bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The changing profile of obstructive sleep apnea: long term trends in characteristics of patients presenting for diagnostic polysomnography
Authors: Marriott Ross J. , McArdle Nigel , Singh Bhajan , King Stuart , Ling Ivan , Ward Kim , Darcey Ellie , Bond-Smith Daniela , Mukherjee Sutapa , Palmer Lyle J. , Hillman David , Cadby Gemma
Published: February 2022

Introduction We aimed to analyze long-term trends in characteristics of patients undergoing diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) and subsequently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to inform delivery of sleep services.

Material and Methods We studied 24,510 consecutive patients undergoing PSG at a tertiary-care sleep service between 1989 and 2013. OSA was defined by an apnea hypopnea index (AHI)≥ 5 events/hour. Changes to hypopnea definition and flow sensing techniques in 2002 created two distinct AHI scoring periods: American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) 1989 - July 2002 and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (Chicago) from August 2002.

Results Over 23.5 years there was a steady increase in proportion of females (15% to 45%), small increases in average age and BMI, and a small decline in socioeconomic status in the overall group. AHI varied between scoring periods both overall [ASDA 10.8/h (3.2-29.6), Chicago 24.3/h (11.8-48.1)] and in the large subgroup (80.7%) diagnosed with OSA [ASDA 20.7/h (10.6-44.1), Chicago 27.4/h (14.8-51.5)]. OSA diagnosis rates increased in the Chicago period (ASDA 66%, Chicago 91%). Increases in AHI and proportion diagnosed appeared better explained by changes in scoring methods than key OSA risk factors.

Conclusion Temporal increases in proportion of females and decreases in socioeconomic status of people undergoing PSG may reflect greater community awareness of sleep disorders. Temporal increases in age and obesity are consistent with secular trends. Changes in scoring methods have major impacts on OSA diagnosis and judgement of disease severity, with important implications for contemporary resourcing of sleep services and interpretation of historical OSA data.
Effectiveness of the Contours Vibes™ soothing vibrations infant and toddler crib mattress on infant and maternal sleep quality and health outcomes: an intervention study
Authors: Hausenblas Heather , Hooper Stephanie
Published: February 2022

Objectives The purpose was to examine the effectiveness of the Contours Vibes™ Crib Mattress on infants’ and maternal sleep quality and health.

Material and Methods Participants were 24 mothers and their infants. For Week 1 the infants slept on their current mattress (Baseline). For Week 2 they slept on the Vibrating Mattress without using the vibrating feature (VMC). For Week 3 they slept on the Vibrating Mattress using the vibrating feature (VMA). Sleep quality and health assessments were completed at Baseline and following VMA and VMC conditions.

Results Sleep quality and health outcomes improved significantly for VMA compared to Baseline and VMC. VMC had significant improvements in some sleep and health outcomes compared to Baseline. No adverse events were reported.

Conclusion The mattress is a simple, noninvasive, and non-pharmacological intervention that improved infant and maternal sleep quality and health. Further research is need examining the longitudinal effects of the mattress.
Characterization of cyclic alternating pattern in infants with laryngomalacia
Authors: Cáceres Laura Mendoza , Vargas Ángel Daniel Santana , Rosas Gabriela Millán , Pérez Eduardo Barragán , Poblano Adrián , Miranda Rafael Santana
Published: February 2022

Objective Cyclic alternanting pattern (CAP) has been considered a marker of sleep instability in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CAP in infants with laryngomalacia.

Material and Methods CAP were quantified in 15 infants with laryngomalacia (mean age 167.2±97.21 days) and 10 controls (mean age of 158.5±116.2 days) using polysomnography.

Results The distribution of the A2 subtypes across NREM stages in infants with laryngomalacia showed a decrease, as well as in the mean duration of CAP sequences. The A3 CAP and arousals increased in infants with laryngomalacia. Our data showed a stronger correlation between the mean duration of A1 CAP and the age in healthy controls than in infants with laryngomalacia. In accordance to previous reports infants with laryngomalacia exhibited an increase in total awake time, apnea-hypopnea index, and a decrease in N3 stage compared to controls.

Discussion Our findings add to a growing body of literature of CAP as an indicator of brain maturation
Impact of L-carnitine in narcolepsy treatment: a systematic review on the effectiveness and safety
Authors: Salles Cristina , Freitas Maria Clara , Cruz Miguel Meira e
Published: February 2022

Introduction Studies have shown that narcolepsy patients may present with low serum acylcarnitine levels, demonstrating a dysfunctional beta fatty acid oxidation pathway in these patients.

Objective Evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of L-carnitine as a treatment for narcolepsy patients.

Methods This study runned in form of systematic review. The terms used for the search: (“narcolepsy”[MeSH Terms] OR “narcolepsy”[All Fields]) AND (“carnitine”[MeSH Terms] OR “carnitine”[All Fields] OR “l carnitine”[All Fields]). Were included all surveys published until January 2021, with the diagnosis of narcolepsy, that performed drug treatment with I-carnitine. The clinical endpoints of interest were: excessive daytime sleepiness, dissociative REM sleep manifestations: cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations, and early REM sleep (REM sleep naps, SOREMP).

Results L-carnitine was found to be well-tolerated and without side effects in all surveys, at dosages ranging from 500 to 510 mg/day. Newborns did not present complications during delivery.

Conclusion This study corroborates the efficacy and good tolerability of L-carnitine therapy as a treatment for patients with narcolepsy, including during pregnancy.
Sleeping together: understanding the association between relationship type, sexual activity, and sleep
Authors: Sprajcer Madeline , O’Mullan Catherine , Reynolds Amy , Paterson Jessica L. , Bachmann Alysa , Lastella Michele
Published: February 2022

Objective Insufficient sleep, and particularly difficulties initiating sleep, are prevalent in the community. Treatment for poor sleep typically consists of pharmacological intervention, or cognitive behavioural therapies - which can be both costly and time-consuming. Evidence suggests that sexual activities may positively impact sleep. However, little is known about relationship types, sexual activities, and perceived sleep outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the association between relationship type (e.g., having a regular, occasional, or casual partner), sexual activity and satisfaction, and perceived sleep outcomes, to identify potential strategies to improve sleep.

Methods Seven-hundred and seventy-eight participants aged 18 years and over (442 females, 336 males; mean age 34.5 ± 11.4 years) responded to a cross-sectional online anonymous survey at their convenience. Participants were asked about their sleep, sexual activity and satisfaction, and relationship type.

Results Results from multiple regression analyses with age and gender covariates revealed that shorter sleep latencies were associated with regular relationships (p = 0.030), greater emotional satisfaction with sexual activity (p = 0.029), and increased frequency of orgasm (p < 0.001). Men reported a greater frequency of orgasm than women (p < 0.001).

Discussion Findings indicate that relationship type may be associated with improved sleep outcomes, including sleep latency. Relationship type should therefore be taken into consideration by clinicians when developing treatment plans for individuals with poor sleep.
Effect of the anodal transcranial direct current electrical stimulation on cognition of medical residents with acute sleep deprivation
Authors: San-Juan Daniel , Mas Raúl Nathanael May , Gutiérrez Cuauhtémoc , Morales Jorge , Díaz Ana , Quiñones Gerardo , Galindo Axel Kevin , Baigts Luis Armando , Ximenez-Camilli Cecilia , Anschel David
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND Medical residents must sustain acute sleep deprivation, which can lead to nonfatal and fatal consequences in hospitals due to cognitive decline. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) is a safe noninvasive neuromodulation technique that can induce depolarization of neurons. Previous studies in pilots have shown benefits against fatigue increasing wakefulness and cognitive performance. However, the effects of a-tDCS on cognition in acute sleep deprived healthcare workers remains unknown.

Purpose To evaluate cognitive changes in sleep deprived medical residents after one session of a-tDCS.

Methods Open clinical test-re-test study including 13 medical residents with acute sleep deprivation. Subjects received 1 session of bifrontal a-tDCS (2mAx20min), anodal over the left dorsolateral prefrontal region. Pre-and-post treatment subjects were tested with Beck anxiety inventory, Beck depression and HVLT tests, Rey´s and Taylor´s figures, Trail Making A/B, Stroop, Aleatory Digit retention test (WAIS), Digits and symbols and MoCA tests. Post-intervention was added the Executive functions and Frontal Lobes Neuropsychological Battery (BANFE2) test and changing the Taylor figure for Reyfigure.

Results Twelve medical residents were analyzed; 8 men and 4 women, 29.5 (+/-2.2) years mean age. All had a mean of 21.6 (+/-1.3) hours of sleep deprivation. There were no serious adverse events. We found statistically significant difference in Rey´s/Taylor´s figures (p=0.002), Trail Making Test (p=0.005), WAIS IV symbols (p=0.003), Word Stroop (p=0.021). BANFE-2 showed that the main affected area was the orbito-medial prefrontal region.

Conclusion a-tDCS appears safe and improves working memory, attention, response time and distractors elimination in acute sleep deprived medical residents.
Self-reported risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and awareness about it in the community of 4 insular complexes comprising 41 Greek Islands
Authors: Adamou Anastasia , Giannopoulos Athanasios-Stefanos , Arvaniti Christina , Belios Ioannis , Dalampira Dimitra , Eleftheriadis Georgios , Zinoviou Thomai , Kassas Petros , Vavougios George D. , Hatzoglou Chrissi , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I. , Zarogiannis Sotirios G.
Published: February 2022

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a chronic disease that significantly increases morbidity and mortality of the affected population. There is lack of data concerning the OSAS prevalence in the insular part of Greece. The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-reported prevalence of OSAS in 4 Greek insular complexes comprising 41 islands, and to assess the awareness of the population regarding OSAS and its diagnosis. Our study comprised 700 participants from 41 islands of the Ionian, Cyclades, Dodecanese and Northeast Aegean island complexes that were studied by means of questionnaires via a telephone randomized survey (responsiveness rate of 25.74%). Participants were assessed by the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) for evaluation of OSA risk, by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness, and by 3 questions regarding the knowledge and diagnosis of OSAS. The percentage of participants at high risk according to BQ was 27.29% and the percentage of people who were at high risk according to ESS was 15.43%. A percentage of 6.29% of the population was at high risk for OSAS (high risk both in BQ and ESS). A high percentage of 73.43%, were aware of OSAS as a syndrome however a significantly less percentage (28.00%) was aware of how a diagnosis of OSAS is established. The community prevalence of OSAS in Greek islands in combination with the low-level awareness of the OSAS diagnostic methods highlights the need for development of health promotion programs aiming at increasing the detection of patients at risk while increasing the awareness of OSAS.
When adherence to CPAP fails, how do we treat workers with obstructive sleep apnea?
Authors: Guimarães Maria de Lourdes Rabelo , Azevedo Pedro Guimarães , Barros-Vieira Sérgio , Elbaz Maxime , Leger Damien , Hermont Ana Paula
Published: February 2022

Aims A cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mandibular advancement device (MAD) with respect to respiratory and sleep parameters among miners with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and primary snore.

Methods The target sample was composed by 102 Brazilian miners with a history of non-adherence to continuous positive airway pressure. All patients were treated with a MAD and underwent pre and post-treatment full-night polysomnography. Ethical approval and consents were obtained. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted. The level of statistical significance was set at 5%.

Results After the treatment with MAD, 71.8% of patients presented a decrease ≥ 50% in the basal apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), 51.2% presented an AHI < 5 events/h and 83.3% reached an AHI<10/h, whereas 22.5% did not show any changes and 7.5% of the sample presented an increase in the AHI (p<0.05). There was an increase in the mean SpO2 nadir (p<0.001) and in the baseline duration of the REM sleep stage (p<0.05). The MAD significantly decreased snore events (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis did not identify predictive factors related to therapy success (decrease ≥ 50% of AHI). However, basal AHI was a significant predictor related to the secondary endpoint (AHI<10/h) (OR= 1.06, IC 95%1.00-1.13, p=0.007).

Conclusions The MAD therapy showed significant improvements in AHI, minimum oxygen saturation, REM sleep and snoring.
Factors associated with excessive daytime sleepiness in informal drivers of buses on a high-altitude road
Authors: Olarte Ramón Julio Huamán , Ramos Willy , Mujica-Albán Elydia , Cruz-Vargas Jhony A. De La
Published: February 2022

Objective To determine the factors associated with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in informal interprovincial transport drivers of the Lima-Huancayo central highway (Peru) from January to March 2018.

Methods Cross-sectional study. The drivers were weighed and measured, then individual, sociodemographic, and occupational data were obtained which were recorded in a data collection form, then the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was applied to the drivers. The prevalence and EDS-associated factors in drivers were obtained from this data. The multivariate analysis of the possible associated factors for EDS was performed with binary logistic regression, obtaining the adjusted odds ratio (AOR).

Results 162 drivers participated in the study. The average age was 42.0 ± 10.2 years (Range of 21-62 years), all the participants were male. 55. 6% had a technical degree, 42.0% were married and 55.6% had two to three children. The mean time of experience as a driver was 17.0 ± 6.8 years, 54.9% were overweight, and 32.1% were obese. 27.8% of drivers had EDS, the multivariate analysis found that the EDS-associated factors of the drivers were obesity (AOR=3.8, 95% CI: 1.422- 10.233), having 10 or more years of experience as a driver (AOR=3.1, 95% CI: 1.342-7.189) and overweight (AOR=2.9 CI 95%: 1.216-7.096).

Conclusion There is a high prevalence of EDS in informal drivers of interprovincial transport of the central high-altitude highway studied. Obesity was the main factor associated with EDS, along with being overweight and having 10 or more years of experience as a driver.
Player chronotype does not affect shooting accuracy at different times of the day in a professional, male basketball team: a pilot study
Authors: Pengelly Michael John Stacey , Guy Joshua H. , Elsworthy Nathan , Scanlan Aaron T. , Lastella Michele
Published: February 2022

Athlete chronotype has been documented to underpin diurnal variations in skill execution across various team sports. However, no research has explored the effects of athlete chronotype on basketball-specific skills at different times of the day. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore diurnal variations in basketball shooting accuracy according to chronotype. Professional, male basketball players (n = 13) completed a Morningness- Eveningness Questionnaire and were categorised into chronotypes using a tertile split technique (morning-types: n = 4; neither-types: n = 4; evening-types: n = 5). Players completed separate trials of a shooting accuracy test in the morning (08:00-09:30h) and afternoon (15:00-16:30h) with each trial consisting of 20 shots attempted from four court locations at either two- or three-point distances and one-shot location from the free-throw line (100 shots in total). Each shot attempt was scored using a 0-3-point scale with higher scores awarded to more accurate shots. Non-significant (p >0.05) differences in shooting scores were evident between morning and afternoon trials for each chronotype group, with small-large effects in shooting scores favouring the morning across groups. Moreover, non-significant (p >0.05) differences in shooting scores were apparent between chronotype groups in the morning (small-large effects) and afternoon (moderate-large effects). Shooting accuracy appears to remain consistent across morning and afternoon performances irrespective of player chronotype in a professional basketball team, suggesting coaches may not need to schedule training sessions involving shooting tasks at specific times of the day to optimise shooting accuracy in players.
Early phase of COVID-19 quarantine impacted insomnia symptoms in Turkish families
Authors: Çakmak Huri Seval Gönderen
Published: February 2022

Quarantine and isolation are the most important public health measures used to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases among individuals. Quarantine and social isolation cause some health problems, such as depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability, feeling of loneliness, helplessness, and trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms. In this study, we aimed to examine early phase of COVID-19 quarantine impacted insomnia symptoms in Turkish families. The population of the study comprised students attending the Department of Healthcare Services of Eldivan Health Vocational School at Çankırı Karatekin University and their families. In total, 564 students and their families completed online surveys. Data was collected with Google forms. Snowball sampling was used as the data collection method. Female participants, those who gained weight during home quarantine, those who put their phones under their pillow or at the bedside and in another room, and those who used a phone or tablet before sleeping were found to have significantly more insomnia compared to others. The mean day of uninterrupted home quarantine was higher for participants experiencing insomnia (p<0.05). This study showed that individuals experienced sleep problems during the home quarantine.
Screening for obstructive sleep apnea in elderly: performance of the Berlin and STOP-Bang questionnaires and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale using polysomnography as gold standard
Authors: Godoy Paulo Henrique , Nucera Ana Paula Cassetta dos Santos , Colcher Andressa de Paiva , de-Andrade Jéssica Escorcio , Alves Davi da Silveira Barroso
Published: February 2022

Objectives Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects approximately one third of the population and can reach 90% prevalence in the elderly. There are screening tools to track the disease, however, their performance may differ according to population characteristics. This study aims to determine sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, likelihood ratio and accuracy of the Berlin (BQ) and STOP-Bang (S-Bang) questionnaires and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), comparing their performances, using polysomnography (PSG) as a gold standard, in a sample of elderly.

Methods The study was cross-sectional, retrospective, included patients aged 60 or older who underwent PSG type 1, regardless of the BQ, S-Bang and ESS results, during the period of June 1, 2017 to April 30, 2019. OSA diagnosis was by PSG in which the hypopnea apnea index was greater than or equal to 5.

Results Sixty- two patients were evaluated; the prevalence of OSA was 72.58%. The mean age in the sample with OSA was 73.0 sd 8.4 years and without it was 74.7 sd 8.1 years. The sample was predominantly female, 58.1% with OSA. The BQ showed the best results for specificity, predictive value, likelihood ratio and accuracy. S-Bang had the best result for sensitivity and ESS showed the worst results. The BQ odds ratio showed that an individual with a positive BQ has 335% more chance of developing OSA.

Conclusion The QB showed the best performance in the measures for identifying OSA, for a sample of elderly individuals, with a predominance of females and a high prevalence of the disease.
Sleep quality problems in Thai medical students
Authors: Thaipisuttikul Papan , Theansukont Thongthai , Boonmueng Ratima , Wisajun Pattarabhorn
Published: February 2022

Objective To explore sleep quality and daytime sleepiness problems in medical students at Ramathibodi Hospital.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected using questionnaires. The questionnaires included (1) Demographic and personal data, (2) The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality problem assessment and (3) The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for daytime sleepiness assessment.

Results Of 691 medical students, 165 (23.9%) completed questionnaires. The prevalence of poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness were 63.6% and 41.8%, respectively. After adjusted for age and relationship concern, academic concern (prevalence ratio 1.46) and nighttime activity without screen (prevalence ratio 1.43) were associated significantly with sleep quality problem. No factor was associated with daytime sleepiness.

Discussion Interventions to reduce academic burdens should be promoted to improve sleep problems in medical students. Further studies in larger groups of medical students using both subjective and objective measurements should be done in the future.
Effectiveness of Repeated Marriage Checkups in a Family Center
Authors: Park Woochul
Published: February 2022

The present study examined the effectiveness of repeated marriage checkups at intervals of six months in a Family Center in Seoul. To achieve this, the pilot study protocol (Park, 2019) was adapted, emphasizing strength-based, counseling-oriented approaches. Two couples and family therapists with master’s degrees were trained and their practice was monitored to ensure program fidelity. The methods employed for the assessment of marriage checkup were an online survey, a video recording of couple problem-solving, and a clinical interview. A total of 14 couples participated in the 1st checkup, 10 of whom also completed the 2nd checkup. Couples with varying levels of marital satisfaction participated in the program. Descriptive statistics indicated gradual increases over 8-9 months in diverse indices such as marital satisfaction and relationship strength, while other indices fluctuated slightly but converged to higher levels over time. A non-parametric analysis appropriate for small samples demonstrated statistically significant increases over the 8-9 months in marital satisfaction among couples. The current study evidenced the effectiveness of repeated marriage checkups in the Family Center, which is the primary public institution for family policy and services in Korea. Repeated marriage checkups are therefore a promising way to enhance couples’ relationship health and improve the family management system of the Family Center.
The Effects of Sales Services and Organizational Member Relationships of Fashion Brand Salesperson on Job Performance and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Kim Jie-Yurn , Oh Hyun Jeong
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study was to reveal the effects of sales services and organizational member relationships of fashion brand salespersons on job performance and job satisfaction, as well as how job performance, job satisfaction, salesperson services, and organizational member relationships differ according to the sales career and job position. The data were collected by administering a questionnaire to fashion brand salespeople in Gwangju from September to October 2020. Using 235 responses, the data were analyzed with SPSS 27.0 for frequency analysis, reliability analysis, t-test, factor analysis, and regression analysis. The research results were as follows. First, the basic services of the salesperson comprised factors such as ‘consideration and convenience’, ‘appearance and dress’, and ‘kindness and greeting’, which are considered better variables to explain job performance than job satisfaction. Second, the salesperson’s professional service consisted of ‘fashion product knowledge’, ‘professional self-management’, and ‘store display technology’ factors, which are good variables to predict job performance. Third, the relationship between the members of a salesperson’s organization consists of factors such as ‘headquarters relations’, ‘colleague relations’, and ‘emotional labor’, which was better for explaining job satisfaction than job performance. Fourth, depending on the position, professional salespeople exhibited significantly higher values in job performance, basic and professional services of salespersons, and ‘headquarters relations’ factors, whereas there were no significant differences in job satisfaction, ‘colleague relations’ and ‘emotional labor’. Lastly, the more sales career, the higher the job performance, and the basic services, professional services, and ‘headquarters relations’ factors of salespeople were also good.
Developmental Tasks During the Childrearing Stage and Second Birth Intentions among Chinese Married Women: Parenting Adaptation, Division of Childcare, and Marital Adjustment
Authors: Yu Kunping , Lee Jaerim
Published: February 2022

Although the globally known one-child policy in China was abolished in 2016, the overall fertility rate in the country declined to 1.3 in 2020. In this study, we examined whether the achievement of major developmental tasks during the childrearing stage was associated with intentions to have a second child among Chinese married women. Based on family development theory, we included parenting adaptation, division of childcare responsibilities with the partner, and marital adjustment as key developmental tasks during the childrearing stage. The participants of this study were 315 married Chinese women who lived with a spouse and a child who had not yet entered elementary school. Data were collected through an online survey in February and March 2021. A multiple regression analysis of the data revealed that a lower level of economic parenting stress, a higher level of fairness in dividing childcare responsibilities with the partner, and a more positive change in their marital relationship after having the first child were associated with greater intentions to have a second child.
Recipient Design by Gestures
Authors: Lilja Niina , Piirainin-Marsh Arja
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates how depictive gestures, i.e., hand movements that depict actions, scenes or objects, are configured and used for accomplishing instructions. By drawing on video recordings of second language interactions in cooking classes for newcomers in Finland, we focus on instructions that project a certain type of complying bodily action as the relevant next action. We demonstrate that the instructions are designed to be sensitive not only to the contingencies of the material ecology of the kitchen but also to the epistemic and linguistic asymmetries between the participants. The analysis shows how depictive gestures contribute to the forward-feeding function of cooking instructions by visualizing how the instructed action should be appropriately carried out. The findings contribute to the accumulating understanding of how embodied resources further intersubjectivity in second language interactions (Eskildsen & Wagner, 2015; Greer, 2019; Lilja & Piirainen-Marsh, 2019).
Talk and Embodied Conduct in Word Searches in Video-Mediated Interactions
Authors: Uskokovic Budimka , Talehgani-Nikazm Carmen
Published: February 2022

This paper concerns ways L2 speakers utilize embodied practices when engaged in word searches in interactions via video-mediated interaction. Examining the role of embodiment in word search practices in semi-pedagogical conversations between native German speakers and German language learners, we demonstrate how interlocutors use the gesture of an upward extended index finger to manage extended word searches in the ongoing production of the turn. The gesture plus the request to wait (ein moment/”one moment”) are used to indicate that the turn is temporarily put on hold, during which the L2 speaker orients to the screen to complete the ongoing word search. In addition, our paper scrutinizes how L2 speakers’ embodied practices emerge in the context of video-mediated interaction.
Buy Now
Authors: West Emily
Published: February 2022

How Amazon combined branding and relationship marketing with massive distribution infrastructure to become the ultimate service brand in the digital economy.

Amazon is ubiquitous in our daily lives—we stream movies and television on Amazon Prime Video, converse with Alexa, receive messages on our smartphone about the progress of our latest orders. In Buy Now, Emily West examines Amazon's consumer-facing services to investigate how Amazon as a brand grew so quickly and inserted itself into so many aspects of our lives even as it faded into the background, becoming a sort of infrastructure that can be taken for granted. Amazon promotes the comfort and care of its customers (but not its workers) to become the ultimate service brand in the digital economy.

West shows how Amazon has cultivated personalized, intimate relationships with consumers that normalize its outsized influence on our selves and our communities. She describes the brand's focus on speedy and seamless ecommerce delivery, represented in the materiality of the branded brown box; the positioning of its book retailing, media streaming, and smart speakers as services rather than sales; and the brand's image control strategies. West considers why pushback against Amazon's ubiquity and market power has come mainly from among Amazon's workers rather than its customers or competitors, arguing that Amazon's brand logic fragments consumers as a political bloc. West's innovative account, the first to examine Amazon from a critical media studies perspective, offers a cautionary cultural study of bigness in today's economy.
An estimate of the deepest branches of the tree of life from ancient vertically evolving genes
Authors: Moody Edmund RR , Mahendrarajah Tara A , Dombrowski Nina , Clark James W , Petitjean Celine , Offre Pierre , Szöllősi Gergely J , Spang Anja , Williams Tom A
Published: February 2022

Core gene phylogenies provide a window into early evolution, but different gene sets and analytical methods have yielded substantially different views of the tree of life. Trees inferred from a small set of universal core genes have typically supported a long branch separating the archaeal and bacterial domains. By contrast, recent analyses of a broader set of non-ribosomal genes have suggested that Archaea may be less divergent from Bacteria, and that estimates of inter-domain distance are inflated due to accelerated evolution of ribosomal proteins along the inter-domain branch. Resolving this debate is key to determining the diversity of the archaeal and bacterial domains, the shape of the tree of life, and our understanding of the early course of cellular evolution. Here, we investigate the evolutionary history of the marker genes key to the debate. We show that estimates of a reduced Archaea-Bacteria (AB) branch length result from inter-domain gene transfers and hidden paralogy in the expanded marker gene set. By contrast, analysis of a broad range of manually curated marker gene datasets from an evenly sampled set of 700 Archaea and Bacteria reveals that current methods likely underestimate the AB branch length due to substitutional saturation and poor model fit; that the best-performing phylogenetic markers tend to support longer inter-domain branch lengths; and that the AB branch lengths of ribosomal and non-ribosomal marker genes are statistically indistinguishable. Furthermore, our phylogeny inferred from the 27 highest-ranked marker genes recovers a clade of DPANN at the base of the Archaea and places the bacterial Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) within Bacteria as the sister group to the Chloroflexota.
Epigenetic reprogramming by TET enzymes impacts co-transcriptional R-loops
Authors: Sabino João C , de Almeida Madalena R , Abreu Patrícia L , Ferreira Ana M , Caldas Paulo , Domingues Marco M , Santos Nuno C , Azzalin Claus M , Grosso Ana Rita , de Almeida Sérgio Fernandes
Published: February 2022

DNA oxidation by ten-eleven translocation (TET) family enzymes is essential for epigenetic reprogramming. The conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) initiates developmental and cell-type-specific transcriptional programs through mechanisms that include changes in the chromatin structure. Here, we show that the presence of 5hmC in the transcribed gene promotes the annealing of the nascent RNA to the template DNA strand, leading to the formation of an R-loop. Depletion of TET enzymes reduced global R-loops in the absence of gene expression changes, whereas CRISPR-mediated tethering of TET to an active gene promoted the formation of R-loops. The genome-wide distribution of 5hmC and R-loops shows a positive correlation in mouse and human stem cells and overlap in half of all active genes. Moreover, R-loop resolution leads to differential expression of a subset of genes that are involved in crucial events during stem cell proliferation. Altogether, our data reveal that epigenetic reprogramming via TET activity promotes co-transcriptional R-loop formation, disclosing new mechanisms of gene expression regulation.
A dentate gyrus-CA3 inhibitory circuit promotes evolution of hippocampal-cortical ensembles during memory consolidation
Authors: Twarkowski Hannah , Steininger Victor , Kim Min Jae , Sahay Amar
Published: February 2022

Memories encoded in the dentate gyrus (DG) ‒ CA3 circuit of the hippocampus are routed from CA1 to anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for consolidation. Although CA1 parvalbumin inhibitory neurons (PV INs) orchestrate hippocampal-cortical communication, we know less about CA3 PV INs or DG ‒ CA3 principal neuron ‒ IN circuit mechanisms that contribute to evolution of hippocampal-cortical ensembles during memory consolidation. Using viral genetics to selectively mimic and boost an endogenous learning-dependent circuit mechanism, DG cell recruitment of CA3 PV INs and feed-forward inhibition (FFI) in CA3, in combination with longitudinal in vivo calcium imaging, we demonstrate that FFI facilitates formation and maintenance of context-associated neuronal ensembles in CA1. Increasing FFI in DG ‒ CA3 promoted context specificity of neuronal ensembles in ACC over time and enhanced long-term contextual fear memory. In vivo LFP recordings in mice with increased FFI in DG ‒ CA3 identified enhanced CA1 sharp-wave ripple ‒ ACC spindle coupling as a potential network mechanism facilitating memory consolidation. Our findings illuminate how FFI in DG ‒ CA3 dictates evolution of ensemble properties in CA1 and ACC during memory consolidation and suggest a teacher-like function for hippocampal CA1 in stabilization and re-organization of cortical representations.
Host ecology regulates interspecies recombination in bacteria of the genus Campylobacter
Authors: Mourkas Evangelos , Yahara Koji , Bayliss Sion C , Calland Jessica K , Johansson Håkan , Mageiros Leonardos , Muñoz-Ramirez Zilia Y , Futcher Grant , Méric Guillaume , Hitchings Matthew D , Sandoval-Motta Santiago , Torres Javier , Jolley Keith A , Maiden Martin CJ , Ellström Patrik , Waldenström Jonas , Pascoe Ben , Sheppard Samuel K
Published: February 2022

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) can allow traits that have evolved in one bacterial species to transfer to another. This has potential to rapidly promote new adaptive trajectories such as zoonotic transfer or antimicrobial resistance. However, for this to occur requires gaps to align in barriers to recombination within a given time frame. Chief among these barriers is the physical separation of species with distinct ecologies in separate niches. Within the genus Campylobacter, there are species with divergent ecologies, from rarely isolated single-host specialists to multihost generalist species that are among the most common global causes of human bacterial gastroenteritis. Here, by characterizing these contrasting ecologies, we can quantify HGT among sympatric and allopatric species in natural populations. Analyzing recipient and donor population ancestry among genomes from 30 Campylobacter species, we show that cohabitation in the same host can lead to a six-fold increase in HGT between species. This accounts for up to 30% of all SNPs within a given species and identifies highly recombinogenic genes with functions including host adaptation and antimicrobial resistance. As described in some animal and plant species, ecological factors are a major evolutionary force for speciation in bacteria and changes to the host landscape can promote partial convergence of distinct species through HGT.
In vivo intraoral waterflow quantification reveals hidden mechanisms of suction feeding in fish
Authors: Provini Pauline , Brunet Alexandre , Filippo Andréa , Van Wassenbergh Sam
Published: February 2022

Virtually all fishes rely on flows of water to transport food to the back of their pharynx. While external flows that draw food into the mouth are well described, how intraoral waterflows manage to deposit food at the esophagus entrance remains unknown. In theory, the posteriorly moving water must, at some point, curve laterally and/or ventrally to exit through the gill slits. Such flows would eventually carry food away from the esophagus instead of toward it. This apparent paradox calls for a filtration mechanism to deviate food from the suction-feeding streamlines. To study this gap in our fundamental understanding of how fishes feed, we developed and applied a new technique to quantify three-dimensional (3D) patterns of intraoral waterflows in vivo. We combined stereoscopic high-speed X-ray videos to quantify skeletal motion (XROMM) with 3D X-ray particle tracking (XPT) of neutrally buoyant spheres of 1.4 mm in diameter. We show, for carp (Cyprinus carpio) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), that water tracers displayed higher curvatures than food tracers, indicating an inertia-driven filtration. In addition, tilapia also exhibited a ‘central jet’ flow pattern, which aids in quickly carrying food to the pharyngeal jaw region. When the food was trapped at the branchial basket, it was resuspended and carried more centrally by periodical bidirectional waterflows, synchronized with head-bone motions. By providing a complete picture of the suction-feeding process and revealing fundamental differences in food transport mechanisms among species, this novel technique opens a new area of investigation to fully understand how most aquatic vertebrates feed.
Using aquatic animals as partners to increase yield and maintain soil nitrogen in the paddy ecosystems
Authors: Guo Liang , Zhao Lufeng , Ye Junlong , Ji Zijun , Tang Jian-Jun , Bai Keyu , Zheng Sijun , Hu Liangliang , Chen Xin
Published: February 2022

Whether species coculture can overcome the shortcomings of crop monoculture requires additional study. Here, we show how aquatic animals (i.e. carp, crabs, and softshell turtles) benefit paddy ecosystems when cocultured with rice. Three separate field experiments and three separate mesocosm experiments were conducted. Each experiment included a rice monoculture (RM) treatment and a rice-aquatic animal (RA) coculture treatment; RA included feed addition for aquatic animals. In the field experiments, rice yield was higher with RA than with RM, and RA also produced aquatic animal yields that averaged 0.52–2.57 t ha-1. Compared to their corresponding RMs, the three RAs had significantly higher apparent nitrogen (N)-use efficiency and lower weed infestation, while soil N contents were stable over time. Dietary reconstruction analysis based on 13C and 15N showed that 16.0–50.2% of aquatic animal foods were from naturally occurring organisms in the rice fields. Stable-isotope-labeling (13C) in the field experiments indicated that the organic matter decomposition rate was greater with RA than with RM. Isotope 15N labeling in the mesocosm experiments indicated that rice used 13.0–35.1% of the aquatic animal feed-N. All these results suggest that rice-aquatic animal coculture increases food production, increases N-use efficiency, and maintains soil N content by reducing weeds and promoting decomposition and complementary N use. Our study supports the view that adding species to monocultures may enhance agroecosystem functions.
Frequency- and spike-timing-dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling regulates the metabolic rate and synaptic efficacy in cortical neurons
Authors: Stoler Ohad , Stavsky Alexandra , Khrapunsky Yana , Melamed Israel , Stutzmann Grace , Gitler Daniel , Sekler Israel , Fleidervish Ilya
Published: February 2022

Mitochondrial activity is crucial for the plasticity of central synapses, but how the firing pattern of pre- and postsynaptic neurons affects the mitochondria remains elusive. We recorded changes in the fluorescence of cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ indicators in cell bodies, axons, and dendrites of cortical pyramidal neurons in mouse brain slices while evoking pre- and postsynaptic spikes. Postsynaptic spike firing elicited fast mitochondrial Ca2+ responses that were about threefold larger in the somas and apical dendrites than in basal dendrites and axons. The amplitude of these responses and metabolic activity were extremely sensitive to the firing frequency. Furthermore, while an EPSP alone caused no detectable Ca2+ elevation in the dendritic mitochondria, the coincidence of EPSP with a backpropagating spike produced prominent, highly localized mitochondrial Ca2+ hotspots. Our results indicate that mitochondria decode the spike firing frequency and the Hebbian temporal coincidences into the Ca2+ signals, which are further translated into the metabolic output and most probably lead to long-term changes in synaptic efficacy.
Host casein kinase 1-mediated phosphorylation modulates phase separation of a rhabdovirus phosphoprotein and virus infection
Authors: Fang Xiao-Dong , Gao Qiang , Zang Ying , Qiao Ji-Hui , Gao Dong-Min , Xu Wen-Ya , Wang Ying , Li Dawei , Wang Xian-Bing
Published: February 2022

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays important roles in forming cellular membraneless organelles. However, how host factors regulate LLPS of viral proteins during negative-sense RNA (NSR) virus infection is largely unknown. Here, we used barley yellow striate mosaic virus (BYSMV) as a model to demonstrate regulation of host casein kinase 1 (CK1) in phase separation and infection of NSR viruses. We first found that the BYSMV phosphoprotein (P) formed spherical granules with liquid properties and recruited viral nucleotide (N) and polymerase (L) proteins in vivo. Moreover, the P-formed granules were tethered to the ER/actin network for trafficking and fusion. BYSMV P alone formed droplets and incorporated the N protein and the 5′ trailer of genomic RNA in vitro. Interestingly, phase separation of BYSMV P was inhibited by host CK1-dependent phosphorylation of an intrinsically disordered P protein region. Genetic assays demonstrated that the unphosphorylated mutant of BYSMV P exhibited condensed phase, which promoted viroplasm formation and virus replication. Whereas, the phosphorylation-mimic mutant existed in diffuse phase state for virus transcription. Collectively, our results demonstrate that host CK1 modulates phase separation of the viral P protein and virus infection.
An ensemble based approach using a combination of clustering and classification algorithms to enhance customer churn prediction in telecom industry
Authors: Fakhar Bilal Syed , Ali Almazroi Abdulwahab , Bashir Saba , Hassan Khan Farhan , Ali Almazroi Abdulaleem
Published: February 2022

Mobile communication has become a dominant medium of communication over the past two decades. New technologies and competitors are emerging rapidly and churn prediction has become a great concern for telecom companies. A customer churn prediction model can provide the accurate identification of potential churners so that a retention solution may be provided to them. The proposed churn prediction model is a hybrid model that is based on a combination of clustering and classification algorithms using an ensemble. First, different clustering algorithms (i.e. K-means, K-medoids, X-means and random clustering) were evaluated individually on two churn prediction datasets. Then hybrid models were introduced by combining the clusters with seven different classification algorithms individually and then evaluations were performed using ensembles. The proposed research was evaluated on two different benchmark telecom data sets obtained from GitHub and Bigml platforms. The analysis of results indicated that the proposed model attained the highest prediction accuracy of 94.7% on the GitHub dataset and 92.43% on the Bigml dataset. State of the art comparison was also performed using the proposed model. The proposed model performed significantly better than state of the art churn prediction models.
Accessibility challenges of e-commerce websites
Authors: Acosta-Vargas Patricia , Salvador-Acosta Belén , Salvador-Ullauri Luis , Jadán-Guerrero Janio
Published: February 2022

Today, there are many e-commerce websites, but not all of them are accessible. Accessibility is a crucial element that can make a difference and determine the success or failure of a digital business. The study was applied to 50 e-commerce sites in the top rankings according to the classification proposed by ecommerceDB. In evaluating the web accessibility of e-commerce sites, we applied an automatic review method based on a modification of Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) 1.0. To evaluate accessibility, we used Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE) with the extension for Google Chrome, which helps verify password-protected, locally stored, or highly dynamic pages. The study found that the correlation between the ranking of e-commerce websites and accessibility barriers is 0.329, indicating that the correlation is low positive according to Spearman’s Rho. According to the WAVE analysis, the research results reveal that the top 10 most accessible websites are Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, Walmart, Target Corporation, Macy’s, IKEA, H&M Hennes, Chewy, Kroger, QVC, and Nike. The most significant number of accessibility barriers relate to contrast errors that must be corrected for e-commerce websites to reach an acceptable level of accessibility. The most neglected accessibility principle is perceivable, representing 83.1%, followed by operable with 13.7%, in third place is robust with 1.7% and finally understandable with 1.5%. Future work suggests constructing a software tool that includes artificial intelligence algorithms that help the software identify accessibility barriers.