bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vaccinomics Approach for Scheming Potential Epitope-Based Peptide Vaccine by Targeting L-protein of Marburg Virus
Authors: Pervin Tahmina , Oany Arafat Rahman
Published: December 2020

Marburg virus is one of the world’s most threatening diseases, causing extreme hemorrhagic fever, with a death rate of up to ninety percent. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently not authorized any treatments or vaccinations for the hindrance and post-exposure of the Marburg virus. In the Present study, the vaccinomics methodology was adopted to design a potential novel peptide vaccine against the Marburg virus, targeting RNA-directed RNA polymerase (L). A total of 48 L-proteins from diverse variants of the Marburg virus were collected from the NCBI GenBank server and used to classify the best antigenic protein leading to predict equally T and B-cell epitopes. Initially, the top 26 epitopes were evaluated for the attraction with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II alleles. Finally, four prospective central epitopes NLSDLTFLI, FRYEFTRHF, YRLRNSTAL, and YRVRNVQTL were carefully chosen. Among these, FRYEFTRHF and YRVRNVQTL peptides showed 100% conservancy. Though YRLRNSTAL showed 95.74% conservancy, it demonstrated the highest combined score as T cell epitope (2.5461) and population coverage of 94.42% among the whole world population. The epitope was found non-allergenic, and docking interactions with human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) also verified. Finally, in vivo analysis of the recommended peptides might contribute to the advancement of an efficient and exclusively prevalent vaccine that would be an active route to impede the virus spreading.
Centrosome-dependent microtubule organization sets the conditions for axon formation
Authors: Meka Durga Praveen , Kobler Oliver , Wuesthoff Souhaila , Schwanke Birgit , Krisp Christoph , Schmuelling Nessa , Rueter René , Ruecker Tabitha , Schlüter Hartmut , Fornasiero Eugenio F. , Calderon de Anda Froylan
Published: December 2020

Microtubule remodeling is critical during axon development when the more stable microtubules populate the axon. It is not completely understood, however, how this local cytoskeleton remodeling is coordinated. The centrosome, the main microtubule-organizing center (MTOC), has been suggested to be crucial for axon specification1–5. Conversely, it was proposed that axon elongation is independent of centrosomal functions6. Here we report that microtubule dynamics in early neurons follow a radial organization which establishes the conditions for the axon formation. Using high-resolution microscopy of early developing neurons, we demonstrate that few somatic acetylated microtubules are restricted near the centrosome. At later stages, however, acetylated microtubules spread out in the soma and concentrate in the growing axon. Furthermore, live-imaging of the microtubule plus-end binding protein EB3 in early differentiating neurons shows that growing microtubules have increased length and growth speed near the MTOC, suggesting local differences that might favor axon selection. Importantly, due to the lack of somatic stable/acetylated microtubules in early developing neurons, disruption of the F-actin cytoskeleton does not induce multiple axons, as it does at later stages of differentiation. Finally, we demonstrate that overexpression of the centrosomal protein 120 (Cep120), known for promoting microtubule acetylation and stabilization, induces multiple axons, while its downregulation decreases the content of proteins regulating microtubule dynamics and stability, hence hampering axon formation. Collectively, our data show that early centrosome-dependent microtubule organization contributes to axon formation.
An Ultrasensitive Biosensor for Quantifying the Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 and Its Receptor ACE2 in Cells andin vitro
Authors: Yang Xiaolong , Liu Lidong , Hao Yawei , So Yee Wah , Emami Sahar Sarmasti , Zhang Derek , Gong Yanping , Sheth Prameet M. , Wang Yu Tian
Published: December 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently spreading and mutating with increasing speed worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a simple, sensitive, and high-throughput (HTP) assay to quantify virus-host interaction in order to quickly evaluate infectious ability of mutant virus and develop or validate virus-inhibiting drugs. Here we have developed an ultrasensitive bioluminescent biosensor to evaluate virus-cell interaction by quantifying the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) and its cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) both in living cells andin vitro. We have successfully used this novel biosensor to analyze SARS-CoV-2 RBD mutants, and evaluated candidate small molecules (SMs), antibodies, and peptides that may block RBD:ACE2 interaction. This simple, rapid and HTP biosensor tool will significantly expedite detection of viral mutants and anti-COVID-19 drug discovery processes.
Translational control ofMPS1links protein synthesis with the initiation of cell division and spindle pole body duplication inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Blank Heidi M. , Alonso Annabel , Fabritius Amy S. , Winey Mark , Polymenis Michael
Published: December 2020

Protein synthesis underpins cell growth and controls when cells commit to a new round of cell division at a point in late G1 of the cell cycle called Start. Passage through Start also coincides with the duplication of the microtubule-organizing centers, the yeast spindle pole bodies, which will form the two poles of the mitotic spindle that segregates the chromosomes in mitosis. The conserved Mps1p kinase governs the duplication of the spindle pole body inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we show that theMPS1transcript has a short upstream open reading frame that represses the synthesis of Mps1p. Mutating theMPS1uORF makes the cells smaller, accelerates the appearance of Mps1p in late G1, and promotes completion of Start. Monitoring the spindle pole body in the cell cycle using structured illumination microscopy revealed that mutating theMPS1uORF enabled cells to duplicate their spindle pole body earlier at a smaller cell size. The accelerated Start ofMPS1uORF mutants depends on the G1 cyclin Cln3p and the transcriptional repressor Whi5p but not on the Cln1,2p G1 cyclins. These results identify growth inputs in mechanisms that control duplication of the microtubule-organizing center and implicate these processes in the coupling of cell growth with division.
In vitroTargeting of Transcription Factors to Control the Cytokine Release Syndrome in COVID-19
Authors: Santoso Clarissa S. , Li Zhaorong , Rottenberg Jaice T. , Liu Xing , Shen Vivian X. , Fuxman Bass Juan I.
Published: December 2020

Treatment of the cytokine release syndrome (CRS) has become an important part of rescuing hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Here, we systematically explored the transcriptional regulators of inflammatory cytokines involved in the COVID-19 CRS to identify candidate transcription factors (TFs) for therapeutic targeting using approved drugs. We integrated a resource of TF-cytokine gene interactions with single-cell RNA-seq expression data from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells of COVID-19 patients. We found 581 significantly correlated interactions, between 95 TFs and 16 cytokines upregulated in the COVID-19 patients, that may contribute to pathogenesis of the disease. Among these, we identified 19 TFs that are targets of FDA approved drugs. We investigated the potential therapeutic effect of 10 drugs and 25 drug combinations on inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which revealed two drugs that inhibited cytokine production and numerous combinations that show synergistic efficacy in downregulating cytokine production. Further studies of these candidate repurposable drugs could lead to a therapeutic regimen to treat the CRS in COVID-19 patients.
Comparative Study on Acyl Transferases in Fatty Acid and Polyketide Synthases
Authors: Stegemann Franziska , Grininger Martin
Published: December 2020

Fatty acid and polyketide synthases (FASs and PKSs) synthesize physiologically and pharmaceutically important products by condensation of acyl building blocks. In both multidomain enzymes, the acyl transferase (AT) is the key player responsible for the selection of these acyl units for further processing. In this study, the AT domains of different PKS systems are kinetically described in their substrate selectivity, AT–Acyl carrier protein (ACP) domain-domain interaction, and enzymatic kinetic properties. The ATs of modular PKSs, the proteins assembling the most intricate polyketides, turned out to be significantly slower than ATs from iterative FAS and PKS systems, but also more substrate specific. We explain these substantially different properties by the phylogenetically early splitting of species. For the AT of the 6-deoxyerythronolide B synthase (DEBS), the interaction with ACP is analyzed in detail by site-directed mutagenesis of interface residues. Among others, a surface exposed arginine (R850) was replaced by three different residues, leading to mutants with severely different kinetics that cannot be explained by simple effects. Our study enlarges the understanding of ATs in its molecular properties, and is similarly a call for thorough AT-centered PKS engineering strategies.
Evolution of primate protomusicality via locomotion
Authors: Schruth David M. , Templeton Christopher N. , Holman Darryl J. , Smith Eric A.
Published: December 2020

Animals communicate acoustically to report location and identity to conspecifics. More complex patterning of calls can also function as displays to potential mates and as territorial advertisement. Music and song are terms often reserved only for humans and birds, but elements of both forms of acoustic display are also found in non-human primates. While theories on proximate functions abound, ultimate drivers of specific call structures are less well understood. We hypothesized that spatio-temporal precision in landing during perilous arboreal locomotion favored the evolution of musical calling in early primates—vastly preceding the origin of more music-like behavior in hominoids and subsequent emergence of music in later hominids. We test this locomotion-based hypothesis on the origins of proto-musicality using spectrographic depictions of vocal repertoires of modern day primates and corresponding estimates of locomotor activity. Phylogenetically controlled regression analysis of 54 primate species reveals that arboreal locomotion and monogamy are robust influences on complex calling patterns while controlling for other socioecological variables. Given that these findings rest primarily upon a handful of deep branching points in the primate tree, we conclude that this coevolution likely occurred very slowly, occupying on the order of tens of millions of years.

License

Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0)
Consumers' environmental responsibility and their purchase of local food: evidence from a large-scale survey
Authors: Bimbo Francesco , Russo Carlo , Di Fonzo Antonella , Nardone Gianluca
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The paper explores whether consumers' environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviors (e.g. saving water, energy, etc.) are associated with high frequency of local food purchases. The study uses a large sample of individual data collected across all Italian regions as well as accounts for the respondents' socioeconomic characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis uses a large sample of individual-level data (n = 21,081) collected by the Italian National Bureau of Statistics in the annual Italian Multipurpose Households Survey (MHS). Data contain individual information on the frequency of local food purchases as well as socioeconomic characteristics and environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviors. Data were analyzed using a multivariate ordered logit regression.

Findings

Results indicate that individuals sensitive to environmental issues and adopting sustainable behaviors are more likely to purchase local food products than others. Also, age, education and occupational status positively are associated with a high frequency of local food purchases. Reading food nutrition labels, living in small communities as well as buying organic products are strong predictors of a higher frequency of local food choices.

Originality/value

The role of individual sustainable attitudes and behaviors in local food purchases has been marginally investigated in the literature. We addressed the issue by jointly accounting for several individual-related characteristics potentially shaping such relation. To the best of authors’ knowledge, the authors use the largest sample ever used to explore the individual's local food purchases in Italy.
Critical capabilities of improving supply chain resilience in industrialized construction in Hong Kong
Authors: Ekanayake E.M.A.C. , Shen Geoffrey , Kumaraswamy Mohan M.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Industrialized construction (IC) has accelerated the technological advancements of construction supply chains (SCs) in Hong Kong (HK). However, the usually fragmented IC SCs often lead to friction and turbulence that retard their performance. Streamlining these workflows call for resilient SCs that can proactively overcome various vulnerabilities and avoid disruptions. Having identified supply chain capabilities (SCC) as essential precursors to supply chain resilience (SCR), this paper reports on a vital segment of a study on SCC for IC in HK that focused here on critical SCC (CSCC). Specifically, this paper aims at identifying and probing the CSCC for improving SCR in IC in HK.

Design/methodology/approach

After drawing on the plentiful relevant literature, an empirical study using a questionnaire survey and interviews was conducted following the multi-stage methodological framework of this study. Relevant significance analysis of the collected data enabled the selection of CSCC. Next, factor analysis facilitated grouping them under nine underlying components.

Findings

The results reveal 41 CSCC pertinent to achieve resilient SCs in IC in HK under critical capability components of resourcefulness, flexibility, capacity, adaptability, efficiency, financial strength, visibility, anticipation and dispersion.

Originality/value

It is expected that industry practitioners would benefit from prior knowledge of CSCC and their levels of criticalities, so as to prioritize integrating them suitably into SC processes, to develop value-enhanced-resilient SCs. Further, these findings lay the foundations for developing a powerful evaluation model to assess, then improve, SCR in IC in HK by mapping the identified CSCC with relevant critical vulnerabilities, based on study outcomes.
BIM framework for the specification of information requirements in energy-related projects
Authors: Sanhudo Luís , Poças Martins João , Ramos Nuno M.M. , Almeida Ricardo M.S.F. , Rocha Ana , Pinto Débora , Barreira Eva , Simões M. Lurdes
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to further the discussion on Building Information Modelling (BIM) legal requirements, providing a framework with key energy parameters capable of supporting the Appointing Party in the definition of the Exchange Information Requirements (EIR) for a BIM project appointment. The EIR is described in ISO-19650–1:2018 as a fundamental step in the information delivery cycle.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review on the topic of BIM energy analysis was completed to identify current knowledge gaps and support the need for the proposed framework. Afterwards, the framework was established based on the review findings and the authors’ domain knowledge. The applicability of the proposed framework was assessed through a case study, where several energy simulations were performed in three different design stages of the same BIM model.

Findings

This study identified a lack of standards and legislation capable of supporting the Appointing Party in the definition of energy-related BIM requirements. To this end, a new framework is proposed to mediate existing practices, linking prior knowledge with BIM’s new reality. The study showcases the applicability of the framework, identifying that the performance of different energy studies involves distinct Level of Development (LOD) requirements, which in turn have an impact on the modelling time and cost.

Originality/value

A BIM framework for the specification of information requirements in energy-related projects was developed to support the Appointing Party. The framework presents appropriate parameters for energy analysis in each design stage, as well as the suitable LOD for the BIM model.
Consumer susceptibility to social influence in new product diffusion networks: how does network location matter?
Authors: Zhang Honghong , Gong Xiushuang
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study aims to empirically investigate how susceptibility to social influence in new product adoption varies with one’s structural location in a social network.

Design/methodology/approach

The social network data were collected based on a sociometric network survey with 589 undergraduate students. Social network analysis and ordinary least squares regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

This study finds that consumers with high degree centrality (i.e. hubs) who have a large number of connections to others and consumers with high betweenness centrality (i.e. bridges) who connect otherwise distant groups in social networks are both less sensitive to informational influence from others. More importantly, the authors find evidence that consumers with moderate levels of degree/betweenness centrality are more susceptible to normative influence and status competition than those with low or high degree/betweenness centrality. The inverse-U patterns in the above relations are consistent with middle-status conformity and anxiety.

Research limitations/implications

This research complements social influence and new product diffusion research by documenting important contingencies (i.e. network locations) in consumer susceptibility to different types of social influence from a social network perspective.

Practical implications

The findings will assist marketers to leverage social influence by activating relevant social ties with effective messages in their network marketing strategies.

Originality/value

This research provides a better understanding of the mechanisms driving susceptibility to social influence in new product diffusion.
Disaster risk reduction compliance framework for public private partnership (PPP) port projects
Authors: Liyanage Champika , Villalba-Romero Felix
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to identify success factors and resilience measures (RM) that contribute to disaster risk reduction (DRR) in public private partnerships (PPP) port projects in Asia. Significant losses have been associated with large-scale natural hazards, such as earthquakes, tsunami, cyclones and other extreme weather events, and thus, ports need to evaluate their resilience level and adopt relevant DRR strategies to improve it.

Design/methodology/approach

A step-by-step methodology, based on literature review, port cases analysis, questionnaire survey and expert opinions, was followed.

Findings

The paper provides a research instrument extracted from a large list of measures and factors after a combined screening process was carried out. This instrument offers policymakers and researchers a tool applicable to PPP port projects in Asian countries to evaluate the level of resilience.

Research limitations/implications

Relevant RM for some specific projects may have not been considered to obtain a standardised instrument.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to evaluate resilient port infrastructures and the output is a resilience framework to be used in PPP port projects in Asia.
Migrants' satisfaction with working conditions on cocoa farms in Ghana
Authors: Amfo Bismark , Osei Mensah James , Aidoo Robert
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Poor working conditions among migrant labourers on cocoa farms may be commonplace. This could affect labour productivity and cocoa industry performance. The paper investigates migrants' satisfaction with working conditions on cocoa farms in Ghana and the key drivers of satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a five-point Likert scale to evaluate migrants' satisfaction with remuneration, working hours, welfare, health and safety, contract and freedom. Using primary data from 400 migrants and non-migrants in four cocoa districts, multivariate probit regression was employed to evaluate the determinants of satisfaction with working conditions.

Findings

Migrant labourers are generally satisfied with their working hours, nature of contract and freedom they enjoy. However, they are unsatisfied with their remuneration, welfare and health/safety conditions on cocoa farms. All things being equal, secondary occupation, nature of contract, number of farmers served by labourer, annual earnings, farm ownership, education and expectations before migration influence migrants' satisfaction with working conditions.

Practical implications

To improve satisfaction with working conditions and productivity, migrants on cocoa farms should be given protective working gear, long-term or renewable contracts and they should be encouraged to engage in secondary occupations.

Originality/value

Unlike previous studies that focussed on working conditions in the formal sector, this study explores migrants' satisfaction with working conditions in the informal agricultural sector. Also, the study examines labourers' satisfaction with six subcomponents of working conditions compared to previous studies that employed a univariate analytical approach to examine working conditions.
Governing cooperatives in the context of individual motives
Authors: Sacchetti Silvia , Tortia Ermanno Celeste
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationships between the rules that a cooperative membership decides upon and members' motives for action. It considers individual self-interest in relation with motives that are consistent with the values of cooperation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper comprises two parts. The first is theoretical and discusses cooperative governance's features in the context of individual motives. The second part is empirical and based on survey data from Italian multistakeholder, worker-run social cooperatives. It uses cross-sectional data gathered from 4,134 workers and 310 managers in 310 cooperatives in Italy to provide evidence of rules and individual motives. Regression analysis confirms the existence of a linkage between individual self-interest and motives.

Findings

Rules mainly, but not exclusively, play an enabling function, which implies responding to both nonmonetary and monetary individual motives. With greater articulation within institutions – through the definition of multiple rights for accessing decision-making – the authors expect increases in individual capabilities to match motives with specific organizational rules in pursuit of consistent ends. This is confirmed by the association that the authors found between individual motives and commitment.

Research limitations/implications

The authors’ illustration is limited to one specific type of cooperative, the social cooperative, in which prosocial motives are expected to be stronger than in other cooperative forms, although one could say that all cooperative models emphasize procommunity and prosocial aims. Data are cross-sectional and do not allow for the identification of causality, only of statistical relations' strength.

Practical implications

The continuous scrutiny and adaptation of motives and means imply that cooperators communicate and engage in a learning process.

Originality/value

While the institutional spheres that support investor-owned organizations and self-interested profit-maximizing behavior have been analyzed, a framework that accommodates personal control rights and a richer view of individual motives is lacking. The value added from the paper is to suggest one.
Management of complexity in the care ecosystem
Authors: Aitken James , Esain Ann E. , Williams Sharon
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Managing complexity within care ecosystems is an increasing universal challenge. In health, this is emphasised by recent calls for greater care integration to achieve service improvement as levels of comorbidity and frailty grow within populations. This research takes a service-dominant logic (SDL) stance in examining the sources, types and nature of complexity within a care ecosystem in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

This illustrative case research focuses on a community care ecosystem. A multi-method approach is used combining semi-structured interviews, descriptive statistics and secondary data. The results were independently assessed and validated by participants through a second interview phase.

Findings

The findings from this research provide empirical support for the six complexities discussed in the supply chain literature. Identifying these complexities proffers the opportunity of applying manufacturing-derived complexity management strategies in care ecosystems. The conceptual model for institutional complexity, derived from the illustrative case study, showed that care professionals face additional complexity challenges in operating care ecosystems.

Practical implications

The management of complexity in care ecosystems requires professionals to be considerate of institutional arrangements when addressing the consequences of increasing levels of complexity. This necessitates the development of a balanced approach between reducing complexity while absorbing institutional arrangements which minimise risk.

Originality/value

Drawing on the supply chain complexity literature, the paper has developed a framework which guides care professionals facing increasing levels of complexity within the context of their institutional arrangements. As such, this research furthers our understanding of supply chain complexity effects in care ecosystems and provides a platform for future research.
Efficacy and safety of brodalumab in the Korean population for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: A randomized, phase III, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Seo Seong Jun , Shin Bong Seok , Lee Joo‐Heung , Jeong Haeyoun
Published: December 2020

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, negatively impacts patients’ quality of life (QoL). This randomized, phase III, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and safety of brodalumab, a human anti‐interleukin‐17 receptor A monoclonal antibody, in Korean patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Coprimary end‐points were the percentage of patients with 75% or more improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) and static Physician’s Global Assessment (sPGA) success (score 0/1) at week 12. Secondary end‐points included the percentage improvement from baseline in PASI score and proportion of patients with PASI 50/75/90/100 responses. QoL was assessed with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Eligible patients were randomized to receive brodalumab 210 mg (N = 40) or placebo (N = 22) every 2 weeks (Q2W) at a 2:1 ratio for 12 weeks. Subsequently, all patients entered an open‐label extension phase and received brodalumab 210 mg Q2W until week 62. At week 12, the proportion of patients who achieved the coprimary end‐points, PASI 75 and sPGA success, was significantly higher in the brodalumab 210 mg Q2W group compared with the placebo group (92.5% vs 0%). At week 12, the mean ± SD percentage improvement in the PASI score was 96.87 ± 6.01% in the brodalumab 210 mg Q2W group, which was maintained until study end (week 64). PASI 50/75/90 responses were achieved by 100% of patients receiving brodalumab 210 mg Q2W at weeks 6, 13, and 24, respectively; PASI 100 was achieved by 82.8% of patients at week 64. Brodalumab treatment rapidly improved DLQI scores. The most common treatment‐emergent adverse events were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infections, tinea pedis, and urticaria. Overall, treatment with brodalumab 210 mg Q2W resulted in a rapid and significant clinical benefit and was well tolerated in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Korea.
Sparsity‐promoting least‐squares reverse time migration via preconditioned Bregmanized operator splitting
Authors: Zand Toktam , Siahkoohi Hamid Reza
Published: December 2020

Nowadays the least‐squares reverse time migration has become the most used migration method because of its accuracy in amplitude recovery and high‐resolution imaging, specifically its priority to image the beneath of structural domes such as salt domes. However, errors in the migration velocity model, inadequate physics of modelling/migration and too sparse data decrease the quality of the migrated image. Sparsity constraints help to mitigate the shortcomings of the least‐squares reverse time migration and stabilize the migration image, but the computational burden of sparse solvers is still a big challenge. In this paper, we propose a fast sparsity‐promoting least‐squares reverse time migration algorithm based on the Bregmanized operator splitting algorithm. In particular, we solve the least‐squares reverse time migration with ‐norm regularization to increase the image resolution while removing the artefacts which cannot be suppressed by the traditional least‐squares reverse time migration. Also we develop a preconditioned Bregmanized operator splitting algorithm where iteratively using of a preconditioner decreases the computational burden. The proposed method is applied to a few sets of synthetic data, and results are compared with reverse time migration or least‐squares reverse time migration to verify its superiority. Numerical tests demonstrate that the proposed preconditioned Bregmanized operator splitting algorithm converges to the desired migration image in a small number of iterations.
Terrorist attacks and minority perceived discrimination
Authors: Giani Marco , Merlino Luca Paolo
Published: December 2020

A growing strand of the literature finds a causal negative impact of terrorism on undifferentiated discriminatory attitudes toward Muslims, migrants, and other minorities. In this paper, we argue that jihadist terrorism threatens first and foremost Muslims. To evaluate this claim, we estimate the causal effect of jihadist terrorism on the perceived discrimination among Muslims through a 2×2 quasi‐experimental design. Exploiting “natural experiments” driven by exogenous variation in terror threat caused by jihadist attacks that unexpectedly occurred during the fieldwork of a large survey, we compare the perceived ethoracial discrimination of the relevant minority (Muslims) against other minorities (non‐Muslims) before and after five different terror attacks in five different European countries. We find that jihadist attacks increase perceived ethnoracial discrimination among Muslims while reducing it among non‐Muslims, and that individual‐level factors including social status and economic insecurity mitigate public opinion responses to a greater extent than group‐level factors do. Hence, while in‐group attitudes toward out‐groups tend to be undifferentiated, the experience of out‐groups in the aftermath of jihadist attacks depends on the specific identity of the respondents.
“They don’t know what it’s like to be at the bottom”: Exploring the role of perceived cultural distance in less‐educated citizens’ discontent with politicians
Authors: Noordzij Kjell , de Koster Willem , van der Waal Jeroen
Published: December 2020

Why is discontent with politicians highest among less‐educated citizens? Supplementing explanations concerning a lack of resources and knowledge, we examine the cultural distance to many a politician perceived by this group. Inspired by qualitative studies mapping the worldviews of people from the lower social strata, we explore less‐educated citizens’ perceptions of politicians using in‐depth (group) interviews carried out in various regions of the Netherlands (n = 26). Our analysis indicates that this group regards politicians as culturally distant “others” and that this perception goes hand in hand with specific negative evaluations of politicians. This improves our understanding of the much‐reported political discontent of these citizens. In moving beyond the often mentioned unspecific divide between the “people” and the “elite”, our analysis reveals that our interviewees: (i) consider politicians to be insensitive to the lived experiences of the “common” people, and therefore, question their legitimacy and the policies they propose; (ii) resent their communication styles, which they describe as “beating about the bush” and perceive to be emblematic of indecisiveness and a lack of integrity; and (iii) accuse them of superiority signaling, inspiring feelings of misrecognition and opposition. We conclude with detailing the implications of our findings for (future) research.
At a glance: The impact of COVID‐19 on emergency general surgery
Authors: Aboul‐Enein Mohamed Saad , Ishak Peter , Bhambra Maninder , Ricart Pol , Al‐makdase Lisa , Mourad Moustafa , Wadley Martin , Perry Anthony
Published: December 2020

Aim

This study investigated the impact of COVID‐19 on emergency general surgery practice particularly on referrals, diagnosis, investigations, management pathways, outcomes, patient behaviour and consultant practice.

Patients and Methods

Retrospective data collection from two cohorts: 112 patients admitted over 1 week in pre‐COVID period and 90 patients admitted over 1 week during the COVID period. A patient questionnaire and a consultant questionnaire were used to collect data on patient behaviour and consultant practice.

Results

The COVID period saw an almost four times and seven times increase in performed X‐rays (CXRs) and CT‐thorax–abdomen–pelvis (TAPs), respectively; 6.5% increase in conservative and 6.2% reduction in surgical management; approximately 50% decline in length of stay (LoS) in conservatively managed patients; 71% of patients' decisions to attend hospital were unaffected; and 78.6% of consultant surgeons preferred to manage patients conservatively.

Conclusion

Overall, there were delayed hospital presentations by patients by almost twice as long, an increase in paediatric referrals, a surge in performed scans, and a reduction in hospital stay in patients managed conservatively. Patient behaviour to attend hospital was not heavily influenced by COVID, but consultant practice certainly changed towards more conservative choices. Future studies should explore the impact on paediatric referrals and long‐term effects on surgical training.
Impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) on acute appendicitis in Hong Kong: Retrospective cohort study in a local cluster hospital
Authors: Ho Si‐Lyn , Lau Jun , Wang Chun‐Ting , Cheung Shuk‐Ling , Wong Ka‐Fai , Leung Siu‐Kee
Published: December 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) impacted Hong Kong in early January 2020. Quarantine and social distancing measures have been implemented to prevent disease spread.

Material and Method

Retrospective cohort study was carried out in our cluster to compare the acute appendicitis cases during pandemic period, January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020, with the same period 1 year before. Parameters including time of presentation, complicated appendicitis rate, operative time, post‐operative complication rate, and total length of stay were compared and analysed.

Results

A total number of 348 patients (160 in the pre‐COVID group versus 188 in the post‐COVID group) were included. There is no significant difference in basic demographics. The time of presentation was significantly longer in March (3.75 days vs 1.56 days, P = .031) and June 2020 (3.02 days vs 1.88 days, P = .026) compared with the pre‐COVID group, which correlate with the spike of local confirmed cases. There was a significantly higher incidence of complicated appendicitis (67% vs 52%, P = .028) and post‐operative complication rate (29% vs 7%, P = .042) in February post‐COVID group compare with the pre‐COVID group.

Conclusion

During the COVID‐19 pandemic period, more patients with acute appendicitis presented late to the hospital, with an increase in complicated appendicitis rate and post‐operative complication rate.
Inductive and synergistic interactions between plant allelochemical flavone and Bt toxin Cry1Ac in Helicoverpa armigera
Authors: Wang Shan , Zhang Min , Huang Jinyong , Li Leyao , Huang Kaiyuan , Zhang Yuting , Li Yalu , Deng Zhongyuan , Ni Xinzhi , Li Xianchun
Published: December 2020

Genetically engineered crops simultaneously produce defensive allelochemicals and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin proteins to kill some of the world's most devastating insect pests. How the two types of toxins, when ingested sequentially or simultaneously, interact at both lethal and sublethal doses in these pests remains underexplored. Here, we examined the toxicological interactions between the Bt toxin Cry1Ac and the flavonoid allelochemical flavone in Helicoverpa armigera. Simultaneous exposure of H. armigera neonates to lethal doses (LC25) of Cry1Ac and flavone caused a mortality significantly higher than that of either toxin alone and their expected additive mortality. Preexposure for 24 h to a sublethal dose (LC10) of Cry1Ac followed by 6‐d simultaneous exposure to the same dose of Cry1Ac plus a lethal dose (1.6 mg/g diets, LC50) of flavone resulted in a mortality significantly higher than that of the LC50 dose of flavone alone and the expected additive mortality of the LC50 dose of flavone plus the LC10 dose of Cry1Ac. One‐day preexposure to the sublethal dose (LC10) of flavone followed by 6‐d simultaneous exposure to the LC50 dose (6 ng/cm2) of Cry1Ac plus the LC10 dose of flavone yielded a mortality significantly higher than that of the LC50 dose of Cry1Ac but similar to the expected additive mortality of the LC50 dose of Cry1Ac plus the LC10 dose of flavone. The results suggest that Cry1Ac induces and synergizes the toxicity of flavone against H. armigera larvae.
Is exercise a senolytic medicine? A systematic review
Authors: Chen Xiang‐Ke , Yi Zhen‐Ni , Wong Gordon Tin‐Chun , Hasan Kazi Md. Mahmudul , Kwan Joseph Shiu‐Kwong , Ma Alvin Chun‐Hang , Chang Raymond Chuen‐Chung
Published: December 2020

Cellular senescence, a state of irreversible growth arrest triggered by various stressors, engages in a category of pathological processes, whereby senescent cells accumulate in mitotic tissues. Senolytics as novel medicine against aging and various diseases through the elimination of senescent cells has emerged rapidly in recent years. Exercise is a potent anti‐aging and anti‐chronic disease medicine, which has shown the capacity to lower the markers of cellular senescence over the past decade. However, whether exercise is a senolytic medicine for aging and various diseases remains unclear. Here, we have conducted a systematic review of the published literature studying the senolytic effects of exercise or physical activity on senescent cells under various states in both human and animal models. Exercise can reduce the markers of senescent cells in healthy humans, while it lowered the markers of senescent cells in obese but not healthy animals. The discrepancy between human and animal studies may be due to the relatively small volume of research and the variations in markers of senescent cells, types of cells/tissues, and health conditions. These findings suggest that exercise has senolytic properties under certain conditions, which warrant further investigations.
Reducing Computed Tomography Scan Utilization for Pediatric Minor Head Injury in the Emergency Department: A Quality Improvement Initiative
Authors: Arora Rajan , White Emily N. , Niedbala Deborah , Ravichandran Yagnaram , Sethuraman Usha , Radovic Nancy , Watson Kristin , Nypaver Michele
Published: December 2020

Background

The validated Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) prediction rules are meant to aid clinicians in safely reducing unwarranted imaging in children with minor head injuries (MHI). Even so, computed tomography (CT) scan utilization remains high, especially in intermediate‐risk (per PECARN) MHI patients. The primary objective of this quality improvement initiative was to reduce CT utilization rates in the intermediate‐risk MHI patients.

Methods

This project was conducted in a Level I trauma pediatric emergency department (ED). Children < 18 years evaluated for intermediate‐risk MHI from June 2016 through July 2019 were included. Our key drivers were provider education, decision support, and performance feedback. Our primary outcome was change in head CT utilization rate (%). Balancing measures included return visit within 72 hours of the index visit, ED length of stay (LOS), and clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) on the revisit. We used statistical process control methodology to assess head CT rates over time.

Results

A total of 1,535 eligible intermediate‐risk MHI patients were analyzed. Our intervention bundle was associated with a decrease in CT use from 18.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.5% to 22.5%) in the preintervention period to 13.9% (95% CI = 13.8% to 14.1%) in the postintervention period, an absolute reduction of 4.6% (p = 0.015). Over time, no difference was noted in either ED LOS or return visit rate. There was only one revisit with a ciTBI to our institution during the study period.

Conclusions

Our multifaceted quality improvement initiative was both safe and effective in reducing our CT utilization rates in children with intermediate‐risk MHI.
J point elevation in high precordial leads associated with risk of ventricular fibrillation
Authors: Hasegawa Yuki , Watanabe Hiroshi , Ikami Yasuhiro , Otsuki Sou , Iijima Kenichi , Yagihara Nobue , Izumi Daisuke , Minamino Tohru
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The significance of high precordial electrocardiograms in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is unknown.

Method

This study included 50 consecutive patients (48 men; age, 42 ± 18 years) who had spontaneous ventricular fibrillation not linked to structural heart disease and received implantable cardiac defibrillator therapy. IVF was diagnosed in 35 patients and Brugada syndrome was diagnosed in other 15 patients. Electrocardiograms in high intercostal space were compared between 35 patients with IVF and 105 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (patient: control ratio, 1:3).

Results

The frequency of J point elevation ≥ 0.1 mV in the 4th intercostal spaces was similar between patients with IVF (14%) and healthy controls (7%). However, the frequency of J point elevation ≥ 0.1 mV in the 3rd intercostal space was higher in patients with IVF (40%) than controls (11%) (p < .01). J point elevation was present only in the 3rd intercostal space but not in the 4th intercostal space in 30% of patients with IVF but only in 6% of controls (p < .01). During follow‐up, the recurrence of ventricular fibrillation was higher in patients with IVF who had J point elevation in the 3rd intercostal space (36%) and Brugada syndrome(40%) than those with IVF who did not have J point elevation in the 3rd intercostal space(11%) (p < .05 for both).

Conclusion

J point elevation in the 3rd intercostal space was associated with IVF and recurrences of ventricular fibrillation. Electrocardiogram recordings in the high intercostal space may be useful to identify risk of sudden death.
Polymyxin B hemoperfusion in coronavirus disease 2019 patients with endotoxic shock: Case series from EUPHAS2 registry
Authors: De Rosa Silvia , Cutuli Salvatore Lucio , Ferrer Ricard , Antonelli Massimo , Ronco Claudio ,   the COVID‐19 EUPHAS2 Collaborative Group
Published: December 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has been shown to involve the gastrointestinal tract, which implies bacterial translocation and endotoxemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of extracorporeal endotoxin removal by Polymyxin B hemoperfusion (PMX‐HP), in the treatment of patients with COVID‐19 and secondary bacterial infection. We conducted a subgroup analysis of a multicenter, multinational, prospective, and observational web‐based database (EUPHAS2 registry). We included 12 patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection confirmed by real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction from nasal/oral swab, admitted to the intensive care unit between February and May 2020, who were affected by septic shock and received PMX‐HP as per clinical indication of the attending physician. Septic shock was diagnosed in nine patients (75%), with a median time between symptoms onset and PMX‐HP treatment of 16 (14‐22) days. We identified Gram‐negative bacteria in most of the microbiological cultures (N = 17, 65%), followed by Gram‐positive bacteria in (N = 4, 15%), fungi (N = 3, 12%) and no growth (N = 2, 8%). Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score progressively improved over the next 120 hours following PMX‐HP and it was associated with median endotoxin activity assay (EAA) decrease from 0.78 [0.70‐0.92] at T0 to 0.60 [0.44‐0.72] at T120 (P = .245). A direct correlation was observed between SOFA score and EAA. Lung Injury Score decreased and was associated with hemodynamic improvement over the same period. No statistically significant difference was observed for RIFLE score at each time point. Nine out of 12 patients (75%) required continuous renal replacement therapy because of acute kidney injury. In a series of consecutive COVID‐19 patients with endotoxic shock, PMX‐HP was associated with organ function recovery, hemodynamic improvement, and contemporary EAA level reduction. No PMX‐HP‐related complications were observed.
Driveline damage and repair in continuous‐flow left ventricular assist devices: A systematic review
Authors: D'Antonio Nicholas D. , Maynes Elizabeth J. , Tatum Robert T. , Prochno Kyle W. , Saxena Abhiraj , Maltais Simon , Samuels Louis E. , Morris Rohinton J. , Massey H. Todd , Tchantchaleishvili Vakhtang
Published: December 2020

With mounting time on continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device (CF‐LVAD) support, patients occasionally sustain damage to the device driveline. Outcomes associated with external and internal driveline damage and repair are currently not well documented. We sought to evaluate the outcomes of driveline damage and its repair. Electronic search was performed to identify all relevant studies published over the past 20 years. Fifteen studies were selected for analysis comprising of 55 patients with CF‐LVAD dysfunction due to driveline damage. Demographic and perioperative variables along with outcomes including survival rates were extracted and pooled for the systematic review. Most patients (53/55) were supported on HeartMate II LVAD (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL). Internal damage was more commonly reported than external damage [69.1% (38/55) vs. 30.9% (17/55), P = .01]. Median time to driveline damage was 1.9 years [IQR 1.0, 2.5]. Most patients presented with a CF‐LVAD alarm [94.5% (52/55)] and patients with internal driveline damage had a significantly higher rate of alarm activation compared to that observed for those with external damage [38/38 (100%) vs. 14/17 (82.4%), P = .04]. Patients with internal driveline dysfunction were more likely to experience component wear compared to those with external driveline dysfunction [10/38 (26.3%) vs. 0/17 (0%), P = .05]; 14.5% of patients (8/55) underwent external repair of the driveline, 5.5% (3/55) were treated with rescue tape, and 5.5% (3/55) were placed on an ungrounded cable, indicating a short‐to‐shield event had occurred. A total of 49.1% of patients (27/55) underwent CF‐LVAD exchange, 5.5% (3/55) were weaned off the CF‐LVAD to explant, and 5.5% (3/55) underwent emergent heart transplantation. The median length of hospital stay was 12 days [IQR 7, 12] and 30‐day mortality rate was 14.5% (8/55). Driveline damage was more commonly reported at an internal location and despite being a well‐recognized complication, mortality still appears high.