bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deteriorated aesthetics of external wall paint; the impact on rent and take-up of accommodation in a high-end housing estate
Authors: Akinbogun Solomon Pelumi , Aigbbavboa Clinton , Gumbo Trynos
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The factors affecting housing rent and take-up had been largely examined in a cluster. This leaves a dearth of knowledge on the influences of other disparate factors, such as the aesthetics of the building facade. This paper examines the effects of a deteriorated external wall paint on the tenants, rent and take-up of housing located in a high-end housing estate in Akure, Nigeria. The logic is to examine the place of aesthetics among the general factors affecting take-up and rental prices.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through census from 133 respondents residing in houses with deteriorated external wall paint. It applied both descriptive and multinomial logistic regression (MLR) to analyse the data.

Findings

Findings reveal that close to 60% of the respondents were psychologically affected by the visible deterioration of external wall paint. This translated to a significance reduction in rent compared with the rental prices of similar houses the appearance of which was not deteriorated. Generally, this study found that aesthetics paled into insignificance in the analysis of the general factors affecting housing take-up and rent. However, it ranked first when these were analysed on the structural characteristics of the house only. This is consistent with findings from the MLR parameter estimate, which shows that those who were psychologically affected are more likely to pay a 15% increase in their current rent to take up a similar house without paint deterioration.

Practical implications

The findings of this study have implications on practice and theory. First, while the location mantra is a key determinant of rental prices in theory, in practice, rent on comparable houses could differ if the aesthetics of the external wall paint is compromised. This implies an avoidable loss of rent to the owner of a property who compromises the aesthetic quality of the external wall paint in a high-end location where affordability is arguably high. The implication on public authority is that a lower rent may have a negative implication on government revenue and specifically property tax which is normally based on market rent of a property.

Originality/value

A novel quality of the study is that it separates the structural characteristics of a house from the general factors in order to examine the specific effect of deteriorated aesthetics of external wall paint on take-up and rent.
Synthesis of diepoxycyclohexylethyl tetramethyldisiloxane and its application to stereolithography 3D printing
Authors: Huang Biwu , Han Linlin , Wu Baolin , Zhou Wenbin , Lu Zhenting
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to synthesize a new kind of a cationic-type UV-curing prepolymer diepoxycyclohexylethyl tetramethyldisiloxane, which is used to replace the current prepolymers’ common cycloaliphatic epoxy resins to prepare a novel 3D printing stereolithography material.

Design/methodology/approach

Diepoxycyclohexylethyl tetramethyldisiloxane was characterized and analyzed by FT-IR and 1HMR. Diepoxycyclohexylethyl tetramethyldisiloxane was compounded with a polycaprolactone polyol, some acrylates and photoinitiators to prepare a novel 3D printing stereolithography resin (3DPSLR11). Optical properties of 3DPSLR11 were investigated by HRPL-150A stereolithography apparatus and INITELLI-RAY400 UV-curing system. Tensile mechanical properties of printed 3DPSLR11 specimens were tested by WDW-50-type universal testing machine, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) was determined by DMA. Rectangle plates and double-cantilever parts were fabricated by using the stereolithography apparatus with 3DPSLR11 as the printing material, and the dimension shrinkage factors and the curl factors of the parts were investigated.

Findings

The experimental results showed that the critical exposure (Ec) of the 3D printing 3DPSLR11 was 11.6 mJ/cm2, its penetration depth (Dp) was 0.18 mm, the tensile strength of the cured 3DPSLR11 was 40.1 MPa, the tensile modulus was 1,741.4 MPa, the elongation at break was 15.3%, Tg was 113°C, the dimension shrinkage factor was less than 0.85% and the curl factor was less than 8.00%.

Originality/value

In this work, a novel 3D printing 3DPSLR11 was prepared with diepoxycyclohexylethyl tetramethyldisiloxane as a main prepolymer. The novel 3DPSLR11 possessed excellent photosensitivity, and its cured products had good mechanical and thermal properties. The accuracy and resolution of the fabricated parts were high with 3DPSLR11 for stereolithography in 3D printing, which showed that 3DPSLR11 has potential application value as 3D printing material.
The language of leadership in a deadly pandemic
Authors: Craig Russell , Amernic Joel
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper explores the rhetorical and strategic nature of the language political and business leaders used during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic – or what we refer to as their pandemic-speak.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws opportunistically on examples of communications that have appeared variously in letters to shareholders, tweets, and public comments of CEOs of major companies, and in press briefings of several political leaders.

Findings

Good and bad examples of the exercise of leadership through pandemic-speak are presented. Some of the examples discussed are characterised variously by confected positivity, hubris, hyperbole, misinformation, recklessness, appeal to patriotic values, and abuse of the adjectives “unprecedented” and “extraordinary.” The term “COVID-19” is used as an ideographic “whipping post” to deflect attention from the implication of leaders in the inadequate level of preparedness for the pandemic.

Originality/value

This paper reinforces the point that the language of leaders is usually not innocent, but must be monitored closely to enhance meaning, transparency and accountability. CEOs should be less self-serving and instinctive in their crisis communications. Their language should reflect a caring attitude and encourage followers to have trust and confidence in them. Leaders should place greater stead in the wisdom offered in many studies of how to exercise strategic communication choices in a crisis.
Macroscopic non‐Biot's material properties of sandstone with pore‐coupled wave‐induced fluid flows
Authors: Chen Shuna , Wen Xiaotao , Morozov Igor B. , Deng Wubing , Liu Zhege
Published: July 2020

Wave‐induced pore‐fluid flows are recognized as an important cause of seismic‐wave attenuation at frequencies below 1 kHz within heterogeneous rocks. By using Lagrangian continuum mechanics, wave‐induced pore‐fluid flow mechanisms can be classified strictly on the basis of macroscopic non‐Biot's material properties. In this classification, type I and II wave‐induced pore‐fluid flows are identified by local internal deformations being elastically coupled with either the whole Biot's rock or only with its pore fluid, respectively. Type III wave‐induced pore‐fluid flow is defined as a mixture of types I and II. For all types of wave‐induced pore‐fluid flows, the model predicts all rock properties observed in rock‐deformation experiments, such as the frequency‐dependent poroelastic moduli. The observed attenuation peaks and effective moduli can be used to invert for new, non‐Biot's material properties of porous rock. In data examples, we focus on the pore‐fluid coupled (type II) wave‐induced pore‐fluid flow mechanism and compare it to a previous analysis of type I. Non‐Biot's elastic and viscous rock properties are inverted for by fitting the effective drained bulk moduli measured in two previously published experiments: (1) with real sandstone including two saturating fluids and multiple confining pressures, and (2) a numerical experiment with heterogeneous sandstone containing mesoscopic‐ and microscopic‐scale wave‐induced pore‐fluid flows. Compared with a previous study of type I wave‐induced pore‐fluid flow, the data‐fitting method is improved by focusing on attenuation peaks and additional points in the observed spectra. For both of these experiments, both type I and II interpretations yield accurate fitting of the observed attenuation and dispersion spectra. Combinations of type I and II models (type III) yield a broad variety of acceptable mechanical models. This ambiguity of inversion shows that the different types of wave‐induced pore‐fluid flows cannot be differentiated in conventional attenuation/dispersion experiments. However, these WIFF types are physically meaningful and lead to rigorous equations of rock deformation that can be used in many applications.
Long‐distance natal dispersal is relatively frequent and correlated with environmental factors in a widespread raptor
Authors: McCaslin Hanna M. , Caughlin T. Trevor , Heath Julie A.
Published: July 2020

Dispersal is a critical process influencing population dynamics and responses to global change. Long‐distance dispersal (LDD) can be especially important for gene flow and adaptability, although little is known about the factors influencing LDD because studying large‐scale movements is challenging and LDD tends to be observed less frequently than shorter‐distance dispersal (SDD).

We sought to understand patterns of natal dispersal at a large scale, specifically aiming to understand the relative frequency of LDD compared to SDD and correlates of dispersal distances.

We used bird banding and encounter data for American kestrels (Falco sparverius) to investigate the effects of sex, migration strategy, population density, weather, year and agricultural land cover on LDD frequency, LDD distance and SDD distance in North America from 1961 to 2015.

Nearly half of all natal dispersal (48.9%) was LDD (classified as >30 km), and the likelihood of LDD was positively associated with the proportion of agricultural land cover around natal sites. Correlates of distance differed between LDD and SDD movements. LDD distance was positively correlated with latitude, a proxy for migration strategy, suggesting that migratory individuals disperse farther than residents. Distance of LDD in males was positively associated with maximum summer temperature. We did not find sex‐bias or an effect of population density in LDD distance or frequency. Within SDD, females tended to disperse farther than males, and distance was positively correlated with density. Sampling affected all responses, likely because local studies more frequently capture SDD within study areas.

Our findings that LDD occurs at a relatively high frequency and is related to different proximate factors from SDD, including a lack of sex‐bias in LDD, suggest that LDD may be more common than previously reported, and LDD and SDD may be distinct processes rather than two outcomes originating from a single dispersal distribution. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that LDD and SDD may be separate processes in an avian species, and suggests that environmental change may have different outcomes on the two processes.
Olmec Colossal Heads in the Paintings of Aubrey Williams
Authors: Dudley Ian
Published: July 2020

This essay examines the use of Olmec colossal heads as a central motif in the late work of Aubrey Williams (1926–90). Focusing on four key paintings, Chato Presence (1982), Night and the Olmec (1983), Chato III (1984) and Hymn to the Sun IV (1984), it connects the colossal heads' appearance to themes of decolonialism, diaspora and cross‐culturality, which are fundamental for understanding the artist's transnational life and practice. The works belonged to an epic cycle of forty oil on canvas paintings known as the Olmec–Maya series, which were first exhibited in London in 1985 and represented the culmination of Williams's lifelong engagement with Indigenous American aesthetics and archaeology. By locating the colossal head motif in relation to this trajectory and aspects of Guyana's colonial history, particularly slavery, emancipation and its postwar independence struggle, the essay describes how Williams transformed these iconic sculptures into avatars of postcolonial vision.
Contracting and Farmers’ Perception of Unfair Trading Practices in the EU Dairy Sector
Authors: Di Marcantonio Federica , Ciaian Pavel , Fałkowski Jan
Published: July 2020

It is commonly asserted that unfair trading practices (UTPs) emerge largely as a result of contract incompleteness. In line with this view it is claimed that making contracts more complete will represent an antidote to UTPs. In this paper we argue that this does not need to be the case. This is because contracts, except for their potential to increase the surplus generated in the transaction, determine how this surplus will be divided. This, in turn, makes it possible for both trading partners to use contractual terms to turn the distributional conflict to their advantage. In the presence of unequal distribution of bargaining power this may lead to a situation in which the stronger party may succeed in tilting the contract in its favour by including UTPs in the contract content. Drawing insights from data collected in 2017 through a field survey among dairy farmers in France, Germany, Poland and Spain, we find support for this argument. Our estimation results show that contract completeness increases the likelihood of farmers reporting that their contracts with processors include the practices that may be considered as UTPs. Further, and also in line with this argument, contract completeness does not seem to affect UTPs during the contract execution or its termination.
Understanding Filipino Rice Farmer Preference Heterogeneity for Varietal Trait Improvements: A Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Maligalig Rio , Demont Matty , Umberger Wendy J. , Peralta Alexandra
Published: July 2020

Using an experimental methodology based on investment games, we examine whether smallholder rice farmers from Nueva Ecija, Philippines have heterogeneous preferences for improvements in 10 rice varietal traits. We use a latent class cluster approach to identify different segments of rice producing households and their distinct preferences for trait improvements. These clusters were characterised post hoc using household, farm, and marketing characteristics. On average, farmers invested the most in rice varietal trait improvements that offered opportunities to reduce losses caused by lodging, insects and diseases. We found four classes of farmers with distinct preferences for improvements in variety traits. The clusters were significantly different in terms of household and farm characteristics. These findings can guide breeding research in the development of varieties that have the traits farmers identified for improvement, and that will address the unique needs of distinct farmer segments.
Potentials of rice as a suitable alternative for the production of ogi (a cereal‐based starchy fermented gruel)
Authors: Akintayo Olaide Akinwunmi , Hashim Yunus Olayemi , Adereti Adesewa Grace , Balogun Mutiat Adebanke , Bolarinwa Islamiyat Folashade , Abiodun Olufunmilola Adunni , Dauda Adegbola Oladele , Solaja Anuoluwapo Abayomi , Alabi Oluwatoyin Fatai
Published: July 2020

In the present study, the physicochemical and sensory properties of ogi (a cereal‐based starchy fermented gruel) produced from two local rice varieties, Abakaliki and Tapa, were determined. Ogi from white maize served as the control. There was a gradual increase in temperature from approximately 28 to 30 °C during fermentation. White maize exhibited the highest acidity level throughout the fermentation period. Tapa and Abakaliki rice ogi samples (i.e., TRO and ARO, respectively) were higher in yields and amylose contents than white maize ogi (WMO). WMO had significantly (P < 0.05) lower moisture content (54.14%) than ARO (62.18%) and TRO (68.02%). The highest and lowest sedimentation rates recorded for WMO and TRO, respectively, were attributed to difference in moisture contents and granule bulk densities. WMO showed higher solubility indices (3.54 to 4.66%) at all the temperatures (60 to 100 °C) tested. TRO and ARO had higher final and setback viscosities, as well as pasting temperatures than WMO, but were lower in breakdown viscosity. Ogi samples from rice recorded significantly (P < 0.05) higher L* values and distinct color characteristics with reference to a sample from maize, and this was suspected to have partially influenced their higher preference by the panelists during sensory evaluation. Rice is not just suitable for ogi production but looks promising to enjoy even more consumer acceptability than maize in this respect. However, there are notable peculiarities, such as major roles attributable to amylose contents.

Practical Applications

The study confirms the potential of rice as a promising alternative to white maize in the production of ogi while comparing the quality attributes of products from the two cereal types. Results from the study represent useful scientific insights into the distinct variations in some properties of rice and maize during fermentation. Production of ogi from rice, such as Abakaliki and Tapa varieties, may present an effective strategy to support government's political will aimed at promoting local rice in Nigeria and in Africa at large.
Gestational diabetes mellitus testing in the COVID‐19 pandemic: The problems with simplifying the diagnostic process
Authors: van Gemert Tegan E. , Moses Robert G. , Pape Alexia V. , Morris Gary J.
Published: July 2020

Background

Multiple professional bodies have temporarily revised recommendations for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) testing during the COVID‐19 pandemic to reduce person‐to‐person contact. The current Australian temporary criteria advise that if the fasting glucose is ≤4.6 mmol/L, then no glucose tolerance test (GTT) is required.

Aims

The aim of this study is to examine the extent of underdiagnosis of GDM using a fasting glucose ≤4.6 mmol/L as a cut‐off to determine that a GTT is not necessary.

Materials and Methods

De‐identified data from pregnant women having a GTT test in the Illawarra area during a six‐year period was used to determine the number of women with GDM and the proportion of positive cases that would be missed for different fasting glucose values.

Results

There were 16 522 results identified and GDM was diagnosed in 12.2%. The majority of women were more than 30 years of age (85.2%) and diagnosed at ≥20 weeks gestation (81.1%). Of those diagnosed with GDM, 29% had a fasting glucose of ≤4.6 mmol/L and would have been missed.

Conclusions

Our results show that using a fasting glucose of 4.6 mmol/L or less would miss nearly a third of women who would otherwise be diagnosed with GDM.
Preventing anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic intersphincteric resection without a diverting stoma: "pull‐through/reborn"
Authors: Hamamoto Hiroki , Okuda Junji , Yamamoto Masashi , Masubuchi Shinsuke , Ishii Masatsugu , Osumi Wataru , Tanaka Keitaro , Uchiyama Kazuhisa
Published: July 2020

Introduction

Patients with very low rectal cancer who undergo intersphincteric resection (ISR) often experience anastomotic leakage (AL), even with a diverting stoma. The aim of this study was to introduce a technique for anastomosis after laparoscopic ISR to avoid AL.

Materials and Surgical Technique

In the first ISR procedure, the rectum was mobilized, the mesorectum was excised, and total, subtotal, or partial internal sphincter incision was performed transanally. In the second surgery, the adhesions between the prolapsed colon and the anal canal were bluntly dissected only as needed for suturing. After sufficient blood flow was confirmed using indocyanine green fluorescence imaging, coloanal transanal anastomosis was performed without a diverting stoma. We call this method “pull‐through/reborn”.

Discussion

“Pull‐through/reborn” method can prevent AL after laparoscopic ISR. However, more cases and more experience are necessary to analyze anal functions after this method is applied.
Uncoupling sodium channel dimers restores the phenotype of a pain‐linked Nav1.7 channel mutation
Authors: Rühlmann Annika H. , Körner Jannis , Hausmann Ralf , Bebrivenski Nikolay , Neuhof Christian , Detro‐Dassen Silvia , Hautvast Petra , Benasolo Carène A. , Meents Jannis , Machtens Jan‐Philipp , Schmalzing Günther , Lampert Angelika
Published: July 2020

Background and Purpose

The voltage‐gated sodium channel Nav1.7 is essential for adequate perception of painful stimuli. Mutations in the encoding gene, SCN9A, cause various pain syndromes in humans. The hNav1.7/A1632E channel mutant causes symptoms of erythromelalgia and paroxysmal extreme pain disorder (PEPD), and its main gating change is a strongly enhanced persistent current. On the basis of recently published 3D structures of voltage‐gated sodium channels, we investigated how the inactivation particle binds to the channel, how this mechanism is altered by the hNav1.7/A1632E mutation, and how dimerization modifies function of the pain‐linked mutation.

Experimental Approach

We applied atomistic molecular simulations to demonstrate the effect of the mutation on channel fast inactivation. Native PAGE was used to demonstrate channel dimerization, and electrophysiological measurements in HEK cells and Xenopus laevis oocytes were used to analyze the links between functional channel dimerization and impairment of fast inactivation by the hNav1.7/A1632E mutation.

Key Results

Enhanced persistent current through hNav1.7/A1632E channels was caused by impaired binding of the inactivation particle, which inhibits proper functioning of the recently proposed allosteric fast inactivation mechanism. hNav1.7 channels form dimers and the disease‐associated persistent current through hNav1.7/A1632E channels depends on their functional dimerization status: Expression of the synthetic peptide difopein, a 14‐3‐3 inhibitor known to functionally uncouple dimers, decreased hNav1.7/A1632E channel‐induced persistent currents.

Conclusion and Implications

Functional uncoupling of mutant hNav1.7/A1632E channel dimers restored their defective allosteric fast inactivation mechanism. Our findings support the concept of sodium channel dimerization and reveal its potential relevance for human pain syndromes.
Inclusion of a gene‐environment interaction between alcohol consumption and the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 genotype in a risk prediction model for upper aerodigestive tract cancer in Japanese men
Authors: Iwasaki Motoki , Budhathoki Sanjeev , Yamaji Taiki , Tanaka‐Mizuno Sachiko , Kuchiba Aya , Sawada Norie , Goto Atsushi , Shimazu Taichi , Inoue Manami , Tsugane Shoichiro ,   for the Japan Public Health Center‐based Prospective Study (JPHC Study) Group
Published: July 2020

The well‐known gene‐environment interaction between alcohol consumption and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype in upper aerodigestive tract cancer risk may improve our ability to identify high‐risk subjects. Here, we developed and validated risk prediction models for this cancer in Japanese men and evaluated whether adding the gene‐environment interaction to the model improved the predictive performance. We developed two case‐cohort datasets in the Japan Public Health Center‐based Prospective Study: one from subjects in the baseline survey for model development (108 cases and 4049 subcohort subjects) and the second from subjects in the 5‐year follow‐up survey for model validation (31 cases and 1527 subcohort subjects). We developed an environmental model including age, smoking status, and alcohol consumption, and a gene‐environment interaction model including age, smoking status, and the combination of alcohol consumption and the ALDH2 genotype. We found a statistically significant gene‐environment interaction for alcohol consumption and the ALDH2 genotype. The c‐index for the gene‐environment interaction model (0.71) was slightly higher than that for the environmental model (0.67). The values of integrated discrimination improvement and net reclassification improvement for the gene‐environment interaction model were also slightly higher than those for the environmental model. Goodness‐of‐fit tests suggested that the models were well calibrated. Results from external model validation by the 5‐year follow‐up survey were consistent with those from the model development by the baseline survey. The addition of a gene‐environment interaction to a lifestyle‐based model might improve the performance to estimate the probability of developing upper aerodigestive tract cancer for Japanese men.
Frequent activating PIK3CA mutations in sporadic angiolipoma
Authors: Saggini Andrea , Santonja Carlos , Nájera Laura , Palmedo Gabriele , Kutzner Heinz
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

Angiolipoma (AL) is considered as a lipoma variant that is characterized by the combination of mature adipocytes and capillary blood vessels diffusely distributed within the tumor. With the exception of recurrent PRKD2 mutations of uncertain pathogenetic significance, the genetic abnormalities of ALs are unknown, in the absence of any of the specific chromosomal aberrations described in other lipoma variants.

METHODS

Formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded blocks of 13 conventional ALs and 5 cellular ALs from 17 individuals were retrieved and analyzed for mutations in exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA by polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

Activating PIK3CA mutations were identified in 14 tumors (78%). All PIK3CA‐mutated samples carried the same exon 9 mutation, c.1634A>C (p.E545A). No mutation was detected in exon 20 of PIK3CA. No significant difference between PIK3CA‐mutated and wild‐type samples appeared to exist based on age, gender, and location of the tumor. All 5 cellular ALs carried the p.E545A PIK3CA mutation.

CONCLUSION

The high frequency of the p.E545A PIK3CA mutation in both conventional and cellular ALs suggests that activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway plays a key role in AL pathogenesis and reinforces the concept that cellular AL should be regarded as a variant of AL.
Paulo Freire in a Hall of Mirrors
Authors: Barros Sandro
Published: July 2020

Abstract

Since first published in English in 1970, Pedagogy of the Oppressed has inspired generations of scholars and social activists to examine the inherent potential of Paulo Freire's theories on grassroots intellectual emancipation and education in marginalized communities. The interpretive lineage of Freire's writings is vast, indeed. To date, scholars continue to mobilize Freire's ideas to establish meaningful connections between what he describes as “liberatory teaching” and the role progressive educators must play in bringing about a more just and humane society. Freire's popularity outside Brazil, however, has come with inevitable tradeoffs worth considering, particularly as regards the epistemological directions and labels affixed to his educational philosophy. Considering the “many Freires” phenomenon, Sandro Barros takes a genealogical approach in this essay to the metanarratives that have made up Freire scholarship outside Brazil. His analysis is guided by the following questions: (1) What kinds of hermeneutic cultures have enveloped Freire's ideas in academic contexts? (2) How have these cultures shaped the reading practices that surround his texts?
“Make the Education of the Youths Our Own Education”: Plato's Laches, a Dialogue for Educators
Authors: Buck Brandon , Longa Rachel
Published: July 2020

Through an exegesis of the dramatic elements of Plato's Laches, Brandon Buck and Rachel Longa argue that it is an especially valuable text to read with practicing and preservice teachers. Buck and Longa show how the dialogue illustrates three essential aspects of what education means and involves. First, they show how the dialogue foregrounds the often‐obscured role of philosophical inquiry in addressing educational questions. Second, they show how the depiction of aporia in the Laches underscores the importance of uncertainty for the persistence of humanistic conversation, and thus for substantial engagement with core educational questions. Finally, they interpret Socrates to suggest that participation in humanistic conversation is not merely an incidental aspect of education as a profession, but rather precisely what it means to be an educator. In sum, Buck and Longa argue that the Laches illustrates the core idea that in order to educate at all, we must be deeply involved in the very questions that characterize humanistic conversation.
Inpatient mortality of patients with multiple myeloma and renal impairment undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation
Authors: Mohyuddin Ghulam Rehman , Abbasi Saqib , Okoniewski Maire , McClune Brian , Abdallah Al‐Ola , Ganguly Siddhartha , McGuirk Joseph , Shune Leyla
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Further data are needed on the safety of high‐dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplant (HDM‐ASCT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and renal impairment. The objective of our study was to use the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to determine inpatient mortality for patients with MM and renal impairment undergoing HDM‐ASCT, as well as trends over time.

Methods

Using the NIS, we tracked hospital admissions for MM patients from 2002 to 2014 who underwent HDM‐ASCT, using ICD 9 coding.

Results

The total weighted estimate of inpatient admissions for HDM‐ASCT among MM patients was 47,253 from 2002 to 2014. A weighted total of 45 and 1709 patients with MM received peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) during HDM‐ASCT for MM, respectively. There was a markedly increased risk of inpatient mortality in patients on dialysis undergoing transplant (20.5% for PD patients, 13.8% for HD patients), even after accounting for other comorbidities (odds ratio of inpatient mortality of 6.193 [CI 3.585‐10.701]). A significant decrease was noted in inpatient mortality for patients with ESRD undergoing HDM‐ASCT over time from 15.6% in 2009 to 5% in 2014 (P < .001).

Conclusion

Patients with MM on dialysis undergoing HDM‐ASCT are at significantly increased risk of inpatient mortality.
The remains of the saints: the evidence of early medieval relic collections
Authors: Smith Julia M.H.
Published: July 2020

This article explores the materiality of early medieval devotion to the saints. It argues that, even though most of the material objects themselves no longer survive, there is nevertheless much to be gleaned from surviving caches of relic labels about what churches believed they possessed. It exploits the same evidence to explore how types of relic‐objects changed over time, track evidence for the importance of oral tradition in their formation, and identify pathways of circulation. In demonstrating how churches curated the relics in their care, it pinpoints the active participation of scribes and relic custodians in interpreting and re‐interpreting them.
Serum folate and cytokines in heterozygous β‐thalassemia
Authors: Paniz Clóvis , Lucena Maylla Rodrigues , Bertinato Juliano Felix , dos Santos Magnun Nueldo Nunes , Gomes Guilherme Wataru , Figueiredo Maria Stella , Sonati Maria de Fátima , Blaia‐D Avila Vera Lúcia Nascimento , Green Ralph , Guerra‐Shinohara Elvira Maria
Published: July 2020

Introduction

Folate deficiency is commonly reported in β‐thalassemia. Individuals heterozygous for β‐thalassemia may have higher folate requirements than normal individuals.

Objectives: To document the concentration of serum total folate and its forms in β‐thalassemia heterozygote users (β‐TmU) and nonusers (β‐TmN) of 5 mg folic acid/d; to determine whether folic acid (FA) consumption from fortified foods allows beta‐Tm patients, who do not take FA supplements, to meet their dietary folate requirements; and to investigate the association between higher serum unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) and inflammatory cytokine concentrations.

Methods

Serum total folate and forms were measured in 42 β‐Tm (13 β‐TmU and 29 β‐TmN) and 84 healthy controls. The mononuclear leucocyte mRNA expression of relevant genes and their products and hematological profiles were determined.

Results

β‐TmU had higher serum total folate, 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate, UMFA, and tetrahydrofolate (THF) compared with β‐TmN. The β‐TmN had lower serum total folate and THF than controls. Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) was lower in β‐TmU compared with both β‐TmN and controls, while β‐TmN had higher tHcy than controls. β‐TmU had higher IL‐8 than their controls while β‐TmN had higher IL‐6 and IL‐8 than their controls. β‐TmU have higher levels of serum total folate, 5‐ methyltetrahydrofolate, UMFA, and THF than controls. There was no association between UMFA concentrations and cytokine levels.

Conclusions

Mandatory flour fortification with FA in Brazil may be insufficient for β‐TmN, since they have higher tHcy and lower serum total folate than controls. Furthermore, β‐TmN have higher IL‐6 levels than β‐TmU. UMFA was not associated with inflammatory cytokine levels.
Treatment of chronic wounds with polyurethane sponges impregnated with boric acid particles: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Kapukaya Rana , Ciloglu Osman
Published: July 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the sponge with boric acid particles combined with the negative pressure wound treatment (NPWT) system for chronic wounds with tissue defects. Our study was designed as a prospective randomised study. One hundred patients who were planned to have NPWT due to chronic wounds were included in this study from Orthopaedics and Traumatology and Plastic Surgery clinics. Patients were divided into two groups. In the first group, a new method, boric acid impregnated sponge, combined with the NPWT system, was used, and in the second group, sponge with silver nitrate was used. Besides the wide‐broad spectrum antibacterial properties of silver nitrate, the antimicrobial, angiogenetic, and epithelial effects of boric acid were aimed to investigate by macroscopically and histopathologically. Thirty‐six patients in the silver nitrate group and 44 patients in the boric acid group completed the study. A decrease in wound size and granulation was observed in both groups. Macroscopically, a decrease in wound size reduction, epithelialization and granulation were more prominent in the first group in which boric acid impregnated sponge was used than the second group in which silver sponge was used. Moreover, microscopically, the number of fibroblasts, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis were significantly increased in Group 1. In this clinical study, the broad‐spectrum antimicrobial properties of boric acid and its positive effect on the cells responsible for wound healing were found to be more pronounced compared to silver nitrate sponges. A combination of boric acid sponges with the NPWT system may be an alternative method for chronic wounds.
Advances in the control of electrophoretic process parameters to tune the ytterbium disilicate coatings microstructure
Authors: Prioux Manon , Duluard Sandrine , Ansart Florence , Pujol Guillaume , Gomez Philippe , Pin Lisa
Published: July 2020

Suspensions of ytterbium disilicate in isopropanol were prepared using iodine dispersant. Their zeta potential, electrical conductivity, and pH dependence with iodine concentration is detailed. Electrophoretic deposition was performed on silicon substrates at various voltages (100‐200 V) and times (until 10 minutes) and the growth dynamic was investigated. It was observed that the deposited mass reaches a maximum value for [I2] = 0.2 g/L, and the coating microstructure becomes porous at higher iodine concentrations. Current density and voltage measurements allowed to correlate this behavior to the increase of free protons concentration in the suspension. In these conditions, it was proved that porosity increases with the increase in applied voltage, and a compaction occurs as the deposition time increases. This has been related to the coating resistance increase and subsequent decrease in effective voltage in the suspension. The denser coatings (20% of porosity) were obtained in the case of suspension without iodine, at the minimum applied voltage and for the longest deposition times.
Launching a Geriatric Surgery Center: Recommendations from the Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement
Authors: Cooper Lisa , Abbett Sarah K. , Feng Aiden , Bernacki Rachelle E. , Cooper Zara , Urman Richard D. , Frain Laura N. , Edwards Angela F. , Blitz Jeanna D. , Javedan Houman , Bader Angela M.
Published: July 2020

To prepare for the increasing numbers of older adults undergoing surgery, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has recently launched the Geriatric Surgery Verification Program with the goal of encouraging the creation of centers of geriatric surgery. Meanwhile, the Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement (SPAQI) has published recommendations for the preoperative management of frailty, which state that teams should actively screen for frailty before surgery and that pathways, including geriatric comanagement, shared decision‐making, and multimodal prehabilitation, should be embedded in routine care to help improve patient outcomes. Both SPAQI and the ACS advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to improve the value of care for older adults undergoing surgery. However, the best way to implement geriatric services in the surgical setting is yet to be determined. In this statement, we will describe the SPAQI recommendations for launching a geriatric surgery center and the process by which its value should be assessed over time.
Knowledge translation in Western Australia tertiary paediatric emergency department: An audit cycle of effectiveness of guideline dissemination on bronchiolitis management
Authors: Yeo Yee Lymn , O'Brien Sharon , Bear Natasha , Borland Meredith L
Published: July 2020

Aim

Bronchiolitis is the commonest cause of hospitalisation for infants. Evidence‐based Australasian bronchiolitis guideline was developed and introduced in 2017. This audit was to determine if the knowledge translation process of the updated local tertiary hospital bronchiolitis guideline (based on the Australasian guideline) reduced unnecessary interventions.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of infants with bronchiolitis diagnosis during the pre‐guideline (1 July to 31 August 2015) and post‐guideline (1 July to 31 August 2017) period, with the primary outcome of the number/proportion of unnecessary interventions.

Results

Presentations between 1 July to 31 August 2015 (n = 465) were compared with 2017 (n = 343). There was no difference in undertaking chest X‐ray (24 (5.2%) vs. 17 (5.0%), odds ratio (OR) 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–1.35), P = 0.911), salbutamol (23 (4.9%) vs. 10 (2.9%), OR 0.86 (95% CI 0.65–1.13), P = 0.279), glucocorticoids (2 (0.4%) vs. 5 (1.5%), OR 1.89 (95% CI 0.83–4.31), p = 0.129), antibiotics (11 (2.4%) vs. 5 (1.5%), OR 0.86 (95% CI 0.65–1.15), P = 0.307) or nasopharyngeal aspirate (172 (37%) vs. 124 (36.2%), OR 1.00 (95% CI 0.87–1.67), P = 0.937) in hospital. Adrenaline was not administered in both years. There was reduced hospital admissions (303 (65.2%) vs. 192 (56.0%), OR 0.82 (95% CI 0.71–0.95), P = 0.008) with no difference in paediatric intensive care unit admissions (10 (2.2%) vs. 8 (2.3%), OR 1.04 (95% CI 0.65–1.67), P = 0.863).

Conclusion

The dissemination process of the updated local hospital bronchiolitis guideline did not show any statistically significant reduction of unnecessary interventions in the hospital. Further studies are required to determine the effective process to instigate changes in health services.
Perceived dental care need and actual oral health status in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)
Authors: Akinkugbe Aderonke A. , E. Sarah Raskin , Richard Singer , Tracy Finlayson , Marston Youngblood , Nadia Laniado , Shirley Beaver , Linda Kaste
Published: July 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the performance of subjective self‐assessment of dental care need with objective oral disease status in a sample of Hispanics/Latinos.

Methods

Data from 13,561 participants of the 2008–2011 Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos were analyzed using complex survey procedure in SAS 9.4. Subjective self‐reports of types of dental care needed (check‐up or cleaning, teeth filled, teeth pulled, gum treatment, denture repair) were validated against objectively determined oral disease status [dental decay, periodontitis, bleeding on probing (BOP) and count of missing teeth].

Results

Individuals who reported needing a cleaning/checkup were twice as likely to present with BOP upon oral examination (POR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.54, 2.63). Similarly, individuals who reported needing gum treatment were more likely to present with periodontitis (POR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.71, 2.24) and BOP (POR = 2.70, 95% CI: 2.37, 3.07) upon oral examination. In multivariable prediction modeling, demographic factors and subjective dental care measures were associated with the respective oral disease states. Moreover, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve for the count of missing teeth were, respectively, 77 percent, 57 percent, and 0.84, while the positive predictive value (PPV) was 26 percent.

Conclusions

In bivariate analysis, self‐reported type of dental care needed appear indicative of actual oral disease state and may be of value for the surveillance of oral diseases when clinical measures are unattainable. In multivariable prediction modeling, these subjective measures had low PPVs thus limiting the generalizability of our findings. Nonetheless, validation and refinement of these constructs in other populations is warranted.
Glioblastoma multiforme: Metabolic differences to peritumoral tissue and IDH‐mutated gliomas revealed by mass spectrometry imaging
Authors: Kampa Judith M. , Kellner Udo , Marsching Christian , Ramallo Guevara Carina , Knappe Ulrich J. , Sahin Mikail , Giampà Marco , Niehaus Karsten , Bednarz Hanna
Published: July 2020

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor. High infiltration rates and poor therapy responses make it the deadliest glioma. The tumor metabolism is known to differ from normal one and is influenced through various factors which can lead to longer survival. Metabolites are small molecules (< 1500 Da) that display the metabolic pathways in the tissue. To determine the metabolic alterations between tumor and peritumoral tissue in human GBMs, mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) was performed on thin sections from 25 resected tumors. In addition, the GBMs were compared with six gliomas harboring a mutation in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) gene (IDH1). With this technique, a manifold of analytes can be easily visualized on a single tissue section. Metabolites were annotated based on their accurate mass using high resolution MSI. Differences in their mean intensities in the tumor and peritumoral areas were statistically evaluated and abundances were visualized on the tissue. Enhanced levels of the antioxidants ascorbic acid, taurine, and glutathione in tumor areas suggest protective effects on the tumor. Increased levels of purine and pyrimidine metabolism compounds in GBM areas indicate the high energy demand. In accordance with these results, enhanced abundances of lactate and glutamine were detected. Moreover, decreased abundance of N‐acetylaspartate, a marker for neuronal health, was measured in tumor areas. Obtained metabolic information could potentially support and personalize therapeutic approaches, hence emphasizing the suitability of MSI for GBM research.
Digital skin: The impact of modern‐day photograph filtering applications on children with skin diseases
Authors: Young Trevor K. , Oza Vikash S.
Published: July 2020

Photograph editing has been present for centuries, but the past decade has seen an unprecedented rise in the practice, particularly on social media platforms. Common filters are able to soften complexion, remove blemishes, and even reshape facial features. Children and adolescents with skin conditions may find solace in using these applications to mask their disease online, but there is increasing concern about negative overall body image among those who filter their photographs. Pediatric dermatologists should remain aware of the practice of photograph editing among young people and consider asking patients about their social media presence.
Phosphorus demand and uptake during growth and maturation of the brown alga Sargassum macrocarpum
Authors: Ohtake Masahiro , Nishihara Gregory N. , Inoue Yukio , Tsuchiya Kenji , Toda Tatsuki
Published: July 2020

We investigated the monthly variations of estimated in‐situ uptake and growth‐related demand for phosphorus in Sargassum macrocarpum during a growth period from December 2017 to April 2018, a maturation period from May to August 2018, and the second‐growth period from September 2018 to January 2019. Phosphate uptake was relatively low during maturation and high during growth, and coincided with changes in external phosphate levels. The demand for phosphorus was at its highest in March 2018, which corresponded with the highest growth rate and tissue phosphorus levels. Thereafter, the demand was relatively constant between April 2018 and January 2019. Consequently, the uptake rate exceeded demand from December 2017 to February 2018 and December 2018 to January 2019, suggesting that phosphorus accumulated in tissues. Additionally, the uptake rates between March 2018 and November 2018 were 0.1–0.8 times lower than the demand, probably resulting in the effective use of stored phosphorus to sustain growth during this phosphate‐depleted period. The variations between estimated uptake and demands for P found in S. macrocarpum indicate that P dynamics vary with life stage and are implicitly linked to the season.
Human rights of minors and future generations: Global trends and EU environmental law particularities
Authors: Bogojević Sanja
Published: July 2020

A growing global wave of climate change litigation is led by minors, relying on their human rights, as well as those of future generations against governments and their failure to take action on climate change. Such litigation is emerging also before the Court of Justice of the European Union, where the ambitiousness of the EU’s climate change policies, embodied in the 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework, is challenged. This may suggest a possible ‘rights turn’ in EU climate change litigation, where the use of rights claims intensifies and allows stakeholders traditionally excluded from decision making to raise their concerns in a judicial forum. This article explains why this trend has failed to materialize in the EU through an analysis of EU environmental law particularities. From this view, it shows the shortcomings of the 2030 Framework, and by drawing inspiration from successful enforcement of statutory obligations in EU air quality legislation, the article suggests how these may be remedied in future legislative action.
Disaggregating public‐private governance interactions: European Union interventions in transnational private sustainability governance
Authors: Renckens Stefan
Published: July 2020

Transnational private sustainability governance, such as eco‐certification, does not operate in a regulatory or jurisdictional vacuum. A public authority may intervene in private governance for various reasons, including to improve private governance's efficient functioning or to assert public regulatory primacy. This article argues that to properly understand the nature of public‐private governance interactions—whether more competitive or complementary—we need to disaggregate a public authority's intervention. The article distinguishes between four features of private governance in which a public authority can intervene: standard setting, procedural aspects, supply chain signaling, and compliance incentives. Using the cases of the European Union's policies on organic agriculture and biofuels production, the article shows that public‐private governance interaction dynamics vary across these private governance features as well as over time. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the importance of active lobbying by private governance actors in influencing these dynamics and the resulting policy outputs.