bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential effectiveness of the Minnesota Safe Patient Handling Act by health care setting: An exploratory study
Authors: Rosebush Christina E. , Schofield Katherine E. , Ramirez Marizen , Zaidman Brian , Erickson Darin J. , Tschida Breca , McGovern Patricia M.
Published: November 2021

Background

The Minnesota Safe Patient Handling (MN SPH) Act requires health care facilities to implement comprehensive programs to protect their workers from musculoskeletal injuries caused by lifting and transferring patients. Nursing homes, hospitals, and outpatient facilities each face unique challenges implementing and maintaining SPH programs. The objective of the study was to compare patient handling injuries in these three health care settings and determine whether change in injury rate over time differed by setting following enactment of the law.

Methods

Workers’ compensation data from a Minnesota‐based insurer were used to describe worker and claim characteristics in nursing homes, hospitals, and outpatient facilities. Negative binomial models were used to compare claims and estimate mean annual patient handling claim rates by health care setting and time period following enactment of the law.

Results

Consistent with national data, the patient handling claim rate was highest in Minnesota nursing homes (168 claims/$100 million payroll [95% confidence interval: 163–174]) followed by hospitals (35/$100 million payroll [34–37]) and outpatient facilities (2/$100 million payroll [1.8–2.2]). Patient handling claims declined by 38% over 10 years following enactment of the law (vs. 27% for all other claims). The change in claims over time did not differ by health care setting.

Conclusions

In this single‐insurer sample, declines in workers’ compensation claims for patient handling injuries were consistent across health care settings following enactment of a state SPH law. Though nursing homes experienced elevated claim rates overall, results suggest they are not lagging hospitals and outpatient facilities in reducing patient handling injuries.
An exploratory study examining the changes to Australia’s social security system during COVID‐19 lockdown measures
Authors: Klein Elise , Cook Kay , Maury Susan , Bowey Kelly
Published: November 2021

During the 2020 COVID‐19 wave, the Australian Government made an additional $550 Coronavirus Supplement available for people receiving social security payments, and temporarily suspended mutual obligation requirements. By doing so, the government effectively gave people who had been long stigmatised and subject to punitive conditionality to compel them into the labour market, financial security and their time back. Drawing on survey responses from people who received the $550 Supplement and had their mutual obligation activities suspended or reduced, this research examines how people used their time during this period and whether it differed from pre‐pandemic government policy. We find that the increase in payments through the Supplement and the suspension of mutual obligations impacted positively on people's lives including the (1) the ability of respondents to meet basic needs and improve their long‐term financial security, (2) improvements to physical and emotional well‐being, (3) increased labour market engagement and (4) engagement in other forms of unpaid productive work.
EGF‐functionalized lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles of 5‐fluorouracil and sulforaphane with enhanced bioavailability and anticancer activity against colon carcinoma
Authors: Li Shumin , Xu Zhongkai , Alrobaian Majed , Afzal Obaid , Kazmi Imran , Almalki Waleed H. , Altamimi Abdulmalik Saleh Alfawaz , Al‐Abbasi Fahad A. , Alharbi Khalid S , Altowayan Waleed M , Singh Tanuja , Akhter Md Habban , Gupta Manish , Rahman Mahfoozur , Beg Sarwar
Published: November 2021

The present research work describes development of dual drug‐loaded lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) of anticancer therapeutics for the management of colon cancer. The epidermal growth factor (EGF)‐functionalized LPHNPs coloaded with 5‐fluorouracil (FU) and sulforaphane (SFN) were prepared by one‐step nanoprecipitation method. Box–Behnken design was applied for optimizing the material attributes and process parameters. The optimized LPHNPs revealed particle size 198 nm, polydispersity index 0.3, zeta potential

−25.3 mV, and drug loading efficiency 19–20.3% for 5‐FU and SFN, respectively. EGF functionalization on LPHNPs was confirmed from positive magnitude of zeta potential to 21.3 mV as compared with the plain LPHNPs. In vitro drug release performance indicated sustained and non‐Fickian mechanism release nature of the drugs from LPHNPs. Anticancer activity evaluation in HCT‐15 colon cancer cells showed significant reduction (p < 0.001) in the cell growth and cytotoxicity of the investigated drugs from various treatments in the order: EGF‐functionalized LPHNPs > plain LPHNPs > free drug suspensions. Overall, the research work corroborated improved treatment efficacy of EGF‐functionalized LPHNPs for delivering chemotherapeutic agents for the management of colon carcinoma.
Phenylalanine 314 is essential for the activity of maltogenic amylase from Corallococcus sp. EGB
Authors: Ni Guorong , Zhong Lingli , Xia Chengyao , Zhang Lixia , Dai Longhua , Chen Ruyi , Zhao Yuqiang , wang Fei
Published: November 2021

Maltogenic amylase CoMA from Corallococcus sp. strain EGB catalyzes the hydrolysis and transglycosylation of maltooligosaccharides and soluble starch into maltose, the sole hydrolysate. This process yields pure maltose with potentially wide applications. Here, we identified and evaluated the role of phenylalanine 314 (F314), a key amino acid located near the active center, in the catalytic activities of the CoMA. Site‐directed mutagenesis analysis showed that the activity of a F314L mutant on potato starch substrate decreased to 26% of that of wild‐type protein. Compared with the wild‐type, F314L exhibited similar substrate specificity, hydrolysis pattern, pH, and temperature requirements. Circular dichroism spectrum data showed that the F314L mutation did not affect the structure of the folded protein. In addition, kinetic analysis demonstrated that F314L exhibited an increased Km value with lower substrate affinity. Homology modeling showed that the benzene ring structure of F314L was involved in π–π conjugation, which might potentially affect the affinity of CoMA toward starch. Taken together, these data demonstrated that F314 is essential for the hydrolytic activity of the CoMA from Corallococcus sp. strain EGB.
Some indazoles as alternative inhibitors for potato polyphenol oxidase
Authors: Öztürk Cansu , Bayrak Songül , Demir Yeliz , Aksoy Mine , Alım Zuhal , Özdemir Hasan , İrfan Küfrevioglu Ömer
Published: November 2021

Fresh‐cut vegetables and fruits have gained attention among consumers because of their fresh appearance, lack of pollution, nutrition, and convenience. However, in fresh‐cut foods, enzymatic browning is the main problem. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a vital enzyme involved in the process of enzymatic browning. In this study, PPO was purified from potato using Sepharose 4B‐l‐tyrosine‐p‐aminobenzoic acid affinity chromatography and the effect of some indazoles on the enzyme was determined. The enzyme was purified with a specific activity of 52,857.14 EU/mg protein and 21.26‐purification fold. Indazoles exhibited inhibitor properties for PPO with IC50values in the range of 0.11–1.12 mM andKivalues in the range of 0.15 ± 0.04–3.55 ± 0.88 mM. Among these compounds, 7‐chloro‐1H‐indazole was shown as the most potent PPO inhibitor (Ki: 0.15 ± 0.04 mM). Determination of the enzyme's inhibition kinetics will simplify the testing of candidate PPO inhibitors.
Massively parallel DNA target capture using long adapter single stranded oligonucleotide (LASSO) probes assembled through a novel DNA recombinase mediated methodology
Authors: Tosi Lorenzo , Chkaiban Lamia , Larman Benjamin H. , Rosenfeld Jeffrey A. , Parekkadan Biju
Published: November 2021

In the attempt to bridge the widening gap from DNA sequence to biological function, we developed a novel methodology to assemble Long‐Adapter Single‐Strand Oligonucleotide (LASSO) probe libraries that enabled the massively multiplexed capture of kilobase‐sized DNA fragments for downstream long read DNA sequencing or expression. This method uses short DNA oligonucleotides (pre‐LASSO probes) and a plasmid vector that supplies the linker sequence for the mature LASSO probe through Cre‐LoxP intramolecular recombination. This strategy generates high quality LASSO probes libraries (≈46% of correct probes). We performed NGS analysis of the post‐capture PCR amplification of DNA circles obtained from the LASSO capture of 3087 Escherichia coli ORFs spanning from 400‐ to 5000 bp. The median enrichment of all targeted ORFs versus untargeted ORFs was 30 times. For ORFs up to 1kb in size, targeted ORFs were enriched up to a median of 260‐fold. Here, we show that LASSO probes obtained in this manner, were able to capture full‐length open reading frames from total human cDNA. Furthermore, we show that the LASSO capture specificity and sensitivity is sufficient for target capture from total human genomic DNA template. This technology can be used for the preparation of long‐read sequencing libraries and for massively multiplexed cloning of human sequences.
Discriminating mild traumatic brain injury using sparse dictionary learning of functional network dynamics
Authors: Fan Liangwei , Xu Huaze , Su Jianpo , Qin Jian , Gao Kai , Ou Min , Peng Song , Shen Hui , Li Na
Published: November 2021

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is usually caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or penetrating head injury, and carries the risk of inducing cognitive disorders. However, identifying the biomarkers for the diagnosis of mTBI is challenging as evident abnormalities in brain anatomy are rarely found in patients with mTBI. In this study, we tested whether the alteration of functional network dynamics could be used as potential biomarkers to better diagnose mTBI. We propose a sparse dictionary learning framework to delineate spontaneous fluctuation of functional connectivity into the subject‐specific time‐varying evolution of a set of overlapping group‐level sparse connectivity components (SCCs) based on the resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 31 mTBI patients in the early acute phase (<3 days postinjury) and 31 healthy controls (HCs). The identified SCCs were consistently distributed in the cohort of subjects without significant inter‐group differences in connectivity patterns. Nevertheless, subject‐specific temporal expression of these SCCs could be used to discriminate patients with mTBI from HCs with a classification accuracy of 74.2% (specificity 64.5% and sensitivity 83.9%) using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation. Taken together, our findings indicate neuroimaging biomarkers for mTBI individual diagnosis based on the temporal expression of SCCs underlying time‐resolved functional connectivity.
Measurement invariance of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) among children of Chinese rural‐to‐urban migrant workers
Authors: Ren Qiang , Li Yong , Chen Ding‐Geng
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) is a 10‐item screening tool designed for nonspecific psychological distress. The current study aims to identify a best‐fitting factor structure of the K10, and to test its cross‐gender measurement invariance based on the structure.

Methods

Using convenience sampling, we included 339 (n = 192 for boys and 135 for girls) children of Chinese rural‐to‐urban migrant workers in Hangzhou, China.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis for ordered‐categorical measures revealed a two‐factor structure as the best‐fitting model, in which five items (hopeless, depressed, effort, severely depressed, and worthless) loaded on depression and the other five items loaded on anxiety (tired, nervous, severely nervous, restless, and severely restless). The model held at different levels of the measurement invariance testing, that is, full measurement invariance was not rejected in our sample, suggesting that gender differences as assessed with K10 reflect true differences. Structural invariance testing showed that girls in our sample showed significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety than boys.

Conclusion

These findings support that the K10 is suitable for gender‐comparative research among children of Chinese migrant workers. Using the K10 as a screening tool among this population should be promoted. Limitations and directions for future research were discussed.
RETRACTED: Migraine headache in Sudan
Authors: Ibrahim Etedal Ahmed A. , Badri Ghada A. Mutaal , Ahmed Khabab Abbasher Hussien Mohamed , Omer Mohammed Eltahier Abdalla
Published: November 2021

Background

Migraine is a main form of headache, it is also a chronic and complex neuroinflammatory disease; it is characterized by recurrent severe headaches, usually affecting one side of the head, and often accompanied by nausea and blurred vision. In susceptible individuals, irritants can trigger migraine attacks, which can be considered as triggers or accelerators.

Objective

To describe the precipitating factors, clinical presentation, and treatment of migraine headache in Sudanese patients.

Methods

This is a descriptive hospital‐based prospective study covering 130 patients during the study period from January 2016 to December 2018. At the National Centre for Neurological Science, Khartoum, participants were Sudanese patients with migraine headache after exclusion of other causes of headache. Data was collected using structured questionnaire entered and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0, p value < .05 is considered significant.

Results

The study covered 130 study participants most of them were females (80%), within 26–35 years of age (56.9%) and a considerable proportion of them were housewives (40%). The majority of the study participants had headache without aura in 81.5% and headache with aura in 18.5% (mainly visual type 87.5%). Photophobia and nausea were the main associated symptoms in 51.5% and 50%, respectively. Acetaminophen was the main prescribed treatment in 46.1%, beta blockers was the main prophylaxis in 29.2%. Environmental triggers were the prevalent predisposing factors (43.8%) followed by fasting, lack of sleep, and exertion (24.6% for each).

Conclusion

Environmental conditions were the commonest triggering factors of migraine headache, while Acetaminophen was the most common drug used for relieving migraine in this population.
Evaluation of headache associated with personal protective equipment during COVID‐19
Authors: Jafari Elham , Togha Mansoureh , Kazemizadeh Hossein , Haghighi Samaneh , Nasergivehchi Somayeh , Saatchi Mohammad , Ariyanfar Shadi
Published: November 2021

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has created new conditions for medical staff, forcing them to use personal protective equipment (PPE) for an extended duration of time. Headache is a commonly associated side effect of the use of such equipment among healthcare workers.

Method

In this cross‐sectional study, 243 frontline healthcare workers at four referral hospitals for COVID‐19 were evaluated for the occurrence of headache following the use of PPE and its relationship with blood gas parameters was assessed.

Results

The average age of participants was 36 ± 8 years. Of these, 75% were women. The prevalence of headache after the use of masks was 72.4%, with the N95 mask being the most commonly reported cause of headache (41%). Among patients, 25.1% developed external pressure, 22.2% migraine, and 15.2% tension‐type headaches. Headache was more common in the female gender. Apart from gender, only increased heart rate was significantly associated with headache due to mask use (p = .03 and .00, respectively). The mean heart rate was 97.7 ± 13.68 in participants with headache compared to 65.8 ± 35.63 in those without headache. No significant relationship was found between headache and venous blood gas parameters, including oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressure.

Conclusion

Headache due to PPE is common and can decrease the efficiency of hospital staff performance. Hence, it is necessary to consider this issue among health center personnel and provide modalities to reduce the risk of headache.
Optimization and feedback control system of dilution rate for 1,3‐propanediol in two‐stage fermentation: A theoretical study
Authors: Pan Duo‐Tao , Wang Xu‐Dong , Wang Jia‐Bing , Shi Hong‐Yan , Wang Guo‐Gang , Xiu Zhi‐Long
Published: November 2021

In utilizing glycerol to produce 1,3‐propanediol by microbial fermentation, the problems of low utilization rate and poor production performance need to be addressed. Based on the analysis of a mathematical model for 1,3‐propanediol production from glycerol by Klebsiella pneumoniae, this study theoretically investigated the effects of the dilution rate and the initial glycerol concentration in a two‐stage fermentation process and the feasibility of applying the feedback control methods. First, the optimal operation conditions of initial glycerol concentration and dilution rate were obtained. Through the use of feedback control theory, a control strategy for dilution rate was designed and optimized to shorten the settling time (time required for fermentation to reach stability) from 60.92 to 36.68 h for the first reactor, and from 53.66 to 22.68 h for the second reactor. In addition, the yield of 1,3‐propanediol in both two reactors reached up to 0.5 g·g−1. The simulation results indicated that the feedback control strategy for dilution rate increased the product concentration, reduced the residual glycerol in the fermentation broth, and greatly improved the performance of the fermentation. A feeding strategy of automatic control for dilution rate has been established and will be applied as an effective guiding scheme in automatic continuous fermentations for production of 1,3‐propanediol.
Distinctive Cassane Diterpenoids Corroborated Biogenetic Evolutionary Process from Caesalpinia mimosoides with Anti‐renal Fibrosis Activity
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Yin Yan , Zhou Yu , Zhu Tianliang , Wang Miao , Gao Huiyuan
Published: November 2021

Comprehensive Summary

Eighteen diterpenoids were isolated from the seeds of Caesalpinia mimosoides, including four extremely infrequent cassane diterpenes, together with nine new and five known structures. Compounds 7 and 8 represent the first examples of cassane diterpenoids fused with a ketone carbonyl and a ternary oxygen ring at C‐4, respectively. Compounds 9 and 10 possess a rare five‐member ring in cassane diterpenes. Intriguingly, these isolated components are a clue to the fact that there are lower and higher levels in the plant secondary metabolites, demonstrating the evolution of secondary metabolism of C. mimosoides. All the isolated compounds were tested for their anti‐renal fibrosis activity against TGF‐β1 induced NRK‐52E cell model. The mRNA levels of fibrosis marker α‐SMA, E‐cadherin, Collagen I were tested by qRT‐PCR. The data showed compounds 6 and 9 exhibited the best anti‐renal fibrosis activity and provided preliminary structure−activity relationships.
Combination of graphics, uncertainty, and semantics: A survey
Authors: Gao Yuan , Rafi Muhammad Adnan
Published: November 2021

Graphics, uncertainty, and semantics are three approaches to building models. The combination of the three approaches is a way to develop a stronger modeling method. This article surveys the research efforts toward combining these aspects, which can be divided into two routes: One is to combine graphics and uncertainty as probabilistic graphical models and then incorporate semantics, and the other is to combine graphics and semantics and then incorporate probability to handle uncertainty. The models and methods involved in these efforts are introduced and their expressiveness, pros, and cons are discussed.
Data‐aware and simulation‐driven planning of scientific workflows on IaaS clouds
Authors: N'Takpé Tchimou , Edgard Gnimassoun Jean , Oumtanaga Souleymane , Suter Frédéric
Published: November 2021

The promise of an easy access to a virtually unlimited number of resources makes Infrastructure as a Service Clouds a good candidate for the execution of data‐intensive workflow applications composed of hundreds of computational tasks. Thanks to a careful execution planning, workflow management systems can build a tailored compute infrastructure by combining a set of virtual machine instances. However, these applications usually rely on files to handle dependencies between tasks. A storage space shared by all virtual machines may become a bottleneck and badly impact the application execution time. In this article, we propose an original data‐aware planning algorithm that leverages two characteristics of a family of virtual machines instances, that is, a large number of cores and a dedicated storage space on fast SSD drives, to improve data locality, hence reducing the amount of data transfers over the network during the execution of a workflow. We also propose a simulation‐driven approach to solve a cost‐performance optimization problem and correctly dimension the virtual infrastructure onto which execute a given workflow. Experiments conducted with real application workflows show the benefits of the presented algorithms. The data‐aware planning leads to a clear reduction of both execution time and volume of data transferred over the network while the simulation‐driven approach allows us to dimension the infrastructure in a reasonable time.
Deutetrabenazine no more effective than placebo for Tourette syndrome
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: November 2021

Characterized by childhood onset of motor and phonic tics, Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder often accompanied by behavioral and psychiatric comorbidities. In the ARTISTS2 (Alternatives for Reducing Tics in Tourette Syndrome 2) study, deutetrabenazine, a vascular monoamine transport 2 inhibitor approved for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington disease and tardive dyskinesia, was studied for the treatment of Tourette syndrome.
Teen girls slightly more perfectionist than boys; perception of parental well‐being key
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: November 2021

Demographic factors have long been suspected to relate to perfectionist traits in adolescents. A broad epidemiological sample conducted in Norway, based on self‐reports, found that scores of perfectionism did not differ by gender or age, although girls were more prone to score highly on overall perfectionism, self‐oriented perfection (SOP), and socially prescribed perfections (SPP). than boys. Perceived economic well‐being was associated with high perfectionism. Parental education was not a significant factor in the perfectionist traits of teens.
Methamphetamine‐involved OD deaths almost tripled from 2015–19
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: November 2021

Between 2015 and 2019, methamphetamine‐involved overdose deaths nearly tripled, according to a study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The number of people who reported using methamphetamine did not increase at the same pace, but the study suggested that changes in patterns of use, and populations who use methamphetamine, have become riskier.
On the delimitation of the carbonate burial realm
Authors: Immenhauser Adrian
Published: November 2021

Over the past decades, the burial realm, the most prolonged and arguably the least well‐understood diagenetic environment, has received significant research attention. Despite remarkable progress driven by exploratory drilling, outcrop analogue studies and experimental work, the scientific theories defining the burial sub‐domains are inconsistently presented in the literature. This paper reviews the concepts, processes and products that characterise the burial realm from the viewpoint of the carbonate geoscientist. Typical features of carbonate burial (fluid types, porosity evolution, diagenetic fabrics, patterns in isotope geochemistry) in epicontinental and marine basins are presented and discussed. A step towards an improved conceptual delimitation and a subdivision of the carbonate burial realm is taken, and an intuitive terminology is proposed. The very shallow limit of the burial realm is placed within the upper sediment column (redox boundary; centimetres to tens of metres). In the shallow (marine) burial domain (down to depths of many hundreds of metres), carbonate dissolution and reprecipitation, sediment dewatering and grain reorganisation take place. Interstitial waters are mainly marine (and subordinate meteoric) in origin and the system is fluid‐dominated. Under ongoing burial, physical and chemical compaction reduces pore space. At burial depths of ca 750 m, initial sediment porosities (40–80%) are reduced to about 30%. The intermediate burial domain (hundreds of metres to about 2 km; T < 100°C) is characterised by the transition from fluid‐buffered to rock‐buffered diagenesis. In the deep‐burial domain (ca 2–12 km; T > 100°C), marine formation fluids are increasingly modified by rock–fluid interaction and replaced by saline brines. The transition from the deep burial to the very low‐grade metamorphic domain is placed at depths of 12–15 km (T > 250°C). Here, carbonates undergo recrystallisation into meta‐carbonate and equigranular marble fabrics.
Utility of a next‐generation framework for assessment of genomic damage: A case study using the pharmaceutical drug candidate etoposide
Authors: Nicolette John , Luijten Mirjam , Sasaki Jennifer C. , Custer Laura , Embry Michelle , Froetschl Roland , Johnson George , Ouedraogo Gladys , Settivari Raja , Thybaud Veronique , Dearfield Kerry L.
Published: November 2021

We present a hypothetical case study to examine the use of a next‐generation framework developed by the Genetic Toxicology Technical Committee of the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute for assessing the potential risk of genetic damage from a pharmaceutical perspective. We used etoposide, a genotoxic carcinogen, as a representative pharmaceutical for the purposes of this case study. Using the framework as guidance, we formulated a hypothetical scenario for the use of etoposide to illustrate the application of the framework to pharmaceuticals. We collected available data on etoposide considered relevant for assessment of genetic toxicity risk. From the data collected, we conducted a quantitative analysis to estimate margins of exposure (MOEs) to characterize the risk of genetic damage that could be used for decision‐making regarding the predefined hypothetical use. We found the framework useful for guiding the selection of appropriate tests and selecting relevant endpoints that reflected the potential for genetic damage in patients. The risk characterization, presented as MOEs, allows decision makers to discern how much benefit is critical to balance any adverse effect(s) that may be induced by the pharmaceutical. Interestingly, pharmaceutical development already incorporates several aspects of the framework per regulations and health authority expectations. Moreover, we observed that quality dose response data can be obtained with carefully planned but routinely conducted genetic toxicity testing. This case study demonstrates the utility of the next‐generation framework to quantitatively model human risk based on genetic damage, as applicable to pharmaceuticals.
Computational image translation from Mueller matrix polarimetry to bright‐field microscopy
Authors: Si Lu , Li Naiqi , Huang Tongyu , Du Shan , Dong Yang , Yao Yue , Ma Hui
Published: November 2021

Mueller matrix (MM) polarimetry can provide comprehensive information about the polarization properties that are closely related to the microstructural features and has demonstrated its potential in biomedical studies and clinical practices, and bright‐field microscopy is widely used in pathological diagnosis as the golden standard. In this work, we improve the throughput of MM microscopy by learning a statistical transformation between these two imaging systems based on deep learning. Using this approach, the MM microscope can generate an image that is equivalent to a bright‐field microscope image of the matching field of view. We add new transformative capability to the existing MM imaging system without requiring extra hardware. The translation model is based on conditional generative adversarial network with customized loss functions. We demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach on liver and breast tissues and evaluated the performance by four quantitative similarity assessment methods in pixel, image and distribution levels, respectively.
Does the market value M&A risk factor disclosures? Evidence from the involvement of investment bank advisors
Authors: Xie Fujiao , Wang Tawei , Schochet Sholom
Published: November 2021

This paper investigates whether the market values risk factor disclosures in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and how the involvement of top‐tier investment banks affects the association. We complement previous research on risk factor disclosures by suggesting that the inter‐organizational relationship between companies and investment banks they hired in M&A transactions affects investors’ perceptions of M&A risk factor disclosures. Specifically, we find that while M&A risk factor disclosures are positively related to the firms’ market value, the involvement of a reputable investment bank advisor negatively moderates this relationship. Our research demonstrates that M&A risk factor disclosures are informative and the investment bank advisor as an intermediary would affect investors’ perception of the acquirer's risk factor disclosures. The study provides implications for regulatory policies relating to risk disclosures, which should be of interest to regulators, investors, and managers.
Pain Management Considerations in Patients With Opioid Use Disorder Requiring Critical Care
Authors: Smith Kathryn , Wang Michelle , Abdukalikov Ruslan , McAullife Amy , Whitesell Dena , Richard Janelle , Sauer William , Quaye Aurora
Published: November 2021

The opioid epidemic has resulted in increased opioid‐related critical care admissions, presenting challenges in acute pain management. Limited guidance exists in the management of critically ill patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). This narrative review provides the intensive care unit clinician with guidance and treatment options, including nonopioid analgesia, for patients receiving medications for OUD and for patients actively misusing opioids. Verification and continuation of the patient's outpatient medications for OUD regimen, specifically buprenorphine and methadone formulations; assessment of pain and opioid withdrawal; and treatment of acute pain with nonopioid analgesia, nonpharmacologic strategies, and short‐acting opioids as needed, are all essential to adequate management of acute pain in patients with OUD. A multidisciplinary approach to treatment and discharge planning in patients with OUD may be beneficial to engage patients with OUD early in their hospital stay to prevent withdrawal, stabilize their OUD, and reduce the risk of unplanned discharge and other associated morbidity.
Clinical Pharmacology of the Dietary Supplement Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa)
Authors: Hartley Chad , Bulloch Marilyn , Penzak Scott R.
Published: November 2021

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) consists of over 40 alkaloids, with 2 of them, mitragynine and 7‐OH‐mitragynine (7‐OH‐MG) being the main psychoactive compounds. Mitragynine and 7‐OH‐mitragynine each target opioid receptors and have been referred to asatypical opioids. They exert their pharmacologic effects on the mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors. In addition, they affect adrenergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic pathways. Kratom has been touted as an inexpensive, legal alternative to standard opioid replacement therapy such as methadone and buprenorphine. Other uses for kratom include chronic pain, attaining a “legal high,” and numerous central nervous system disorders, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Kratom induces analgesia and mild euphoria, with a lower risk of respiratory depression or adverse central nervous system effects compared to traditional opioid medications. Nonetheless, kratom has been associated with both physical and psychological dependence, with some individuals experiencing classic opioid withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt cessation. Kratom use has been linked to serious adverse effects, including liver toxicity, seizures, and death. These risks are often compounded by polysubstance abuse. Further, kratom may potentiate the toxicity of coadministered medications through modulation of cytochrome P450, P‐glycoprotein, and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase enzymes. In 2016, the US Drug Enforcement Administration took steps to classify kratom as a federal schedule 1 medication; however, due to public resistance, this plan was set aside. Until studies are conducted that define kratom's role in treating opioid withdrawal and/or other central nervous system conditions, kratom will likely remain available as a dietary supplement for the foreseeable future.
Synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial activity of lipophilic N,N′‐bis‐substituted triazolium salts
Authors: Wilson Julie A. , Lin Zi Jie , Rodriguez Isabelle , Ta Thong , Martz Luke , Fico Dominic , Johnson Shanina S. , Gorden John D. , Shelton Kerri L. , King Lauren B.
Published: November 2021

A series of N,N′‐bis‐substituted triazolium salts have been synthesized using 1H‐1,2,4‐triazole, 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole, and 1H‐1,2,3‐benzotriazole. Synthesized compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activities against a panel of representative ESKAPE pathogens, which are common culprits of hospital‐acquired bacterial infections. Compounds 7 and 12 displayed significant antimicrobial activities against all pathogens including a vancomycin‐resistant strain of Enterococcus faecium and a multidrug resistant strain of Acinetobacter baumannii. Furthermore, the structure activity relationship of N,N′‐bis‐substituted triazolium salts revealed a potential selectivity of gram‐positive or gram‐negative bacteria based on the heterocycle center. Thus, N,N′‐bis‐substituted triazolium salts exhibit potent antimicrobial properties against multiple ESKAPE bacterial pathogens which warrants a further investigation of their biological activities.
Dental topographic and three‐dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of carnassialization in different clades of carnivorous mammals (Dasyuromorphia, Carnivora, Hyaenodonta)
Authors: Lang Andreas Johann , Engler Thomas , Martin Thomas
Published: November 2021

The evolution of carnassial teeth in mammals, especially in the Carnivora, has been subject of many morphometric and some dental topographic studies. Here, we use a combination of dental topographic analysis (Dirichlet normal energy) and 3D geometric morphometrics of less and high carnassialized lower teeth of carnivoran, dasyuromorph and hyaenodont taxa. Carnassial crown curvature, as indicated by Dirichlet normal energy, is high in lesser carnassialized teeth and low in higher carnassialized teeth, where it is influenced by the reduction of crown features such as cusps and crests. PC1 of the geometric morphometric analysis is linked to enlargement of the carnassial blade, reduction of the talonid crushing basin and an increasingly asymmetric cervix line with an enlarged mesial flexure in more carnassialized teeth. Distribution of PC1 values further indicates that along the tooth row of dasyuromorphs (m2–m4) and hyaenodonts (m1–m3) the most distal carnassial is the most carnassialized (principal carnassial), and in most taxa with overall higher carnassialized teeth, carnassialization successively increases from the anterior to the posterior tooth position along the tooth row. PC2 indicates that a longitudinal elongated carnassial is present in caniforms and in unspecialized feliforms, which separates these taxa in morphospace from all dasyuromorphs, hyaenodonts and specialized feliforms. An ancestral state reconstruction shows that this longitudinal elongation may be a plesiomorphic ancestral state for the Carnivora, which is different from the Dasyuromorphia and the Hyaenodonta. This elongation, enabling the presence of a longitudinally aligned carnassial blade as well as a complete talonid basin, might have provided the Carnivora with an advantage in terms of adaptive versatility.
TGF‐beta pathway inhibition as the therapeutic acceleration of diabetic bone regeneration
Authors: Becerikli Mustafa , Reinkemeier Felix , Dadras Mehran , Wallner Christoph , Wagner Johannes M. , Drysch Marius , Sogorski Alexander , von Glinski Maxi , Lehnhardt Marcus , Hahn Stephan A. , Behr Björn
Published: November 2021

Bone regeneration and fracture healing are impaired in diabetic patients due to defective functions of associated cells. Thus, the search for molecular causes and new treatment strategies are of particular clinical relevance. We investigated the gene expression profile of bones from type 2 diabetic (db−/db−) mice and wild‐type (wt) mice by comparative microarray analyses before and after placing tibial defects and examined the expression of several osteogenesis‐ and osteoclastogenesis‐related markers by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. In regenerating wt bones, pathways related to, for example, inhibition of matrix metalloproteases were activated, whereas in db−/db− bones activation of pathways related to, for example, osteoarthritis, transforming growth factor‐beta (Tgfb), or hypoxia‐inducible factor 1a were detected during regeneration. We defined the Tgfb pathway as a potential therapeutic target and locally applied a single dose (0.5 µg) of the Tgfb 1, 2, and 3 neutralizing antibody 1D11 on tibial defects in db−/db− mice (n = 7). Seven days postoperation, histological and immunohistochemical stainings were performed. Decreased bone regeneration, osteogenic differentiation, osteoclast invasion, and angiogenesis in db−/db− mice were significantly restored by local 1D11 application in comparison to the phosphate‐buffered saline controls. Thus, local treatment of db−/db− bony defects with Tgfb neutralizing antibody 1D11 might be considered a good candidate for the successful acceleration of bone regeneration.
Changes in the component sugar and immunostimulating activity of polysaccharides isolated from Dendrobium officinale in the pretreatments
Authors: Jo Kyungae , Kim Singeun , Yu Kwang‐Won , Chung Young Bae , Kim Woo Jung , Suh Hyung Joo , Kim Hoon
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND

To isolate polysaccharides with enhanced immunostimulatory activity from Dendrobium officinale, which is used as a herbal medicine in China and Southeast Asia, D. officinale (DO) was pretreated with organic solvents (DOOS) or puffing at 7.5 and 9.0 kgf (7.5DO and 9DO). Hot‐water extracts (DOOS‐HW, 7.5DO‐HW and 9DO‐HW) were prepared from each pretreated DO, along with non‐pretreated DO, and crude polysaccharides (DO‐CP, DOOS‐CP, 7.5DO‐CP and 9DO‐CP) were fractionated from each hot‐water extract using ethanol (five volumes).

RESULTS

When their immunostimulatory activities were compared by macrophage stimulation and intestinal immune system modulation via Peyer's patches, DOOS‐CP showed more potent activity than DO‐CP. However, crude polysaccharides fractionated from puffed DO showed significantly lower activity than non‐puffed DO and DOOS. The most active polysaccharide contained 95% or more neutral sugar, and the composition ratio of mannose and glucose was 3.0, whereas the lowest polysaccharide content was 2.0 or less. In addition, DOOS‐CP was a somewhat refined fraction containing a major peak, representing a molecular weight of 250 kDa, despite being a crude polysaccharide.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that pretreatment of D. officinale with organic solvents may enhance the immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharides and affect the mannose/glucose ratio of polysaccharides, which plays an important role in immunostimulation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of moisture‐controlled packaging treatment with acid‐modified expanded vermiculite–calcium chloride on the quality of fresh mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) during low‐temperature storage
Authors: Boonsiriwit Athip , Xiao Yao , Kathuria Ajay , Lee Youn Suk
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND

Fresh mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are highly perishable and easily lose quality during storage. The packaging system can retard the deterioration of fresh mushrooms. However, water vapor transmission rates of commodity plastic films are lower than the transpiration rate of mushrooms, resulting in increased moisture condensation in the package and perishability of mushrooms due to microbial growth. A possible solution for controlling the humidity level in the package is to use a hygroscopic material. Acid leaching can improve the chemical and physical properties of expanded vermiculite (EV). The aim of this study was to develop a novel hygroscopic agent from acidified expanded vermiculite (AEV) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) that has a high moisture absorption capacity and maintains a powdered form in the packaging system for fresh mushrooms.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that leaching EV with hydrochloric acid increased porosity and hydrophilicity. The combination of AEV:CaCl2 at 6:4 (w/w, AEV/CS40) showed the highest moisture adsorption capacity at 1.724 ± 0.03 g water per gram of material. Then, 1.55 g of AEV/CS40 was applied to the mushroom packaging and stored at 4 °C. The results indicated that AEV/CS40 could delay mushroom deterioration in terms of color change, firmness, pH, total soluble solids, and microbial growth.

CONCLUSION

The study findings indicate that the alternative solid hygroscopic material obtained by combining AEV with CaCl2 has potential for use as a hygroscopic material for preserving the quality of white button mushrooms. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Evaluation of the nutritional value of faba beans with high and low tannin content for use as feed for ruminants
Authors: Xin Hangshu , Khan Nazir A , Yu Peiqiang
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND

Faba bean varieties with low or zero tannin content have been developed in Canada to overcome the negative effects of condensed tannins on the utilization by ruminants of crude protein (CP) and starch. However, their nutritional value has not been evaluated for incorporation in dairy rations. The objectives of this study were to investigate (i) the chemical profile; (ii) the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) protein and carbohydrate subfractions; (iii) the energy values; (iv) the ruminal, intestinal, and total digestibility of CP; (v) the metabolizable protein (MP) supply to dairy cows; and (vi) the protein‐inherent molecular spectral characteristics of brown‐seeded (var. Fatima) faba beans with high tannin content and yellow‐seeded (var. Snowbird) faba beans with low tannin content.

RESULTS

The results revealed that Fatima beans had higher (P < 0.001) CP content than Snowbird (324 versus 295 g kg−1 dry matter (DM)), and lower (P < 0.01) starch content than Snowbird (411 g kg−1 DM versus 444 g kg−1 DM). Fatima had a lower (P = 0.001) soluble subfraction (201 g kg−1 DM versus 220 g kg−1 DM) and higher (P < 0.05) slowly degradable fiber‐bounded (24.9 g kg−1 DM versus 14.7 g kg−1 DM) and non‐degradable (3.24 g kg−1 DM versus 0 g kg−1 DM) CNCPS CP subfractions than Snowbird. Fatima had higher (P = 0.03) MP content (117 g kg−1 DM versus 111 g kg−1 DM) and metabolizable energy content (ME) 3.12 Mcal kg−1versus 3.10 Mcal kg−1) than Snowbird. Molecular spectral intensities of amide I and II proteins (height and area) of Fatima were higher (P < 0.05) than those of Snowbird, reflecting their higher CP content. The ratio of protein spectral intensities, the amide I : amide II height ratio, and the α‐helix : β‐sheet height ratio differed (P < 0.05) between the two types of bean, highlighting differences in their inherent protein molecular structures.

CONCLUSION

The (Fatima) faba beans with high condensed tannin content had higher MP and ME content. On average, both Faba beans had higher ME and MP content than barley grains, highlighting their promising nutritional value for dairy rations. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Healthy eating – a modifiable contributor to optimize healthy living in the COVID‐19 pandemic: a review
Authors: Chatterjee Poulomi , Nirgude Abhay , Chatterjee Pratik Kumar
Published: November 2021

The outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in 2019 has posed major risks to global health and the economy. This coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic has changed many of our everyday habits, including how we function and socialize, how we eat, and food preferences and selection. The average intake and status of certain vitamins and minerals can result in reduced immunity, which makes people more susceptible to illnesses and exacerbates malnutrition. The most critical factors in this scenario are individual risk evaluation and management techniques. Until general therapies are administered, the nutritional status of each infected patient should be assessed. The differing clinical severity of COVID‐19 – from asymptomatic, to mild, to severe, to death – depends on the different metabolic status of the hosts who have contracted the virus, which is determined by their diet, age, gender, health, lifestyle, and environmental factors. A broad systematic exploration on studies of this disease was steered by means of electronic databases and was limited to articles published in English (or with an English abstract) in publications using words like ‘health’, ‘diet’, ‘food’, ‘nutritional status’, ‘COVID‐19’, ‘pandemic’, ‘modifiable contributor’, ‘immune system’, ‘micronutrients’, ‘vitamin’, and so on. Careful individual consideration of the potential dietary, nutritional, medical, lifestyle, and environmental hazards, along with any supplementation with micronutrients wherever required to help to boost the body's natural defence system, with the intention to improve all levels of immunity and the use of effective risk management techniques are appropriate ways to handle the COVID‐19 pandemic. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.