Digital Commons Network^™

Rational Catalyst Design For N2 Reduction Under Ambient Conditions: Strategies Towards Enhanced Conversion Efficiency, Lei Shi, Yu Yin, Shaobin Wang, Hongqi Sun

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Ammonia (NH₃), one of the basic chemicals in most fertilizers and a promising carbon-free energy storage carrier, is typically synthesized via the Haber–Bosch process with high energy consumption and massive emission of greenhouse gases. The photo/electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under ambient conditions has attracted increasing interests recently, providing alternative routes to realize green NH₃ synthesis. Despite rapid advances achieved in this most attractive research field, the unsatisfactory conversion efficiency including a low NH₃ yield rate, and limited Faradaic efficiency or apparent quantum efficiency still remains as a great challenge. The NRR performance is intrinsically related …

Objective Quantification Of Burn Scar Stiffness Using Shear-Wave Elastography: Initial Evidence Of Validity, Helen Dejong, Steven Abbott, Marilyn Zelesco, Katrina Spilsbury, Melanie Ziman, Brendan F. Kennedy, Lisa Martin, Fiona M. Wood

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is an ultrasound based technology that can provide reliable measurements (velocity) of scar stiffness. The aim of this research was to evaluate the concurrent validity of using both the measured velocity and the calculated difference in velocity between scars and matched controls, in addition to evaluating potential patient factors that may influence the interpretation of the measurements.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 32 participants, with 48 burn scars and 48 matched contralateral control sites were evaluated with SWE, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) tactile sub-scores.

Results

Spearman’s rho …

Does R&D Expenditure Volatility Affect Stock Return?, Erwei Xiang, Dominic Gasbarro, Grant Cullen, Wenjuan Ruan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The relation between the volatility of R&D expenditure and stock return may be influenced by disruptive adjustment costs, emerge from earnings management, or reflect the actions of managers attempting to control the overinvestment of technocrats. Using 5,178 publicly listed US firms from 1980 to 2018, we find a negative relation between R&D volatility and return, which is moderated by firm size. We conclude that investors react negatively to the disruptive effect of changes to R&D expenditure, except for small firms. In small firms, the benefit of the governance mechanism of varying R&D expenditure to control overinvestment outweighs the cost of …

Amylin And Beta Amyloid Proteins Interact To Form Amorphous Heterocomplexes With Enhanced Toxicity In Neuronal Cells, Prashant Bharadwaj, Tanya Solomon, Bikash Sahoo, Katarzyna Ignasiak, Scott Gaskin, Joanne Rowles, Guiseppe Verdile, Mark Howard, Charles S. Bond, Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, Ralph Martins, Philip Newsholme

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Human pancreatic islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) and beta amyloid (Aβ) can accumulate in Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains and evidence suggests that interaction between the two amyloidogenic proteins can lead to the formation of heterocomplex aggregates. However, the structure and consequences of the formation of these complexes remains to be determined. The main objective of this study was to characterise the different types and morphology of Aβ-hIAPP heterocomplexes and determine if formation of such complexes exacerbate neurotoxicity. We demonstrate that hIAPP promotes Aβ oligomerization and formation of small oligomer and large aggregate heterocomplexes. Co-oligomerized Aβ42-hIAPP mixtures …

Serum Hepcidin Levels In Cognitively Normal Older Adults With High Neocortical Amyloid-Beta Load, Pratishtha Chatterjee, Maryam Mohammadi, Kathryn Goozee, Tejal Shah, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Cintia B. Dias, Kaikai Shen, Prita R. Asih, Preeti Dave, Steve Pedrini, Nicholas J. Ashton, Abdul Hye, Kevin Taddei, David B. Lovejoy, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background/Objective:

Hepcidin, an iron-regulating hormone, suppresses the release of iron by binding to the iron exporter protein, ferroportin, resulting in intracellular iron accumulation. Given that iron dyshomeostasis has been observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) together with elevated serum hepcidin levels, the current study examined whether elevated serum hepcidin levels are an early event in AD pathogenesis by measuring the hormone in cognitively normal older adults at risk of AD, based on high neocortical amyloid-β load (NAL).

Methods:

Serum hepcidin levels in cognitively normal participants (n = 100) aged between 65–90 years were measured using ELISA. To evaluate NAL, all …

Relationships Between Plasma Lipids Species, Gender, Risk Factors And Alzheimer’S Disease, Wei Ling Florence Lim, Kevin Huynh, Pratishtha Chatterjee, Ian Martins, Kaushala S. Jayawardana, Corey Giles, Natalie A. Mellett, Simon M. Laws, Ashley I. Bush, Christopher C. Rowe, Victor L. Villemagne, David Ames, Brian G. Drew, Colin L. Masters, Peter J. Meikle, Ralph Martins, Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Research Group

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Lipid metabolism is altered in Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, the relationship between AD risk factors (age, APOE ɛ4, and gender) and lipid metabolism is not well defined.

Objective:

We investigated whether altered lipid metabolism associated with increased age, gender, and APOE status may contribute to the development of AD by examining these risk factors in healthy controls and also clinically diagnosed AD individuals.

Methods:

We performed plasma lipidomic profiling (582 lipid species) of the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle flagship study of aging cohort (AIBL) using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Linear regression and interaction analysis were used to explore …

Role Of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (Vegf) As A Potential Biomarker Of Response To Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy In Advanced Melanoma: Results Of A Pilot Study, Muhammad A. Khattak, Afaf Abed, Anna L. Reid, Ashleigh C. Mcevoy, Michael Millward, Melanie Ziman, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

The development of biomarkers predictive of response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies in advanced melanoma is an area of great interest in oncology. Our study evaluated the potential role of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a predictive biomarker of clinical benefit and response to treatment with ICIs.

Methods:

Pre-treatment peripheral blood samples were obtained from advanced melanoma patients undergoing ICI therapy as monotherapy or in combination at two tertiary care hospitals in Western Australia. Serum VEGF levels were correlated with response to therapy and survival outcomes.

Results:

Serum VEGF samples were collected from a total of …

Cross-Docking: A Systematic Literature Review, Reza Kiani Mavi, Mark Goh, Neda Kiani Mavi, Ferry Jie, Kerry Brown, Sharon Biermann, Ahmad A. Khanfar

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper identifies the major research concepts, techniques, and models covered in the cross-docking literature. A systematic literature review is conducted using the BibExcel bibliometric analysis and Gephi network analysis tools. A research focus parallelship network (RFPN) analysis and keyword co-occurrence network (KCON) analysis are used to identify the primary research themes. The RFPN results suggest that vehicle routing, inventory control, scheduling, warehousing, and distribution are most studied. Of the optimization and simulation techniques applied in cross-docking, linear and integer programming has received much attention. The paper informs researchers interested in investigating cross-docking through an integrated perspective of the research …

A Multipurpose Desalination, Cooling, And Air-Conditioning System Powered By Waste Heat Recovery From Submarine Diesel Exhaust Fumes And Cooling Water, Abdellah Shafieian, Mehdi Khiadani

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The role of cooling and air-conditioning systems in submarines is assessed as indispensable, and a reliable water supply is essential for both crew and equipment. At the same time, the large amounts of high-temperature exhaust fumes discharged from submarine engines provide an excellent opportunity to recover and apply this waste energy in required applications. This paper introduces a novel multipurpose desalination, cooling, and air-conditioning system to recover waste heat from both the exhaust fumes and the cooling water of submarine engines. The whole system is mathematically modelled and analysed based on the actual thermo-physical parameters of the engine's exhaust fumes. …

Seagrass Losses Since Mid‐20th Century Fuelled Co2 Emissions From Soil Carbon Stocks, Cristian Salinas, Carlos M. Duarte, Paul Lavery, Pere Masque´, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Javier X. Leon, David Callaghan, Gary A. Kendrick, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Seagrass meadows store globally significant organic carbon (C_org) stocks which, if disturbed, can lead to CO₂ emissions, contributing to climate change. Eutrophication and thermal stress continue to be a major cause of seagrass decline worldwide, but the associated CO₂ emissions remain poorly understood. This study presents comprehensive estimates of seagrass soil C_org erosion following eutrophication‐driven seagrass loss in Cockburn Sound (23 km² between 1960s and 1990s) and identifies the main drivers. We estimate that shallow seagrass meadows ( < 5 m depth) had significantly higher C_org stocks in 50 cm thick soils (4.5 ± 0.7 kg C_org/m²) …

Robust Placement And Sizing Of Charging Stations From A Novel Graph Theoretic Perspective, Hossein Parastvand, Octavian Bass, Mohammad A. S. Masoum, Airlie Chapman, Stefan Lachowicz

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper proposes analytical approaches to extend the capacity of existing networks of electric vehicles (EVs) by placement of additional charging stations (CSs) as well as determining the sizes of existing and new CSs in order to handle future expansions of EVs. The EV flow at CSs is modeled by a graph where nodes are potential locations for CSs and edges are uncertain parameters representing the variable EV flow at CSs. The required extra CS locations are explored by transforming the CS placement problem into a controllability framework addressed by maximum matching principle (MMP). To find the sizes of each …

Explaining Lecture Attendance Behavior Via Structural Equation Modeling: Self-Determination Theory And The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Ross C. Hollett, Gilles E. Gignac, Shinae Milligan, Paul Chang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Some research suggests that university lecture attendance positively correlates with academic performance. Although there are several motivational pathways which may explain attendance, few studies have examined the psychosocial factors leading to student attendance intentions and behavior. Consequently, we evaluated via structural equation modeling (SEM) two prominent motivational theories to help explain lecture attendance: Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Undergraduates (N = 288) from two universities completed pre-semester motivation measurements and post-semester estimates of attendance. Student grades were also examined. SDT was not found to be an accurate model of attendance intentions or behavior. By …

Summary Of Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Summary of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a plain language publication that provides summarised and updated information from the Review of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(2019). It provides key information about methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a style that is easy to engage with. It is particularly useful for health workers and those studying in the field as a quick source of general information about:

• the physical and mental impacts of methamphetamine
• historical and social factors of use
• how common methamphetamine use is …

The Effects Of Vitamin K-Rich Green Leafy Vegetables On Bone Metabolism: A 4-Week Randomised Controlled Trial In Middle-Aged And Older Individuals, Marc Sim, Joshua R. Lewis, Richard L. Prince, Itamar Levinger, Tara C. Brennan-Speranza, Claire Palmer, Catherine P. Bondonno, Nicola P. Bondonno, Amanda Devine, Natalie C. Ward, Elizabeth Byrnes, Carl J. Schultz, Richard Woodman, Kevin Croft, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: High vegetable intake is associated with beneficial effects on bone. However, the mechanisms remain uncertain. Green leafy vegetables are a rich source of vitamin K1, which is known to have large effects on osteoblasts and osteocalcin (OC) metabolism. Objective: To examine the effects of consumption of two to three extra serves of green leafy vegetables daily on bone metabolism. Methods: Thirty individuals (mean age 61.8 ± 9.9 years, 67% male) completed three experimental phases in a randomised controlled crossover design, each lasting four weeks, with a washout period of four weeks between phases (clinical trial registration: ACTRN12615000194561). The three …

A New Development In Front Group Strategy: The Social Aspects Public Relations Organization (Sapro), Rachel Pietracatella, Danielle Brady

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Increased pressure on risk industries to reduce their negative impact on society has resulted in an increasing volume of “risk” and “responsibility” communications from interest groups known as Social Aspects Public Relations Organizations (SAPROs). SAPROs have been criticized for being the “front groups” of risk industries (e.g., the tobacco, gambling, sugar, and alcohol industries). Operating within the neoliberal policy framework, SAPROs seek to forestall regulation and prioritize industry profits over public health. Building on risk industry research from the public health sphere, this article examines the SAPRO phenomenon and situates it in the political public relations (PR) literature. Specifically, it …

The Mortality After Release From Incarceration Consortium (Maric): Protocol For A Multi-National, Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis, Rohan Borschmann, Holly Tibble, Matthew J. Spittal, David Preen, Jane Pirkis, Sarah Larney, David L. Rosen, Jesse T. Young, Alexander D. Love, Frederick L. Altice, Ingrid A. Binswanger, Anne Bukten, Tony Butler, Zheng Chang, Chuan-Yu Chen, Thomas Clausen, Peer Brehm Christensen, Gabriel J. Culbert, Louisa Degenhardt, Anja J. E. Dirkzwager, Kate Dolan, Seena Fazel, Colin Fischbacher, Margaret Giles, Lesley Graham, David Harding, Yen-Fang Huang, Florence Huber, Azar Karaminia

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction More than 30 million adults are released from incarceration globally each year. Many experience complex physical and mental health problems, and are at markedly increased risk of preventable mortality. Despite this, evidence regarding the global epidemiology of mortality following release from incarceration is insufficient to inform the development of targeted, evidence-based responses. Many previous studies have suffered from inadequate power and poor precision, and even large studies have limited capacity to disaggregate data by specific causes of death, sub-populations or time since release to answer questions of clinical and public health relevance. Objectives To comprehensively document the incidence, timing, …

Cross-Sectional Survey Of Sleep Practices Of Australian University Students, Rachel Batten, Katrina Liddiard, Annette J. Raynor, Cary A. Brown, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background and Aim: Sleep insufficiency is often associated with the life of a university student, yet it is well known that inadequate sleep can have a negative impact on physical and mental health and be detrimental to cognitive skills for learning. The aim of this study was to replicate a Canadian study to survey university student sleep practices, the way in which students address any sleep issues, and the students’ preferred method to receive targeted sleep information. Methods: An anonymous on-line survey was promoted to all enrolled students at one Australian University in August 2017. Results: In total, 601 students …

Corporate Governance And Sustainability Reporting In The Australian Resources Industry: An Empirical Analysis, Tricia Ong, Hadrian Geri Djajadikerta

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of corporate governance on sustainability reporting by investigating companies operating in the Australian resources industry.

Design/methodology/approach: This study investigates the relationships between the total sustainability disclosures and, separately, the three aspects of sustainability disclosures – economic, environmental and social – and corporate governance mechanisms proxy by various attributes of board composition. The sustainability disclosures were scored using Ong et al.’s (2016) index.

Findings: Significant positive correlations were found between the extent of sustainability disclosures and the proportion of independent directors, multiple directorships and female directors on the board.

Originality/value: Unlike traditional content …

A Novel Approach To Measure Executive Functions In Students: An Evaluation Of Two Child-Friendly Apps, Valeska Berg, Shane Rogers, Mark Mcmahon, Michael Garrett, Dominic Manley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Interest in measurement of children’s executive functions has shown a major increase over the past two decades. The present study evaluates two new apps (EYT and eFun) for measuring executive functions in children. The results of this study show that children (aged 5–8) enjoy executive function assessment in the form of games on an iPad. However, only one executive function, EYT working memory, showed significant positive correlations with several types of grades (e.g., English and maths) in primary school students. New, self-assessed, child-friendly executive function measurement tools have the potential to provide future possibilities for teachers to integrate information on …

The Importance Of Catchments To Mine-Pit Lakes: Implications For Closure, Mark Lund, Eddie Van Etten, Jonas Polifka, Marylin Quintero Vasquez, Ravish Ramessur, Dechen Yangzom, Melanie L. Blanchette

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Despite the large body of riparian literature for rivers and lakes, there are few studies on the catchments of mine pit lakes. Therefore, the broad objective of this research was to determine if catchment characteristics were related to pit lake nutrient concentrations. We hypothesised that: (1) catchment characteristics would vary among pit lakes, (2) pit lake catchments would differ from co-occurring naturally-forested catchments, and (3) connecting a pit lake (Kepwari) to a naturally-forested catchment via a river flow-through would increase C accumulation in the lake. The research was conducted in pit lakes of the Collie lake district in Western Australia …

Intelligent Building Systems: Security And Facility Professionals’ Understanding Of System Threats,Vulnerabilities And Mitigation Practice, David J. Brooks, Michael Coole, Paul Haskell-Dowland

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Intelligent Buildings or Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) are becoming common in buildings, driven by the commercial need for functionality, sharing of information, reduced costs and sustainable buildings. The facility manager often has BACS responsibility; however, their focus is generally not on BACS security. Nevertheless, if a BACS-manifested threat is realised, the impact to a building can be significant, through denial, loss or manipulation of the building and its services, resulting in loss of information or occupancy. Therefore, this study garnered a descriptive understanding of security and facility professionals’ knowledge of BACS, including vulnerabilities and mitigation practices. Results indicate …

Cost-Effectiveness Of An Environmental Cleaning Bundle For Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections, Nicole M. White, Adrian G. Barnett, Lisa Hall, Brett G. Mitchell, Alison Farrington, Kate Halton, David L. Paterson, Thomas V. Riley, Anne Gardner, Katie Page, Christian A. Gericke, Nicolas Graves

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a significant patient safety issue, with point prevalence estimates being ~5% in high-income countries. In 2016–2017, the Researching Effective Approaches to Cleaning in Hospitals (REACH) study implemented an environmental cleaning bundle targeting communication, staff training, improved cleaning technique, product use, and audit of frequent touch-point cleaning. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the environmental cleaning bundle for reducing the incidence of HAIs. Methods: A stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial was conducted in 11 hospitals recruited from 6 Australian states and territories. Bundle effectiveness was measured by the numbers of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, Clostridium difficile infection, and vancomycin-resistant …

Macroinvertebrates And Microbes (Archaea, Bacteria) Offer Complementary Insights Into Mine-Pit Lake Ecology, Melanie L. Blanchette, Richard Allcock, Jahir Gonzalez, Nina Kresoje, Mark Lund

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The broad objective of this research was to determine the environmental drivers of macroinvertebrate and microbial assemblages in acidic pit lakes. This is important because pit lake ecosystem development is influenced by prevailing environmental characteristics. Three lakes (Stockton, Kepwari, WO5H) within a larger pit-lake district in Collie, Western Australia were surveyed for spatial variability of benthic macroinvertebrate and microbe (Archaea, Bacteria) assemblage composition as well as potential environmental drivers (riparian condition, aquatic habitat, sediments, and aquatic chemistry) of assemblages. With the exception of sediment chemistry, biophysical variables were significantly different across lakes and reflected riparian condition and groundwater chemistry. Microbial …

Can We Predict Expected Adenoma Weight Preoperatively With Reference To The Correlation Of Preoperative Biochemical Tests With Parathyroid Adenoma Weight?, David Chee Weng Leong, Johnny Lo, Hieu Nguyen, Simon Ryan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism is a prevalent disease with proven benefits for appropriately selected patients who undergo parathyroidectomy. The ability to accurately predict expected single adenoma gland weight as the cause based on preoperative biochemical tests could improve cure rates in a minimally invasive approach. Objective: To assess the correlation between parathyroid weight and preoperative parathyroid hormone and calcium levels in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism with a solitary adenoma and determine if these could be used to predict expected parathyroid weight. Methods: Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent curative parathyroidectomy from 2013 to 2018 was retrospectively analysed. Results: There is a …

Dietary Inflammatory Index And The Aging Kidney In Older Women: A 10‑Year Prospective Cohort Study, Nicola P. Bondonno, Lauren Blekkenhorst, Anna L. Bird, Joshua R. Lewis, Johnathan M. Hodgson, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hebert, Richard J. Woodman, Germaine Wong, Deborah A. Kerr, Wai H. Lim, Richard L. Prince

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: Chronic inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of age-related renal disease and the diet can moderate systemic inflammation. The primary objective of this study was to examine the associations between a dietary inflammatory index ( DII®) score and renal function, the trajectory of renal function decline, and renal disease-related hospitalizations and/or mortality over 10 years.

Methods: The study was conducted in 1422 Western Australian women without prevalent chronic kidney disease and aged ≥ 70 years. Baseline dietary data, obtained from a validated food frequency questionnaire, were used to calculate a DII score for each individual.

Results: In this …

Blood Sampling Through Peripheral Intravenous Cannulas: A Look At Current Practice In Australia, Hugh Davies, Linda L. Coventry, Alycia Jacob, Laurita Stoneman, Elisabeth Jacob

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Sampling blood from a peripheral intravenous cannula offers an alternative to venepuncture. This practice can reduce frequency of venepuncture and patient discomfort. Opponents argue the practice increases the chance of haemolysis, risk of infection and device failure. Aim: To describe the prevalence and practice of blood sampling from peripheral intravenous cannulas by Australian nurses. Methods: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and data were collected using an electronic survey. The survey examined Australian nurses’ practice of sampling blood from peripheral intravenous cannulas. Quantitative descriptive data was analysed and presented as frequencies, percentages, medians and ranges. Findings: A total …

Whole Genome Landscapes Of Uveal Melanoma Show An Ultraviolet Radiation Signature In Iris Tumours, Peter A. Johansson, Kelly Brooks, Felicity Newell, Jane M. Palmer, James S. Wilmott, Antonia L. Pritchard, Natasa Broit, Scott Wood, Matteo S. Carlino, Conrad Leonard, Labros T. Koufariotis, Vaishnavi Nathan, Aaron B. Beasley, Madeleine Howlie, Rebecca Dawson, Helen Rizos, Chris W. Schmidt, Georgina V. Long, Hayley Hamilton, Jens F. Kiilgaard, Timothy Isaacs, Elin S. Gray, Olivia J. Rolfe, John J. Park, Andrew Stark, Graham J. Mann, Richard A. Scolyer, John V. Pearson, Nicolas Van Baren, Nicola Waddell, Karin W. Wadt, Lindsay A. Mcgrath, Sunil K. Warrier, William Glasson, Nicholas K. Hayward

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular tumour in adults and despite surgical or radiation treatment of primary tumours, ~50% of patients progress to metastatic disease. Therapeutic options for metastatic UM are limited, with clinical trials having little impact. Here we perform whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 103 UM from all sites of the uveal tract (choroid, ciliary body, iris). While most UM have low tumour mutation burden (TMB), two subsets with high TMB are seen; one driven by germline MBD4 mutation, and another by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, which is restricted to iris UM. All but one tumour have …

Causal Association Of Circulating Cholesterol Levels With Dementia: A Mendelian Randomization Meta-Analysis, Xiaoyu Zhang, Qiuyue Tian, Di Liu, Tao Geng, Xizhu Xu, Siqi Ge, Deqiang Zheng, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang, Youxin Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Prospective studies have shown that abnormally circulating cholesterol is associated with the risk of dementia. However, whether the association is causal or not remains unclear. We attempt to infer the causal association in a MR meta-analysis by using ApoE gene polymorphisms as instrument variables. Studies with dementia risk (27 studies) or circulating lipid levels (7 studies) were included, with totally 3136 dementia patients and 3103 healthy controls. The analyses showed that carriers of ε2 allele significantly were of decreased risk of AD (OR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.58–0.84; P < 0.01), whereas carriers of ε4 allele were of increased risk of AD (OR = 3.62; 95% CI: 3.03–4.32; P < 0.05), compared to these of ε3 allele. Circulating TC was significantly reduced in carriers of ε2 allele (WMD = − 0.29 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.54 to −0.03; P < 0.05) and increased in carriers of ε4 allele (WMD = 0.42 mmol/l; 95% CI: 0.001–0.84; P < 0.05). In addition, carriers of ε4 allele had reduction in circulating HDL-C (WMD = − 0.04 mmol/L; 95% CI: − 0.07 to −0.001; P < 0.05). In comparing allele ε2 with ε3, the predicted OR of having AD for 1 mg/dL increment in circulating TC was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.86–0.98; P < 0.05). Comparing allele ε4 with ε3, the predicted OR for a 1 mg/dL increment in TC was 1.08 (95% CI: 1.05–17.58; P < 0.05), and reduction in HDL-C was 2.30 (95% CI: 1.51–43.99; P < 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that high circulating TC and reduced HDL-C levels might be potential risk factors of the development of AD.

The Effect Of Switching Cost And Product Return Management On Repurchase Intent: A Case Study In The B2b Distribution Channel Context In Indonesia, Stanley Utomo Lesmono, Thomas Santoso, Serli Wijaya, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Business-to-Business (B2B) market normally deals with fewer customers; thus it creates a close relationship between customers and sellers. This relationship must be managed in a way so that it can encourage customer willingness to purchase again. As such, switching cost risk will become less as the customers keep buying from the same channel. At the same time, good return management system also plays an important role for stimulating re-purchase intent in addition to other factors such as customer satisfaction and customer value. This study aimed to analyse the effect of switching cost and product return management on re-purchase intent with …

Pedogenic Processes In A Posidonia Oceanica Mat, Nerea Pineiro-Juncal, Carmen Leiva-Duenas, Oscar Serrano, Miguel Angel Mateo, Antonio Martinez-Cortizas

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Scientists studying seagrasses typically refer to their substratum as sediment, but recently researchers have begun to refer to it as a soil. However, the logistics of sampling underwater substrata and the fragility of these ecosystems challenge their study using pedological methods. Previous studies have reported geochemical processes within the rhizosphere that are compatible with pedogenesis. Seagrass substratum accumulated over the Recent Holocene and can reach several meters in thickness, but studies about deeper layers are scarce. This study is a first attempt to find sound evidence of vertical structuring in Posidonia oceanica deposits to serve as a basis for more …