bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Furin Cleavage Site Is Key to SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenesis
Authors: Johnson Bryan A. , Xie Xuping , Kalveram Birte , Lokugamage Kumari G. , Muruato Antonio , Zou Jing , Zhang Xianwen , Juelich Terry , Smith Jennifer K. , Zhang Lihong , Bopp Nathen , Schindewolf Craig , Vu Michelle , Vanderheiden Abigail , Swetnam Daniele , Plante Jessica A. , Aguilar Patricia , Plante Kenneth S. , Lee Benhur , Weaver Scott C. , Suthar Mehul S. , Routh Andrew L. , Ren Ping , Ku Zhiqiang , An Zhiqiang , Debbink Kari , Shi Pei Yong , Freiberg Alexander N. , Menachery Vineet D.
Published: August 2020

SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in a global pandemic and shutdown economies around the world. Sequence analysis indicates that the novel coronavirus (CoV) has an insertion of a furin cleavage site (PRRAR) in its spike protein. Absent in other group 2B CoVs, the insertion may be a key factor in the replication and virulence of SARS-CoV-2. To explore this question, we generated a SARS-CoV-2 mutant lacking the furin cleavage site (ΔPRRA) in the spike protein. This mutant virus replicated with faster kinetics and improved fitness in Vero E6 cells. The mutant virus also had reduced spike protein processing as compared to wild-type SARS-CoV-2. In contrast, the ΔPRRA had reduced replication in Calu3 cells, a human respiratory cell line, and had attenuated disease in a hamster pathogenesis model. Despite the reduced disease, the ΔPRRA mutant offered robust protection from SARS-CoV-2 rechallenge. Importantly, plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT50) with COVID-19 patient sera and monoclonal antibodies against the receptor-binding domain found a shift, with the mutant virus resulting in consistently reduced PRNT50titers. Together, these results demonstrate a critical role for the furin cleavage site insertion in SARS-CoV-2 replication and pathogenesis. In addition, these findings illustrate the importance of this insertion in evaluating neutralization and other downstream SARS-CoV-2 assays.

Importance

As COVID-19 has impacted the world, understanding how SARS-CoV-2 replicates and causes virulence offers potential pathways to disrupt its disease. By removing the furin cleavage site, we demonstrate the importance of this insertion to SARS-CoV-2 replication and pathogenesis. In addition, the findings with Vero cells indicate the likelihood of cell culture adaptations in virus stocks that can influence reagent generation and interpretation of a wide range of data including neutralization and drug efficacy. Overall, our work highlights the importance of this key motif in SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis.

Article Summary

A deletion of the furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 amplifies replication in Vero cells, but attenuates replication in respiratory cells and pathogenesis in vivo. Loss of the furin site also reduces susceptibility to neutralizationin vitro.
Quorum quenching activity of the PGPRBacillus subtilisUD1022 alters nodulation efficiency ofSinorhizobium melilotionMedicago truncatula
Authors: Rosier Amanda , Beauregard Pascale B. , Bais Harsh P.
Published: August 2020

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have enormous potential for solving some of the myriad challenges facing our global agricultural system. Intense research efforts are rapidly moving the field forward and illuminating the wide diversity of bacteria and their plant beneficial activities. In the development of better crop solutions using these PGPR, producers are including multiple different species of PGPR in their formulations in a ‘consortia’ approach. While the intention is to emulate more natural rhizomicrobiome systems, the aspect of bacterial interactions has not been properly regarded. By using a tri-trophic model ofMedicago truncatulaA17 Jemalong, its nitrogen (N)-fixing symbiontSinorhizobium melilotiRm8530 and the PGPRBacillus subtilisUD1022, we demonstrate indirect influences between the bacteria affecting their plant growth promoting activities. Co-cultures of UD1022 with Rm8530 significantly reduced Rm8530 biofilm formation and downregulated quorum sensing (QS) genes responsible for symbiotically active biofilm production. This work also identifies the presence and activity of a quorum quenching lactonase in UD1022 and proposes this as the mechanism for non-synergistic activity of this model ‘consortium’. These interspecies interactions may be common in the rhizosphere and are critical to understand as we seek to develop new sustainable solutions in agriculture.
A new two-lane lattice hydrodynamic model on a curved road accounting for the empirical lane-changing rate
Authors: Wang Qingying , Cheng Rongjun , Ge Hongxia
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how curved road and lane-changing rates affect the stability of traffic flow.

Design/methodology/approach

An extended two-lane lattice hydrodynamic model on a curved road accounting for the empirical lane-changing rate is presented. The linear analysis of the new model is discussed, the stability condition and the neutral stability condition are obtained. Also, the mKdV equation and its solution are proposed through nonlinear analysis, which discusses the stability of the extended model in the unstable region. Furthermore, the results of theoretical analysis are verified by numerical simulation.

Findings

The empirical lane-changing rate on a curved road is an important factor, which can alleviate traffic congestion.

Research limitations/implications

This paper does not take into account the factors such as slope, the drivers’ characters and so on in the actual traffic, which will have more or less influence on the stability of traffic flow, so there is still a certain gap with the real traffic environment.

Originality/value

The curved road and empirical lane-changing rate are researched simultaneously in a two-lane lattice hydrodynamic models in this paper. The improved model can better reflect the actual traffic, which can also provide a theoretical reference for the actual traffic governance.
Managerial aspiration: do gender and gender role identity make a difference in the Chinese context?
Authors: Zhang Ruijuan , Qiu Shaoping , Dooley Larry M. , Choudhury Tamim
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore how gender and gender role identity separately and jointly affect managerial aspirations.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was cross-sectional in nature. Survey data were collected from Chinese Government sectors. Two-way analysis of variance was used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results showed that gender role identity and combination of gender and gender role identity predict management aspirations while gender alone does not affect management aspirations. Androgynous individuals self-reported higher scores of managerial aspirations. Female managers who perceive themselves as androgynous and masculine tend to possess higher management aspirations. However, when they perceive themselves to exhibit feminine traits, they are more likely to hold lower management aspirations. Moreover, male managers with androgynous and feminine traits are inclined to have higher management aspirations.

Research limitations/implications

Due to cross-sectional survey data, research results may be biased by common method variance. In addition, because of a convenient sample, the research results may lack generalizability. Moreover, with participants from different organizations, the percentage of men and women in the organization and participants’ role conflicts between work and family life would impact the gender role identity of individuals. Future research should control for the gender composition of the workplace and participants’ role conflicts between work and family life.

Practical implications

The findings can help narrow the gender gap of managerial aspirations through focusing on gender role identity in selecting managers and designing the leadership training program, ultimately resulting in diminishing disparity in top leadership positions between men and women.

Originality/value

This study examines how gender and gender role identity separately and jointly affects managerial aspirations in the Chinese context.
How to prevent negative online customer reviews: the moderating roles of monetary compensation and psychological compensation
Authors: Liu Jun , Zhang HengJin , Sun JingJing , Li NingXin , Bilgihan Anil
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to clarify the effects of motivations on negative online customer reviews (OCRs) behavior in an integrative framework and to identify the moderating role of monetary compensation and psychological compensation in the Chinese food and beverage industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 377 consumers who posted a negative review online. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The authors identified some characteristics of the consumers who posted negative online reviews in the Chinese food and beverage industry and found evidence that reveals the positive effects of emotional venting motivation and altruism motivation on posting negative customer online reviews. Economic motivation and self-enhancement motivation were not significantly connected to negative OCRs behaviors. Service recovery strategies can moderate the relationship between certain motivations and behaviors. The absence of psychological compensation will aggravate the influence of emotion venting motivation on consumers’ negative online reviews, while monetary compensation can restrain the influence of altruism motivation on negative online rating behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This paper did not explore the effect of the fairness and timeliness of service recovery on negative OCRs behavior. This paper did not consider the different restaurant types and customers' characteristics, and future research can test similar models with different and more diverse samples.

Practical implications

When implementing service recovery strategies, it is important to consider the psychological component of recovery. The absence of psychological compensation aggravates the influence of high levels of emotion venting motivation on consumers’ negative OCRs, leading to a lower rating, more word comments and negative photos. High levels of monetary compensation can restrain the influence of altruism motivation on negative online rating behavior.

Originality/value

The current paper contributes to the hospitality management literature by investigating the motivations behind consumer decisions to post negative OCRs in a food and beverage context. In addition, the moderating effect that service recovery strategies have on this relationship was also explored in depth.
Antecedents and consequences of organizational commitment in school education sector
Authors: Baksi Maiti Rooprekha , Sanyal Shamindra Nath , Mazumder Rabin
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to study the attitude of the employees toward organizational commitment and its impact on organizational effectiveness and, second, to develop a strategic model for organizational commitment and organizational effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was suggested to determine the variables influencing school teachers’ organizational commitment and the role of organizational commitment to organizational efficiency with prosocial behavior as the moderating variable. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the relationship between suggested factors using a sample of 298 state and private school teachers in and around a metropolitan city of India.

Findings

The results of this study showed that, except performance appraisal and assessment of the employees, employee personality and relationship with coworkers, all other constructs significantly affected organizational commitment. The positive influence of organizational commitment to organizational effectiveness was also moderated by prosocial behavior. Demography exerted a significant impact on organizational commitment.

Originality/value

Organizational commitment is comparatively a new topic of research, and in the school education sector, little work was conducted. Hence, the results can be generalized to gain the future direction of organizational commitment in educational research, and it can also be improvised in the corporate sector.
Enhancing supply chain learning and innovation performance through human resource management
Authors: Haq Muhammad Zia Ul , Gu Minhao , Huo Baofeng
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Despite the importance, no study exists which investigates the role of human resource (HR) in supply chain (SC) learning. This study aims to investigate the effects of high-performance human resource management (HRM) practices on different types of the SC learning (i.e. supplier, customer and internal learning) and innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies structural equation modeling to test the conceptual model based on data collected from 213 manufacturing firms in China.

Findings

The findings indicate that empowerment improves all three dimensions of SC learning, whereas training improves supplier and internal learning and teamwork is not related to any dimension of SC learning. These HRM practices also interactively influence SC learning dimensions. Moreover, customer and internal learning are directly related to innovation performance, while supplier leaning has a complementary effect with internal leaning but a substitutional effect with customer learning to innovation performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study only selects training, teamwork and empowerment to manifest high-performance HRM practices. The impacts of high-performance HRM practices on different dimensions of SC learning and innovation performance are tested empirically with cross sectional-data collected only from manufacturing firms in China.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that managers can promote SC learning through the empowerment and training of their employees. Moreover, managers should place more emphasis on customer and internal learning to improve innovation performance.

Originality/value

Combining HRM and supply chain management (SCM) fields, this study offers a new framework to understand linkages between high-performance HRM practices, SC learning and innovation performance by using an empirical method.
Traits mediate a trade‐off in seedling growth response to light and conspecific density in a diverse subtropical forest
Authors: Song Xiaoyang , Yang Jie , Cao Min , Lin Luxiang , Sun Zhenhua , Wen Handong , Swenson Nathan G.
Published: August 2020

Understanding tree species responses to biotic and abiotic factors is fundamental for stronger predictions of community assembly and dynamics. However, several challenges remain. These include a failure to investigate whether there is evidence for key hypothesized life‐history trade‐offs and to link these trade‐offs to functional traits.

In this study, we seek to explicitly address the above outstanding challenges by constructing models for individual seedling growth in response to abiotic and biotic factors using 3 years of seedling census data from a 20‐ha subtropical forest dynamics plot in a diverse subtropical forest and correlated these responses with functional traits.

We found that light and conspecific neighbours increase and decrease the RGR of tree seedlings respectively. We also found that the ability of a species to positively respond to canopy openness trades‐off against susceptibility to conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD). This trade‐off was evident across seasons and could be predicted on functional trait—stem and leaf dry matter content.

Synthesis. Our findings indicate species that can grow quickly in high‐light environments also tend to suffer more CNDD. The results highlight that strong evidence of a trade‐off relating to growth and defence widely hypothesized to be of importance in diverse tree communities and that this trade‐off occurs across seasons and can be linked to a commonly measured functional trait.
Role of free radical scavenging activity of vasoactive intestinal peptide in the attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction to ameliorate dextran sulphate sodium‐induced colitis in mice: Implications in ulcerative colitis
Authors: Spoorthi Bengaluru Chandraiah , More Sunil S. , Gautham Santhekadur Annappa , Ghosh Shashwati , Saha Ishita , Maiti Arpan Kumar
Published: August 2020

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in treating ulcerative colitis (UC), targeting colonic mitochondrial dysfunction by virtue of its free radical scavenging properties for maintenance of colon mucosal integrity.

Methods

A murine model was administered with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to induce colitis in C57BL/6J mice at 3.5%/g bodyweight for 3 cycles of 5 days each, followed by an intraperitoneal dose of VIP at 0.5 nmol/L per mouse per day for 10 days. The post‐treatment mice were sacrificed and their colon samples were utilized for further analysis. To substantiate the in vivo findings and identify the reactive species involved in progression of UC, Caco‐2 cells were subjected to DSS (5%) for 24 hours at 37 °C with or without VIP (10 nmol/L) in the presence or absence of specific free radical scavengers and antioxidants.

Results

Treatment with VIP reduced histopathological severity of colitis and cell death markers in murine model, leading to partial recovery of inhibited mitochondrial respiratory complexes, altered mitochondrial membrane potential and lowered adenosine triphosphate generation. Interestingly, in vitro treatment with VIP restored mitochondrial functions and its efficacy was equal to super oxide dismutase and dimethyl sulfoxide, indicating involvement of superoxide free radical (O2•‐) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) in progression of UC. However, catalase, Nω‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester and mercaptoethylguanidine were ineffective, indicating non‐involvement of hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and ONOO− in UC.

Conclusion

By virtue of its free radical scavenging properties VIP can act as a potent anti‐colitogenic agent, reversing colonic mitochondrial dysfunction for treating UC.
Corporate In‐house Tax Departments*
Authors: Chen Xia , Cheng Qiang , Chow Travis , Liu Yanju
Published: August 2020

In‐house human capital tax investment is a significant input to a firm's tax decisions. Yet, due to the lack of data on corporate in‐house tax departments, there is little empirical evidence on how tax departments are associated with tax planning and compliance outcomes. We expect the size of tax departments to be positively associated with the effectiveness of tax planning and compliance. Using hand‐collected data on the number of corporate tax employees in S&P 1500 firms over the 2009–2014 period, we find that firms with larger tax departments are associated with lower and less volatile cash effective tax rates. Furthermore, using tax employees' specialization, we identify tax departments' relative focus on planning or compliance and document a trade‐off between tax avoidance and tax risk. Specifically, tax departments with more of a tax planning focus have incrementally greater tax avoidance but higher tax risk, whereas tax departments with more of a tax compliance focus have incrementally lower tax risk but higher tax rates. Overall, this paper contributes to the literature by looking inside the “black box” of corporate tax departments and shedding light on the importance of human capital tax investment for tax outcomes.
Total‐Factor Energy and Emission Efficiencies of ASEAN and Other Asian Economies
Authors: Hu Jin‐Li , Honma Satoshi , Chen Yu‐Kai
Published: August 2020

This research uses the slack‐based measure data envelopment analysis to compute the energy and emission efficiencies of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other Asian economies during the 2001–2017 period, employs the Malmquist productivity index to check for the main source of efficiency score changes due to technical changes, and then applies panel Tobit regressions to determine the factors explaining the efficiencies. Our empirical results show that the energy efficiency scores of ASEAN economies had been catching up to other Asian economies after the Global Financial Crisis, whereas the emission efficiency scores of various ASEAN economies had been falling behind other Asian economies over the same period. The main source of efficiency score changes over time is efficiency changes and not technical changes. Decreases in the fossil fuel ratio of net electricity generation and the secondary industry ratio within total industry improve both lead to improvements in energy and emission efficiencies.
Optimizing skeletal‐related events prevention in patients with advanced prostate cancer
Authors: Leung Angus Kwong‐Chuen
Published: August 2020

In patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), bone is a dominant site of metastasis. Bone metastases often lead to skeletal‐related events (SREs), which include pain, spinal cord compression and fractures. The treatment of bone metastases in men with mCRPC aims to improve SRE‐free survival, quality of life and clinical outcomes. Effective treatment options include antiresorptive bone‐targeted agents such as zoledronic acid and denosumab, and radium‐223, a bone‐targeting radiopharmaceutical. Although overseas and local guidelines have widely recommended using either zoledronic acid or denosumab for the prevention of SREs in men with mCRPC and associated bone metastases, current evidence suggests that denosumab is superior to zoledronic acid in terms of longer SRE‐free time and fewer total SREs observed in patients.
Maternal history of recurrent pregnancy loss and future risk of ophthalmic morbidity in the offspring
Authors: Aharon Eran , Wainstock Tamar , Sheiner Eyal , Tsumi Erez , Pariente Gali
Published: August 2020

Objective

The objective of the study was to investigate whether maternal history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is associated with offspring childhood ophthalmic morbidity.

Method

A hospital‐based cohort analysis comparing long‐term offspring ophthalmic morbidity in women with and without a history of RPL was performed. Ophthalmic morbidity included hospitalizations involving a pre‐defined set of ICD‐9 codes. Offspring with congenital anomalies, perinatal mortality cases, and multifetal pregnancies were excluded from the analysis. Cumulative morbidity incidence was compared using Kaplan‐Meier survival curves, and the risk of long‐term ophthalmic morbidity was assessed by Cox proportional hazards model after adjustment for confounders.

Results

During the study period, 242,187 newborns met the inclusion criteria; 5% (12,182) of them were offspring born to mothers with a history of RPL. Ophthalmic morbidity was significantly more common in the RPL group (1.3% vs 0.9%, p < .001, Kaplan‐Meier log‐rank p < .001). Adjustment for confounders, such as maternal age, gestational age, hypertensive disorders, and maternal diabetes, using Cox regression found that being born to a mother with RPL was independently associated with long‐term ophthalmic morbidity (adjusted HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.15‐1.59, p < .001).

Conclusion

Being born to a mother with RPL is independently associated with an increased risk of ophthalmic morbidity.
Resveratrol improves sperm DNA quality and reproductive capacity in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Simas Joana N. , Mendes Talita B. , Fischer Leonardo W. , Vendramini Vanessa , Miraglia Sandra M.
Published: August 2020

Background

In the coming decades, diabetes mellitus might affect 628 million individuals. Its final impact on male fertility and reproductive outcomes should be considered since the number of adolescents and young adults presenting diabetes is rising. Resveratrol (RES), a polyphenol, is a biological modulator with multitarget and multi‐action characteristics.

Objectives

to evaluate if RES is effective against the male reproductive damage caused by type 1 diabetes (DM1), focusing on sperm DNA integrity and reproductive outcome.

Materials and methods

At 30 dpp (days postpartum), male rats were divided into 7 groups: Sham control (SC); RES vehicle (RV); RES (R); STZ‐diabetic (D; induced at 30dpp with 65 mg/kg of streptozotocin); STZ‐diabetic + insulin (DI); STZ‐diabetic + RES (DR); STZ‐diabetic + insulin +RES (DIR). DR, DIR, and R groups received 150mg RES/kg b.w./day by gavage (from 33 to 110dpp). DI and DIR received insulin (from day 5 after DM1 induction until 110dpp). Blood glucose was monitored in different time points. Animals were mated with healthy females. Euthanasia occurred at 110 dpp.

Results

DM1 increased lipid peroxidation (testis and epididymis) and sperm DNA fragmentation, alterations of chromatin structure, reduced mitochondrial mass and acrosome integrity, causing a decline in fertility and pregnancy rates. RES improved the parameters.

Discussion

RES, as an adjuvant, activates specific reactions against hyperglycemia, the main trigger of most complications of diabetes, by controlling oxidative stress, probably as a result of SIRT1 activation. We present here more evidences showing its valuable role in diminishing diabetes seriousness to male reproduction, not only to spermatogenesis in the first instance, but also to sperm overall quality and fertility outcomes, regardless of insulin treatment.

Conclusion

RES attenuated lipid peroxidation and sperm DNA damage in DM1‐induced animals, which positively reflected on male fertility. Our results show RES potential against DM1 complications in male reproduction.
Non‐cardia gastric adenocarcinoma more than 5 years after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: A case report and literature review
Authors: Muamar Ahmed S. , Ammori Basil J.
Published: August 2020

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of several cancers including adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastric cardia but not with distal gastric cancer (GC). Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a popular bariatric procedure. We report the fifth case in the medical literature of non‐cardia gastric adenocarcinoma 63 months after LSG in a 26‐year‐old woman with no known recognizable risk factors. Among these five cases, the median (range) age at time of diagnosis of GC was 47 (26‐64) years, the body mass index (BMI) prior to LSG was 47 (35.3‐65.1) kg/m2, the BMI at time of cancer diagnosis was 32 (29.3‐47.0) kg/m2, and the interval between LSG and diagnosis was 54 (9‐63) months. Nonetheless, the link between LSG and the risk of GC remains skeptical and is discussed.
The hybrid procedure of thoracoscopic and hand‐assisted laparoscopic resection of an esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A case report
Authors: Fujiwara Naoto , Sato Hiroshi , Miyawaki Yutaka , Ito Misato , Aoyama Junya , Ito Sunao , Oya Shuichiro , Watanabe Kenji , Sugita Hirofumi , Yasuda Masanori , Sakuramoto Shinichi
Published: August 2020

Esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (E‐GIST) are very rare tumors, and there is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical approach for E‐GISTs. Here, we report a case of a large E‐GIST that was resected via video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and hand‐assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS). When examining for comorbidities of myasthenia gravis using computed tomography, a 7‐cm‐sized tumor was detected in the lower esophagus of a 68‐year‐old woman. Further examination revealed the tumor to be an E‐GIST with high malignant potential, and thus, esophagectomy was performed. The hybrid procedure for VATS and HALS techniques was safe and minimally invasive for this E‐GIST that required esophagectomy. Thus, esophagectomy with VATS and HALS is thought to be a reasonable surgical option for resecting large E‐GISTs, for which enucleation is not recommended.
Exposing false advertising
Authors: Baumann Florian , Rasch Alexander
Published: August 2020

Countries rely on different public and private agents to enforce consumer protection and fair competition regulations. To analyze the repercussions of different regimes on social welfare, we consider the possibility of false advertising by a firm in an environment with duopolistic competition and with consumers who can be rational or naïve regarding the trustworthiness of advertising claims. We compare the incentives for and outcomes of false advertisement verification and injunction requests made by one of three parties: a government agency with a broad focus maximizing (ex post) total welfare and two narrowly focused parties, the first a public or private party focused on consumer welfare net of its own enforcement costs and the second a competitor interested exclusively in its own profits. Considering ex ante welfare, we find that having a narrowly focused party as the plaintiff can be optimal due to government agency commitment problems. The optimal regime depends on both the share of the population's naïve consumers and the level of enforcement costs.

Résumé.

Dénonciation de la publicité mensongère. Pour veiller à l’application des réglementations en matières de protection des consommateurs et de concurrence loyale, les états s’appuient sur différents régimes de contrôle représentés par des agents publics et privés. Afin d’analyser les répercussions de ces différents régimes sur le bien‐être, nous évaluons la possibilité qu’une entreprise puisse diffuser de la publicité mensongère dans un environnement concurrentiel duopolistique avec des consommateurs potentiellement rationnels ou naïfs relativement à la véracité des allégations publicitaires. Nous comparons les mesures incitatives pour contrôler la publicité mensongère et leurs résultats, ainsi que les mises en demeure initiées par l’une de ces trois parties : une agence gouvernementale à visée large aux fins de maximisation totale du bien‐être ex post, et deux autres parties à visée plus ciblée: l’une publique ou privée tournée vers le bien‐être des consommateurs, déduction faite de ses propres co___ts de mise en œuvre, et l’autre représentée par un concurrent s’intéressant exclusivement à ses propres profits. En tenant compte du bien‐être ex ante, et en raison des problèmes d’engagement des agences gouvernementales, nous constatons qu’une procédure peut s’avérer optimale dès lors que le demandeur représente une partie à visée plus ciblée. Le régime optimal dépend à la fois de la proportion de consommateurs naïfs et du niveau des coûts de mise en œuvre.
Cool Little Kids translational trial to prevent internalising: two‐year outcomes and prediction of parent engagement
Authors: Bayer Jordana K. , Prendergast Luke A. , Brown Amy , Harris Lana , Bretherton Lesley , Hiscock Harriet , Beatson Ruth , Mihalopoulos Cathrine , Rapee Ronald M.
Published: August 2020

Background

The aim was to determine outcomes in the first year of school of a population‐delivered parenting program to prevent internalising problems in temperamentally inhibited preschool children and predictors of engagement in parenting groups.

Method

Design: Randomised controlled trial. Setting: 307 preschool services across eight socio‐economically diverse government areas in Melbourne, Australia. Participants: 545 parents of inhibited 4‐year‐old children; 469 (86%) retained at two‐year follow‐up. Intervention: Cool Little Kids program. Primary outcomes were child internalising symptoms and anxiety disorders. Secondary outcomes were parenting, parent well‐being and engagement. Trial registration ISRCTN30996662 http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN30996662.

Results

In the first year of school (M (SD) age 6.7 (0.4) years), child anxiety symptoms were reduced in the intervention versus control arm (PAS‐R M (SD): total 36.2 (17.2) versus 39.4 (18.5); adjusted difference −3.26, 95% CI −6.46 to −0.05, p = .047; specific fears 9.1 (6.2) versus 10.7 (6.8), adjusted difference −1.53; 95% CI −2.69 to −0.38, p = .009). However, there was little difference in broader child internalising (CMFWQ M (SD): 2.2 (0.5) versus 2.3 (0.6); adjusted difference −0.03, 95% CI −0.13 to 0.06, p = .489) or anxiety disorders (37.6% vs. 42.6%; adjusted OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.18, p = .242). Lower income, younger mothers, less educated and more culturally diverse fathers engaged less with the intervention. Continued skills practice was less frequent for parents of girls and in advantaged neighbourhoods.

Conclusions

There were population effects of Cool Little Kids in the first year of school for anxiety symptoms but not disorders. Considering motivation techniques to engage subgroups of families would be helpful in translation research.
Light chain consensus reinforcement machine learning: An effective blockchain model for Internet of Things using for its advancement and challenges
Authors: Priyadharshini K. , Canessane R. Aroul
Published: August 2020

Recently, blockchain intersected the Internet of Things (IoT) has come up with an integrated opportunity for different applications such as industries, medical diagnosis, and the education sector. Several conflicts have risen during the intersection, where the purpose of addressing the enormous resource utilization of blockchain, efficiency, and security issues of massive IoT has not been tackled in the present scenario. Presently, Ruff‐chain, blockchain consortium basis, mobile cloud blockchain (MCBC), probed IoT, and proof of work deployed to overcome the drawback of blockchain intersected IoT demands high resource utilization and power consumption. To address this issue, a light chain consensus reinforcement machine learning (LCC‐RML) method has been developed to optimize the blockchain effectively intersected IoT system and it assists in providing a learning methodology from the aspects of resource utilization, data security decentralization, scalability, and latency. In LCC‐RML, without affecting the decentralization system, security, and latency, scalability has been improved with the underlying blockchain approach. Here, a lighter model is designed especially for the blockchain intersected IoT platform, which contains optimized learning procedures, reduced block size, lightweight consensus data structure, and related effective block interval to streamline the data processing. The experimental analysis has been evaluated in the learning framework to improve the performance of the blockchain intersected IoT system with a computational speed of 84.89% and resource utilization reduction of 85.88%. Further in the power consumption has been reduced up to 57.55% with the computation cost of 29.55% with the scalability ratio of 86.88%.
The case for preregistering all region of interest (ROI) analyses in neuroimaging research
Authors: Gentili Claudio , Cecchetti Luca , Handjaras Giacomo , Lettieri Giada , Cristea Ioana A.
Published: August 2020

In neuroimaging studies, small sample sizes and the resultant reduced statistical power to detect effects that are not large, combined with inadequate analytic choices, concur to produce inflated or false‐positive findings. To mitigate these issues, researchers often restrict analyses to specific brain areas, using the region of interest (ROI) approach. Crucially, ROI analysis assumes the a priori justified definition of the target region. Nonetheless, reports often lack details about where in the timeline, ranging from study conception to the data analysis and interpretation of findings, were ROIs selected. Frequently, the rationale for ROI selection is vague or inadequately founded on the existing literature. These shortcomings have important implications for ROI‐based studies, augmenting the risk that observed effects are inflated or even false positives. Tools like preregistration and registered reports could address this problem, ensuring the validity of ROI‐based studies. The benefits could be enhanced by additional practices such as selection of ROIs using quantitative methods (i.e., meta‐analysis) and the sharing of whole‐brain unthresholded maps of effect size, as well as of binary ROIs, in publicly accessible repositories.
Does policy uncertainty increase relational risks? Evidence from strategic alliances
Authors: Baxamusa Mufaddal , Datta Sudip , Jha Anand
Published: August 2020

Prior studies on capital investments, including mergers and acquisitions, point to investment irreversibility as the primary factor behind diminished investments during periods of increased policy uncertainty. We show that increased relational risk, due to the potential for counterparty misbehavior or shirking and higher contracting costs, appears to be the primary driver behind the diminished propensity to undertake strategic alliances during enhanced policy uncertainty regimes. Alliances are even less likely during such times when they (a) involve more than two firms, (b) are in industries with greater counterparty risk, and (c) involve partners that require intense contracts.
Presidential Address* and record of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) AGM 2020
Authors:   The Rt. Hon. the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey
Published: August 2020

In the Society’s first virtual AGM, the President of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) The Rt. Hon. the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey reflected on three ambitions: to improve public health everywhere; to put nature conservation into all decision making as a fundamental requirement of sustainable development; and the central importance of clear communication.
Innovation, voice, and hierarchy in the public sector: Evidence from Ghana's civil service
Authors: Williams Martin J. , Yecalo‐Tecle Liah
Published: August 2020

Research on innovation in government often focuses on ideas introduced by senior leaders or managers, but ideas from public servants themselves are an important and underexplored channel for improving performance in government bureaucracies. We provide new evidence on the potential for bottom‐up work process innovation, using data from 744 individual and team innovation plans and 51 qualitative interviews in Ghana's civil service. In contrast to common negative stereotypes of developing country bureaucrats, most officials do have meaningful ideas for improving performance. However, the overwhelming constraint to voicing these ideas is hostility by supervisors to new ideas from their subordinates. We argue that this anecdotally common yet understudied behavior is consistent with theories of psychological attachment to hierarchy rather than alternative theories rooted in material, structural, or cultural resistance to employee voice and innovation. We discuss implications for bottom‐up work process innovation in government and interventions to promote it.
Why It Is Difficult To Defend the Plantinga‐Type Ontological Argument
Authors: Erasmus Jacobus
Published: August 2020

The Plantinga‐type ontological argument may be tersely represented as follows: (1) If a maximally great being (MGB) is possible, then a MGB exists; (2) a MGB is possible; (3) therefore, a MGB exists. The key premise in this type of ontological argument is the possibility‐premise, namely, that it is possible that a MGB exists. But why affirm the possibility‐premise? Proponents of the argument could claim that they have a strong modal intuition that the possibility‐premise is true. Unfortunately, critics could likewise claim that they have a strong modal intuition that it is possible that a MGB does not exist or that it is possible that a semi‐maximally great being exists, with these premises implying that a MGB does not exist. In this paper, I argue that, in light of this objection to the possibility‐premise, the Plantinga‐type ontological argument is difficult to defend. I then, however, offer a suggestion as to how one may argue for the existence of a MGB without defending the possibility‐premise.
Redating Narrative Theology: A Challenge to The Conventional Chronology
Authors: Pickering David
Published: August 2020

This essay considers the work of G.K. Chesterton, and in particular The Everlasting Man, in relation to narrative theology. It discusses the apparent contradiction between Aidan Nichols’ judgement that this book develops a ‘Christocentric theology of history’ and Chesterton’s own assertion that its approach is ‘historical rather than theological’. It argues that Chesterton employs both natural and narrative theology in The Everlasting Man, and these two forms of theology frame a reading of the book which resolves the seeming contradiction between Nichols’ and Chesterton’s views, while also challenging the conventional chronology used in discussions of narrative theology.
Effect of high‐pressure treatment on the quality of prepared chicken breast
Authors: Dong Kai , Luo Xin , Liu Lan , An Fengping , Tang Daobang , Fu Lingyun , Teng Hui , Huang Qun
Published: August 2020

In this study, the effect of high‐pressure processing (HPP) on the physico‐chemical properties and microstructure of prepared chicken breast meat products was investigated. The result showed that the pH and TBARS values of the prepared chicken breast gradually increased, while the total volatile basic nitrogen value constantly decreased with the increase of pressure (0.1–500 MPa). In addition, the colour attributes (L* and a* values) and texture indexes (hardness and chewiness) significantly improved as the pressure increased. The results of low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance demonstrated that the peak area of immobilised water (T22) first enhanced and then declined with the increase of pressure, reaching the maximum value at 200 MPa. Moreover, the integrity of microstructure and protein secondary structure of prepared chicken breast were also disrupted. These findings could serve as a theoretical basis for a better application of HPP in prepared chicken breast meat products.
CYTOTOXICITY OF GALLIUM NITRATE IN VITRO USING BLADDER CANCER CELLS
Authors: Aoyagi Teiichiro , Bander Neil H.
Published: August 2020

Background

Gallium nitrate has been used systemically for some malignancies in clinical trials. Because bladder cancer has many transferrin (Tf) receptors and gallium has been reported to bind avidly with Tf receptors, gallium cytotoxicity and the possibility of intravesical instillation therapy with gallium nitrate were studied in vitro.

Methods

The bladder cancer cell lines J82, 639V, VMCuB1, SCaBER, and 5637 were used. The amount of Tf receptor was checked by a rosette assay. As a cytotoxicity assay, two experimental models were tested using two or 72 hours of exposure to gallium solution. A gallium release study using 67Ga was done to investigate the movement of incorporated gallium.

Results

J82 had the most and SCaBER had the least Tf receptors. For 72 hours of exposure at gallium concentrations above 250 μmol/L, the inhibitory effect was a function of gallium concentration, and 100% cytotoxicity occurred at 2 mmol/L. At lower concentrations of gallium, the effect was related to the amount of Tf and the level of Tf receptor expression of the cells. With two hours of exposure, which was assumed to be a model of intravesical therapy, the inhibitory effect increased in proportion to gallium concentration and the frequency of treatment. Twenty mmol/L gallium effectively inhibited the growth in two hours of exposure.

Conclusions

Intravesically administered gallium might be an effective therapy for bladder cancer, because its cytotoxicity is determined not by the amount of Tf receptor but by the gallium concentration and the duration of gallium exposure.
BILATERAL PERIPELVIC FAT SIMULATING RENAL PELVIC TUMOR
Authors: Gotoh Akinobu , Gohji Kazuo , Okada Hiroshi , Kamidono Sadao
Published: August 2020

Lipomas are benign tumors which may simulate peripelvic masses and usually originate in the renal cortex or the perirenal adipose tissue. Excessive proliferation of the peripelvic fat of the kidney simulating a renal pelvic tumor was detected in our case, illustrating a rare instance in which the kidney was salvaged.
Protection against SIV infection in macaques by immunization with inactivated virus from the BK28 molecular clone, but not with BK28‐derived recombinant env and gag proteins
Authors: Mills K.H.G. , Page M. , Chan W.L. , Kitchin P. , Stott E.J. , Taffs F. , Jones W. , Rose J. , Ling C. , Silvera P. , Corcoran T. , Flanagan B. , Burny A. , Bex F. , Delchambre M. , Van Opstal O. , Fabry L. , Thiriart C. , Delers A. , DeWilde M. , Bruck C.
Published: August 2020

Mills KHG, Page M, Chan WL, Kitchin P, Stott EJ, Taffs F, Jones W, Rose J, Ling C, Silvera P, Corcoran T, Flanagan B, Burny A, Bex F, Delchambre M, Van Opstal O, Fabry L, Thiriart C, Delers A, DeWilde M, Bruck C. Protection against SIV infection in macaques by immunization with inactivated virus from the BK28 molecular clone, but not with BK28‐derived recombinant env and gag proteins. J Med Primatol 1992:21:50‐58.

Vaccination of cynomolgus macaques with β‐propiolactone inactivated SIVmacBK28 in Freund's adjuvant induced low but detectable levels of anti‐SIV envelope (env) antibodies and T‐cell responses and protected against challenge with the 32H isolate of SIVmac251 grown in C8166 cells. In contrast, purified recombinant SIV env and gag proteins derived from BK28 formulated in Syntex adjuvant generated consistent and long‐lived cellular and humoral immune responses to SIV env, but failed to protect against infection with the 32H virus. Thus, protection against a heterogeneous challenge stock is possible by immunization with a molecularly‐cloned virus, but not with recombinant proteins from the same molecular origin. High levels of anti‐cell antibodies induced by the whole virus vaccine, but not by recombinant proteins, may have contributed to the protection observed.
Detection of simian immunodeficiency virus DNA in macrophages from infected rhesus macaques
Authors: Unger Ronald E. , Marthas Marta L. , Lackner Andrew A. , Pratt‐Lowe Elissa , Lohman Barbara L. , Van Rompay Koen , Luciw Paul A.
Published: August 2020

We have examined the frequency of infection of monocyte‐derived and alveolar macrophages isolated from rhesus macaques inoculated with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac) utilizing a semiquantitative PCR methodology. Animals were inoculated with either pathogenic (SIVmac239) or nonpathogenic (SIVmac1A11) molecularly cloned viruses of SIVmac, or with uncloned pathogenic SIVmacBIOL. The frequency of SIV DNA in macrophages was highest early after infection and at terminal stages of disease, whereas during the asymptomatic period, SIV DNA was present at very low levels in macrophages.
Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa endobronchitis in rhesus monkeys: I. Effect of pentoxifylline on neutrophil influx
Authors: Cheung Anthony T.W. , Moss Richard B. , Leong Albin B. , Novick William J.
Published: August 2020

Host defense abnormalities in cystic fibrosis (CF) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) lead to excessive neutrophil influx into the infected lungs, resulting in pulmonary complications. We have developed a rhesus monkey model of chronic PA endobronchitis by intrabronchial instillation of PA‐embedded agar beads, utilizing flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Treatment of infected monkeys with pentoxifylline suppressed neutrophil influx and ameliorated pulmonary damage. The results suggest a method by which neutrophil influx and pulmonary damage in CF patients can be managed or prevented.
Serological survey of a captive macaque colony in China for antibodies to simian type D retroviruses
Authors: Chen Zhibin , Ben Kunlong , Tian Baoping , Zheng Yongtang
Published: August 2020

Sera from 510 macaques consisting of Macaca mukitta, Macaca assamensis, Macaca fascicularis, Macaca nemestrina, and Macaca arctoides were investigated for antibodies to simian AIDS type D retrovirus (SRV) by ELISA and Western blot with viral antigens purified from supematants of SRV‐1 infected cell cultures. Of these monkeys, 104 were seropositive by ELISA; only 23 were confirmed by Western blot. The true positive reaction to SRV was found in 15 of 463 (3.2%) M. mulatta and eight of eleven (72.7%) M. assamensis.