bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sneathia vaginalis sp. nov. (Fusobacteriales, Leptotrichiaceae) as a replacement of the species ‘Sneathia amnii’ Harwich et al. 2012 and ‘Leptotrichia amnionii’ Shukla et al. 2002, and emended description of Sneathia Collins et al. 2001
Authors: Eisenberg Tobias , Gronow Sabine , Falgenhauer Jane , Imirzalioglu Can , Mühldorfer Kristin , Rau Jörg , Blom Jochen , Fawzy Ahmad , Glaeser Stefanie P. , Kämpfer Peter
Published: February 2021

Members of the genusSneathiaare fastidious bacteria that predominantly colonise the female genital tract and are significantly associated with reproductive disorders and genital and neonatal disease. From a taxonomical perspective, the genus only comprises the speciesSneathia sanguinegens. Numerous reports on a second species, ‘Sneathia amnii’, have been published, but the name has never been validated. The same is the case for ‘Leptotrichia amnionii’, which was previously shown to belong to the same species as ‘Sneathia amnii’. We studied strains DSM 16631Tand DSM 16630, which have been identified and deposited as ‘Leptotrichia amnionii’ previously. At the time of isolation, these strains were found to be most closely related to, but clearly different from,Sneathia sanguinegensbased on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities. Both strains proved to be almost indistinguishable from ‘Sneathia amnii’ based on molecular, morphological and physiological traits. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain DSM 16631Twas assigned to the genusSneathiawith a sequence similarity of 95.47 % toSneathia sanguinegensCCUG 41628T, followed by type strains ofCaviibacter abscessus(93.03 %),Oceanivirga salmonicida(92.68 %) andOceanivirga miroungae(91.97 %) as the next closely related members of theLeptotrichiaceae. The novel species was also clearly differentiated from other related taxa by core genome phylogeny, average nucleotide and amino acid identities,in silicoDNA–DNA hybridization and MALDI-TOF MS. With respect to chemotaxonomic and physiological patterns, strains DSM 16631Tand DSM 16630 were again highly similar toSneathia sanguinegens. On the basis of these data, we propose the novel speciesSneathia vaginalissp. nov. with the type strain DSM 16631T(=CCUG 52977T=CCUG 52889AT) and a second strain DSM 16630 (=CCUG 52976=CCUG 52888) that were both isolated from bloodstream infections in women with puerperal fever in France. The G+C content of the DNA of the type strain is 28.4 mol% and the genome size is 1.28 Mbp. Based on the observed extremely high similarities of genotypic and phenotypic traits of the novel proposed species to those reported for ‘Sneathia amnii’, we recommend using this new name in all further publications on this taxon.
Hamster and ferret experimental infection with intranasal low dose of a single strain of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Monchatre-Leroy Elodie , Lesellier Sandrine , Wasniewski Marine , Picard-Meyer Evelyne , Richomme Céline , Boué Franck , Lacôte Sandra , Murri Séverine , Pulido Coralie , Vulin Johann , Salguero Francisco J. , Gouilh Meriadeg Ar , Servat Alexandre , Marianneau Philippe
Published: February 2021

Understanding the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 infection is key to developing preventive and therapeutic strategies against COVID-19, in the case of severe illness but also when the disease is mild. The use of appropriate experimental animal models remains central in the in vivo exploration of the physiopathology of infection and antiviral strategies. This study describes SARS-CoV-2 intranasal infection in ferrets and hamsters with low doses of low-passage SARS-CoV-2 clinical French isolate UCN19, describing infection levels, excretion, immune responses and pathological patterns in both animal species. Individual infection with 103 p.f.u. SARS-CoV-2 induced a more severe disease in hamsters than in ferrets. Viral RNA was detected in the lungs of hamsters but not of ferrets and in the brain (olfactory bulb and/or medulla oblongata) of both species. Overall, the clinical disease remained mild, with serological responses detected from 7 days and 10 days post-inoculation in hamsters and ferrets respectively. The virus became undetectable and pathology resolved within 14 days. The kinetics and levels of infection can be used in ferrets and hamsters as experimental models for understanding the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2, and testing the protective effect of drugs.
SARS-CoV-2 infection drives a glycan switch of peripheral T cells at diagnosis
Authors: Alves Inês , Vicente Manuel M. , Gaifem Joana , Fernandes Ângela , Dias Ana M. , Rodrigues Cláudia S. , Oliveira José Carlos , Seixas Nair , Malheiro Luis , Abreu Miguel A. , Castro Rui Sarmento e , Pinho Salomé S.
Published: February 2021

COVID-19 is a highly selective disease in which SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in different clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic/mild to severe disease that requires hospitalization. Here, we demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection results in a glycosylation reprogramming of circulating lymphocytes at diagnosis. We identified a specific glycosignature of T cells, defined upon SARS-CoV-2 infection and apparently triggered by a serological factor. This specific glycan switch of T cells is detected at diagnosis being more pronounced in asymptomatic patients. We further demonstrated that asymptomatic patients display an increased expression of a viral-sensing receptor, through the up-regulation of DC-SIGN in monocytes. We showed that higher levels of DC-SIGN in monocytes at diagnosis correlates with better COVID-19 prognosis. These new evidences pave the way to the identification of a novel glycan-based response in T cells that may confer protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic patients, highlighting a novel prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target.
Wearable alcohol monitors for alcohol use data collection among college students: feasibility and acceptability in a pilot study
Authors: Rosenberg Molly , Ludema Christina , Kianersi Sina , Luetke Maya , Jozkowski Kristen , Guerra-Reyes Lucia , Shih Patrick C. , Finn Peter
Published: February 2021

Objective

To assess the feasibility and acceptability of using BACtrack Skyn wearable alcohol monitors in a college student population.

Method

In September 2019, we enrolled n=5 Indiana University undergraduate students in a study to wear alcohol monitor wristbands continuously over a 5-day period. Concurrently, participants completed daily surveys querying details about their alcohol use in the previous 24 hours. We measured acceptability at endline with the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) scale (min=1, max=5). We measured feasibility with process measures: 1) amount of alcohol monitor data produced, and 2) correlation between drinking events identified by the alcohol monitors and drinking events reported by participants.

Result

Participants reported high acceptability of the wearable alcohol monitors with a mean AIM score of 4.3 (range: 3.3 to 5.0). Feasibility of monitor use was high: A total of 589 hours of alcohol use data was collected. All participants were able to successfully use the alcohol monitors, producing a total of 24 out of 25 possible days of alcohol monitoring data. Participants reported a total of 15 drinking events during follow-up and we detected 12 drinking events with the alcohol monitors. The self-reported drinking event start times were highly correlated with the monitor detected event start time (Spearman’s ρ=0.9, p<0.0001). The self-reported number of drinks during a drinking event was correlated with the area under the curve of each drinking event peak (Pearson’s r=0.7, p=0.008).

Conclusion

Wearable alcohol monitors are a promising data collection tool for more objective real-time measures of alcohol use in college student populations.
Epidermal Green Autofluorescence is A Novel Biomarker for Local Inflammation of the Skin
Authors: Li Yujia , Ying Weihai
Published: February 2021

Inflammation of the skin is not only a key pathological factor of multiple major skin diseases, but also a hallmark of the pathological state of the skin. However, there has been significant deficiency in the biomarkers and approaches for non-invasive evaluations of local inflammation of the skin. In our current study, we used a mouse model of skin inflammation to test our hypothesis that the inflammation of the skin can lead to increased epidermal green autofluorescence (AF), which can become a novel biomarker for non-invasive evaluations of the local inflammation of the skin. We found that 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a widely used inducer of skin inflammation, induced not only inflammation of the skin, but also increased green AF of the skin. The distinct polyhedral structure of the increased AF has indicated that the AF originates from the keratin 1 and/or keratin 10 of the suprabasal keratinocytes. Our Western blot assays showed that TPA produced dose-dependent decreases in the levels of both keratin 1 and keratin 10, suggesting that TPA produced the increased epidermal green AF at least partially by inducing cleavage of keratin 1 and/or keratin 10. Collectively, our study has indicated that epidermal green AF is a novel biomarker for non-invasive evaluations of the local inflammation of the skin. This finding is of profound and extensive significance for non-invasive and efficient diagnosis of multiple inflammation-mediated skin diseases. This biomarker may also be used for non-invasive and rapid evaluations of the health state of the skin.
Quantitative profiling of axonal guidance proteins during the differentiation of human neurospheres
Authors: Goto-Silva Livia , Martins Michele , Murillo Jimmy Rodriguez , Rocha Leticia , Vitória Gabriela , Oliveira Júlia T. , Nascimento Juliana M. , Loiola Erick Correia , Nogueira Fabio C. S. , Domont Gilberto B. , Guimarães Marília Zaluar P. , Tovar-Moll Fernanda , Rehen Steven Kastrup , Junqueira Magno
Published: February 2021

Axon guidance is required for the establishment of brain circuits. Whether much of the molecular basis of axon guidance is known from animal models, the molecular machinery coordinating axon growth and pathfinding in humans remains to be elucidated. The use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from human donors has revolutionizedin vitrostudies of the human brain. iPSC can be differentiated into neuronal stem cells which can be used to generate neural tissue-like cultures, known as neurospheres, that reproduce, in many aspects, the cell types and molecules present in the brain. Here, we analyzed quantitative changes in the proteome of neurospheres during differentiation. Relative quantification was performed at early time points during differentiation using iTRAQ-based labeling and LC-MS/MS analysis. We identified 6,438 proteins, from which 433 were downregulated and 479 were upregulated during differentiation. We show that human neurospheres have a molecular profile that correlates to the fetal brain. During differentiation, upregulated pathways are related to neuronal development and differentiation, cell adhesion, and axonal guidance whereas cell proliferation pathways were downregulated. We developed a functional assay to check for neurite outgrowth in neurospheres and confirmed that neurite outgrowth potential is increased after 10 days of differentiation and is enhanced by increasing cyclic AMP levels. The proteins identified here represent a resource to monitor neurosphere differentiation and coupled to the neurite outgrowth assay can be used to functionally explore neurological disorders using human neurospheres as a model.
Extracellular Delivery of Functional Mitochondria Rescues the Dysfunction of CD4+T Cells in Aging
Authors: Headley Colwyn A. , Gautam Shalini , Olmo-Fontanez Angelica , Garcia-Vilanova Andreu , Dwivedi Varun , Akhter Anwari , Schami Alyssa , Chiem Kevin , Ault Russell , Zhang Hao , Cai Hong , Whigham Alison , Delgado Jennifer , Hicks Amberlee , Tsao Philip S. , Gelfond Jonathan , Martinez-Sobrido Luis , Wang Yufeng , Torrelles Jordi B. , Turner Joanne
Published: February 2021

Mitochondrial dysfunction alters cellular metabolism, increases tissue oxidative stress, and may be principal to the dysregulated signaling and function of CD4+T lymphocytes in the elderly. In this proof of principle study, we investigated whether the transfer of functional mitochondria into CD4+T cells that were isolated from old mice (aged CD4+T cells), could abrogate aging-associated mitochondrial dysfunction, and improve the aged CD4+T cell functionality. Our results show that the delivery of exogenous mitochondria to aged non-activated CD4+T cells led to significant mitochondrial proteome alterations highlighted by improved aerobic metabolism and decreased cellular mitoROS. Additionally, mito-transferred aged CD4+T cells showed improvements in activation-induced TCR-signaling kinetics displaying markers of activation (CD25), increased IL-2 production, enhanced proliferationex vivo. Importantly, immune deficient mouse models (RAG-KO) showed that adoptive transfer of mito-transferred naive aged CD4+T cells, protected recipient mice from influenza A andMycobacterium tuberculosisinfections. These findings support mitochondria as targets of therapeutic intervention in aging.
A Framework for Evaluating Myocardial Stiffness Using 3D-Printed Hearts
Authors: Kolawole Fikunwa , Peirlinck Mathias , Cork Tyler E. , Wang Vicky Y. , Dual Seraina A. , Levenston Marc E. , Kuhl Ellen , Ennis Daniel B.
Published: February 2021

MRI-driven computational modeling is increasingly used to simulatein vivocardiac mechanical behavior and estimate subject-specific myocardial stiffness. However,in vivovalidation of these estimates is exceedingly difficult due to the lack of a known ground-truthin vivomyocardial stiffness. We have developed 3D-printed heart phantoms of known myocardium-mimicking stiffness and MRI relaxation properties and incorporated the heart phantoms within a highly controlled MRI-compatible setup to simulatein vivodiastolic filling. The setup enables the acquisition of experimental data needed to evaluate myocardial stiffness using computational constitutive modeling: phantom geometry, loading pressures, boundary conditions, and filling strains. The pressure-volume relationship obtained from the phantom setup was used to calibrate anin silicomodel of the heart phantom undergoing simulated diastolic filling. The model estimated stiffness was compared with ground-truth stiffness obtained from uniaxial tensile testing. Ultimately, the setup is designed to enable extensive validation of MRI and FEM-based myocardial stiffness estimation frameworks.
Unbiased choice of global clustering parameters for single-molecule localization microscopy
Authors: Verzelli Pietro , Nold Andreas , Sun Chao , Heilemann Mike , Schuman Erin M. , Tchumatchenko Tatjana
Published: February 2021

Single-molecule localization microscopy resolves objects below the diffraction limit of light via sparse, stochastic detection of target molecules. Single molecules appear as clustered detection events after image reconstruction. However, identification of clusters of localizations is often complicated by the spatial proximity of target molecules and by background noise. Clustering results of existing algorithms often depend on user-generated training data or user-selected parameters, which can lead to unintentional clustering errors. Here we suggest an unbiased algorithm (FINDER) based on adaptive global parameter selection and demonstrate that the algorithm is robust to noise inclusion and target molecule density. We benchmarked FINDER against the most common density based clustering algorithms in test scenarios based on experimental datasets. We show that FINDER can keep the number of false positive inclusions low while also maintaining a low number of false negative detections in densely populated regions.
Old players in new posts: the role of P53, ATM and DNAPK in DNA damage-related ubiquitylation-dependent removal of S2P RNAPII
Authors: Borsos Barbara N , Pantazi Vasiliki , Páhi Zoltán G , Majoros Hajnalka , Ujfaludi Zsuzsanna , Berzsenyi Ivett , Pankotai Tibor
Published: February 2021

DNA double-strand breaks are the most deleterious lesions for the cells, therefore understanding the macromolecular interactions in the DNA repair-related mechanisms is essential. DNA damage triggers transcription silencing at the damage site, leading to the removal of the elongating RNA polymerase II (S2P RNAPII) from this locus, which provides accessibility for the repair factors to the lesion. Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNAPK) are the two main regulatory kinases of homologous recombination and non-homologous end joining, respectively. Although these kinases are involved in the activation of different repair pathways, they have common target proteins, such as P53. We previously demonstrated that following transcription block, P53 plays a pivotal role in transcription elongation process by interacting with S2P RNAPII. In the current study, we reveal that P53, ATM and DNAPK are involved in the fine-tune regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system-related degradation of S2P RNAPII. However, they act differently in this process: P53 delays the removal of S2P RNAPII, while ATM and DNAPK participate in the activation of members of E3 ligase complexes involved in the ubiquitylation of S2P RNAPII. We also demonstrate that WW domain-containing protein 2 (WWP2) and Cullin-3 (CUL3) are interaction partners of S2P RNAPII, thus forming a complex with the transcribing RNAPII complex.

Simple Summary

To ensure the proper repair following DNA double-strand breaks, the eviction of the arrested elongating RNA polymerase II (S2P RNAPII) is required. Here, we report an emerging role of P53, Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNAPK) in the ubiquitin-proteasome system-dependent removal of S2P RNAPII. We also identified interactions between S2P RNAPII and WW domain-containing protein 2 (WWP2) or Cullin-3 (CUL3) (members of E3 ligase complexes), which are involved in the ubiquitylation of S2P RNAPII following DNA damage. Furthermore, the RNAPII-E3 ligase complex interactions are mediated by P53, ATM and DNAPK, which suggests potential participation of all three proteins in the effective resolution of transcription block at the damage site. Altogether, our results provide a better comprehension of the molecular background of transcription elongation block-related DNA repair processes and highlight an indispensable function of P53, ATM and DNAPK in these mechanisms.
GABARAP membrane conjugation sequesters the FLCN-FNIP tumor suppressor complex to activate TFEB and lysosomal biogenesis
Authors: Goodwin Jonathan M. , Walkup Ward G. , Hooper Kirsty , Li Taoyingnan , Kishi-Itakura Chieko , Ng Aylwin , Lehmberg Timothy , Jha Archana , Kommineni Sravya , Fletcher Katherine , Garcia-Fortanet Jorge , Fan Yaya , Tang Qing , Wei Menghao , Agrawal Asmita , Budhe Sagar R. , Rouduri Sreekanth R. , Baird Dan , Saunders Jeff , Kiselar Janna , Chance Mark R. , Ballabio Andrea , Appleton Brent A. , Brumell John H. , Florey Oliver , Murphy Leon O.
Published: February 2021

Adaptive changes in lysosomal capacity are driven by the transcription factors TFEB and TFE3 in response to increased autophagic flux and endolysosomal stress, yet the molecular details of their activation are unclear. LC3 and GABARAP members of the ATG8 protein family are required for selective autophagy and sensing perturbation within the endolysosomal system. Here we show that during single membrane ATG8 conjugation (SMAC), Parkin-dependent mitophagy, and Salmonella-induced xenophagy, the membrane conjugation of GABARAP, but not LC3, is required for activation of TFEB/TFE3 to control lysosomal homeostasis and capacity. GABARAP directly binds to a novel LC3-interacting motif (LIR) in the FLCN/FNIP tumor suppressor complex with picomolar affinity and regulates its relocalization to these GABARAP-conjugated membrane compartments. This disrupts the regulation of RagC/D by the FLCN/FNIP GAP complex, resulting in impaired mTOR-dependent phosphorylation of TFEB without changing mTOR activity towards other substrates. Thus, the GABARAP-FLCN/FNIP-TFEB axis serves as a universal molecular sensor that coordinates lysosomal homeostasis with perturbations and cargo flux within the autophagy-lysosomal network.
Statistical testing in gene transcriptomic-neuroimaging associations: an evaluation of methods that assess spatial and gene specificity
Authors: Wei Yongbin , de Lange Siemon C. , Pijnenburg Rory , Scholtens Lianne H. , Ardesch Dirk Jan , Watanabe Kyoko , Posthuma Danielle , van den Heuvel Martijn P.
Published: February 2021

Multiscale integration of gene transcriptomic and neuroimaging data is becoming a widely used approach for exploring the molecular underpinnings of large-scale brain structure and function. Proper statistical evaluation of computed associations between imaging-based phenotypic and transcriptomic data is key in these explorations, in particular to establish whether observed associations exceed ‘chance level’ of random, non-specific effects. Recent approaches have shown the importance of spatial null models to test forspatial specificityof effects to avoid serious inflation of reported statistics. Here, we discuss the need for examination of the second category of specificity in transcriptomic-neuroimaging analyses, namely that ofgene specificity, examined using null models built upon effects that occur from sets of random genes. Through simple examples of commonly performed transcriptomic-neuroimaging analyses, we show that providing additional gene specificity on observed transcriptomic-neuroimaging effects is of high importance to avoid non-specific (potentially false-positive) effects. Through simulations we further show that the rate of reported non-specific effects (i.e., effects that are generally observed and cannot be specifically linked to a gene-set of interest) can run as high as 60%, with only less than 5% of transcriptomic-neuroimaging associations observed through ordinary linear regression analyses showing spatial and gene specificity. We explain that using proper null models that test for both spatial specificity and gene specificity is warranted.
(NH4)Mg(HSO4)(SO4)(H2O)2and NaSc(CrO4)2(H2O)2, two crystal structures comprising kröhnkite-type chains, and the temperature-induced phase transition (NH4)Mg(HSO4)(SO4)(H2O)2\rightleftharpoons (NH4)MgH(SO4)2(H2O)2
Authors: Weil Matthias , Kolitsch Uwe
Published: February 2021

The crystal structure of the mineral kröhnkite, Na2Cu(SO4)2(H2O)2, contains infinite chains composed of [CuO4(OH2)2] octahedra corner-linked with SO4tetrahedra. Such or similar tetrahedral–octahedral `kröhnkite-type' chains are present in the crystal structures of numerous compounds with the compositionAnM(XO4)2(H2O)2. The title compounds, (NH4)Mg(HSO4)(SO4)(H2O)2, ammonium magnesium hydrogen sulfate sulfate dihydrate, and NaSc(CrO4)2(H2O)2, sodium scandium bis(chromate) dihydrate, are members of the large family with such kröhnkite-type chains. At 100 K, (NH4)Mg(HSO4)(SO4)(H2O)2has an unprecedented triclinic crystal structure and contains [MgO4(OH2)2] octahedra linked by SO3(OH) and SO4tetrahedra into chains extending parallel to [\overline{1}10]. Adjacent chains are linked by very strong hydrogen bonds between SO3(OH) and SO4tetrahedra into layers parallel to (111). Ammonium cations and water molecules connect adjacent layers through hydrogen-bonding interactions of medium-to-weak strength into a three-dimensional network. (NH4)Mg(HSO4)(SO4)(H2O)2shows a reversible phase transition and crystallizes at room temperature in structure typeEin the classification scheme for structures with kröhnkite-type chains, with half of the unit-cell volume for the resulting triclinic cell, and with disordered H atoms of the ammonium tetrahedron and the H atom between two symmetry-related sulfate groups. IR spectroscopic room-temperature data for the latter phase are provided. Monoclinic NaSc(CrO4)2(H2O)2adopts structure typeF1in the classification scheme for structures with kröhnkite-type chains. Here, [ScO4(OH2)2] octahedra (point group symmetry \overline{1}) are linked by CrO4tetrahedra into chains parallel to [010]. The Na+cations (site symmetry 2) have a [6 + 2] coordination and connect adjacent chains into a three-dimensional framework that is consolidated by medium–strong hydrogen bonds involving the water molecules. Quantitative structural comparisons are made between NaSc(CrO4)2(H2O)2and its isotypic NaM(CrO4)2(H2O)2(M= Al and Fe) analogues.
Cognitive mechanisms underlying interaction and contribution in online health communities: the perspectives of doctors and patients
Authors: Wang Ping , Wang Jia , Li Qiao
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Active interaction and knowledge contribution are vital yet challenging elements of the sustainable development of online health communities (OHCs). To investigate the cognitive mechanisms underlying these behaviours in doctors' and patients' use of OHCs, this study develops a theoretical model to examine the relationships among cognitive modes, patterns of interaction, perceived usefulness, and contribution behaviour and the impact of user identity on these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the research hypotheses, structural equation modelling and multiple-group analysis were used to analyse survey data from 207 doctors and 213 patients.

Findings

The results indicate that dual processes and perceived usefulness are the key cognitive antecedents of interaction and knowledge contribution, respectively. However, the correlation of the rational mode and instrumental interaction is significantly stronger in the doctors' group than in the patients' group, while a stronger correlation between the experiential mode and instrumental interaction is observed in the patients' group.

Practical implications

These findings support the development of information and system strategies to support the operation of dual processes underlying doctors' and patients' instrumental and affective interactions, facilitate evaluation and sense-making of interaction activities, and motivate knowledge contribution.

Originality/value

This study uncovers the invariance and variability in the relationships between salient cognitive activities and behavioural responses in doctors' and patients' use of OHCs and the impact of user identity on variability.
Rationalising industrial action: how Ugandan public school teachers and public university lecturers explain their engagement in industrial action
Authors: Kambasu Obed
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the rising waves of workplace militancy in the public sector and to provide insights into the perceptions that frame justification for industrial action among Ugandan public sector employees.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews and documentary analysis, analysed qualitatively, as well as a review of theoretical and empirical literature.

Findings

Public school teachers and public university lecturers in Uganda who frequently engage in industrial action mainly rationalise their engagement by the absence, or the ineffectiveness of alternative conflict resolution mechanisms. The findings also show that industrial action, even in resource-constrained settings like Uganda, is stimulated more by the desire to achieve equity rather than by the basic desire to improve working conditions. It is also notable that new, often unstructured, forms of workplace militancy continue to emerge in the public sector, and waves of industrial action are shifting from the industrial to the public sector.

Practical implications

Whereas industrial action is a protected labour right, the findings of this research strongly suggest that public employees do not necessarily enjoy their right to engage, but only reluctantly take industrial action as a “last resort”. The findings will, therefore, help public managers and policymakers to appreciate their responsibility in reducing the compulsion for industrial action among public employees.

Originality/value

This paper provides a general explanation for industrial action from the perspective of the people involved, rather than explaining the causality of specific strike actions. At a time when industrial action is generally declining in the developed industrialised states, this paper sheds light on the rise in collective action in developing countries and especially in the public sector.
The experiences of young offenders (aged 18–21) on protection in an Irish prison: using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)
Authors: Hughes Suzanne , Trimble Timothy James , O’Rourke Anne
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Young offenders are disproportionately represented in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) and are a population with complex needs and highest risk of re-offending. Subsets of young offenders in IPS are placed on Protection for their own and/or other’s safety. There is limited research regarding the experiences of young offenders, and there is none on the subjective experiences of young offenders on Protection that could be identified. This study aims to address a limitation of a previous study on the experiences of young offenders in an Irish prison (Hughes et al., 2017) by providing insight into experiences of young offenders on Protection in Mountjoy Prison.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a non-experimental, qualitative, semi-structured interview design, a purposive sampling method was used, and six young offenders participated. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim with potentially identifiable information removed to ensure anonymity. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was applied to interpret the data.

Findings

Two superordinate themes provided an overview of the young offender’s experiences of Protection in an Irish prison: ‘Social Order on Protection’ and ‘Adjustment on Protection’.

Research limitations/implications

Even though it is a relatively small sample size, this study contributes to existing literature and considers sentence management and clinical implications.

Originality/value

This study helps to address a gap in literature by providing insight into the overall experiences of young male offenders (aged 18–21) on Protection in an Irish prison. The findings are in line with most researches, which highlight additional negative consequences of “restrictive prisons regimes” such as Protection. This study provides information to prisons for the development of best practice guidelines and better sentence management and delivery of services to young offenders on Protection.
Terrorism, innovation and venture capital
Authors: Uddin Moshfique , Alam Ashraful , Yazdifar Hassan , Shubita Moade
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship between terrorism and innovation and the moderating role of venture capital.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper has used panel data from 140 countries covering the period of 2007–2016 and has analysed the data by using generalised method of moments instrumental variables (GMM-IV) estimation method to control for unobserved endogeneity among the variables.

Findings

The authors find that terrorism has negative impact on innovation. Interesting results emerge when we separated the developed countries from others. The results show that the impact of terrorism on innovation is lower in developed countries. This is due to the fact that strong institutional settings in developed countries make the investors confident by providing support and incentives. Better institutional settings in developed countries also help to reduce uncertainty, which maximise innovation and minimise terrorism risk. The authors also find that venture capital positively moderates the terrorism and innovation relationship. This implies that by providing sufficient fund for technological development, venture capital may help to reduce terrorism risk.

Practical implications

These results may guide the policy makers to find a business solution instead of lengthy political solution to mitigate terrorism risk in emerging countries. Overall, this paper will provide the basis for improving the counter-terrorism approaches from an innovation perspective.

Originality/value

The paper has used terrorism and venture capital data from 140 countries and finds interesting results that may help the policy makers to reduce the effect and intensity of terrorism in emerging countries.
Investigating brand community engagement and evangelistic tendencies on social media
Authors: Sharma Purvendu , Sadh Ashish , Billore Aditya , Motiani Manoj
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This study aims to explore the antecedents and outcomes of brand community engagement (BCE) in the context of social media-based brand communities (SMBCs). Moreover, the mediating role of brand evangelism between BCE and brand defence and between BCE and brand resilience is examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected using a questionnaire-based survey from 201 active members of various SMBCs. Partial least square based structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed conceptual model.

Findings

The results suggest that brand identification and brand prominence are the antecedents of BCE. BCE positively influence brand evangelism and brand defence. Furthermore, the finding suggests that brand evangelism mediates the relationship between BCE and brand defence and also between BCE and brand resilience.

Research limitations/implications

The sample for this study involves respondents active on different SMBCs, which may constrain uniformity in respondents’ experiences.

Practical implications

The insights provided by this study are useful in enhancing BCE with the SMBCs. The study highlights the role of brand evangelism in actively endorsing and defending the brands. The brand manager can promote brand evangelistic behaviour through meaningful engagement with SMBCs.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature of brand community engagement by focussing on its antecedents and outcomes in SMBCs. Further, this study adds to the branding literature by connecting two crucial streams of brand research: BCE and brand evangelism. The study also explores the mediating role of brand evangelism. It enhances the understanding of consumer-brand relationships in the context of SMBCs.
COVID-19 pandemic and role of libraries
Authors: Ameen Kanwal
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose was to address the role of libraries in the worst-case scenario, with specific reference of developing countries like Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on the author's observations, readings, and personal communications with colleagues

Findings

The paper provides a viewpoint on how a developing country like Pakistan has been dealing with the situation and highlights the opportunities provided by this unusual situation. It highlights that various stakeholders have realized the need to bridge the digital divide in order to meet future challenges.

Practical implications

The paper is limited generally to developing countries and specifically to Pakistan. It establishes the dire need for innovative approaches in library services to meet the seen and unforeseen challenges. If suggestions are considered, then the libraries may be in a better position to serve under challenging circumstances.

Originality/value

This is an original work written to address the worst-case scenario of a developing country.
Portfolio simplification arising from a century of change in salmon population diversity and artificial production
Authors: Price Michael H. H. , Moore Jonathan W. , Connors Brendan M. , Wilson Kyle L. , Reynolds John D.
Published: February 2021

Population and life‐history diversity can buffer species from environmental variability and contribute to long‐term stability through differing responses to varying conditions akin to the stabilizing effect of asset diversity on financial portfolios. While it is well known that many salmon populations have declined in abundance over the last century, we understand less about how different dimensions of diversity may have shifted. Specifically, how has diminished wild abundance and increased artificial production (i.e. enhancement) changed portfolios of salmon populations, and how might such change influence fisheries and ecosystems?

We apply modern genetic tools to century‐old sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka scales from Canada's Skeena River watershed to (a) reconstruct historical abundance and age‐trait data for 1913–1947 to compare with recent information, (b) quantify changes in population and life‐history diversity and the role of enhancement in population dynamics, and (c) quantify the risk to fisheries and local ecosystems resulting from observed changes in diversity and enhancement.

The total number of wild sockeye returning to the Skeena River during the modern era is 69% lower than during the historical era; all wild populations have declined, several by more than 90%. However, enhancement of a single population has offset declines in wild populations such that aggregate abundances now are similar to historical levels.

Population diversity has declined by 70%, and life‐history diversity has shifted: populations are migrating from freshwater at an earlier age, and spending more time in the ocean. There also has been a contraction in abundance throughout the watershed, which likely has decreased the spatial extent of salmon provisions to Indigenous fisheries and local ecosystems. Despite the erosion of portfolio strength that this salmon complex hosted a century ago, total returns now are no more variable than they were historically perhaps in part due to the stabilizing effect of artificial production.

Policy implications. Our study provides a rare example of the extent of erosion of within‐species biodiversity over the last century of human influence. Rebuilding a diversity of abundant wild populations—that is, maintaining functioning portfolios—may help ensure that watershed complexes like the Skeena are robust to global change.
How prepared is Australian occupational therapy to decolonise its practice?
Authors: Rudman Megan Tirzah , Flavell Helen , Harris Courtenay , Wright Michael
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Being culturally secure, respectful and responsive can mean occupational therapists can contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. New culturally responsive accreditation and competency standards provide an opportunity to decolonise the profession to enhance the cultural capabilities of graduates. The purpose of this study was to explore how well‐prepared Australian occupational therapy courses are to implement the new standards.

Methods

The principles of participatory action research were applied. An initial survey with occupational therapy academic staff was used to inform questions for semi‐structured interviews. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 10 occupational therapy academics and occupational therapy accreditors. Interview data were thematically analysed.

Findings

The four themes identified from the interviews were: occupational therapy profession drivers, effective leadership, community and Elder involvement, and course design and delivery.

Conclusion

The new accreditation and competency standards are a promising step forward for the profession. However, the profession needs to be better prepared to decolonise Australian occupational therapy. A positive and culturally secure way forward is to engage Elders and other community members in learning experiences to build student, academic and practicing occupational therapist's cultural capability. Non‐Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership at all levels of the profession and within universities is crucial to establishing trusting, reciprocal relationships to support deep knowledge exchange. These relationships lay the foundation to build cultural capabilities and decolonise processes in the profession.
Vaginotypes of the human vaginal microbiome
Authors: Mancabelli Leonardo , Tarracchini Chiara , Milani Christian , Lugli Gabriele Andrea , Fontana Federico , Turroni Francesca , van Sinderen Douwe , Ventura Marco
Published: February 2021

The human vaginal environment harbours a community of bacteria that plays an important role in maintaining vaginal health and in protecting this environment from various urogenital infections. This bacterial population, also known as vaginal microbiota, has been demonstrated to be dominated by members of the Lactobacillus genus. Several studies employing 16S rRNA gene‐based amplicon sequencing have classified the vaginal microbiota into five distinct community state types (CSTs) or vaginotypes. To deepen our understanding of the vaginal microbiota we performed an in‐depth meta‐analysis of 1312 publicly available datasets concerning healthy vaginal microbiome information obtained by metagenomics sequencing. The analysis confirmed the predominance of taxa belonging to the Lactobacillus genus, followed by members of the genera Gardnerella, Vibrio and Atopobium. Moreover, the statistical robustness offered by this meta‐analysis allowed us to disentangle the species‐level composition of dominant and accessory taxa constituting each vaginotype and to revisit and refine the previously proposed CST classification. In addition, a functional characterization of the metagenomic datasets revealed particular genetic features associated with each assigned vaginotype.
A broad view of precocious reading
Authors: Bergman Deitcher Deborah , Aram Dorit , Besser‐Biron Shira
Published: February 2021

Background

Precocious readers (PRs) are children who read and comprehend fluently in their native language, without receiving formal instruction. This study examined Hebrew‐speaking PRs in comparison with a group of age‐matched peers and a group of reading‐level‐matched peers. By examining Hebrew, which is a transparent orthography when it has diacritics and opaque without the diacritics, the study aimed to expand our understanding of PRs and shed light on universal and orthographic‐specific aspects of precocious reading. Additionally, language and math are both code‐based systems, yet previous studies largely neglected assessing PRs' math skills. Studying these skills can highlight the process of reading as a symbol system that needs decoding and further clarify its relationship with other symbol‐based systems.

Methods

We examined 20 PRs who were matched with 20 same‐age preschoolers. Additionally, to compare the PRs with a group exposed to formal reading instruction, we matched them with 20 older children with the same reading level. We studied the three groups' language, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, reading, writing and math skills. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine differences between the groups on these measures, controlling for nonverbal intelligence.

Results

Beyond the contribution of nonverbal intelligence, being in the PR group conferred a significant advantage over the same‐age group on almost all measured skills. The PRs scored similarly to the same reading level group on letter knowledge and phonological awareness, significantly outperformed them on word reading and nearly on math (p = .06) but scored lower than them on writing and vocabulary.

Conclusions

This study promotes the understanding of precocious reading beyond a particular orthography. It highlights reading development as an act of deciphering symbols, thereby relating it to other symbol systems such as math. Being aware of PRs' skills can help parents and educators adequately support these children.
The class politics of prejudice: Brexit and the land of no‐hope and glory
Authors: Mckenzie Lisa
Published: February 2021

The debates relating to social class and whether it is still a useful concept in describing a lived reality of the British population has never been far away from media, political and academic dispute. Thatcher's Britain throughout the 1980s attempted to dilute class meaning with what was called ‘a home owning democracy’ and thus end class collective politics through easily available credit for the working class while simultaneously attacking trade union organization, recruitment and political action.

During the late 1990s and into the noughties a ‘New Labour’ administration attempted to exacerbate the end of class politics through an agenda of a ‘cultural distinction’ to class identity. Class struggle, class politics and class identity is embedded deep within the cultural norms practices, and history of British democracy. Consequently it is difficult if not impossible to prise class inequality in the UK away from and out of national, local and personal politics (Savage et al. 2015: 393–8). This paper focuses upon the sense that class politics, and cultural class distinction, within the UK had the biggest influence in determining a working‐class ‘Leave Vote’ in the 2016 referendum within the UK. This paper explores accounts and narratives from working‐class ‘leave’ voters though an ethnographic study of the political and social viewpoints of working‐class communities of East London, and of ex‐mining towns of Nottinghamshire. Framing into fuller context the anger and apathy of being ‘left out’, arguing that being ‘left out’ has been part of working‐class political narratives for over 30 years. Going beyond frustration and apathy, a significant part of the narrative of working people was of ‘not existing’, suggesting certain important linkages with ongoing debates about new ways of conceptualizing class differences and class structures.
Genomic analysis of Medicago ruthenica provides insights into its tolerance to abiotic stress and demographic history
Authors: Yin Mou , Zhang Shangzhe , Du Xin , Mateo Rubén G. , Guo Wei , Li Ao , Wang Zhenyue , Wu Shuang , Chen Jinyuan , Liu Jianquan , Ren Guangpeng
Published: February 2021

Medicago ruthenica has been recently cultivated as a new forage crop and has been recognized as a source of genes to improve abiotic stress tolerance in cultivated alfalfa because of its remarkable tolerance to drought, salinity‐alkalinity, and cold and snowy winters. Here, we reveal a chromosome‐scale genome sequence of M. ruthenica based on Illumina, PacBio, and Hi‐C data. The assembled genome consists of 903.56 Mb with 50,268 annotated protein‐coding genes, which is larger and contains relatively more genes than Medicago truncatula (420 Mb and 44,623 genes) and Medicago sativa spp. caerulea (793 Mb and 47,202 genes). All three species shared the ancestral Papilionoideae whole‐genome duplication event before their divergence. The more recent expansion of repetitive elements compared to that in the other two species was determined to have contributed greatly to the larger genome size of M. ruthenica. We further found that multiple gene and transcription factor families (e.g., SOS homologous genes, NAC, C2H2, and CAMTA) have expanded in M. ruthenica, which might have led to its enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress. In addition, M. ruthenica harbors more genes involved in the lignin and cellulose biosynthesis pathways than the other two species. Finally, population genomic analyses revealed two genetic lineages, reflecting the west and east of its geographical distribution, respectively. The two lineages probably diverged during the last glaciation and survived in multiple refugia at the last glacial maximum, followed by recent expansion. Our genomic data provide a genetic basis for further molecular breeding research on M. ruthenica and alfalfa.