bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of governance indicators to minimize the carbon emission: a study of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Sarwar Suleman , Alsaggaf Majid Ibrahim
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The main purpose of the study is to examine the impact of governance indicators, to control carbon emission, through the environmental awareness and pro-environmental behavior. Previously, researchers have attempted to explore the factors of carbon emission and report the number of solutions. Despite that, the environmental degradation process is surging.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses quantile regressions (QR) techniques by using the yearly data of Saudi Arabia for the period of 1970–2018. QR reports the results at different quantiles which is useful for conclusion.

Findings

The empirical results have confirmed the significant and negative coefficients of governance indicators, mentioning that governance effectiveness and regulatory quality leads to reduction of carbon emission, in the case of Saudi Arabia.

Practical implications

The Saudi Government has to improve governance effectiveness to eradicate environmental hazards. However, it is necessary to enhance the quality of regulations regarding formation as well as the implementation of policies to confirm that firms and public follow the pro-environmental behavior.

Originality/value

The study is the pioneer, which addresses the governance parameters, governance effectiveness and regulatory quality to minimize the carbon emission for Saudi Arabia.
Powerful CEOs and earnings quality
Authors: Shiah-Hou Shin-Rong
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study explores the effect of CEO power on earnings quality. If powerful CEOs make the information environment more opaque, they can easily conceal information to hide self-dealing behavior through earnings manipulation. Conversely, if powerful CEOs who are well-protected create a transparent information environment, they will provide better quality earnings.

Design/methodology/approach

The author constructs a composite index for CEO power by combining seven CEO characteristics and employs two variables including discretionary accruals and earnings response coefficient as proxies for earnings quality.

Findings

The author’s main results show a significant negative relation between CEO power and the firm's earnings quality. In addition, CEOs with stronger structural power and expert power are more likely to generate lower earnings quality, while those with stronger ownership power are more likely to provide higher earnings quality.

Originality/value

The findings suggest that CEO power reduces the firm's earnings quality because CEOs with structural power or expert power may destroy governance monitoring mechanisms.
Tax avoidance as earning game player in emerging economies: evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Marwat Jahanzeb , Rajput Suresh Kumar Oad , Dakhan Sarfraz Ahmed , Kumari Sonia , Ilyas Muhammad
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The current study aims to achieve two targets. First, examine empirically that whether corporate managers use tax avoidance to influence short-term profitability? Second, investigate the impact of tax avoidance on the value of firms. The tax accounts provide the opportunity to influence temporary/permanent profitability but empirical studies overlooking this matter, particularly in emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors identified unexpected fluctuations of tax avoidance and then examine whether it impacts the profitability signal and firms' value? The unbalanced panel data of 189 non-financial firms for the period 2000–2018 are used for empirical analysis. The estimation biases and results consistency are verified by using two different econometric models including generalized least square and two-stage least square

Findings

The study identifies that managers manipulate the profitability signal through tax avoidance. Tax avoidance practices help in earning management and earning smoothing to avoid negative signals in the stock market. In line with the behavioral finance view, tax avoidance has a positive impact on current stock returns because investors focus on profitability without a detailed screening of cash flows.

Originality/value

A limited number of studies investigate the use of tax avoidance for manipulation of the short-term earning signal. Identifying gaps and limitations in the literature, this study provides invaluable insights into tax avoidance and its association with the profitability and value of firms. The findings are important for investors, managers and policymakers in making portfolio decisions and corporate policies.
Dearly Beloved or Unrequited? To Be ‘Black’ in Art's Histories
Authors: Boyce Sonia , Price Dorothy
Published: June 2021

Guided by Stuart Hall's essay ‘Black Diaspora Artists in Britain: Three “Moments” in Post‐War History’ (2006), this special issue looks closely at the multi‐faceted genealogies of Black British modernism since the arrival of the ‘Windrush generation’. It brings together a range of essays in different formats by artists and art historians on topics and methods that have been central to the AHRC‐funded Black Artists and Modernism project from which it emerges. In particular, the introduction centralizes the lack of attention paid to the material and conceptual nature of artworks made by Black British artists, and asks how a reappraisal of their work can contribute to an expanded understanding of modernism. Re‐evaluating David Medalla's participatory artwork A Stitch in Time (1967–72), which originated in the late 1960s but has since taken on multiple lives in various locations across the globe, we consider why and how it continues to be occluded from orthodox narratives of conceptual art.
The Longest Journey: Black Diaspora Artists in Britain
Authors: Mercer Kobena
Published: June 2021

This essay offers an account of the ways in which successive generations of Black artists in Britain engaged with modernism during the UK's transformation from a monocultural to a post‐imperial society. Whereas the first wave (including Frank Bowling and Anwar Shemza) sought to reconcile their late colonial backgrounds with the tenets of high modernism – the autonomy of the artwork, the disinterested beholder, and universalist claims of timeless aesthetic value – the second wave (including Rasheed Araeen and Gavin Jantjes) turned to minimalism, performance, and photo‐text to de‐centre modernism's core assumptions that relied on formalist discourse. Collage and montage practices among the UK‐born third wave (including Sonia Boyce, Maud Sulter, and Donald Rodney), which entailed the hyphenation of cross‐cultural elements, thus call for a deeper look at transculturation processes active since modernism's beginning, but which were not previously recognized on account of formalist hegemony.
Medical imaging education opportunities for junior doctors and non‐radiologist clinicians: A review
Authors: Ayesa Sally L , Katelaris Annette G , Brennan Patrick C , Grieve Stuart M
Published: June 2021

Medical imaging plays a critical role in clinical decision‐making across disciplines, and as such, there is frequent need for non‐radiologist clinicians to interact with medical imaging. This review examines the literature about the delivery of medical imaging education to non‐radiologist clinicians, spanning junior doctors, advanced trainees and specialists. Knowledge of medical imaging among non‐radiologist clinicians is paramount to the quality of patient care, with calls for formal implementation of radiology education into non‐imaging specialty training programmes. Overall, there is a demand across non‐imaging disciplines for greater formalised medical imaging education. Concerns are raised that too great a reliance on informal methods of teaching radiology, for example in ward settings, results in greater variation in the quality and volume of educational opportunities and risks the perpetuation of erroneous attitudes and practices. The evolution of the medical imaging workplace and increasing utilisation of remote reporting has distanced the collaborative relationship between radiologists and their non‐imaging colleagues, diminishing opportunities for ad hoc learning and engagement in larger formalised educational collaborations. Ideally, radiologists should be directly involved in the development and delivery of medical imaging education to post‐graduate doctors to not only benefit patient care but also foster inter‐specialty relationships and respect. Evidence supports the value of structured radiological teaching opportunities, including tutorials, lectures and electronic resources, in improving medical imaging skills among non‐radiologist clinicians. There is wide scope for growth in the e‐learning arena to address this demand for quality and accessible imaging education for our non‐radiology colleagues.
Concurrent chemotherapy and first‐generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with or without an antiangiogenic agent as first‐line treatment in advanced lung adenocarcinoma harboring an EGFR mutation
Authors: Xu Ziyi , Hao Xuezhi , Lin Lin , Li Junling , Xing Puyuan
Published: June 2021

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated the combination of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and other antitumor agents may delay drug resistance. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the efficacy and safety of first‐line concurrent EGFR‐TKIs and platinum‐based doublet chemotherapy with or without an antiangiogenic agent for advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients in the real world.

Methods

A total of 30 patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma and activating EGFR mutations concurrently received an EGFR‐TKI and platinum‐based doublet chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab. The safety profile and efficacy were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

At the median follow‐up time of 22.1 months, 18 patients had experienced disease progression, and six patients had died because of disease. The median progression‐free survival (mPFS) was 21.2 months (95% CI: 12.631–29.798). Of the 28 patients who had measurable lesions, the objective response rate and disease control rate were 71.4% and 96.4%, respectively (one patient achieved complete remission, 19 patients had a partial response and seven patients had stable disease). Male patients had significantly longer mPFS than female patients (32.6 vs. 14.6 months, HR = 3.593, 95% CI: 1.158–11.148, p = 0.027). The most frequently seen grade 3/4 adverse events were hematological toxicities, seen in three cases (10%). Three patients ceased bevacizumab due to vascular events, including hypertension (grade 2, 6.7%) and venous thrombosis (grade 2, 3.3%), and continued EGFR‐TKI and platinum‐based doublet chemotherapy.

Conclusions

The combination of first‐generation EGFR‐TKIs with platinum‐based chemotherapy may be a first‐line treatment for advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients harboring activated EGFR mutations and is well tolerated.
Clinical and surgical approaches for malignant pulmonary lesions after a previous extrapulmonary malignancy
Authors: Seyrek Yunus , Cansever Levent , Bedirhan Mehmet Ali
Published: June 2021

Background

In our study, since the operative histopathological distinction of new malignant pulmonary lesions as either a primary lung cancer or a pulmonary metastasis is difficult, we aimed to identify the clinical variables which might allow distinction between a new lung cancer and a pulmonary metastasis, and the appropriate surgical management.

Methods

We divided 55 cases into two groups: patients with new lung cancer (NLC, n = 32) and patients with pulmonary metastases (PM, n = 23). Based on the primary organ, the previous malignancy was classified into four categories: head and neck, colorectal, genitourinary, and breast cancer. The parameters included in the study were age, sex, smoking history, a family history of cancer, disease‐free interval, primary organ, treatments for previous malignancies, size, and SUV max of the lung lesion on 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan and high‐resolution computed tomography findings of the lung lesion.

Results

A predisposition for larger lesions was found in the NLC group. In addition, in the NLC group, disease‐free interval was noted to be longer, patients were significantly older and SUV‐max values of solitary pulmonary lesions were significantly higher than in the PM group. Pulmonary lesions in patients with prior head and neck cancers were more likely to develop NLC. No significant difference in statistical analysis was observed between the groups in terms of sex, smoking, a family history of cancer, a history of adjuvant therapy, radiological pulmonary lesions signs, and localization.

Conclusion

PL monitoring on CT surveillance is essential, particularly in patients with previous head and neck cancers, who appear to have a higher risk for NLC. If pathological MLN accompanies PL in a patient with previous extrapulmonary malignancy, cervical mediastinoscopy may help acquire a possible PL diagnosis besides mediastinal staging. Intraoperative frozen section may have difficulty in distinguishing between PM and NLC when the lesion is of the same histological type as the previous malignancy. When precise distinction cannot be achieved by frozen section, we speculate that DFI, age, and radiological findings of the PL may help thoracic surgeons take initiative peroperatively while designating the subsequent surgical intervention. Lastly, pulmonary segmentectomy is also better be considered along with lobectomy in NLC cases.
Governing the Contested City: Geographies of Displacement in Diyarbakır, Turkey
Authors: Genç Fırat
Published: June 2021

This article develops a spatial analysis of the authoritarian governmentality of the Kurdish issue in Turkey through a case study of Diyarbakır in which geographies of war and peace have coalesced. Drawing on recent theorisations of military urbanism, it examines encounters—including both conflict and cooperation—between the state bureaucracy, local pro‐government elite and pro‐Kurdish municipal authorities within the context of the initiatives to rehabilitate the city’s historic centre, Suriçi, during the period 2002–2015. The article suggests considering Suriçi’s rehabilitation as part of a post‐conflict urban regime to thwart social and political vibrancy of the Kurdish urban poor in tandem with the idea of securitisation through marketisation. In doing so, it demonstrates that unpacking spatial imaginaries and rationalities that have rendered Suriçi dwellers displaceable by devaluing their collective urban experience is critical for our understanding of the utter violence erupted during and after the urban warfare of 2015.
Reliable fluid‐mechanical characterization of haemofilters: Addressing the deficiencies of current standards and practices
Authors: Kostoglou Margaritis , Karabelas Anastasios J.
Published: June 2021

Facile methods for accurate fluid‐mechanical characterization of haemofilters (HF) are indispensable for haemofiltration process improvements, equipment design/optimization, and reliable module specifications. Currently employed methods, implemented through specific experimental in vitro protocols, are assessed herein in detail, considering the conditions prevailing during haemofiltration. Minimum number of key parameters required to fully describe the common countercurrent flow field, in the HF active section, include membrane permeance K and friction coefficients in lumen and shell side (ff and fs). It is shown that the countercurrent flow mode itself is incapable of yielding these parameters, based on externally measured flow rates and pressures. Similarly, the relevant ISO protocol is deficient as it can only provide rough underpredictions of permeance K. The causes of such inherent deficiencies of current standards and practices are analyzed. In contrast, a recently developed methodology, accounting for the (heretofore ignored) pressure drop in module headers and combining a mechanistic theoretical model with experimental data from 2 special haemofilter operating modes, yields an accurate determination of the key parameters (K, ff, fs). Additionally, it permits a full description of flow field for Newtonian liquids, for both constant and axially varying viscosity in fiber‐lumen due to the transmembrane flux. Development of new reliable standards is suggested, facilitated by the insights gained in this work.
Model‐informed precision dosing for alemtuzumab in paediatric and young adult patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Dong Min , Emoto Chie , Fukuda Tsuyoshi , Arnold Danielle E. , Mehta Parinda A. , Marsh Rebecca A. , Vinks Alexander A.
Published: June 2021

Alemtuzumab is a lymphodepleting monoclonal antibody utilized in conditioning regimens for allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). A recently proposed therapeutic range of 0.15–0.6 μg/mL on the day of transplantation is associated with better HCT outcomes. The purpose of this study was to characterize alemtuzumab population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) and to propose individualized subcutaneous dosing schemes to achieve this optimal level for paediatric patients.

Methods

Alemtuzumab concentration and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) profiles were obtained from 29 paediatric and young adult patients (median age 6.4 y; range 0.28–21.4 y) with nonmalignant disorders undergoing HCT. PK/PD analyses were performed using nonlinear mixed effects modelling. Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to evaluate different improved dosing approaches.

Results

A one‐compartment model with sequential zero‐ and first‐order absorption adequately described subcutaneously administered alemtuzumab PK. Model fit was significantly improved by including allometrically scaled body weight on clearance (0.080 L/h/70 kg) and volume of distribution (17.4 L/70 kg). ALC reduction following subcutaneous alemtuzumab was swift. An inhibitory Emax model best characterized the relationship between alemtuzumab concentration and ALC. Emax and EC50 were estimated as 1.18 × 103/μL and 0.045 μg/mL, respectively. The currently used per kg dosing was found to cause uneven alemtuzumab exposure across different age and weight cohorts. Simulations indicated optimal target achieving dose as allometry‐based dose of 18 mg × (weight/70)0.75 or body surface area‐based dose of 10 mg/m2, divided over 3 days, with a potential individualized top‐up dose; both of which yielded similar results.

Conclusion

An allometry‐ or body surface area‐based starting dosing regimen in combination with individualized Bayesian PK estimation using concentration feedback is proposed for alemtuzumab precision dosing in children undergoing allogeneic HCT.
Characterisation of pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability in a first‐in‐human study for AZD8154, a novel inhaled selective PI3Kγδ dual inhibitor targeting airway inflammatory disease
Authors: Sadiq Muhammad Waqas , Asimus Sara , Belvisi Maria G. , Brailsford Wayne , Fransson Rebecca , Fuhr Rainard , Hagberg Anette , Hashemi Mahdi , Jellesmark Jensen Tina , Jonsson Julia , Keen Christina , Körnicke Thomas , Kristensson Cecilia , Mäenpää Jukka , Necander Sofia , Nemes Szilárd , Betts Joanne
Published: June 2021

Aims

This 3‐part, randomised, phase 1 first‐in‐human study (NCT03436316) investigated the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of AZD8154, a dual phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) γδ inhibitor developed as a novel inhaled anti‐inflammatory treatment for respiratory disease.

Methods

Healthy men, and women of nonchildbearing potential, were enrolled to receive single and multiple ascending inhaled doses of AZD8154 in parts 1 and 3 of the study, respectively, while part 2 characterised the systemic PK after a single intravenous (IV) dose. In part 1, participants received 0.1–7.7 mg AZD8154 in 6 cohorts. In part 2, participants were given 0.15 mg AZD8154 as an IV infusion. In part 3, AZD8154 was given in 3 cohorts of 0.6, 1.8 and 3.1 mg, with a single dose on Day 1 followed by repeated once‐daily doses on Days 4–12.

Results

In total, 78 volunteers were randomised. All single inhaled, single IV and multiple inhaled doses were shown to be well tolerated without any safety concerns. A population PK model, using nonlinear mixed‐effect modelling, was developed to describe the PK of AZD8154. The terminal mean half‐life of AZD8154 was 18.0–32.0 hours. The geometric mean of the absolute pulmonary bioavailability of AZD8154 via the inhaled route was 94.1%.

Conclusion

AZD8154 demonstrated an acceptable safety profile, with no reports of serious adverse events and no clinically significant drug‐associated safety concerns reported in healthy volunteers. AZD8154 demonstrated prolonged lung retention and a half‐life supporting once‐daily dosing.
Pool adjacent violators algorithm–assisted learning with application on estimating optimal individualized treatment regimes
Authors: Chen Baojiang , Yuan Ao , Qin Jing
Published: June 2021

Personalized medicine allows individuals to choose the best fit of their treatments based on their characteristics through an individualized treatment regime. In this paper, we develop a pool adjacent violators algorithm–assisted learning method to find the optimal individualized treatment regime under the monotone single‐index outcome gain model. The proposed estimator is more efficient than peers, and it is robust to the misspecification of the propensity score model or the baseline regression model. The optimal treatment regime is also robust to the misspecification of the functional form of the expected outcome gain model. Simulation studies verified our theoretical results. We also provide an estimate of the expected outcome gain model. Plotting the expected outcome gain versus an individual's characteristics index can visualize how significant the treatment effect is over the control. We apply the proposed method to an AIDS study.
Shade tree traits and microclimate modifications: Implications for pathogen management in biodiverse coffee agroforests
Authors: Gagliardi Stephanie , Avelino Jacques , Virginio Filho Elias de Melo , Isaac Marney E.
Published: June 2021

Diversified coffee agroforests modify microclimate conditions in comparison with monocultures, impacting the success of significant plant pathogens, such as Hemileia vastatrix, which causes coffee leaf rust (CLR). However, research is often limited to the dichotomous analysis of shaded agroforestry systems or unshaded monocultures, often overlooking the nuanced effect of shade tree trait diversity. Our study aims to determine the cumulative effects of shade tree canopy architectural characteristics and leaf functional traits in biodiverse agroforests on microclimate modifications and CLR incidence. We measured plot‐level microclimate conditions (air temperature, relative humidity, leaf wetness duration, throughfall kinetic energy) in three single‐stratum and two double‐strata shade tree canopy treatments, including Erythrina poeppigiana, Terminalia amazonia, and Chloroleucon eurycyclum. Commonly reported canopy characteristics and leaf traits were compared to average microclimate conditions and CLR incidence levels. We found that shade tree trait expression significantly explained most microclimate conditions, and that two key shade tree traits (canopy openness, leaf area) significantly explain CLR incidence levels (R2 = 0.211, p = 0.036). Our results highlight the differences in microclimate conditions and CLR incidence among biodiverse agroforests, as well as the important explanatory power of shade tree traits. Specific effects of shade tree traits on pathogen dynamics can directly inform agroforestry system design (i.e., shade tree species selection) and sustainable coffee farm management practices (i.e., pruning practices).
Native mammals disperse the highly invasive Senna spectabilis in the Western Ghats, India
Authors: Anoop N. R. , Sen Sandeep , Vinayan P. A. , Ganesh Thyagarajan
Published: June 2021

Senna spectabilis, a native tree of tropical America is rapidly colonizing the forests of Western Ghats. We identified the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) as the major disperser of Senna, with the dung facilitating germination of the species. The study provides critical information for the management of Senna in tropical Asia.
Phylogenomics of flavobacterial insect nutritional endosymbionts with implications for Auchenorrhyncha phylogeny
Authors: Cao Yanghui , Dietrich Christopher H.
Published: June 2021

“Candidatus Sulcia muelleri” (Sulcia) is a diverse lineage of intracellular nutritional endosymbiotic bacteria strictly associated with auchenorrhynchous hemipteran insects. Sulcia has undergone long‐term codiversification with its insect hosts but the phylogeny of these endosymbionts, their relationships to other bacteria, and the extent of their occurrence within various groups of Auchenorrhyncha remain inadequately explored. Comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of Sulcia and related bacteria were performed to elucidate its position relative to other members of Phylum Bacteroidetes and the degree of congruence to the phylogeny of its auchenorrhynchous hosts. Maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP) analyses of Flavobacteriales based on genomic data from 182 bacterial strains recover a monophyletic Sulcia within a larger clade of flavobacterial insect endosymbionts, closely related to Weeksellaceae. Molecular divergence time analysis of Sulcia dates the origin of Sulcia at approximately 339.95 million years ago (Myr) and the initial divergence within Sulcia at approximately 256.91 Myr but these are considered underestimates due to the tendency for endosymbionts to evolve at higher rates compared to their free‐living relatives. Screening of 96 recently sequenced hemipteran transcriptomes revealed that 73 of these species, all Auchenorrhyncha, harbored Sulcia. Phylogenetic analysis of 131 orthologous genes plus 16S rRNA for 101 Sulcia strains, representing six fulgoroid families and all the families of Cicadomorpha except Tettigarctidae, recover largely congruent phylogenies between Sulcia and Auchenorrhyncha. The phylogeny of Sulcia strongly supports the superfamily relationships Fulgoroidea + (Cicadoidea + (Cercopoidea + Membracoidea)). Relationships within individual superfamilies are also largely concordant, with the few areas of apparent incongruence between Sulcia and insect genes attributable to low branch support in one or both datasets. These results suggest that analysis of Sulcia phylogeny may contribute to resolution of contentious aspects of Auchenorrhyncha phylogeny.
Predicting their past: Machine language learning can discriminate the brains of chimpanzees with different early‐life social rearing experiences
Authors: Bennett Allyson J. , Pierre Peter J. , Wesley Michael J. , Latzman Robert , Schapiro Steven J. , Mareno Mary Catherine , Bradley Brenda J. , Sherwood Chet C. , Mullholland Michele M. , Hopkins William D.
Published: June 2021

Early life experiences, including separation from caregivers, can result in substantial, persistent effects on neural, behavioral, and physiological systems as is evidenced in a long‐standing literature and consistent findings across species, populations, and experimental models. In humans and other animals, differential rearing conditions can affect brain structure and function. We tested for whole brain patterns of morphological difference between 108 chimpanzees reared typically with their mothers (MR; N = 54) and those reared decades ago in a nursery with peers, human caregivers, and environmental enrichment (NR; N = 54). We applied support vector machine (SVM) learning to archival MRI images of chimpanzee brains to test whether we could, with any degree of significant probability, retrospectively classify subjects as MR and NR based on variation in gray matter within the entire brain. We could accurately discriminate MR and NR chimpanzee brains with nearly 70% accuracy. The combined brain regions discriminating the two rearing groups were widespread throughout the cortex. We believe this is the first report using machine language learning as an analytic method for discriminating nonhuman primate brains based on early rearing experiences. In this sense, the approach and findings are novel, and we hope they stimulate application of the technique to studies on neural outcomes associated with early experiences. The findings underscore the potential for infant separation from caregivers to leave a long‐term mark on the developing brain.
The role of extracellular matrix alterations in mediating astrocyte damage and pericyte dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease: A comprehensive review
Authors: Anwar Mai M. , Özkan Esra , Gürsoy‐Özdemir Yasemin
Published: June 2021

The brain is a highly vascularized tissue protected by the blood–brain barrier (BBB), a complex structure allowing only necessary substances to pass through into the brain while limiting the entrance of harmful toxins. The BBB comprises several components, and the most prominent features are tight junctions between endothelial cells (ECs), which are further wrapped in a layer of pericytes. Pericytes are multitasked cells embedded in a thick basement membrane (BM) that consists of a fibrous extracellular matrix (ECM) and are surrounded by astrocytic endfeet. The primary function of astrocytes and pericytes is to provide essential blood supply and vital nutrients to the brain. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), long‐term neuroinflammatory cascades associated with infiltration of harmful neurotoxic proteins may lead to BBB dysfunction and altered ECM components resulting in brain homeostatic imbalance, synaptic damage, and declined cognitive functions. Moreover, BBB structure and functional integrity may be lost due to induced ECM alterations, astrocyte damage, and pericytes dysfunction, leading to amyloid‐beta (Aβ) hallmarks deposition in different brain regions. Herein, we highlight how BBB, ECM, astrocytes, and pericytes dysfunction can play a leading role in AD's pathogenesis and discuss their impact on brain functions.
More than the Rules – Therapeutic Jurisprudence and Legal Actors in New Zealand's Legal System
Authors: Stannard Emily
Published: June 2021

Therapeutic Jurisprudence (“TJ”) is the study of the psychological impact of the law. One way that TJ can be applied is by examining the way legal actors such as lawyers, judges, court appointed specialists and court registrars, go about their work. In Aotearoa New Zealand's Family Justice System (“FJS”) there have been long standing concerns about the FJS is not meeting the needs of participants in the system. In particular, concerns about Māori, migrants and survivors of family violence not having their needs yet have persisted for decades. This article addresses concerns for each group, and gives examples of how legal actors can use TJ to improve the system for their clients by the way they go about their work.
Impact of dialysate sodium concentration on vascular refilling
Authors: Álvarez‐Nadal Marta , Martín‐Capón Irene , Viera‐Ramírez Elizabeth Romelia , Fernández‐Lucas Milagros
Published: June 2021

Background

Although relationship between dialysate sodium concentration and hemodynamic stability has been well studied over the years, outcomes of absolute blood volume (ABV) maintenance and vascular refilling volume (Vref) modifications were not included, as its analysis has not been easily accessible to direct investigation. However, recent studies report a simple and feasible methodology to assess ABV and Vref during hemodialysis (HD) treatments. It is the aim of this study to analyze whether sodium concentration in dialysate modifies ABV drop and Vref.

Methods

The study was performed in 19 patients under HD. During three different sessions, sodium concentration in dialysate was randomized to three different profiles: low sodium concentration (LNa, 138 mEq/L), neutral sodium concentration (NNa, 140 mEq/L), and high sodium concentration (HNa, 143 mEq/L). ABV and Vref were calculated using Kron et al methodology.

Results

Predialysis values of the measured parameters showed similar results for the three profiles. Sodium concentration showed an effect on ABV drop, Vref, and vascular refilling fraction (Fref). Pair‐wise comparison revealed mean ABV decreased 0.21 L less when using HNa profile versus LNa profile (p = 0.027), a mean Vref increase of 0.39 L (p = 0.038), and a mean Fref increase of 9.94% (p = 0.048).

Conclusions

This study shows that the use of HNa profiles increases Vref and Fref and reduces ABV drop during dialysis treatments when compared to LNa profiles.
Using faecal metabarcoding to examine consumption of crop pests and beneficial arthropods in communities of generalist avian insectivores
Authors: Garfinkel Megan , Minor Emily , Whelan Christopher J.
Published: June 2021

Generalist insectivorous birds can provide ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes by consuming arthropod pests, or they can provide disservices when they consume beneficial arthropods. To examine bird impacts on arthropod communities, including pest control services, we need to know which arthropods birds commonly consume. Faecal metabarcoding is an emerging technique that can be used to identify prey from faecal samples, often to the species level. We used faecal metabarcoding to study diets of birds inhabiting the ecotone between soybean fields and adjacent grasslands in a largely agricultural landscape in Illinois, USA, during the summer of 2017. Whereas previous studies have used faecal metabarcoding to compare bird diets among species or among capture sites, we analysed samples from multiple species within a community at replicate sites. We collected and sequenced DNA from 132 faecal samples from 25 bird species captured at six sites. We found that birds consumed an extremely large and varied diet that differed among both species and sites, suggesting that birds were consuming prey opportunistically as available at each site. Of the nine most commonly detected prey species, three are known pests of soybeans. Bird diets also contained significantly more species of herbivorous prey than natural enemies. Finally, we discovered that American Goldfinches Spinus tristis, a highly granivorous species, may consume arthropods more frequently than expected and thus may provide ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. Our study demonstrates that birds within this system consume a large variety of prey, suggesting that they may be able to respond quickly to pest outbreaks and contribute to agricultural resiliency.
Clinico‐epidemiological profile of lichen scrofulosorum: a 22‐year, single‐center, retrospective study
Authors: Singal Archana , Kaur Ishmeet , Pandhi Deepika , Gandhi Vijay , Jakhar Deepak , Grover Chander
Published: June 2021

Background

Lichen scrofulosorum (LS) represents immunologic reaction to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen and presents with subtle, asymptomatic, grouped follicular papules over the trunk and shows good therapeutic response to antitubercular drugs.

Objective

To study the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with LS.

Materials and Methods

A single‐center retrospective review of patients diagnosed with LS from 1997 to 2018 was conducted. The data pertained to clinico‐epidemiological profile, BCG vaccination, Mantoux positivity, laboratory investigations, coexistent focus of tuberculosis, and response to antitubercular treatment (ATT).

Results

LS cases constituted 15.2% (221/1458) of all the patients diagnosed with cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB). Of these, 156 (70.5%) were pediatric patients. All patients presented with multiple follicular and perifollicular grouped papules. The trunk was the most common site involved (98.6%), followed by lower limb (25.33%), upper limb (15.83%), face (5%), and external genitalia (3.6%). Evidence of BCG vaccination and Mantoux test positivity was observed in 52.03 and 83.2%, respectively. Coexistent TB focus was detected in 134 (60.6%) patients in lymph nodes, lungs, abdomen, and unusual sites such as intracranial, endometrium, and eye. Twenty‐eight patients (12.66%) had coexistent other clinical forms of CTB. Clinical diagnosis of LS was confirmed on histology that revealed chiefly periappendageal epithelioid cell granuloma. Response to ATT was good with complete resolution of lesion in 8–12 weeks.

Conclusion

LS appears to be an underdiagnosed entity. Subtle and asymptomatic lesions of LS are often missed, thereby necessitating a high index of suspicion and appropriate evaluation of the underlying TB focus.
The relationship between ethnic background and the use of restrictive practices to manage incidents of violence or aggression in psychiatric inpatient settings
Authors: Payne‐Gill James , Whitfield Corin , Beck Alison
Published: June 2021

Restrictive practices raise considerable concern in mental health inpatient care. Previous studies suggest there are disparities in the use of restrictive practices to manage service users of different ethnic groups. The present study analyses the relationship between ethnicity and the use of restrictive practices to manage incidents of violence or aggression in inpatient settings across an NHS Mental Health Trust. Three years’ worth of routinely collected incident data were analysed using multilevel multiple logistic regression to assess the relationship between ethnic group and four types of restrictive practices: physical restraint (without prone), physical restraint (with prone), seclusion, and rapid tranquilization. We controlled for a range of demographic variables and the type and severity of the incident. Adjusted analyses showed that service users with a Black African [Odds Ratio = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.36–2.83, P < 0.001], Black Caribbean [Odds Ratio = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.08–2.85, P = 0.022], Black Other [Odds Ratio = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.27–2.44, P = 0.001], and Mixed [Odds Ratio = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.11–3.18, P = 0.019] ethnic background were more likely to be secluded, and Black Caribbean [Odds Ratio = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.02–2.07, P = 0.040] service users were more likely to be restrained in prone position. We did not detect differences in the use of physical restraints without prone or in the use of rapid tranquilization. Our findings illustrate the need to focus on outcomes for different ethnic groups when implementing restraint reduction programmes.
Structural characteristics of complex supply chain networks
Authors: Wiedmer Robert , Griffis Stanley E.
Published: June 2021

Firms source goods and services in complex, global supply chains. The network structures of these far‐reaching supply chains are believed to influence both firm‐level and supply chain‐level behavior. However, researchers and managers are challenged to manage extended supply chain networks because firms typically do not actively oversee their entire supply chain network. The extant research on the underlying network topologies is limited and relies on untested structural assumptions. This study addresses the latter issue by examining structural topologies in supply chain networks. We draw from the network and supply chain literature and empirically investigate the presence of topologies found in complex networks. In particular, we look for: small‐world, scale‐free, community, and hierarchical network structures. We study 21 extended (five‐tier) supply chain networks of firms representing various industries. Our analysis provides evidence for community, scale‐free, and hierarchical structures within the observed supply chain networks. The identification of network topologies is relevant to understand how to study supply chain networks and provide insights into network behavior and performance.
The lncRNA HOTAIR regulates autophagy and affects lipopolysaccharide‐induced acute lung injury through the miR‐17‐5p/ATG2/ATG7/ATG16 axis
Authors: Li Yujun , Liang Zhike , He Hua , Huang Xiaomei , Mo Zexun , Tan Jinwen , Guo Weihong , Zhao Ziwen , Wei Shuquan
Published: June 2021

Long non‐coding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) play critical roles in acute lung injury (ALI). We aimed to explore the involvement of lncRNA HOX transcript antisense intergenic ribonucleic acid (HOTAIR) in regulating autophagy in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced ALI. We obtained 1289 differentially expressed lncRNAs or messenger RNAs (mRNAs) via microarray analysis. HOTAIR was significantly upregulated in the LPS stimulation experimental group. HOTAIR knockdown (si‐HOTAIR) promoted cell proliferation in LPS‐stimulated A549 and BEAS‐2B cells, suppressing the protein expression of autophagy marker light chain 3B and Beclin‐1. Inhibition of HOTAIR suppressed LPS‐induced cell autophagy, apoptosis and arrested cells in the G0/G1 phase prior to S phase entry. Further, si‐HOTAIR alleviated LPS‐induced lung injury in vivo. We predicted the micro‐ribonucleic acid miR‐17‐5p to target HOTAIR and confirmed this via RNA pull‐down and dual luciferase reporter assays. miR‐17‐5p inhibitor treatment reversed the HOTAIR‐mediated effects on autophagy, apoptosis, cell proliferation and cell cycle. Finally, we predicted autophagy‐related genes (ATGs) ATG2, ATG7 and ATG16 as targets of miR‐17‐5p, which reversed their HOTAIR‐mediated protein upregulation in LPS‐stimulated A549 and BEAS‐2B cells. Taken together, our results indicate that HOTAIR regulated apoptosis, the cell cycle, proliferation and autophagy through the miR‐17‐5p/ATG2/ATG7/ATG16 axis, thus driving LPS‐induced ALI.
The use of an unoccupied aerial vehicle to survey shark species over sand and rocky‐reef habitats in a marine protected area
Authors: Ayres Kathryn A. , Ketchum James T. , González‐Armas Rogelio , Galván‐Magaña Felipe , Hearn Alex , Elorriaga‐Verplancken Fernando R. , Hoyos‐Padilla Edgar M. , Kajiura Stephen M.
Published: June 2021

Cabo Pulmo National Park was established in 1995 and has since seen a large increase in fish biomass. An unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) was used to survey shallow coastal habitat in which lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris), bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) and Pacific nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma unami) were recorded. Sharks were more common in the afternoon, potentially using warmer shallow areas to behaviourally thermoregulate. This study highlights UAV surveying to be a viable tool for species identification, a limitation of previous terrestrial surveys conducted in the area.
Key considerations in the approach to congenital heart disease in dogs and cats
Authors: Saunders A. B.
Published: June 2021

Congenital heart disease is an important subset of all cardiovascular disease in dogs and cats that is present at birth and most often detected in young animals but can be diagnosed in adulthood. The range of abnormalities that can occur during development of the heart is vast incorporating simple and complex defects, varying degrees of severity and clinical presentations that include heart failure and cyanosis. While some defects do not result in morbidity in an individual animal, others cause severe clinical signs and death at a young age. Advances in imaging and expanding treatment options offer increasingly more possibilities in the diagnosis and management of congenital heart disease which is the focus of this review. The objective is to provide a broad overview of current practice and highlight key aspects to guide practitioners in their approach to congenital heart disease diagnosis and knowledge of available treatment options.
Postnatal cranial ontogeny and growth strategies in the black‐tailed gullLarus crassirostrisbreeding on Kabu Island, Aomori, Japan
Authors: Hanai T. , Iwami Y. , Tomita N. , Tsuihiji T.
Published: June 2021

Although cranial morphology of modern birds has been an important subject of evolutionary studies, detailed information on postnatal ontogeny of the avian skull remains very scarce. Herein, a wild population of the black‐tailed gull (Larus crassirostris) breeding on Kabu Island was examined to explore relationships between their growth strategies and ontogenetic changes in the cranial shape. By examining growth series covering a major part of the postnatal ontogenetic period, it was clarified that the typical form of the adult larid skull was produced through dynamic proportional changes among cranial structures after hatching. Cranial structures related to the oral capacity and deglutition (e.g., some elements of hyoid bones) attained the adult sizes before fledging, whereas other structures apparently reached the adult sizes well after leaving the nest. The palatal width exhibited positively allometric growth against the skull volume in chicks in the early nestling stage, followed by a period of negative allometry in the later growth stage. A nestling gull has to acquire swallowing ability by the time of fledging at the latest because this ability is apparently essential for a food intake without parental aid. In addition, because nestlings mainly feed on foodstuffs supplied by their parents, previous studies suggested the possibility that siblings within a nest compete for food resources. Under this scenario, early acquisition of swallowing abilities, as indicated by the allometric patterns of relevant cranial structures, may be an adaptive trait that enhances survival of nestlings.
Shadow banking and financial intermediation
Authors: Özgür Gökçer
Published: June 2021

This article investigates the nature of shadow banking and its effects on bank lending and funding conditions in the U.S. financial markets. It, first, reviews the main instruments of this credit intermediation and the procyclical patterns in it. Second, it estimates two indicators of shadow banking activities and uses these indicators in Markov‐switching (MS) and vector autoregressive models. The MS models detect two regimes for bank lending, and these regimes reflect the expansion and contraction phases of bank lending cycles. Shadow banking is positively (negatively) associated with bank lending in the expansion (contraction) phases. Another model that uses impulse‐response analysis shows that shadow banking has a positive effect on the risk premium and a negative effect on term spread.
Known and potential molecules associated with altered B cell development leading to predominantly antibody deficiencies
Authors: Amirifar Parisa , Yazdani Reza , Azizi Gholamreza , Ranjouri Mohammad Reza , Durandy Anne , Plebani Alessandro , Lougaris Vassilios , Hammarstrom Lennart , Aghamohammadi Asghar , Abolhassani Hassan
Published: June 2021

Predominantly antibody deficiencies (PADs) encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by low immunoglobulin serum levels in the presence or absence of peripheral B cells. Clinical presentation of affected patients may include recurrent respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, invasive infections, autoimmune manifestations, allergic reactions, lymphoproliferation, and increased susceptibility to malignant transformation. In the last decades, several genetic alterations affecting B‐cell development/maturation have been identified as causative of several forms of PADs, adding important information on the genetic background of PADs, which in turn should lead to a better understanding of these disorders and precise clinical management of affected patients. This review aimed to present a comprehensive overview of the known and potentially involved molecules in the etiology of PADs to elucidate the pathogenesis of these disorders and eventually offer a better prognosis for affected patients.