bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Assessment of Chest CT Patterns in COVID-19 and Bacterial Pneumonia patients: A Deep Learning Perspective
Authors: Kang Myeongkyun , Chikontwe Philip , Luna Miguel , Hong Kyung Soo , Jang Jong Geol , Park Jongsoo , Shin Kyeong-Cheol , Ahn June Hong , Park Sang Hyun
Published: November 2020

As the number of COVID-19 patients has increased worldwide, many efforts have been made to find common patterns in CT images of COVID-19 patients and to confirm the relevance of these patterns against other clinical information. The aim of this paper is to propose a new method that allowed us to find patterns which observed on CTs of patients, and further we use these patterns for disease and severity diagnosis. For the experiment, we performed a retrospective cohort study of 170 confirmed patients with COVID-19 and bacterial pneumonia acquired at Yeungnam University hospital in Daegu, Korea. We extracted lesions inside the lungs from the CT images and classified whether these lesions were from COVID-19 patients or bacterial pneumonia patients by applying a deep learning model. From our experiments, we found 20 patterns that have a major effect on the classification performance of the deep learning model. Crazy-paving was extracted as a major pattern of bacterial pneumonia, while Ground-glass opacities (GGOs) in the peripheral lungs as that of COVID-19. Diffuse GGOs in the central and peripheral lungs was considered to be a key factor for severity classification. The proposed method achieved an accuracy of 91.2% for classifying COVID-19 and bacterial pneumonia with 95% reported for severity classification. Chest CT analysis with constructed lesion clusters revealed well-known COVID-19 CT manifestations comparable to manual CT analysis. Moreover, the constructed patient level histogram with/without radiomics features showed feasibility and improved accuracy for both disease and severity classification with key clinical implications.
Racial and ethnic differentials in COVID-19-related job exposures by occupational standing in the US
Authors: Goldman Noreen , Pebley Anne R. , Lee Keunbok , Andrasfay Theresa , Pratt Boriana
Published: November 2020

Researchers and journalists have argued that work-related factors may be partly responsible for disproportionate COVID-19 infection and death rates among vulnerable groups. We evaluate these claims by examining racial and ethnic differences in the likelihood of work-related exposure to COVID-19. We extend previous studies by considering 12 racial and ethnic groups and five types of potential occupational exposure to the virus: exposure to infection, physical proximity to others, face-to-face discussions, interactions with external customers and the public, and working indoors. Most importantly, we stratify our results by occupational standing, defined as the proportion of workers within each occupation with at least some college education. This measure serves as a proxy for whether workplaces and workers employ significant COVID-19-related risk reduction strategies. We use the 2018 American Community Survey to identify recent workers by occupation, and link 409 occupations to information on work context from the Occupational Information Network to identify potential COVID-related risk factors. We then examine the racial/ethnic distribution of all frontline workers and frontline workers at highest potential risk of COVID-19, by occupational standing and by sex. The results indicate that, contrary to expectation, White frontline workers are often overrepresented in high-risk jobs while Black and Latino frontline workers are generally underrepresented in these jobs. However, disaggregation of the results by occupational standing shows that, in contrast to Whites and several Asian groups, Latino and Black frontline workers are overrepresented in lower status occupations overall and in lower status occupations associated with high risk, and are thus less likely to have adequate COVID-19 protections. Our findings suggest that greater work exposures likely contribute to a higher prevalence of COVID-19 among Latino and Black adults and underscore the need for measures to reduce potential exposure for workers in low status occupations and for the development of programs outside the workplace.
GJA1 Depletion Causes Ciliary Defects by Affecting Rab11 Trafficking to the Ciliary Base
Authors: Jang Dong Gil , Kwon Keun Yeong , Kweon Yeong Cheon , Kim Byung-gyu , Myung Kyungjae , Lee Hyun-Shik , Park Chan Young , Kwon Taejoon , Park Tae Joo
Published: November 2020

The gap junction complex functions as a transport channel across the membrane. Among gap junction subunits, gap junction protein α1 (GJA1) is the most commonly expressed subunit. A recent study showed that GJA1 is necessary for the maintenance of motile cilia; however, the molecular mechanism and function of GJA1 in ciliogenesis remain unknown. Here, we examined the functions of GJA1 during ciliogenesis in human retinal pigment epithelium-1 andXenopus laevisembryonic multiciliated-cells. GJA1 localizes to the motile ciliary axonemes or pericentriolar regions beneath the primary cilium. GJA1 depletion caused malformation of both the primary cilium and motile cilia. Further study revealed that GJA1 depletion affected several ciliary proteins such as BBS4, CP110, and Rab11 in the pericentriolar region and basal body. Interestingly, CP110 removal from the mother centriole was significantly reduced by GJA1 depletion. Importantly, Rab11, a key regulator during ciliogenesis, was immunoprecipitated with GJA1, and GJA1 knockdown caused the mislocalization of Rab11. These findings suggest that GJA1 regulates ciliogenesis by interacting with the Rab11-Rab8 ciliary trafficking pathway.
Auditory responses evoked by optical stimulation on the optogenetic-infected cochlear neurons in the guinea pigs
Authors: Liu Chen , Fang Shu , Ding Da-xiong , Qin Han-dai , Yuan Shuo-long , Lv Ping , Ning Yu
Published: November 2020

Cochlear implants (CIs) are by far the optimal option to partially restore hearing for the patients of sensorineural hearing impairment (HI) by electrically stimulating spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). However, wide current spread from each electrode constitute an interface which restricts precision and quality of the electrical CIs. Recently, optogenetic stimulation of the cochlea has been proved as a more optimized approach via adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying the gene encoding the light-sensitive channelrhodopsin-2. Here, we focus on summarizing recent work on stable and accurate ChR2 expression and compare the electrophysiological recording of optogenetic and acoustic stimulation in adult guinea pigs. Light stimulation generated auditory responses that was similar to that of acoustic stimulation. Moreover, normal hearing adult guinea pigs responded with a rise in amplitudes with increasing light intensity. In conclusion, optogenetic cochlear stimulation achieved good spectral selectivity of artificial sound encoding in a new adult rodent model, suggesting that the capabilities of optogenetics might be applied to improve cochlear implants in the future.
True UV color vision in a butterfly with two UV opsins
Authors: Finkbeiner Susan D. , Briscoe Adriana D.
Published: November 2020

True color vision in animals is achieved when wavelength discrimination occurs based on chromatic content of the stimuli, regardless of intensity. In order to successfully discriminate between multiple wavelengths, animals must use at least two photoreceptor types with different spectral sensitivity peaks.

Heliconiusbutterflies have duplicate UV opsin genes, which encode two kinds of photoreceptors with peak sensitivities in the ultraviolet and violet, respectively. InH. erato, the ultraviolet photoreceptor is only expressed in females.

Evidence from intracellular recordings suggests femaleH. eratomay be able to discriminate between UV wavelengths, however, this has yet to be tested experimentally.

Using an arena with a controlled light setting, we tested the ability ofH. erato, and two species lacking the violet receptor,H. melpomeneand outgroupEueides isabella, to discriminate between two ultraviolet wavelengths, 380 and 390 nm, as well as two blue wavelengths, 400 and 436 nm, after being trained to associate each stimulus with a food reward. Wavelength stimuli were presented in varying intensities to rule out brightness as a cue.

We found thatH. eratofemales were the only butterflies capable of color vision in the UV range; the other butterflies had an intensity-dependent preference for UV stimuli. Across species, both sexes showed color vision in the blue-range.

Models ofH. eratocolor vision suggest that females have an advantage over males in discriminating the inner UV-yellow corolla ofPsiguriapollen flowers from the surrounding outer orange petals, while previous models (McCulloch et al. 2017) suggested thatH. eratomales have an advantage over females in discriminatingHeliconius3-hyroxykynurenine (3-OHK) yellow wing coloration from non-3-OHK yellow wing coloration found in mimics.

These results provide some of the first behavioral evidence for UV color discrimination inHeliconiusfemales in the context of foraging, lending support to the hypothesis (Briscoe et al. 2010) that the duplicated UV opsin genes function together in UV color vision. Taken together, the sexually dimorphic visual system ofH. eratoappears to have been shaped by both sexual selection and sex-specific natural selection.
Stem cell basis of a host driven transmission of antigen packed aerosols: a novel mechanism of natural vaccination for tuberculosis
Authors: Das Bikul , Pathak Lekhika , Gayan Sukanya , Pal Bidisha , Saikia Parthajyoti , Baishya Tutumoni , Das Nihar Ranjan , Das Rupam , Maral Mallika , Mahanta Ranjit , Bhuyan Seema , Gautam Pratibha , Talukdar Joyeeta , Sandhya Sorra , Kalita Deepjyoti , Swami Vijay , Das Krishna Ram , Bora Dayal Krishna , Ghora Jagat , Pulu Ista
Published: November 2020

Natural vaccination against pathogens are known to be achieved by herd-immunity i.e. infected human host provide immunity to the community by spreading the pathogen. Whether, infected human hosts transmit vesicle packed aerosols of pathogen’s antigen for natural vaccination of the community has not yet been considered. We have explored a traditional healing method of aerosol-inoculation against small pox and tuberculosis in the Sualkuchi-Hajo cultural complex of Kamarupa, an ancient Indian region known for tantra-based healing and spirituality. In the aerosol-inoculation method against TB, selected persons with TB (later identified as smear negative TB subject) are encouraged to spread good nigudah in the community by Kirtan chanting; the good Nigudah are thought to be present within bad-nigudah or invisible krimis (tiny flesh eating living being mentioned in ancient India’s medicinal text Caraka Samhita and Atharva Veda). A 15-years of contact TB investigation study, as well as laboratory study of aerosol obtained from smear negative PTB (SN-PTB) subjects led to the identification of good Nigudah as extracellular vesicles (EVs) filled withMtb-antigen ESAT-6. We then developed a mouse model of aerosol-inoculation using SN-PTB subject derived aerosol EVs, and identifiedMtbinfected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of the lung as the putative source of the ESAT-6+ EVs. TheseMtbinfected MSCs reprogram to altruistic stem cell (ASC) phenotype, which then secrete ESAT-6+ EVs to the aerosols; healthy mice receiving the aerosol developMtbspecific herd immunity. These results expedite our ongoing work on the innate defense mechanism of ASCs against pathogen, and provide a novel mechanism of natural vaccination, where the host extracts appropriate antigens from a pathogen, and then spread it in the community via aerosols.
Salmonellasubverts autophagy balancing bacterial fate and cellular inflammation
Authors: Luk Chak Hon , Yu Wei , Deriano Ludovic , Enninga Jost
Published: November 2020

SalmonellaTyphimurium (S.Typhimurium) is an enteric bacterium capable of invading a wide range of host cell types and adopting different intracellular lifestyles for survival. Host endocytic trafficking and autophagy have been implied to regulate theS.Typhimurium subcellular localization and survival. To reveal alternative host regulators onS.Typhimurium lifestyle, we combined a novel fluorescent reporter,SalmonellaIntracellular Analyzer (SINA) with haploid forward genetic screening. This identified transcription factor c-MYC as a negative regulator ofS.Typhimurium cytosolic lifestyle via stabilizing theSalmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). We further confirmed that c-MYC downstream regulated LC3 acts to maintain SCV stability and limitsS.Typhimurium cytosolic lifestyle. We demonstrated that LC3 is recruited to the SCV prior to the endomembrane damage marker Galectin 3, and it regulates SCV stability independent of the autophagosome adaptor NDP52. The LC3 processing enzymes ATG3 and ATG4 reciprocally act on SCV stability, where the loss of LC3-PE conjugation in the absence of ATG3 limits SCV damages. We further identified the dosage-dependent function of theS.Typhimurium effector SopF in mediating SCV stability by actively avoiding LC3 recruitment to the proximity of the SCV to reduce its catastrophic rupture and host cell death. Altogether, we offer insights on the significance of cellular transcription profile in the determination ofS.Typhimurium pathophysiology as well as the underlying host-evasion strategy ofS.Typhimurium.
Uncoordinated long-patch base excision repair at juxtaposed DNA lesions generates a lethal accumulation of double-strand breaks
Authors: Shimada Kenji , van Loon Barbara , Gerhold Christian B. , Bregenhorn Stephanie , Hurst Verena , Roth Gregory , Tarashev Cleo , Heinis Christian , Jiricny Josef , Gasser Susan M.
Published: November 2020

Inhibition of the TOR pathway (TORC2, or Ypk1/2), or the depolymerization of actin filaments results in catastrophic fragmentation of the yeast genome upon exposure to low doses of the radiomimetic drug Zeocin. We find that the accumulation of double-strand breaks (DSB) is not due to altered DSB repair, but by the uncoordinated activity of base excision repair (BER) at Zeocin-modified DNA bases. We inhibit DSB formation by eliminating glycosylases and/or the endonucleases Apn1/2 and Rad1, implicating these conserved BER enzymes, or events downstream of them, in the conversion of base damage into DSBs. Among DNA polymerases, the reduction of Pol δ, and to a lesser extent Pol ε and Trf4 (a Pol β-like polymerase), reduces DSB formation. Finally, the BER enzymes, Ogg1 and AP endonuclease, are shown to co-precipitate with actin from yeast extracts and as purified proteins, suggesting that actin may interfere directly with the repair of Zeocin-induced damage.
Postreactivation mifepristone impairs generalization of strongly conditioned contextual fear memories
Authors: Flavell Charlotte R. , Gascoyne Rebecca M. , Lee Jonathan L.C.
Published: November 2020

The efficacy of pharmacological disruption of fear memory reconsolidation depends on several factors, including memory strength and age. We built on previous observations that systemic treatment with the nootropic nefiracetam potentiates cued fear memory destabilization to facilitate mifepristone-induced reconsolidation impairment. Here, we applied nefiratecam and mifepristone to strongly conditioned, 1-wk-old contextual fear memories in male rats. Unexpectedly, the combined treatment did not result in impairment of contextual fear expression. However, mifepristone did reduce freezing to a novel context. These observations suggest that strong and established contextual fear memories do undergo destabilization without the need for pharmacological facilitation, and that impairments in strong context fear memory reconsolidation can manifest as a reduction in generalization.
Identification and testing of barriers to sustainable manufacturing in the automobile industry: a focus on Indian MSMEs
Authors: Virmani Naveen , Bera Sasadhar , Kumar Rohit
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the study is two-fold. First, to find out the different barriers that prevent the implementation of sustainable manufacturing practices in the case of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Second, quantifying the relative intensity of these barriers to understand the importance and dependence power of the observed variables.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected via structured questionnaires from 150 Indian MSMEs working in the automobile industry. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed. Finally, barriers are ranked using graph theory and matrix approach (GTMA), considering the inheritance and interaction among the observed variables.

Findings

There are a total of 22 barriers to “sustainable manufacturing”. EFA and CFA models confirmed four different categories of barriers. In order of importance, they are ranked as – production and operations related; organization related; collaboration related; and government rules and regulations.

Practical implications

The findings show that there are multiple barriers to sustainable manufacturing. The barriers are categorized into four major categories, and their ranking provides an opportunity for prioritization from both policy and managerial perspectives. The barriers can be overcome through both policy interventions as well as through best practice sharing, benchmarking and organizational-wide initiatives.

Originality/value

The study is among the first studies that provide valuables insights on what are the 22 different barriers to sustainable manufacturing and its relevance to the MSMEs working in the automobile industry. The study would provide further opportunities for similar studies in different sectors.
Factors influencing disaster risk and resilience education in Asian HEIs
Authors: Gotangco Charlotte Kendra , Jardeleza Jean Meir , Lopez Crisanto , Labaria Elirozz Carlie , Wickert Julia , Shadiya Fathmath
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Educational initiatives can provide the crucial foundation for capacity-building of stakeholders in the field of disaster risk management and disaster resilience. The purpose of this paper is to scope current initiatives to deliver disaster risk and resilience education (DRRE) in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Asia and explore factors that serve as barriers or as opportunities for promoting DRRE.

Design/methodology/approach

This study implemented mixed methods – scoping of existing programs of Asian universities, an online survey and a small-group workshop of Asian HEI representatives – and explored both the development and implementation phases of degree programs and coursework and other educational initiatives. Primarily involved were country partners of the Erasmus + CABARET network (CApacity-Building in Asia for Resilience EducaTion).

Findings

Results reflect that most of the existing formal degree programs are at the graduate level though a wide range of courses and research opportunities exist for both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Findings underscore the importance of institutional support from university leaders as a key factor for overcoming barriers, given the resources and logistics needed by DRRE as an interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral endeavor. Universities who participated in the small-group workshop gave mixed feedback on the level of adequacy of the potential drivers for DRRE, which indicates the need to level off capacities and expertise in the region.

Originality/value

This study provides a baseline assessment of DRRE currently lacking for the region, with recommendations for how to further build capacities of Asian HEIs.
The impact of organizational culture archetypes on quality performance and total quality management: the role of employee engagement and individual values
Authors: Ababneh Omar Mohammed Ali
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The relationship between organizational culture and total quality management (TQM) can be facilitated by the virtue of certain psychological states. Employee engagement refers to a mechanism foreseeable to predict the successful implementation of TQM. Therefore, this study focuses on the attribution theory to propose a model that presents a differential impact of organizational culture archetypes on quality performance and TQM, while underlying role of employee engagement and individual values.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was performed based on the data collected from 153 senior employees working in hotel companies. This study has used partial least squares path modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationships and model proposed.

Findings

The findings have confirmed the hypotheses using PLS-SEM and provided a positive significant impact of organizational culture archetypes on employee engagement with quality initiatives; individual values on organizational cultural archetypes and employee engagement with quality initiatives on TQM implementation.

Originality/value

The study concluded that the impact of organizational culture on quality performance and TQM is significant. It is, therefore, suggested that management of hotel companies should work to increase the level of engagement, encourage cultures, while reducing the level of power culture with the emphasis given to individual and organizational quality initiatives.
Does training in co-production lead to any real change in practice? Reflections from practitioners in Northern Ireland
Authors: Patton Sonia , McGlade Anne , Elliott Joe
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper explores the perceptions of a small cohort of participants in the “Involving People” programme. This 35-week course recruited staff from across statutory, voluntary and charity sectors who aimed to lead and develop change initiatives within their respective organisations. The study captured staff views on the extent to which their training in co-production enabled them to deliver sustainable service improvement within their organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

This was a small scale, qualitative study, using a purposive sampling approach. Of the 18 staff participants, 5 agreed to participate in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Through a process of free text analysis, several themes and sub-themes were identified.

Findings

Several barriers and opportunities were highlighted coupled with suggestions on changes to public service delivery based on equal and reciprocal relationships between professionals, service users and their families. Organisational structures and silo working still act as an inhibiter for real change.

Research limitations/implications

Additionally, it was demonstrated that training in the area of co-production can act as a catalyst for wider service improvements. It can enhance staff confidence to profile the importance of service user involvement, persuading their colleagues of its benefits and challenging practice where co-production is not happening. However, a collective leadership and a shared language on co-production are still needed to develop inclusive organisational cultures.

Originality/value

This was the first study of its kind in Northern Ireland which highlighted that there was a need for a collective leadership and a shared language on co-production to develop inclusive organisational cultures.
Thinking through the integration of corporate reporting: exploring the interplay between integrative and integrated thinking
Authors: McGuigan Nicholas , Haustein Ellen , Kern Thomas , Lorson Peter
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce an analytical focus on an individual’s integrative thinking capacity to further understand integrated thinking within the organisation. Integrated thinking is an elusive concept, gaining in prominence through its use by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), without specific guidance or a commonly understood framework. To date, the academic debate on integrated thinking addresses the organisational level only. However, thinking is a process occurring within the mind of an individual and therefore the prerequisites for integrated thinking at the individual level needs to be considered. Critical reflection is, therefore, provided on the interplay between integrative and integrated thinking.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on conceptual systems theory and case site analysis to reflect how integrative thinking can be encouraged and supported within the individual and how integrated thinking can hence be fostered within organisations.

Findings

The paper analyses and discusses four sites of integrative thinking: the Athenian democracy; the Minangkabau community; the Quakers and consensus decision-making; and the Apis Mellifera and the hive mind. The findings from these different sites illustrate that integrative thinking can be supported by specific structural, organisational and individual contexts and stimuli.

Originality/value

Extending the context of integrated thinking analysis outside of the organisation and analysing these sites through components of integrative thought, this article provides further insights into how integrated thinking can be fostered within different organisations. The implications of these findings for accounting and professional institutions, organisations and the ongoing professional development of accountants are discussed.
Violence at work in the ambulance service: the role of HRM and other systems
Authors: Kellner Ashlea , Townsend Keith , Wilkinson Adrian , Loudoun Rebecca
Published: November 2020

Purpose

Paramedics' work environment is constantly changing and unpredictable. Controlling environmental risks is difficult for the HR department and requires support of external systems such as unions and policymakers. Acknowledging environmental complexity, and the interaction of external systems, this study examines how the HRM system manages and responds to violence against paramedics.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from three Australian state ambulance services. Detailed accounts from 72 semi-structured interviews are supplemented by 1,216 phone surveys demonstrating the prevalence of assault.

Findings

Reporting very high levels of assault against paramedics from the survey data, the authors discuss situational risk factors identified by interviewees in the immediate physical environment and broader social context. The authors detail HRM practices adopted by each case and identify how gaps in the HRM system are addressed by other external, industry-level and state/federal-level systems in a multi-layer response to assault against paramedics.

Practical implications

Identification of individual and situational risk factors and consequences for paramedics enables more targeted prevention, intervention and response. Young and less experienced paramedics are perceived to be at greater risk of assault. Importance of HRM practices particularly de-escalation training is highlighted. Gaps in HRM system require external input, particularly via law enforcement and public education.

Originality/value

This study adopts a holistic and contextualised perspective of HRM to improve understanding of violence against paramedics at work. Combining open systems and multi-stakeholder approaches, the authors adapt Beer et al.'s (1984) seminal Harvard Model of HRM. The authors propose a conceptual map which illustrates relationships between situational risks, key systems, HRM practices and outcomes.
Sex‐specific plasticity across generations I: Maternal and paternal effects on sons and daughters
Authors: Hellmann Jennifer K. , Bukhari Syed Abbas , Deno Jack , Bell Alison M.
Published: November 2020

Intergenerational plasticity or parental effects—when parental environments alter the phenotype of future generations—can influence how organisms cope with environmental change. An intriguing, underexplored possibility is that sex—of both the parent and the offspring—plays an important role in driving the evolution of intergenerational plasticity in both adaptive and non‐adaptive ways.

Here, we evaluate the potential for sex‐specific parental effects in a freshwater population of three‐spined sticklebacksGasterosteus aculeatusby independently and jointly manipulating maternal and paternal experiences and separately evaluating their phenotypic effects in sons versus daughters. We tested the adaptive hypothesis that daughters are more responsive to cues from their mother, whereas sons are more responsive to cues from their father.

We exposed mothers, fathers or both parents to visual cues of predation risk and measured offspring antipredator traits and brain gene expression.

Predator‐exposed fathers produced sons that were more risk‐prone, whereas predator‐exposed mothers produced more anxious sons and daughters. Furthermore, maternal and paternal effects on offspring survival were non‐additive: offspring with a predator‐exposed father, but not two predator‐exposed parents, had lower survival against live predators. There were also strong sex‐specific effects on brain gene expression: exposing mothers versus fathers to predation risk activated different transcriptional profiles in their offspring, and sons and daughters strongly differed in the ways in which their brain gene expression profiles were influenced by parental experience.

We found little evidence to support the hypothesis that offspring prioritize their same‐sex parent's experience. Parental effects varied with both the sex of the parent and the offspring in complicated and non‐additive ways. Failing to account for these sex‐specific patterns (e.g. by pooling sons and daughters) would have underestimated the magnitude of parental effects. Altogether, these results draw attention to the potential for sex to influence patterns of intergenerational plasticity and raise new questions about the interface between intergenerational plasticity and sex‐specific selective pressures, sexual conflict and sexual selection.
Towards a unified data infrastructure to support European and global microbiome research: a call to action
Authors: Ryan Matthew J. , Schloter Michael , Berg Gabriele , Kinkel Linda L. , Eversole Kellye , Macklin James A. , Rybakova Daria , Sessitsch Angela
Published: November 2020

High‐quality microbiome research relies on the integrity, management and quality of supporting data. Currently biobanks and culture collections have different formats and approaches to data management. This necessitates a standard data format to underpin research, particularly in line with the FAIR data standards of findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability. We address the importance of a unified, coordinated approach that ensures compatibility of data between that needed by biobanks and culture collections, but also to ensure linkage between bioinformatic databases and the wider research community.
Straightjackets of Male Domination in Senior Positions: Revisiting Acker's ‘Ideal Worker’ and the Construction of the ‘Ideal Executive’
Authors: Poorhosseinzadeh Mahan , Strachan Glenda
Published: November 2020

This paper contributes to the on‐going debate on men's overrepresentation in executive positions. Drawing on semi‐structured interviews with male senior managers in two Australian organizations, this paper aims to problematize men's privilege in senior positions by uncovering the different forms of hegemonic masculinity that legitimize men as the ideal candidates for executive positions. Using Joan Acker's concept of the ‘ideal worker’ as a starting point, this paper aggregates these criteria to develop a new concept of the ‘ideal executive’. The model of the ‘ideal executive’ reveals how decision‐makers (mostly male) control executive position allocation, construct the barriers to entry and define the criteria for an ideal candidate for such a position. Candidates who desire to be considered for an executive position need to conform to this ‘ideal’, which has been influenced and shaped by male executives. Patriarchal power structures, particularly careerism and entrepreneurialism, are investigated with a focus on the ways in which they contribute to the construction of the ideal executive and consequently inhibit women's career progression into senior positions. We conclude that masculinities are now more sophisticated and encompass newer forms that account for changes in societal norms.
Adequacy of cool running water first aid by healthcare professionals in the treatment of paediatric burns: A cross‐sectional study of 4537 children
Authors: Frear Cody C , Griffin Bronwyn , Kimble Roy
Published: November 2020

Objective

To determine the adequacy of cool running water first aid provided by healthcare professionals in the early management of children with thermal burn injuries.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was undertaken using a prospectively collected registry of children who presented with a thermal burn to the only major paediatric burns centre in Queensland, Australia, from January 2013 to December 2018. Main outcome measures included the type and duration of first aid administered by paramedics, general practitioners and emergency providers at local general hospitals and a children's hospital. In accordance with current Australian guidelines, adequate cooling was defined as 20 min of cool running water within 3 h of the injury.

Results

Of the 4537 children who presented to the paediatric burns centre, 3261 (71.9%) received adequate first aid, including 1502 (33.1%) at the scene of injury. Paramedics and general practitioners administered adequate cooling to 184 (25.0%) and 52 (24.2%) of their patients, respectively. ED clinicians adhered to guidelines in the treatment of 1019 (56.3%) children at general hospitals and 411 (76.0%) at the children's hospital. Among ED patients who presented with incomplete prior first aid, the risk of inadequate cooling was significantly greater for those transported via ambulance (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Deficiencies remain in the cooling of paediatric burns patients at all levels of initial management. There is a need in the healthcare community for improved education regarding the parameters and clinical benefits of cool running water first aid.
The KNRL nuclear receptor controls hydrolase‐mediated vitellin breakdown during embryogenesis in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens
Authors: Lu Kai , Cheng Yi‐Bei , Li Yi‐Min , Li Wen‐Ru , Song Yuan‐Yuan , Zeng Ren‐Sen , Sun Zhong‐Xiang
Published: November 2020

Vitellin (Vn) homeostasis is central to the fecundity of oviparous insects. Most studies have focused on the synthesis and transportation of Vn as a building block for developing eggs during vitellogenesis; however, less is known about how the utilization of this nutrient reserve affects embryonic development. Here, we show that the single ortholog of the knirps and knirps‐like nuclear receptors, KNRL, negatively regulates Vn breakdown by suppressing the expression of hydrolase genes in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. KNRL was highly expressed in the ovary of adult females, and knockdown of KNRL by RNA interference resulted in the acceleration of Vn breakdown and the inhibition of embryonic development. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that numerous hydrolase genes, including cathepsins and trypsins were up‐regulated after KNRL knockdown. At least eight of the nine significantly enriched Gene Ontology terms for the up‐regulated genes were in proteolysis‐related categories. The expression levels of five selected trypsin genes and the enzymatic activities of trypsin in the embryos were significantly increased after KNRL knockdown. Moreover, trypsin injection prolonged egg duration, delayed embryonic development, accelerated Vn breakdown and severely reduced egg hatchability, a pattern similar to that observed in KNRL‐silenced N. lugens. These observations suggest that KNRL controls Vn breakdown in embryos via the transcriptional inhibition of hydrolases. Generally, this study provides a foundation for understanding how embryo nutrient reserves are mobilized during embryogenesis and identifies several genes and pathways that may prove valuable targets for pest control.
Contrasting influences on bacterial symbiont specificity by co‐occurring deep‐sea mussels and tubeworms
Authors: Brzechffa Camille , Goffredi Shana K.
Published: November 2020

Relationships fueled by sulfide between deep‐sea invertebrates and bacterial symbionts are well known, yet the diverse overlapping factors influencing symbiont specificity are complex. For animals that obtain their symbionts from the environment, both host identity and geographic location can impact the ultimate symbiont partner. Bacterial symbionts were analysed for three co‐occurring species each of Bathymodiolus mussels and vestimentiferan tubeworms, from three deep methane seeps off the west coast of Costa Rica. The bacterial internal transcribed spacer gene was analysed via direct and barcoded amplicon sequencing to reveal fine‐scale symbiont diversity. Each of the three mussel species (B. earlougheri, B. billschneideri and B. nancyschneideri) hosted genetically distinct thiotrophic endosymbionts, despite living nearly side‐by‐side in their habitat, suggesting that host identity is crucial in driving symbiont specificity. The dominant thiotrophic symbiont of co‐occurring tubeworms Escarpia spicata and Lamellibrachia (L. barhami and L. donwalshi), on the other hand, was identical regardless of host species or sample location, suggesting lack of influence by either factor on symbiont selectivity in this group of animals. These findings highlight the specific, yet distinct, influences on the environmental acquisition of symbionts in two foundational invertebrates with similar lifestyles, and provide a rapid, precise method of examining symbiont identities.
The Use of Blockchains to Enhance Sustainability Reporting and Assurance*
Authors: Bakarich Kathleen M. , Castonguay John “Jack” , O'Brien Patrick E.
Published: November 2020

The changing dynamics of the accounting profession have been strongly influenced by emerging technologies and the demand for nontraditional metrics and information by stakeholders and regulators. In this article, we perform an exploratory content analysis to examine the role that blockchain technology can play in enhancing sustainability reporting and assurance. The benefits to companies and assurance professionals in using the distributed ledger technology of blockchain are increased trust, transparency, and traceability, which matches stakeholders' demands as it relates to sustainability reporting. This article identifies and analyzes potential and current use cases of blockchain in the United States and Canada to assist accountants and auditors in preparing and reviewing sustainability information. We highlight how augmenting traditional reporting systems with blockchain can overcome problems with sustainability reporting. We discuss implications for practice in detail—finding that blockchain is well‐positioned to provide reliable tracking and custodial support as it relates to sustainability information currently being self‐reported by many firms, such as greenhouse gas emissions, conflict mineral disclosure, or product provenance, among others. Expanded adoption of blockchains by companies will lead to higher‐quality information being included in sustainability reports and allow assurance professionals to verify a wider range of information, potentially leading to uniform standards in the evaluation of sustainability reports.
Spatial thinning and class balancing: Key choices lead to variation in the performance of species distribution models with citizen science data
Authors: Steen Valerie A. , Tingley Morgan W. , Paton Peter W. C. , Elphick Chris S.
Published: November 2020

Spatial biases are a common feature of presence–absence data from citizen scientists. Spatial thinning can mitigate errors in species distribution models (SDMs) that use these data. When detections or non‐detections are rare, however, SDMs may suffer from class imbalance or low sample size of the minority (i.e. rarer) class. Poor predictions can result, the severity of which may vary by modelling technique.

To explore the consequences of spatial bias and class imbalance in presence–absence data, we used eBird citizen science data for 102 bird species from the northeastern USA to compare spatial thinning, class balancing and majority‐only thinning (i.e. retaining all samples of the minority class). We created SDMs using two parametric or semi‐parametric techniques (generalized linear models and generalized additive models) and two machine learning techniques (random forest and boosted regression trees). We tested the predictive abilities of these SDMs using an independent and systematically collected reference dataset with a combination of discrimination (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve; true skill statistic; area under the precision‐recall curve) and calibration (Brier score; Cohen's kappa) metrics.

We found large variation in SDM performance depending on thinning and balancing decisions. Across all species, there was no single best approach, with the optimal choice of thinning and/or balancing depending on modelling technique, performance metric and the baseline sample prevalence of species in the data. Spatially thinning all the data was often a poor approach, especially for species with baseline sample prevalence <0.1. For most of these rare species, balancing classes improved model discrimination between presence and absence classes using machine learning techniques, but typically hindered model calibration.

Baseline sample prevalence, sample size, modelling approach and the intended application of SDM output—whether discrimination or calibration—should guide decisions about how to thin or balance data, given the considerable influence of these methodological choices on SDM performance. For prognostic applications requiring good model calibration (vis‐à‐vis discrimination), the match between sample prevalence and true species prevalence may be the overriding feature and warrants further investigation.
Unraveling Apathy in Korsakoff Syndrome Patients Receiving Long‐Term Care With and Without Cerebrovascular Comorbidity
Authors: Oey Misha J. , Brouwer Veerle H. E. W. , Buijs Marie J. , Wijnia Jan Watze , Postma Albert , Oudman Erik
Published: November 2020

Background

Korsakoff syndrome (KS) is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder caused by acute deficiency of vitamin B1 and concomitant alcoholism. Patients with KS are particularly vulnerable for cerebrovascular comorbidity. KS is characterized by cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, one of which is apathy. Apathy is a pathological lack of goal‐directed behaviors, goal‐directed cognitions, and goal‐directed emotions. Cerebrovascular accidents are known to carry a risk for developing apathy. Apathy has a dramatic effect on the autonomy and daily lives of patients suffering from this condition.

Methods

We assessed general apathy and related subconstructs in fifteen patients with KS, fifteen patients with KS and cerebrovascular comorbidity who reside in a 24‐hour care facility, and fifteen healthy controls.

Results

Compared with healthy controls, both KS patient groups showed higher levels of apathy as rated by a close informant. We found no difference between both KS patient groups and the healthy control group on the self‐report section of the Pleasant Activities List, suggesting that motivation is still intact in KS patients. It is important to note a discrepancy was found between self‐reporting and proxy reporting on this list. KS patients with cerebrovascular comorbidity showed more severe emotional blunting compared to both KS patients without cerebrovascular comorbidity and healthy controls. The competency to consent was lower in patients compared with healthy controls, but no difference was found between KS patients with cerebrovascular comorbidity and those without.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that KS patients show increased levels of general apathy compared with healthy controls. Patients show a diminished competency to consent and increased emotional blunting, while motivation is not compromised. Cerebrovascular comorbidity in KS forms a high risk for emotional blunting. The results of this study suggest that apathy is a severe problem in KS. More attention in both the literature and clinical practice would benefit this complex patient population.
Patch‐Clamp Recording of Low Frequency Stimulation‐induced Long‐Term Synaptic Depression in Rat Hippocampus Slices During Early and Late Neurodevelopment
Authors: Bertrand Cédric , Deschamps Chloé , Rabiant Kevin , Peineau Stéphane , Antol Johann , Martinetti Margaret , Naassila Mickael , Vilpoux Catherine , Pierrefiche Olivier
Published: November 2020

Background

Studying synaptic plasticity in the rat hippocampus slice is a well‐established way to analyze cellular mechanisms related to learning and memory. Different modes of recording can be used, such as extracellular field excitatory post‐synaptic potential (EPSP) and diverse patch‐clamp methods. However, most studies using these methods have examined only up to the juvenile stage of brain maturation, which is known to terminate during late adolescence/early adulthood. Moreover, several animal models of human diseases have been developed at this late stage of brain development. To study the vulnerability of adolescent rat to the cognitive impairment of alcohol, we developed a model of binge‐like exposure in which ethanol selectively abolishes low frequency stimulation (LFS)‐induced, field EPSP long‐term depression (LTD) in the rat hippocampus slice.

Methods

In the present study, we sought to use whole‐cell patch‐clamp recording in the voltage‐clamp mode to further investigate the mechanisms involved in the abolition of LFS‐induced LTD in our model of binge‐like exposure in adolescent rat hippocampus slices. In addition, we investigated LFS‐induced NMDAR‐LTD and mGluR‐LTD at different ages and changed several parameters to improve the recordings.

Results

Using patch‐clamp recording, LFS‐induced NMDAR‐LTD and mGluR‐LTD could be measured until 4 weeks of age, but not in older animals. Similarly, chemical mGluR‐LTD and a combined LFS‐LTD involving both N‐Methyl‐D‐Aspartate Receptor (NMDAR) and mGluR were not measured in older animals. The absence of LFS‐LTD was not due to the loss of a diffusible intracellular agent nor the voltage mode of recording or intracellular blockade of either sodium or potassium currents. In contrast to voltage‐clamp recordings, LFS‐induced LTD tested with field recordings was measured at all ages and the effects of EtOH were visible in all cases.

Conclusions

We concluded that whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings are not suitable for studying synaptic LFS‐induced LTD in rats older than 4 weeks of age and therefore cannot be used to explore electrophysiological disturbances, such as those induced by alcohol binge drinking during adolescence, which constitutes a late period of brain maturation.