bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pain Assessment in Pediatric Emergency Departments
Authors: Haupt Joshua , Shah Nipam , Fifolt Matthew , Jorge Eric , Glaeser Peter , Zisette Jacob , Pruitt Christopher
Published: December 2019

Objective

Accurate and consistent assessment of pain is essential in the pediatric emergency setting. Despite recommendations for formal assessment protocols, current data are lacking on pain assessment in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) and, specifically, whether appropriate tools are being used for different age groups. Our aim was to determine the status of pain assessment in US pediatric EDs.

Methods

We disseminated an online cross-sectional survey (after piloting) to pediatric EDs within the Children's Hospital Association. Responses were analyzed for each question owing to incomplete responders. We report descriptive statistics, with categorical variables compared with χ2(P< 0.05 considered statistically significant).

Results

From 120 pediatric EDs, we received 57 responses (48%). Most respondents (28/49, 57%) were from freestanding pediatric centers. All 57 EDs (100%) performed formal pain assessments, with 31 (63%) of 49 using an ED-specific protocol. Freestanding children's hospitals were more likely to have ED-specific protocols (21/31, 68%) than nonfreestanding (10/31, 32%) (P= 0.04). Among 56 responders, 100% stated that nurses are tasked with assessing pain. For children 0 to 2 years, 29 (54%) of 54 used the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale. Numerical scales were increasingly used with older ages: 3 to 4 years, 40 (80%) of 50; 5 to 10 years, 49 (98%) of 50; and 11 to 21 years, 50 (100%) of 50.

Conclusions

In contrast to prior research, US pediatric EDs are routinely assessing pain with scales that are mostly appropriate for their respective age groups. Further research is needed to explore barriers to implementing appropriate pain ratings for all children and, ultimately, how these assessments impact the care of children in the emergency setting.
Longitudinal Change in Common Impairments in Children With Cerebral Palsy From Age 1.5 to 11 Years
Authors: Jeffries Lynn M. , Fiss Alyssa LaForme , Westcott McCoy Sarah , Avery Lisa
Published: December 2019

Purpose:

This project aimed to determine whether change occurs over time for impairments of balance, range of motion, endurance, and strength of children with cerebral palsy, by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels.

Methods:

Measurements were completed in 77 children at 2 sessions (T1,T2) on average 5.8 years apart. Mean ages were 2.9 years (SD = 0.9) and 8.7 years (SD = 1.1) atT1andT2, respectively.

Results:

There were significant differences fromT1toT2for some children (GMFCS levels I, II, and III/IV: balance increased; GMFCS levels I and II: strength increased; and GMFCS levels III/IV and V: range of motion decreased). Endurance scores were not different and did not change.

Conclusions:

Longitudinal changes in most impairments occurred in children with cerebral palsy. Monitoring and targeted interventions should support each child's development.
Addressing Critiques of the Proposed CMS Metric of Organ Procurement Organ Performance: More Data Isn’t Better
Authors: Goldberg David S. , Doby Brianna , Lynch Raymond
Published: December 2019

Background.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a rule change to redefine the metric by which organ procurement organizations (OPOs) are evaluated. The metric relies on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data on inpatient deaths from causes consistent with donation among patients <75 years of age. Concerns have been raised that this metric does not account for rates of ventilation, and prevalence of cancer and severe sepsis, without objective data to substantiate or refute such concerns.

Methods.

We estimated OPO-level donation rates using CDC data, and used Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality/Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data from 43 State Inpatient Databases to calculate “adjusted” donation rates.

Results.

The CMS metric and the ventilation-adjusted CMS metric were highly concordant in absolute terms (Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients ≥0.95). In the Bland-Altman plot, 100% (48/48) of paired values (standard deviations [SDs] of the CMS and “ventilation adjusted” metrics) were within 1.96 SDs of the mean difference, with near-perfect correlation in Passing and Bablok regression (Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient: 0.97). The CMS metric and the ventilation/cancer/sepsis-adjusted metric were highly concordant in absolute terms (Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients ≥0.94). In the Bland-Altman plot, 97.9% (47/48) of paired values (SDs of the CMS and “ventilation/cancer/sepsis adjusted” metrics) were within 1.96 SDs of the mean difference, with near-perfect correlation in the Passing and Bablok regression (Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient: 0.97).

Conclusions.

These conclusions should provide CMS, and the transplant community, with comfort that the proposed CMS metric using CDC inpatient death data as a tool to compare OPO is not compromised by its lack of inclusion of ventilation or other comorbidity data.
Focal cerebral arteriopathy and childhood stroke
Authors: Fearn Nicola D. , Mackay Mark T.
Published: December 2019

Purpose of review

Focal cerebral arteriopathy (FCA) is one of the most common causes of arterial ischaemic stroke in a previously healthy child. Distinguishing between different subtypes of arteriopathy is challenging and has significant management implications.

Recent findings

Recent studies have helped to define the subtypes of focal cerebral arteriopathies and improved understanding of their clinical and radiological features. In addition, they have reported new evidence for the association between viral infection and inflammation in the pathogenesis of FCA and proposed new radiological, serum and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers to guide diagnosis and management. There is limited evidence to guide treatment of FCA but a role for steroids and antiviral therapies have been reported.

Despite the recent advances there is a limited knowledge of the pathophysiology and outcomes following FCA. Research priorities include the identification of biomarkers to improve accuracy of initial diagnosis and predict progression, and interventional trials to determine best treatments to reduce stroke recurrence risk.
A preliminary report on alcohol-associated DNA methylation and suicidal behavior: evidence using Mendelian randomization
Authors: Adams Charleen D.
Published: December 2019

Alcohol consumption, a risk factor for suicide, is associated with changes in DNA methylation, which may play a role in the pathophysiology of suicidality. Here, Mendelian randomization probes whether alcohol-associated changes in DNA methylation mediate risk for suicidal behavior. The results suggest that higher alcohol-associated DNA methylation levels at cg18120259 confer a weak causal effect. cg18120259 is instrumented by a cis-methylation quantitative trait locus (rs9472155) that is upstream of VEGFA and associated with circulating VEFG levels. To ascertain whether the cg18120259 finding is confounded by VEGF levels, a Mendelian randomization of VEGF levels on suicidality was performed, revealing a null effect. This implies circulating VEGF levels (observed among suicide attempters) may mark but not cause suicide. Both mechanisms should be re-examined in large replication studies, as the information might be harnessed for early detection of at-risk individuals and possibly save lives.
Prevalence and impact of oprD mutations in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in cystic fibrosis
Authors: Sherrard Laura J. , Wee Bryan A. , Duplancic Christine , Ramsay Kay A. , Dave Keyur A. , Ballard Emma , Wainwright Claire E. , Grimwood Keith , Sidjabat Hanna E. , Whiley David M. , Beatson Scott A. , Kidd Timothy J. , Bell Scott C.
Published: December 2019

Defective OprD porins contribute to carbapenem resistance and may be important in Pseudomonas aeruginosa adaptation to cystic fibrosis airways. It is unclear whether oprD mutations are fixed in populations of shared strains that are transmitted between patients or whether novel variants arise during infection. We investigated oprD sequences and antimicrobial resistance of two common Australian shared strains, constructed P. aeruginosa mutants with the most common oprD allelic variants and compared characteristics between patients with or without evidence of infection with strains harbouring these variants. Our data show that three independently acquired nonsense mutations arising from a 1-base pair substitution are fixed in strain sub-lineages. These nonsense mutations are likely to contribute to reduced carbapenem susceptibility in the sub-lineages without compromising in vitro fitness. Not only was lung function worse among patients infected with strains harbouring the nonsense mutations than those without, but they also had an increased hazard rate of lung transplantation/death. Our findings further highlight that understanding adaptive changes may help to distinguish patients with greater adverse outcomes despite infection with the same strain.
Using Paired Agent-Based Simulations To Test Strategies For Limiting The Effects Of Epidemics
Authors: Armstrong Margaret , Coelho Flávio Codeço
Published: December 2019

Agent-based simulations are widely used nowadays in public health research for comparing different strategies for mitigating epidemics and for planning appropriate responses in the aftermath of crises in large urban areas because they can capture fine scale heterogeneities that may have important non-linear effects on the results. Given the costs of implementing strategies, decision-makers have to be convinced that the proposed treatment/procedure leads to a statistically significant improvement.

This paper presents an innovative method for constructing paired agent-based simulations where exactly the same set of random effects is applied to simulations with and without the treatment/procedure. Statistical Analysis of Variance distinguishes the sum of squares between groups (BSS) from the sum of squares within groups (WSS). Our aim was to filter out the within sum of squares (WSS) leaving only the sum of squares between the control group and the treatment group (BSS). We propose to filter out the WSS by constructing paired simulations because as is well known, when paired t-tests can be used, they are much more powerful than ordinary t-tests. Pearson’s Chi-squared goodness of fit, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic and the Kullback-Leibler Divergence are then used to test whether the effect is statistically significant. This procedure has been tested on a case-study on the propagation of the Zika epidemic in Rio de Janeiro in 2015.

Author summary

Agent-based simulations are emerging as a powerful tool in computational biology because they can capture fine scale heterogeneities that can have important effects on the propagation of epidemics.In silicoexperiments can be used to test different strategies for mitigating epidemics quickly and inexpensively. Given the inherent variability from one simulation to another, it is difficult to statistically prove their effectiveness. We have developed a powerful method rather like paired t-tests, for testing whether a given treatment is statistically better than the control. We do this by generating paired simulations with exactly the same random variables in the control simulation and the one with a treatment. Using the terminology of analysis of variance, we want to filter out the sum of squares within the group, leaving only the sum of squares between the control and the treatment. This procedure has been applied to a case-study to see whether enclosing and air-conditioning the transport hub in Rio de Janeiro would have slowed down the propagation of Zika.
Neutrophil extracellular trap formation correlates with improved overall survival in ovarian cancer
Authors: Muqaku Besnik , Pils Dietmar , Mader Johanna C. , Aust Stefanie , Mangold Andreas , Muqaku Liridon , Slany Astrid , Del Favero Giorgia , Gerner Christopher
Published: December 2019

It is still a question of debate whether neutrophils, often found in the tumor microenvironment, mediate tumor-promoting or rather tumor-inhibiting activities. The present study focusses on the involvement of neutrophils in high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Multi-omics data comprising proteomics, eicosadomics, metabolomics, Luminex-based cytokinomics, and FACS data were generated from ascites samples. Integrated data analysis demonstrates a significant increase of neutrophil extracellular trap-(NET) associated molecules in non-miliary ascites samples. A co-association network analysis performed with the ascites data further revealed a striking co-correlation between NETosis-associated metabolites with several eicosanoids. Investigating primary neutrophils from healthy domors, NET formation was induced using ionomycin or phorbol ester. Data congruence with ascites analyses indicated the predominance of NOX-independent NETosis. NETosis is associated with S100A8/A9 release. An increase of the S100A8/CRP abundance ratio was found to correlate with improved survival of HGSOC patients. The analysis of additional five independent proteome studies with regard to S100A8/CRP ratios confirmed this observation. In conclusion, here we present evidence that increased NET formation relates to improved outcomes in cancer patients.

Graphical abstract

NETs releasing neutrophils through detaching of small tumor nods dictate the building of bigger in size and fewer in number of tumors in the non-miliary spreading tumor. Increased angiogenesis associated with increased blood circulation may contribute to less suppressive effects on NETs formation in the non-miliary tumor type. Tumor origin,i.e. fallopian tube for the miliary or ovary for the non-miliary tumors, may influence the angiogenesis and therewith – through facilitating of neutrophils activation – (co)determine the type of tumor spread.
A naturally segregating polymorphism balancing semelparous reproduction versus reproductive diapause revealed via microfluidic assessment of starvation stress inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Archer Heather , Banse Stephen , Blue Ben , Phillips Patrick C.
Published: December 2019

Caenorhabditis eleganstypically feeds on rotting fruit and plant material in a fluctuating natural habitat, a boom-and-bust lifestyle. Moreover, stage specific developmental responses to low food concentration suggest that starvation-like conditions are a regular occurrence. In order to assess variation in theC. elegansstarvation response under precisely controlled conditions and simultaneously phenotype a large number of individuals with high precision, we have developed a microfluidic device that, when combined with image scanning technology, allows for high-throughput assessment at a temporal resolution not previously feasible and applied this to a large mapping panel of fully sequenced intercross lines. Under these conditions worms exhibit a markedly reduced adult lifespan with strain-dependent variation in starvation resistance, ranging from <24 hours to ∼120 hours. Genome-wide mapping of the responses of more than 7,855 individuals identified four quantitative trait loci (QTL) of large effects. Three of these loci are associated with single genes (ash-2, exc-6,anddpy-28) and the fourth is a ∼26 KB region on Chromosome V encompassing several genes. Backcross with selection confirmed the effect of the Chromosome V locus. Segregating natural variation for starvation response in this species suggests that different isolates may use different strategies (facultative vivipary versus reproductive diapause) for dealing with extreme food deprivation.
Ferroptotic pores induce Ca2+ fluxes and ESCRT-III activation to modulate cell death kinetics
Authors: Pedrera Lohans , Espiritu Rafael A. , Ros Uris , Schmitt Anja , Hailfinger Stephan , García-Sáez Ana J.
Published: December 2019

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated necrosis associated with lipid peroxidation. Despite its key role in the inflammatory outcome of ferroptosis, little is known about the molecular events leading to the disruption of the plasma membrane during this type of cell death. Here we show that a sustained increase in cytosolic Ca2+ is a hallmark of ferroptosis that precedes complete bursting of the cell. We report that plasma membrane damage leading to ferroptosis is associated with membrane nanopores of few nanometers in radius and that ferroptosis, but not lipid peroxidation, can be delayed by osmoprotectants. Importantly, Ca2+ fluxes during ferroptosis correlate with the activation of ESCRT-III-mediated membrane repair, which counterbalances the kinetics of cell death and modulates the inflammatory signature of ferroptosis. Our findings with ferroptosis provide a unifying concept that sustained high levels of cytosolic Ca2+ prior to plasma membrane disruption are a common feature of regulated necrosis and position ESCRT-III as a general protective mechanism in these inflammatory cell death pathways.
Compact attractors of an antithetic integral feedback system have a simple structure
Authors: Margaliot Michael , Sontag Eduardo D.
Published: December 2019

Since its introduction by Briat, Gupta and Khammash, the antithetic feedback controller design has attracted considerable attention in both theoretical and experimental systems biology. The case in which the plant is a two-dimensional linear system (making the closed-loop system a nonlinear four-dimensional system) has been analyzed in much detail. This system has a unique equilibrium but, depending on parameters, it may exhibit periodic orbits. An interesting open question is whether other dynamical behaviors, such as chaotic attractors, might be possible for some parameter choices. This note shows that, for any parameter choices, every bounded trajectory satisfies a Poincaré-Bendixson property. The analysis is based on the recently introduced notion of k-cooperative dynamical systems. It is shown that the model is a strongly 2-cooperative system, implying that the dynamics in the omega-limit set of any precompact solution is conjugate to the dynamics in a compact invariant subset of a two-dimensional Lipschitz dynamical system, thus precluding chaotic and other strange attractors.
Energy Shortage in Human and Mouse Models ofSLC4A11-Associated Corneal Endothelial Dystrophies
Authors: Zhang Wenlin , Frausto Ricardo , Chung Doug D. , Griffis Christopher G. , Kao Liyo , Chen Angela , Azimov Rustam , Sampath Alapakkam P. , Kurtz Ira , Aldave Anthony J.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

To elucidate the molecular events in solute carrier family 4 member 11 (SLC4A11)-deficient corneal endothelium that lead to the endothelial dysfunction that characterizes the dystrophies associated withSLC4A11mutations, congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED) and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy 4.

Methods

Comparative transcriptomic analysis (CTA) was performed in primary human corneal endothelial cells (pHCEnC) and murine corneal endothelial cells (MCEnC) with normal and reduced levels of SLC4A11 (SLC4A11KD pHCEnC) and Slc4a11 (Slc4a11−/−MCEnC), respectively. Validation of differentially expressed genes was performed using immunofluorescence staining of CHED corneal endothelium, as well as western blot and quantitative PCR analysis ofSLC4A11KD pHCEnC andSlc4a11−/−MCEnC. Functional analyses were performed to investigate potential functional changes associated with the observed transcriptomic alterations.

Results

CTA revealed inhibition of cell metabolism and ion transport function as well as mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, inSLC4A11KD pHCEnC andSlc4a11−/−MCEnC. Co-localization of SNARE protein STX17 with mitochondria marker COX4 was observed in CHED corneal endothelium, as was activation of AMPK–p53/ULK1 in bothSLC4A11KD pHCEnC andSlc4a11−/−MCEnC, providing additional evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy. Reduced Na+-dependent HCO3−transport activity and altered NH4Cl-induced membrane potential changes were observed inSlc4a11−/−MCEnC.

Conclusions

Reduced steady-state ATP levels and subsequent activation of the AMPK–p53 pathway provide a link between the metabolic functional deficit and transcriptome alterations, as well as evidence of insufficient ATP to maintain the Na+/K+-ATPase corneal endothelial pump as the cause of the edema that characterizesSLC4A11-associated corneal endothelial dystrophies.
The ClpX and ClpP2 Orthologs of Chlamydia trachomatis Perform Discrete and Essential Functions in Organism Growth and Development
Authors: Wood Nicholas A. , Blocker Amanda M. , Seleem Mohamed A. , Conda-Sheridan Martin , Fisher Derek J. , Ouellette Scot P.
Published: December 2019

Abstract:

Chlamydia trachomatis (Ctr) is an obligate intracellular bacterium that undergoes a complex developmental cycle in which the bacterium differentiates between two functionally and morphologically distinct forms, the EB and RB, each of which expresses its own specialized repertoire of proteins. Both primary (EB to RB) and secondary (RB to EB) differentiation require protein turnover, and we hypothesize that proteases are critical for mediating differentiation. The Clp protease system is well conserved in bacteria and important for protein turnover. Minimally, the system relies on a serine protease subunit, ClpP, and a AAA+ ATPase, such as ClpX, that recognizes and unfolds substrates for ClpP degradation. In Chlamydia, ClpX is encoded within an operon 3’ to clpP2. We present evidence that the chlamydial ClpX and ClpP2 orthologs are essential to organism viability and development. We demonstrate here that chlamydial ClpX is a functional ATPase and forms the expected homohexamer in vitro. Overexpression of a ClpX mutant lacking ATPase activity had a limited impact on DNA replication or secondary differentiation but, nonetheless, reduced EB viability with observable defects in EB morphology noted. Conversely, the overexpression of a catalytically inactive ClpP2 mutant significantly impacted developmental cycle progression by reducing the overall number of organisms. Blocking clpP2X transcription using CRISPR interference led to a decrease in bacterial growth, and this effect was complemented in trans by a plasmid copy of clpP2. Taken together, our data indicate that ClpX and the associated ClpP2 serve distinct functions in chlamydial developmental cycle progression and differentiation.

Importance

Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of infectious blindness globally and the most reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection both domestically and internationally. Given the economic burden, the lack of an approved vaccine, and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics for treatment of infections, an understanding of chlamydial growth and development is critical for the advancement of novel, targeted antibiotics. The Clp proteins comprise an important and conserved protease system in bacteria. Our work highlights the importance of the chlamydial Clp proteins to this clinically important bacterium. Additionally, our study implicates the Clp system playing an integral role in chlamydial developmental cycle progression, which may help establish models of how Chlamydia spp. and other bacteria progress through their respective developmental cycles. Our work also contributes to a growing body of Clp-specific research that underscores the importance and versatility of this system throughout bacterial evolution and further validates Clp proteins as drug targets.
Pervasive lesion segregation shapes cancer genome evolution
Authors: Aitken Sarah J. , Anderson Craig J. , Connor Frances , Pich Oriol , Sundaram Vasavi , Feig Christine , Rayner Tim F. , Lukk Margus , Aitken Stuart , Luft Juliet , Kentepozidou Elissavet , Arnedo-Pac Claudia , Beentjes Sjoerd , Davies Susan E. , Drews Ruben M. , Ewing Ailith , Kaiser Vera B. , Khamseh Ava , López-Arribillaga Erika , Redmond Aisling M. , Santoyo-Lopez Javier , Sentís Inés , Talmane Lana , Yates Andrew D. , Semple Colin A. , López-Bigas Núria , Flicek Paul , Odom Duncan T. , Taylor Martin S.
Published: December 2019

Cancers arise through the acquisition of oncogenic mutations and grow through clonal expansion1, 2. Here we reveal that most mutagenic DNA lesions are not resolved as mutations within a single cell-cycle. Instead, DNA lesions segregate unrepaired into daughter cells for multiple cell generations, resulting in the chromosome-scale phasing of subsequent mutations. We characterise this process in mutagen-induced mouse liver tumours and show that DNA replication across persisting lesions can generate multiple alternative alleles in successive cell divisions, thereby increasing both multi-allelic and combinatorial genetic diversity. The phasing of lesions enables the accurate measurement of strand biased repair processes, the quantification of oncogenic selection, and the fine mapping of sister chromatid exchange events. Finally, we demonstrate that lesion segregation is a unifying property of exogenous mutagens, including UV light and chemotherapy agents in human cells and tumours, which has profound implications for the evolution and adaptation of cancer genomes.
Longitudinal ComBat: A Method for Harmonizing Longitudinal Multi-scanner Imaging Data
Authors: Beer Joanne C. , Tustison Nicholas J. , Cook Philip A. , Davatzikos Christos , Sheline Yvette I. , Shinohara Russell T. , Linn Kristin A. ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: December 2019

While aggregation of neuroimaging datasets from multiple sites and scanners can yield increased statistical power, it also presents challenges due to systematic scanner effects. This unwanted technical variability can introduce noise and bias into estimation of biological variability of interest. We propose a method for harmonizing longitudinal multi-scanner imaging data based on ComBat, a method originally developed for genomics and later adapted to cross-sectional neuroimaging data. Using longitudinal cortical thickness measurements from 663 participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study, we demonstrate the presence of additive and multiplicative scanner effects in various brain regions. We compare estimates of the association between diagnosis and change in cortical thickness over time using three versions of the ADNI data: unharmonized data, data harmonized using cross-sectional ComBat, and data harmonized using longitudinal ComBat. In simulation studies, we show that longitudinal ComBat is more powerful for detecting longitudinal change than cross-sectional ComBat and controls the type I error rate better than unharmonized data with scanner included as a covariate. The proposed method would be useful for other types of longitudinal data requiring harmonization, such as genomic data, or neuroimaging studies of neurodevelopment, psychiatric disorders, or other neurological diseases.
A mutant of the phototoxic protein KillerRed that does not form DsRed-like chromophore
Authors: Gorbachev Dmitry A. , Sarkisyan Karen S.
Published: December 2019

We report a mutant of the phototoxic fluorescent protein KillerRed protein with fluorescence in the green part of the spectrum. The mutant variant carries mutations I64L, D114G, and T115S and does not form a DsRed-like chromophore. The protein can be used as a template to create new genetically encodable photosensitizers that are spectrally different from KillerRed.
SODA: Multi-locus species delimitation using quartet frequencies
Authors: Rabiee Maryam , Mirarab Siavash
Published: December 2019

Motivation

Species delimitation, the process of deciding how to group a set of organisms into units called species, is one of the most challenging problems in evolutionary computational biology. While many methods exist for species delimitation, most based on the coalescent theory, few are scalable to very large datasets and methods that scale tend to be not accurate. Species delimitation is closely related to species tree inference from discordant gene trees, a problem that has enjoyed rapid advances in recent years.

Results

In this paper, we build on the accuracy and scalability of recent quartet-based methods for species tree estimation and propose a new method called SODA for species delimitation. SODA relies heavily on a recently developed method for testing zero branch length in species trees. In extensive simulations, we show that SODA can easily scale to very large datasets while maintaining high accuracy.

Availability

The code and data presented here are available onhttps://github.com/maryamrabiee/SODA

Contact

smirarab@ucsd.edu
Cell motion-coordinated fibrillar assembly of soluble collagen I to promote MDCK cell branching formation
Authors: Wang Jiajia , Guo Jia , Che Bo , Ouyang Mingxing , Deng Linhong
Published: December 2019

Extracellular Matrix (ECM) assembly and remodeling are critical physiological events in vivo, and abnormal ECM assembly or remodeling is related to pathological conditions such as osteoarthritis, fibrosis, cancers, and genetic diseases. ECM assembly/remodeling driven by cells represents more physiological processes. Collagen I (COL) is very abundant in tissues, which assembly/remodeling is mediated by biochemical and mechanical factors. How cells regulate COL assembly biomechanically still remains to be well understood. Here we used fluorescent COL in the medium to study how cells assembled ECM which represents more physiological structures. The results showed that MDCK cells actively recruited COL from the medium and helped assemble the fibers, which in turn facilitated cell branching morphogenesis, both displaying high spatial associations and mutual dependency. Inhibition of cellular contraction force by ROCK and Myosin II inhibitors attenuated but did not block the COL fiber formation, while cell motion showed high consistency with the fiber assembly. Under ROCK or Myosin II inhibition, further analysis indicated high correlation between local cell movement and COL fiber strength as quantified from different regions of the same groups. Blocking cell motion by actin cytoskeleton disruption completely inhibited the fiber formation. These suggest that cell motion coordinated COL fiber assembly from the medium, possibly through generated strain on deposited COL to facilitate the fiber growth.
Innovations in Talent Building: Kaivalya Education Foundation
Authors: Vohra Neharika , Patnaik Snigdha , Neelakantan Niranjana
Published: December 2019

This case describes the talent management practices of Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF), a social sector organization that works in the domain of school education. The two year Gandhi Fellowship (GF) program run by KEF takes urban youth from the best graduate colleges in the country and creates a cadre of change leaders that will work to bring about social change in the nation. The GFs undertake a rigorous, hands-on journey through the two years that is transformational in many ways.
Transformational leadership, proactive personality and service performance
Authors: Yang Chunjiang , Chen Yashuo , Zhao Xinyuan (Roy) , Hua Nan
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impacts of transformational leadership and employee proactive personality on service performance, the mediation role of organizational embeddedness and the synergies of transformational leadership and proactive personality within the proposed framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected following a time-lagged research approach. The study sample included 218 frontline employees and their supervisors from ten carefully selected five-star hotels in China. Structural equation modeling was employed for the data analysis.

Findings

Transformational leadership and proactive personality had positive effects on task performance and contextual performance via organizational embeddedness. The interactive influences of transformational leadership and proactive personality on task performance and contextual performance were found significant and negative.

Originality/value

Transformational leaders and proactive employees have been shown to exert a strong influence on excellent service performance, with organizational embeddedness playing a critical role.
Perceived contract violation and job satisfaction
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Haq Inam Ul , Azeem Muhammad Umer
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how employees’ perceptions of psychological contract violation or sense of organizational betrayal, might diminish their job satisfaction, as well as how their access to two critical personal resources – emotion regulation skills and work-related self-efficacy – might buffer this negative relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Two-wave survey data came from employees of Pakistani-based organizations.

Findings

Perceived contract violation reduces job satisfaction, but the effect is weaker at higher levels of emotion regulation skills and work-related self-efficacy.

Practical implications

For organizations, these results show that the frustrations that come with a sense of organizational betrayal can be contained more easily to the extent that their employees can draw from relevant personal resources.

Originality/value

This investigation provides a more complete understanding of when perceived contract violation will deplete employees’ emotional resources, in the form of feelings of happiness about their job situation. A sense of organizational betrayal is less likely to escalate into reduced job satisfaction when employees can control their negative emotions and feel confident about their work-related competencies.
Analysis on micro-motion of cylinder block based on elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication
Authors: Jiang Jihai , Yan Wei-Peng , Li Ge-Qiang
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the micro-motion of the cylinder block.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication, a numerical model for the cylinder block/valve plate interface is proposed, with consideration of the elastic deformations, the pressure-viscosity effect and asperity contacts. The influence-function method is applied to calculating the actual deformations of the cylinder block and the valve plate. The asperity contact model simplified from Greenwood assumption is introduced into the numerical model. Furthermore, the relationship between the micro-motion and the operating condition, the sealing belt width is discussed, respectively.

Findings

The results show an increase in the discharge pressure causes the tilt state and the vibrating motion getting worse, which can be eased by improving the rotational speed, the sealing belt width and the ratio of external and internal sealing belt width.

Originality/value

The proposed research can provide a theoretical reference for the optimizing design of cylinder block/valve plate pair.
Accounting for family and business overlaps
Authors: Quinn Martin , Hiebl Martin , Mazzotta Romilda , Veltri Stefania
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to draw on a family business perspective to explore the historic accounting records of an Italian liquorice juice business. The applicability of the three-circle model of family business systems to such an historic context is examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Using archival records, the Cassa accounting book of the business is studied. Its transactions are examined to distinguish family and business items over the period from 1875 to 1920.

Findings

Through an analysis of the accounting records, the family, ownership and business systems are shown to overlap more than typically expected in a contemporary setting.

Originality/value

Contemporary literature suggests the three-circle model of a family business is relatively static, but it has not been applied to an historic context. This study suggests that the model can be applied in historic studies, but it is not static over time with its elements needing refinement.
What factors determine reviewer credibility?
Authors: Sharma Himanshu , Aggarwal Anu G.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The experiential nature of travel and tourism services has popularized the importance of electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) among potential customers. EWOM has a significant influence on hotel booking intention of customers as they tend to trust EWOM more than the messages spread by marketers. Amid abundant reviews available online, it becomes difficult for travelers to identify the most significant ones. This questions the credibility of reviewers as various online businesses allow reviewers to post their feedback using nickname or email address rather than using real name, photo or other personal information. Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors leading to reviewer credibility.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes an econometric model to determine the variables that affect the reviewer’s credibility in the hospitality and tourism sector. The proposed model uses quantifiable variables of reviewers and reviews to estimate reviewer credibility, defined in terms of proportion of number of helpful votes received by a reviewer to the number of total reviews written by him. This covers both aspects of source credibility i.e. trustworthiness and expertness. The authors have used the data set of TripAdvisor.com to validate the models.

Findings

Regression analysis significantly validated the econometric models proposed here. To check the predictive efficiency of the models, predictive modeling using five commonly used classifiers such as random forest (RF), linear discriminant analysis, k-nearest neighbor, decision tree and support vector machine is performed. RF gave the best accuracy for the overall model.

Practical implications

The findings of this research paper suggest various implications for hoteliers and managers to help retain credible reviewers in the online travel community. This will help them to achieve long term relationships with the clients and increase their trust in the brand.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study performs an econometric modeling approach to find determinants of reviewer credibility, not conducted in previous studies. Moreover, the study contracts from earlier works by considering it to be an endogenous variable, rather than an exogenous one.
An international review of arts inclusion policies: lessons for Hong Kong
Authors: Cheung Alvin , Yu Charlotte , Li Queenie , So Helen
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and compare the implementation of “arts inclusion” policies (AIPs) by 14 different public administrative systems around the world. It aims to provide a consolidated source which informs further studies in this field, and to develop a framework to compare AIPs at a global level.

Design/methodology/approach

Using “arts inclusion policy” as the search term, academic journals from a wide spectrum of fields were reviewed. A data set was extracted from the Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends’ online database which provided real-time information of national cultural policies. Another data set is from the United Nations’ Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, as the geographic scope of the review – largely focussing on UK, US, Australian, Scandinavian and Asian contexts. Using existing policy-making literature as benchmark, the authors designed and applied a comparative framework dedicated to AIPs which focussed on “policy-making structures” as the main ground of comparison.

Findings

An important finding is that the policy development and implementation of AIPs often underscore inter-sectoral involvement in many public administrations in this study. With policy leadership and financial incentives pivotal to effective AIPs, central governments should take a more concerted leadership role to include AIPs in national inter-sectoral policies, encourage evidence-based research, expand funding and advocate the recognition of the impacts of arts inclusion. It is concluded that AIPs in western countries remain more developed in targeted scopes and programme diversity compared to those of Asian countries and regions. Continued studies in this field are encouraged.

Originality/value

This review is the first of its kind to include a number of Asian and western countries within its research scope, allowing it to offer a more holistic outlook on the development and implementation of AIPs in different countries and regions. A common critique with all relevant existing literature was usually their lack of concrete comparative grounds, and the present study’s all-encompassing review of literature from across different levels and sectors of respective public administrative systems contribute to a unique and comprehensive perspective in the arts and health discourse.
Saudi neomercantilism in the oil price war
Authors: Mahdi Ahmed Samir
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The so-called “oil price war” of 2014-2016 took place between several main global oil producers; OPEC (led by Saudi Arabia), Russia and the newcomer; American tight oil or fracking oil. These oil producers were competing against each other over market shares in the global oil market, by maintaining their high oil production rates, even if this led to a decline in oil prices and a reduction in revenues from oil sales. As energy politics need more coverage in International Political Economy (IPE) theory, this paper aims to argue that Saudi Arabia's policies during the oil price war of 2014-2016 reflected a policy of neomercantilism, which is the IPE equivalent of the school of realism in International Relations (IR).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper tests for neomercantilism by testing three of its main definitional components. The first definitional component is that the state, as the political authority, intervenes in the economic decisions. The second component is the primacy of the state interests over business corporate profits, or the primacy of political and security considerations over short-term economic and corporate profit considerations. The third is the zero-sum or relative gains nature of dealings between states. Afterwards, this paper tests for neomercantilism in the Saudi policy by examining how each of these definitional components is reflected in the Saudi policy during the oil price war.

Findings

As energy politics need more coverage in International Political Economy (IPE) theory, this paper argues that Saudi Arabia's policies during the oil price war of 2014-2016 reflected a policy of neomercantilism, which is the IPE equivalent of the school of realism in International Relations (IR).

Originality/value

As energy politics need more coverage in International Political Economy (IPE) theory, this paper argues that Saudi Arabia's policies during the oil price war of 2014-2016 reflected a policy of neomercantilism, which is the IPE equivalent of the school of realism in International Relations (IR).
Fused deposition modelling interfacial and interlayer bonding in PLA post-processed parts
Authors: Valerga Puerta Ana P. , Fernandez-Vidal S.R. , Batista Moises , Girot F.
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to study the interfacial and interlayer bonding of Polylactic acid parts manufactured by fused deposition modelling. Different layer thicknesses are analysed in the manufacture of these pieces and the lack of material associated with this parameter is verified. The influence of the immersion of these parts in different solvents is also studied, as they are increasingly used in the improvement of the surface finish. Tomography results are also obtained in which the increase in density of the parts subjected to these treatments is demonstrated.

Design/methodology/approach

The material used in this study is a 1.75-mm diameter polylactic acid (PLA) filament from fused filament fusion world. Monolayer and multilayer samples have been manufactured. The manufactured parts were subjected to solvent immersion for a period of 60 s. The solvents used are chloroform (CHCl3), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), tetrahydrofuran (C4H8O) and ethyl acetate (C4H8O2). The pieces were then dried for 48 h. The interior of the samples was evaluated by two techniques: microscopy and tomography.

Findings

With this study, it has been observed that the thickness of the layer affects the porosity interfacial to a greater extent than in the interlayer, causing the increase in porosity as this thickness is increased.The impact of different chemical treatments (immersions in different solvents) on the internal quality of the parts has been evaluated. All the solvents analysed soften the surface as they cause the softening of the material and its possible redistribution. In the interior, however, they affect in a lighter way. The retention of solvents in the porosity of the pieces is also checked, especially pronounced in the areas close to the surface. Finally, changes are observed in the density of the pieces, related to the partial crystallization of the samples.

Originality/value

All that has been studied shows that the application of chemical post-processes not only affects the surface texture of the parts, or the less studied mechanical properties, but also affects the interfacial union of the parts in a very different way. This is the first study carried out on this aspect with polylactic acid (PLA) and post-processing methods.
Salt reduction in film‐ripened, semihard Edam cheese
Authors: Hoffmann Wolfgang , Luzzi Giuseppina , Steffens Marco , Clawin‐Rädecker Ingrid , Franz Charles M A P , Fritsche Jan
Published: December 2019

As a potential measure to improve public health, this study aimed to reduce the sodium (Na) content of film‐ripened, semihard Edam cheese to ≤0.4 g Na/100 g (≤1 g NaCl/100 g), while retaining typical quality and safety characteristics. For this, mineral salt substitutions containing potassium (K) were compared with simple NaCl reduction in brine, alongside an adjustment of starter cultures in an effort to enhance taste. Desired Na and K values were achieved, and microbial quality was not compromised in Na‐reduced Edam after six weeks of ripening. However, all Na‐reduced cheeses tasted bitter and were therefore organoleptically unsatisfactory.
Management of immune checkpoint inhibitor‐related dermatologic adverse events
Authors: Si Xiaoyan , He Chunxia , Zhang Li , Liu Xiaowei , Li Yue , Wang Hanping , Guo Xiaoxiao , Zhou Jiaxin , Duan Lian , Wang Mengzhao , Zhang Li
Published: December 2019

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment. The unique spectrum of immune‐related adverse events (IrAEs) may occur during treatment. Dermatologic toxicities appear to be one of the most prevalent immunotherapy‐related adverse events. The most common symptoms are maculopapular rash and pruritus. Serious dermatologic toxicities including Stevens‐Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reactions with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms are rare. In this review, we summarize guidelines of management of immunotherapy‐related toxicities, case reports, and proposed treatment recommendation.