bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whole genome comparisons of Staphylococcus agnetis isolates from cattle and chickens
Authors: Shwani Abdulkarim , Adkins Pamela R. F. , Ekesi Nnamdi S. , Alrubaye Adnan , Calcutt Michael J. , Middleton John R. , Rhoads Douglas D.
Published: January 2020

S. agnetis has been previously associated with subclinical or clinically mild cases of mastitis in dairy cattle and is one of several Staphylococcal species that have been isolated from the bone and blood of lame broilers. We were the first to report that S. agnetis could be obtained frequently from bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lesions of lame broilers. Further, we showed that a particular isolate of S. agnetis, chicken isolate 908, can induce lameness in over 50% of exposed chickens, far exceeding normal BCO incidences in broiler operations. We have previously reported the assembly and annotation of the genome of isolate 908. To better understand the relationship between dairy cattle and broiler isolates, we assembled 11 additional genomes for S. agnetis isolates, including an additional chicken BCO strain, and ten isolates from milk, mammary gland secretions or udder skin, from the collection at the University of Missouri. To trace phylogenetic relationships, we constructed phylogenetic trees based on multi-locus sequence typing, and Genome-to-Genome Distance Comparisons. Chicken isolate 908 clustered with two of the cattle isolates along with three isolates from chickens in Denmark and an isolate of S. agnetis we isolated from a BCO lesion on a commercial broiler farm in Arkansas. We used a number of BLAST tools to compare the chicken isolates to those from cattle and identified 98 coding sequences distinguishing isolate 908 from the cattle isolates. None of the identified genes explain the differences in host or tissue tropism. These analyses are critical to understanding how Staphylococci colonize and infect different hosts and potentially how they can transition to alternative niches (bone vs dermis).

Importance

Staphylococcus agnetis has been recently recognized as associated with disease in dairy cattle and meat type chickens. The infections appear to be limited in cattle and systemic in broilers. This report details the molecular relationships between cattle and chicken isolates in order to understand how this recently recognized species infects different hosts with different disease manifestations. The data show the chicken and cattle isolates are very closely related but the chicken isolates all cluster together suggesting a single jump from cattle to chickens.
In-depth 15 H7N9 Human Serum Proteomics Profiling Study
Authors: Yang ZiFeng , Guan Wenda , Zhou Shiyi , Chen Liping , Mok Chris K.P. , Huang Jicheng , Wu Shiguan , Zhou Hongxia , Liu Yong , Peiris Malik , Liu Xiaoqing , Li Yimin , Zhong Nanshan
Published: January 2020

Background

Human infection by avian influenza viruses is characterized by rapid development of acute respiratory distress and severe pneumonia. However, the underlying host response leading to this severe outcome is not well studied.

Methods

We conducted mass spectrometry-based serum proteome profiling on 10 healthy controls and 15 H7N9 infected cases with two time points and carried out statistical and biology functional enrichment analysis.

Results

In total, we identified 647 proteins, 273 proteins were only found in H7N9 infected cases which might generate from cell leakage/death (apoptosis and/or necrosis) and identified 50 proteins with statistically significant difference between healthy control and H7N9 infected cases from 168 qualified proteins. We also found that M1 and PB2 tightly associated with the host’s HSPA8 (P11142,p=0.0042) which plays an important role in the protein quality control system.

Conclusions

H7N9 infection may increase cell programmed/unprogrammed cell death, and we suggested that upregulated extracellular HSPA8 may suppress the H7N9 virion replication via activation amyloid-beta binding network.
Identification of a PRC2 accessory subunit required for subtelomeric H3K27 methylation in Neurospora
Authors: McNaught Kevin J. , Wiles Elizabeth T. , Selker Eric U.
Published: January 2020

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) catalyzes methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) in genomic regions of most eukaryotes and is critical for maintenance of the associated transcriptional repression. However, the mechanisms that shape the distribution of H3K27 methylation, such as recruitment of PRC2 to chromatin and/or stimulation of PRC2 activity, are unclear. Here, using a forward genetic approach in the model organismNeurospora crassa, we identified two alleles of a gene,NCU04278, encoding an unknownPRC2accessorysubunit (PAS). Loss of PAS resulted in losses of H3K27 methylation concentrated near the chromosome ends and derepression of a subset of associated subtelomeric genes. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry confirmed reciprocal interactions between PAS and known PRC2 subunits, and sequence similarity searches demonstrated that PAS is not unique toN. crassa. PAS homologs likely influence the distribution of H3K27 methylation, and underlying gene repression, in a variety of fungal lineages.
MOCHI enables discovery of heterogeneous interactome modules in 3D nucleome
Authors: Tian Dechao , Zhang Ruochi , Zhang Yang , Zhu Xiaopeng , Ma Jian
Published: January 2020

The composition of the cell nucleus is highly heterogeneous, with different constituents forming complex interactomes. However, the global patterns of these interwoven heterogeneous interactomes remain poorly understood. Here we focus on two different interactomes, chromatin interaction network and gene regulatory network, as a proof of principle to identify heterogeneous interactome modules (HIMs), each of which represents a cluster of gene loci that is in spatial contact more frequently than expected and that is regulated by the same group of transcription factors. HIM integrates transcription factor binding and 3D genome structure to reflect “transcriptional niche” in the nucleus. We develop a new algorithm, MOCHI, to facilitate the discovery of HIMs based on network motif clustering in heterogeneous interactomes. By applying MOCHI to five different cell types, we found that HIMs have strong spatial preference within the nucleus and show distinct functional properties. Through integrative analysis, this work shows the utility of MOCHI to identify HIMs, which may provide new perspectives on the interplay between transcriptional regulation and 3D genome organization.
Best practices for operando depth-resolving battery experiments
Authors: Liu Hao , Li Zhuo , Grenier Antonin , Kamm Gabrielle E. , Yin Liang , Mattei Gerard S. , Cosby Monty R. , Khalifah Peter G. , Chupas Peter J. , Chapman Karena W.
Published: January 2020

Operando studies that probe how electrochemical reactions propagate through a battery provide valuable feedback for optimizing the electrode architecture and for mitigating reaction heterogeneity. Transmission-geometry depth-profiling measurements carried out with the beam directed parallel to the battery layers – in a radial geometry – can provide quantitative structural insights that resolve depth-dependent reaction heterogeneity which are not accessible from conventional transmission measurements that traverse all battery layers. However, these spatially resolved measurements are susceptible to aberrations that do not affect conventional perpendicular-beam studies. Key practical considerations that can impact the interpretation of synchrotron depth-profiling studies, which are related to the signal-to-noise ratio, cell alignment and lateral heterogeneity, are described. Strategies to enable accurate quantification of state of charge during rapid depth-profiling studies are presented.
The influences of social value orientation and domain knowledge on crowdsourcing manuscript transcription
Authors: Zhang Xuanhui , Chen Si , Zhao Yuxiang Chris , Song Shijie , Zhu Qinghua
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how social value orientation and domain knowledge affect cooperation levels and transcription quality in crowdsourced manuscript transcription, and contribute to the recruitment of participants in such projects in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a quasi-experiment using Transcribe-Sheng, which is a well-known crowdsourced manuscript transcription project in China, to investigate the influences of social value orientation and domain knowledge. The experiment lasted one month and involved 60 participants. ANOVA was used to test the research hypotheses. Moreover, inverviews and thematic analyses were conducted to analyze the qualitative data in order to provide additional insights.

Findings

The analysis confirmed that in crowdsourced manuscript transcription, social value orientation has a significant effect on participants’ cooperation level and transcription quality; domain knowledge has a significant effect on participants’ transcription quality, but not on their cooperation level. The results also reveal the interactive effect of social value orientation and domain knowledge on cooperation levels and quality of transcription. The analysis of the qualitative data illustrated the influences of social value orientation and domain knowledge on crowdsourced manuscript transcription in detail.

Originality/value

Researchers have paid little attention to the impacts of the psychological and cognitive factors on crowdsourced manuscript transcription. This study investigated the effect of social value orientation and the combined effect of social value orientation and domain knowledge in this context. The findings shed light on crowdsourcing transcription initiatives in the cultural heritage domain and can be used to facilitate participant selection in such projects.
The architecture of resilience in rural towns
Authors: Dupre Karine , Bischeri Cecilia
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Whilst resilience has been a critical academic topic and worldwide issue for many decades, not all territories have been equally investigated. In addition, the role of architecture in contributing to community resilience against climate change has been overlooked. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to shed light on what is the current state of the art of community resilience in rural towns and what type of architectural strategies has been recognised for facilitating resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has combined literature review and architectural project review.

Findings

There are four major findings to this research that could impact policy making and decision making if implemented at different institutional levels. First, there is an evident increased academic interest on this topic. Second, there is a need for a greater consultation among the different stakeholders that participate in the planning and implementation of the future-focused adaptation strategies. Third, the potential for the architectural discipline to play an active role in facilitating and ameliorating community resilience has been identified. Fourth, there is a need to integrate placed-based and identity-related factors/components into a community’s framework for resilience amelioration.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation is the fact that the literature review investigated only English literature. Also, the review relied mostly on online findings and, for the good-practice review, did not take into consideration direct local knowledge, which would have required travelling the globe and all of Australia in order to collect feedback. Thus, some projects and literature might have been missed.

Originality/value

The value of this research is to compare findings from literature review (scholar activities) and best practices (architectural activities). In combining the two aspects, it merges a gap in research.
Shape optimization of soft magnetic composite inserts for electromagnetic stirrer with traveling magnetic field
Authors: Bolotin Kirill , Shvidkii Evgeniy Leonidovich , Sokolov Igor , Bychkov Sergey Alekseevich
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to search optimal shape of soft magnetic composite-based inserts used to compensate the working gap between the liquid metal and the induction stirrer in metallurgical installations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was based on numerical simulation of electromagnetic processes in frequency domain. To optimize inserts shape, the Nelder–Mead method was used. The maximum of integral electrodynamic force along x-axis was chosen as the objective function. All simulations were performed in finite element software package Comsol Multiphysics.

Findings

Optimal inserts shape was determined, at which the value of integral electrodynamic force along x-axis increased by 20% from 692  to 792 N.

Originality/value

Magnetic concentrators based on soft magnetic composite materials have long been used in high-frequency systems; at the same time, their use in low-frequency systems has not been previously considered in detail. The study of the shape effect of concentrators on the effectiveness of electromagnetic field in a liquid metal in a three-dimensional formulation was carried out for the first time.
Three-dimensional numerical study of heat-affected zone in induction welding of tubes
Authors: Das Prerana , Asperheim John Inge , Grande Bjørnar , Petzold Thomas , Hömberg Dietmar
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Quality of the weld joint produced by high-frequency induction (HFI) welding of steel tubes is attributed to a number of process parameters. There are several important process parameters such as the speed of the welding line, the angle of the approaching strip edges, the physical configuration of the induction coil, impeder, formed steel strip and weld rolls with respect to each other, the pressure of the weld rolls and frequency of the high-frequency current in the induction coil. The purpose of this paper is to develop a 3D model of tube welding process that incorporates realistic material properties and movement of the strip.

Design/methodology/approach

3D numerical simulation by the finite element method (FEM) can be used to understand the influence of these process parameters. In this study, the authors have developed a quasi-steady model along with the coupling of electromagnetic and thermal model and incorporation of non-linear electromagnetic and thermal material properties.

Findings

In this study, 3D FEM model has been established which gives results in accordance with previously published work on induction tube welding. The effect of the Vee-angle and frequency on the temperature profile created in the strip edge during the electromagnetic heating is studied.

Practical implications

The authors are now able to simulate the induction tube welding process at a more reasonable computational cost enabling an analysis of the process.

Originality/value

A 3D model has been developed for induction tube welding. A non-linearly coupled system of Maxwell’s electromagnetic equation and the heat equation is implemented using the fixed point iteration method. The model also takes into account non-linear magnetic and thermal material properties. Adaptive remeshing is implemented to optimise mesh size for the electrical skin depth of induced current in the strip. The model also accounts for the high welding-line speeds which influence the mode of heat transfer in the strip.
Design and control of electrotechnological systems
Authors: Pleshivtseva Yuliya , Rapoport Edgar , Nacke Bernard , Nikanorov Alexander , Di Barba Paolo , Forzan Michele , Sieni Elisabetta , Lupi Sergio
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate different multi-objective optimization (MOO) approaches for design and control of electromagnetic devices. The main goal of MOO is to find the set of design variables or control parameters which will provide the best possible values of typical conflicting objective functions.

Design/methodology/approach

In the research studies, standard genetic algorithm (GA), non-dominated sorting GA (NSGA-II), migration NSGA algorithm and alternance method of optimal control theory are discussed and compared.

Findings

The test practical problems of multi-criteria optimization of induction heating processes with respect to chosen quality criteria confirm the effectiveness of application of considered MOO approaches both for the problems of design and control.

Originality/value

This paper represents and investigates different MOO approaches for design and control of electrotechnological systems.
The influence of servant leadership on an organization’s serving-driven capabilities in a Kuwaiti bank environment
Authors: Riquelme Hernan Eduardo , Rios Rosa E. , Gadallah Akram S.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to test the direct influence of servant leadership (SL) on an organization’s serving-driven capabilities (S-DC). Second, to test the indirect effect of SL on employee customer-service behaviors and identification with their branch. Third, to determine the direct effect of an organization’s S-DC on employee customer-service behaviors and identification with the branch. Thus, the authors provide evidence of how SL influence serving-driven interaction capabilities that are later deployed to execute customer-oriented behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were obtained from a sample of 36 bank branches of one bank in the Middle East. Employees evaluated their manager’s SL behaviors, the six S-DC and their identification with the organization. In turn, managers assessed their employees on customer-service behaviors. Partial least squares path analysis was used to model the relationships.

Findings

Results indicate servant leaders’ behaviors are example, motivator and determinant of an organization’s S-DC. Employees not only adopt the S-DC by imitation but also as a mean to reciprocate the leader: serve your customers like the leader serves you. Other results and implications for managers are presented.

Research limitations/implications

The study is of a cross-sectional nature therefore a causal effect of SL on S-DC cannot be determined. Second, the study is limited to one bank although several branches were randomly sampled. Third, the evaluations of the S-DC have been done by the employees rather than customers.

Practical implications

The S-DC concept provides ample opportunities for managers to enhance their interactions with employees and customers to improve their performance by identifying which capabilities to develop. Specifically, interactions that promote ethical, empowering, developmental relationships and that encourage genuine two-way communication and responds to individual needs.

Originality/value

The study is original in testing the mediating effect of a S-DC. The focus on individual and organizational capabilities is relevant because they have been touted as among the most important factors to explain the differences of company performances and competitive advantages
Digital athletics in analogue stadiums
Authors: Sjöblom Max , Macey Joseph , Hamari Juho
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Esports (electronic sports) are watched by hundreds of millions of people every year and many esports have overtaken large traditional sports in spectator numbers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate spectating differences between online spectating of esports and live attendance of esports events. This is done in order to further understand attendance behaviour for a cultural phenomenon that is primarily mediated through internet technologies, and to be able to predict behavioural patterns.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs the Motivation Scale for Sports Consumption to investigate the gratifications spectators derive from esports, both from attending tournaments physically and spectating online, in order to explore which factors may explain the esports spectating behaviour. The authors investigate how these gratifications lead into continued spectatorship online and offline, as well as the likelihood of recommending esports to others. The authors employ two data sets, one collected from online spectators (n=888), the other from live attendees (n=221).

Findings

The results indicate that online spectators rate drama, acquisition of knowledge, appreciation of skill, novelty, aesthetics and enjoyment of aggression higher than live attendees. Correspondingly, social interaction and physical attractiveness were rated higher by live attendees. Vicarious achievement and physical attractiveness positively predicted intention to attend live sports events while vicarious achievement and novelty positively predicted future online consumption of esports. Finally, vicarious achievement and novelty positively predicted recommending esports to others.

Originality/value

During the past years, esports has emerged as a new form of culture and entertainment, that is unique in comparison to other forms of entertainment, as it is almost fully reliant on computer-human interaction and the internet. This study offers one of the first attempts to compare online spectating and live attendance, in order to better understand the phenomenon and the consumers involved. As the growth of esports is predicted to continue in the coming years, further understanding of this phenomenon is pivotal for multiple stakeholder groups.
The customer experience – loyalty link: moderating role of motivation orientation
Authors: Stein Alisha , Ramaseshan B.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to examine the effects of different touch points on customer experience, second, effects of customer experience on loyalty intentions, and actual spend, and third, the moderating role of motivation orientation on these effects.

Design/methodology/approach

By recognizing the importance of capturing customer experience assessments at the “time of the experience”, a smartphone technology mobile app was developed for the purpose of this study. Real time customer experience data were collected at individual touch points.

Findings

The results show that the real-time touch point evaluations significantly effect overall customer experience and that these effects significantly differ for utilitarian and hedonic motivation orientations. The effects of technology, atmospherics, employee–customer interaction and service/product interaction touch points on overall customer experience are significantly stronger for hedonic orientation than for utilitarian orientation. In contrast, the effect of process touch point on overall customer experience is significantly stronger for utilitarian than hedonic orientation. Also, favorable overall customer experience evaluations exert significant positive influence on loyalty intentions, and actual spend, and these influences are significantly stronger for consumers with hedonic than utilitarian motivation orientations.

Practical implications

The findings of this study will enable companies to manage customer experience programs effectively by providing an understanding of the distinct touch points that occur along the customer journey and the relative importance of each of these touch points in enhancing customer experience.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical study that offers important insights on the effects of different touch points on customer experience, and on the moderating role of consumer motivation orientations on the touch points – customer experience – loyalty link by using real-time data.
Analysts’ optimism and stock crash risk
Authors: Cho Hyunkwon , Kim Robert
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether analysts’ optimism affects the stock crash risk.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample covers 49,246 firm-year observations for the period between 1995 and 2015. The authors use OLS regressions with firm and year fixed effects for analyses.

Findings

The study finds that there is a positive association between analysts’ optimism and stock crash risk. Such a positive impact is more pronounced for firms with opaque information environment and for analysts who are consideredex antecredible.

Research limitations/implications

The results indicate that analysts’ optimism can be an important source of stock crash risk.

Practical implications

The findings can be useful for informational users of analyst reports. Given that information provided by analysts might have negative consequences, the empirical results can be useful in assessing future stock return behaviors.

Originality/value

This paper has the potential to shed light on the large literature of crash risk. Prior studies suggest that crash is driven by the agency tension between shareholders and managers. It remains possible that crashes could be caused by overpriced stocks in the absence of bad news hoarding. The paper investigates crash from a perspective, financial analysts, that is underexplored.
Why am I me?
Authors: Odebiyi Oluseyi Matthew , Sunal Cynthia , Sunal Dennis
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper – an early grades lesson set for ages 4–7 – is to explore the concepts of identity and individual development, involving young students in reflection on their own identity as they have everyday experiences. This lesson set uses the book, Why am I me?, as a resource to portray typical young learners’ exploring their identities as they encounter others at school and in public places.

Design/methodology/approach

The storyline describes students’ identity and how students can contribute to promoting oneness and compassion at school.

Findings

The storyline describes how young learners think about themselves and others as unique individuals while also recognizing the characteristics connecting individuals together and making us human.

Originality/value

The aim is to help young learners develop self-awareness and awareness of others. The lesson sequence builds awareness on nurturing connection, compassion and oneness among young learners.
The global consciousness path to sustainable tourism: a perspective paper
Authors: Lew Alan A.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Tourism and travel experiences are a major contributor to expanding global awareness and consciousness, which is necessary to achieve sustainable development in an integrated and rapidly shrinking world.

Design/methodology/approach

Consciousness is a major area of theoretical speculation and debate in neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, biology, quantum physics and spirituality disciplines. These fields offer insights into how tourism contributes to an evolving global consciousness.

Findings

Global consciousness is needed to give a context and vision for addressing the pressing needs of the world today. It is a platform to integrate sustainability at the individual level, and it justifies the human desire to travel as a consciousness expanding experience. In this way, tourism can serve as a positive force for creating a truly sustainable future world.

Practical implications

Global consciousness could be adopted as an 18th UN Sustainable Development Goal to give a holistic, spiritual and personal vision to sustainable development, which is currently lacking. Travel and tourism would be a major participant in achieving this goal.

Originality/value

Global consciousness is a non-dualist visionary goal for humankind, and for travel and tourism, which could move both toward more sustainable outcomes than have the reductionist sustainable development practices of the past.
From carrying capacity to overtourism: a perspective article
Authors: Wall Geoffrey
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to place current burgeoning interest in overtourism into historical context.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws upon the author’s experiences of working for approximately four decades on tourism and recreation using such concepts as impacts and carrying capacity.

Findings

This paper shows that overtourism is not a new concept. Rather it has a substantial history, although early origins within park and recreation settings in North America have been superseded by an emphasis on the urban areas of historic towns, particularly in Europe.

Originality/value

The paper provides a corrective to the common assumption that overtourism is a new phenomenon and, in doing so, points out the deficiencies of concepts and approaches, such as carrying capacity, that are being revived but have been used previously, criticized and found wanting.
Sylvia docker memorial lecture: Together we go further—Service co‐design, knowledge co‐production and radical solidarity
Authors: Whiteford Gail Elizabeth
Published: January 2020

Background/aim

Occupational therapy can be essentially described as enabling social inclusion through occupational participation. How does this best happen? The answer is through working in deeply collaborative, power and knowledge sharing partnerships with individuals, families, communities and populations of people across contextual boundaries.

Methods

In this lecture, critical consideration is given to first, ways of working with communities of interest in service co‐design, knowledge co‐production and as co‐researchers and how the philosophical underpinnings of the profession are consistent with such approaches. The second part of the lecture examines epistemic and hegemonic ‘blind‐spots’ of the profession which can act as barriers to such person centred interactions, further reproducing dynamics of exclusion and marginalisation of already vulnerable persons and communities. Finally, the lecture considers the ‘next era’ in occupational therapy in which, in response to entrenched situations of occupational injustice globally, we may work with people in what has been termed ‘radical solidarity’ using de‐colonising and occupation‐centred approaches such as the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework and the Capabilities, Opportunities, Resources and Environments approach.

Results

Using approaches that represent authentic partnerships between occupational therapists and the people they serve can result in powerful and potentially transformative outcomes. This is because working with people as co‐designers of services and as co‐researchers in evaluating service effectiveness, means that knowledge is co‐produced within specific contexts. This in turn means the traditional evidence/practice gap is closed.

Conclusions

Working in authentic, power sharing partnerships with diverse people in diverse settings using diverse approaches, will be the way in which occupational therapy can make its strongest societal contribution. Aligning occupational justice with epistemic and hermeneutic justice is fundamental to this vision, providing a platform in which members of the profession can work collaboratively with people and go further together towards societal change.
Cognitive job crafting: A possible response to increasing job insecurity and declining professional prestige
Authors: Buonocore Filomena , de Gennaro Davide , Russo Marcello , Salvatore Domenico
Published: January 2020

Recent research has shown that job crafting, which describes individuals' attempts to craft a job to make it correspond more to personal inclinations, skills, and abilities, can generate significant work and nonwork benefits for individuals. Using the theoretical lens of activation theory, we examined whether professionals are prompted to cognitively craft their jobs in response to the increasing perception of precarisation of their profession, measured in terms of job insecurity and perceived external prestige. We adopted a mixed methods approach among professional accountants operating in Southern Italy and the results indicated the presence of two curvilinear relationships. More specifically, we found that accountants were more likely to engage in cognitive crafting when experiencing moderate levels of job insecurity (rather than high or low) and in the presence of both low and high levels of perceived external prestige (rather than a moderate level). Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Investigating the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of cinnamaldehyde against Campylobacter spp. using cell surface characteristics
Authors: Yu Hwan Hee , Song Ye Ji , Yu Hyung‐Seok , Lee Na‐Kyoung , Paik Hyun‐Dong
Published: January 2020

Campylobacter species are known as biofilm‐forming bacteria in food systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of cinnamaldehyde against Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from chicken meat. The biofilm‐forming C. jejuni and C. coli strains from chicken meat were investigated using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Campylobacter spp. characteristics. The MIC value was 31.25 µg/mL for the Campylobacter strains tested. Cinnamaldehyde had an inhibition and degradation effect on Campylobacter biofilms at concentrations > 15.63 µg/mL. Campylobacter strains treated with 15.63 µg/mL CA exhibited significantly decreased autoaggregation, motility, exopolysaccharide production, and soluble protein. In addition, Campylobacter biofilms formed on stainless steel were degraded following cinnamaldehyde treatment, as determined by scanning electron microscopy. Taken together, these results suggest that cinnamaldehyde constitutes a potential natural preservative against Campylobacter and a nontoxic biofilm remover that could be applied to control food poisoning in the poultry manufacturing‐related food industry.

Practical Application

Cinnamaldehyde was able to effectively remove the biofilm of Campylobacter in the small crack of stainless steel. Cinnamaldehyde has a potential to replace the synthetic antimicrobial and/or antibiofilm agent as well as has a positive influence on consumer concern for the food safety issues of the poultry industries.
The Role of Pension Business Benefits in Institutional Block Ownership and Corporate Governance*
Authors: Huang Jing , Matsunaga Steven R. , Wang Z. Jay
Published: January 2020

We investigate whether potential pension contracting benefits lead institutions that provide pension services to acquire ownership blocks in firms and the implications of such blockholdings on the firms' corporate governance. We use the 2006 Pension Protection Act, which expanded pension participation in certain states, as a quasi‐exogenous shock and find an increase in block ownership by pension‐providing institutions in firms with substantial operations in affected states. Further, we find that the acquisition of a large block increases the likelihood that the institution will provide future pension services to the firm. With regard to corporate governance, we find that the acquisition of large pension blockholdings is associated with higher CEO pay and lower CEO turnover following poor financial performance. However, contrary to the prediction of the private benefits hypothesis, we do not find consistent evidence that large pension blockholdings are associated with declining firm profitability, suggesting that pension institutions are incentivized to exert monitoring to preserve the investment value of their blockholdings. Overall, our evidence is consistent with pension service institutions acquiring ownership blocks to obtain pension contracts, but our evidence does not support the prediction that they use their influence to compromise shareholder value.
Infrastructural Incorporations: Toxic Storage, Corporate Indemnity, and Ethical Deferral in Peru's Neoextractive Era
Authors: Graeter Stefanie
Published: January 2020

How much is a body with minerals worth? Through the lens of lead‐exposure politics, this article analyzes how people living near the mineral‐storage yards of Peru's seaport of El Callao enact a response to this question. El Callao's port serves as a transport and storage hub for metal particulates awaiting foreign markets. The infrastructure required for this undertaking—trucks, roads, and repositories—also generate conditions of metal leakage and human exposure. Over the decades, low‐income port residents have effectively acted as human infrastructures of toxic storage, a service for which they are selectively paid through ad hoc indemnification practices by multinational metal‐trading corporations. While arguing that such infrastructural incorporations materialize the racialized ethics of Peru's extractive economy, the article also shows how denouncing lead exposure has generated new political means for port residents to access previously unavailable infrastructure (water, electricity, building materials) for their formalizing or informal settlements as well as other basic necessities of life. Decades after the “discovery” of lead at the port, these isolated gift exchanges and infrastructural improvements provide corporations a palliative approach to lead remediation and indemnification, producing a state of ongoing ethical deferral of complete lead eradication, which keeps minerals moving swiftly through the port and inside the bodies of residents. [infrastructure, ports, toxicity, ethics, corporate social responsibility, racial extractive capitalism, Peru]
Significance of the gut microbiome in multistep colorectal carcinogenesis
Authors: Mizutani Sayaka , Yamada Takuji , Yachida Shinichi
Published: January 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly prevalent worldwide. In 2018, there were over 1.8 million new cases. Most sporadic CRC develop from polypoid adenomas and are preceded by intramucosal carcinoma (stage 0), which can progress into more malignant forms. This developmental process is known as the adenoma‐carcinoma sequence. Early detection and endoscopic removal are crucial for CRC management. Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiota is associated with CRC development in humans. Comprehensive characterization of this microbiota is of great importance to assess its potential as a diagnostic marker in the very early stages of CRC. In this review, we summarized recent studies on CRC‐associated bacteria and their carcinogenic mechanisms in animal models, human cell lines and human cohorts. High‐throughput technologies have facilitated the identification of CRC‐associated bacteria in human samples. We have presented our metagenome and metabolome studies on fecal samples collected from a large Japanese cohort that revealed stage‐specific phenotypes of the microbiota in CRC. Furthermore, we have discussed the potential carcinogenic mechanisms of the gut microbiota, from which we can infer whether changes in the gut microbiota are a cause or effect in the multi‐step process of CRC carcinogenesis.
A Path Analysis of Socialization Model in Traditional Market: Behavior, Function, Visual Exposure, and Access and Communication
Authors: Najjari Nabi Rana , Mahdinezhad Jamaloddin , Saleh Sedghpour Bahram
Published: January 2020

Public spaces serve as an important site of social interaction. They allow people to gather and socialize away from home and work. This article discusses the meaning of urban public space and its role in the socialization of users in the market and the discussion of public space as a part of the socialization of businessmen and people who meet there for shopping, recreation, and establishing social relationships. The purpose of this study was to test a conceptual model, using path analysis to examine direct and indirect relationships among factors contributing socialization in the public traditional Iranian Bazaars. Included in a path analysis were 326 cases. As hypothesized, behavior, function, visual exposure, and access and communication of 12 components were found to be effective factors that positively influenced socialization of markets.
Preoperative predictors of early relapse/no‐remission of type‐2 diabetes after metabolic surgery in Chinese patients
Authors: Nautiyal Hemant K. , Guan Wei , Lin Shibo , Liang Hui
Published: January 2020

Remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after metabolic surgery in some patients is not sustained. There is limited data regarding the preoperative factors predicting early relapse of T2DM in Chinese patients. The objective of this study is to look for preoperative predictors of early T2DM relapse/no remission in patients with obesity and diabetes who underwent Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or loop duodeno‐jejunal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (LDJB‐SG). This is a retrospective study of 113 patients who underwent RYGB or LDJB‐SG for T2DM. All T2DM patients with BMI 27.5 to 37.5 kg/m2, having uncontrolled diabetes and T2DM patients with BMI > 37.5 were included in the study. A multivariate analysis with a logistic regression model was used for analysed factors. Nineteen patients (16.8%) had early relapse and 12 (10.6%) did not have remission. Mean age of patients was significantly more who relapsed/no‐remission (44.9 vs 40.3 years). On univariate analysis, base line weight (86 vs 96.7 kg) was significantly lower in patients who relapsed/no‐remission. Patients with sustained remission had statistically significant low glycosylated haemoglobin (P < .030), plasma glucose (120 minutes) (P < .002) on OGTT, area under curve glucose (P < .011) values and more C‐peptide (P < .006) on univariate analysis. Only duration of diabetes (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.56‐4.97, P < .001) was found to be independent preoperative factor associated with early relapse/no‐remission. Two years of diabetes duration was the cut‐off point to predict relapse/no‐remission (sensitivity 78.9, specificity 63.4, receiver operating characteristic curve 0.71). Duration of diabetes is the most probable, independent preoperative predictor of early T2DM relapse/no‐remission in patient with obesity and diabetes undergoing metabolic surgery.
RADIUS RESTRICTION AND FIRMS' SURVIVAL: EVIDENCE FROM THE COFFEE FRANCHISE INDUSTRY
Authors: Choi Yun Jeong , Kim Jee Young , You Min Hee
Published: January 2020

This study investigates the effects of distance restrictions on Korean coffee shops' survival. Restrictions were implemented by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission to limit the headquarters' opening of new shops to protect franchisees' territorial rights. Using extended Cox proportional hazard regression analyses, we find that the hazard rates of all coffee shops decreased significantly under the radius restriction, with more substantial decreases for young stores, attenuating over store ages. However, selective restrictions on five big brands influencing interbrand competition might have changed the coffee franchise industry's landscape and thereby widening the gap between exempted brand coffee shops and the rest. (JEL D22, L40, L66)
Synthesis of wild orchid trade and demography provides new insight on conservation strategies
Authors: Ticktin Tamara , Mondragón Demetria , Lopez‐Toledo Leonel , Dutra‐Elliott Daniela , Aguirre‐León Ernesto , Hernández‐Apolinar Mariana
Published: January 2020

Illegal wildlife trade represents a global conservation priority, but the booming illegal trade in wild plants remains understudied. We use the Mexican orchid trade to illustrate an interdisciplinary approach to provide novel insight on conservation strategies and policies. We synthesize studies of orchid markets, national orchid confiscation records, CITES registers, and global population dynamics studies to document trade patterns and potential ecological impacts. We found 333 wild‐harvested orchid taxa illegally traded in domestic markets. Clear patterns emerged: 90% were epiphytic and <4% traded in high volumes, all of which had pseudobulbs and bloomed during cultural festivals. Most sales were pseudobulbs, not whole plants. Review of demographic studies indicates whole‐plant harvest is unviable but simulations show potential for sustainable harvest of pseudobulbs. The combination of social and ecological findings suggests a novel multipronged approach to improve conservation, including selective monitoring, enforcement focused on whole‐plant harvest, and community‐based wild harvest of pseudobulbs.
Parent preferences for neurodevelopmental screening in the neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Dorner Rebecca A , Boss Renee D , Burton Vera Joanna , Raja Katherine , Lemmon Monica E
Published: January 2020

Aim

To determine whether, and how, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents want to receive early neurodevelopmental screening information about their child's future risk of cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

Method

This was a qualitative interview study. Parents of hospitalized infants born preterm completed semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed using a directed content analysis approach.

Results

Thematic saturation was achieved after 19 interviews. Four themes characterized parent perceptions of early neurodevelopmental screening: (1) acceptability: most parents were in favour of neurodevelopmental screening if parents could refuse; (2) disclosure of results: parents want emotional preparation for results, especially false positives; (3) emotional burden of uncertainty: parents of children in the NICU balance taking their infant’s illness ‘day by day’ and preparing for an uncertain future. Parents expressed distress with screening that increased uncertainty about the future; and (4) disability: prior experience with disability informs parent concerns.

Interpretation

Parents interpret the risks and benefits of NICU developmental screening through the lens of prior experiences with disability. Most expressed interest in screening and emphasized a desire for autonomy, pretest counselling, and emotional preparation.

What this paper adds

Most parents with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit expressed interest in early screening for developmental disability.

Prior experience with disability informed concerns about specific deficits.

Parents emphasized a desire for autonomy, pretest counselling, and emotional preparation.
Novice teachers in the Czech Republic and their drop‐out intentions
Authors: Hanušová Světlana , Píšová Michaela , Kohoutek Tomáš , Minaříková Eva , Ježek Stanislav , Janík Tomáš , Mareš Jan , Janík Miroslav
Published: January 2020

The current paper presents the results of the first research study of drop‐out intentions of novice teachers in the Czech Republic. The study focuses on the reported satisfaction of novice teachers in primary and lower secondary schools with external factors that influence their socialisation and that can be seen as predictors of novice teachers' decision to stay in their current school. In the paper we present the results of quantitative research conducted in 2015–2017. Our main findings include the key significance of factors at the school level, especially the influence of school culture and climate, cooperation with colleagues and leadership. We conclude that in the Czech context teachers tend to stay in schools provided that they work in a well‐functioning school, with cooperative colleagues and good head teachers.
The association between homework and primary school children's academic achievement. International evidence from PIRLS and TIMSS
Authors: Jerrim John , Lopez‐Agudo Luis Alejandro , Marcenaro‐Gutierrez Oscar D.
Published: January 2020

The association between time devoted to homework and children's academic achievement has long been an issue of great debate. A small number of mainly correlational studies have been conducted into this issue in a primary school setting, but have produced somewhat mixed results. In this paper we contribute to this literature by investigating the relationship between time spent upon homework and children's outcomes across 24 countries. By using a student fixed‐effects approach, capturing differences in homework time amongst the same student across different school subjects, we argue that our results are likely to be subject to less confounding than much of the existing literature. We find little evidence that the amount of homework time primary school children are assigned is related to their academic achievement. This holds true across a large number of countries, survives various robustness tests and does not vary by gender or socio‐economic status. We interpret this finding as suggesting that the homework assigned to primary school pupils may not be adequate to produce a positive association, and needs be improved if this time‐consuming activity is ever going to bring benefits for children's academic achievement.