bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How growers make decisions impacts plant disease control
Authors: Murray-Watson Rachel E. , Hamelin Frédéric M. , Cunniffe Nik J.
Published: December 2021

While the spread of plant disease depends strongly on biological factors driving transmission, it also has a human dimension. Disease control depends on decisions made by individual growers, who are in turn influenced by a broad range of factors. Despite this, human behaviour has rarely been included in plant epidemic models. Considering Cassava Brown Streak Disease, we model how the perceived increase in profit due to disease management influences participation in clean seed systems (CSS). Our models are rooted in game theory, with growers making strategic decisions based on the expected profitability of different control strategies. We find that both the information used by growers to assess profitability and the perception of economic and epidemiological parameters influence long-term participation in the CSS. Over-estimation of infection risk leads to lower participation in the CSS, as growers perceive that paying for the CSS will be futile. Additionally, even though good disease management can be achieved through the implementation of CSS, and a scenario where all controllers use the CSS is achievable when growers base their decision on the average of their entire strategy, CBSD is rarely eliminated from the system. These results are robust to stochastic and spatial effects. Our work highlights the importance of including human behaviour in plant disease models, but also the significance of how that behaviour is included.

1

Author Summary

Models of plant disease epidemics rarely account for the behaviour of growers undertaking management decisions. However, such behaviour is likely to have a large impact on disease spread. Growers may choose to participate in a control scheme based on the perceived economic advantages, acting to maximise their own profit. Yet if many growers participate in a control scheme, their participation will lower the probability of others becoming infected and consequently disincentivise them from participating themselves. How these dynamics play out will alter the course of the epidemic. We incorporate these economic considerations into an epidemic model of Cassava Brown Streak Disease using two broad approaches, which vary in the amount of information provided to growers. We also consider the effect of grower misperception of economic and epidemiological parameters. Our work shows that both the inclusion of grower behaviour, and its means of inclusion, affect disease dynamics, and highlights the importance of including grower decision-making in plant epidemic models.
Nuclear NAD+ homeostasis is essential for naive and chemoresistant BRCA1/2-deficient tumor survival
Authors: Musiani Daniele , Yücel Hatice , Sourd Laura , Marangoni Elisabetta , Ceccaldi Raphael
Published: December 2021

Resistance to PARP inhibitors (PARPi) is emerging as the major obstacle to their effectiveness for the treatment of BRCA1/2-mutated, also referred as homologous recombination (HR)-deficient, tumors (HRD). Over the years, mechanistic studies gained insights on effectors acting downstream of PARP1, lagging behind the understanding of earlier events upstream - and thus independent - of PARP1. Here, we investigated the role of nuclear NAD+, an essential cofactor for the activity of key DNA repair proteins, including PARP1 and sirtuins. We show that NMNAT1-the enzyme synthesizing nuclear NAD+ - is synthetically lethal with BRCA1/2 in a PARP1-independent but SIRT6-dependent manner. Consequently, inhibition of NMNAT1/SIRT6 axis not only kills naive but also PARPi-resistant HRD cancer cells. Our results unravel a unique vulnerability of HRD tumors, therapeutically exploitable even upon PARPi resistance development.

One-Sentence Summary

Targeting NMNAT1 kills chemoresistant and naive BRCA1/2-deficient tumors by disrupting SIRT6-dependent base excision repair.
A striatal circuit balances learned fear in the presence and absence of sensory cues
Authors: Kintscher Michael , Kochubey Olexiy , Schneggenburger Ralf
Published: December 2021

During fear learning, defensive behaviors like freezing need to be finely balanced in the presence or absence of threat-predicting cues (conditioned stimulus, CS). Nevertheless, the circuits underlying such balancing are largely unknown. Here, we investigate the role of the ventral tail striatum (vTS) in auditory-cued fear learning of male mice.In-vivoCa2+imaging showed that robust sub- populations of direct (D1R+) and indirect pathway neurons (Adora+) in the vTS responded to footshocks, and to the initiation of movements after freezing; moreover, a sub-population of D1R+ neurons increased its responsiveness to an auditory CS during fear learning.In-vivooptogenetic silencing shows that footshock-driven activity of D1R+ neurons contributes to fear memory formation, whereas Adora+ neurons modulate freezing in the absence of a learned CS. Circuit tracing identified the posterior insular cortex (pInsCx) as an important cortical input to the vTS, and recording of optogenetically-evoked EPSCs revealed long-term plasticity with opposite outcomes at the cortical synapses onto D1R+ - and Adora+ neurons. Thus, direct- and indirect pathways neurons of the vTS show differential signs of plasticity after fear learning, and balance defensive behaviors in the presence and absence of learned sensory cues.
Engineered biological neural networks on high density CMOS microelectrode arrays
Authors: Duru Jens , Küchler Joël , Ihle Stephan J. , Forró Csaba , Bernardi Aeneas , Girardin Sophie , Hengsteler Julian , Wheeler Stephen , Vörös János , Ruff Tobias
Published: December 2021

In bottom-up neuroscience, questions on neural information processing are addressed by engineering small but reproducible biological neural networks of defined network topology in vitro. The network topology can be controlled by culturing neurons within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microstructures that are combined with microelectrode arrays (MEAs) for electric access to the network. However, currently used glass MEAs are limited to 256 electrodes and pose a limitation to the spatial resolution as well as the design of more complex microstructures. The use of high density complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) MEAs greatly increases the spatiotemporal resolution, enabling sub-cellular readout and stimulation of neurons in defined neural networks. Unfortunately, the non-planar surface of CMOS MEAs complicates the attachment of PDMS microstructures. To overcome the problem of axons escaping the microstructures through the ridges of the CMOS MEA, we stamp-transferred a thin film of hexane-diluted PDMS onto the array such that the PDMS filled the ridges at the contact surface of the microstructures without clogging the axon guidance channels. Moreover, we provide an impedance-based method to visualize the exact location of the microstructures on the MEA and show that our method can confine axonal growth within the PDMS microstructures. Finally, the high spatiotemporal resolution of the CMOS MEA enabled us to show that we can guide action potentials using the unidirectional topology of our circular multi-node microstructure.
OSBP-mediated cholesterol transfer determines epithelial polarity and associated cargo secretion
Authors: Kovács Dávid , Gay Anne-Sophie , Fleuriot Lucile , Debayle Delphine , Dias Araújo Ana Rita , Patel Amanda , Mesmin Bruno , Luton Frédéric , Antonny Bruno
Published: December 2021

Golgi lipid environment regulates sorting and cargo secretion. However, the mechanisms that spatiotemporally control the lipid composition of the secretory membranes to drive cargo trafficking are poorly understood. Lipid transfer proteins regulate the concentration of specific lipids at membrane contact sites. We hypothesised that by catalysing cholesterol/PI(4)P exchange at ER-trans-Golgi membrane contact sites the lipid transfer protein oxysterol binding protein (OSBP) affects the secretion of a subset of cargoes. Here, we report that OSBP is a major epithelial protein as its inhibition leads to complete loss of apico-basal polarity. By mapping the OSBP proximity proteome with the biotin ligase TurboID, we found that OSBP controls the secretion of multiple membrane associated proteins, including key polarity determinants such as E-cadherin. Mechanistically, we established that OSBP contributes to E-cadherin secretion by supplying cholesterol to post-Golgi membranes. Importantly, when cells downregulate cell-cell junctions upon epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, they re-wire their lipid homeostasis and downregulate OSBP as well, thus altering the trafficking of the OSBP-dependent secretory cargoes.
Epistatic genetic interactions govern morphogenesis during sexual reproduction and infection in a global human fungal pathogen
Authors: Sun Sheng , Roth Cullen , Averette Anna Floyd , Magwene Paul , Heitman Joseph
Published: December 2021

Cellular development is orchestrated by evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways, which are often pleiotropic and involve intra- and inter-pathway epistatic interactions that form intricate, complex regulatory networks.Cryptococcusspecies are a group of closely-related human fungal pathogens that grow as yeasts yet transition to hyphae during sexual reproduction. Additionally, during infection they can form large, polyploid titan cells that evade immunity and develop drug resistance. Multiple known signaling pathways regulate cellular development, yet how these are coordinated and interact with genetic variation is less well understood. Here, we conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses of a mapping population generated by sexual reproduction of two parents, only one of which is unisexually fertile. We observed transgressive segregation of the unisexual phenotype among progeny, as well as a novel large-cell phenotype under mating-inducing conditions. These large-cell progeny were found to produce titan cells bothin vitroand in infected animals. Two major QTLs and corresponding quantitative trait genes (QTGs) were identified:RIC8(encoding a guanine-exchange factor) andCNC06490(encoding a putative Rho-GTPase activator), both involved in G-protein signaling. The two QTGs interact epistatically with each other and with the mating-type locus in phenotypic determination. These findings provide insights into the complex genetics of morphogenesis during unisexual reproduction and pathogenic titan cell formation and illustrate how QTL analysis can be applied to identify epistasis between genes. This study shows that phenotypic outcomes are influenced by the genetic background upon which mutations arise, implicating dynamic, complex genotype-to-phenotype landscapes in fungal pathogens and beyond.

Significance statement

Cellular development is regulated by a complex web of signaling pathways that respond to both intracellular and extracellular cues. Morphological transitions in pathogenic fungi, such as those observed during sexual reproduction or in response to the host environment, offer tractable models for understanding the principles that govern eukaryotic cell development and morphogenesis. Using the human fungal pathogenCryptococcus deneoformansas a model and applying QTL analysis, we defined novel genes and gene-gene interactions involved in the yeast-hyphal transition and titanization, two morphological developments that are important for adaptation, pathogenesis, and evolution of this fungal pathogen. Our study provides new insights into the conservation and complexity of key signaling pathways in regulating cell development in fungi, as well as other eukaryotes.
Estimating real snakebite incidence in Colombia by using mathematical modelling and statistical inference
Authors: Bravo-Vega Carlos , Renjifo-Ibañez Camila , Santos-Vega Mauricio , Leon Nuñez Leonardo Jose , Angarita-Sierra Teddy , Cordovez Juan Manuel
Published: December 2021

Snakebite envenoming is a Neglected Tropical Disease affecting mainly deprived populations. Its burden is normally underestimated because patients prefer to seek for traditional medicine. Thus, applying strategies to optimize disease’ management and treatment delivery is difficult. We propose a framework to estimate snakebite incidence at a fine political scale based on available data, testing it in Colombia. First, we produced snakebite fine-scale risk maps based on the most medically important venomous snake species (Bothrops asper and B. atrox). We validated them with reported data in the country. Then, we proposed a generalized mixed effect model that estimates total incidence based on produced risk maps, poverty indexes, and an accessibility score that reflects the struggle to reach a medical center. Finally, we calibrated our model with national snakebite reported data from 2010 to 2019 using a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm and estimated underreporting based on the total incidence estimation. Our results suggest that 10.3% of total snakebite cases are not reported in Colombia and do not seek medical attention. The Orinoco and Amazonian regions (east of Colombia) share a high snakebite risk with a high underreporting. Our work highlights the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to face snakebite.
Time-dependent memory and individual variation in Arctic brown bears (Ursus arctos)
Authors: Thompson Peter R. , Lewis Mark A. , Edwards Mark A. , Derocher Andrew E.
Published: December 2021

1

Animal movement modelling provides unique insight about how animals perceive their landscape and how this perception may influence space use. When coupled with data describing an animal’s environment, ecologists can fit statistical models to location data to describe how spatial memory informs movement. We performed such an analysis on a population of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Canadian Arctic using a model incorporating time-dependent spatial memory patterns. Brown bear populations in the Arctic lie on the periphery of the species’ range, and as a result endure harsh environmental conditions. In this kind of environment, effective use of memory to inform movement strategies could spell the difference between survival and mortality. The model we fit tests four alternate hypotheses (some incorporating memory; some not) against each other, and we found a high degree of individual variation in how brown bears used memory. We found that 52% (11 of 21) of the bears used complex, time-dependent spatial memory to inform their movement decisions. These results, coupled with existing knowledge on individual variation in the population, highlight the diversity of foraging strategies for Arctic brown bears while also displaying the inference that can be drawn from this innovative movement model.
Manipulating the microbiome alters regenerative outcomes inXenopus laevistadpoles via lipopolysaccharide signalling
Authors: Chapman Phoebe A. , Gilbert Campbell B. , Devine Thomas J. , Hudson Daniel T. , Ward Joanna , Morgan Xochitl C. , Beck Caroline W.
Published: December 2021

Xenopus laevistadpoles can regenerate functional tails, containing spinal cord, notochord, muscle, fin, blood vessels and nerves, except for a brief refractory period at around one week of age. At this stage, amputation of the tadpole’s tail may either result in scarless wound healing, or the activation of a regeneration programme, which replaces the lost tissues. We recently demonstrated a link between bacterial lipopolysaccharides and successful tail regeneration in refractory stage tadpoles, and proposed that this could result from lipopolysaccharides binding to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Here, we have used 16S rRNA sequencing to show that the tadpole skin microbiome is highly variable between sibships and that the community can be altered by raising embryos in the antibiotic gentamicin. Six gram-negative genera, includingDelftia and Chryseobacterium, were over-represented in tadpoles that underwent tail regeneration. Lipopolysaccharides purified from a commensalChryseobacterium spp. XDS4, an exogenousDelftia spp. orEscherichia colicould significantly increase the number of antibiotic-raised tadpoles that attempted regeneration. Conversely, the quality of regeneration was impaired in native-raised tadpoles exposed to the antagonistic lipopolysaccharide ofRhodobacter sphaeroides. Editing TLR4 using CRISPR/Cas9 also reduced regeneration quality, but not quantity, at the level of the cohort. However, we found that the editing level of individual tadpoles was a poor predictor of regenerative outcome. In conclusion, our results suggest that variable regeneration in refractory stage tadpoles depends at least in part on the skin microbiome and lipopolysaccharide signalling, but that signalling via TLR4 cannot account for all of this effect.
A single-cell genomic strategy for alternative transcript start sites identification
Authors: Peng Yanling , Huang Qitong , Kamada Rui , Ozato Keiko , Zhang Yubo , Zhu Jun
Published: December 2021

Alternative transcription start sites (TSSs) usage plays a critical role in gene transcription regulation in mammals. However, precisely identifying alternative TSSs remains challenging at the genome-wide level. Here, we report a single-cell genomic technology for alternative TSSs annotation and cell heterogeneity detection. In the method, we utilize Fluidigm C1 system to capture individual cells of interest, SMARTer cDNA synthesis kit to recover full-length cDNAs, then dual priming oligonucleotide system to specifically enrich TSSs for genomic analysis. We apply this method to a genome-wide study of alternative TSSs identification in two different IFN-β stimulated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). We quantify the performance of our method and find it as accurate as other single cell methods for the detection of TSSs. Our data are also clearly discriminate two IFN-β stimulated MEFs. Moreover, our results indicate 82% expressed genes in these two cell types containing multiple TSSs, which is much higher than previous predictions based on CAGE (58%) or empirical determination (54%) in various cell types. This indicates that alternative TSSs are more pervasive than expected and implies our strategy could position them at an unprecedented sensitivity. It would be helpful for elucidating their biological insights in future.
Speech Sound Discrimination by Mongolian Gerbils
Authors: Jüchter Carolin , Beutelmann Rainer , Klump Georg Martin
Published: December 2021

The present study establishes the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) as a model for investigating the perception of human speech sounds. We report data on the discrimination of logatomes (CVCs1- consonant-vowel-consonant combinations with outer consonants /b/, /d/, /s/ and /t/ and central vowels /a/, /a:/, /ε/, /e:/, /I/, /i:/, /ɔ/, /o:/, /℧/ and /u:/, VCVs2- vowel-consonant-vowel combinations with outer vowels /a/, /I/ and /℧/ and central consonants /b/, /d/, /f/, /g/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /s/, /t/ and /v/) by young gerbils. Four young gerbils were trained to perform an oddball target detection paradigm in which they were required to discriminate a deviant CVC or VCV in a sequence of CVC or VCV standards, respectively. The experiments were performed with an ICRA-1 noise masker with speech-like spectral properties, and logatomes of multiple speakers were presented at various signal-to-noise ratios. Response latencies were measured to generate perceptual maps employing multidimensional scaling, which visualize the gerbils’ internal representations of the sounds. The dimensions of the perceptual maps were correlated to multiple phonetic features of the speech sounds for evaluating which features of vowels and consonants are most important for the discrimination. The perceptual representation of vowels and consonants in gerbils was similar to that of humans, although gerbils needed higher signal-to-noise ratios for the discrimination of speech sounds than humans. The gerbils’ discrimination of vowels depended on differences in the frequencies of the first and second formant determined by tongue height and position. Consonants were discriminated based on differences in combinations of their articulatory features. The similarities in the perception of logatomes by gerbils and humans renders the gerbil a suitable model for human speech sound discrimination.

Highlights

Perceptual maps of vowels and consonants in Mongolian gerbils are derived

Gerbils perceive vowels and consonants in the same way as humans

Gerbils discriminate vowels based on frequency differences of the formants

Gerbils discriminate consonants based on differences in articulatory features
Colorimetric and fluorescent TRAP assays for visualising and quantifying fish osteoclast activity
Authors: Ethiraj Lalith Prabha , Lei Samuel Fong En , Liu Ranran , Winkler Christoph , Carney Tom James
Published: December 2021

Histochemical detection of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity is a fundamental technique for visualizing osteoclastic bone resorption and assessing osteoclast activity status in tissues. This approach has mostly employed colorimetric detection, which has limited quantification of activity in situ and co-labelling with other skeletal markers. Here we report simple colorimetric and fluorescent TRAP assays in zebrafish and medaka, two important model organisms for investigating the pathogenesis of bone disorders. We show fluorescent TRAP staining, utilising the ELF97 substrate, is a rapid, robust and stable system to visualise and quantify osteoclast activity in zebrafish, and is compatible with other fluorescence stains, transgenic lines and antibody approaches. Using this approach, we show that TRAP activity is predominantly found around the base of the zebrafish pharyngeal teeth, where osteoclast activity state appears to be heterogeneous.
North and East African mitochondrial genetic variation needs further characterization towards precision medicine
Authors: Fähnrich Anke , Stephan Isabel , Hirose Misa , Haarich Franziska , Awadelkareem Mosab Ali , Ibrahim Saleh , Busch Hauke , Wohlers Inken
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Mitochondria are maternally inherited cell organelles with their own genome, and perform various functions in eukaryotic cells such as energy production and cellular homeostasis. Due to their inheritance and manifold biological roles in health and disease, mitochondrial genetics serves a dual purpose of tracing the history as well as disease susceptibility of human populations across the globe. This work requires a comprehensive catalogue of commonly observed genetic variations in the mitochondrial DNAs for all regions throughout the world. So far, however, certain regions, such as North and East Africa have been understudied.

Objectives

To address this shortcoming, we have created the most comprehensive quality-controlled North and East African mitochondrial dataset to date and use it for characterizing mitochondrial genetic variation in this region.

Methods

We compiled 11 published cohorts with novel data for mitochondrial genomes from 159 Sudanese individuals. We combined these 641 mitochondrial sequences with sequences from the 1000 Genomes (n=2,504) and the Human Genome Diversity Project (n=828) and used the tool haplocheck for extensive quality control and detection of in-sample contamination, as well as Nanopore long read sequencing for haplogroup validation of 18 samples.

Results

Using a subset of high-coverage mitochondrial sequences, we predict 15 potentially novel haplogroups in North and East African subjects and observe likely phylogenetic deviations from the established PhyloTree reference for haplogroups L0a1 and L2a1.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate common hitherto unexplored variants in mitochondrial genomes of North and East Africa that lead to novel phylogenetic relationships between haplogroups present in these regions. These observations call for further in-depth population genetic studies in that region to enable the prospective use of mitochondrial genetic variation for precision medicine.
Syntheses, structures and magnetic properties of two CoII/NiII isostructural coordination polymers based on an asymmetric semirigid tricarboxylate ligand
Authors: Li Shao-Dong , Su Feng , Zhou Cheng-Yong , Hu Qi-Long , Li Ya-Qi , Wang Zhi-Jun
Published: December 2021

Two new isostructural complexes, namely, poly[aqua[μ3-2-(4-carboxyphenoxy)terephthalato-κ3
O
1:O
4:O
4′](1,10-phenanthroline-κ2
N,N′)cobalt(II)], [Co(C15H8O7)(C12H8N2)(H2O)]
n
or [Co(μ3-Hcpota)(phen)(H2O)]
n
, I, and poly[aqua[μ3-2-(4-carboxyphenoxy)terephthalato-κ3
O
1:O
4:O
4′](1,10-phenanthroline-κ2
N,N′)nickel(II)], [Ni(C15H8O7)(C12H8N2)(H2O)]
n
or [Ni(μ3-Hcpota)(phen)(H2O)]
n
, II, have been synthesized by solvothermal reactions. Complexes I and II were fully characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, and powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. They both present two-dimensional structures based on [M
2(μ-COO)2]2+ (M = CoII or NiII) dinuclear metal units with a fes topology and a vertex symbol (4·82). Interestingly, the positions of the two dimeric metal motifs and the two partially deprotonated Hcpota2− ligands reproduce regular flying butterfly arrangements flipped upside down and sharing wings in the ab plane. Magnetic studies indicate antiferromagnetic interactions (J = −5.21 cm−1 for I and −11.53 cm−1 for II) in the dimeric units, with Co...Co and Ni...Ni distances of 4.397 (1) and 4.358 (1) Å, respectively, that are related to double syn–anti carboxylate bridges.
Fear vs humor appeals: a comparative study of children's responses to anti-smoking advertisements
Authors: Nicolini Valentina , Cassia Fabio
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the different effects that the fear and humor appeals in anti-smoking advertisements for children have on their affective reactions to the advertisements, on their beliefs about smoking and on their behavioral intentions to smoke.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative research study conducted in Italy with children aged from 8 to 11 years.

Findings

The results indicated that the humor appeal is a useful method for conveying a social theme in a pleasant way and creating a likable character that becomes an example for children to imitate; however, it is necessary to employ the fear appeal to make children reflect carefully about the negative consequences of smoking.

Research limitations/implications

This study examined only children's behavioral intentions derived from anti-smoking advertisements, but future research should also examine their real behaviors after a period following repeated viewing of public service announcements about smoking prevention or other social issues.

Practical implications

Understanding how different types of appeals can influence children represents an important result for the prevention of youth smoking and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits during childhood.

Social implications

Understanding how different types of appeals can influence children represents an important result for the prevention of youth smoking and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits during childhood.

Originality/value

Few studies have examined the impact of social advertisements on children, and particularly little is known about the effectiveness of fear appeals on this group.
Journal selection behavior among early-career academicians in Iran: how they choose the most appropriate journal for their publications
Authors: Shamsi Amrollah , Lund Brady D_ , SeyyedHosseini Shohreh , BasirianJahromi Reza
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Journals are the essential tools of researchers, especially academicians, to present their scientific findings. So, choosing the right journal helps not only science development but also their academic promotion. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that Iranian medical researchers consider when selecting scholarly journals in which to submit their work.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered online questionnaire was emailed in May 2021, with 101 responses received. The sample included all the faculty members with the role of “lecturer” in Iranian medical universities and who have 1–5 articles in the Scopus database as early-career Iranian medical researchers. The questionnaire consisted of 36 items, divided into five sections: basic information, attitudes and beliefs, ways to choose a journal, problems and familiarity with the components of scientometrics/validity metrics related to journals.

Findings

The findings indicate that these researchers value the expertise of experienced researchers and professionals, like librarians, when selecting publication venues. They often use journal indexes to guide journal selection. They also consider factors like the length of typical peer review and the complexity of submission guidelines when making decisions.

Research limitations/implications

The study of one country, though detecting requirements of journal selection behavior, cannot be generalized to the entire region.

Practical implications

The current study has academic implications as far as decisions on journal selection are concerned. University policymakers in Iran may consider re-examining their emphasis on academicians’ promotion policies at Iranian universities of medical sciences.

Originality/value

These findings may support the work of early-career researchers and those individuals (e.g., librarians) that serve them, as well as publishers and editors of scholarly journals.
Causal interactions among essential factors of Industry 4.0 innovation using DEMATEL technique in manufacturing industries
Authors: Nimawat Dheeraj , Gidwani B.D.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Industry 4.0 implementation appears to have a far-reaching effect on consumer demand. Research findings on market prospects and implementation status are also rare. The purpose of this study is to address the essential factors regarding the implementation status of the Indian manufacturing industries that would entail a complete implementation of the Industry 4.0 innovations in developing nations and execute them entirely to achieve related benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary factors impacting the Industry 4.0 implementation status recognized a focus on comprehensive literature analysis and its validation by recommendations from 12 specialists with substantial expertise in Industry 4.0. The DEMATEL technique has been implemented in this analysis to examine the structure of causal interactions among the recognized essential factors.

Findings

From a literature analysis and recommendations from specialists, 16 essential factors are recognized. Using DEMATEL techniques, ranking of the essential factors has been obtained according to their importance. Moreover, the findings show the cause and effect interactions among essential factors in the perspective of Industry 4.0 innovations in Indian manufacturing industries.

Research limitations/implications

The current research is restricted to Indian manufacturing industries (developing nations).

Practical implications

It will help industries move towards an Industry 4.0 implementation by knowing their status. A research model is being developed, including specific vital features of Industry 4.0 as indicators for its implementation. Nevertheless, few are renowned for how industries, especially in developing nations, perceive the possible effects of Industry 4.0 technological innovations and industrial efficiency.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present research contributes first to be carried out regarding the model of information about the nature of causal interactions among the recognized essential factors of Industry 4.0 in the surrounding of Indian manufacturing industries to address the implementation status of Industry 4.0 innovations using DEMATEL technique.
Practitioners' learning about healthcare supply chain management in the COVID-19 pandemic: a public procurement perspective
Authors: Harland Christine Mary , Knight Louise , Patrucco Andrea S. , Lynch Jane , Telgen Jan , Peters Esmee , Tátrai Tünde , Ferk Petra
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The procurement and supply of crucial healthcare products in the early stages of the COVID-19 emergency were chaotic. To prepare for future crises, we must be able to describe what went wrong, and why, and map out ways to build agility and resilience. How can this be done effectively, given the highly complex and diverse network of actors across governments, care providers and supply chains, and the extreme uncertainty and dynamism in the procurement system and supplier markets? The purpose of this study was to capture learning from practitioners in “real time” in a way that could frame and inform capacity building across healthcare systems with varying procurement and supply management maturity.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study involved interviews with 58 senior public procurement practitioners in central and regional governments, NGOs and leaders of professional organizations from 23 countries, very early in the COVID crisis. Following the first, inductive phase of analysis leading to five descriptive dimensions, the awareness-motivation-capability (A-M-C) framework was applied in a further round of coding, to understand immediate challenges faced by procurement practitioners, how the complex, multi-level procurement system that shaped their motivations to respond and critical capabilities required to face these challenges.

Findings

Developments across 23 countries and practitioners' learning about procurement and supply in the pandemic crisis can be captured in five overarching themes: governance and organization, knowledge and skills, information systems, regulation and supply base issues. Together these themes cover the strengths and gaps in procurement and supply capability encountered by procurement leaders and front-line personnel. They highlight the various facets of structure, resource and process which constitute organizational capability. However, to account better for the highly dynamic situation characterized by both unprecedented rivalry and cooperation, analysts must also pay attention to actors' emerging awareness of the situation and their rapidly changing motivations.

Originality/value

The application of the A-M-C framework is unique in the healthcare supply chain and disaster management literature. It enables a comprehensive overview of healthcare procurement from a system perspective. This study shows how increasing system preparedness for future emergencies depends both on developing critical capabilities and understanding how awareness and motivation influence the effective deployment of those capabilities.
Transparency level of the electronic procurement system in Malaysia
Authors: Ahmad Hawa , Abul Hassan Sitti Hasinah , Ismail Suhaiza
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the level of transparency of the electronic procurement (e-procurement) system in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the content analysis method, 23 transparency disclosure items from the Website Attribute Evaluation System (WAES) checklist were used to evaluate the transparency level of the e-procurement system. The data gathered from the WAES were analysed using frequency and percentage based on the various categories of transparency.

Findings

The study reveals that the e-procurement system disclosed 17 out of the 23 WAES transparency disclosure items, which represents a transparency disclosure level of 73.91%. Of the five categories of disclosure, i.e. ownership, contact information, organizational information, citizen consequences and freshness, the detailed results show that the items are fully disclosed for only two categories, and for three categories, i.e. ownership, contact information and organizational information, the items are not fully disclosed.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the present research offer a positive indication that the government is moving in the right direction, particularly in efforts to reduce the corruption level in procurement activities and to improve the accountability level of the government.

Originality/value

The present study is among the few studies that attempts to address a fundamental issue of transparency in the public procurement system that has an important relationship with the occurrence of corruption in procurement activities.
Biodiversity reporting practices of the South African national parks
Authors: Buchling Michael , Maroun Warren
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the biodiversity reporting by a state-owned entity responsible for conserving and protecting biodiversity assets in South Africa, the South African National Parks (SANParks) (SOC) Limited.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses content analysis to explore and investigate the disclosure themes in the SANParks reports for the period 2013–2017. The frequency of substantive disclosures is also evaluated over a five-year period. The data are presented graphically in frequency charts and supported by descriptive statistics and univariate correlations for non-normal data. This provides insights into the amount of information being disclosed and the interconnections among biodiversity reporting themes.

Findings

SANParks has increased its reporting on biodiversity over time. Disclosures are interconnected and deal with a range of issues, including species at risk of extinction, operational considerations, risk management practices and how SANParks evaluates its environmental performance. The information is detailed and included in different parts of the organisation’s annual reports suggesting a genuine commitment to protecting biodiversity. There are areas for improvement but SANParks frames biodiversity as a central part of its strategy, operations and assurance processes something which would not occur if the disclosures were only about managing impressions.

Originality/value

The study is among the first to explore biodiversity disclosure themes in a state-owned entity in Africa, responsible for the conservation. While the study deals with a specific case entity, the findings are broadly applicable for other organisations keen on constructing a biodiversity account.
Comprehensive characterization of sortase A‐dependent surface proteins in Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Katsumata Tamaki , Nguyen‐Tra Le Mi , Kawada‐Matsuo Miki , Taniguchi Yuri , Ouhara Kazuhisa , Oogai Yuichi , Nakata Masanobu , Mizuno Noriyoshi , Nishitani Yoshihiro , Komatsuzawa Hitoshi
Published: December 2021

Streptococcus mutans, a cariogenic pathogen, adheres to the tooth surface and forms a biofilm. Bacterial cell surface proteins are associated with adherence to substrates. Sortase A (SrtA) mediates the localization of proteins with an LPXTG motif‐containing proteins to the cell surface by covalent binding to peptidoglycan. In S. mutans UA159, six SrtA‐dependent proteins, SpaP, WapA, WapE, DexA, FruA, and GbpC, were identified. Although some of these proteins were characterized, a comprehensive analysis of the six proteins has not been reported. In this study, we constructed mutants deficient in each of these proteins and the SrtA‐deficient mutant. The SrtA‐deficient mutant showed drastically decreased binding to salivary components, biofilm formation, bacterial coaggregation activity, hydrophobicity, and cellular matrix binding (collagen type I, fibronectin, and laminin). The SpaP‐deficient mutant showed significantly reduced binding to salivary components and partially increased coaggregation with Porphyromonas gingivalis, and decreased hydrophobicity, and collagen binding. The WapA‐deficient mutant showed slightly decreased coaggregation with Fusobacterium nucleatum. Although the SrtA‐deficient mutant showed drastically altered phenotypes, all SrtA‐dependent protein‐deficient mutants, except the SpaP‐deficient mutant, did not show considerable alterations in binding to salivary components. These results indicate that the six proteins may coordinately contribute to these activities. In addition, using genomic data of 125 S. mutans strains, the amino acid sequences of each surface protein were compared and many variations were found among strains, which may affect the phenotype of cell surface proteins in S. mutans.
Leading a Healthier Company: Advancing a Public Health Model of Ethics and Compliance
Authors: Haugh Todd
Published: December 2021

This article advances a public health model of ethics and compliance. It argues that corporate leaders should draw from the successful lessons of public health to promote ethical behavior more effectively in their companies. With its attention to data‐driven risk mitigation and behaviorally cognizant processes, a public health model can move compliance from the faulty assumption on which it is based, that is, that organizational wrongdoing can be deterred solely through appeals to the rational decision‐making processes of employees, to a more accurate understanding of the situational and social influences that foster noncompliance. The article supports its thesis in three parts. It begins by explaining the evolution of compliance and its transition from overly legalistic to behaviorally aware. Next, it draws on behavioral ethics and network research to make the connection between public health and compliance. Third, it explores how corporate leaders can meld the insights from these two disciplines, offering a new way of approaching ethics and compliance that is focused on behavioral ethics conduct risk and the practical application of behavioral science within the firm—the best way to improve the legal, ethical, and financial health of companies.
Pupillary response in adults with Marfan syndrome and its effect on straylight
Authors: Sandvik Gunhild Falleth , Rand‐Hendriksen Svend , Drolsum Liv , Kristianslund Olav
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The main objective of this study was to examine the pupillary response in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and secondarily to determine whether changes in the pupillary response are associated with the increased disability glare previously shown in the same patient population.

Methods

This study included 60 eyes of 34 patients with MFS diagnosed in accordance with the Ghent‐2 criteria and 81 eyes of 44 controls. Pupillary response was measured with a pupillograph and disability glare with a straylight meter.

Results

The patients with MFS had a significantly smaller maximum pupil size than the control group, 4.87 (4.50–5.23) mm versus 5.58 (5.25–5.90) mm (p = 0.01). In addition, they exhibited slower contraction velocities (p = 0.03) and longer re‐dilation times (p = 0.01) compared with the control group. The mean straylight value was higher in patients with MFS than controls, even when including pupillary parameters together with lens surgery, cataract, iris colour, axial length and corneal curvature as possible explanatory variables in the analysis. However, when including data from both groups, a significant negative correlation was seen between maximum pupillary diameter and straylight value (p = 0.01). The other pupillary parameters did not correlate with straylight.

Conclusion

Patients with MFS had a smaller maximum pupil diameter, slower pupillary contraction and longer re‐dilation time than the controls. Despite the correlation between pupil size and straylight value, the pupillary response demonstrated in MFS eyes could not explain the increased straylight in these patients.
The medium‐run effects of a foreign election intervention: Haiti's presidential elections, 2010–2015
Authors: Palsson Craig
Published: December 2021

The US and other foreign actors often intervene in elections in countries transitioning to democracy. I examine the effects of such interventions on voter behavior. In 2010, the United States intervened in Haiti's presidential election, advancing Michel Martelly over Jude Célestin. I look at the relationship between the intervention and voter behavior in the next election using Célestin's 2010 vote share as a measure of the intervention's intensity in a modified difference‐in‐differences analysis. Areas with greater Célestin support in 2010 had lower turnout in 2015. The relationship is robust to many sensitivity tests that account for possible confounding effects from fraud.
Revealing the drivers of taxonomic and functional diversity of nearshore fish assemblages: Implications for conservation priorities
Authors: Shah Esmaeili Yasmina , N. Corte Guilherme , Checon Helio H. , G. Bilatto Carla , Lefcheck Jonathan S. , Zacagnini Amaral Antonia Cecilia , Turra Alexander
Published: December 2021

Aim

Understanding patterns and drivers of biodiversity are essential towards developing effective conservation strategies for shallow marine habitats broadly. However, little is known about the natural and anthropogenic factors that structure fish biodiversity of sandy beaches, one of the largest and most socio‐economically valuable nearshore habitats due to their endemic fauna, economic importance and cultural relevance. Here, we investigated how environmental variables and urbanization affect taxonomic and functional diversity of nearshore fish assemblages to provide general biodiversity patterns that can serve as baseline information for management plans when considering conservation prioritization.

Location

Southeast Brazil.

Methods

We surveyed fish communities at 77 sites along 150 km of coastline with different natural features and degrees of human influence using a combination of seine nets and surf‐BRUVS. We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to investigate the influence of environmental variables and urbanization on taxonomic and functional diversity of resident fish assemblages.

Main results

We found that significant breaker wave height was the most important environmental variable in explaining the taxonomic and functional diversity of fish assemblages. The effects of increasing wave height were mostly negative, except for piscivorous fishes, which were most abundant at high energy sites, and for benthic and zoobenthivorous species, which were most abundant at sites with intermediate wave exposure. The latter species were also associated with higher chlorophyll‐a contributing to increased taxonomic richness and abundance. Further, anthropogenic impacts generally reduced diversity, with highest diversity only observed at the most pristine sites.

Main conclusions

Our results demonstrate that both natural environmental variation and human activities structure the fish assemblages of sandy beach surf zones, affecting species that possess specific functional traits differently. These drivers should therefore be considered simultaneously in appointing protected areas in order to preserve a diversity of organisms and functional traits integral to productive beach ecosystems.