bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Big 4 auditors, bank earnings management and financial crisis in Africa
Authors: Ozili Peterson K.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether African banks audited by a Big 4 auditor use loan loss provisions (LLPs) for earnings management purposes before, during and after the global financial crisis. It focuses on income smoothing as a type of earnings management.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analyzed banks in 21 African countries from 2002 to 2014. The estimation techniques used are the fixed effect regression technique, descriptive statistic and Pearson correlation statistic. The model used in the study expresses LLPs as a function of its discretionary and non-discretionary determinants.

Findings

African banks audited by Big 4 auditors use LLPs to smooth income and the incentive to smooth income is greater during an economic downturn or recession. Also, African banks audited by a Big 4 auditor use income smoothing to lower high earnings during the financial crisis and in the pre-financial crisis period but not in the post-financial crisis period.

Originality/value

The literature shows that the presence of Big 4 auditors improves earnings quality. The direct impact of Big 4 auditors on earnings management in African banks has received little attention in the literature, and the impact of audit quality on bank earnings smoothing particularly in Africa is yet to be known.
Decision-making regarding the best maintenance strategy for electrical equipment of buildings based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process; case study: elevator
Authors: Gholami Javad , Razavi Ahmad , Ghaffarpour Reza
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose the best method of maintenance for electrical equipment of a building and especially elevators in order to achieve various benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review shows that there are various methods such as corrective maintenance, condition-based maintenance, time-based maintenance and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) for the maintenance of electrical equipment of a building. Selecting the most appropriate maintenance method, especially in large buildings such as commercial ones, is a multiple-criteria decision-making problem. To solve this problem, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used in the present study. It considers the uncertainties of the experts' judgments to provide an optimized maintenance method.

Findings

Theoretically, the RCM method will take a lot of time and cost. But in prioritizing the methods, RCM gained more points with regard to safety criteria and value added. The main finding of this study suggests that RCM can be used in the case of elevators and would improve the safety and reliability of buildings.

Originality/value

The authors believe that this study will be valuable because one of the problems in building maintenance complexes is the lack of knowledge about the best method to prevent the risks of elevators. The proposed method has compared with other methods in various sub-criteria, and the results have been fully analyzed.
An automatic air inflated tubeless safety jacket for motorbike riders
Authors: Bulathsinghala Rameesh Lakshan , Fernando Sandun , Jayawardana Thantirige Sanath Siroshana , Heenkenda Nilanthi , Jeyakumar Sajeeva , Packiyarasa Prathees , Hemamala Gamage , Wijesena Dhananatha
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Motorcycle is one of the popular modes of transport in developing countries. However, the statistics related to accidents show that motorcycles are the most vulnerable vehicles. Research studies have revealed that half of all the possible types of motorcycle injuries could be reduced or prevented using effective protective clothing. Facts and figures emphasize that this is high time to develop a safety jacket for motorbike riders. This paper aims to develop an innovative, integrated automatic air-inflated tubeless jacket to prevent major injuries in fatal accidents.

Design/methodology/approach

Two accelerometers integrated near the front axle, an angle sensor and the electronic control unit (ECU) were used to detect the collision or accident. The sensors were fixed on the bike and connected with the ECU via a bluetooth device that was always at the activated stage. The fused sensors were emulated with the ECU under laboratory conditions. The trigger signal generated by the crash discriminant algorithm triggered the chemical reaction to generate N2 gas and inflate the tubeless safety jacket.

Findings

Under laboratory conditions, it was found that the signal generated by the ECU unit ejected approximately 15 litres of N2 gas in volume to fill the jacket within 100 milliseconds, which was less than the approximate estimated falling time of the rider 120 milliseconds.

Originality/value

The existing developments of airbag systems in motorbikes are mounted on the motorbikes' frame, following the airbag systems in automobiles. These developments cannot fully protect the rider due to differentiation in crash dynamics and respective positions of the rider at the point of impact. Though few safety jackets and airbag vests are developed, the airbag deployment is activated when rider and motorbike separated during a collision using a tether-triggering mechanism. The authors designed the jacket so that inflation is activated not only by crash sensors but also on the fusion of multiple sensors based on a crash discriminative algorithm. The airbag deployment mechanism is incorporated with the jacket and acts as a safety jacket during a collision.
Reflecting on culturally responsive goal achievement with indigenous clients using the Australian Therapy Outcome Measure for Indigenous Clients (ATOMIC)
Authors: Copley Jodie A. , Nelson Alison , Hill Anne E. , Castan Catherine , McLaren Chrisdell F. , Brodrick Julie , Quinlan Teresa , White Rebekah
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Appropriate evaluation of health services for First Australians demands culturally responsive goal setting tools that can be used by inter‐professional teams. The Australian Therapy Outcome Measure for Indigenous Clients (ATOMIC) is a purpose‐designed tool for measuring therapy outcomes for First Australians. The aim of this study was to establish the clinical utility of the ATOMIC by investigating its alignment with the practice perspectives of an inter‐professional First Australian health service.

Methods

Using action research cycles, 12 occupational therapists and 8 speech pathologists applied two successive versions of the ATOMIC in practice. Focus group feedback after use of the first version (ATOMICv1) prompted adaptations to the tool (ATOMICv2). Therapists participated in four focus groups, two after using ATOMICv1 and two after using ATOMICv2. Focus group transcripts were analysed inductively using a qualitative description approach.

Results

Challenges in setting SMART goals early in therapy and defining specific measurement increments in ATOMICv1 led to therapists favouring skill‐based goals that were easier to measure rather than broader daily life goals, thereby impacting on occupation‐ and client‐centred practice. ATOMICv2 allowed goal setting at any point in therapy, evaluated goals using visual analogue scales, and gathered evidence for rating goal achievement throughout the therapy process. Therapists found the ATOMICv2 to be a culturally responsive tool that aligned with practice perspectives by foregrounding relationship building, facilitating clinical reasoning, documenting daily life changes, and providing integrated inter‐professional care.

Conclusion

The ATOMIC demonstrated good clinical utility in an inter‐professional service for First Australian children. It aligned with a culturally responsive practice perspective and captured goal achievement in daily life contexts. Further research is needed to gain client perspectives across the lifespan and to investigate its application by other health professions.
Staring Death in the Face: The Financial Impact of Corporate Exposure to Prior Disasters
Authors: Tosun Onur Kemal , Eshraghi Arman , Muradoglu Gulnur
Published: July 2021

We examine how firms’ exposure to prior disastrous events can influence their stock market footprint during the coronavirus crisis. While others have drawn comparisons between past pandemics and Covid‐19, we argue that such comparisons are skewed due to the unprecedented reach and consequences of the latter. To better model the structural shock caused by Covid‐19 in the USA, we look at the 9/11 terrorist attacks and specifically examine how firms based in New York City back then reacted to the associated financial turmoil. While 9/11 and Covid‐19 are categorically different events, their short‐term impacts on the stock market, and on New York exchanges in particular, are surprisingly similar. We find firms that financially ‘survived’ 9/11 also managed to do better – or suffer less – by about 7% in terms of stock returns during Covid‐19, compared to control firms that were not exposed to 9/11. In a sense, we show that companies’ prior exposure to 9/11 partly ‘immunized’ them against the consequences of a similarly destabilizing event, albeit two decades later. Interestingly, the trading volume of exposed firms increased due to market buying pressures. Our analysis is robust to various financial proxies, alternative definitions of control firms and varying estimation windows.
Birds of a feather flock together: Comparing controlled pre–post designs
Authors: Fry Carrie E. , Hatfield Laura A.
Published: July 2021

Objective

To formalize comparative interrupted time series (CITS) using the potential outcomes framework; compare two version of CITS—a standard linear version and one that adds postperiod group‐by‐time parameters—to two versions of difference‐in‐differences (DID)—a standard version with time fixed effects and one that adds group‐specific pretrends; and reanalyze three previously published papers using these models.

Data Sources

Outcome data for reanalyses come from two counties' jail booking and release data, Medicaid prescription drug rebate data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and acute hepatitis C incidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Study Design

DID and CITS were compared using potential outcomes, and reanalyses were conducted using the four described pre–post study designs.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Data from county jails were provided by sheriffs. Data from CMS are publicly available. Data for the third reanalysis were provided by the authors of the original study.

Principal Findings

Though written differently and preferred by different research communities, the general version of CITS and DID with group‐specific pretrends are the same: they yield the same counterfactuals and identify the same treatment effects. In a reanalysis with evidence of divergent preperiod trends, failing to account for this in standard DID led to an 84% smaller effect estimate than the more flexible models. In a second reanalysis with evidence of nonlinear outcome trends, failing to account for this in linear CITS led to a 28% smaller effect estimate than the more flexible models.

Conclusion

We recommend detailing a causal model for treatment selection and outcome generation and the required counterfactuals before choosing an analytical approach. The more flexible versions of DID and CITS can accommodate features often found in real data, namely, nonlinearities and divergent preperiod outcome trends.
Long‐term changes in anemia‐related parameters among Japanese dialyzed patients assessed by newly developed web‐based system
Authors: Maruyama Yukio , Niikura Takahito , Nakashima Akio , Yamamoto Hiroyasu , Yokoo Takashi
Published: July 2021

Anemia treatment is crucial in the management of dialyzed patients. Although Hb and serum ferritin levels are commonly used as indicators for treatment, these values change over time due to changes in policy, drugs for treating anemia, and target levels suggested by clinical guidelines. To clarify long‐term changes in anemia‐related parameters in Japan, we extracted annual patient data from a newly developed web‐based system by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, the Web‐based Analysis of Dialysis Data Archives system. Hb levels gradually increased from 2008 to 2019. Serum ferritin levels and transferrin saturation tended to increase between 2012 and 2019. Although these changes were found in all dialyzed patients, these were more pronounced in patients on peritoneal dialysis. We believe that our results can contribute to a better understanding of the results of clinical studies assessing the effects of treatment for anemia on clinical outcomes among dialyzed patients.
Emigration from the United Kingdom to the United States, Canada and Australia/New Zealand, 1870–1913: Quantity and quality
Authors: Hatton Timothy J.
Published: July 2021

This paper revisits the determinants of emigration from the United Kingdom to the United States, Canada and Australia/New Zealand from 1870 to 1913. In the absence of restrictive immigration policies, the flow of emigration to these destinations responded to economic shocks and trends. Emigrants to Australia and New Zealand were more skilled on average than those heading across the Atlantic, a feature that does not correspond well with skill differentials in the manner predicted by the Roy model. While assisted passages (subsidised fares) increased the volume of emigration to Australia and New Zealand they cannot account for its higher skill content.
Dry bulk shipping and the evolution of maritime transport costs, 1850–2020
Authors: Jacks David S. , Stuermer Martin
Published: July 2021

We provide evidence on the dynamic effects of fuel price shocks, shipping demand shocks and shipping supply shocks on real dry bulk freight rates in the long run. We first analyse a new dataset on dry bulk freight rates for the period from 1850 to 2020, finding that they followed a downward but undulating path with a cumulative decline of 79%. Next, we turn to understanding the drivers of booms and busts in the dry bulk shipping industry, finding that shipping demand shocks strongly dominate all others as drivers of real dry bulk freight rates in the long run. Furthermore, while shipping demand shocks have increased in importance over time, shipping supply shocks in particular have become less relevant.
Detecting the footprint of selection on the genomes of Murciano‐Granadina goats
Authors: Guan D. , Martínez A. , Luigi‐Sierra M. G. , Delgado J. V. , Landi V. , Castelló A. , Fernández Álvarez J. , Such X. , Jordana J. , Amills M.
Published: July 2021

Artificial selection is one of the major forces modifying the genetic composition of livestock populations. Identifying genes under selection could be useful to elucidate their impact on phenotypic variation. We aimed to identify genomic regions targeted by selection for dairy and pigmentation traits in Murciano‐Granadina goats. Performance of a selection scan based on the integrated haplotype score test in a population of 1183 Murciano‐Granadina goats resulted in the identification of 77 candidate genomic regions/SNPs. The most significant selective sweeps mapped to chromosomes 1 (69.86 Mb), 4 (41.80–49.95 Mb), 11 (65.74 Mb), 12 (31.24 and 52.51 Mb), 17 (34.76–37.67 Mb), 22 (31.75 Mb), and 26 (26.69–31.05 Mb). By using previously generated RNA‐Seq data, we built a catalogue of 6414 genes that are differentially expressed across goat lactation (i.e. 78 days post‐partum, early lactation; 216 days post‐partum, late lactation; 285 days post‐partum, dry period). Interestingly, 183 of these genes mapped to selective sweeps and several of them display functions related with lipid, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling, cell proliferation, as well as mammary development and involution. Of particular interest are the CSN3 and CSN1S2 genes, which encode two major milk proteins. Additionally, we found three pigmentation genes (GLI3, MC1R, and MITF) co‐localizing with selective sweeps. Performance of a genome‐wide association study and Sanger sequencing and TaqMan genotyping experiments revealed that the c.801C>G (p.Cys267Trp) polymorphism in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene is the main determinant of the black (GG or GC genotypes) and brown (CC genotypes) colorations of Murciano‐Granadina goats.
Making History: the Australian history curriculum and national identity
Authors: Fozdar Farida , Martin Catherine Ann
Published: July 2021

History is a key site for the negotiation of national identity, with the ability to define the past shaping the national narrative on who “we” were, who “we” are, and, crucially, who “we” should be. As such, the teaching of history is a site of intense political debate. This paper examines the history module of the Australian Curriculum to understand the extent to which the history curriculum moves beyond Eurocentric, colonial imaginings of Australia's history towards a more inclusive, multi‐cultural, globally‐oriented, cosmopolitan vision of society. Both the curriculum and teaching resources were examined to ascertain the identities and orientations these materials could provide. The research finds that — despite improvements in presenting a diversity of representations, in particular a positive focus on the rights and contributions of Indigenous peoples in Australia and some orientation to diverse migrant histories, the environment, and Asia — the main thrust of the curriculum is a focus on the nation‐state at the expense of global engagement. The funnel structure which deals with broader world history in earlier years, relegates the rest of the world to a temporal and spatial distance, leaving a somewhat myopic narrative that perpetuates traditional, Anglo‐centric narratives, maintaining the perspectives of “Others” as peripheral.
Association of night‐time sleep and day napping with the prevalence of MOSH in young obese men
Authors: Chen Yufei , Zhang Ling , Zhao Shaoqian , Yuan Lihui , Shi Juan , Zhang Yifei , Wang Jiqiu , Gu Weiqiong , Wang Weiqing , Hong Jie
Published: July 2021

Background

Obesity in men is also shown to be associated with reduced reproductive potential, and this particular subtype was described as male obesity‐associated secondary hypogonadism (MOSH). Recent studies showing the influence of sleep disorders on testosterone levels suggested a potential role of sleep disorders in determining the development of MOSH.

Objectives

To assess the association between night‐time sleep duration and day napping and the prevalence of MOSH.

Materials and methods

In this cross‐sectional study, 226 obese male participants aged 18–30 years were enrolled. Daytime napping and night‐time sleep duration data were collected using a standardized self‐reported Chinese‐language questionnaire. MOSH was defined as obese men (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with hypogonadal symptoms and decreased total testosterone level and/or free testosterone level, excluding other causes of hypogonadism.

Results

The overall prevalence of MOSH was 48.2% in this study. An inverse association was observed between night sleep duration and the risk of prevalent MOSH. Men who reported fewer than 6 h of night‐time sleep had reduced total testosterone and free testosterone levels and an increased risk of MOSH. Further regression analysis revealed that after adjustment for potential confounders, the odds ratio of MOSH for the short night‐time sleep group (<6 h vs. 6–8 h) was 6.17 (p = 0.040). No significant association was observed between day napping status and prevalence of MOSH.

Discussion and conclusion

Short night sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of MOSH in the young obese Chinese population. Chronic sleep curtailment has a negative effect on obese men's health in terms of hypogonadism.
Chronic iron deficiency and anaemia were highly prevalent in a population‐based longitudinal study among adolescent girls
Authors: Stabell Niklas , Averina Maria , Flægstad Trond
Published: July 2021

Aim

The combination of iron deficiency and anaemia is a major health problem, and adolescents are an at‐risk group. The main aim of this study was to explore the magnitude of these conditions among adolescents aged 15–19 and identify possible associated risk factors.

Methods

This population‐based longitudinal study of adolescents in North Norway was conducted in 2010–2011, with a follow‐up two years later. Repeated measurements of iron deficiency and anaemia and its possible risk factors were studied in 309 girls and 273 boys.

Results

Iron deficiency and anaemia were found in 18.1% and 19.9% of girls and 1.6% and 2.9% of boys in the first study and about half of the cases were chronic two years later. Most girls had moderate iron deficiency (14.5%) and mild anaemia (16.0%). Daily milk consumption was associated with increased iron deficiency in girls (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.1–4.9), and the most physically active girls had the lowest levels of iron deficiency (odds ratio 0.4, 95% confidence intervaI 0.2–0.9). Iron deficiency was the most important risk factor for chronic anaemia in girls.

Conclusion

The results of this study highlight the importance of iron deficiency screening and treatment for adolescent girls.
Optimal emission taxation and the Porter hypothesis under Bertrand competition
Authors: Delbono Flavio , Lambertini Luca
Published: July 2021

Is socially efficient taxation conducive to the win‐win solution associated with the strong version of the Porter Hypothesis? Using a Bertrand duopoly yielding a continuum of Nash equilibria, we show that this is true for almost any level of environmental damage and equilibrium pricing strategy. We also prove that the only case in which no conflict arises between private and public incentives is where firms price at marginal cost. This finding suggests that coordination between environmental and competition authorities would be highly desirable.
Molecular diagnostics in drug‐resistant focal epilepsy define new disease entities
Authors: Kobow Katja , Baulac Stéphanie , von Deimling Andreas , Lee Jeong Ho
Published: July 2021

Structural brain lesions, including the broad range of malformations of cortical development (MCD) and glioneuronal tumors, are among the most common causes of drug‐resistant focal epilepsy. Epilepsy surgery can provide a curative treatment option in respective patients. The currently available pre‐surgical multi‐modal diagnostic armamentarium includes high‐ and ultra‐high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intracerebral EEG to identify a focal structural brain lesion as epilepsy underlying etiology. However, specificity and accuracy in diagnosing the type of lesion have proven to be limited. Moreover, the diagnostic process does not stop with the decision for surgery. The neuropathological diagnosis remains the gold standard for disease classification and patient stratification, but is particularly complex with high inter‐observer variability. Here, the identification of lesion‐specific mosaic variants together with epigenetic profiling of lesional brain tissue became new tools to more reliably identify disease entities. In this review, we will discuss how the paradigm shifts from histopathology toward an integrated diagnostic approach in cancer and the more recent development of the DNA methylation‐based brain tumor classifier have started to influence epilepsy diagnostics. Some examples will be highlighted showing how the diagnosis and our mechanistic understanding of difficult to classify structural brain lesions associated with focal epilepsy has improved with molecular genetic data being considered in decision making.
Does Early Child Language Predict Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescence? An Investigation in Two Birth Cohorts Born 30 Years Apart
Authors: Thornton Emma , Patalay Praveetha , Matthews Danielle , Bannard Colin
Published: July 2021

Language is vital for social interaction, leading some to suggest early linguistic ability paves the way for good adolescent mental health. The relation between age‐5 vocabulary and adolescent internalizing symptoms was examined in two U.K. birth cohorts that are nationally representative in terms of sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status: the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS; N = 11,640) and the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS born ~2001; N = 14,754). In the BCS, no relation between receptive vocabulary and age‐16 self‐reported symptoms was observed (β = 0.00 [−0.03; 0.03]). In the MCS, better expressive vocabulary was associated with more age‐14 self‐reported symptoms (β = 0.05 [0.02; 0.07]). The direction of this effect was reversed for parent‐reported symptoms. All effect sizes were small. The relation between childhood vocabulary and internalizing symptoms varies by generation and reporter.
Magnitude and Order are Both Relevant in SNARC and SNARC‐like Effects: A Commentary on Casasanto and Pitt (2019)
Authors: Prpic Valter , Mingolo Serena , Agostini Tiziano , Murgia Mauro
Published: July 2021

In a recent paper by Casasanto and Pitt (2019), the authors addressed a debate regarding the role of order and magnitude in SNARC and SNARC‐like effects. Their position is that all these effects can be explained by order, while magnitude could only account for a subset of evidence. Although we agree that order can probably explain the majority of these effects, in this commentary we argue that magnitude is still relevant, since there is evidence that cannot be explained based on ordinality alone. We argue that SNARC‐like effects can occur for magnitudes not clearly characterized by overlearned ordinality and that magnitude can prevail on order, when the two are pitted against each other. Finally, we propose that different interpretations of the role of order and magnitude depend on the interaction of stimulus properties and task demands.
Understanding the local drivers of beta‐diversity patterns under climate change: The case of seaweed communities in Galicia, North West of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Vale Cândida Gomes , Arenas Francisco , Barreiro Rodolfo , Piñeiro‐Corbeira Cristina
Published: July 2021

Aim

To understand spatial‐temporal changes (beta‐diversity) in coastal communities and their drivers in the context of climate change. Coastal ecosystems are extremely exposed and dynamic, where changes in seaweed assemblages have been associated with changing water temperatures. However, at local scale, the effects of changes in the upwelling events and related stressors seek further exploration.

Location

Galicia rías, North West of the Iberian Peninsula.

Methods

Using data collected in 42 sampling localities in Galicia rias and over two time periods (1998 and 2014), we analysed changes in the seaweed community's composition through time and space. We calculated the temporal beta‐diversity index and spatial beta‐diversity as the pairwise composition differences between sampling localities. We use generalized dissimilarity models, to identify local environmental drivers of spatial and temporal beta‐diversity.

Results

We found a significant change in seaweed communities of Galicia rias, between 1998 and 2014 (temporal beta‐diversity). They were mostly related to species loss rather than to species replacement. The dissimilarity among localities (spatial beta‐diversity) was significantly higher in 2014 than in 1998. Nitrate concentration was consistently predicted as the main driver of both temporal and spatial beta‐diversity patterns.

Main conclusions

Unlike other studies in marine ecosystems, our results suggest that observed changes in the structure of perennial seaweed assemblages in Galicia Rias might lead to a local biotic heterogenization, indirectly linked to climate change through changes in nutrients availability and the upwelling intensity. Changes in Galicia seaweed communities call scientific attention to the importance of local stressors in climate change studies.
Exposure to sugarcane borer‐induced plant volatile (E)‐caryophyllene enhances parasitoid recruitment
Authors: Riffel Alessandro , da Silva Filho Benisio F. , dos Santos Sanielly P. A. , da Silva Wbyratan L. , Ribeiro Thyago F. L. , Oliveira Demetrios J. A. , de Oliveira Jaim Simões , da Costa Joao Gomes , Caulfield John C. , Goulart Henrique F. , Santana Antonio E. G. , Birkett Michael A.
Published: July 2021

Predators and parasitoids locate herbivore‐infested plants via detection of herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that are released in response to pest damage. Synthetic HIPVs have been proposed as tools to enhance the biological control of crop pests. The sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a key herbivore pest of sugarcane, Saccharum spp. (Poaceae), in the Americas. To manage D. saccharalis in Brazil, more than 3 million ha of sugarcane have been treated with the larval parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). In this study, the role of sugarcane HIPVs as cues in the host‐finding process of C. flavipes was investigated using a combination of dynamic headspace collection, chemical analysis, and laboratory behavior experiments. Comparison of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) collected from D. saccharalis‐damaged and healthy sugarcane revealed very similar profiles, apart from significantly higher levels of the sesquiterpene (E)‐caryophyllene released from damaged plants. Naive female C. flavipes spent significantly more time in the olfactometer arm containing VOCs from D. saccharalis‐damaged plants but showed no preference for VOCs from healthy plants. When (E)‐caryophyllene was added to VOCs from healthy plants, parasitoids spent more time in the arm containing the combined treatment. Furthermore, in a dose–response experiment with synthetic (E)‐caryophyllene, naive parasitoids preferred the compound across a dose range of 3–300 ng, and experienced parasitoids – preexposed to (E)‐caryophyllene – responded to doses of (E)‐caryophyllene as low as 0.03 ng. These results suggest that C. flavipes can use (E)‐caryophyllene as a cue to locate D. saccharalis‐infested sugarcane plants. Moreover, experienced females appear to respond to lower doses than naive females. These results potentially pave the way for increasing the efficiency of C. flavipes in biological control of D. saccharalis, the most important pest of sugarcane and maize crops in the Western Hemisphere, and also a major pest of rice and sorghum crops.
Testing for evolutionary change in restoration: A genomic comparison between ex situ, native, and commercial seed sources of Helianthus maximiliani
Authors: Braasch Joseph E. , Di Santo Lionel N. , Tarble Zachary J. , Prasifka Jarrad R. , Hamilton Jill A.
Published: July 2021

Globally imperiled ecosystems often depend upon collection, propagation, and storage of seed material for use in restoration. However, during the restoration process demographic changes, population bottlenecks, and selection can alter the genetic composition of seed material, with potential impacts for restoration success. The evolutionary outcomes associated with these processes have been demonstrated using theoretical and experimental frameworks, but no study to date has examined their impact on the seed material maintained for conservation and restoration. In this study, we compare genomic variation across seed sources used in conservation and restoration for the perennial prairie plant Helianthus maximiliani, a key component of restorations across North American grasslands. We compare individuals sourced from contemporary wild populations, ex situ conservation collections, commercially produced restoration material, and two populations selected for agronomic traits. Overall, we observed that ex situ and contemporary wild populations exhibited similar genomic composition, while four of five commercial populations and selected lines were differentiated from each other and other seed source populations. Genomic differences across seed sources could not be explained solely by isolation by distance nor directional selection. We did find evidence of sampling effects for ex situ collections, which exhibited significantly increased coancestry relative to commercial populations, suggesting increased relatedness. Interestingly, commercially sourced seed appeared to maintain an increased number of rare alleles relative to ex situ and wild contemporary seed sources. However, while commercial seed populations were not genetically depauperate, the genomic distance between wild and commercially produced seed suggests differentiation in the genomic composition could impact restoration success. Our results point toward the importance of genetic monitoring of seed sources used for conservation and restoration as they are expected to be influenced by the evolutionary processes that contribute to divergence during the restoration process.
COVID‐19 disruption reveals mass‐tourism pressure on nearshore sea turtle distributions and access to optimal breeding habitat
Authors: Schofield Gail , Dickson Liam C. D. , Westover Lucy , Dujon Antoine M. , Katselidis Kostas A.
Published: July 2021

Quantifying the extent to which animals detect and respond to human presence allows us to identify pressure (disturbance) and inform conservation management objectively; however, obtaining baselines against which to compare human impact is hindered in areas where human activities are already well established. For example, Zakynthos Island (Greece, Mediterranean) receives around 850,000 visitors each summer, while supporting an important loggerhead sea turtle rookery (~300 individuals/season). The coronavirus (COVID‐19)‐driven absence of tourism in May–June 2020 provided an opportunity to evaluate the distribution dynamics of this population in the absence (2020) vs. presence (2018 and 2019) of visitors using programmed unmanned aerial system (UAS) surveys. Ambient sea temperature transitioned from suboptimal for breeding in May to optimal in late June, with turtle distribution appearing to shift from shallow (to benefit from waters 3–5°C above ambient) to deeper waters in 2018 and 2019, but not 2020. The 2020 data set demonstrated that increased tourism pressure, not temperature, drives turtles offshore. Specifically, >50% of turtles remained within 100 m of shore at densities of 25–50 visitors/km, even when sea temperature rose, with 2018 and 2019 data supporting this trend. Reduced access to warmer, nearshore waters by tourism could delay the onset of nesting and increase the length of the egg maturation period between nesting events (internesting interval) at this site. A coastal refuge zone could be delimited in May–June where touristic infrastructure is minimal, but also where turtles frequently aggregate. In conclusion, sea turtles appear capable of perceiving changes in the level of human pressure at fine spatial and temporal scales and adjusting their distribution accordingly.
Regulation of ubiquitin and ubiquitin‐like modifiers by phosphorylation
Authors: Hepowit Nathaniel L. , Kolbe Carl‐Christian , Zelle Sarah R. , Latz Eicke , MacGurn Jason A.
Published: July 2021

The regulatory influence of ubiquitin is vast, encompassing all cellular processes, by virtue of its central roles in protein degradation, membrane trafficking, and cell signaling. But how does ubiquitin, a 76 amino acid peptide, carry out such diverse, complex functions in eukaryotic cells? Part of the answer is rooted in the high degree of complexity associated with ubiquitin polymers, which can be ‘read’ and processed differently depending on topology and cellular context. However, recent evidence indicates that post‐translational modifications on ubiquitin itself enhance the complexity of the ubiquitin code. Here, we review recent discoveries related to the regulation of the ubiquitin code by phosphorylation. We summarize what is currently known about phosphorylation of ubiquitin at Ser65, Ser57, and Thr12, and we discuss the potential for phosphoregulation of ubiquitin at other sites. We also discuss accumulating evidence that ubiquitin‐like modifiers, such as SUMO, are likewise regulated by phosphorylation. A complete understanding of these regulatory codes and their complex lexicon will require dissection of mechanisms that govern phosphorylation of ubiquitin and ubiquitin‐like proteins, particularly in the context of cellular stress and disease.
Oral hypofunction and malnutrition among community—dwelling older adults: Evidence from the Otassha study
Authors: Iwasaki Masanori , Motokawa Keiko , Watanabe Yutaka , Shirobe Maki , Ohara Yuki , Edahiro Ayako , Kawai Hisashi , Fujiwara Yoshinori , Kim Hunkyung , Ihara Kazushige , Obuchi Shuichi , Hirano Hirohiko
Published: July 2021

Objective

This study investigated the association between oral hypofunction and malnutrition among community‐dwelling older adults.

Background

Oral hypofunction, a 7‐component phenotype of the clinical features of oral health, has been described in Japan. Data about its association with nutritional status are limited.

Materials and Methods

This cross‐sectional study enrolled 715 adults (mean age, 73.5 years; range, 65‐91 years) from the Otassha Study. Oral hypofunction was defined as the presence of ≥3 of the following 7 components: poor oral hygiene; oral dryness; low occlusal force; low articulatory oral motor skill; low tongue pressure; low masticatory performance; and compromised swallowing function. The Mini Nutritional Assessment®‐Short Form (MNA®‐SF) was used to assess the nutritional status. Malnutrition was defined as having an MNA®‐SF score of seven or less. The association between oral hypofunction and nutritional status was evaluated using ordinal logistic regression analyses.

Results

The prevalence rates of oral hypofunction and malnutrition were 42.7% and 4.1%, respectively. Multivariable Poisson regression analyses revealed that oral hypofunction was associated with malnutrition. The adjusted relative risk of malnutrition in the study participants with oral hypofunction was 3.00 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.29‐6.98.

Conclusion

Community‐dwelling older adults whose oral functions were compromised in multiple aspects had poor nutritional status.
Perioperative changes in physical performance affect short‐term outcome in elderly cardiac surgery patients
Authors: Morisawa Tomoyuki , Saitoh Masakazu , Otsuka Shota , Takamura Go , Tahara Masayuki , Ochi Yusuke , Takahashi Yo , Iwata Kentaro , Oura Keisuke , Sakurada Koji , Takahashi Tetsuya
Published: July 2021

Aim

The effect of changes in physical performance during the perioperative period on the prognosis of older patients undergoing cardiac surgery has not been studied in detail. This study aimed to investigate the effect of perioperative changes in physical performance on the prognosis of older patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods

A total of 223 patients were graded as either frail or non‐frail according to a cutoff score of 9 based on preoperative Short Physical Performance Battery scores. The non‐frail patients were further grouped into high, recovery, or decreased score groups, depending on their score at the time of discharge compared with preoperative scores. Basic characteristics, preoperative and postoperative clinical data, 6‐month post‐discharge mortality, readmission rates, and vital function (Kihon Checklist scores) were compared.

Results

In total, 16.1% of patients were in the frail group, while 18.4%, 35.4%, and 30.1% were in the decreased, recovery, and high score groups, respectively. The Short Physical Performance Battery scores in the decreased group were significantly lower at discharge, and the rate of readmission was significantly higher (17.7%, P < 0.05). In addition, the Kihon Checklist scores were significantly lower than the preoperative scores (5.7 ± 4.0 vs 8.6 ± 5.5, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Both preoperative and postoperative physical performance must be considered when predicting the prognosis of older patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 676–682.
Baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) correlate with advanced stages in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Di Raimondo Cosimo , Caposiena Caro Raffaele Dante , Spallone Diana , Silvaggio Dionisio , Lombardo Paolo , Del Duca Ester , Campione Elena , Spallone Giulia , Bianchi Luca
Published: July 2021

Background

The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) at diagnosis have been shown to correlate with advanced disease and to be prognostic factors in many tumors. However, their role as a prognostic factor for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) has not yet been studied.

Objective

Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the correlation of NLR and RDW with stages of disease in patients with cSCC in order to define whether or not higher values of these two markers correlate with a more aggressive disease.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the NLR and RDW in a total of 51 newly diagnosed cSCC patients. NLR and RDW were calculated using data obtained from the complete blood count (CBC).

Results

Median NLR among patients with the non‐advanced disease (in situ and stage I) was 2.2, whereas median NLR for patients with advanced disease was 4.87. Median RDW among patients with early stage disease was 13.7%, while median RDW in patients with advanced disease was 15.81%. Statistical analysis showed positive associations of advanced cSCC stages with NLR or RDW higher than 3.07 or 14.5%, respectively.

Conclusions

Therefore, our analysis demonstrated how both NLR and RDW represent cheap and easily available factors that could be used as markers for advanced cSCC. They could help to identify patients with advanced stages disease that requires a strict follow‐up.
Respecting Agency in Dementia Care: When Should Truthfulness Give Way?
Authors: Matthews Steve , Kennett Jeanette
Published: July 2021

Memory loss and other cognitive decline threaten people's capacities to make sense of the world and their position within it. In Alzheimer's Disease (AD), such losses occur when the desire to make sense of the experienced world remains. When this desire cannot be satisfied, confusion, agitation, or anger may result. In these situations, a resolution aiming at the truth is not guaranteed to work, and may even exacerbate a difficult situation, since losses to sense making may damage even the receptivity to it. When the truth is out of reach in this way, the aim ought to be instead to create the conditions of proper fit – a fit that is intelligible – between current experience, self‐image, and a world that makes sense. We argue that this aim rests on what we call the demand for sense‐making, a demand that arises for all of us where respect for agency is at stake, and especially so in AD, when it is under threat.
Evolution of sex‐specific heat stress tolerance and larval Hsp70 expression in populations of Drosophila melanogaster adapted to larval crowding
Authors: Kapila Rohit , Kashyap Mayank , Gulati Aakanksha , Narasimhan Aaditya , Poddar Soumyadip , Mukhopadhaya Arunika , Prasad Nagaraj Guru
Published: July 2021

The ability to tolerate temperature stress is an important component of adult fitness. In holometabolous insects like Drosophila melanogaster, adult stress resistance can be affected by growth conditions experienced during the larval stages. Although evolution under crowded larval conditions is known to lead to the correlated evolution of many adult traits, its consequences on adult heat stress tolerance have not been investigated. Therefore, in the present study, we assessed the adult heat stress tolerance in populations of D. melanogaster adapted to a stressful larval crowding environment. We used replicate populations of D. melanogaster, selected for adaptation to larval crowding stress (MCUs), for more than 230 generations, and their respective controls (MBs). Larvae from selected and control populations were grown under crowded and uncrowded conditions, and their adult heat shock resistance at two different temperatures was measured. Further, we compared Hsp70 expression in crowded and uncrowded larvae of both populations and also measured the Hsp70 expression after a mild heat treatment in adults of selected and control populations. Our results showed that adaptation to larval crowding leads to the evolution of Hsp70 gene expression in larval stages and improves adult heat stress tolerance ability in males, but not in females.
A fully digital approach for implant fixed complete dentures: A case report
Authors: Meneghetti Priscila , Moura Guilherme Faria , Tavelli Lorenzo , Li Junying , Siqueira Rafael , Wang Hom‐Lay , Mendonça Gustavo
Published: July 2021

Introductions: Intraoral scanner has been widely used for implant impression in partially edentulous cases; however, its accuracy in the impression of full‐arch implant is still questionable.

Clinical report: This clinical report presents a technique to check the accuracy of intraoral scanning for complete‐arch implant restorations using an implant index cast (The Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms 9th Edition) and a three‐dimensional printed cast. A clinical case of immediate loading on a maxillary edentulous patient illustrates the application of an implant index cast in implant fixed complete dentures (IFCDs).

Discussion: The implant index cast was fabricated based on the immediate interim prosthesis and provides effective control of the fit of scanned files and printed models. Therefore, this approach allows a more predictable and accurate fit of the final prosthesis.

Clinical significance

In this article, we present a technique to check the accuracy of the final prosthesis without the need for a conventional impression and final cast in a digital workflow. This proposed approach is demonstrated through a case report of a maxillary edentulous patient restored with immediate loaded IFCDs.
Persistent Helicobacter pylori infection for more than 3 years leads to elevated serum homocysteine concentration: A retrospective cohort study based on a healthy Chinese population
Authors: Chen Yahong , Xu Chunli , Xu Hongfang , Chen Weiling , Wang Huihong , Wang Zhongtai , Zhang Jinshun
Published: July 2021

Background and Aim

The relationship between the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and homocysteine is unclear. We evaluated the effect of H. pylori on serum homocysteine in a healthy Chinese population.

Methods

A total of 21 184 individuals aged over 18 years underwent 13C/14C urease breath test (13C/14C‐UBT) and blood tests and 5042 individuals with follow‐up intervals greater than 6 months. Homocysteine levels are classified according to the Chinese expert consensus.

Results

The rates of H. pylori infection of normal level, mild level, moderate level, and severe level were 40.9%, 43.8%, 45.8%, and 46.6%, respectively (P = 0.000). H. pylori infection increased the risk of higher homocysteine concentration (OR = 1.406, P = 0.000). In the case–control study, the rates of persistent negative, new infection, persistent infection, and eradication infection were 43.6%, 11.2%, 22.9%, and 22.3%, respectively. The percentage of changes in serum homocysteine levels varied significantly among the different H. pylori infection statuses only in mild level (P = 0.024). Mean changed homocysteine values were higher in the subgroup of persistent infection than in the persistent negative subgroup (P = 0.004) and the eradication infection subgroup (P = 0.034). Serum homocysteine values were elevated only in the subgroup with over 3 years interval time and persistent infection (n = 107, mean paired differences = 1.1 ± 4.6 μmol/L, P = 0.014).

Conclusions

There is a relationship between H. pylori and serum homocysteine, and persistent infection leads to elevation of the latter.