bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investment review in sports leagues: financial evidence from Pakistan Super League
Authors: Aftab Rehan , Naveed Muhammad 
Published: August 2020

PurposeThe study invites seminal investigation on potential of investment returns in professional sports leagues. In line with scope of research, the analysis of this study brings into focus the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and franchises pertinent to Pakistan Super League (PSL) for investment appraisal and returns analysis.Design/methodology/approachThe methodical aspect of research deals with financial ratios and sensitivity analysis capturing the potential of returns on investment for target sample of study.FindingsThe investment appraisal substantiates the significance of potential returns on sports projects. The returns of investment reports sluggish seasonal returns during initial phase of PSL; however, return on investment (ROI) optimized with the maturity and further capitalization of Pakistan Supper League in more concentrated competitive environment. Sensitivity analysis proves variability of returns with changes in growth prospect of franchises.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides important working knowledge for existing and potential new investors and sports boards to consider the financial investment feasibility through customized investment models and relative orientations of promotion of sports, new talent hunting and re-fabricating the structure of sports in line with new age.Originality/valueThe efficacy of research is ensured through empirical verification of data obtained from reliable sources, and the novelty of research comes from investment appraisal and analysis of growing sports league familiarized as Pakistan Super League. The research approach and target sample are quite unique in context of sports leagues literature.
Accuracy of SCORTEN and ABCD‐10 to predict mortality and the influence of renal function in Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis
Authors: Torres‐Navarro Ignacio , Briz‐Redón Álvaro , Botella‐Casas Gonzalo , Sahuquillo‐Torralba Antonio , Calle‐Andrino Anaid , de Unamuno‐Bustos Blanca , Piqueras‐García Jennifer , Roca Ginés Juncal , Magdaleno Tapial Jorge , Alegre de Miquel Víctor , Botella‐Estrada Rafael 
Published: August 2020

AbstractEpidermal necrolysis (EN) compromises a spectrum of life‐threatening dermatoses (Stevens–Johnson Syndrome [SJS], overlap syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis [TEN]). Currently, no active therapeutic regimen with unequivocal benefit exists for SJS/TEN. SCORTEN is the widely‐used prognostic scale specific for SJS/TEN. Nevertheless, a new prognostic scale, the ABCD‐10, has been recently proposed. In this context, acute renal failure (ARF) seems to be an important comorbidity that could influence prognosis in SJS/TEN patients more than it is assumed by these two scales. Our objectives were to compare the accuracy of the SCORTEN and ABCD‐10 scales in predicting the mortality in SJS/TEN, and to investigate the influence of renal failure on prognosis. The prognostic results of 18 patients with EN treated in two referral centers between 2013 and 2018 are presented. SCORTEN, ABCD‐10 and renal function values were retrospectively collected for all patients. Out of the 18 patients who were analyzed, nine (50%) received only supportive therapy, four were treated with etanercept 50 mg in a single dose (22.2%) and five with corticosteroids (27.8%). Five patients developed ARF. Predicted mortality was 3.48 for SCORTEN and 2.33 for ABCD‐10. Eventually, four patients died (22.2%), all had ARF and none of them received active treatment. Despite study limitations and in the absence of active treatment of choice, SCORTEN behaved as a reliable predictor of mortality in patients with EN, outperforming the newer ABCD‐10. ARF was an early event associated with a poor prognosis, which could represent a prognostic marker to consider in the future.
Three cases of COVID‐19 patients presenting with erythema
Authors: Tamai Masakazu , Maekawa Aya , Goto Noriko , Ge Lindun , Nishida Tsutomu , Iwahashi Hiromi , Yokomi Akinori 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIndividuals infected with the novel coronavirus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 [SARS‐CoV‐2]) who develop coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) experience many symptoms; however, cutaneous manifestations are relatively rare. The authors encountered three patients with COVID‐19 who presented with erythema and suspected viral rash. In all cases, erythema appeared after the onset of the initial symptoms of COVID‐19. Erythema was considered to be caused by COVID‐19 and not a drug‐induced eruption because, in all cases, erythema was relieved merely by external medicine and oral antihistamines, without discontinuing the original medication. The authors’ hospital accepted 69 COVID‐19 patients between 22 February 2020 and 31 May 2020 and, of these, three (4.3%) exhibited eruptions, and all cases presented erythema. Except for seven patients who exhibited positive nasopharyngeal swab tests for SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA but no symptoms, three (4.8%) of the remaining 62 patients exhibited erythema. Although various types of eruptions have been reported in patients with COVID‐19, erythema was the only type in our patients. Erythema in the three patients exhibited many similarities to that previously reported in COVID‐19 patients, particularly in the manner it appeared and disappeared. For these reasons, these three cases were considered typical examples of erythema in patients with COVID‐19. Considering previous studies and the three cases reported here, there is a high probability that SARS‐CoV‐2 can cause erythema.
Adalimumab in Japanese patients with active ulcers of pyoderma gangrenosum: Twenty‐six‐week phase 3 open‐label study
Authors: Yamasaki Kenshi , Yamanaka Keiichi , Zhao Yiwei , Iwano Shunsuke , Takei Keiko , Suzuki Koji , Yamamoto Toshiyuki 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis phase 3 multicenter study, including 26‐week treatment and extension periods, evaluated the efficacy and safety of adalimumab in Japanese patients with active ulcers due to pyoderma gangrenosum. Patients received adalimumab 160 mg at week 0, 80 mg at week 2, and then 40 mg every week starting at week 4. Of the 22 enrolled patients, 12 (54.5%, P < 0.001) achieved the primary efficacy end‐point of pyoderma gangrenosum area reduction 100 (PGAR 100, defined as complete skin re‐epithelialization) for the target ulcer at week 26 assessed by digital planimetry. PGAR 100 response was observed as early as week 6 (13.6%) and continued to increase over time. The mean percent change from baseline in target ulcer area was −31.8% at week 6 and −63.8% at week 26. A Physician’s Global Assessment score of 0 (PGA 0, all ulcers completely clear) was achieved by two patients (9.1%) at week 6 and eight (36.4%) at week 26, while PGA 0/1 (completely/almost clear) was achieved by five (22.7%) and 12 patients (54.5%) at week 6 and 26, respectively. Mean changes from baseline in pain numeric rating scale (−1.8 at week 6 and −2.5 at week 26) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (−3.1 at week 6 and −3.6 at week 26) improved over time. Adverse events were reported by 18 patients, most commonly infections (n = 11), and serious adverse events by four. These results suggest that adalimumab is effective and generally well tolerated in Japanese patients with active ulcers of pyoderma gangrenosum.
Time‐domain sparsity promoting least‐squares reverse time migration with source estimation
Authors: Yang Mengmeng , Fang Zhilong , Witte Philipp , Herrmann Felix J. 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTLeast‐squares reverse‐time migration is well known for its capability to generate artefact‐free true‐amplitude subsurface images through fitting observed data in the least‐squares sense. However, when applied to realistic imaging problems, this approach is faced with issues related to overfitting and excessive computational costs induced by many wave‐equation solves. The fact that the source function is unknown complicates this situation even further. Motivated by recent results in stochastic optimization and transform‐domain sparsity promotion, we demonstrate that the computational costs of inversion can be reduced significantly while avoiding imaging artefacts and restoring amplitudes. While powerful, these new approaches do require accurate information on the source‐time function, which is often lacking. Without this information, the imaging quality deteriorates rapidly. We address this issue by presenting an approach where the source‐time function is estimated on the fly through a technique known as variable projection. Aside from introducing negligible computational overhead, the proposed method is shown to perform well on imaging problems with noisy data and problems that involve complex settings such as salt. In either case, the presented method produces high‐resolution high‐amplitude fidelity images including an estimate for the source‐time function. In addition, due to its use of stochastic optimization, we arrive at these images at roughly one to two times the cost of conventional reverse‐time migration involving all data.
2D and 3D amplitude‐preserving elastic reverse time migration based on the vector‐decomposed P‐ and S‐wave records
Authors: Zhang Wei , Gao Jinghuai , Gao Zhaoqi , Shi Ying 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTThe elastic reverse time migration approach based on the vector‐wavefield decomposition generally uses the scalar product imaging condition to image the multicomponent seismic data. However, the resulting images contain the crosstalk artefacts and the polarity reversal problems, which are caused by the nonphysical wave modes and the angle‐dependent reduction of image amplitudes, respectively. To overcome these two problems, we develop an amplitude‐preserving elastic reverse time migration approach based on the vector‐decomposed P‐ and S‐wave seismic records. This approach includes two key points. The first is that we employ the vector‐decomposed P‐ and S‐wave multicomponent records to independently reconstruct the PP and PS reflection images to mitigate the crosstalk artefacts. The second is that we propose two schemes in addressing the issue of polarity reversal problem in the conventional PP image. One solution is to adopt the angle‐dependent equation. Another one is to reconstruct an amplitude‐preserving PP image with a separated scalar P‐wave particle velocity, which has a clear physical meaning. Numerical examples using two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional models demonstrate that the proposed elastic reverse time migration approach can provide the images with better amplitude‐preserving performance and fewer crosstalk artefacts, compared with the conventional elastic reverse time migration approach based on the scalar product imaging condition.
An ecosystem ecology perspective on artificial reef production
Authors: Layman Craig A. , Allgeier Jacob E. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract

Artificial reefs are used around the world for many purposes, including widespread deployment to increase fishery yields. These reefs are well‐studied from a direct fisheries‐based perspective, drawing largely on traditional theory and methodological approaches from population and community ecology.

Here we provide an alternative perspective using basic tenets of ecosystem ecology. We focus largely on primary production, as this ecosystem process necessarily constrains the secondary production of fish and invertebrates.

We use this ecosystem ecology viewpoint to examine the long‐standing attraction/production question—do artificial reefs support ‘new’ fish production or simply attract individuals from other habitats? Central to this discussion is identifying ecological thresholds and self‐reinforcing feedbacks. For example, biological or physical processes may facilitate reaching nutrient supply thresholds where fundamental ecological dynamics are shifted, such as enhanced seagrass allocation of resources to above‐ground plant structures following aggregation of fish around reefs.

Synthesis and applications. We propose that the scope for enhanced primary productivity (or other accelerated ecosystem processes) is an under‐utilized guideline that can be used to prioritize artificial reef deployment as part of broader coastal management programmes. Such an ecosystem ecology perspective may provide new insights into the ecological role of artificial reefs and guide the optimization of their deployment and management.
Asymmetric effect of exchange rate volatility on India's cross‐border trade: Evidence from global financial crisis and multiple threshold nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model
Authors: Hashmi Shabir Mohsin , Chang Bisharat Hussain , Shahbaz Muhammad 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis paper examines the asymmetric effect of exchange rate volatility on India's cross‐border trade with its major trading partners: Japan, Germany, the United States, and China. We extend previous studies in two ways. First, we examine whether global financial crisis changes the asymmetric effect of exchange rate volatility on India's cross‐border trade. Next, we divide exchange rate volatility into quintiles and examine the effect of each quintile on cross‐border trade by using the multiple threshold nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (MTNARDL) model. Our findings from standard nonlinear ARDL (NARDL) indicate that the asymmetric relationship between exchange rate volatility and cross‐border trade changes as a result of global financial crisis. In addition, findings from MTNARDL indicate that in short‐run, exchange rate volatility symmetrically affects India's cross‐border trade with all sample countries whereas in long‐run it asymmetrically affects cross‐border trade. Overall, these findings are very important for policy implications and open a new dimension to exchange rate volatility and trade flows.
Aid for Trade and services export diversification in recipient countries
Authors: Gnangnon Sèna K. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis article examines the effect of Aid for Trade (AfT) flows on services export diversification in recipient countries. The empirical analysis has relied on a sample of 100 recipient countries (of which 31 least developed countries [LDCs]) over the period 2002–2014, and used the two‐step system generalised methods of moments (GMM) approach. It shows that total AfT as well as its components—AfT for services sectors and AfT for non‐services sectors—exert a positive effect on services export diversification over the full sample. Additionally, over the full sample, there is a positive effect of the cumulative AfT flows over time (for both total AfT flows and its components) on services export diversification. However, findings are different for LDCs and NonLDCs. Specifically, AfT for services sectors exerts a positive effect on services export diversification in both LDCs and NonLDCs, although the magnitude of this positive effect is higher for NonLDCs than for LDCs. Furthermore, the effect of the cumulative AfT flows for services sectors and that of the cumulative AfT flows for services sectors are positively associated with services export diversification in both LDCs, and NonLDCs, with the magnitude of the positive effects being higher in LDCs than in NonLDCs.
Resilience to Food Insecurity: Theory and Empirical Evidence from International Food Assistance in Malawi
Authors: Lascano Galarza Monserrath Ximena 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis research investigates the impacts of food assistance on resilience to food insecurity of the beneficiary households under the World Food Programme and Oxfam America’s project “The R4 Rural Resilience Initiative” implemented in rural and vulnerable areas of Malawi during the period 2015‐2016. The empirical analysis uses three main techniques: the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis II methodology of the Food and Agriculture Organization to measure resilience and food security; a reflexive method for a descriptive performance assessment; matching techniques for impact evaluation. The performance analysis and the impact evaluation reveal positive and significant relationships between programme interventions and resilience to food insecurity, showing also improved household access to loans insurance and savings.
Molecular basis and regulation of pathogenicity and patulin biosynthesis in Penicillium expansum
Authors: Li Boqiang , Chen Yong , Zhang Zhanquan , Qin Guozheng , Chen Tong , Tian Shiping 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPenicillium expansum is a necrotrophic plant pathogen with a wide range of fruit hosts. It causes blue mold rot during fruit storage, transport, and sale, resulting in huge economic losses to the fruit industry. Moreover, this pathogen is also the main producer of patulin, a toxic secondary metabolite that contaminates fruit and fruit‐derived products and impairs human health. Therefore, understanding molecular basis of the pathogenicity and patulin biosynthesis of the fungal pathogen has important scientific significance and also plays an important guiding role in the research and development of new control technologies. Here, we comprehensively summarize the recent research progress, particularly regarding the molecular aspects of pathogenicity, patulin biosynthesis, and the related regulatory mechanisms, as well as control technologies for blue mold rot in the fruit industry.
Disconnected human resource? Proximity and the (mis)management of workplace conflict
Authors: Saundry Richard , Fisher Virginia , Kinsey Sue 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe development of more remote sources of advice has been a notable feature of the contemporary human resource (HR) function. However, the consequences for the management of workplace conflict are largely ignored within the academic literature. This study draws on data from two qualitative studies, which examine the experiences of HR practitioners (HRPs), line managers and trade union representatives in handling and resolving conflict. It explores how different dimensions of organisational proximity shape the relationships between HRPs and other key stakeholders, and the impact of this on conflict management. The findings suggest that formal, risk averse approaches to conflict are not simply a result of geographical distance. Instead, functional specialisation has not only eroded cognitive and social proximity between HRPs, line managers and employee representatives but also within the HR function itself. This has triggered the reinforcement of bureaucratic control and embedded responses that emphasise compliance rather than resolution.
Analytical strategy coupled to chemometrics to differentiate Camellia sinensis tea types based on phenolic composition, alkaloids, and amino acids
Authors: Jiang Hao , Zhang Mengting , Wang Dongxu , Yu Feng , Zhang Na , Song Chuankui , Granato Daniel 
Published: August 2020

AbstractCatechins, amino acids, and alkaloids are primary chemical components of tea and play a crucial role in determining tea quality. Their composition and content largely vary among different types of tea. In this study, a convenient chemical classification method was developed for six Camellia sinensis tea types (white, green, oolong, black, dark, and yellow) based on the quantification of their major components. Twenty‐one free amino acids, 6 catechins, 2 alkaloids, and gallic acid in 24 teas were quantified using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The total catechin contents in these tea samples ranged from 10.96 to 95.67 mg/g, while total free amino acid content ranged from 2.63 to 25.89 mg/g. Theanine (Thea) was the most abundant amino acid in all tea varieties. Catechin and amino acid levels in tea were markedly reduced upon fermentation of tea. Furthermore, high‐temperature processing (roasting) during tea production induced degradation and epimerization of catechins, yielding epimerized catechins, simple catechins, and gallic acid. Principal component analysis revealed that major ester‐catechins (EGCG and ECG), major amino acids (Thea), and major alkaloids (caffeine) are potential factors for distinguishing different types of tea. Linear discriminant analysis showed that 100% of teas were correctly classified in which (+)‐catechin, ECG, EGC, gallic acid, GABA, cysteine, lysine, and threonine were the most discriminating compounds. This study shows that quantification of the major tea components combined with chemometric analysis, can serve as a simple, convenient, and reliable approach for classifying tea according to fermentation level.Practical ApplicationDifferent Camellia sinensis tea types can be produced worldwide but it is still challenging to know which chemical markers can be used to trace their production. in this paper we used a targeted methodology to classify six tea types (white, green, oolong, black, dark, and yellow) based on phenolic composition, alkaloids, and amino acids. The main chemical markers responsible for the discrimination were pinpointed with the use of chemometric tools.
The Influence of Climate Variability on the Accuracy of NHD Perennial and Nonperennial Stream Classifications
Authors: Hafen Konrad C. , Blasch Kyle W. , Rea Alan , Sando Roy , Gessler Paul E. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractNational Hydrography Dataset (NHD) stream permanence classifications (SPC; perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral) are widely used for data visualization and applied science, and have implications for resource policy and management. NHD SPC were assigned using a combination of topographic field surveys and interviews with local residents. However, previous studies indicate that non‐NHD, in situ streamflow observations (NNO) frequently disagree with NHD SPC. We hypothesized that differences in annual climate conditions between map creation years and the years NNO were collected contributed to disagreement between NNO and NHD SPC. We compared NHD SPC to 10,055 NNO (classified as “wet” or “dry”) collected in the Pacific Northwest between 1977 and 2015. Annual climate conditions were described with the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). Stream order was added as a covariate to account for different effects along the stream network. NHD SPC agreed with 80.5% of NNO. “Dry” NNO were five times more likely to disagree with NHD than “wet” NNO (p < 0.0001). Disagreement was greatest on first‐order streams. When NHD SPC were collected during a wetter period than NNO the probability of disagreement increased by a factor of 1.17 (p < 0.0001) per unit difference in PDSI. The influence of climate on disagreements between NNO and NHD SPC provides support for the continued development of dynamic models representing SPC as opposed to static NHD classifications.