bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D Status: A U-shaped relationship for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in UK healthcare workers
Authors: Mackay William R , Lugg Sebastian T , Faniyi Aduragbemi A , Faustini Sian E , Webster Craig , Duffy Joanne E , Hewison Martin , Shields Adrian M , Richter Alex G , Parekh Dhruv , Scott Aaron , Thickett David R
Published: October 2021

Background

Vitamin D has numerous mechanistic roles within the immune system. There is increasing evidence to suggest Vitamin D deficiency may increase individuals’ risk of COVID-19 infection and susceptibility. We aimed to determine the relationship between severity of vitamin D deficiency and sufficiency and COVID-19 infection within healthcare workers.

Methods

The study included an observational cohort of healthcare workers who isolated due to COVID-19 symptoms from 12th to 22nd May 2020, from the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT). This was part of the COVID-19 convalescent immunity study (COCO). Data collected included SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion status, serum 25(OH)D3 levels as well as age, body mass index (BMI), sex, ethnicity, job role, and co-morbidities. Participants were grouped into four vitamin D (VD) categories. 1) Severe VD deficiency (VD <30 nmol/L); 2) VD deficiency (30 nmol/L ≤ VD <50 nmol/L); 3) VD insufficiency (50 nmol/L ≤ VD <75 nmol/L); 4) VD sufficiency (VD ≥75 nmol/L).

Results

When VD levels were compared against COVID-19 seropositivity rate, a U-shaped curve was identified in the total population. This trend repeated when split into subgroups of age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, and co-morbidity status. Significant difference was identified in the COVID-19 seropositivity rate between VD groups between multiple VD groups in the total population, males, females, BAME, BMI<30 (kg/m2), 0 and +1 comorbidities; the majority of which were differences when the severely VD deficient category were compared to the other group. A significantly larger proportion of those within the Black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) group (vs. white ethnicity) were severely vitamin D deficient (P <0.00001). A significantly higher proportion of the 0-comorbidity subgroup were vitamin D deficient in comparison to the 1+ comorbidity subgroup (P = 0.046).

Conclusions

Further investigation of the U-shaped curves is required to determine whether high VD levels can have a detrimental effect on susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. Future randomised clinical trials of VD supplementation could potentially identify ‘optimal’ VD levels. This would allow for targeted therapeutic treatment for those at-risk such as in the BAME group.
Chasing the fitness optimum: temporal variation in the genetic and environmental expression of life-history traits for a perennial plant
Authors: Kulbaba Mason W. , Yoko Zebadiah , Hamilton Jill A.
Published: October 2021

The ability of plants to track shifting fitness optima is crucial within the context of global change, where increasing environmental extremes may have dramatic consequences to life history, fitness, and ultimately species persistence. However, to track changing conditions relies upon the complex relationship between genetic and environmental variance, where selection may favor plasticity, the evolution of genetic differences, or both depending on the spatial and temporal scale of environmental heterogeneity. Over three years, we compared the genetic and environmental components of phenological and life-history variation in a common environment for the spring perennialGeum triflorum. Populations were sourced from alvar habitats that exhibit extreme, but predictable annual flood-desiccation cycles and prairie habitats that exhibit similar, but less predictable variation in water availability. Narrow-sense heritabilities were generally higher for early life history (emergence probability) relative to later life history traits (total seed mass), indicating that traits associated with establishment within an environment are under stronger genetic control relative to later life-history fitness expressions, where plasticity may play a larger role. This pattern was particularly notable in seeds sourced from environmentally extreme, but predictable alvar habitats relative to less predictable prairie seed sources. Fitness landscapes based on seed source origin, largely characterized by varying water availability and flower production, described selection as the degree of maladaptation to the prairie common garden environment relative to seed source environment. Plants from alvar populations were consistently closer to the fitness optimum across all years. Annually, the breadth of the fitness optimum expanded primarily along a moisture gradient, with inclusion of more populations onto the expanding optimum. These results highlight the importance of temporally and spatially varying selection for the evolution of life history, indicating plasticity within perennial systems may over time become the primary mechanism to track fitness for later life history events.
Using social media for flight path safety assessment
Authors: Abin Ahmad Ali , Nabavi Shahabedin , Ebrahimi Moghaddam Mohsen
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems can save the lives of many people by assessing the safety of flight paths. Unfortunately, the world witnessed a horrible event in January 2020 with the case of flight 752 of Ukrainian International Airlines from Tehran to Kiev and it has prompted us to ask how AI can prevent such events by warning to flight path planners. This paper aims to propose a framework for assessing the safety of flight paths from a shooting of an airplane by air defense systems installed on the path. Unlike the existing studies, this study takes a new look at pre-flight risk assessment by using textual information in social and news networks. To this end, the authors use existing information retrieval techniques to identify high flight risk areas by examining the news articles, comments, posts, tweets, etc., in social media and then estimate the probability of targeting a passenger aircraft by the air defense systems probably installed on high-risk areas with the help of a statistical model. This estimation can then be used by fight planners to avoid such events.

Design/methodology/approach

To design a framework for estimating the probability of a fatal shooting of an airplane by air defense systems installed on its flight path, the authors have used the idea of information retrieval in conjunction with statistical methods. The authors have extracted some significant variables in the shooting of flights and proposed an AI-based framework to estimate the probability of a fatal shooting of an airplane during its flight and sketched a case study for using machine learning approaches to assist with flight path planning. As a case study, the authors covered flight 752 to explain the usefulness of the proposed framework in this context.

Findings

Unlike the existing methods, this study investigates flight path safety assessment from the social media and crowdsourcing perspective. In this study, the authors proposed an AI-based framework to avoid aviation hazards by estimating the probability of a shooting of an airplane by air defense systems installed on its flight path. Moreover, this study was designed to show how estimating the safety of flight paths by using AI-based methods can help flight planners to avoid such events and gain further insights into the use of AI-based systems in pre-flight risk assessment.

Originality/value

The idea behind the proposed method is original and as the authors’ best knowledge, there is no similar framework using social media for flight path safety assessment.
The effect of credit risk management and bank-specific factors on the financial performance of the South Asian commercial banks
Authors: Siddique Asima , Khan Muhammad Asif , Khan Zeeshan
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Among all of the world's continents, Asia is the most important continent and contributes 60% of world growth but facing the serving issue of high nonperforming loans (NPLs). Therefore, the current study aims to capture the effect of credit risk management and bank-specific factors on South Asian commercial banks' financial performance (FP). The credit risk measures used in this study were NPLs and capital adequacy ratio (CAR), while cost-efficiency ratio (CER), average lending rate (ALR) and liquidity ratio (LR) were used as bank-specific factors. On the other hand, return on equity (ROE) and return on the asset (ROA) were taken as a measure of FP.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary data were collected from 19 commercial banks (10 commercial banks from Pakistan and 9 commercial banks from India) in the country for a period of 10 years from 2009 to 2018. The generalized method of moment (GMM) is used for the coefficient estimation to overcome the effects of some endogenous variables.

Findings

The results indicated that NPLs, CER and LR have significantly negatively related to FP (ROA and ROE), while CAR and ALR have significantly positively related to the FP of the Asian commercial banks.

Practical implications

The current study result recommends that policymakers of Asian countries should create a strong financial environment by implementing that monetary policy that stimulates interest rates in this way that automatically helps to lower down the high ratio of NPLs (tied monitoring system). Liquidity position should be well maintained so that even in a high competition environment, the commercial is able to survive in that environment.

Originality/value

The present paper contributes to the prevailing literature that this is a comparison study between developed and developing countries of Asia that is a unique comparison because the study targets only one region and then on the basis of income, the results of this study are compared. Moreover, the contribution of the study is to include some accounting-based measures and market-based measures of the FP of commercial banks at a time.
Selling, buying and eating – a synthesis study on dietary patterns across language regions in Switzerland
Authors: Matthes Katarina L. , Zuberbuehler Christine A. , Rohrmann Sabine , Hartmann Christina , Siegrist Michael , Burnier Michel , Bochud Murielle , Zwahlen Marcel , Bender Nicole , Staub Kaspar
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Cross-cultural studies on differences in eating and consumer behavior have several limitations due to differences between countries, for example, in national health policies. Switzerland combines cultural diversity between the language regions, but with a common national health policy. Therefore, Switzerland provides an ideal framework to investigate cross-cultural eating and consumer behavior. The aim of this study was to combine food consumption, purchase data and sales data to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of cultural dietary differences.

Design/methodology/approach

Six national Swiss studies on food consumption, one study of food sales from the largest supermarket chain in Switzerland and one national study of food purchasing were included. The estimated marginal mean of each food category in each language region was calculated using linear regression and respective linear random effect models.

Findings

In the French- and Italian-speaking regions more fish was sold, bought and consumed than in the German-speaking region of Switzerland. In contrast, in the German-speaking region, more milk and dairy products were sold, bought and consumed. Language regions explained sales, purchase and consumption of foods, but the findings were only consistent for fish and milk and dairy products.

Originality/value

If possible limitations of cross-culture studies between countries are eliminated, cultural eating and consumer differences are still visible, even in a small country like Switzerland. For the first time, the complexity of studying food consumption, purchasing and sales is shown in one study. This indicates the importance of further studies which consider these three perspectives to better understand cultural differences in eating and consumption behavior.
For all to see: social risk and observable complaining on Facebook
Authors: Armstrong Christine , Kulczynski Alicia , Brennan Stacey
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Online consumer complaint behaviour that is observable to other consumers provides the firm with an opportunity to demonstrate transparency and service quality to the public eye. The purpose of this paper is to assist practitioners with a strategy to increase perceived accommodativeness in complaint management on social media and reduce the social risk associated with online consumer complaint behaviour using a social exchange theory perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Six online experiments with 1,350 US Facebook users were conducted to investigate the effect of supportive and non-supportive virtually present others, and employee intervention on a consumer’s choice to complain, likelihood to make an observable complaint (on the Facebook page) and likelihood to make a non-observable complaint (via Facebook Messenger). The mediating role of perceived accommodativeness and subsequent social risk is also examined.

Findings

Supportive comments made to the complainant by virtually present others were found to influence participants’ decision to complain, heighten participants’ likelihood to complain about the Facebook page and reduce their likelihood to complain via Facebook Messenger. This effect was reversed in the presence of non-supportive virtually present others and was explained by perceived social risk. Further, a participant’s likelihood to complain about the Facebook page was increased when an employee intervention was directed at a non-supportive comment made to a complainant, by a virtually present other. This effect was explained by the perceived accommodativeness of the employee interaction.

Research limitations/implications

The findings advance research on online consumer complaint behaviour by investigating how employee intervention can be used to increase the likelihood of an observable complaint. This research is limited in that it does not incorporate individual characteristics, such as introversion/extroversion and propensity to respond to peer pressure, which may affect participant responses.

Practical implications

This research shows that perceptions of social risk are most effectively reduced by employee intervention directed at a non-supportive comment (made to a complainant) of a virtually present other. Consumer complaint management strategies aimed at minimising perceptions of social risk and encouraging observable online complaint behaviour are proposed.

Originality/value

This research extends the consumer complaint behaviour taxonomy by introducing the term “observable complaining”, that is, visible complaints made on a Facebook page, and broadens understanding of the organisation’s role in managing non-supportive virtually present others to assuage perceptions of social risk in potential complainants.
Audit committee diversity and corporate scandals: evidence from the UK
Authors: McLaughlin Craig , Armstrong Stephen , Moustafa Maha W. , Elamer Ahmed A.
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically analyse specific characteristics of an audit committee that could be associated with the likelihood of corporate fraud/scandal/sanctions.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes all firms that were investigated by the Financial Reporting Council through the audit enforcement procedure from 2014 to 2019, and two matched no-scandal firms. It uses logistic binary regression analysis to examine the hypotheses.

Findings

Results based on the logit regression suggest that audit member tenure and audit committee meeting frequency both have positive associations to the likelihood of corporate scandal. Complementing this result, the authors find negative but insignificant relationships amongst audit committee female chair, audit committee female members percentage, audit committee qualified accountants members, audit committee attendance, number of shares held by audit committee members, audit committee remuneration, board tenure and the likelihood of corporate scandal across the sample.

Research limitations/implications

The results should help regulatory policymakers make decisions, which could be crucial to future corporate governance. Additionally, these results should be useful to investors who use corporate governance as criteria for investment decisions.

Originality/value

The authors extend, as well as contribute to the growing literature on the audit committee, and therefore, wider corporate governance literature and provide originality in that it is the first, to the knowledge, to consider two characteristics (i.e. remuneration and gender) in a UK context of corporate scandal. Also, the results imply that the structure and diversity of the audit committee affect corporate fraud/scandal/sanctions.
A structural equation model for big data adoption in the healthcare supply chain
Authors: Agrawal Dindayal , Madaan Jitender
Published: October 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the barriers to the implementation of big data (BD) in the healthcare supply chain (HSC).

Design/methodology/approach

First, the barriers concerning BD adoption in the HSC were found by conducting a detailed literature survey and with the expert's opinion. Then the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed to categorize the barriers. The obtained results are verified using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis gives the path diagram representing the interrelationship between latent variables and observed variables.

Findings

The segregation of 13 barriers into three categories, namely “data governance perspective,” “technological and expertise perspective,” and “organizational and social perspective,” is performed using EFA. Three hypotheses are tested, and all are accepted. It can be concluded that the “data governance perspective” is positively related to “technological and expertise perspective” and “organizational and social perspective” factors. Also, the “technological and expertise perspective” is positively related to “organizational and social perspective.”

Research limitations/implications

In literature, very few studies have been performed on finding the barriers to BD adoption in the HSC. The systematic methodology and statistical verification applied in this study empowers the healthcare organizations and policymakers in further decision-making.

Originality/value

This paper is first of its kind to adopt an approach to classify barriers to BD implementation in the HSC into three distinct perspectives.
A holistic approach towards a more sustainable urban and port planning in tourist cities
Authors: Alberini Carlo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This contribution aims to demonstrate that the adoption of a holistic approach to the development of infrastructures supporting the growth of cruise tourism can represent a trigger for a more sustainable urban and port planning in the Moroccan context. Although, along with this growth, there are global-local issues pertaining to sustainability and resilience that need to be addressed to support sustainable urban and social development of tourist cities.

Design/methodology/approach

Documents and literature review were used to develop an in-depth analysis related to the different fields involved in the proposed theoretical reflection. Scientific publications, data and international statistical reports have been used to validate the approach.

Findings

The work provides empirical insights to show the strengths of the country related to the sustainability, suggesting that they deserve to be integrated, involving urban planning, green energy transition, as well as the economic and social sustainability of tourism industry.

Originality/value

This paper aims to stimulate a debate among stakeholders and scholars involved on tourist port cities urban planning to avoid a “silos” approach and to favour a more sustainable infrastructure development process. In that sense, the paper fulfils the need to provide a basis to encourage the integration of different strategic topics and agenda concerning social and economic growth of tourist port cities.
Studying tourist intention on city tourism: the role of travel motivation
Authors: Chi Nguyen Thi Khanh , Phuong Vu Huyen
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impacts of travel motivations, time perspective and city image that affect travelers’ intention to visit city tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

The data in this study was collected through a structured questionnaire survey conducted in three big cities in the North of Vietnam (Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ha Long). The data set consists of 625 valid responses by Vietnamese tourists. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test the causal relationships among time perspective, city image, travel motivations and tourist intention. Confirmatory factor analysis is conducted to verify the reliability and validity of each latent construct and to evaluate the discriminant validity, convergent validity, composition reliability and average variance extracted for the latent constructs.

Findings

This study finds that tourists’ travel motivations, time perspective and city image are significantly and positively associated with their intention to visit city tourism. This study also reports that tourists’ time perspective and city image are significantly and positively related to their travel motivation which is in turn significantly and positively correlated to their intention to engage in city tourism.

Practical implications

City tourism providers need to seek for understanding travel motivations of potential customers. City tourism products should be promoted to people who want to travel for knowledge enhancement, seeking, self-fulfillment, socializing and escape. Tourism businesses and marketers focus more on developing the overall image of city. They should have city slogan and have strategy to establish the city branding to evoke or remind the customers to come in. Since the Corona (COVID-19) pandemic impact on every nation around the world, the artificial intelligence has to be taken on city tourism to minimize the negative influence of this pandemic.

Originality/value

This study reveals three key determinants of tourists’ intention including travel motivations, city image and time perspective, which have unclear study in the city tourism literature. This study also explains the role of travel motivations in mediating the impacts of their time perspective and city image on their intention to visit city tourism. Improving the city image is important to attract tourists who want to engage in city tourism for knowledge enhancement, seeking, self-fulfillment, socializing or escape. Tourism providers need to have a strategy for establishing the city branding to evoke or remind the customers to come in. The time perspective should be paid more attention to tourists who want to travel to city tourism for knowledge enhancement, seeking, self-fulfillment, socializing or escape.
An empirical study of sustainability reporting assurance: current trends and new insights
Authors: Alsahali Kholod Fahad , Malagueño Ricardo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine trends in the global assurance practices of sustainability reports, updating and broaden the extant literature and proving new insights that could guide future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected for 12,783 companies and exploratory descriptive analyses of sustainability reporting assurance practices were undertaken.

Findings

The study shows that assurance growth is lagging behind the growth in sustainability reporting. It reveals that assurer switching is a common practice amongst companies. There is an increasing trend towards the use of the International Standard for Assurance Engagements 3000 by non-accounting assurers. Additionally, in terms of assurance providers, the study finds that accounting firms are dominating the market, however, engineering firms are fast increasing their share of the sustainability assurance market, whilst consulting firms’ share is decreasing. However, the switch towards consulting firms is higher than the switch towards accounting firms in the last switch period.

Practical implications

Overall, the results of this study provide insights about companies’ assurance practices for regulators, assurance providers and companies interested in assuring their sustainability reports.

Social implications

This study is relevant for companies’ stakeholders, including investors, to enhance their understanding of companies’ current assurance practices.

Originality/value

Prior studies on the assurance practices of sustainability reports are limited in scope (concentrate on large companies) and depth (examine accounting vs non-accounting assures and consider the evolving patterns at the institutional rather than firm-level). This study presents developments and trajectories of assurance practices to inform researchers and practitioners on the global trends by bringing an updated and broader perspective on the topic.
Characteristics and outcome of patients transported by police to emergency departments under section 351 of the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic)
Authors: Ward Beth , Kollios Jason , Smith Fiona , Klim Sharon , Senz Ainslie , Kelly Anne‐Maree
Published: October 2021

Objective

To determine characteristics, precipitating circumstances, clinical care, outcome and disposition of patients brought to the ED under section 351 (s351, police detention and transport) powers of the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic) (MHAV).

Methods

This is an observational cohort study conducted in two metropolitan teaching hospitals in Victoria. Participants were adult patients brought to ED under s351 of the MHAV. Data collected included demographics, event circumstances, pre‐hospital and ED interventions and outcome. Analyses are descriptive.

Results

The present study included 438 patient encounters. Median age was 34 years. In 84% of encounters (368/438) patients were co‐transported with ambulance. The most common primary reason for detainment was suicide risk/intent (296/438, 67.6%) followed by abnormal behaviour without threat to self or others (92/438, 21%). In ED, parenteral sedation was administered in 11% (48/438). Physical restraint was applied in 17.6% (77/438). Psychiatric admission was required in 23.5% (103/438). In 63 cases, psychiatric admission was involuntary (14.4%). Most patients (297/438, 67.8%) were discharged home. A subset of patients had recurrent s351 presentations. Eighteen (5.6%) patients accounted for 22% (96/438) of all events.

Conclusion

Most patients brought to ED under s351 of the MHAV had expressed intention to self‐harm, did not require medical intervention and were discharged home. It could be questioned whether the current application of s351 is consistent with the least restrictive principles of the MHAV, especially as there is no apparent monitoring or reporting of the use of these powers. There were a concerning number of patients with multiple s351 events over a short period.
The Political leader's motivating language use and his perceived effectiveness: The case of Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat
Authors: Sharma Daneshwar , Dubey Akash D.
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this article is to explain the usage of Motivating Language Theory (MLT) in the Indian PM Narendra Damodardas Modi's monthly radio address to the nation known as Mann Ki Baat (Speech of Heart). The various facets of motivating language (ML) used by the Indian Prime Minister are correlated with leader effectiveness. To study the relationship between three components of ML (i.e., direction giving, empathetic and meaning‐making language) and the followers' perception of leader's effectiveness, the ML scale and Leader Effectiveness scale were used in a survey. The structural equation modelling revealed that the theoretical framework that was constructed for this article had a reasonably good fit. This indicates that Modi has been using the ML (which comprises direction giving, empathetic, and meaning‐making language) to a very effective scale and thus increasing his leadership effectiveness.
1004. PHILCOXIA RHIZOMATOSA: Plantaginaceae: Gratioleae
Authors: Scatigna André V. , Fleischmann Andreas S.
Published: October 2021

Philcoxia rhizomatosa is a highly specialised carnivorous perennial herb endemic to the deep, white quartzite sand pans of the campos rupestres vegetation of eastern Brazil's Espinhaço Range, specifically within the northern portion of the range in the state of Minas Gerais. Philcoxia is among the most threatened genera of carnivorous plants and thus far all attempts to cultivate them have failed.
Comparison of treatment with insulin degludec and glargine U100 in patients with type 1 diabetes prone to nocturnal severe hypoglycaemia: The HypoDeg randomized, controlled, open‐label, crossover trial
Authors: Pedersen‐Bjergaard Ulrik , Agesen Rikke M. , Brøsen Julie M. B. , Alibegovic Amra C. , Andersen Henrik U. , Beck‐Nielsen Henning , Gustenhoff Peter , Hansen Troels K. , Hedetoft Christoffer , Jensen Tonny J. , Juhl Claus B. , Jensen Andreas K. , Lerche Susanne S. , Nørgaard Kirsten , Parving Hans‐Henrik , Sørensen Anne L. , Tarnow Lise , Thorsteinsson Birger
Published: October 2021

Aim

To investigate whether the long‐acting insulin analogue insulin degludec compared with insulin glargine U100 reduces the risk of nocturnal symptomatic hypoglycaemia in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods

Adults with T1D and at least one episode of nocturnal severe hypoglycaemia during the last 2 years were included in a 2‐year prospective, randomized, open, multicentre, crossover trial. A total of 149 patients were randomized 1:1 to basal‐bolus therapy with insulin degludec and insulin aspart or insulin glargine U100 and insulin aspart. Each treatment period lasted 1 year and consisted of 3 months of run‐in or crossover followed by 9 months of maintenance. The primary endpoint was the number of blindly adjudicated nocturnal symptomatic hypoglycaemic episodes. Secondary endpoints included the occurrence of severe hypoglycaemia. We analysed all endpoints by intention‐to‐treat.

Results

Treatment with insulin degludec resulted in a 28% (95% CI: 9%‐43%; P = .02) relative rate reduction (RRR) of nocturnal symptomatic hypoglycaemia at level 1 (≤3.9 mmol/L), a 37% (95% CI: 16%‐53%; P = .002) RRR at level 2 (≤3.0 mmol/L), and a 35% (95% CI: 1%‐58%; P = .04) RRR in all‐day severe hypoglycaemia compared with insulin glargine U100.

Conclusions

Patients with T1D prone to nocturnal severe hypoglycaemia have lower rates of nocturnal symptomatic hypoglycaemia and all‐day severe hypoglycaemia with insulin degludec compared with insulin glargine U100.
On pedagogy of a Soil Science Centre for Doctoral Training
Authors: Haygarth Philip M. , Lawrenson Olivia , Mezeli Malika , Sayer Emma J. , McCloskey Christopher S. , Evans Daniel L. , Kirk Guy J. D. , Tye Andrew M. , Chadwick David R. , McGrath Steve P. , Mooney Sacha J. , Paterson Eric , Robinson David A. , Jones Davey L.
Published: October 2021

Here we describe and evaluate the success of a multi‐institutional Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), which was established to address a UK skills shortage in Soil Science. The government‐funded ‘STARS’ (Soils Training And Research Studentships) CDT was established in 2015 across a range of universities and research institutes in the UK. It recruited 41 PhD students equitably split across the institutions under four core research themes identified as being central to the national need, namely, (1) Understanding the soil–root interface, (2) Soils and the delivery of ecosystem services, (3) Resilience and response of functions in soil systems and (4) Modelling the soil ecosystem at different spatial and temporal scales. In addition, the STARS CDT provided a diverse skills programme, including: Holistic training in soils, the promotion of collegiality and joint working, strategies to promote science and generate impact, internships with end users (e.g., policymakers, industry), personal wellbeing, and ways to generate a lasting soils training legacy. Overall, both supervisors and students have reported a positive experience of the CDT in comparison to the conventional doctoral training programmes, which have less discipline focus and little chance for students to scientifically interact with their cohorts or to undertake joint training activities. The STARS CDT also allowed students to freely access research infrastructure across the partner institutions (e.g., long‐term field trials, specialised analytical facilities, high‐performance computing), breaking down traditional institutional barriers and thus maximising the students' potential to undertake high‐quality research. The success and legacy of the STARS CDT can be evidenced in many ways; however, it is exemplified by the large number and diversity of journal papers produced, the lasting collaborations, final career destinations, and creation of a web‐based legacy portal including new and reflective video material.

Highlights

Soil science was identified as having a scientific skills shortage in the UK.

A dedicated soil science Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) was established to address this skills gap.

The multi‐institutional, discipline‐focused CDT proved more successful than conventional generic PhD training programmes.

The CDT model provides critical mass to provide more effective training of soil scientists.
The course of acne in healthcare workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic and evaluation of possible risk factors
Authors: Özkesici Kurt Birgül
Published: October 2021

Background

There are a limited number of publications reporting an increase in acne in the COVID‐19 outbreak.

Objective

The study aimed to evaluate the course and the clinical features of acne and possible risk factors during the COVID‐19 pandemic in healthcare workers.

Method

A total of 172 physicians (female,n = 159, male;n = 13, mean age = 35.03 ± 5.27 years) who had acne in any period of their life were included in the study. A self‐administered online questionnaire was applied.

Results

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, 45.35% of the participants reported that their acne complaints increased, 27.33% reported relapses, and 7.56% reported occurrence for the first time. Newly formed acne was reported most frequently on the chin (78.26%). The number of female participants, smoking, increased stress, and the rate of surgical mask use were found to be higher in the group whose acne occurred for the first time, relapsed, or increased than in the group whose acne complaints were unchanged or decreased (p < 0.05). In the group whose acne relapsed or increased, adult‐onset acne, presence of scar, and use of systemic acne treatment before the COVID‐19 pandemic were more common than in the group whose acne complaints were unchanged or decreased (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Almost half of the participants reported an increase in acne. More than a third of the participants reported that their acne relapsed or they had acne for the first time. In addition to the use of surgical masks, factors such as increased stress, smoking, adult‐onset acne, presence of scar, and previous systemic acne treatment were found to be responsible for acne development.
SDR7‐6, a short‐chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase family protein, regulates light‐dependent cell death and defence responses in rice
Authors: Zheng Yanmei , Zhu Yongsheng , Mao Xiaohui , Jiang Minrong , Wei Yidong , Lian Ling , Xu Huibin , Chen Liping , Xie Huaan , Lu Guodong , Zhang Jianfu
Published: October 2021

Lesion mimic mutants resembling the hypersensitive response without pathogen attack are an ideal material to understand programmed cell death, the defence response, and the cross‐talk between defence response and development in plants. In this study, mic, a lesion mimic mutant from cultivar Yunyin treated with ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), was screened. By map‐based cloning, a short‐chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase with an atypical active site HxxxK was isolated and designated as SDR7‐6. It functions as a homomultimer in rice and is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum. The lesion mimic phenotype of the mutant is light‐dependent. The mutant displayed an increased resistance response to bacterial blight, but reduced resistance to rice blast disease. The mutant and knockout lines showed increased reactive oxygen species, jasmonic acid content, antioxidant enzyme activity, and expression of pathogenicity‐related genes, while chlorophyll content was significantly reduced. The knockout lines showed significant reduction in grain size, seed setting rate, 1000‐grain weight, grain weight per plant, panicle length, and plant height. SDR7‐6 is a new lesion mimic gene that encodes a short‐chain alcohol dehydrogenase with atypical catalytic site. Disruption of SDR7‐6 led to cell death and had adverse effects on multiple agricultural characters. SDR7‐6 may act at the interface of the two defence pathways of bacterial blight and rice blast disease in rice.
Novel NMP split liver model recapitulates human IRI and demonstrates ferroptosis modulators as a new therapeutic strategy
Authors: Nazzal Mustafa , Madsen Erik C. , Armstrong Austin , van Nispen Johan , Murali Vidul , Song Eric , Voigt Marcus , Madnawat Himani , Welu Adam , Manithody Chandrashekhara , Suri Anandini , Krebs Joseph , Gilbert Ester , Samaddar Ashish , Blackall Douglas , Carpenter Danielle , Varma Chintalapati , Teckman Jeffrey , Jain Ajay Kumar
Published: October 2021

Background

Almost 9%of deceased donor livers are discarded as marginal donor livers (MDL) due to concern of severe ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Emerging data supports ferroptosis (iron regulated hepatocellular death) as an IRI driver, however lack of robust preclinical model limits therapeutic testing. In this manuscript we describe the development of a novel rigorous internal control system utilizing normothermic perfusion of split livers to test ferroptosis regulators modulating IRI.

Methods

Upon institutional approval, split human MDLs were placed on our normothermic perfusion machine, Perfusion Regulated Organ Therapeutics with Enhanced Controlled Testing (PROTECT), pumping arterial and portal blood. Experiment 1 compared right (UR) and left (UL) lobes to validate PROTECT. Experiment 2 assessed ferroptosis regulator Deferoxamine in Deferoxamine Agent Treated (DMAT) vs. No Agent Internal Control (NAIC) lobes. Liver serology, histology, and ferroptosis genes were assessed.

Results

Successful MDL perfusion validated PROTECT with no ALT or AST difference between UR and UL (∆ALT UR: 235, ∆ALT UL: 212; ∆AST UR: 576, ∆AST UL: 389). Liver injury markers increased in NAIC vs. DMAT (∆ALT NAIC: 586, ∆ALT DMAT: ‐405; ∆AST NAIC: 617, ∆AST DMAT: ‐380). UR and UL had similar expression of ferroptosis regulators RPL8,HO‐1 and HIFα. Significantly decreased intrahepatic iron (p = .038), HO‐1 and HIFα in DMAT (HO‐1 NAIC: 6.93, HO‐1 DMAT: 2.74; HIFαNAIC: 8.67, HIFαDMAT: 2.60)and no hepatocellular necrosis or immunohistochemical staining (Ki67/Cytokeratin‐7) differences were noted.

Conclusion

PROTECT demonstrates the therapeutic utility of a novel normothermic perfusion split liver system for drug discovery and rapid translatability of therapeutics, driving a paradigm change in organ recovery and transplant medicine. Our study using human livers, provides preliminary proof of concept for the novel role of ferroptosis regulators in driving IRI.
Interpreting ‘anti‐inflammatory’ cytokine responses to exercise: focus on interleukin‐10
Authors: Islam Hashim , Neudorf Helena , Mui Alice L. , Little Jonathan P.
Published: October 2021

Circulating concentrations of canonically pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines are commonly measured when evaluating the anti‐inflammatory effects of exercise. An important caveat to interpreting systemic cytokine concentrations as evidence for the anti‐inflammatory effects of exercise is the observed dissociation between circulating cytokine concentrations and cytokine function at the tissue/cellular level. The dichotomization of cytokines as pro‐ or anti‐inflammatory also overlooks the context dependence of cytokine function, which can vary depending on the physiological state being studied, the cytokine's cellular source/target, and magnitude of cytokine responses. We re‐evaluate our current understanding of anti‐inflammatory cytokine responses to exercise by highlighting nuances surrounding the interpretation of altered systemic cytokine concentrations as evidence for changes in inflammatory processes occurring at the tissue/cellular level. We highlight the lesser known pro‐inflammatory and immunostimulatory actions of the prototypical anti‐inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)‐10, including the potentiation of interferon gamma production during endotoxaemia, CD8+ T cell activation in tumour bearing rodents and cancer patients in vivo, and CD8+ T lymphocyte and natural killer cell activation in vitro. IL‐10's more well‐established anti‐inflammatory actions can also be blunted following exercise training and under chronic inflammatory states such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) independently of circulating IL‐10 concentrations. The resistance to IL‐10's anti‐inflammatory action in T2D coincides with blunted STAT3 phosphorylation and can be restored with small‐molecule activators of IL‐10 signalling, highlighting potential therapeutic avenues for restoring IL‐10 action. We posit that inferences based on altered circulating cytokine concentrations alone can miss important functional changes in cytokine action occurring at the tissue/cellular level.

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Transonic Relief in Fans and Compressors
Authors: Lefas Demetrios , Miller Robert J.
Published: October 2021

Every supersonic fan or compressor blade row has a streamtube, the “sonic streamtube,” which operates with a blade relative inlet Mach number of one. A key parameter in the design of the “sonic streamtube” is the area ratio between the blade throat area and the upstream passage area, Athroat/Ainlet. In this article, it is shown that one unique value exists for this area ratio. If the area ratio differs, even slightly, from this unique value, then the blade either chokes or has its suction surface boundary layer separated due to a strong shock. Therefore, it is surprising that in practice designers have relatively little problem designing blade sections with an inlet relative Mach number close to unity. This article shows that this occurs due to a physical mechanism known as “transonic relief.” If a designer makes a mistake and designs a blade with a “sonic streamtube,” which has the wrong area ratio, then “transonic relief” will self-adjust the spanwise streamtube height automatically moving it toward the unique optimal area ratio, correcting for the designer’s error. Furthermore, as the blade incidence changes, the spanwise streamtube height self-adjusts, moving the area ratio toward its unique optimal value, effectively controlling the blade’s incidence range. Without “transonic relief,” supersonic and transonic fan and compressor design would be impossible. This article develops a simple model that allows “transonic relief” to be decoupled from other mechanisms and to be systematically studied. The physical mechanism on which it is based is thus determined and a universal relationship for core compressor preliminary blade design is presented. Finally, its implications in relaxing manufacturing tolerances and in the design of future distortion tolerant blades are discussed.
Analytical, computational, and experimental study of thermoviscous acoustic damping in perforated micro-electro-mechanical systems with flexible diaphragm
Authors: Naderyan Vahid , Raspet Richard , Hickey Craig
Published: October 2021

An analytical model for the damping and spring force coefficients of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) with a flexible diaphragm is developed. The model is based on the low reduced-frequency method, which includes thermal and viscous losses as well as inertial and compressibility effects. Specifically, the solutions are derived for circular MEMS with a clamped diaphragm with both open-edge and closed-edge boundaries. The deflection function of the circular clamped diaphragm is incorporated into the thermoviscous acoustic (TA) formulation to take into account the effect of the flexibility of the diaphragm. TA finite-element analysis (FEA) is also used to develop a computational model. The analytical results are in good agreement with the FEA results for a wide range of parameters and frequencies. The significance of the effect of the flexibility of the diaphragm on damping for actual MEMS is demonstrated. Measurements of the damping coefficient of circular MEMS are conducted for experimental validation of the presented model. The small difference between the experimental results and the results from the model (less than 6%) validates the accuracy of the presented model. The proposed analytical model can be applied to MEMS with various geometries and boundary conditions.
Overlapped speech detection using phase features
Authors: Baghel Shikha , Prasanna S. R. Mahadeva , Guha Prithwijit
Published: October 2021

Simultaneous speech of multiple speakers is known as overlapped speech, which causes problems for speech recognition and speaker diarization systems. The present work uses previously less utilized signal phase information in the task of overlapped speech detection. In this context, Instantaneous Frequency Cosine Coefficient (IFCC) and Modified Group Delay Cepstral Coefficient (MGDCC) features are explored. IFCC captures the time-varying phase characteristics, while MGDCC represents the frequency-varying information of the phase spectrum. A Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-LSTM)–based classifier is used for the classification. The present work uses synthetically generated overlapped speech from the GRID corpus. The proposed method is benchmarked against three baseline approaches that use magnitude spectrum features. It is observed that the combination of IFCC and MGDCC features with CNN-LSTM classifier provides better performance than the baselines. The combination of phase features with magnitude-based MFCC feature provides the best performance, indicating the importance of complementary information. The present study also investigates the effect of segment duration, genders, and number of simultaneous speakers on the overlapped speech detection system. Finally, the proposed method is also evaluated on real overlapped data from the AMI corpus.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacterium
Rhodoferax
sp. Strain U11-2br, Isolated from a Mountain Lake on the Ulagan Plateau
Authors: Bakhmutova E. D. , Izotova A. O. , Toshchakov S. V. , Namsaraev Z. B. , Yermolaeva N. I. , Komova A. V.
Published: October 2021

We report the draft genome sequence of an anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium,
Rhodoferax
sp. strain U11-2br, which was isolated from a freshwater mountain lake on the Ulagan Plateau (Altai, Russia). The assembly contains 4,514,979 bp, with a GC content of 59.9%.
Extensive skin necrosis in an elderly woman on dabigatran
Authors: Rajarajen Arun Prabhahar , Ashraf Raihan , Ahuja Nishtha , Bharati Joyita
Published: October 2021

Dabigatran, a novel oral anticoagulant, is a direct thrombin inhibitor and is being increasingly used owing to the advantage of dosing without the need for laboratory monitoring. While extensive skin necrosis is known to be associated with oral anticoagulants such as warfarin and factor Xa inhibitors, dabigatran toxicity typically manifests with bleeding, especially in the elderly. We describe a 70-year-old woman who was prescribed dabigatran for the treatment of unprovoked deep venous thrombosis. She developed bleeding diathesis along with extensive skin necrosis and acute kidney injury shortly after commencing the drug. Haemodialysis was given in view of dabigatran toxicity and complications of kidney dysfunction which resolved promptly over a week. However, the patient succumbed to severe sepsis from secondary skin infections. It is crucial to closely monitor for signs of dabigatran toxicity, especially in the elderly patients.