bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Eutrophication reduces seagrass contribution to coastal food webs
Authors: Cui Lijun , Jiang Zhijian , Huang Xiaoping , Chen Qiming , Wu Yunchao , Liu Songlin , Li Jinlong , Macreadie Peter I. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractFood sources and food web structure in seagrass meadows are important determinants of ecosystem functions and services. However, there is little information on the effect of eutrophication on food source contributions and food web structure in seagrass meadows. Here we used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) to investigate how do different levels of nutrient enrichment affect the diets of consumers and food web structure within tropical seagrass meadows. We found that the diet contributions of macroalgae (mean 24% ± 12% for fish, 21% ± 5% for invertebrates), particulate organic matter (mean 19% ± 12% for fish, 18% ± 8% for invertebrates), and sediment organic matter (mean 24% ± 13% for fish, 21% ± 8% for invertebrates) to fish and invertebrates were all higher in seagrass meadows with higher nutrient concentrations, while seagrass and epiphytes contributed more to consumers in seagrass meadows with lower nutrient concentrations. Meanwhile, higher nutrient concentrations decreased the trophic position (mean 2.6 ± 0.5 in high‐nutrient level, 3.4 ± 0.6 in low‐nutrients level) of consumers and food chain length (2.5 in high‐nutrient level, 2.9 in low‐nutrients level). Higher nutrient concentrations reduced the contribution of seagrass carbon to consumers through the grazing food chain, but enhanced the flow of macroalgal carbon to consumers through the grazing food chain. Overall, eutrophication modified the food web structure of seagrass meadows. We recommend that measures be taken to decrease nutrient input into seagrass ecosystems to maintain its important functions and services.
Effect of chronic administration with human thioredoxin‐1 transplastomic lettuce on diabetic mice
Authors: Watanabe Rie , Ashida Hiroki , Kobayashi‐Miura Mikiko , Yokota Akiho , Yodoi Junji 
Published: June 2021

AbstractScopeHuman thioredoxin‐1 (hTrx‐1) is a defensive protein induced by various stresses and exerts antioxidative and anti‐inflammatory effects. Previously, we described a transplastomic lettuce overexpressing hTrx‐1 that exerts a protective effect against oxidative damage in a pancreatic β‐cell line. In this study, we treated diabetic mice (Akita mice) with exogenous hTrx‐1 and evaluated the effects.Methods and resultsTreatment with drinking water and single applications of exogenous hTrx‐1 did not influence the feeding, drinking behavior, body weight, blood glucose, or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in Akita mice. However, chronic administration of a 10% hTrx‐1 lettuce‐containing diet was associated with a significant reduction from the baseline of HbA1c levels compared with mice fed a wild‐type lettuce‐containing diet. It also resulted in an increased number of goblet cells in the small intestine, indicating that mucus was synthesized and secreted.ConclusionOur results revealed that the administration of an hTrx‐1 lettuce‐containing diet improves the baseline level of HbA1c in Akita mice. This effect is mediated through goblet cell proliferation and possibly related to protection against postprandial hyperglycemia by mucus, which results in the improvement of blood glucose control. These findings suggest that the hTrx‐1 lettuce may be a useful tool for the continuous antioxidative and antidiabetic efficacies of the hTrx‐1 protein.
Chemical and molecular examinations of some cowpea genotypes using simple sequence repeat and intersimple sequence repeat DNA markers in relation to their cooking quality
Authors: Soaud Salma A. , Abdel‐Sayyed Salama M. , Mahgoub Elsayed M. I. , Korma Sameh A. , Cacciotti Ilaria , Ali Abdelmoneim H. , Siddeeg Azhari , Wafa Hany A. M. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractCowpea is a leguminous crop that has received widespread attention due to its high nutritional value. However, it is prone to losing some of its nutritional content due to the long cooking process. In this study, fourteen cowpea genotypes were evaluated for their chemical properties before and after cooking, along with the effect of different cooking treatments on the cooking time, considered as the main indicator of the cooking quality. Moreover, the correlation between molecular markers (simple sequence repeat (SSR) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR)) and the cooking time of cowpea genotypes was determined. The obtained results showed significant differences between all the investigated genotypes before and after the cooking procedure, reflecting significant genotypic and heritability estimates. Kareem 7 and Greenish Black Balady genotypes showed the shortest cooking time. Microwave's treatment manifested the shortest cooking time compared with the other treatments, which appeared as a new approach to improve the cooking quality of cowpea seeds. Spearman's rank correlation showed that the calculated values were smaller than the tabulated value at 0.05, reflecting the existence of a rank correlation between SSR/ISSR‐PCR banding products and the cooking time of cowpea genotypes. Such a study appeared to be a new approach, particularly in Egypt for the proper selection of the optimal cowpea seed on the basis of its cooking quality.
The effects of nano‐zinc oxide morphology on functional and antibacterial properties of tapioca starch bionanocomposite
Authors: Tamimi Naser , Mohammadi Nafchi Abdorreza , Hashemi‐Moghaddam Hamid , Baghaie Homa 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nano‐zinc oxide (ZnO‐N) morphology on the functional and antimicrobial properties of tapioca starch films. For this reason, nanosphere (ZnO‐ns), nanorod (ZnO‐nr), and nanoparticle of ZnO (ZnO‐np) at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% were added to the starch film. Then, physicochemical, mechanical, and barrier properties were evaluated. Also, UV–visible and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra and antibacterial activity of prepared nanocomposite films against Escherichia coli were examined. The results revealed that the ZnO‐ns had the most effects on mechanical, physicochemical, and barrier properties. The highest values of the tensile strength (14.15 MPa) and Young's modulus (32.74 MPa) and the lowest values of elongation at break (10.40%) were obtained in the films containing 2% of ZnO nanosphere. In terms of UV transmission, ZnO‐nr showed the most significant impact morphology. FTIR spectra indicated that interactions for all morphologies were physical interaction, and there are no chemical reactions between starch structure and nanoparticles. The antibacterial effect of the ZnO‐ns was higher than that of other morphologies. In summary, ZnO‐ns was the best morphology for using ZnO‐N in starch‐based nanocomposite films.
The impact of a convertible bond on the leverage of a firm
Authors: Borumand Majid , Shamsa Kaveh 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe important issue of the impact of convertible bonds on the capital structure of firms has not attracted much attention. The authors use a binomial tree approach to price a convertible bond with convertibility throughout its life to calculate its debt and equity contribution to the capital structure. The authors will show that treatment of the convertible bonds by simply assigning its straight bond value portion to the debt, and the equity option portion to the owner's equity is not consistent with the foundations of finance theory and drastically overstates the debt component of these bonds and their contribution to the firm's leverage.
Combined detection of procalcitonin, heparin‐binding protein, and interleukin‐6 is a promising assay to diagnose and predict acute pancreatitis
Authors: Zhong Yuhong , Yu Zhongqi , Wang Lin , Yang Xufeng 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundAcute pancreatitis (AP), one of the most common clinical emergencies, is characterized by variable clinical features and inadequate diagnostic methods. At present, the commonly used indicators do not have high specificity and do not necessarily reflect disease severity. We therefore aimed to investigate diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma procalcitonin, heparin‐binding protein, and interleukin‐6 for acute pancreatitis by separate detection and joint detection.MethodsThe study involved 451 participants, including 343 AP patients and 108 healthy controls. We analyzed the association of the three biomarkers with the severity and prognosis of AP.ResultsA statistically significant increase in the mean plasma analyte levels was detected in the study group compared to the control group. Multivariate comparison showed that plasma levels of PCT, HBP, and IL‐6 were all significantly different among the three groups at different sampling times (1st, 3rd, 7th, and 10th day of admission) (p < 0.01). The combination of the three indicators had significantly higher diagnostic value than either the individual markers or pairwise combinations (p < 0.001). The levels of the three were all significantly higher in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients than in non‐SAP patients (p < 0.001); meanwhile, patients with high levels had a worse prognosis than those with low levels (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis adjusted for age and sex, high levels of PCT, HBP, and IL‐6 were found to be independently associated with the development of AP.ConclusionsIt dramatically improved the diagnostic power of AP when PCT, HBP, and IL‐6 were combined; high PCT, HBP, and IL‐6 levels within 3 days of admission may be the potentially useful indicators for predicting SAP.
Attitudes, barriers and facilitators of hospital pharmacists conducting practice‐based research: a systematic review
Authors: Reali Savannah , Lee Teresa , Bishop Jaclyn , Mirkov Sanja , Johnson Jacinta , McCourt Elizabeth , Hughes Jeffery , Pont Lisa , Page Amy Theresa , Penm Jonathan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIntroductionPractice‐based research is essential in enhancing medication knowledge, quality use of medicines, the scope of the pharmacy profession and improving patient outcomes. This systematic review aims to uncover the attitudes of hospital pharmacists towards practice‐based research and their perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to undertaking practice‐based research.MethodsA systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases from 1 January 2000 to 11 March 2021 was conducted. Peer‐reviewed empirical studies exploring hospital pharmacists’ perceptions of – as well as barriers and facilitators to – practice‐based research were included and a descriptive synthesis used to identify common themes.ResultsNine studies were included in this review. Barriers and facilitators across four broad themes were related to pharmacist capacity and capability, workplace environment, research resources, and research culture. Hospital pharmacists had a high interest in conducting research, but limited research experience. Common barriers identified were lack of time, workplace support, funding, research culture, and competing priorities. Having a post‐graduate qualification and a positive attitude towards research facilitated research participation. Departmental support, designated research time and creation of research networks and forums were seen as facilitators for practice‐based research.ConclusionHospital pharmacists recognise the importance of practice‐based research in improving knowledge, patient care and advancing pharmacy practice. However, large variation has been reported for their confidence and experience in practice‐based research. Building research capacity and capability by supporting post‐graduate research qualification, providing designated time and creating research networks may strengthen the research culture amongst hospital pharmacists.
Osteoporosis in older people
Authors: Inderjeeth Charles A. , Inderjeeth Keenan A. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractOsteoporosis prevalence is increasing with an ageing demographic. Osteoporosis and fracture risk increases with age due to falls, frailty and comorbidities. Although there is a paucity of data in older populations over 70 years of age, the available evidence suggests that they benefit from multifactorial intervention including management of comorbidities, polypharmacy, fall risk, vitamin D and calcium optimisation and pharmacological interventions. Although the reduction in risk from these strategies is similar to younger people, the absolute risk reduction is greater in older people due to higher absolute fracture risk. Older people, however, present unique challenges. Although the imperative to treat is greater, there are multiple competing factors: frailty, comorbidities, drug interactions, greater likelihood of medical interventions for periodontal and dental disease, gastrointestinal issues limiting oral therapies and cognitive issues affecting adherence. Pharmacists are well placed as a key member of the multidisciplinary team to optimise management of this cohort.
A novel surgical technique to correct caudal and high dorsal septal deviations: L‐shape cutting and suturing on the septal L‐strut (L‐septoplasty)
Authors: Lee Tae‐Hoon , Kim Tae‐Koon , Kim Soon‐Joon , Nam Jung Gwon 
Published: June 2021

AbstractObjectivesIn general, deviation of the L‐strut of the nasal septum is more challenging to correct than the middle and has less favorable results. This study aimed to develop a technique to correct the L‐strut while preserving nasal support effectively and introduce the L‐septoplasty technique and its effects.MethodsPatients with caudal and high dorsal septal deviations who underwent the L‐septoplasty technique were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative and three‐month postoperative comparative assessments included the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and minimal cross‐sectional area (MCA).ResultsThirty patients seen at a tertiary care center were included. NOSE scale scores improved from 47.2 to 13.6, which was statistically significant (P < .001). MCA increased from 0.43 cm2 to 0.74 cm2 (P < .001). During the 3‐month follow‐up period, deviation correction was well maintained in all patients, and no surgical complications, such as saddle nose deformity, occurred.ConclusionThe L‐septoplasty technique is effective in simultaneously correcting caudal and high dorsal septal deviations without any complications.Level of evidence4.
Novel centrality metrics for studying essentiality in protein‐protein interaction networks based on group structures
Authors: Rasti Saeid , Vogiatzis Chrysafis 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn this work, we introduce centrality metrics based on group structures, and we show their performance in estimating importance in protein‐protein interaction networks (PPINs). The centrality metrics introduced are extensions of well‐known nodal metrics. However, instead of focusing on a single node, we focus on that node and the set of nodes around it. Furthermore, we require the set of nodes to induce a specific pattern or structure. The structures investigated range from the “stricter“ induced stars and cliques, to a “looser” definition of a representative structure. We derive the computational complexity of all metrics and provide mixed integer programming formulations; due to the problem complexity and the size of PPINs, using commercial solvers is not always viable. Hence, we propose a combinatorial branch‐and‐bound solution approach. We conclude by showing the effectiveness of the proposed metrics in identifying essential proteins inHelicobacter pyloriand comparing them to nodal metrics.
An infrequent cause of neonatal upper airway obstruction: Congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis presenting to a remote facility
Authors: Lahiff Tahne Joseph , Sotutu Viliame , Sarachandran Smrdhi , Speed Lucas , Saddi Vishal 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTIntroductionCongenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis (CNPAS) is a rare congenital condition of structural nasal obstruction. Respiratory distress, stertor, and poor feeding are often presenting features.Case PresentationWe report a case of a newborn diagnosed with CNPAS at 3 weeks of life. The diagnosis was missed on a nasoendoscopy at day 3 of life but was realised following a facial CT when the infant presented with ongoing symptoms of upper airway obstruction. Nasal dilation was performed successfully.ConclusionCNPAS should be considered in any neonate with upper airway obstruction. A normal nasoendoscopy does not exclude the diagnosis.
Identification of the nonlinear systems based on the kernel functions
Authors: Li Jimei , Ding Feng , Yang Erfu 
Published: June 2021

AbstractConstructing an appropriate membership function is significant in fuzzy logic control. Based on the multi‐model control theory, this article constructs a novel kernel function which can implement the fuzzification and defuzzification processes and reflect the dynamic quality of the nonlinear systems accurately. Then we focus on the identification problems of the nonlinear systems based on the kernel functions. Applying the hierarchical identification principle, we present the hierarchical stochastic gradient algorithm for the nonlinear systems. Meanwhile, the one‐dimensional search methods are proposed to solve the problem of determining the optimal step sizes. In order to improve the parameter estimation accuracy, we propose the hierarchical multi‐innovation forgetting factor stochastic gradient algorithm by introducing the forgetting factor and using the multi‐innovation identification theory. The simulation example is provided to test the proposed algorithms from the aspects of parameter estimation accuracy and prediction performance.
Benchmarking and learning garbage collection delays for resource‐restricted graphical user interfaces
Authors: McCarthy Harry , Koay Abigail , Dawson Michael , Kent Kenneth B. , Patros Panos 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTablets, smartphones, and wearables have limited resources. Applications on these devices employ a graphical user interface (GUI) for interaction with users. Language runtimes for GUIs employ dynamic memory management using garbage collection (GC). However, GC policies and algorithms are designed for data centers and cloud computing, but they are not necessarily ideal for resource‐constrained embedded devices. In this article, we present GUI GC, a JavaFX GUI benchmark, which we use to compare the performance of the four GC policies of the Eclipse OpenJ9 Java runtime on a resource‐constrained environment. Overall, our experiments suggest that the default policy Gencon registered significantly lower execution times than its counterparts. The region‐based policy, Balanced, did not fully utilize blocking times; thus, using GUI GC, we conducted experiments with explicit GC invocations that measured significant improvements of up to 13.22% when multiple CPUs were available. Furthermore, we created a second version of GUI GC that expands on the number of controllable load‐stressing dimensions; we conducted a large number of randomly configured experiments to quantify the performance effect that each knob has. Finally, we analyzed our dataset to derive suitable knob configurations for desired runtime, GC, and hardware stress levels.
A new positivity‐preserving domain decomposition method for the 2‐D diffusion equation
Authors: Jia Dongxu 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a new domain decomposition method for the 2‐D diffusion equation. The scheme is positivity‐preserving with essential parallelism. First, we decompose the domain into many sub‐domains, and then some new schemes are used on the sub‐domains according to dimension. Moreover, only local communication is needed at each time level in the parallel programs. The method of discrete functional analysis is used to prove that the scheme is unconditionally stable with second‐order accuracy. At last, some numerical tests are given to verify the theoretical results.
Capitalism and democracy in the twenty-first century: does it still take two to tango?
Authors: Marenco Matteo 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis article reviews three books that offer thought-provoking insights on a central political science question, namely the relationship between capitalism and democracy in the twenty-first century. First, ‘Democracy and Prosperity’ by Iversen and Soskice posits a symbiotic relationship between capitalism and democracy. Advanced capital thrives on nationally rooted institutions, hence it needs democratic politics. A majority of voters ask for pro-advanced-capital reforms, hence democratic politics needs advanced capital. Second, ‘Capitalism, Alone’ by Milanovic depicts a troubled coexistence between capitalism and democracy. The former's tendency to concentrate economic and political power in the hands of the few is the main reason why democratic politics is under pressure. Third, ‘The Age of Surveillance Capitalism’ by Zuboff suggests a negative relationship between digital capitalism and democracy. Surveillance capitalism increasingly acts as a control means of individuals' behaviour, which undermines democracy at its roots. The last section brings the three contributions together. It maintains that a mutually beneficial coexistence between capitalism and democracy currently faces both internal (from within) and external (from without) challenges. In line with Milanovic and Zuboff, it argues that the concentration of economic and political power in the hands of the few is the most apparent from-within challenge. Drawing on Milanovic, it contends that rise of China as a global power combining capitalism with non-democracy challenges the relationship between capitalism and democracy from without. Finally, it contends that the environmental question and the pandemic represent two windows of opportunity for democracy to recover lost ground and re-establish a more balanced relationship with capitalism.
CEO Leadership, Strategic Decision Comprehensiveness, and Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of TMT Cognitive Conflict
Authors: Yi Yaqun , Chen Yu , He Xiaoming 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTManagers make comprehensive strategic decisions to cope with environmental challenges. Questions remain regarding how different types of leadership styles influence top management team (TMT) strategic decision comprehensiveness (SDC) and firm performance. This study explores the impact of two different CEO leadership styles on TMT SDC and subsequent firm performance, considering the moderating role of TMT cognitive conflict. Based on data from 357 questionnaires of 126 firms in China, we found that 1) CEO empowering leadership positively affects SDC; 2) CEO directive leadership generates an inverted U-shaped effect on SDC; 3) the effect of SDC on firm performance is positive; and 4) TMT cognitive conflict weakens the relationship between CEO empowering leadership and SDC. This study takes a systematic approach by integrating CEO-TMT dynamics into SDC, which in turn affects firm performance, and thus offers a holistic view of how upper echelons influence firm performance.