bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swine IFI6 confers antiviral effects against Japanese encephalitis virus in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Qin Liuxing , Fan Wenchun , Zheng Feiteng , Chen Huanchun , Qian Ping , Li Xiangmin
Published: April 2023

Swine are considered to be an important intermediate host in the cycle of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. Most existing antiviral studies of JEV mainly focus on the host factor of the dead-end hosts. However, little research has addressed this in swine. Here, we found that swine interferon alpha-inducible protein 6 (sIFI6) possessed antiviral activity against JEV. In vitro studies showed that overexpression of sIFI6 inhibited the infection of JEV, while sIFI6 knockdown enhanced the infection of JEV in PK-15 cells. In addition, we also found that the structural integrity of sIFI6 was required by anti-JEV activity and that sIFI6 interacted with JEV nonstructural protein 4A (NS4A), an integral membrane protein with a pivotal function in replication complex during JEV replication. The interaction domain was mapped to the fourth transmembrane domain (TMD), also known as the 2K peptide of NS4A. The antiviral activity of sIFI6 was regulated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related protein, Bip. In vivo studies revealed that sIFI6 alleviated symptoms of JEV infection in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, the antiviral spectrum of sIFI6 showed that sIFI6 specifically inhibited JEV infection. In conclusion, this study identified sIFI6 as a host factor against JEV infection for the first time. Our findings provide a potential drug target against JEV infection.
2022 Fleming Prize Lecture: diet–microbe–host interaction in early life
Authors: Stewart Christopher J.
Published: April 2023

The last decade has witnessed a meteoric rise in research focused on characterizing the human microbiome and identifying associations with disease risk. The advent of sequencing technology has all but eradicated gel-based fingerprinting approaches for studying microbial ecology, while at the same time traditional microbiological culture is undergoing a renaissance. Although multiplexed high-throughput sequencing is relatively new, the discoveries leading to this are nearly 50 years old, coinciding with the inaugural Microbiology Society Fleming Prize lecture. It was an honour to give the 2022 Fleming Prize lecture and this review will cover the topics from that lecture. The focus will be on the bacterial community in early life, beginning with term infants before moving on to infants delivered prematurely. The review will discuss recent work showing how human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), an abundant but non-nutritious component of breast milk, can modulate infant microbiome and promote the growth of

Bifidobacterium

spp. This has important connotations for preterm infants at risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating intestinal disease representing the leading cause of death and long-term morbidity in this population. With appropriate mechanistic studies, it may be possible to harness the power of breast milk bioactive factors and infant gut microbiome to improve short- and long-term health in infants.
Expression profiles of circRNAs and identification of hsa_circ_0007608 and hsa_circ_0064656 as potential biomarkers for COPD-PH patients
Authors: Yu Jinyan , Huang Shulun , Shen Weiyu , Zhang Zheming , Ye Shugao , Chen Yuan , Yang Yue , Bian Tao , Wu Yan
Published: April 2023

The authors have withdrawn their manuscript owing to their willingness to further analysis of the original data. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.
Functional annotation of the human PTSD methylome identifies tissue-specific epigenetic variation across subcortical brain regions
Authors: Li Hongyu , Wang Jiawei , Cruz Dianne A. , Modliszewski Jennifer L. , Corcoran David L. , Martínez-Magaña José Jaime , Montalvo-Ortiz Janitza L. , Roache John D. , Averill Lynnette A. , Young-McCaughan Stacey , Shiroma Paulo R. ,   Traumatic Stress Brain Research Group, Lewis David A. , Glausier Jill , Holtzheimer Paul , Friedman Matthew J. , Zhang Jing , Peterson Alan L. , Abdallah Chadi G. , Zhang Xinyu , Xu Ke , Krystal John H. , Duman Ronald S. , Zhao Hongyu , Williamson Douglas E. , Girgenti Matthew J.
Published: April 2023

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that may occur in the aftermath of severe psychological trauma. We examined 1,065,750 DNA methylation (DNAm) sites from 171 donors including neurotypicals, PTSD, and major depressive disorder cases across six areas implicated in the fear circuitry of the brain. We found significant differential methylation for PTSD near 195 genes and utilizing cross-region modeling, identified 6,641 candidate genes. Approximately 26% of differentially methylated CpGs were present near risk loci for PTSD. To identify potential therapeutic intersections for PTSD, we found significant methylation changes in theMAD1L1, ELFN1, andWNT5Agenes in ketamine responders. Finally, to better understand the unique biology of PTSD, we analyzed matching methylation data for a cohort of MDD donors with no known history of trauma or PTSD. Our results implicate DNAm as an epigenetic mechanism underlying the molecular changes associated with the subcortical fear circuitry of the PTSD brain.
Reference values for cut-point-free and traditional accelerometer metrics and associations with cardiorespiratory fitness: a cross-sectional study of healthy adults aged 20 to 89 years
Authors: Schwendinger F. , Wagner J. , Knaier R. , Infanger D. , Rowlands A.V. , Hinrichs T. , Schmidt-Trucksäss A.
Published: April 2023

Objectives

To compare the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and cut-point-free accelerometer metrics (intensity gradient [IG] and average acceleration [AvAcc]) to that with traditional metrics in healthy adults aged 20 to 89 years and patients with heart failure, and 2) provide age-, sex-, and CRF-related reference values for healthy adults.

Methods

In the COmPLETE study, 463 healthy adults and 67 patients with heart failure wore GENEActiv accelerometers on their non-dominant wrist and underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Cut-point-free (IG: distribution of intensity of activity across the day; AvAcc: proxy of volume of activity) and traditional (moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous activity) metrics were generated. The ‘rawacceleration’ application was developed to translate findings into clinical practice.

Results

IG and AvAcc yield complementary information on PA with both IG (p=0.009) and AvAcc (p<0.001) independently associated with CRF in healthy individuals. Only IG was independently associated with CRF in patients with heart failure (p=0.043). The best cut-point-free and cut-point-based model had similar predictive value for CRF in both cohorts. However, unlike traditional metrics, IG and AvAcc are comparable across populations and the most commonly used accelerometers. We produced age- and sex-specific reference values and percentile curves for IG, AvAcc, moderate-to-vigorous, and vigorous activity for healthy adults.

Conclusions

IG and AvAcc are strongly associated with CRF and, thus, indirectly with the risk of non-communicable diseases and mortality in healthy adults and patients with heart failure. Our reference values enhance the utility of cut-point-free metrics and facilitate their interpretation.

Trial registration

This study was registered onclinicaltrials.gov(NCT03986892).

What is already known on this topic –Cut-point free accelerometer metrics are valuable to assess physical activity because of their comparability across populations and association with various health parameters (e.g. body fat content or physical functioning). Yet, their interpretation is not straightforward.

What this study adds –This study found a strong and independent association of cut-point-free metrics with cardiorespiratory fitness, a vital sign, in healthy individuals aged between 20 to 89 years and patients with heart failure. We produced the first reference values based on healthy individuals across the age span.

How this study might affect research, practice or policy –Our reference values together with the new open-source application may simplify the interpretation of cut-point-free accelerometer metrics and their use in clinical practice and research.
Deep Learning for Perfusion Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) and Volume (CBV) Predictions and Diagnostics
Authors: Talebi Salmonn , Gai Siyu , Sossin Aaron , Zhu Vivian , Tong Elizabeth , Mofrad Mohammad R. K.
Published: April 2023

Dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance perfusion (DSC-MRP) is a non-invasive imaging technique for hemodynamic measurements. Various perfusion parameters, such as cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF), can be derived from DSC-MRP, hence this non-invasive imaging protocol is widely used clinically for the diagnosis and assessment of intracranial pathologies, including tumor classification, stroke assessment, seizure detection, etc. Currently, most institutions use commercially available software to compute the perfusion parametric maps. Conventionally, the parametric maps are derived by mathematical equations which require the selection of vascular input waveforms. However, these conventional methods often have limitations, such as being time-consuming and sensitive to user input, which can lead to inconsistent results; this highlights the need for a more robust and efficient approach like deep learning. Using relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) perfusion maps generated by an FDA-approved commercial software, we trained a multi-step deep learning (DL) model. The model used each 4D MRP dataset as input, and combined the temporal features extracted from each voxel with spatial information of the brain to predict voxel-wise perfusion parameters. DL-generated rCBV and rCBF maps were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. An auxiliary (control) model, with similar architecture, but trained with truncated datasets that had fewer time points, was designed to explore the contribution of temporal features. Our model is based on a multistage encoder-decoder architecture that leverages a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN) as the first encoder to capture temporal information, followed by a 2D U-Net encoder-decoder network to process spatial features. This combination of encoders allows our model to effectively integrate time-varying and spatial data, generating accurate and comprehensive CBV/CBF predictions for the entire brain volume. Our model demonstrates comparable results to that of FDA-approved commercial software.
Quantitative liver health imaging impacts surgical decision making and improves clinical outcomes in colorectal liver metastasis surgery
Authors: Welsh Fenella , Sethi Pulkit , Sundaravadnan Senthil , Cresswell Ben , Connell John , Knapp Sina , Brady J Michael , Banerjee Rajarshi , Rees Myrddin
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF), driven by insufficient volume and quality of the remnant liver following an operation, is a significant clinical problem that is currently underserved by pre-operative assessment methods. Clinical management and a patient’s recovery from post-operative liver related complications results in a protracted stay in hospital.

Methods

91 patients with colorectal liver metastasis being considered for liver resection were recruited onto the Precision1 trial. The imaging report from an additional non-quantitative multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) scan was examined and used to alter surgical decision making. Patient outcomes were monitored and evaluated against a standard of care comparator dataset blinded to mpMRI scan results.

Results

Previously undiagnosed liver disease activity or elevated liver fat was detected using mpMRI in 23% of patients, whereas the liver health was unexpectedly good in 7% of patients; this resulted in a change to surgical plan in 29% of cases. The incidence of protracted (over 14 days) length of stay was reduced from 5% to 1% following the introduction of mpMRI reports into surgical decision-making process.

Conclusion

mpMRI is a safe method to evaluate liver health in patients being considered for liver resection. Surgical decision making can be altered to achieve a safer treatment strategy resulting in shorter hospital stays for patients.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and non-food uses of stingless bee honey in Kenya’s last pocket of tropical rainforest
Authors: Héger Madeleine , Noiset Pierre , Nkoba Kiatoko , Vereecken Nicolas J.
Published: April 2023

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Stingless bee honey is a natural remedy and therapeutic agent traditionally used by indigenous communities across the (sub-)Tropics. Despite the potential of forest honey, a prime non-timber forest product (NTFP), to revitalize indigenous foodways and to generate income in rural areas, reports on Traditional Ecological Knowledge involving stingless bees and their honey are lacking in Sub-Saharan Africa.Aim of the study:Our aim was to explore, understand and document the non-food uses of stingless bee honey and associated empirical knowledge in Kenya’s only tropical rainforest at Kakamega.

Materials and Methods

We used ethnographic techniques and methods, including semi-structured questionnaires and recording devices.

Results

People in Kakamega were able to discriminate between six different stingless bee species and provided an account on species-specific uses of honeys. Collectively, we identified 26 different uses.

Conclusion

Stingless bee honey is essential in traditional (folk) medicine, but also in the cultural and spiritual life of indigenous communities in Kakamega.
Disease associated mutations in tau encode for changes in aggregate structure conformation
Authors: Sun Kerry , Patel Tark , Kang Sang-Gyun , Yarahmady Allan , Julien O. , Heras Jonathan , Mok Sue-Ann
Published: April 2023

The accumulation of tau aggregates is associated with neurodegenerative diseases collectively known as tauopathies. Tau aggregates isolated from different tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, corticobasal degeneration and progressive supranuclear palsy have distinct cryo-electron microscopy structures with respect to their packed fibril cores. To understand the mechanisms by which tau can be sensitized to form distinct aggregate conformations, we created a panel of tau variants encoding for individual disease-associated missense mutations in full-length 0N4R tau (wild-type and 36 mutants). We developed a high-throughput protein purification platform for direct comparison of tau variants in biochemical assays. Structural analysis of the protease-resistant core of tau aggregates formedin vitroreveals that mutations can promote aggregate core packing distinct from that produced by WT tau. Comparing aggregate structure changes with aggregation kinetic parameters for tau mutants revealed no clear linkage between these two aggregation properties. We also found that tau mutation-dependent alterations of tau aggregate structure are not readily explained by current tau fibril structure data. This is the first study to show the broad potential of tau mutations to alter the packed core structures contained within aggregated tau and sheds new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of tau aggregate structures that may drive their associated pathology in disease.
A single oscillating proto-hypothalamic neuron gates taxis behavior in the primitive chordateCiona
Authors: Chung Janeva , Newman-Smith Erin , Kourakis Matthew J. , Miao Yishen , Borba Cezar , Medina Juan , Laurent Tao , Gallean Benjamin , Faure Emmanuel , Smith William C
Published: April 2023

Cionalarvae display a number of behaviors, including negative phototaxis. In negative phototaxis, the larvae first perform short spontaneous rhythmic casting swims. As larvae cast in a light field, their photoreceptors are directionally shaded by an associated pigment cell, providing a phototactic cue. This then evokes an extended negative taxis swim. We report here that the larval forebrain ofCionahas a previously uncharacterized single slow-oscillating inhibitory neuron (neuroncor-assBVIN78) that projects to the midbrain, where it targets key interneurons of the phototaxis circuit known as thephotoreceptor relay neurons. The anatomical location, gene expression and oscillation of cor-assBVIN78 suggest homology to oscillating neurons of the vertebrate hypothalamus. Ablation of cor-assBVIN78 results in larvae showing extended phototaxis-like swims, but which occur in the absence of phototactic cues. These results indicate that cor-assBVIN78 has a gating activity on phototaxis by projecting temporally-oscillating inhibition to the photoreceptor relay neurons. However, in intact larvae the frequency of cor-assBVIN78 oscillation does not match that of the rhythmic spontaneous swims, indicating that the troughs in oscillations do not themselves initiate swims, but rather that cor-assBVIN78 may modulate the phototaxis circuit by filtering out low level inputs while restricting them temporally to the troughs in inhibition.
The enigma of the SARS-CoV-2 microcirculation dysfunction: evidence for modified endothelial junctions
Authors: Bouillet L , Benmarce M , Guérin C , Bouvet L , Garnier O , Martin D K , Vilgrain I
Published: April 2023

Published evidence indicates that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes endothelial cell (EC) injury in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Endothelial junctions (EJ) are crucial to maintain EC integrity and normal microvascular functions due to the adhesive properties of Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin to glue EC together. Here we report studies in vitro and in vivo that indicate VE-cadherin to be a target for cleavage by ACE2. We have identified that the extracellular domain of VE-cadherin contains these two amino acid sequences at the positions256P-F257and321PMKP-325L for ACE2 substrate recognition. Incubation of purified sVE with ACE2 revealed a dose-dependent loss of immunoreactivity detected with an antibody directed against the Extracellular domain 1 (EC1) domain of sVE. We confirmed the presence of ACE2 on ECs using immunofluorescence studies, and by western blotting on ECs extracts. We also present evidence from patients with severe COVID-19 disease for a circulating form of ACE2. Its apparent molecular weight of 70 kDa is in agreement with a previously described extracellular form of ACE2 bearing the catalytic site of the ectopeptidase. Consistent with the experimental evidence for our hypothesis, the level of circulating soluble VE-cadherin fragments was increased in the blood of patients with severe COVID-19 disease. Further studies are needed to determine if increased circulating fragments of ACE2 and VE-cadherin may contribute to the future development of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome characterized by vascular endothelial injury, hypoxia, and inflammatory state.

Impact Statement

SARS-CoV-2 infection promotes vascular dysfunction but the processes are not completely understood. The vascular endothelium is composed of a monolayer of endothelial cells (ECs) that exclusively express VE-cadherin at adherens junctions (AJs). The published structure of VE-cadherin has revealed crucial residues in the domains EC1-2 for ECs adhesiveness. In this report, we demonstrate for the first time that VE-cadherin is a target for ACE2 ectoenzyme in the domains EC2-3. In addition, in COVID-19 patients’ blood, we identify truncated forms of ACE2 and VE-cadherin that are correlated with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Because the turnover rate of ECs is very low, this could provide part of the explanation for Long CoVID-19 disease. These exciting results highlight the role of proteases and AJs, and the need for continuing efforts to elucidate whether these circulating proteins might be of prime significance for clinicians to facilitate personalized medicine.
Supporting-cell vs. hair-cell survival in the human cochlea: Implications for regenerative therapies
Authors: Kaur Charanjeet , Van Orden McKayla , O’Malley Jennifer T. , Wu Pei-zhe , Liberman M. Charles
Published: April 2023

Animal studies have shown that the supporting-cells surviving in the organ of Corti after cochlear insult can be transdifferentiated into hair cells as a treatment for sensorineural hearing loss. Clinical trials of small-molecule therapeutics have been undertaken, but little is known about how to predict the pattern and degree of supporting-cell survival based on audiogram, hearing loss etiology or any other metric obtainable pre-mortem. To address this, we systematically assessed supporting-cell and hair cell survival, as a function of cochlear location in 274 temporal bone cases from the archives at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear and compared the histopathology with the audiograms and hearing-loss etiologies. Results showed that supporting-cell survival was always significantly greater in the apical half than the basal half of the cochlea, that inner pillars were more robust than outer pillars or Deiters’ cells, and that total replacement of all supporting cells with a flat epithelium was rare outside of the extreme basal 20% of the cochlea. Supporting cell survival in the basal half of the cochlea was better correlated with the slope of the audiogram than with the mean high-frequency threshold per se: i.e. survival was better with flatter audiograms than with steeply down-sloping audiograms. Cochlear regions with extensive hair cell loss and exceptional supporting cell survival were most common in cases with hearing loss due to ototoxic drugs. Such cases also tended to have less pathology in other functionally critical structures, i.e. spiral ganglion neurons and the stria vascularis.

Highlights

Supporting cell survival was systematically assessed in 274 human cochleas

Supporting cell survival was better with flat than with down-sloping audiograms

Supporting cell survival was most robust when hearing loss was from ototoxic drugs

Ototoxic cases also showed less pathology in other critical cochlear structures

The data can inform clinical trials for regeneration via supporting cell conversion
Nuclear receptor signaling via NHR-49/MDT-15 regulates stress resilience and proteostasis in response to reproductive and metabolic cues
Authors: Sala Ambre J. , Grant Rogan A. , Imran Ghania , Morton Claire , Brielmann Renee M. , Bott Laura C. , Watts Jennifer , Morimoto Richard I.
Published: April 2023

The ability to sense and respond to proteotoxic insults declines with age, leaving cells vulnerable to chronic and acute stressors. Reproductive cues modulate this decline in cellular proteostasis to influence organismal stress resilience inC. elegans. We previously uncovered a pathway that links the integrity of developing embryos to somatic health in reproductive adults. Here, we show that the nuclear receptor NHR-49, a functional homolog of mammalian peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), regulates stress resilience and proteostasis downstream of embryo integrity and other pathways that influence lipid homeostasis, and upstream of HSF-1. Disruption of the vitelline layer of the embryo envelope, which activates a proteostasis-enhancing inter-tissue pathway in somatic tissues, also triggers changes in lipid catabolism gene expression that are accompanied by an increase in fat stores. NHR-49 together with its co-activator MDT-15 contributes to this remodeling of lipid metabolism and is also important for the elevated stress resilience mediated by inhibition of the embryonic vitelline layer as well as by other pathways known to change lipid homeostasis, including reduced insulin-like signaling and fasting. Further, we show that increased NHR-49 activity is sufficient to suppress polyglutamine aggregation and improve stress resilience in an HSF-1-dependent manner. Together, our results establish NHR-49 as a key regulator that links lipid homeostasis and cellular resilience to proteotoxic stress.
Analysis of theDrosophilaand human DPR elements reveals a distinct human variant whose specificity can be enhanced by machine learning
Authors: Vo ngoc Long , Rhyne Torrey E. , Kadonaga James T.
Published: April 2023

The RNA polymerase II core promoter is the site of convergence of the signals that lead to the initiation of transcription. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of the downstream core promoter region (DPR) inDrosophilaand humans by using machine learning. These studies revealed a distinct human-specific version of the DPR and led to the use of machine learning models for the identification of synthetic extreme DPR motifs with specificity for human transcription factors relative toDrosophilafactors and vice versa. More generally, machine learning models could similarly be used to design synthetic DNA elements with customized functional properties.
Higher education during crisis: a case study on organic resilience
Authors: Karlsson Paula Sonja , Offord Matt
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact the pandemic had on higher education institutions (HEIs), the opportunities they were able to harness, and whether they are better prepared to deal with future disruptions as a result.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors do this by presenting a reflective case study using a combination of crisis and resilience theories as their analytical framework. Case studies are flexible research instruments allowing researchers to draw on both subjective experience and also established theoretical frameworks. Case studies can be used to intensively analyse a specific case from an organisation, sector, or personal perspective. Although the results are not usually generalisable, they can be insightful (Bell et al., 2022).

Findings

The authors found that, in this case, a continuity strategy relevant to the sector, already existed. However, a lack of knowledge meant that the strategy was not used straight away. This was costly in terms of staff and student well-being but, ultimately, HEIs adapted by converging on a practical solution, showing inherent resilience. Further research is necessary to ascertain whether robust business continuity plans would have made the transition smoother.

Originality/value

This paper specifically investigates higher education teaching from a crisis and resilience perspective, using a theoretical framework not previously used for the analysis of Covid-19 in HEIs.
A typology of the collaboration willingness of carriers in hinterland logistics
Authors: Reinecke Pauline Charlotte , Wrona Thomas , Rückert Nicolas , Fischer Kathrin
Published: April 2023

Purpose

A large part of maritime container supply chain costs is generated by carriers in port hinterland logistics. Carriers which operate in the hinterland are under pressure to reduce costs and increase profitability, and they face challenges of fierce price competition. This study aims to explore how collaboration is perceived and implemented by carriers in truck container logistics in the port hinterland as a way to tackle these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a qualitative multiple case study approach. Qualitative interviews with carriers in the port hinterland of Hamburg, Germany, were conducted and analyzed using grounded theory.

Findings

The study reveals two collaboration types in the hinterland, based on the different carriers' interpretation of market conditions as changeable or as given, driving their collaboration mindsets and strategic actions: The developer, who has a proactive collaboration mindset and practices strategic maneuvers toward changing poor market conditions through collaboration, and the adapter, who has a defensive collaboration mindset and perceives market conditions as given and constraining collaboration.

Research limitations/implications

The qualitative results will help researchers better understand how collaboration practices depend on the carriers' subjective interpretations and perceptions of the market.

Practical implications

Based on the findings, managers of carriers gain an understanding of the different types of actors in their market and the relevance of acknowledging these types. Consequently, they can design appropriate strategic measures toward collaboration.

Originality/value

The findings for the first time provide exploratory insights of carriers' mindsets.
Social presence as means to humanizing online classroom
Authors: Murtafi'ah Banatul , Pradita Intan
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The previous coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced pre-service English teachers to conduct their teaching simulation virtually. In the context of online teaching, social presence is vital for effective learning. This skill is perceived as a way to humanize the online learning process. This article explores how social presence is represented in the pre-service teacher's synchronous online classroom and how the development of social presence enables the pre-service teachers to develop their students' well-being and thus humanize online classrooms.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study draws upon case study research. The data were collected from (1) synchronous online teaching simulation recordings of pre-service English teachers from the Language Classroom Management course and (2) interview transcripts from three participants. Both data sources were transcribed, coded and analyzed. A two-step coding scheme for pre-service English teachers' social presence was adapted from the Community of Inquiry (CoI) coding template.

Findings

This study reports that all the three social presence categories (i.e. cohesive, affective and interactive) emerged from their online teaching simulation. In addition, the development of social presence to humanize online classrooms from the pre-service teachers was found in these stages: (1) having a role model for teaching, (2) showing respect and being friendly and (3) adjusting the language of instructions to the students' level.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been limited to the pre-service teachers in one university only. Therefore, this needs to be tested in wider settings and contexts.

Practical implications

Theoretically, this study has added students' well-being as the element that connects social presence to the humanizing online classroom. Meanwhile, practically, in relation to teacher education, this paper also recommends the teaching stages leading to a more humanized online learning.

Originality/value

Current studies tend to describe social presence in experienced teachers' asynchronous online classrooms. Rarely did the studies explore social presence as practiced by pre-service teachers in the context of synchronous videoconferencing class. Furthermore, there has also been limited research connecting social presence with humanized classrooms.
Using keywords to link World Heritage research and practice: observations from the World Heritage Leadership Heritage Place Lab
Authors: Buckley Kristal
Published: April 2023

Purpose

There is evidence of emerging silos separating research and practices in heritage. Creating spaces where researchers and practitioners collaborate and learn from their exchanges is therefore needed. This premise was the foundation of the pilot phase for the World Heritage Leadership Heritage Place Lab that allowed eight teams from different geocultural contexts to come together to develop research agendas. This paper provides observations about how these agendas relate to key strands in critical heritage research globally. It complements the other papers in this Special Issue that describe the case studies in detail.

Design/methodology/approach

A keywords approach has been used to identify areas where shared research agendas can advance both heritage practices and academic interest in the field of heritage studies. This was based on the observations made by the author during the pilot phase of the Heritage Place Lab and the research agendas produced by the research-practice teams. The approach is exploratory and experimental, inviting other contributions.

Findings

Twenty keywords are identified and explored via both academic literature and the research priorities identified by the research-practice teams that participated in the pilot.

Originality/value

A keywords approach is relatively untested in the field of heritage studies. Recognizing that commonly-used terms (or words) have fluid meanings across disciplines and practices potentially opens new dimensions to the dialogue between heritage practitioners and researchers.
Smart manufacturing maturity models and their applicability: a review
Authors: Vance David , Jin Mingzhou , Price Christopher , Nimbalkar Sachin U. , Wenning Thomas
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review existing smart manufacturing (SM) maturity models' dimensions and maturity levels to assess their applicability and drawbacks. There are many maturity models available but many of them have not been validated or do not provide a useful guide or tool for applications. This gap creates the need for a review of the existing maturity model's applicability.

Design/methodology/approach

Nineteen peer-reviewed maturity models related to “Digital Transformation,” “Industry 4.0” or “Smart Manufacturing” were selected based on a systematic literature review and five consulting firm models were selected based on the author's industry knowledge. The chosen models were analyzed to determine 10 categories of dimensions. Then they are assessed on a 1–5 scale for how applicable they are in the 10 categories of dimensions.

Findings

The five “consulting firm” models have a first-mover advantage, are more widely used in industry and are more applicable, but some require payment, and they lack published details and validation. The 19 “peer reviewed” models are not as widely used, lack awareness in the industry and are not as easy to apply because of no web tool for self-assessment, but they are improving. The categories defined to characterize the models and facilitate comparisons for users include “Information Technology (IT) and Cyber-Physical System (CPS) and Data,” “Strategy and Organization,” “Supply Chain and Logistics,” “Products and Services,” “Culture and Employees,” “Technology and Capabilities,” “Customer and Market,” “Cybersecurity and Risk,” “Leadership and Management” and “Governance and Compliance.” The analyzed maturity models were particularly weak in the areas of cybersecurity, leadership and governance.

Practical implications

Researchers and practitioners can use this review with consideration of their specific needs to determine if a maturity model is applicable or if a new model needs to be developed. The review can also aid in the development of maturity models through the discussion of each of the dimension categories.

Originality/value

Compared to existing reviews of SM maturity models, this research determines comprehensive dimension categories and focuses on applicability and drawbacks.
The effectiveness of relationship quality on knowledge transfer in project teams: the roles of project organizational structure
Authors: Ren Xu , Xu Jing , Hao Yali , Wang Song
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of relationship quality among team members in the project team on knowledge transfer effectiveness and analyze the role of organizational structure in the influencing process.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses are verified by the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis using Smart PLS 3 software with the data collected from 236 questionnaire samples in Chinese construction industry.

Findings

The results indicate that relationship quality has a direct impact on knowledge transfer in project teams and centralization has a negative impact on relationship quality. Moreover, relationship quality plays a mediating role between centralization and knowledge transfer effectiveness and formalization plays a negative moderating role in the effect of relationship quality on knowledge transfer effectiveness.

Originality/value

This paper studies intra-project knowledge transfer from the perspective of relationship quality of project teams and explores the antecedent and moderating role of organizational structure in the influence of relationship quality on knowledge transfer.
Training investment, human capital upgrading and firm innovation: the role of government training subsidies
Authors: Ni Huiqiang , Liu Wenlong , Yang Zhen
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Human capital is acquired not only through formal education (e.g. general skills) but also through training at the workplace. Prior studies have ignored the role of government subsidies explicitly for on-the-job training, which may influence firm training decisions and firm innovation performance. Hence, the authors establish a comprehensive theoretical framework to consider these issues and fill these gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

Considering the Chinese manufacturing firms listed in the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2010 to 2017, the authors investigate the influence of training investment on innovation performance by illustrating the role of human capital updating in enhancing firm innovation. The authors also explore serval mechanisms on how training investment influences innovation performance.

Findings

The authors propose that training investment promotes firm innovation performance, whereas government training subsidies negatively moderate this relationship. The authors also reveal how technicists' involvement and corporate culture mediate the relationship between training investment and innovation performance.

Practical implications

This study provides policy implications for stimulating firm innovation by improving learning and absorption ability, strengthening cultural identity and implementing system norms. Effective policies should be adopted to provide subsidies for on-the-job training of enterprises, particularly for firms with technical executives and firms in diversified life-cycle.

Originality/value

This work contributes to the literature on the role of on-the-job training in promoting firm innovation and reveals the crowding-out effect of subsidies. This study also shows the heterogeneous effects of training investment on firm innovation.
The Workforce Needed to Address Population Health
Authors: FROGNER BIANCA K. , PATTERSON DAVIS G. , SKILLMAN SUSAN M.
Published: April 2023

Policy Points

Although a single definition of the population health workforce does not yet exist, this workforce needs to have the skills and competencies to address the social determinants of health, to understand intersectionality, and to coordinate and work in concert with an array of skilled providers in social and health care to address multiple health drivers.

On‐the‐job training programs and employer support are needed for the current health workforce to gain skills and competencies to address population health.

Funding and leadership combined are critical for developing the population health workforce with the goal of supporting a broad set of workers beyond health and social care to include, for example, those in urban planning, law enforcement, or transportation professions to address population health.
The Black‐White Disparity in Preterm Birth: Race or Racism?
Authors: BRAVEMAN PAULA
Published: April 2023

Policy Points

Racism is an upstream determinant of health that influences health through many midstream and downstream factors. This Perspective traces multiple plausible causal pathways from racism to preterm birth.

Although the article focuses on the Black‐White disparity in preterm birth, a key population health indicator, it has implications for many other health outcomes.

It is erroneous to assume by default that underlying biological differences explain racial disparities in health. Appropriate science‐based policies are needed to address racial disparities in health; this will require addressing racism.
The Future of Social Determinants of Health: Looking Upstream to Structural Drivers
Authors: BROWN TYSON H. , HOMAN PATRICIA
Published: April 2023

Policy Points

Policies that redress oppressive social, economic, and political conditions are essential for improving population health and achieving health equity. Efforts to remedy structural oppression and its deleterious effects should account for its multilevel, multifaceted, interconnected, systemic, and intersectional nature.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should facilitate the creation and maintenance of a national publicly available, user‐friendly data infrastructure on contextual measures of structural oppression.

Publicly funded research on social determinants of health should be mandated to (a) analyze health inequities in relation to relevant data on structural conditions and (b) deposit the data in the publicly available data repository.
A mixed‐method study to inform the development and implementation of eHealth in a bariatric surgery service in an Australian public hospital
Authors: Wright Charlene , Kelly Jaimon T. , Campbell Katrina L. , Healy Rebecca , Musial Jane , Hamilton Kyra
Published: April 2023

Aim

This study aimed to explore patient barriers to accessing services, current technology ownership/use and digital device preferences for accessing health information/health service delivery. Additionally, it aimed to explore the Theoretical Domains Framework and the acceptability of future eHealth solutions in bariatric surgery.

Methods

This mixed‐method study (survey and semi‐structured interviews) was conducted in a bariatric surgery service in an Australian public hospital. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and the qualitative data were deductively and inductively analysed.

Results

This study included 117 participants (n = 102 surveyed and n = 15 interviewed). Most participants were aged ≥51 years (n = 70, 60%), and two‐thirds were female (n = 76, 65%). One in three participants reported barriers to accessing services (n = 38, 37%), including parking, travel time, and taking time off work. Most participants preferred to receive or access additional health information via email (n = 84, 82%) and were willing to engage with health professionals via email (n = 92, 90%), text messages (n = 87, 85%), and telephone (n = 85, 83%). Deductive analysis of interviews generated three themes: ‘Knowledge’, ‘Social influence’ and ‘Behavioural regulation, goals and environmental resources’. The inductive analysis generated one theme: ‘Seeing a place for eHealth in service delivery’.

Conclusion

This study's findings can potentially influence the development of future eHealth solutions. Text message, email, and online approaches may be suitable for delivering further information and resources to patients, particularly regarding diet and physical activity. Online health communities are being used by patients for social support and may be worth further investigation. In addition, developing a bariatric surgery mobile application may be beneficial.
Correlations between pathogenic variants in DNA repair genes and anticancer treatment efficacy in stage IV non‐small cell lung cancer: A large real‐world cohort and review of the literature
Authors: Averbuch Itamar , Tschernichovsky Roi , Icht Oded , Goldstein Daniel A. , Mutai Raz , Dudnik Elizabeth , Rotem Ofer , Peled Nir , Allen Aaron M. , Laufer‐Geva Smadar , Goldberg Yael , Zer Alona
Published: April 2023

Background

Mutations in genes involved in DNA damage repair (DDR), a hallmark of cancer, are associated with increased cancer cell sensitivity to certain therapies. This study sought to evaluate the association of DDR pathogenic variants with treatment efficacy in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

A retrospective cohort of consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC attending a tertiary medical center who underwent next‐generation sequencing in 01/2015‐8/2020 were clustered according to DDR gene status and compared for overall response rate (ORR), progression‐free survival (PFS) (patients receiving systemic therapy), local PFS (patients receiving definitive radiotherapy), and overall survival (OS) using log‐rank and Cox regression analyses.

Results

Of 225 patients with a clear tumor status, 42 had a pathogenic/likely pathogenic DDR variant (pDDR), and 183 had no DDR variant (wtDDR). Overall survival was similar in the two groups (24.2 vs. 23.1 months, p = 0.63). The pDDR group had a higher median local PFS after radiotherapy (median 45 months vs. 9.9 months, respectively; p = 0.044), a higher ORR (88.9% vs. 36.2%, p = 0.04), and a longer median PFS (not reached vs. 6.0 months, p = 0.01) in patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade. There was no difference in ORR, median PFS, and median OS in patients treated with platinum‐based chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Our retrospective data suggest that in patients with stage 4 NSCLC, pathogenic variants in DDR pathway genes may be associated with higher efficacy of radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This should be further explored prospectively.
Alcohol, place conditioning, and male rats: A systematic review of outcome prediction
Authors: Marques Douglas , Boll Piter Kehoma , Gomez Rosane , Dallegrave Eliane , Lemos José Inácio , Bainy‐Leal Mirna
Published: April 2023

Although Place Conditioning (PC) has been used to study the motivational effects of alcohol for almost 50 years, variables and situations in which alcohol induces PC in rats are still unclear, especially for short PC protocols (up to 10 conditioning trials). The aim of this systematic review was to predict primary outcomes (namely, conditioning failure, conditioned place aversion (CPA), and conditioned place preference (CPP)) of alcohol‐induced PC with male outbred rats. We sought relevant records in PUBMED and two other sources. Two reviewers independently assessed records for eligible articles (those meeting all inclusion criteria), selected alcohol‐induced PC experiments (those meeting no exclusion criteria) from eligible articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. We then conducted a predictive analysis of outcomes by examining procedure‐outcome relations according to variables known to affect associative learning, alcohol interventions in rats, and PC interventions themselves. We selected 192 experiments (133 short protocols, 27 long protocols, and 32 protocols with alcohol pre‐exposure) from 62 articles to compose the review. Rates of conditioning failure are mainly predicted by interactions of alcohol dose and the number of habituation sessions and conditioning trials. Different conditions (housing systems) and characteristics (age and weight) of animals predict CPA and CPP: higher rates of CPA are predicted by single‐housed, older, and heavier animals, while higher rates of CPP are predicted by group‐housed, younger, and lighter animals. We recommend settings for CPP induction in short protocols, discuss the broad theoretical and translational consequences of the predictive analysis for the use of PC in alcohol research, and specify variables needing more careful investigation. This review could improve our understanding of the results of alcohol‐induced PC with rats, refine our understanding of the motivational function of alcohol and alcohol‐seeking behavior triggered by environmental contexts, and open new avenues of research on their neurobiological basis.