bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Case Infected With Babesia venatorum: A 5-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Zhao Lin , Jiang Ruiruo , Jia Na , Ning Nianzhi , Zheng Yuanchun , Huo Qiubo , Sun Yi , Yuan Tingting , Jiang Baogui , Li Tao , Liu Hongbo , Liu Xiong , Chu Yanli , Wei Ran , Bian Cai , Wang Hong , Song Juliang , Wang Hui , Jiang Jiafu , Cao Wuchun
Published: February 2020

Background

Human babesiosis is a common zoonosis caused by Babesia and is attracting an increasing concern worldwide. The natural course of babesiosis infection and how the human immune system changes during the course of babesiosis infection are not clear.

Methods

We followed up 1 case infected with Babesia venatorum for 5 years. The patient was immune-intact and received no standard treatment. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Microbiological tests, ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence, and serum cytokines and chemokines were detected at different time points.

Results

The patient was confirmed as B venatorum infection based on his tick-bite history, clinical manifestations, and positive results of microbiological tests. The parasitemia of the patient persisted for approximately 2 months. With flu-like symptoms aggravating, most cytokines and chemokines in RNA and protein levels increased progressively and reached the peak when fever occurred; and their concentrations decreased to baseline during the same time as clearance of babesia parasites.

Conclusions

Babesia venatorum infection could take a mild self-limited course in immune-intact individuals. The natural changes of most cytokines and chemokines demonstrated very similar trends, which correlated with blood parasitemia and clinical manifestations. Cytokine profiles involving multiple inflammatory cytokines might be a good indicator of babesia infection.
Music Intervention Reduces Persistent Fibromyalgia Pain and Alters Functional Connectivity Between the Insula and Default Mode Network
Authors: Usui Chie , Kirino Eiji , Tanaka Shoji , Inami Rie , Nishioka Kenya , Hatta Kotaro , Nakajima Toshihiro , Nishioka Kusuki , Inoue Reiichi
Published: February 2020

Objective

The aims of the present study were to examine the effects of short-term music interventions among patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and to clarify the alterations in functional connectivity and persistent pain.

Design

Pilot study.

Setting

All participants were evaluated at Juntendo University from November 2017 to January 2019.

Subjects

We enrolled female patients who had been clinically diagnosed with FM (N = 23).

Methods

All participants listened to Mozart’s Duo for Violin and Viola No. 1, K. 423, in a quiet room for 17 minutes. We compared the degree of pain using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and the numeric rating scale before and after listening to music.

Results

Pain scores were significantly reduced after listening to music. Further, we observed there was a significant difference in connectivity between the right insular cortex (IC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus (PCu) before and after listening to music. We also found that the difference between the right IC-PCu connectivity and the difference in pain scores were significantly correlated.

Conclusions

We found that a short period of music intervention reduced chronic pain and altered functional IC–default mode network connectivity. Furthermore, music potentially normalized the neural network via IC–default mode network connectivity, yielding temporary pain relief in patients with FM. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these results.
Incidence and prevalence of giant cell arteritis in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Barra Lillian , Pope Janet E , Pequeno Priscila , Saxena Farah E , Bell Mary , Haaland Derek , Widdifield Jessica
Published: February 2020

Objective

To estimate trends in the incidence and prevalence of GCA over time in Canada.

Methods

We performed a population-based study of Ontario health administrative data using validated case definitions for GCA. Among Ontario residents ≥50 years of age we estimated the annual incidence and prevalence rates between 2000 and 2018. We performed sensitivity analyses using alternative validated case definitions to provide comparative estimates.

Results

Between 2000 and 2018 there was a relatively stable incidence over time with 25 new cases per 100 000 people >50 years of age. Age-standardized incidence rates were significantly higher among females than males [31 cases (95% CI: 29, 34) vs 15 cases (95% CI: 13, 18) per 100 000 in 2000]. Trends in age-standardized incidence rates were stable among females but increased among males over time. Incidence rates were highest among those ≥70 years of age. Standardized prevalence rates increased from 125 (95% CI 121, 129) to 235 (95% CI 231, 239) cases per 100 000 from 2000 to 2018. The age-standardized rates among males rose from 76 (95% CI 72, 81) cases in 2000 to 156 (95% CI 151, 161) cases per 100 000 population in 2018. Between 2000 and 2018, the age-standardized rates among females similarly increased over time, from 167 (95% CI 161, 173) to 304 (95% CI 297, 310) cases per 100 000 population.

Conclusion

The incidence and prevalence of GCA in Ontario is similar to that reported in the USA and northern Europe and considerably higher than that reported for southern Europe and non-European populations.
Novel genome sequences of cell-fusing agent virus allow comparison of virus phylogeny with the genetic structure of Aedes aegypti populations
Authors: Baidaliuk Artem , Lequime Sébastian , Moltini-Conclois Isabelle , Dabo Stéphanie , Dickson Laura B , Prot Matthieu , Duong Veasna , Dussart Philippe , Boyer Sébastien , Shi Chenyan , Matthijnssens Jelle , Guglielmini Julien , Gloria-Soria Andrea , Simon-Lorière Etienne , Lambrechts Louis
Published: February 2020

Flaviviruses encompass not only medically relevant arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) but also insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) that are presumably maintained primarily through vertical transmission in the insect host. Interestingly, ISFs are commonly found infecting important arbovirus vectors such as the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Cell-fusing agent virus (CFAV) was the first described ISF of mosquitoes more than four decades ago. Despite evidence for widespread CFAV infections in A.aegypti populations and for CFAV potential to interfere with arbovirus transmission, little is known about CFAV evolutionary history. Here, we generated six novel CFAV genome sequences by sequencing three new virus isolates and subjecting three mosquito samples to untargeted viral metagenomics. We used these new genome sequences together with published ones to perform a global phylogenetic analysis of CFAV genetic diversity. Although there was some degree of geographical clustering among CFAV sequences, there were also notable discrepancies between geography and phylogeny. In particular, CFAV sequences from Cambodia and Thailand diverged significantly, despite confirmation that A.aegypti populations from both locations are genetically close. The apparent phylogenetic discrepancy between CFAV and its A.aegypti host in Southeast Asia indicates that other factors than host population structure shape CFAV genetic diversity.
APCMutation marks an aggressive subtype ofBRAFmutant colorectal cancers
Authors: Fennell Lochlan J. , Kane Alexandra , Liu Cheng , McKeone Diane , Fernando Winnie , Su Chang , Bond Catherine , Jamieson Saara , Dumenil Troy , Patch Ann-Marie , Kazakoff Stephen H. , Pearson John V. , Waddell Nicola , Leggett Barbara , Whitehall Vicki
Published: February 2020

Background & Aims

WNT activation is a hallmark of colorectal cancer.BRAFmutation is present in 15% of colorectal cancers, and the role of mutations in WNT signaling regulators in this context is unclear. Here we evaluate the mutational landscape of WNT signaling regulators inBRAFmutant cancers.

Methods

We performed exome-sequencing on 24BRAFmutant colorectal cancers and analysed these data in combination with 175 publicly availableBRAFmutant colorectal cancer exomes. We assessed the somatic mutational landscape of WNT signaling regulators, and performed hotspot and driver mutation analyses to identify potential drivers of WNT signaling. The effects ofApcandBrafmutation were modelled,in vivo, using theApcmin/+andBrafV637/Villin-CreERT2/+mouse, respectively.

Results

RNF43was the most frequently mutated WNT signaling regulator (41%). Mutations in the beta-catenin destruction complex occurred in 48% of cancers. Hotspot analyses identified potential cancer driver genes in the WNT signaling cascade, includingMEN1, GNG12andWNT16. TruncatingAPCmutation was identified in 20.8% of cancers. TruncatingAPCmutation was associated with early age at diagnosis (P< 2×10−5), advanced stage (P<0.01), and poor survival (P=0.026).Apcmin/+/BrafV637animals had more numerous and larger SI and colonic lesions (P<0.0001 and P<0.05, respectively), and a markedly reduced survival (Median survival: 3.2 months, P=8.8×10−21) compared to animals withApcorBrafmutation alone.

Conclusions

The WNT signaling axis is frequently mutated inBRAFmutant colorectal cancers.WNT16andMEN1may be novel drivers of aberrant WNT signaling in colorectal cancer. Co-mutation ofBRAF and APCgenerates an extremely aggressive neoplastic phenotype that is associated with poor patient outcome.

Synopsis

We have comprehensively evaluated the somatic mutation landscape of WNT signaling regulators in serrated colorectal cancers. We identified a mosaic of mutations that may be responsible for elevating WNT signaling in this context. Approximately 20% of serrated colorectal cancers harbor truncatingAPCmutation, and these cancers confer extremely poor prognoses.
Direct nanopore sequencing of mRNA reveals landscape of transcript isoforms in apicomplexan parasites
Authors: Lee V Vern , Judd Louise M. , Jex Aaron R. , Holt Kathryn E. , Tonkin Christopher J. , Ralph. Stuart A.
Published: February 2020

Alternative splicing is a widespread phenomenon in metazoans by which single genes are able to produce multiple isoforms of the gene product. However, this has been poorly characterised in apicomplexans, a major phylum of some of the most important global parasites. Efforts have been hampered by atypical transcriptomic features, such as the high AT content of Plasmodium RNA, but also the limitations of short read sequencing in deciphering complex splicing events. In this study, we utilised the long read direct RNA sequencing platform developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to survey the alternative splicing landscape ofToxoplasma gondiiandPlasmodium falciparum. We find that while native RNA sequencing has a reduced throughput, it allows us to obtain full-length or near full-length transcripts with comparable quantification to Illumina sequencing. By comparing this data with available gene models, we find widespread alternative splicing, particular intron retention, in these parasites. Most of these transcripts contain premature stop codons, suggesting that in these parasites, alternative splicing represents a pathway to transcriptomic diversity, rather than expanding proteomic diversity. Moreover, alternative splicing rates are comparable between parasites, suggesting a shared splicing machinery, despite notable transcriptomic differences between the parasites. This work highlights a strategy in using long read sequencing to understand splicing events at the whole transcript level, and has implications in future interpretation of RNA-seq studies.
SAMHD1 limits the efficacy of forodesine in leukaemia by protecting cells against cytotoxicity of dGTP
Authors: Davenne Tamara , Klintman Jenny , Sharma Sushma , Rigby Rachel E. , Cursi Chiara , Bridgeman Anne , Dadonaite Bernadeta , Keersmaecker Kim De , Hillmen Peter , Chabes Andrei , Schuh Anna , Rehwinkel Jan
Published: February 2020

The anti-leukaemia agent forodesine causes cytotoxic overload of intracellular deoxyguanosine triphosphate (dGTP) but is efficacious only in a subset of patients. We report that SAMHD1, a phosphohydrolase degrading deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), protected cells against the effects of dNTP imbalances. SAMHD1-deficient cells induced intrinsic apoptosis upon provision of deoxyribonucleosides, particularly deoxyguanosine (dG). Moreover, dG and forodesine acted synergistically to kill cells lacking SAMHD1. Using mass cytometry, we found that these compounds killed SAMHD1-deficient malignant cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Normal cells and CLL cells from patients withoutSAMHD1mutation were unaffected. We therefore propose to use forodesine as a precision medicine for leukaemia, stratifying patients bySAMHD1genotype or expression.Supplementary Figure 5.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

SAMHD1-deficient cells die upon exposure to deoxyribonucleosides (dNs)

Deoxyguanosine (dG) is the most toxic dN, inducing apoptosis in cells lacking SAMHD1

SAMHD1-mutated leukaemic cells can be killed by dG and the PNP-inhibitor forodesine

In Brief

SAMHD1 degrades deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), the building blocks of DNA. Davenne et al. found that SAMHD1 protects cells against dNTP imbalances. Exposure of SAMHD1-deficient cells to deoxyguanosine (dG) results in increased intracellular dGTP levels and subsequent apoptosis. This can be exploited to selectively kill cancer cells that acquiredSAMHD1mutations.
Temperature modulates stress response in anammox reactors
Authors: Niederdorfer Robert , Hausherr Damian , Palomo Alejandro , Wei Jing , Magyar Paul , Smets Barth F. , Joss Adriano , Bürgmann Helmut
Published: February 2020

Autotrophic nitrogen removal by anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria is an energy-efficient nitrogen removal process in wastewater treatment. However, full-scale deployment under mainstream conditions remains challenging for practitioners due to the high stress susceptibility of anammox bacteria towards fluctuations in dissolved oxygen and temperature. Here, we investigated the response of microbial biofilms with verified anammox activity to oxygen shocks under favorable and cold temperature regimes. Genome-centric metagenomics and metatranscriptomics were used to investigate the stress response on various biological levels. We show that temperature regime and strength of oxygen perturbations induced divergent responses from the process level down to the transcriptional profile of individual taxa. Temperature induced distinct transcriptional states in compositionally identical communities and transient pulses of dissolved oxygen resulted in the upregulation of stress-response only under favorable temperatures. Anammox species and other key biofilm taxa display different transcriptional responses to the induced stress regimes.
AncesTree: an interactive immunoglobulin lineage tree visualizer
Authors: Foglierini Mathilde , Pappas Leontios , Lanzavecchia Antonio , Corti Davide , Perez Laurent
Published: February 2020

High-throughput sequencing of human immunoglobulin genes allows analysis of antibody repertoires and the reconstruction of clonal lineage evolution. Phylip, an algorithm that has been originally developed for applications in ecology and macroevolution, can also be used for the phylogenic reconstruction of antibodies maturation pathway. The study of antibodies (Abs) affinity maturation is of specific interest to understand the generation of Abs with high affinity or broadly neutralizing activities. Phylogenic analysis enables the identification of the key somatic mutations required to achieve optimal antigen binding. To complement Phylip algorithm, we developed AncesTree, a graphic user interface (GUI) that aims to give researchers the opportunity to interactively explore antibodies clonal evolution. AncesTree displays interactive immunoglobulins (Ig) phylogenic tree, Ig related mutations and sequence alignments using additional information coming from specialized antibody tools (such as IMGT®). The GUI is a Java standalone application allowing interaction with Ig-tree that can run under Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
The separation of Antler Polypeptide and its effects on the proliferation and osteogenetic differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Ping Wang , Tie-Feng Sun , Gang Li , Hui-Min Zhang , Fan-jie Liu , Zhi-hui Gao , Sheng-nan Cao , Guo-dong Sun , Hai-tao Du , Cong-an Wang , Dan-dan Wang , Bin Shi , Ling Lin
Published: February 2020

The effects of antler polypeptide on rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were investigated. Antler polypeptide was separated from Colla Cornus Cervi by ultrafiltration into different samples according to molecular weight: A (molecular weight <800 Da), B (molecular weight 800-1500 Da) and C (molecular weight >1500 Da). The content of antler polypeptide in A, B and C solutions were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The effects of antler polypeptide at different concentrations on the proliferation, cell cycle, and osteogenesis of BMSCs were investigated. The highest cell proliferation rate (84.66%) was observed for antler polypeptide B at a concentration of 1.578 × 10−2g/mL. Antler polypeptide B significantly promoted the proliferation of BMSCs with a proliferation index of 38.68%, which was significantly higher than that of the other groups. Antler polypeptide B significantly enhanced the activity of alkaline phosphatase in BMSCs compared to that of blank group (P<0.001). Antler polypeptide B increased the BMP7 protein expression in BMSCs. Our data suggested that antler polypeptide may promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.
Behavioral features of motivated response to alcohol inDrosophila
Authors: Catalano Jamie L. , Mei Nicholas , Azanchi Reza , Song Sophia , Blackwater Tyler , Heberlein Ulrike , Kaun Karla R.
Published: February 2020

Animals avoid predators and find the best food and mates by learning from the consequences of their behavior. However, reinforcers are not always uniquely appetitive or aversive but can have complex properties. Most intoxicating substances fall within this category; provoking aversive sensory and physiological reactions while simultaneously inducing overwhelming appetitive properties. Here we describe the subtle behavioral features associated with continued seeking for alcohol despite aversive consequences. We developed an automated runway apparatus to measure howDrosophilarespond to consecutive exposures of a volatilized substance. Behavior within this Behavioral Expression of Ethanol Reinforcement Runway (BEER Run) demonstrated a defined shift from aversive to appetitive responses to volatilized ethanol. Behavioral metrics attained by combining computer vision and machine learning methods, reveal that a subset of 9 classified behaviors and component behavioral features associate with this shift. We propose this combination of 9 behaviors can be used to navigate the complexities of operant learning to reveal motivated goal-seeking behavior.
Real-time resolution of short-read assembly graph using ONT long reads
Authors: Nguyen Son Hoang , Cao Minh Duc , Coin Lachlan
Published: February 2020

A streaming assembly pipeline utilising real-time Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) sequencing data is important for saving sequencing resources and reducing time-to-result. A previous approach implemented innpScarfprovided an efficient streaming algorithm for hybrid assembly but was relatively prone to mis-assemblies compared to other graph-based methods. Here we presentnpGraph, a streaming hybrid assembly tool using the assembly graph instead of the separated pre-assembly contigs. It is able to produce more complete genome assembly by resolving the path finding problem on the assembly graph using long reads as the traversing guide. Application to synthetic and real data from bacterial isolate genomes show improved accuracy while still maintaining a low computational cost.npGraphalso provides a graphical user interface (GUI) which provides a real-time visualisation of the progress of assembly. The tool and source code is available athttps://github.com/hsnguyen/assembly.
Characterizing crystalline defects in single nanoparticles from angular correlations of single-shot diffracted X-rays
Authors: Niozu Akinobu , Kumagai Yoshiaki , Nishiyama Toshiyuki , Fukuzawa Hironobu , Motomura Koji , Bucher Maximilian , Asa Kazuki , Sato Yuhiro , Ito Yuta , Takanashi Tsukasa , You Daehyun , Ono Taishi , Li Yiwen , Kukk Edwin , Miron Catalin , Neagu Liviu , Callegari Carlo , Di Fraia Michele , Rossi Giorgio , Galli Davide E. , Pincelli Tommaso , Colombo Alessandro , Owada Shigeki , Tono Kensuke , Kameshima Takashi , Joti Yasumasa , Katayama Tetsuo , Togashi Tadashi , Yabashi Makina , Matsuda Kazuhiro , Nagaya Kiyonobu , Bostedt Christoph , Ueda Kiyoshi
Published: February 2020

Characterizing and controlling the uniformity of nanoparticles is crucial for their application in science and technology because crystalline defects in the nanoparticles strongly affect their unique properties. Recently, ultra-short and ultra-bright X-ray pulses provided by X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) opened up the possibility of structure determination of nanometre-scale matter with Å spatial resolution. However, it is often difficult to reconstruct the 3D structural information from single-shot X-ray diffraction patterns owing to the random orientation of the particles. This report proposes an analysis approach for characterizing defects in nanoparticles using wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) data from free-flying single nanoparticles. The analysis method is based on the concept of correlated X-ray scattering, in which correlations of scattered X-ray are used to recover detailed structural information. WAXS experiments of xenon nanoparticles, or clusters, were conducted at an XFEL facility in Japan by using the SPring-8 Ångstrom compact free-electron laser (SACLA). Bragg spots in the recorded single-shot X-ray diffraction patterns showed clear angular correlations, which offered significant structural information on the nanoparticles. The experimental angular correlations were reproduced by numerical simulation in which kinematical theory of diffraction was combined with geometric calculations. We also explain the diffuse scattering intensity as being due to the stacking faults in the xenon clusters.
Characterization, crystal structure and cytotoxic activity of a rare iridoid glycoside from Lonicera saccata
Authors: Qu Zhaoxia , Ma Li , Zhang Qi , Yang Renyong , Hou Guige , Wang Yanan , Zhao Feng
Published: February 2020

A new iridoid glycoside, methyl (3R,4R,4aS,7S,7aR)-3-hydroxy-7-methyl-5-oxooctahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylate-3-O-β-D-(1′S,2′R,3′S,4′S,5′R)-glucopyranoside, named loniceroside A, C17H26O10, (1), was obtained from the aerial parts of Lonicera saccata. Its structure was established based on an analysis of spectroscopic data, including 1D NMR, 2D NMR and HRESIMS, and the configurations of the chiral C atoms were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The single-crystal structure reveals that the cyclopenta[c]pyran scaffold is formed from a five-membered ring and a chair-like six-membered ring connected through two bridgehead chiral C atoms. In the solid state, the glucose group of (1) plays an important role in constructing an unusual supramolecular motif. The structure analysis revealed adjacent molecules linked together through intermolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds to generate a banded structure. Furthermore, the banded structures are linked into a three-dimensional network by interesting hydrogen bonds. Biogenetically, compound (1) carries a glucopyranosyloxy moiety at the C-3 position, representing a rare structural feature for naturally occurring iridoid glycosides. The growth inhibitory effects against human cervical carcinoma cells (Hela), human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549), human acute mononuclear granulocyte leukaemia (THP-1) and the human liver hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2) were evaluated by the MTT method.
An integrated approach for line balancing and AGV scheduling towards smart assembly systems
Authors: Rahman Humyun Fuad , Janardhanan Mukund Nilakantan , Nielsen Peter
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Optimizing material handling within the factory is one of the key problems of modern assembly line systems. The purpose of this paper is to focus on simultaneously balancing a robotic assembly line and the scheduling of material handling required for the operation of such a system, a topic that has received limited attention in academia. Manufacturing industries focus on full autonomy because of the rapid advancements in different elements of Industry 4.0 such as the internet of things, big data and cloud computing. In smart assembly systems, this autonomy aims at the integration of automated material handling equipment such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to robotic assembly line systems to ensure a reliable and flexible production system.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper tackles the problem of designing a balanced robotic assembly line and the scheduling of AGVs to feed materials to these lines such that the cycle time and total tardiness of the assembly system are minimized. Because of the combination of two well-known complex problems such as line balancing and material handling and a heuristic- and metaheuristic-based integrated decision approach is proposed.

Findings

A detailed computational study demonstrates how an integrated decision approach can serve as an efficient managerial tool in designing/redesigning assembly line systems and support automated transportation infrastructure.

Originality/value

This study is beneficial for production managers in understanding the main decisional steps involved in the designing/redesigning of smart assembly systems and providing guidelines in decision-making. Moreover, this study explores the material distribution scheduling problems in assembly systems, which is not yet comprehensively explored in the literature.
Information, data, and knowledge in the cognitive system of the observer
Authors: Bosancic Boris
Published: February 2020

Purpose

In line with the cognitive viewpoint on the phenomenon of information, the constructivist tradition based on Maturana and Varela's theory of knowing, and some aspects of Shannon's theory of communication, the purpose of this paper is to shed more light on the role of information, data, and knowledge in the cognitive system (domain) of the observer.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to the literature review, a proposed description of the communication and knowledge acquisition processes within the observer's cognitive system/domain is elaborated.

Findings

The paper recognizes communication and knowledge acquisition as separate processes based on two roles of information within the observer's cognitive system, which are emphasized. The first role is connected with the appropriate communication aspects of Shannon's theory related to encoding cognitive entities in the cognitive domain as data representations for calculating theirinformativeness. The second role involves establishing relations between cognitive entities encoded as data representations through the knowledge acquisition process in the observer's cognitive domain.

Originality/value

In this way, according to the cognitive viewpoint, communication and knowledge acquisition processes are recognized as important aspects of the cognitive process as a whole. In line with such a theoretical approach, the paper seeks to provide an extension of Shannon's original idea, intending to involve the observer's knowledge structure as an important framework for the deepening of information theory.
The diffusion and influence of theoretical models of information behaviour. The case of Savolainen's ELIS model
Authors: González-Teruel Aurora , Pérez-Pulido Margarita
Published: February 2020

Purpose

To ascertain the diffusion and influence of Savolainen's ELIS model and its use as a theoretical and/or methodological basis for research.

Design/methodology/approach

A context citation analysis was made of the work where this researcher published his model. Analysis covered the year of publication, the type of work and the subject matter of the citing documents concerned. In-context citations were analysed for their frequency in each citing text, style, location and content cited.

Findings

The ELIS model received 18.5 cites/year. 20.2 per cent of them corresponded to papers published in journals in other areas, mainly computer science. The average of cites per paper was 1.8; 64.5 percent of the citing works cited them only once. 60 per cent of the cites were considered essential. Only 13.7 per cent of these cites appear in theory or methods. 37 per cent of the citing documents contained no concept relating to the model.

Research limitations/implications

The method used focuses on the most direct context of a cite (sentence or paragraph), but isolates it from the general context (full document, other documents by the author or their social capital). It has, however, allowed this research issue to be dealt with under laboratory conditions and revealed nuances hidden by the absolute number of cites.

Originality/value

It has become evident that the dissemination and influence of the ELIS model are less than what the total number of cites indicates and that it has scarcely been incorporated into research design. Despite its popularity, it is not being validated and/or refuted by way of empirical data.
How can scientists and engineers contribute to organisational sustainability reform?
Authors: Gia Hoang Thinh , Hoang Cuong Van , Vu Nam Hai , Nguyen Giang Tinh Ngo , Nguyen Thanh Thi Huong
Published: February 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how research and development (R&D) scientists and engineers can contribute to sustainability initiatives in their organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a critical case study methodology, focussed on a large Vietnamese company in which business leaders sought to engage R&D scientists and engineers in sustainability initiatives focussed on eco-innovation and eco-efficiency. Bourdieu’s theoretical lens of habitus, capitals and field facilitates a relational analysis of the findings.

Findings

While R&D scientists and engineers adapted well to early changes aligned with eco-innovation, they struggled to engage with sustainability initiatives in the case firm. This study explains adaptions and constraints as scientists and engineers’ professional habitus and capitals, and their broader organisational field.

Practical implications

This paper provides insight into how organisations might integrate professional acculturation and appropriate facilitators to promote the additional contribution of scientists and engineers to sustainability initiatives in the context of an organisation.

Social implications

Although eco-innovation and eco-efficiency are only potential dimensions of comprehensive organisational sustainability reform, this research provides insight into how engaging scientists and engineers with a broader social sustainability agenda might be advanced.

Originality/value

The study addresses calls for empirical insights into ways that scientists and engineers can commit to organisational sustainability practices based on the configurations of habitus, capital and organisational field.
Longitudinal relationships between syntactic skills and Chinese written composition in Grades 3 to 6
Authors: Yeung Pui‐sze , Ho Connie Suk‐han , Chan David Wai‐ock , Chung Kevin Kien‐hoa
Published: February 2020

Background

Studies have shown that word dictation and syntactic skills are significant predictors of written composition performance among Chinese children in elementary grades. However, there is a paucity of research on the bidirectional relationships between these two cognitive‐linguistic skills (i.e., word dictation and syntactic skills) and Chinese writing skills.

Methods

This paper reports the findings of a 1‐year longitudinal study tracking the developmental patterns of Chinese writing among students in Grades 3 and 5 in Hong Kong. The participants were administered tasks involving cognitive‐linguistic skills (working memory, word dictation and syntactic skills) and writing skills (narrative writing and expository writing).

Results

Multiple regression analysis revealed that word dictation and syntactic skills in Grades 3 and 5 were significant longitudinal predictors of Chinese written composition performance in Grade 4 and Grade 6. Syntactic skills, but not word dictation, contributed a significant amount of unique variance to writing performance after controlling for the autoregressor effect of writing. The results also showed that written composition performance in Grades 3 and 5 contributed unique variance to individual differences in syntactic skills in Grades 4 and 6, after controlling for syntactic skills in the preceding year and other cognitive‐linguistic variables.

Conclusion

The patterns of results underscore the significance of syntactic skills in Chinese written composition in upper elementary grades and the bidirectional relationship between syntactic skills and written composition in Chinese.

Highlights

What is already known about this topic

Chinese word dictation, syntactic skills and verbal working memory are the major types of developmental skills important in Chinese writing among children in elementary grades.

What this paper adds

The longitudinal contribution of word dictation to writing performance across grades was mediated by the contribution of word dictation to concurrent writing performance.

Syntactic skills contributed a unique amount of variance to writing performance across grades even after controlling for the autoregressor effect of writing.

The longitudinal relationships between syntactic skills and written composition were bidirectional.

Implications for theory, policy or practice

An emphasis on grammar teaching in the context of writing may benefit both writing and syntactic skills development.

Combined word dictation and composing instruction, rather than teaching word dictation alone or composing instruction alone, may enhance composing skills.
Relative Poverty in Great Britain and the United States, 1979–2017
Authors: Joyce Robert , Ziliak James P.
Published: February 2020

This paper examines the major changes to the face of poverty in Great Britain over the past few decades, assessing the role of policy, and compares and contrasts this with the patterns seen in the United States, using harmonised household survey data. There are various commonalities between the countries, including a shift in the composition of those in poverty towards working‐age households without children, who have not been the focus of policy attention. There are also big differences, with a steadily increasing share of poverty in Great Britain – but a stable share in the United States – found in households with an adult in paid work. This perhaps explains why the anti‐poverty focus in Great Britain is now squarely on the plight of working households, while in the United States it is focused on labour force participation among the low skilled – even though, as we show, the United States has, for decades, been accustomed to in‐work poverty comprising a significantly higher proportion of overall poverty than in Great Britain.
In‐Work Credits in the UK and the US
Authors: Brewer Mike , Hoynes Hilary
Published: February 2020

In‐work credits grew in popularity worldwide during the late 1990s and 2000s as a means of reforming welfare systems in ways that could both encourage work and reduce poverty. This paper reviews the role of in‐work tax credits in the UK and the US, what is known and remains to be known about their impacts and distributional consequences, and the possibilities for reform. Evidence is clear that in‐work credits reduce poverty and can encourage lone parents to work, but have minimal impacts, in aggregate, on second earners. Spending on in‐work credits has grown in the UK, but there have been two major overhauls of the way these are structured so that, on current plans, the UK will not have an identifiable in‐work credit by 2023. In the US, in‐work assistance has grown in generosity and reach since the 1980s, thanks to broad political support for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the (less‐targeted) Child Tax Credit. Future debates in the UK should focus on the rise of in‐work poverty, particularly amongst couples, with some needed focus on the design of in‐work benefits, a debate where economic analysis and evidence should have a major role to play. In the US, the policy discussion should be about whether to increase substantially the EITC for those without children, and how best to maintain or expand the credit's generosity for those with children.
Measuring the Difference Between Parental Alienation and Parental Estrangement: The PARQ‐Gap
Authors: Bernet William , Gregory Nilgun , Rohner Ronald P. , Reay Kathleen M.
Published: February 2020

Parental alienation (rejection of a parent without legitimate justification) and realistic estrangement (rejection of a parent for a good reason) are generally accepted concepts among mental health and legal professionals. Alienated children, who were not abused, tend to engage in splitting and lack ambivalence with respect to their parents; estranged children, who were maltreated, usually perceive their parents in an ambivalent manner. The hypothesis of this study was that a psychological test—the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ)—will help to distinguish severely alienated from nonalienated children. The PARQ, which was used to identify and quantify the degree of splitting for each participant, was administered to 45 severely alienated children and 71 nonalienated children. The PARQ‐Gap score—the difference between each child's PARQ: Father score and PARQ: Mother score—was introduced and defined in this research. Using a PARQ‐Gap score of 90 as a cut point, this test was 99% accurate in distinguishing severely alienated from nonalienated children. This research presents a way to distinguish parental alienation from other reasons for contact refusal. The PARQ‐Gap may be useful for both clinicians and forensic practitioners in evaluating children of separating and divorced parents when there is a concern about the possible diagnosis of parental alienation.
Determination of the Chronological Order of a Laser Printing and Gel Pen Writing Without any Crossing Strokes
Authors: Gupta Vinayak , Saini Komal
Published: February 2020

Laser printers and writing instruments are being exploited by the forgers to produce fabricated documents. They often produce such documents by appending genuine signature on a blank sheet and later printing on it. Often these fabricated documents do not contain intersection of strokes and may pose a difficulty to forensic document examiners in analyzing cases related to such documents. Keeping in mind the limited research work done on nonintersecting strokes, the present study has been conducted with an aim to determine the sequence of nonintersecting strokes of gel pens and laser printers. Three hundred samples of nonintersecting strokes of gel pen ink and laser printing were prepared. Of these 300, 150 had laser‐printed text below the gel pen strokes and the remaining 150 were prepared with gel pen stokes below the laser‐printed text. The samples have been analyzed using Nikon SMZ 800N stereomicroscope. Three micro‐conformation features, that is, pattern of toner distribution, ink distribution, and fiber distribution have been observed in the samples. The results demonstrate the successful establishment of sequence of nonintersecting strokes in case of gel pen and laser‐printed documents by the determination of micro‐conformation features.
Review article: Prevalence of burnout in paramedics: A systematic review of prevalence studies
Authors: Reardon Matthew , Abrahams Raquel , Thyer Liz , Simpson Paul
Published: February 2020

Paramedic wellness is an increasing priority within the profession. Burnout has been described as having areas of ‘emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment’. Prevalence of burnout is unclear, hampering evaluation of protective initiatives. The aim of this systematic review was to identify prevalence and predictors of burnout in paramedic populations. A systematic review was registered via PROSPERO and conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES were searched from 2000 to present. Abstract screening and selection of articles was undertaken with good agreement. Quality assessment of included articles used Hoy's validated quality assessment tool, with excellent inter‐rater agreement (K = 0.9). Qualitative synthesis of included studies was performed. Each step of the process was performed independently by two authors, with a third arbitrating disputes as required. Five studies met inclusion criteria; two were from the USA, and one each from Australia, South Africa and Israel. Burnout measurement varied; three used Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), one Maslach's Burnout Inventory (MBI), and one General Burnout Measure (GBM). Prevalence of burnout ranged between 16% and 56%. Higher prevalence was reported in CBI studies (30%, 38% and 56%), while lower prevalence was seen with other tools (MBI 18%, GBM 16%). Included studies were of low to moderate quality. The prevalence of burnout in paramedics varies from 16% to 56%. Existing evidence describing burnout in paramedics is weak; research of good methodological rigour is needed to quantify prevalence of burnout, providing a reliable baseline against which protective interventions could be measured.
Race and policing in the 2016 presidential election: Black lives matter, the police, and dog whistle politics
Authors: Drakulich Kevin , Wozniak Kevin H. , Hagan John , Johnson Devon
Published: February 2020

A series of deaths of Black Americans at the hands of the police sparked mass protests, received extensive media coverage, and fueled a new civil rights movement in the years leading up to the 2016 presidential election. Both major party nominees campaigned on issues of race and policing in different ways. Drawing on colorblind racism theories and the history of law‐and‐order politics, we explore how views of race relations and the police were associated with voting behavior. We ask, on the one hand, whether people were engaged with the civil rights issues raised by Black Lives Matter and, on the other hand, whether Trump's expressions of support for the police functioned as a racial “dog whistle” to mobilize a particular set of voters. Using the 2016 American National Election Studies (ANES) Time Series Study, we find that concern about biased policing and support for the civil rights movement seeking to address it were associated with increased turnout among Democrats and more votes for Clinton. In addition, consistent with a dog whistle effect, claims of supporting the police were connected to votes for Trump mainly among those with high levels of racial resentment. We conclude by discussing the symbolic role of police in American society and politics.
Implementation of a very low calorie diet program into the pre‐operative model of care for obese general elective surgery patients: Outcomes of a feasibility randomised control trial
Authors: Hollis Greta , Franz Robert , Bauer Judy , Bell Jack
Published: February 2020

Aim

The present article aimed to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a very low calorie diet (VLCD) weight loss program into the pre‐operative model of care for elective general surgery patients with obesity.

Methods

A prospective, randomised control trial of adults with obesity awaiting elective general surgery was conducted at an outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital. Patients were randomised to the intervention group, an 8‐week VLCD program incorporating Optifast (Nestle Health, Germany) shakes, or to standard care (generic healthy eating information). Data were collected at baseline, week 8 and at 30 days post‐surgery. The primary outcome of the study was feasibility, which was evaluated through demand, practicality, integration and acceptability measures.

Results

Forty‐six participants (M 17: F 23, mean age 51.6 (13.1) years) with a mean body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 (40.5 kg/m2 (5.9)) were recruited. There was a higher mean weight loss in the intervention group (n = 23) compared to the control group (n = 14) (−6.5 vs +0.15 kg; P = <.001), with no excessive loss of muscle mass (MM), measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The reduction in waist circumference was greater for the intervention (n = 21) compared to control group (n = 5) (−6.11 vs +1.36 cm; P = .003). Quality of life increased significantly in the intervention group (P < .001).

Conclusions

The pre‐operative VLCD program produced clinically meaningful rapid weight loss pre‐surgery and improved quality of life without an excessive loss of MM.
Prediction of hybridisation zones of selected species of the genusPlatymeris(Hemiptera: Reduviidae) supported by laboratory crossbreeding
Authors: Bugaj‐Nawrocka Agnieszka , Sawka‐Gądek Natalia , Chłond Dominik
Published: February 2020

GenusPlatymerisLaporte, 1833 is a medium‐sized genus belonging to the subfamily Reduviinae, and all known species of these assassin bugs are large‐sized insects, distributed exclusively in Africa. Among them, two species,Platymeris biguttatusandPlatymeris rhadamanthus,are particularly well known for being bred in commercial cultures. Representatives of both species were bred and crossed in laboratory conditions resulting in interspecific hybrids. The offspring of both species were genetically tested to confirm their hybridisation by nuclear analysis of thewinglessgene, which differs in sequence between the parental species. In addition, previous research on the distribution of these species has shown that their ranges partly overlap. This area began to be considered as a potential hybridisation zone. The occurrence of both species was modelled to determine the zone of overlap and estimate the potential hybridisation zone by using the ecological niche modelling technique andMaxentsoftware. In addition, we tested various model settings and program capabilities. As a result, two large areas were identified as potential hybridisation zones. Both are mostly within the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion, as well as tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands ecoregion. In addition, new occurrences ofP. rhadamanthusin Namibia have been presented.
Identification of small and large genomic candidate variants in bovine pulmonary hypoplasia and anasarca syndrome
Authors: Häfliger I. M. , Wiedemar N. , Švara T. , Starič J. , Cociancich V. , Šest K. , Gombač M. , Paller T. , Agerholm J. S. , Drögemüller C.
Published: February 2020

The pulmonary hypoplasia and anasarca syndrome (PHA) is a congenital lethal disorder, which until now has been reported in cattle and sheep. PHA is characterized by extensive subcutaneous fetal edema combined with hypoplasia or aplasia of the lungs and dysplasia of the lymphatic system. PHA is assumed to be of genetic etiology. This study presents the occurrence of PHA in two different cattle breeds and their genetic causation. Two PHA cases from one sire were observed in Slovenian Cika cattle. Under the assumption of monogenic inheritance, genome‐wide homozygosity mapping scaled down the critical regions to 3% of the bovine genome including a 43.6 Mb‐sized segment on chromosome 6. Whole‐genome sequencing of one case, variant filtering against controls and genotyping of a larger cohort of Cika cattle led to the detection of a likely pathogenic protein‐changing variant perfectly associated with the disease: a missense variant on chromosome 6 in ADAMTS3 (NM_001192797.1: c.1222C>T), which affects an evolutionary conserved residue (NP_001179726.1: p.(His408Tyr)). A single PHA case was found in Danish Holstein cattle and was whole‐genome sequenced along with its parents. However, as there was no plausible private protein‐changing variant, mining for structural variation revealed a likely pathogenic trisomy of the entire chromosome 20. The identified ADAMTS3 associated missense variant and the trisomy 20 are two different genetic causes, which shows a compelling genetic heterogeneity for bovine PHA.