were summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0 and 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c. The predominant polar lipid was diphosphatidylglycerol. The respiratory quinone was Q-10. The closet phylogenetic neighbours were

Pseudooceanicola flagellatus

DY470T and

Pseudooceanicola nitratireducens

JLT1210T, showing 97.5 and 97.3 % of 16 s rRNA gene sequence similarity. The genome size of XY-99T was 3 673 499 bp, with 64.5 % DNA G+C content. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between XY-99T and

Pseudooceanicola flagellatus

DY470T were 72.8 and 14.0 %, respectively, while they were 79.3 and 22.3 % between XY-99T and

Pseudooceanicola nitratireducens

JLT1210T. Characterization based on phylogenetic, phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic evidence demonstrated that XY-99T represents a novel species of the genus

Pseudooceanicola

, for which the name Pseudooceanicola onchidii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY-99T (=KCTC 72211T=MCCC 1K03607T).
Shewanella maritima sp. nov., a facultative anaerobic marine bacterium isolated from seawater, and emended description of Shewanella intestini
Authors: Bae Seung Seob , Jung Yoon-hee , Baek Kyunghwa
Published: November 2019

A Gram-stain-negative, motile, facultative anaerobic rod-shaped marine bacterium, designated strain D4-2T, was isolated from a sample of seawater collected at Dong-do marina, Dokdo Island, in the East Sea of the Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain D4-2T was affiliated with members of genus

Shewanella

and closely related to

Shewanella intestini

XMDDZSB0408T (97.4%), followed by

Shewanella gelidii

RZB5-4T (96.7 %) and

Shewanella inventionis

KX27T (96.1 %). D4-2T has a single circular chromosome of 4.72 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 44.5 mol%. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) values between strain D4-2T and the previously mentioned type strains of species of the genus ﻿Shewanella were in range of 69–83.8 % and 20.5–21.7 %, respectively. Growth was observed at 10–36 °C (optimum 29–32 °C), at pH 6–9 (optimum pH 7), and with 1–6% NaCl (optimum 2%). The predominant fatty acids (>10 %) of D4-2T were iso-C15:0 and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c). The respiratory quinones were Q-7, Q-8, MK-7 and MMK-7. Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and four unidentified lipids were detected in D4-2T. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular properties, D4-2T represents a novel species of the genus

Shewanella

, for which the name Shewanella maritima sp. nov. is proposed with D4-2T as the type strain (=KCTC 72040T=JCM 33294T).
Protective functions of ZO-2/Tjp2 expressed in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes against liver injury and cholestasis
Authors: Xu Jianliang , Kausalya P. Jaya P. , Van Hul Noémi , Caldez Matias J. , Xu Shiyi , Min Ong Alicia Ghia , Woo Wan Lu , Ali Safiah Mohamed , Kaldis Philipp , Hunziker Walter
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Tight junctions (TJs) establish tissue barriers that maintain osmotic homeostasis and, in the liver, isolate bile flow from the blood circulation. ZO-2/Tjp2 is a scaffold protein that tethers TJ transmembrane proteins to the actin cytoskeleton. Missense mutations in Tjp2 have recently been shown to cause progressive cholestatic liver disease in humans. However, the underlying mechanisms still remain elusive. To study the role of Tjp2 in cholestatic liver disease, we generated and characterized mice lacking Tjp2 in hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, or both.

METHODS

Tjp2 was inactivated in the mouse liver (both in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes) or hepatocytes or cholangiocytes only. Liver function tests were carried out by biochemical analysis of plasma and liver samples and liver tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and histology. The mice were also subjected to cholic acid (CA) diet to assess their susceptibility to liver insults.

RESULTS

Deletion of Tjp2 in the mouse liver did not result in apparent changes in TJ structure and composition, but lead to progressive cholestasis with lower expression levels of the bile acid (BA) transporter ABCB11/Bsep and the detoxification enzyme Cyp2b10. Feeding a CA diet that is well tolerated by control mice caused severe cholestasis and necrotic liver injury in mice lacking hepatic Tjp2. Administration of a CAR agonist, TCPOBOP, protected these mice from CA induced injury by enhancing the expression of the detoxifying enzyme Cyp2b10 in hepatocytes. Mice lacking Tjp2 in only hepatocytes or in only cholangiocytes showed less severe CA diet induced liver injury.

CONCLUSION

Loss of Tjp2 from hepatocytes and cholangiocytes both contribute to progressive cholestatic liver disease and higher susceptibility to liver injury. In hepatocytes, Tjp2 exerts a protective role by regulating expression levels of BA transporters and detoxification enzymes. The mice may provide a new animal model for cholestatic liver disease linked to Tjp2 mutations in humans.
Lfc/Arhgef2 regulates mitotic spindle orientation in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and is essential for productive hematopoiesis
Authors: Chan Derek C.H. , Vujovic Ana , Xu Joshua , Gordon Victor , Wong Nicholas , de Rooij Laura P.M.H. , Joyce Cailin E , La Rose Jose , Sandi Maria-Jose , Doble Bradley W , Novina Carl D. , Rottapel Robert K. , Hope Kristin J
Published: November 2019

How hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) coordinate their divisional axis relative to supportive niche cells and whether or not their divisional orientation is important for stem cell-driven hematopoiesis is poorly understood. Single cell RNA sequencing data from patients with the inherited bone marrow failure Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) show that ARHGEF2, a RhoA-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and determinant of mitotic spindle orientation, is one of a restricted group of genes specifically downregulated in SDS HSCs and multipotent progenitors. Here, we describe Lfc/Arhgef2 as an important regulator of hematopoiesis in vivo. Transplanted Lfc/Arhgef2-/- bone marrow shows impaired hematopoietic recovery and a production deficit of long-term HSCs. These phenotypes cannot be explained by differences in numbers of transplanted HSCs, their cell cycle status, level of apoptosis, progenitor output or homing ability. Using live imaging of dividing hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), we show an increased frequency of misoriented divisions in the absence of Lfc/Arhgef2. Functional ARHGEF2 knockdown in human HSCs also impairs their ability to regenerate hematopoiesis, culminating in significantly smaller hematopoietic xenografts. Together, these data provide evidence demonstrating a conserved role for Lfc/Arhgef2 in orienting HSPC division and suggest that HSCs divide in certain orientations to establish hematopoiesis, the loss of which leads to their exhaustion in a mechanism that may underlie certain bone marrow failure syndromes.
RBM45 associates with nuclear stress bodies and forms nuclear inclusions during chronic cellular stress and in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Collins Mahlon , Li Yang , Bowser Robert
Published: November 2019

RBM45 is a multifunctional RNA binding protein (RBP) found in cytoplasmic and nuclear inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While cytoplasmic RBM45 inclusions contain other disease-associated proteins, nuclear RBM45 inclusions are morphologically and biochemically distinct from previously described nuclear inclusion pathology in these diseases. To better understand nuclear RBM45 aggregation and inclusion formation, we evaluated the association of RBM45 with a variety of membraneless nuclear organelles, including nuclear speckles, Cajal bodies, and nuclear gems. Under basal conditions, RBM45 is diffusely distributed throughout the nucleus and does not localize to a specific nuclear organelle. During cellular stress, however, the nuclear RBM45 distribution undergoes an RNA-binding dependent rearrangement wherein RBM45 coalesces into a small number of nuclear puncta. These puncta contain the nuclear stress body (NSB) markers heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) and scaffold attachment factor B (SAFB). During chronic stress, the persistent association of RBM45 with NSBs leads to the formation of large, insoluble nuclear RBM45 inclusions. RBM45 nuclear inclusions persist after stressor removal and NSB disassembly and the inclusions resemble the nuclear RBM45 pathology seen in ALS, FTLD, and AD. We also quantified the cell type- and disease-specific patterns of RBM45 pathology in ALS, FTLD, AD, and non-neurologic disease control subjects. RBM45 nuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions are found in neurons and glia in ALS, FTLD, and AD but not in controls. Across diseases, RBM45 nuclear inclusion pathology occurs more frequently than cytoplasmic RBM45 inclusion pathology and exhibits cell type-specific variation. Collectively, our results define new stress-associated functions of RBM45, a mechanism for its nuclear aggregation and inclusion formation, a role for NSBs in the pathogenesis of diseases such as ALS, FTLD, and AD, and further underscore the importance of self-association to both the normal and pathological functions of RBPs in these diseases.
Secure data storage on DNA hard drives
Authors: Chen Kaikai , Zhu Jinbo , Boskovic Filip , Keyser Ulrich F.
Published: November 2019

DNA is emerging as a novel material for digital data storage. The two main challenges are efficient encoding and data security. Here, we develop an approach that allows for writing and erasing data by relying solely on Watson-Crick base pairing of short oligonucleotides to single-stranded DNA overhangs located along a long double-stranded DNA hard drive (DNA-HD). Our enzyme-free system enables fast synthesis-free data writing with predetermined building blocks. The use of DNA base pairing allows for secure encryption on DNA-HDs that requires a physical key and nanopore sensing for decoding. The system is suitable for miniature integration for an end-to-end DNA storage device. Our study opens a novel pathway for rewritable and secure data storage with DNA.

One Sentence Summary

Storing digital information on molecules along DNA hard drives for rewritable and secure data storage.
Cell-fate plasticity, adhesion and cell sorting complementarily establish a sharp midbrain-hindbrain boundary
Authors: Kesavan Gokul , Hans Stefan , Brand Michael
Published: November 2019

The formation and maintenance of sharp boundaries between groups of cells play a vital role during embryonic development as they serve to compartmentalize cells with similar fates. Some of these boundaries also act as organizers, with the ability to induce specific cell fates and morphogenesis in the surrounding cells. The midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB) is an example of such an organizer that also acts as a lineage restriction boundary that prevents the intermingling of cells with different developmental fates. However, the mechanisms underlying the lineage restriction process remain unclear. Here, using a combination of novel fluorescent knock-in reporters, live imaging, Cre/lox-mediated lineage tracing, atomic force microscopy-based cell adhesion assays, and mutant analysis, we analyze the process of lineage restriction at the MHB and provide mechanistic details. Specifically, we show that lineage restriction occurs by the end of gastrulation, and that the subsequent formation of sharp gene expression boundaries in the developing MHB occur through complementary mechanisms, namely cell-fate plasticity and cell sorting. Further, we show that cell sorting at the MHB involves differential adhesion among midbrain and hindbrain cells that is mediated by N-cadherin and Eph-Ephrin signaling.
Characterising 3D spherical packings by principal component analysis
Authors: Zhao Tingting , Feng Y.T. , Tan Yuanqiang
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the previous study [Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 340: 70-89, 2018] on the development of a novel packing characterising system based on principal component analysis (PCA) to quantitatively reveal some fundamental features of spherical particle packings in three-dimensional.

Design/methodology/approach

Gaussian quadrature is adopted to obtain the volume matrix representation of a particle packing. Then, the digitalised image of the packing is obtained by converting cross-sectional images along one direction to column vectors of the packing image. Both a principal variance (PV) function and a dissimilarity coefficient (DC) are proposed to characterise differences between different packings (or images).

Findings

Differences between two packings with different packing features can be revealed by the PVs and DC. Furthermore, the values of PV and DC can indicate different levels of effects on packing caused by configuration randomness, particle distribution, packing density and particle size distribution. The uniformity and isotropy of a packing can also be investigated by this PCA based approach.

Originality/value

Develop an alternative novel approach to quantitatively characterise sphere packings, particularly their differences.
BREAKFAST GONE BAD … the case of Kellogg’s rice Krispies®
Authors: Berndt Adele
Published: November 2019

Learning outcomes

After having discussed the case, the reader will be able to analyse the dangers associated with product changes; contrast various strategic marketing issues that can be considered when implementing changes, including marketing communication and the use of social media; motivate an approach to customer complaints and comments on the launch of a new product; and comment on the ethical issues associated with new product launches.

Case overview/synopsis

Marketers are focused on satisfying customers’ needs, and no organisation would deliberately offend or alienate customers. Occasionally, organisations make decisions that anger customers as they do not understand the reasoning behind them. Sometimes, the decision is the correct one and once the company has clarified the reason behind it, the customer adjusts to the new situation. At other times, the consumer refuses to accept the decision and abandons the organisation or the specific product. This situation indicates some important negative outcomes for companies when making changes to product formulas. Social media allows customers to complain and comment, adding visibility to the situation. All these factors contribute to presenting management with a challenge in dealing with this situation, considering the needs of the company and balancing them with the customer reactions.

Complexity academic level

Third-year strategic marketing students MBA students (marketing courses)

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes (and necessary annexures) permissions.

Subject code

CSS 8: Marketing.
Mejor en Bici: business model innovation and shared value
Authors: Manzi Mario Andres , Caicedo Erika Johanna , Cardona Daniel Alberto
Published: November 2019

Study level/applicability

This case is appropriate for entrepreneurship courses where the topics are generation of business model, business model innovation and shared value. It can be used at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Case overview

This case addresses the challenges that Mejor en Bici (in English: Best by Bike), a start-up that promotes mobility by bicycle, had to face from 2010 to 2015 at the level of its business model and generation of shared value. The case narrates the main achievements and obstacles in this path of entrepreneurship and how, through this process, a business model should be designed that allows strategic decisions to be taken to achieve sustained growth. In addition, this case examines how from early stages in entrepreneurship it is possible to generate shared value as a strategic component.

Expected learning outcomes

Identify and present the value proposition of Mejor en Bici to understand where a business model starts.

Design and evaluate the business model of Mejor en Bici from an innovation perspective.

Apply the concept of shared value in the generation of a business proposal for Mejor en Bici based on their business model.

Supplementary materials

Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers and challengers. John Wiley & Sons. Pages: 14-44; 56-108; 244-262.

Porter, M. E. and Kramer, M. R. (2011). The big idea: Creating shared value. Harvard Business Review, 89, 1-18.

Amit, R. and Zott, C. (2012). Creating value through business model innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53, 40-59.

Social implications

The social implication of this case lies in the motivation and guidance that potential entrepreneurs and students who analyze this case will receive. They can learn from a successful but complex experience how to start a business in a sustainable and responsible way.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship
From bribes to international corruption: the Odebrecht case
Authors: Morales Sergio , Morales Oswaldo
Published: November 2019

Learning outcomes

The contribution of the present case lies in the critical view that every business actor should exercise – be it general manager, middle management, supervisor or executive – when building a strong organizational culture in corrupt political environments.

Case overview/synopsis

The purpose of this case study is to explore the dilemma in which Marcelo Odebrecht, once CEO of Odebrecht, found/determined whether to continue with the business model established by the founders of Odebrecht or take a new path for the organization. After exploring the corrupt acts of Odebrecht and the scope of Operation Lava Jato, the reader can reflect on the importance of organizational culture (according to the three levels proposed by Schein) in the face of the emergence of corruption. By generating discussions about organizational culture, business ethics, political culture and corruption, the organizational culture of Odebrecht is problematized in relation to its real behavior.

Complexity academic level

Students of administration, business and international business undergraduates and graduates, as well as members of senior management in companies in the infrastructure sector. Also, given the plurality of possible readings, it is recommended that the case also be used in courses or specializations in organizational psychology, organizational sociology or organizational anthropology.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 5: International Business.
Adopting green construction practices: health and safety implications
Authors: Onubi Hilary Omatule , Yusof Nor'Aini , Hassan Ahmad Sanusi
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This study aims to assess the impact of adopting selected green construction site practices on the health and safety performance of the construction projects. The impact of storm-water management, energy management and construction waste management on projects health and safety performance was also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted to collect information from Class A contractors in Nigeria, and 168 usable responses were received. The data were analysed using the partial least squares (PLSs) structural equation modelling technique.

Findings

The findings indicate that energy management and waste management practices have significant effects on the health and safety performance of the construction projects, while storm-water management has no effect.

Practical implications

Project and site managers need to take into consideration the skill set of their workforce when attempting to adopt new innovative construction strategies the workers are unfamiliar with in a changing construction environment. There is also a need for more training of workers on generic and specific green skills to avoid health and safety challenges on site.

Originality/value

The findings of this study make significant contribution to the debate on the health and safety performance of green projects, as only a few studies have been conducted on this topic. The empirical relationships between the constructs of energy management, waste management, storm-water management and health and safety performance are unique in the context of other related studies and have advanced the body of existing knowledge.
Approaches to the wardrobe challenges of Muslim women in the west
Authors: Shafee Wafaa H.
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This study aims to identify the challenges of Muslim women in terms of their dress code in Western society by including their clothing needs in the strategies of the fashion industry and marketing. The study focuses on wardrobe choices that have helped overcome these challenges and facilitated Muslim women’s integration into western society.

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptive statistics were used in this study through a questionnaire that was distributed among 265 randomly selected Muslim women in London, UK. The results have been presented in charts showing the percentages and frequencies of the different behaviors and challenges that were faced by Muslim women in the west.

Findings

The majority of the study sample preferred to use a variety of modern fashion trends from global brands to integrate with the community. The essential criteria for the Muslim women’s clothing choices include head hair cover and conservative full-length clothes that are non-transparent that cover the neck and chest area.

Originality/value

A study has investigated the clothing needs and behaviors of Muslim women in the west for their community integration. It analyzed the results and linked them with the role and contributions of designers, producers and fashion marketers in accepting the western society of Muslims and their integration with its members.
Case report: Chlorpromazine and deep venous thrombosis
Authors: Reed Matthew Joseph , Comeau Sean , Wojtanowicz Todd R. , Sampathi Bharat Reddy , Penev Sofia , Bota Robert
Published: November 2019

Purpose

Since the development of antipsychotic drugs in the 1950s, a variety of studies and case reports have been published that suggest an association between exposure to typical antipsychotics and venous thromboembolisms (VTE). Therefore, when starting treatment with antipsychotics, especially low-potency typical antipsychotics and clozapine, health-care providers must account for the patient’s existing VTE risk factors.

Design/methodology/approach

In this case report, the authors describe the development of a pulmonary embolism associated with use of chlorpromazine in the treatment of an acute manic episode in a 51-year-old female patient with bipolar disorder type 1.

Findings

The patient was brought to the emergency room by the police on a legal hold for bizarre behaviors at a bus stop, which included incessantly yelling at bystanders. The patient was found to have disorganized thoughts, poor sleep, rapid speech, labile mood, distractibility, auditory hallucinations and grandiose delusions. During the course of her stay, the patient received extensive IM chlorpromazine for extreme agitation, in addition to chlorpromazine 200 mg IM Q8H, which was later decreased to chlorpromazine 100 mg chlorpromazine IM/PO Q8H. On day 4 of the treatment, the patient experienced difficulty breathing, hypoxia and tachycardia and was found to have bilateral expiratory wheezes. CT angiography showed sub-segmental pulmonary embolus and the patient was transferred to MICU service. The patient was then intubated and started on heparin by the medical team. Over the course of the next day, her respiratory distress resolved and the patient was extubated.

Originality/value

It is possible that chlorpromazine may indeed increase VTEs, and there are various physiological postulations regarding the mechanism of action. However, multiple confounding variables existed in the authors’ report, including venous stasis and the use of restraints, tobacco and valproic acid. Each of these variables has been shown to increase VTE occurrence. Further controlled studies are necessary to identify the true relationship between antipsychotics and VTEs.
Xenic insurance company: ethical dilemma of an employee
Authors: Garg Naval
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to depict the ethical dilemma of an employee in an insurance company who analyzed the group health policy of a major private telecommunication company. He noticed striking discrepancies and reported the findings to his superior.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study methodology is used for this study.

Findings

This paper reported the ethical dilemma faced by the employee.

Originality/value

This is an original work to the best of the author’s knowledge.
A critical review of non-performing assets in the Indian banking industry
Authors: Agarwala Varuna , Agarwala Nidhi
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The level of non-performing assets (NPAs) best indicates the soundness of the banking sector of a country. The purpose of this study is an effort to look into the contribution of the different banks individually to the NPA in the industry by looking into its growth pattern during the period 2010-2017. Further, the study is made to look into the effect of different groups of banks, namely, State Bank of India (SBI) and its associates, nationalised banks and private sector banks on the banking industry in this regard.

Design/methodology/approach

The individual private sector banks, nationalised banks and SBI and its associates have been considered for the purpose of the study. The analysis is based on secondary data collected from the Reserve Bank of India website for the period 2010-2017. The geometric mean has been used as a statistical tool for arriving at the mean growth rate of gross NPAs. Further, refinement of the result is done by comparing the growth of gross NPAs of individual banks with that of the average growth rate.

Findings

The assessment of private sector banks reveals that the growth rate of NPAs is low as compared to the nationalised banks, as well as the SBI and its associates. The nationalised banks and the associate banks of SBI failed to handle the issue of poor loans effectively due to which the growth in such loans has been phenomenally high.

Originality/value

The research is interesting as the study period follows the financial crisis. There is no such previous study that has looked at the perspective of banking from this angle. The research is valuable from two angles. Firstly, it brings to light the situation of the different categories of banks with regard to NPAs. Secondly, the information can be useful for investors as the issue of poor loans is a relevant one for them because it has an impact on the profitability of banks and thereby the future prospects.
Seed germination ecology of Viola calaminaria, an endangered metallophyte with a narrow distribution
Authors: Godefroid Sandrine , Van de Vyver Ann
Published: November 2019

Viola calaminaria is an endangered metallophyte endemic to a small area close to the border between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, where it grows on rock outcrops rich in heavy metals (zinc, lead and cadmium). Because V. calaminaria reproduces mainly by seeds, it is of crucial importance to understand its germination requirements. Germination percentage and speed at constant (11–25°C) and alternating (23/09°C) temperatures were investigated in five large populations. Germination percentage was positively correlated to seed weight. Germination was low (<25%) at 11 and 16°C, intermediate (around 65%) between 20 and 25°C and the highest (93%) at the alternating temperature regime (23/09°C). V. calaminaria is a slow germinator requiring 41 days on average to germinate at 23/09°C and considerably more at 20 to 25°C (105 days on average). Our results also highlighted that the species is desiccation tolerant and can therefore be safely conserved under standard seed bank conditions.
The emerging contribution of speech and language therapists in awake craniotomy: a national survey of their roles, practices and perceptions
Authors: O'Neill Michelle , Henderson Mo , Duffy Orla M. , Kernohan W. George
Published: November 2019

Background

Awake craniotomy with electrical stimulation has become the gold standard for tumour resection in eloquent areas of the brain. Patients’ speech during the procedure can inform the intervention and evidence for language experts to support the procedure is building. Within the UK a burgeoning speech and language therapist awake craniotomy network has emerged to support this practice. Further evidence is needed to underpin the specific contribution of speech and language therapists working within the awake craniotomy service.

Aims

To investigate and analyse the current practices of speech and language therapists: their role, pre‐, intra‐ and postoperative assessment, and management practice patterns and skill set within awake craniotomy.

Methods & Procedures

Speech and language therapists in the UK, who work in awake craniotomy, were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited via several networks supported by a social media campaign. Data were analysed using a mixed methodology approach including descriptive statistics, summative and conventional content analysis.

Outcomes & Results

A total of 24 speech and language therapists completed the survey, an unknown proportion of the available population. All four UK countries were represented. The majority were highly specialist clinicians 58% (n = 14) with the remainder clinical leads 25% (n = 6) or specialist clinicians 17% (n = 14). Only 29% (n = 7) had funding for awake craniotomy or had awake craniotomy in their job description. Median experience with awake craniotomy was 3 years. Median estimated contact time per case was 10.3 h. Current intraoperative practice is characterized by a sustained period of real‐time, dynamic, informal assessment of speech, language, oromotor and cognitive functions. Respondents described a range of intraoperative clinical deficits that, once detected, are immediately communicated to surgeons. There was evidence of variable and diverse language mapping practices and barriers to the translation of information at multidisciplinary team level. Barriers to participation in awake craniotomy included lack of: standardized validated language mapping methods, funding, standardized training methods and guidance to direct practice.

Conclusions & Implications

The evidence suggests areas of consistent practice patterns in preoperative preparation and intraoperative assessment. However, considerable variability exists within language testing and mapping that would benefit from validation. These speech and language therapists support improved outcomes of awake craniotomy by real‐time intraoperative speech, language, oromotor and cognitive assessment, rapid detection of clinical deterioration and immediate communication to surgeons. Further research exploring intraoperative language testing, consistent use of language mapping terminology, and selection of test methods is recommended.
Insecticide susceptibility of Culex pipiens pallens (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuke) to five commonly used pesticides in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Yang Young Cheol , Kim Hyunah , Jang Chang‐Won , Chang Kyu‐Sik
Published: November 2019

Field collected populations of two mosquito species, Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes albopictus, were tested for susceptibility to five pyrethroid insecticides using a topical application bioassay. The laboratory strain of Cx. pipiens pallens (KS‐CP) demonstrated the most and the lowest susceptibility to deltamethrin and d‐cis/trans prallethrine with LD50 values of 0.00022 μg/♀ and 0.00178 μg/♀, respectively, while Ae. albopictus (KS‐AL) showed the greatest and the lowest susceptibility to phthalethrin and deltamethrin with LD50 values of 0.00015 μg/♀ and 0.00085 μg/♀, respectively. Cx. pipiens pallens (JF‐CP) collected at a nearby rice field in Jeonju showed the greatest susceptibility to deltamethrin (LD50 value of 0.0473 μg/♀) and the resistance ratios (RRs) and compared to the laboratory strain were 215 fold greater. JF‐CP demonstrated the lowest susceptibility to d‐cis/trans phenothrin (0.7697 μg/♀) with RRs 711.0 fold greater than the KS‐CP. An Ae. albopictus (JF‐AL) collected at a nearby forest in Jeonju showed the highest susceptibility to deltamethrin (0.00203 μg/♀) with RRs 2.4 fold greater than the KS‐AL. JF‐AL demonstrated the lowest susceptibility to d‐cis/trans prallethrine (LD50 value 0.00646 μg/♀) with RRs 9.4 fold greater than the KS‐AL. JF‐AL demonstrated the greatest resistance to phthalethrin with RRs 39.3 fold greater than the KS‐AL. Resistance ratios of Cx. pipiens pallens between field and laboratory strains ranged from 215.0 to 711.0 and Ae. albopictus ranged from 2.4 to 39.3. These results indicate that the choice of effective insecticides to selected species of mosquito populations will result in more effective control against field strains of mosquito vectors and decrease environmental pollution.
Ultrasonic Cutting as a New Method to Produce Fresh‐Cut Red Delicious and Golden Delicious Apples
Authors: Yildiz Gulcin , Palma Sindy , Feng Hao
Published: November 2019

The fresh‐cut or sliced apple market has grown rapidly in recent years due to consumers’ demand for fresh, convenient, and nutritious foods. Fresh‐cut apples also contributed to increased consumption of fruits among school children. However, not many studies have investigated means to improve the quality of fresh‐cut apples. In this study, we explored the use of ultrasound as a new method to cut apples and examined the quality of two apple varieties (Red Delicious and Golden Delicious) cut with ultrasound. Both apple types were cut without (control) and with ultrasound at four amplitudes (0%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) with an ultrasonic knife. Quality attributes, for example, color, pH, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, surface morphology, and sensory characteristics (color, odor, overall acceptability, and off‐odor) of the apples right after cutting and during a 2‐week storage at refrigeration temperature were compared. With the set up used in this study, both apples cut with ultrasound exhibited a relatively dense and smooth surface morphology with less cell damage compared with the relatively rough surface and more cells damage in the control. An improvement in quality attributes was observed when the ultrasound amplitude was increased from 30% to 50%. The apples cut with ultrasound had a lower PPO activity compared to the control, indicating less browning. In visual quality evaluation, panelists showed higher liking of the apples cut with ultrasound. The ultrasound‐assisted cutting has showed promise for producing fresh‐cut apples with improved quality, and may be used as an alternative to traditional cutting method.

Practical Application

Fresh‐cut produce has gained popularity in recent years due to its health benefits. Traditional methods to produce fresh produce use a static stainless steel blade to cut fruits or vegetables, causing chemical or visual quality issues. This study proposed a new method using a blade that vibrates at ultrasonic frequency to cut apples. The results have shown an improvement in the quality of fresh‐cut apples. This method may provide a new solution for producing fresh‐cut produce to better meet the requirement of consumers for quality products.
Promising protocols for parasites: Metatranscriptomics improves detection of hyperdiverse but low abundance communities
Authors: Cassin‐Sackett Loren
Published: November 2019

Genomic technologies continue to shed light on important ecological and evolutionary questions. Nonetheless, these new tools are applied disproportionately in a small fraction of global biodiversity, partly because of technical challenges to studying highly diverse taxa that occur in low abundances in an environment (e.g., marine and microbial communities). As a result, our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes lags in many taxa. In a From the Cover manuscript in this issue of Molecular Ecology Resources, Galen, Borner, Williamson, Witt, and Perkins (2020) present a novel approach for characterizing diversity that combines metatranscriptomics with rigorous bioinformatic processing to dramatically improve detection and identification of diverse, low‐abundance avian blood parasites. Their approach is an exciting application of available tools that increases our potential for a deeper understanding of diversity in other communities of low‐abundance, highly diverse taxa.
Relationship between coffee consumption and serum uric acid level in the general Korean population: A nationwide cross‐sectional study
Authors: Jung Jae Hyun , Seok Hongdeok , Choi Sung Jae , Kim Cholhee , Bang Cho Hee , Song Gwan Gyu
Published: November 2019

Objective

Coffee is one of the world's most consumed beverages, and its consumption is increasing. Serum uric acid levels are affected by dietary factors, and increased levels can cause a variety of diseases, including gout. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and serum uric acid levels in the general Korean population.

Methods

A nationwide cross‐sectional study was conducted using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2016. A total of 3005 participants who checked serum uric acid levels and a completed coffee consumption survey were included (1146 men and 1859 women). The amount of coffee consumption was examined via self‐reporting and categorized as none, <1 cup, 1‐2 cups, 2‐5 cups, and ≥5 cups of coffee consumed daily.

Results

The mean serum uric acid level of the men was 5.91 ± 1.24 mg/dL and that of women was 4.29 ± 0.97 mg/dL. In the multiple linear regression analysis, there were no significant differences in the serum uric acid levels between the non‐coffee‐drinking group and the coffee‐drinking group (<1 cup, 1‐2 cups, 2‐5 cups, and ≥5 cups of coffee) in both men and women (P = .569, .258, .466, and .751, respectively, in men; .185, .520, .116, and .302, respectively, in women).

Conclusions

There was no significant relationship between coffee consumption and serum uric acid levels in the general Korean population.
DBTree: Very large phylogenies in portable databases
Authors: Vos Rutger A.
Published: November 2019

Growing numbers of large phylogenetic syntheses are being published. Sometimes as part of a hypothesis testing framework, sometimes to present novel methods of phylogenetic inference, and sometimes as a snapshot of the diversity within a database. Commonly used methods to reuse these trees in scripting environments have their limitations.

I present a toolkit that transforms data presented in the most commonly used format for such trees into a database schema that facilitates quick topological queries. Specifically, the need for recursive traversal commonly presented by schemata based on adjacency lists is largely obviated. This is accomplished by computing pre‐ and post‐order indexes and node heights on the topology as it is being ingested.

The resulting toolkit provides several command line tools to do the transformation and to extract subtrees from the resulting database files. In addition, reusable library code with object–relational mappings for programmatic access is provided. To demonstrate the utility of the general approach I also provide database files for trees published by Open Tree of Life, Greengenes, D‐PLACE, PhyloTree, the NCBI taxonomy and a recent estimate of plant phylogeny.

The database files that the toolkit produces are highly portable (either as SQLite or tabular text) and can readily be queried, for example, in the R environment. Programming languages with mature frameworks for object‐relational mapping and phylogenetic tree analysis, such as Python, can use these facilities to make much larger phylogenies conveniently accessible to researcher programmers.